Reading for Me

The Books I Have Read…..Just for Me

Nov 24

Impatient Reader Alert (November 24, 2025)

by kennithfreeman

As the chill in the air grew more demanding this week, my desire to fight the chill with a good book in my hands became more intense this week. I couldn’t stand that I wasn’t spending enough time in the car to really make progress on my audiobook just as the story was pulling at my heart strings. Thankfully, I searched the library database before buying the ebook because I just HAD to know what was going to happen next. There was also a bit of excitement to finish these reads because I was ready to dive into the ones planned for this week. Something else needs to be done? Probably not going to happen right now because I would rather lose myself in the pages of a novel.

What I Finished This Week

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. This was a fun, fast-paced novel that featured a stereotypical enemies-to-lovers trope. Lucy and Josh are both assistants to the CEOs after their publishing company merged. The two are mortal enemies, constantly looking for ways to embarrass the other. Things have spiraled out of control so much that HR has become involved on numerous situations. When a restructuring is announced with a new position — a sure promotion for one of them — matters escalate! Do they really hate each other though? Or are they refusing to accept that they are attracted to each other? Thorne’s novel is very funny throughout and takes a poignant turn at the end as Josh is forced to deal with some demons from his past at a family wedding. All in all, I enjoyed the experience of reading this book even if it wasn’t of the highest quality (but skip the movie adaptation). 3.5 stars.

Pachinko by Min Jim Lee. I got frustrated this week that I was getting to spend so little time with this amazing story since I was reading it as an audiobook in my car. You can’t imagine how relieved I was to find that my local library had a copy of the book available. I cannot sing the praises of Pachinko enough! This is an absolutely beautiful book. It tells the story of a woman, Sunja, who emigrated to Japan from Korea with her new husband in order to give birth to her illegitimate son away from the judgmental eyes of her countrymen. What follows is a family saga unlike anything I have read, spanning 3 generations. With unexpected plot twists, Lee lovingly looks at the plight of the displaced Koreans and the racism they encountered. I read this book to fulfill one of the prompts for the January 2025 mini-challenge from The 52 Book Club. This is an example of why I so enjoy the reading challenge; I would have never picked up this novel on my own since the title did not mean anything to me. Thankfully, what I discovered is an exceptional author whose other works are now on my TBR and an amazing story that has changed my perspective. 5 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

Among Friends by Hal Ebbott (p. 117 of 309). This book was a random selection for me from The Book of the Month Club. I selected it because I liked the cover art and it is a debut novel by this author. I always enjoy giving new writer’s an opportunity to become part of my circle of friends. So far, I’m having a mixed reaction to the book. Portions of it are really well written and incredibly vivid. However, I’m finding that the characters lack depth, making it challenging to differentiate between them as the point of view shifts. Because it is a fast read, I’m willing to see it through to the end. I don’t think Ebbott is going to make a very good impression on his audience or the critics.

Upcoming Plans….

On Tuesday evening, I will travel to my parents’ home for Thanksgiving Break. I hope that means I will have plenty of time to read in the airports, on the flights, and at home. So I plan to finish the November 2025 mini-challenge and make some progress on the April 2025 challenge this week. Here’s what that will look like.

  • “Let out a breath they didn’t know they were holding” (April 2025): Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall.
  • Related to the word “perspicacious” (November 2025): Among Friends by Hal Ebbott
  • A series that’s not finished yet (November 2025): Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros – Book 2 of the Empyrean series

At least, that’s the plan. But plans have a way of changing, don’t they? I’m headed to the library on Monday morning to return Pachinko, so browsing the shelves seems like something that simply must happen. Who knows what I might pick up to read while I’m there?

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Nov 17

Eye Problems (November 17, 2025)

by kennithfreeman

Reading was a challenge this week. At the beginning of the week, I was so tired that I just wanted to crawl in bed as soon as I got home from work. I managed to meet my minimum goal each day, but that was about it. As the end of the week drew near, I was getting back into my reading routine. That’s when an irritating stye decided to arrive on my left eyelid. It isn’t horribly painful, but my eyes become tired more quickly at the moment. So, I didn’t get as much done as I would have liked, but I’m happy with the end results.

