It has been a rainy week. That’s never a good sign for my mood. There’s also been some worry on my part as a previously scheduled stress test drew near. Those tests were never good news for my Dad and I feared that I was going to face similar results. Thankfully, good reports came back from the cardiologist this afternoon — so hopefully that will mean I will find my reading bug again that has been on the fritz for the past few days.
What I Finished This Week
The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram. I absolutely loved this novel! I mowed through this book in just 4 days because I simply could not put it down. The story centers on Tess and Grant. The two met as teenagers in a palatial Virginia town. Despite living in opposite worlds, the two quickly develop a strong bond and ultimately fall in love. Their worlds are shattered as monumental events drive them apart and they are forced to bury family secrets from a watchful society. The story fast forwards 25 years when Tess and Grant are reunited. Both happily married, they are now opposing candidates for the Virginia Governor’s mansion. When an anonymous email arrives, their long-hidden secrets threaten to be exposed — and these revelations have the potential to destroy their political careers, their reputations, and their families. Ingram gives the reader an exciting exploration of damaging effects of secrets, the importance of communication, and strains placed on all of our relationships when we fail to be transparent with those most important to us. 5 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence (p. 150 of 333). Talk about a classic novel that has gotten a bad rap! D.H. Lawrence is not an author that was discussed in many of my literature classes; when we was mentioned, we talked about the scandalous topics of his books and the challenges he faced in getting his books published. I decided this would be an interesting book to read as a pairing with The Summer We Ran and I have not been disappointed thus far. Lawrence created enthralling characters that beautiful explore his ideas about sexuality and women’s place in society. Just at the halfway point of the novel, Connie’s relationship with the keeper has begun. To this point, I wouldn’t classify the book as scandalous; I found the premise intriguing and worthy of consideration. I’ll need to finish the book this week before knowing exactly what I think about Connie and Clifford’s marriage and their journey.
June in Review
June was a better reading month than May overall despite continued travel and learning to read while the Geriatrics are home. Perhaps even better news for me personally is that this month has also seen Mom once again pick up a book and resume her reading journey. I think that it is so important as she continues to age that she nurture her mind and keeps her reading skills sharp.
Here’s a look at how the numbers broke down for the month of June, 2025.
- Books read in June: 4 books (up 1 from May)
- 2 physical books
- 1 ebook
- 1 audio book
- 3 fiction
- 1 non-fiction
- Pages read in June: 1,317 pages (up 68 pages from May)
- Highest rated book: The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram (5 stars)
- Lowest rated book: The Modern Guide to Time Mastery: Focus, Flow & Freedom by Morgan Ellis Stone (1 star)
Reading for Me 
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