As July arrived, the reality that there are only a few weeks remaining of my summer vacation became a reality. That meant it was time to take care of a lot of doctors’ visits for me. Before the holiday arrived, I visited both the dentist and the cardiologist. Thankfully, I got good reports from both….and might have heard about the importance of flossing and exercise.
The arrival of Independence Day signaled one very big reality for the rest of the week — the Geriatrics would have a four-day weekend. Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents. But I am the oddball of this family and prefer to enjoy the sounds of silence more than the cacophony of mind-numbing televisions. My dad is the major culprit in this issue. Because he cannot hear (I don’t jest!), he has no idea just how loud things really are. Several times, I had to shut the doors separating the living room from the bedroom-turned-small-den in the rear of the house because the volume on the tiny television in the back was so loud that you could hear it over the main system in the front. It was really bad!
Somehow, I managed to convince my Mom to resume her reading life and she has had her nose in The Women by Kristin Hannah recently. Two readers in the house means there was a little more productivity going on since we didn’t have to have the television roaring for entertainment purposes. That’s a happy sound to my ears!
What I Finished This Week
Crusher by Darryl Banner. This light romance told the story of Quin and Adrian. Quin is an art student with immense talent and low self-esteem. He has been convinced by everyone — his parents, his art instructor — that he should pursue another career. But Quin’s passion for painting tells him otherwise. While visiting a beach-front town, Quin encounters Adrian – the local heartthrob who is known around town as the “Heart Crusher.” Opposites attract, the two fall in love, and all’s well that ends well. LOL!
What I personally found most rewarding about this read was the insightful conversation the two boys had about the pressures of creating and searching for validation from those you trust. Quin voices the fears of every young artist and explains beautifully to his non-artist friend the emotional roller coaster that is trying to figure out if you have the fortitude and talent to succeed.
What I’m Currently Reading
Blackout by Connie Willis. (p. 254 of 491) Now that I have reached the halfway point of my July selection for #BigBookSummer, I’m finally beginning to enjoy this book. I was worried for a bit as I dove into the book this week.
Here’s the basic premise….Historians at Oxford in 2060 have the ability to travel back in time to observe important events as they occur. Despite their various intentions, the team finds themselves in sundry locations in and around London during World War II. Okay…I like historical fiction and I am fascinated by this war. I thought this would be an excellent read for me. A large portion of the novel’s opening necessarily explores the time travel since the intricacies of the process are important as the story progresses. However, I got lost in the weeds and just wanted to get to the War. Now that the aspects of time travel are woven into the background of the characters’ stories, I am finding that I can simply enjoy the trials and exploits of these people. I’m glad that I stuck with it for a while and did not DNF this book. But be warned….if you are not a sci-fi fan (like me!), this is probably not a book I would recommend.
The Truth About the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline. (p. 114 of 369) This novel is proving to be a fun and fast read that keeps me coming back for more. The Devlin family are all lawyers — everyone except TJ, that is. TJ is a convicted ex-con and recovering alcoholic who works for the firm as an investigator. TJ’s older brother has his sights set on taking over the firm when his parents finally retire and is working on a major merger to insure he is set financially. When John discovers that the company’s accountant has been embezzling funds, John arranges a private meeting. In the early pages of the book, John becomes irate and throws a rock at the accountant that strikes him in the head. When the accountant’s body is found a few days later, a few questions are at the top of everyone’s minds. Did John kill the man or did someone else? Does it matter?
At this point, I don’t have many of the answers at all, but I’m definitely looking forward to continuing my reading to find out what is going to happen next and to learn The Truth About the Devlins!
Upcoming Plans?
Later this week, I’ll be visiting Cincinnati for the first time to hear a friend’s voice recital and to take in a game at the Great American Ball Park. As a result, I’m not entirely sure just how much reading I’ll get done. I would like to finish the Scottoline book this week, but we will just have to see how that goes. Regardless, I’ll meet you back here next Monday to give you the update about my reading life.
Happy reading!
~Kennith
Reading for Me 
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