What I Finished This Week

Loyalty by Lisa Scottoline. Set in Sicily (a nation with an active volcano), Loyalty is about a series of kidnappings that plague the small village. The police do nothing to solve the crimes. One man, a lawyer who was almost a priest, searches for the missing children. Against this backdrop, the plot also focuses on the first Mafia family in Sicily, gaining their power as they protect the island nation’s lemon harvest. If this description sounds confusing to you, then you understand exactly how I felt about Scottoline’s novel. While I have greatly enjoyed her previous works that I have read, Loyalty was convoluted and unnecessarily difficult to follow. With no less than 5 plots running parallel throughout the novel, Scottoline attempts to portray the various classes found on Sicily. The problem is that the stories do not converge until the final 100 pages of the book. By that point, I was simply ready for this novel to be over so I could start the next one. 2.75 stars.

What I DNF’d This Week

Grant by Ron Chernow. I managed to read another 50 pages of this brick this week and found the life of soon-to-be President Grant fascinating. With over 800 pages remaining of this biography, I simply could not commit to finishing the book. Other reads were calling to me and this one just felt like homework instead of something that I was enjoying. Too many books, too little time!

What I’m Currently Reading

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (9:31 of 17:49). This week brought me just over halfway through this marvelous audiobook. Most of this week’s reading was set in Japan in the years leading up to the American bombing at the end of World War II. The story focused heavily on Christian persecution, the role of women, and the importance of the extended family. This is a massive story that spans decades. While it is longer than I would typically read in an audio format, the narration is exceptional and I find myself completely drawn into the story.

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (p. 64 of 363). There’s nothing quite like starting a new book on Monday morning to start the new week. The title basically sums up the story as I know it so far. Lucy and Joshua are co-workers now that the two publishing companies merged. Both were executive assistants to the CEO. The merge was not peaceful at all, so there are co-CEOs and two executive assistants sitting across from each other. Complaints have been made to HR by both Lucy and Joshua. Now the company is undergoing a major restructuring and both Joshua and Lucy are up for the job. Let the competition and the hatred begin. I selected this to fulfill the prompt in the November mini-challenge of a book set in an office.

Drumroll, Please!

With this week’s completion of Loyalty, I have successfully completed the main 2025 reading challenge of The 52 Book Club! Let the celebration begin! I have long had a goal of reading 52 books in a single calendar year, but always fell short and didn’t think it was an obtainable goal for me. Actually, Loyalty is my 70th book of 2025. I don’t know that this will be the normal pace for me from now on, but I do know that I have really enjoyed reading for the prompts provided. Just because I think it is a thing of beauty that I want to see again, here is the completed graphic of my 2025 reading challenge.

What’s the Plan for the Rest of 2025?

The 52 Book Club also extended several mini-challenges over the course of the year. I didn’t do a lot of reading towards those challenges because I thought I would struggle to complete the main challenge. Now I will see what I can do toward those other challenges. With 6 1/2 weeks remaining in the year, let’s see what I can knock out of those. First up is a fluff piece for one of the November mini-challenge prompts — a book set in an office.

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Nov 10

Wordless Week in Waco (November 10, 2025)

by kennithfreeman

This has been a busy week! Most of my time was devoted to the student auditions of Texoma NATS held at Baylor University in Waco. That meant lots of rehearsals and playing for singers to compete in a massive competition and not a lot of reading time. By the time I got home each day, my eyes were rather tired and I didn’t want to hear another sound — so that meant audiobooks were out of the question. Still, I managed to finish one of my reads somehow. I’ll take progress any way I can get it!

What I Finished This Week

One Day in December by Josie Silver. Needing to read a book set in Winter to meet my penultimate prompt of the 2025 challenge, I decided on this novel. Laurie first sees Jack on a cold winter day while riding a bus, but their paths do not immediately cross. Was it love at first sight? It appears so and Laurie searches for him for over a year. When she finally finds him, things do not go as she had hoped because her best friend has introduced Jack as the love of her life. Over the course of a decade, Jack and Laurie remain in each other’s spheres of influence….but the timing never seems right. Laurie marries another man. Jack is in several relationships as he searches for purpose in his career after a near fatal accident. Through heartbreak, divorce, family crises, and personal growth, Jack and Laurie ultimately find their way to each other. Silver builds a charming story where true love wins out while asking lots of questions about if we should settle for our “almost perfect” person in hopes that true love will ultimately grow. This novel didn’t feel as though it was formulaic although it did end as this reader expected (and hoped). 3.5 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

