Reading for Me

The Books I Have Read…..Just for Me

Jan 27

#3: On the Run (Whispering Key #2)

by kennithfreeman

Reading more books means that I have less time to blog my reviews! LOL! I’m slowly catching up with the books that I have completed in this first month of 2023. My goal is to be current before the last day of the month. Good grief!

On the Run is the second book in the Whispering Key trilogy that I have listened to on Audible. The story centers around Beale Goodman, the lovable gentle giant of Whispering Key who is aware of people’s auras and patiently waiting for his soulmate. When Beale meets Toby, a New York writer who has been photographed in an unflattering light and has fled to the quaint Florida town to wait for the media circus to pass. Toby’s drama-filled life is full of secrets as well. There is no way that Beale and Toby are meant to be together…..or is there?

On the Run was a fun-filled, laugh-a-minute read that kept me on the edge of my seat and constantly returning to see what would happen next. I couldn’t get enough of the story and absolutely fell in love with the characters. I immediately knew that I wanted to complete the trilogy and see how things would be resolved for the charming Goodman family living on the island of Whispering Key, Florida.

2023 Reading Challenge audio romance

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Jan 18

#2: A Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens)

by kennithfreeman

One of the joys of having a very productive reading life in January 2023 is that I’m not always finding time to post my responses to the readings in a timely manner. That’s the case with this classic novel that I decided to revisit as the calendar turned to a new year.

I first encountered A Tale of Two Cities as a high school freshman in Crawfordsville, Arkansas. The school was not known for its academic prowess and I often found myself bored in my classes. Through some type of insane logic, the administration decided to put me ahead in the math and English sequences. When Mrs. King announced that we were reading the Dickens novel as a class assignment, I was thrilled. The French Revolution was a fascinating era and I loved the use of hyperbole and symbolism throughout. Sadly, I became ill with the flu and spent much of the lecture period at home. I was resigned to tackle Dickens’ novel on my own.

Now that I was able to return to the novel as an adult, many of the details that make this novel a classic were made clear. While I recalled some of the symbolism employed — most notably, the constant knitting by Madame Defarge — I missed many of Dickens subtle statements about society and the danger of revolution. It is always a welcome opportunity to return to a work again with new life experiences and more mature perspectives. I also enjoyed having the opportunity to read the work at a leisurely pace; this allowed me to soak in all of the beauty of the text as I desired.

There will certainly be another classic novel in my future since I need to read something written before 1850 for the 2023 Reading Challenge. I’m not certain what that will be just yet or even when I’ll schedule that into my reading life. What I do know is that I am looking forward to exploring what is so special about these beloved texts that have withstood the test of time.

Now, back to my reading……

2023 Reading Challenge classic fiction

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Jan 14

#1: Off Plan (May Archer)

by kennithfreeman

The New Year got off to a bang with some great reading before the insanity of the Spring semester began. The first completed book fulfilled the requirement of reading an audio book for the Booklist Queen Reading Challenge 2023. Off Plan is the first installment in May Archer’s Whispering Key series.

Mason Bloom has accepted a position as a doctor in an upscale resort in Florida after the demise of his marriage. At least, he thinks he has accepted this dream position! The job is in Florida and he will be paid, but Whispering Key is not a resort at all. Unfortunately, it seems to be the place that time has forgotten. Upon his arrival, while everything else is going wrong, Mason encounters the most annoying man he has ever met in Fenn Reardon. Add in a community with no hope for growth and an inexplicable obsession with buried treasure and you have a formula for a nightmare. But it is in this nightmare that Mason discovers that sometimes when things go Off Plan you may just happen to find friendship, happiness, and love.

Off Plan is a fun read, but it is not for the faint of heart. As an audio book, the romance and lust is rather intense. Let’s just say that I was very glad that no one else was in the car while I was reading on my long drive to Texas. I definitely would have blushed!

2023 Reading Challenge audio romance

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