Happy Monday, dear readers! If you have been anything like me, I thought September was never going to end. With the month starting with Labor Day, it felt as though there were no breaks in sight and life just kept getting busier and busier with each passing day.
Last week was one for the record books as the calendar turned to October. It seemed that everything that could possibly go wrong DID go wrong. By the end of the week, I was desperate for an escape. Since I was already planning to be out of the office on Friday, I decided to take advantage of it and head over to Oklahoma City for a few days. I unplugged from work and spent a lot of time resting, relaxing, and recharging. Of course, that always means plenty of reading for me as you will see in this week’s post.
What I Finished This Week
Nothing But the Truth by John Lescroart. This was a really fun read that was a nice diversion from the Melville novel that I’m slowly working my way through. What begins as an unexplained murder and a contempt charge when Frannie Hardy won’t reveal what she knows before the grand jury quickly turns on its head and keeps the reader guessing. Whether you are drawn into the conversation by the damage gasoline additives do to the environment or whether it is right for a parent to “kidnap” young children to protect them from an abusive caregiver, Lescroart masterfully weaves all of these issues — and more — into a seamless novel that will keep you guessing until the conclusion. This was my first experience with Lescroart’s work….but I don’t think it will be my last. 4.5 stars.
The Mermaid’s Voice Returns in This One by Amanda Lovelace. I am not a fan of reading poetry. It’s too much work. Either I find myself trying to extrapolate meaning from just a few words or I am getting lost in the text because of the meter employed by the poet. When I saw that one of this year’s prompts was a story told in verse, I was not looking forward to the task. I had planned to read Paradise Lost by Milton since I did enjoy my experience with the work in the Great Books Colloquium at Pepperdine. When I tried to dive into the poem, I found it to be exhausting. After trying a few contemporary works that were suggested on Good Reads, I was beginning to worry that I would need to read a book by Dr. Seuss to check this prompt off of my list! While in a bookstore in Oklahoma City this weekend, I stumbled across Lovelace’s work. In The Mermaid’s Voice, the author presents a retelling of a classic fairytale that is interwoven with details of her personal experiences as a survivor of domestic violence. Since my sister was victimized by a Monster for several years, I came to The Mermaid’s Voice with a rather unique perspective. I found the poetry insightful, powerful, relatable, and (ultimately) hopeful. I would be interested to hear the responses to The Mermaid’s Voice of those who have survived the horrors of domestic violence and sexual abuse. 3.5 stars.
People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young. I adored this audiobook! The love story of Milo and Prue is nothing if not complicated. Milo runs from relationships because he is perpetually running from memories of disappointing his parents and the resulting abuse. Prue has shut herself off from the possibility of finding love because she must care for her mother who suffers from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The two ultimately find their way to each other and their chemistry is off the charts! (Read: spicy!) As they come to admit to themselves that they are actually falling in love, a horrible secret threatens to destroy the trust they have built in each other. Beautifully performed by Victoria Connolly and Brandon Francis, this was the perfect selection for me to complete the prompt of an audiobook with multiple narrators. While driving to and from Oklahoma City this weekend, I laughed and cried while rooting for love and maturity to ultimately win out. 5 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
Moby Dick by Herman Melville (p. 203 of 552). I have continued my slow-paced reading of this American classic. Typically, I’m trying to plow throughout about 30 to 40 pages each day. By the end of the week, I hit a major snag since I found myself wading through descriptions of various types of whales and finally getting the Pequod out to sea. I’m getting a bit discouraged with this one since I’m a little over a third of the way through the novel and it feels as though nothing is happening. Here’s hoping that there is some action ahead in the narrative of the white whale.
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez (p. 37 of 387). Since I finished so many books this weekend, I needed to start something else to keep me moving. Yours Truly was the 2023 Book of the Year from the Book of the Month Club, so it seemed like an appropriate pick. Here’s the early premise as I can see it. Briana is a doctor who is up for a promotion to Chief of the ER. Only she learns that her supervisor has decided to delay his retirement (and her promotion) for a few months so the staff can meet the new hot-shot doctor who is starting today….and might be a candidate for Chief. Enter Jacob, the new doctor. On the outside, it appears he has it all together. In reality, he suffers from debilitating anxiety and has had a horrible first day at the new job. Can it get any worse? Yep…Jacob sticks his foot in his mouth when speaking about a young patient in need of a kidney transplant. The patient is Briana’s younger brother. Despite some of the heavy topics, the book has a lightness so far that is making for a fun read. I’m hoping that continues as I make my way through this story this week.
September in Review
September felt like an absolute whirlwind of a month. Lots of activities at home and in the office meant that I didn’t have as much time to devote to reading this month. Still, I managed to stay in my routine of reading daily. That resulted in at least one book each week — which is my actual goal. After the massive reading month that August was, September felt like a bit of a slog though. Here’s a look at what I accomplished this month.
- Books read in September: 5 books (down from 11 in August)
- 4 print
- 1 ebook
- Pages read in September: 2,246 pages (down from 4,014 in August).
- Highest rated book: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (4 stars)
- Lowest rated book: Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry (2.75 stars)
Reading for Me 
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