Grant by Ron Chernow (p. 82 of 959). This book had the least progress this week. With students in my car, I didn’t want to listen to much on audio during the drive. During a busy week, this was also not the text that I turned to at the end of a long day. I managed to get through a single chapter this week in order to make a little progress. I intend to push this book back into my reading routine this week and see if I can make some significant progress toward my big book for Nonfiction November.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (2:36 of 17:49). Since I’m getting close to completing the main portion of the 2025 reading challenge, I decided it was time to start working on some of the mini-challenges. First up is the conclusion of the January challenge — all associated with the celebration of Lunar New Year. I only need one more book to complete this mini-challenge: a book set in a country that celebrates Lunar New Year. Pachinko seemed like a great fit and has proven to be an enjoyable read so far. Set in Japan, it is the story of a Korean immigrant family that begins when a young woman becomes pregnant by a powerful Korean man. Rather than facing the imminent shunning, Sunja accepts the offer to marry a gentle, sickly minister on his way to Japan. A National Book Award finalist, Pachinko is enthralling and deeply engaging. I’m excited to resume my listening routine this week and see how the story continues to progress.

2026 Reading Challenge Planning

The wait is over! The 52 Book Club dropped the prompts for the 2026 reading challenge this week. My social media feeds are filled with readers who are planning their new challenge while many of us are still in the process of completing the 2025 challenge. With a busy week in Waco, I have perused the prompts but not given much thought to the new books. I’m excited to explore The Godfather in the coming year as well as finally taking a look at works like Dune and The Song of Achilles. Beyond that, I’m really focusing on completing the main challenge before I dive into intense planning for 2026. If anyone wants to join me in the new reading challenge that starts on January 1, 2026, check out the link above and start your planning!

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Nov 3

Fall is in the Air (November 3, 2025)

by kennithfreeman

As the calendar began to turn another page, the weather decided to change as well. There is no doubt that we are now in the heart of Fall in Texas. With the cooler temperatures and earlier darkness (thank you, Daylight Savings Time), I was in the mood for warm and cozy reads. Two of this week’s finishes definitely fit that bill.

What I Finished This Week

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. I have overlooked this novel for many years. I wish I could provide a good explanation of why this was the case. I think it might have been an association with the trailer for the film adaptation. I also think that I was convinced that a novel about a woman in her kitchen in Mexico could not be interesting to me. Whatever the reason for avoiding the novel, I had no idea what I was missing! This is a beautiful tale of complicated love, difficult familial relationships, and the power of food. The magical realism that is widely prevalent in Latin literature was incredibly effective in Esquivel’s tale. I never found myself thinking about how unrealistic the events were; somehow, the magic was woven seamlessly into the fabric of the land and people. I anticipate that this will be a novel that I will want to revisit soon. 4 stars.

If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia. The cover of this book alone caught my attention as I made a quick selection of an audiobook last week. It just looks as though it is going to be a cozy read….and it was! I found myself looking for excuses to spend more time in my car just so I could listen. (Yes, I eventually curled up in my recliner with a blanket over my legs, put in my earbuds, and listened in my reading spot.) Michelle is recently divorced and needs some time to evaluate her life. So she decides to spend a few months in Vermont and manage the family bed-and-breakfast after her mother’s unexpected passing. With her dog Rocket along for the ride, Michelle meets the handsome neighbor, Cliff, and his two daughters. What starts as an uncomfortable interaction quickly grows to attraction. We watch as both of the divorcees struggle with their emotional baggage while trying to come to terms with how they feel about each other. If It Makes You Happy was a charming read that had me laughing and crying as I became more invested with this cast of characters. 4.5 stars.

Burnout, Who? by Chloe Grant. As November approached, I decided that I wanted to participate in Nonfiction November. My plan is not to read nonfiction exclusively, but to at least read a couple of books this month that are out of my comfort zone and that are not directly related to my profession. Since I have also come to terms with the harsh truth that I am dealing with a bit of personal burnout, Grant’s book seemed like an appropriate choice for the moment. Burnout, Who? is not a deep dive into the condition that plagues countless perfectionists as well as those who struggle maintaining personal boundaries. Rather, the book offers practical advice for getting out of the situation that saps your energy without going to the extreme measure of resigning or changing careers. Grant provided some good tips that I plan to employ in the coming weeks, but I also found the book very repetitive and a bit too superficial. 2.5 stars.

