Some weeks are just hard. There are things beyond my control that I cannot change that negatively impact me. I want to scream. I want to bang heads together and tell people to get their sh*t together! I might have jokingly suggested a mob with pitchforks, torches, and daggers storm the “castle.”
When weeks like this arrive, reading becomes really hard. At the end of the day, my brain is exhausted. I just want to curl up in a ball and do something numbing and mindless. This week has been a testament to the power of personal habit as my reading streak has continued without interruption. While I’m not incredibly happy with the number of pages read this week, I know that I have to give myself grace and celebrate that I made progress.
Here’s hoping that a new week brings better results.
What I Finished This Week
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. For some reason, I had been avoiding this novel based on Greek mythology. I expected a story filled with vengeful gods and constant battles. While those elements were present, that is not what this story is about. At its heart, it is a love story of Achilles and Patroclus without all of the graphic passages you would find in a modern MM romance. (Yes, the story features two men in love.) Achilles is the son of a goddess and destined to be the greatest warrior the world has ever known. Patroclus is the son of a king who has been exiled simply because he is a constant disappointment to his father. The boys become friends right away. Bound by friendship, the two find themselves fighting on behalf of Agamemnon to rescue Helen from the walled city of Troy. Miller does an excellent job looking at issues such as duty, loyalty, destiny, and greed in this modern retelling of a classic story. 5 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America by Fergus M. Bordewich (p. 125 of 439). My attention was pulled away from my non-fiction this week while I dreamed about Ancient Greece. Still, I have enjoyed progressing through this book. Did you know that Christmas time was a prime time for slaves to attempt escape? With the added days off to celebrate the holiday and the colder temperatures, it was more likely that they could get further away from their master before their absence was noticed and more easily cross natural boundaries when the creeks and rivers were frozen. As I am moving into the second section of the book, I am starting to learn more about individual slaves who were passengers on the Underground Railroad as well as those that served as conductors. Fascinating stuff!
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (p. 190 of 661). This week, I explored the relationship between the Trask brothers and watched as Adam and Cathy set out to make their new life in California. Adam dreams of a lush Garden of Eden; Cathy simply wants to escape. She has already proven that she will do anything necessary to be free of a man and has attempted to rid herself of the child she now carries. My only complaint about this novel at the moment is that I’m not enjoying it as an ebook, but I don’t want to purchase another paperback copy. I think my well-loved copy is in Arkansas at the moment. C’est la vie!
Easter weekend always signifies to me that Spring is finally here! Even if there is still a chill in the air, there is something about all of the bright colors and joyful images in the parks as families enjoy time outside that reminds me that it is a season of rebirth, renewal, and life. For the past several years, I have celebrated Easter in an unusual way. School is on break from Good Friday to Easter Monday, so I take the chance to slip out of town and rest. Typically, I will splurge on a nice hotel room with a large window and comfortable seating. Then I settle in for the weekend and pamper myself.
This year’s Easter vacation looked a little different than most. I went out of town and got a great room, but I rarely left it. Instead of going to the museum or catching a baseball game, I stayed close by and allowed myself to meditate, rest, and breathe. Some would consider this a waste of money because I could have done all of those things in my apartment. To me, it was the perfect investment and a needed change of scenery.
What I Finished This Week
Chariot on the Mountain by Jack Ford. I did not expect this novel to move me as it did! This story is going to stay with me for a very long time AND it influenced a personal research project. I love when fiction goes beyond a mere story and causes you to think deeply about big issues from our past and present. Chariot on the Mountain is the story of Kitty, a house slave who is beloved by her master. Upon his untimely death, his widow Mary has control of his property. To honor her husband’s dying wish, Mary decides to free Kitty. When Mary’s nephew makes a claim against his uncle’s will, it becomes evident that Kitty must leave immediately. Kitty, her three young children, and Mary set out for Pennsylvania along the path of the Underground Railroad. The party arrives safely to freedom, but when a free black man betrays Kitty’s trust, she is caught and returned to bondage at the hands of the violent nephew. In a final act of rebellion, Kitty sues her captor and proclaims herself to be a free person. Chariot on the Mountain is based largely on historical record and is a fascinating novel. While I “knew” about the Underground Railroad through childhood education in Arkansas, Ford’s novel made the circumstances, danger, and moral questions come to life. This will certainly be one of the contenders for the best book of the year for me. 5 stars.
The Leaving by Tara Altebrando. YA mystery is rarely my jam. Since I needed another mystery to complete the March mini-challenge, I decided to pick up this book on a whim. The premise is quite interesting. Six kindergarten students are taken from school on the first day of class. Their disappearance is completely unexplained and there are no clues leading to their recovery. Fast-forward 11 years…..when five of the students return to their small community. The only problem? They have no recollection of where they have been or anything that has happened during “The Leaving.” I used this novel to fulfill case #28 – a character wrongly accused — and that is probably the only reason that I didn’t DNF this book. Was it really that bad? No…but this month’s challenge has affirmed for me why mystery is not a favorite genre for me. 3 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (p. 82 of 661). I’m returning to this American classic this month while participating in the Active Mind Book Club. While I have previously read the novel, I remember very little about it. I am enjoying the start of the story, but I must admit that I am finding it difficult to engage with the characters at this point. I seem to remember that it took me a bit to get invested in the character’s lives before too, but once I was in the story, it was hard to put down. I’m hoping for a similar experience with this re-reading.
Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America by Fergus M. Bordewich (p. 63 of 439). As I was finishing my reading of Chariot on the Mountain this week, I stumbled upon a YouTube video that referred to “personal curriculum.” I was intrigued by the idea and set out to discover more. Essentially, it is a personal education for a specified length of time on a topic that interests you without the pressure of grades. The goal is simply to learn more. When I first encountered the idea, the vlogger spoke about the power of following your curiosity instead of a set “curriculum plan.” I liked the idea of selecting a topic and learning what you can. A quick question to ChatGPT about best sources to learn more about the Underground Railroad led me to this book. (I’ll share more about my early experiences with “personal curriculum” later this week on my personal blog, Livin’ Life.
Bound for Canaan is an expansive look at the journey of slaves to freedom and the challenges that it brought about. Right now, my focus is on the earliest days of the idea in Philadelphia as abolitionists and Quakers joined forces to protect the African-Americans in their community. While largely fueled by religious fervor, the Underground Railroad was also an expression of the political fight in the young nation’s legislature that would ultimately lead to civil war. My reading of non-fiction is typically slower than fiction, but I am thoroughly enjoying exploring this important aspect of American history.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (p. 29 of 369). I brought a stack of books with me for my holiday weekend getaway because I anticipated needing to start a new book for the main reading challenge. I have heard so many readers complain about the first prompt of the challenge — a book set in an ancient civilization — and decided that I needed to start my selection for this prompt in case I needed to pivot. A contemporary retelling of the myth of Achilles and Patroclus in their pursuit of a kidnapped Helen, Miller’s novel is proving to be fast-paced and quite approachable so far. I am very thankful for the many English teachers I have encountered that made mythology less daunting; it is certainly aiding in my current reading.
March in Review
March was a busy month in my world. Opera rehearsals, a trip to Arkansas, and opera tour dominated my life. Somehow, I managed to maintain a steady diet of reading for the month. That’s surprising to me as well! I’m also surprised to see that my top rated book of the month was one of the mysteries I read…..that just shows you how much I didn’t like the other books I read this month. I’m looking forward to getting back to some of my normal selections in April. Anyway, here are the stats for March.
Books read in March: 6 books (even with February)
Pages read in March: 2,296 (up 170 pages from February)
Highest rated book:The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood – 4.75 stars
2026 Reading Challenge Progress – The 52 Book Club
I have been feeling as though I’m behind on the main challenge with all of my attention going to the mini-challenges each month. I have only completed 10 prompts so far (although I have read 24 books so far this year). I’m a purist….normally one book for each prompt across all the challenges. However, when I saw a memory pop up in my feed this week, I noticed that I’m right on pace with last year; I had only read 9 books for the main prompt by the beginning of April. So here I am, taking a deep breath, enjoying my reading and not worrying about how quickly I finish the challenge. My only goal is to actually finish it.
Since I spent nearly half of my reading time this month completing the March mini-challenge (those blasted mysteries!), here’s the graphic showing what I’ve completed there as well. I have to admit that these were a fun departure from my normal reading patterns, but I’m ready to read in my lane for a bit now.