What I DNF’d This Week

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I gave it a good try for a few days, but I just couldn’t do the magical realism right now. The writing was good. The prose was absolutely beautiful. I didn’t connect with the story and had no pull to the book’s pages. Rather than fight during an incredibly busy season of my life, I decided to make a quick decision to DNF the novel and make another selection.

What I’m Currently Reading

Grant by Ron Chernow (p. 49 of 959). Once I decided to participate in Nonfiction November, I also decided to select something that could fit the September mini-challenge over on The 52 Book Club. The challenge is simple — pick your biggest read of the year and beat it. I decided to interpret “biggest” as the book with the most pages. The biggest book of 2025 thus far has been Anna Karenina coming in at 864 pages. Chernow’s biography of U.S. Grant is written in a gentle prose that has been fairly easy to read thus far and doesn’t spend too much time diving into tangents along the way. The focus remains firmly on President Grant. In the little that I have read, I feel I have a good understanding of Grant’s personality and the ways that his upbringing influenced the man that he would become. I’m reading this book on my Kindle as a loan from my local library, making it easy to read a few pages while I’m waiting for a student or standing in line. With upcoming travel later this week, I hope to make some significant progress in this biography when I’m between auditions.

One Day in December by Josie Silver (p. 28 of 392). I just started this one on Sunday evening, so I’m not far at all. Earlier that afternoon, I went to my local Barnes and Noble looking for books to fulfill the last two prompts of the 2025 challenge — a book set in Winter and one set in a country with an active volcano. One Day in December is the Winter selection. Laurie stares out the window of a public bus on a cold winter evening just before the holidays begin. She notices a handsome man sitting at the bookshop, reading a book. She wills him to step onto the crowded bus at the very moment that their eyes meet. Sadly, the bus pulls away just as the mysterious stranger approaches the door and Laurie is left alone. This begins a search through the bars and crowded spaces of London as Laurie looks for her “bus stop guy.” Is it a sappy premise? Absolutely! However, it is a Reese’s Book Club selection, so I’m hoping that it will ultimately morph into something other than just a holiday romance. Either way, I’ll be one step closer to the end of the 2025 challenge!

October in Review

October was a month full of travel. It featured a weekend getaway to Oklahoma City and a few days in the Geriatric Ward with my parents. I traveled to “almost Kansas” Texas for a performance (plus the 6 hours in the car) and survived a NASM site visit at the end of the month. On top of all of that, there was a LOT of baseball to follow as the postseason got going and demanded my attention. Despite all of that activity, I still had a very successful month of reading.

  • Books read in October: 8 (up 3 from September)
    • 6 print
    • 1 ebook
    • 1 audiobook
  • Pages read in October: 3,454 pages (up 1,208 pages from September)
  • Highest rated books: People Watching by Hannah Banham-Young; Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez; and The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden – 5 stars.
  • Lowest rated book: Moby Dick by Herman Melville – 1.75 stars.

2025 Reading Challenge – The 52 Book Club

It is no secret that I have been actively participating in the 2025 challenge from The 52 Book Club this year. I have thoroughly enjoyed the process and have had a lot of fun discovering new authors while also revisiting some old favorites. As November begins, I am in a really good place with this year’s challenge. I only have 2 prompts remaining in the main challenge. (Books have been purchased for both prompts and are sitting in my reading pile as I type this post.) As soon as I get that goal met, I’ll turn my attention to the many mini-challenges that have appeared throughout the year. I doubt I’m able to complete all of those as well by year’s end, but I should be able to make a fairly good dent in them.

Because it is November, those of us participating in the challenge are anxiously awaiting the announcement of the 2026 challenge that will come at any time this month. Part of the fun is guessing when the new announcement will drop on social media. If you have any questions about the reading challenge, I’d be happy to share my experience or you can check it out for yourself by visiting the52book.club and look under the challenges tab.

It has been a lot of fun creating a graphic representation of the books I have read for each of the prompts this year. I’ll be sharing it again in a few weeks when I fill in the final two books, but here is where it stands at the moment.

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