Upcoming Plans
April has another mini-challenge, so I have to get those going. I also need to read a book that has been turned into an Oscar-nominated film and one that has been nominated for the Women’s Prize for another challenge. (I am thinking that I may double dip on the Oscar-nominated story since I also need to read The Godfather for The 52 Book Club Challenge.) As always, I have big plans, but we will just have to see what I accomplish. All I know for sure is that I’ll continue to press my nose into a book daily and see what I can learn about myself, my world, and my fellow man.
Last week was spent in Midland, Texas. I was there with Opera of the Plains performing Little Red Riding Hood for elementary students in the Midland/Odessa area. Eleven performances in six days! With approximately 1,500 students in our audiences, the tour was an immense success. It was also very exhausting!
Clearly, the performance schedule impacted my reading life. I managed to continue to progress through my reads, but I’m hoping that this week will see a return to a regular schedule now that rehearsals and performances are over.
What I Finished This Week
Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy. I’ve long been intimidated by Russian literature. There’s something about seeing the names that I am uncertain how to pronounce that sends my mind reeling. Combine that with a land that I cannot imagine, a culture with which I am not familiar, and a vast history that I know little about and you have a formula for a challenging read. When I think of Tolstoy, my mind immediately goes to War and Peace and Anna Karenina. After plowing through Karenina last summer, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this current read, but I was up for the challenge. Resurrection is a beautiful story of redemption, love, and sacrifice against the background of an unjust prison system in 19th century Russia. The novel was not perfect and seems as though it might have benefited from additional editing. However, I found the juxtaposition of Christian theology, western philosophy, and Russian heritage an interesting blend. 3 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
Chariot on the Mountain by Jack Ford (p. 112 of 285). Last fall, I selected a new shelf in the Unger Memorial Library to read my way through. The latest novel that I am enjoying from that project is Chariot on the Mountain. It is a historical novel set against the background of the Underground Railroad. Kitty is a slave whose master, Samuel, has died and left all of his property to his wife, Mary. Samuel’s dying wish is that his daughter Kitty and her children be set free. Thus begins the unconventional journey of Kitty and Mary to freedom in Pennsylvania. The novel is fascinating and its short chapters make it easy to jump in and out of during a busy season.
The Leaving by Tara Altebrando (p. 122 of 425). For my final read for the March mini-challenge, I have selected a YA mystery. On the first full day of kindergarten, six students mysteriously disappeared from a quaint Florida community. The event — now referred to as “The Leaving” — has been attributed to everything from alien abduction to kidnapping by a horrifying predator. Eleven years later, five of the students mysteriously return with only the clothes on their back and individual maps to their homes. They have no memory of what happened or where they have been. This is a riveting tale that alternates character perspective and challenges the imagination as readers try to discover where the sixth student is and what really happened.
Last week was a most relaxing week. I got to spend much of the week curled up on my parents’ couch with my nose in a book. How could I ask for anything more? Between naps, I managed to get some reading done to continue moving me closer to my monthly goals.
What I Finished This Week
The Royal Governess by Wendy Holden. There are few things better than a good historical novel! I really enjoyed this book about the work of Marion Crawford, governess for Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. I found the anecdotes from the girls’ childhood charming. Marion’s work during the horrors of World War II and the Blitz were invigorating and courageous. However, I found the end of the novel rushed and rather unsatisfying. While we know that Marion was essentially shunned by the Royal Family after the publication of her memoir The Little Princesses, Marion’s failed marriage, her feelings about the early days of Elizabeth’s reign, the birth of Prince Charles, and other events until her death in the 1980s would have been fascinating to explore further. I understand that this was essentially beyond the scope of the novel, but the simple mention of these events left this reader wanting more. 4 stars.
The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood. Continuing to make my way through the March mini-challenge, I read this charming mystery to fulfill case #12: features an amateur sleuth. In the small British town of Marlow, nestled on the banks of the Thames, the serenity has been crushed through a series of unexplained murders. While the police are frantically trying to solve the cases despite being understaffed, Judith is invested in discovering the killer of her friend. Is Judith an investigator? Not at all — she is a 70-year-old creator of crossword puzzles. Through her investigations, Judith teams up with a local dog walker and the wife of a minister to arrive at the truth. This was a fast-paced, witty read that I enjoyed immensely. 4.75 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy (p. 462 of 573). I am continuing to make my way slowly through the novel. Maslova and the other prisoners have begun the journey to Siberia. Nekhlyudov serves as Tolstoy’s eyes as the group mercilessly progresses from the prison to the train station in blazing heat. Questions about the morality of the punishment and the harshness of the conditions are at the heart of the conversation. I’m in the final section of the novel now and should have a huge finish before the end of the month.
As the title of today’s post suggests, I flew home to Arkansas to spend a few days with my parents over Spring Break. Since I would be leaving on Thursday afternoon, the first part of the week was incredibly hectic to try to get things done before I left. While I managed to meet my minimum reading goal each day, the bulk of my reading this week happened in the air on Thursday. Here’s what I managed to get done.
What I Finished This Week
Elementary, She Read by Vicki Delany. It’s no secret that I am not the biggest fan of mysteries. When the March mini-challenge appeared, I decided I could give it a try and commit to reading three mysteries. First up was the one that I selected for Case #6: a cozy mystery. This seemed like an unoffensive kind of mystery to start with — no blood, no obvious violence. Gemma, the owner of a Sherlock Holmes bookstore, is accused of murder in the quiet tourist town. I was pleasantly surprised throughout much of the book and enjoyed the characters. Then, out of nowhere, came the revelation that the murderer was actually a minor character that suddenly had a motive and the ability to kill. That’s what I hate about most of these mysteries. It’s not that I don’t like the suspense; I hate the solutions that seemingly come out of left field when it is time to bring the novel to a close. 3 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
The Royal Governess by Wendy Holden (p. 274 of 420). This is an absolutely wonderful book that I cannot put down! This historical novel tells the story of Marion, a young Scottish student teacher who is hired to become the governess of two very important British girls — Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. Marion’s effects to expose the Royals to normal activities such as riding the Underground, taking a bus, and shopping at Woolworth’s are both charming and heartwarming. The poignant looks at major historical events from the rise of Hitler, the spread of Communism, and the abdication of King Edward VIII to marry the American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, are insightful and illuminating. The novel is based largely in historical fact and is a fascinating read.
Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy (p. 320 of 573). As Tolstoy’s novel has moved into part two, the focus has shifted to issues of land ownership and the plight of the Russian peasants. Nekhlyudov’s moral transformation continues as he attempts to rescue the many who have been wronged by society and his actions. This is a remarkable novel. I am wondering why it has been so overshadowed by the two larger novels. Resurrection is very approachable and much less daunting than either War and Peace or Anna Karenina.
Life was surprisingly calm this week. Half of the cast of the children’s opera were out of town on a choir tour. That meant we didn’t have rehearsal. While that was stressful on one hand, it was a most welcome rest that I embraced gladly. Evenings at home, leisure time to lose myself in the pages of a book. Even though I only have one finish this week, I am very pleased with where things stand at the moment.
What I Finished This Week
An Indecent Obsession by Colleen McCullough. I read this book to fulfill the prompt of a book written by an Australian author. What I found was a dark exploration of mental illness and the medical professionals who care for them. Honour is an army nurse who has been assigned to oversee Ward X, a psychiatric ward for soldiers experiencing distress in the waning days of World War II. The patients’ problems range from manic depression and excessive anger to homosexuality and perversion. When Michael arrives in Ward X, everything begins to change. A handsome man, Michael catches the attention of Honour and becomes a trusted confidant of the other patients. As patients vie for their nurse’s attention, situations escalate and tragedy strikes the ward. McCullough looks at unhealthy obsessions in both the sick and their caregivers. Although dated now, it is a loving look at mental health in the early 1980s. 3 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
Elementary, She Read by Vicki Delany (p. 104 of 308). When the mini-challenge for March dropped, I knew I was going to be in trouble. This month’s challenge is all about mysteries — a genre that I typically don’t read. I don’t really know why either. I normally enjoy puzzles and a level of suspense in my reading. Mysteries just aren’t where it is for me. Since the challenge allows me to choose three prompts from a list of 50, I figured that I should at least give it a chance again and see what I could discover. I’m starting with a “cozy mystery” — Elementary, She Read. Here’s the basic premise of the book. A woman hides a priceless magazine in a Sherlock Holmes tribute bookstore. When the owner decides to track her down and return the forgotten item, she discovers that the woman is now dead. Yup….it’s that simple at this point. There are lots of questions about who would want the magazine so badly to kill for it and if our heroine is in danger now. Not high literature, but definitely something to keep me reading when I’m tired and just want to escape for a bit.
Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy (p. 157 of 573). This novel is about as far away from Elementary as I could possibly get! The final story written by the Russian novelist, Resurrection follows a woman who has been sentenced to Siberia for a crime she did not commit. Since she is a prostitute, the judicial system assumes the worst. Among the men on the jury is the wealthy aristocrat that she fell in love with as a teen….and has never fully gotten over. I’m reading this with the Active Mind Book Club. So far, I’m staying on pace with the reading schedule. I’m enjoying taking this one a little slower than usual as we explore ideas about justice, redemption, the role of women, and the sanctity of marriage.
The Royal Governess by Wendy Holden (p. 63 of 420). As soon as I read the summary of this novel, I was hooked! I was just looking for the right time to dive into it. This week, I decided to start reading a little of it and now I just want to read more. Essentially, it is the story of the woman who became the personal tutor and governess for Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth. I’m still really early in this one, but I’m looking forward to diving in this week and seeing where this story will take me.
I had to travel to Wichita for work this week. Leaving town always makes for a hectic week. Insane teaching schedules. Long rehearsals. Extra sessions for rehearsals I will miss. Gathering all of the materials for the trip. It is a lot. Then once I get to the destination, there is work to be done. A lot of work and not a lot of downtime for quiet activities like reading. I was able to read this week’s fluff piece while manning the recruiting booth, so there was something accomplished toward my reading goals. Here’s hoping that this week will get me back into a normal routine and reading rhythm.
What I Finished This Week
Next-Door Nemesis by Alexa Martin. The title of this cute book really tells you everything you need to know about it. A woman returns to her Ohio home after a disastrous relationship in Los Angeles ends. Once there, she crosses paths with the man who broke her heart in high school. They hate each other. Or do they? Not a deep plot at all, but actually a really fun read and something that I could manage to get through while on the road in Kansas this week. 4 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
An Indecent Obsession by Colleen McCullough (p. 142 of 317). The novel has proven to be a challenging read for me this week. Many of the patients in Ward X suffer from some form of sexual deviance, at least what was considered deviance in the 1980s. It seems that McCullough’s use of euphemism is intended to allow her readers to tolerate and explore the issues she presents, specifically homosexuality. While the novel is not graphic, it is a challenging read as I try to determine what she is actually attempting to portray in the action. This is one of those times where attempting to avoid any level of discomfort ends up making the novel less powerful and much more difficult to read. Hopefully, this book becomes less muddied as I continue to make my way through it.
February in Review
February proved to be a tough month. Two work trips, an illness that knocked me flat, and rehearsals for UIL and children’s opera meant that I had very little time in life for anything else. Somehow, I managed to still read at least a book each week. I’ll take that as a win.
Books read in February: 6 books (down 4 from January)
3 physical
2 ebooks
1 audio
Pages read in February: 2,126 (down 166 from January)
Highest rated book: The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros – 5 stars
Lowest rated book: The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe – 3 stars
2026 Reading Challenge Progress – The 52 Book Club
February saw the first mini-challenge of 2026. I decided that this year I was going to try to complete the minis as they were presented rather than saving them until the end. I had fun with the challenge, but it didn’t do wonders for my progress in the overall challenge.
The mini was called “This or That?” We were given the titles of three famous books (The Scarlet Letter, Crime & Punishment, and Fourth Wing) and were to read a book that was inspired by one of the words. I wasn’t super excited about Fourth Wing by the time I got to that prompt, but I really enjoyed the other two books.
I only added three books to the overall challenge this month, but I really enjoyed all three books. That is what is most important to me. I have now read 7 of the 52 books. This is the beginning of week 10 of 2026, so I’m a little behind my goal of a book a week for the year, but I’m still in an okay position. I know that I have Spring Break and summer vacation coming up; both of those have traditionally been really good times for my reading life.
It has been an exhausting, incredibly busy week. I felt like I was constantly running to meet deadlines and wasn’t sure that everything was going to get taken care of. Thankfully, when the dust settled, I had survived and the projects were successfully completed. In the midst of the craziness, I found myself running to my reading chair as often as possible in order to get my mind a moment of rest in the comfort of a story. That meant a very successful week in my reading life!
What I Finished This Week
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. I have to admit that when I first encountered the premise of this 2025 novel, I was not very impressed. An old woman reflects on her life through the daily letters she writes to friends and family. As the book garnered more and more acclaim and was long listed for the 2026 PEN Award, I knew that I was going to have to see what all of the hype was about. Now I fully understand what all the fuss is about. This is an exceptional novel! Sybil is an octogenarian who has written letters religiously since her childhood. Correspondence between family, friends, business associates, authors whose writing has moved her, and a young boy on the spectrum have filled her days and contain Sybil’s story. As she comes to terms with her rapidly declining eyesight and her own mortality, Sybil faces feelings of abandonment, regret, and betrayal as she examines her professional and personal life. Written entirely in letters, Evans provides an exquisite look into a professional life well lived that has been marred by personal tragedy and failures. 5 stars.
The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly. Since I started watching the Netflix series, I decided this was the perfect time to begin reading the novel of the same name. It also filled the need for a novel about either crime or punishment for the February mini-challenge. How about both topics in a single novel? The Lincoln Lawyer was the typical legal thriller. It was fast-paced with lots of interesting, shady characters. I probably won’t read the entire series (it feels a little dated now), but I enjoyed plowing through the story. 3.5 stars.
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume. As I searched for something that would work for the “Fourth Wing” prompt of this month’s “This or That” challenge, I really was struggling to make a selection. I wasn’t ready for the fourth installment of any of the series I am currently reading and I really wasn’t in the mood for fantasy and flying beasts. That’s when I thought about reading something about being in fourth grade. It has been many years since I read Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and didn’t remember much about it. Now that I’ve finished reading it again, I know why I didn’t remember much about it. There really isn’t a plot here. It’s just a series of vignettes about Peter and Fudge. Thankfully, it didn’t take very long to work my way through this classic of children’s literature. 3 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
An Indecent Obsession by Colleen McCullough (p. 61 of 317). The February prompt for the 2026 Read Good Challenge is “Feb-roo-ary.” I am to read a novel by an Australian author. While I had found several very interesting options, the thought of reading something else by Colleen McCullough sounded like a wonderful choice. I remember enjoying The Thorn Birds immensely (although I was probably far too young to read it at the time!) and headed to the library to check out the other options. An Indecent Obsession had an interesting plot and has been a wonderful read so far. Set in the closing days of World War II, the story is set in a military hospital and focuses on the patients of Ward X — a psychiatric ward — and the nurse who cares for them. Written in 1981, this is an exploration of mental health from an era when these types of illnesses were taboo and unfamiliar to the majority of people. It appears that sexuality will also be a major theme in the novel as one of the patients was sent to Ward X because of a supposed homosexual affair. I’m enjoying the writing style and finding the plot extremely engaging.
Next-Door Nemesis by Alexa Martin (p. 29 of 337). As I prepare for another recruiting trip this week, I wanted to have something on my Kindle that was quick and would be easy to slip in and out of while sitting in the booth. The title of this work sums up the general plot point. Collins has returned to her childhood home after an embarrassing video went viral as she broke up with her Los Angeles boyfriend. Now back in Ohio, things go from bad to worse when she runs into her archenemy from high school, Nathaniel Adams. The banter is light and funny. The plot seems predictable so far. It isn’t going to be world class literature, but it is a fun read.
Now that I look at what I managed to accomplish this week in my reading life, I have to admit that I am surprised that I got anything done. This week, I traveled to San Antonio for an annual music conference. Typically, my days there are full of talking to potential students and teachers. That means there isn’t much time for anything else. Life had other plans this year as I spent 72 hours in my hotel room horribly sick and missed the conference entirely! During those three days, there wasn’t a lot of reading happening either. Oh….and one of those days in San Antonio was my birthday. I celebrated by enjoying a bland turkey sandwich at the end of the day that managed to sit comfortably on my stomach. C’est la vie!
What I Finished Reading This Week
The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros. I knew I was a fan of Yarros’ writing from my reading of Fourth Wing last year. I had no idea that she had also written contemporary literature that wasn’t based in a fantasy world. From the very beginning of the novel, I was hooked. The story centers around Beckett and Ella. Ella is a single mother, struggling to raise her twin children and manage her business. When her brother, Mac, is killed in action a world away, Ella’s world shatters. Mac’s last request to Beckett is that he return to Colorado to help Ella. Ella and Beckett have never met in person, but they have been exchanging letters. Ella has fallen in love with the man on the other end of the conversation, but she only knows him by his call sign, Chaos. When Beckett arrives, Ella’s daughter is fighting for her life after a recent diagnosis of neuroblastoma. This is a lovely story of chosen family and true love while exploring issues such as abandonment, depression, chronic illness, and death. Make sure you have a box of tissues nearby — especially as you near the end of the novel. 5 stars.
The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe. As I mentioned last week, this audiobook is part memoir and part vignettes in the style of The Rest of the Story. I found the book entertaining as I was able to slip in and out of the conversation because of the short readings. After a while, the format became mundane and I was just ready for it to come to an end. 3 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (p. 181 of 281). Illness took me off my pace of reading this book, but I really am enjoying the epistolary style. It’s charming to read of a senior citizen making her way through retirement as she manages relationships with her children, learns of a sibling she has never met, and serves as an advocate for a child who is being bullied and has become suicidal as a result. Because of the style, it is a fast read, but each letter is written so beautifully that I find myself luxuriating in the prose. Because of the inspiration of this novel, I have renewed my membership with International Pen Friends and am awaiting my list of pen pals that should arrive in a few weeks. It’s going to be fun to start writing to people again.
The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly (p. 152 of 403). I selected this book because I have begun watching the Netflix series of the same name and have really enjoyed it. Additionally, I had a great time reading portions of Connelly’s Harry Bosch series. The book also seemed to be a good fit for the February “This or That” mini-challenge – “Crime” or “Punishment.” I started the ebook on Saturday evening and downloaded the audiobook for the drive back from San Antonio. I made a good start and now that I’m into the routine and the story, I’m finding this a very fast read.
We survived another week, my reading friends! It wasn’t necessarily easy or pretty, but we made it to the end. Wowzers! When February arrived, I think someone sent out a memo telling people to put ALL the tasks into a single month for me. I felt like I was constantly running a massive marathon that almost took me out. Reading was a luxury. These are the times that led me to making reading appointments in my daily to-do list. If the reminder to allot 30 minutes to read wasn’t there, I probably wouldn’t have spent time in the pages of a story while I just caught my breath. I’m thankful this level of insanity is only for a season…..but I’m ready for this season to pass (even though it is just beginning).
What I Finished This Week
Five Brothers by Penelope Douglas. This was the typical story of a girl from the right side of the track falling for the bad boys. It was scandalous as she flirted and toyed with each of the brothers. However, what set this book apart from other romances was the way it dealt with issues. The discussions about suicide and depression were so lovingly handled that I found myself forgetting that this was really a romance novel. I was invested in the relationship that grew between Macon and Krisjen. 4.75 stars.
What I DNF’d This Week
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. Despite my intentions and my best efforts, I had to admit to myself this week that another reading of Hugo’s classic was just not in the cards for me right now. The text required me to read really slowly. Life is too hectic at the moment to make the progress that I wanted to and reading the novel felt more like a chore than something that was bringing me joy. So I gave myself permission to shelf this read for another time. I enjoyed what I did complete and don’t regret a moment that I spent in the pages with Valjean. I’m just not in a place where finishing it is in my best interest at the moment.
What I’m Currently Reading
The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe (3:30 of 7:55). I hit a bit of a road block with this book this week. While I am enjoying the short vignettes, this week my drive time was frantic as I raced to rehearsals and I needed quiet to calm my mind. So I did not make much progress here. With a couple of longer drives ahead this week, I anticipate finishing this book before my next post.
The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros (p. 141 of 423). When the February mini-challenge arrived from The 52 Book Club, I set out to find my first book. After starting a couple of other works, I finally settled into this beautiful story. Chaos is a member of special forces serving in a dangerous war zone. His friend, Mac, suggests that Chaos begins a pen pal relationship with Mac’s sister back in the States. When Mac is killed in action, Chaos receives the last letter from his buddy, asking him to return to Colorado and support his sister in one of the most challenging times of her life. The book took a back burner while I finished up Five Brothers this week, but I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with the story and I’m looking forward to getting back to it this week.
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (p. 13 of 281). I have heard so many good things about this novel and have planned to read it for several weeks. It is a bit shorter than what I typically read, so I’m hoping to make decent progress on it while I’m in San Antonio this week. We shall see how that plan works out.
Reading for Me 