It has been a whirlwind week! Lots of activity early in the week, a trip to Dallas for the weekend, and lots of baseball to watch. It’s been a great week and I got to spend much of the weekend with my nose in a book. Still…..
What I Finished This Week
NADA! My goal was to finish reading my non-fiction book while in Dallas. I got very close, but the draw of a gentle afternoon nap, watching the birds outside my window, and deciding what new restaurant to try meant that I didn’t quite reach my goal. Oh well! I’ll get there soon and should have another finish in the coming week.
As a personal triumph, this is the first week that hasn’t seen the completion of a book since September 8, 2025! That’s 33 weeks of consistent reading. (Trust me, I counted.) This week I will reach the milestone of 300 days of reading a minimum of 20 pages per day….and I intend to run that number up much higher. So I won’t be too upset that I didn’t have a finish this week because reading is still happening every day in my little corner of the world.
What I’m Currently Reading
Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America by Fergus M. Bordewich (p. 393 of 439). As I am nearing the end of this read, I am encountering familiar figures like Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Abraham Lincoln. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, my reading pace is much slower in this work than when I’m working my way through a novel. There’s just more detail and information that I need to navigate.
The Favorites by Layne Fargo (p. 105 of 434). Set in the fascinating world of competitive ice dance, this novel has it all. There is first love, an abusive alcoholic guardian, dishonest judges, and competitive enemies. It’s a fun, fast-paced read. While I’m not sure whether it is loosely based on some of the accusations made around the sport in the most recent Winter Olympics, it definitely seems timely.
How to Date a Prince by Hayden Stone (6:50 of 10:41). I needed an audiobook for my drive to Dallas this week. I also needed a “How to” book for one of my reading challenge prompts. Of all the novels that popped up when I entered “How to…” this one seemed the most entertaining. A closeted gay prince has been signed up to appear in a reality television show by his father after an awkward photo appeared in the press. That’s all I know at this point in the read. There are some very funny images — the Prince’s attempt to bake ginger snaps has been my favorite scene thus far — and some poignant, heartwarming moments as he attempts to balance his personal and royal persona.
Probably like most people, I get the majority of my reading done over the weekend. The pace of the daily grind slows considerably and I am able to lose myself in the pages of a book. During the week, I am ecstatic if I am able to read for an hour over the course of the day. With my reading pace, that generally comes in around 40 pages per day. That’s almost enough to finish a novel, but not quite! So I lean in over the weekend to catch up and get some finishes.
This weekend, I had a busy weekend. Board meetings, church service, rehearsals, accompanying a voice competition, and taking in a show were all good things that I wanted to do…..but they all ate into my reading time. Sadly, that means my weekend did not see a lot of progress made in my reading pursuits. Next weekend should make up for it though. I’ve scheduled another mini-vacation to recharge and prepare for the end of the term. Yeah!
What I Finished This Week
The Partner Plot by Kristina Forest. I went to the library to find some options for the April mini-challenge prompts. These three prompts stumped me initially, so I haven’t made a ton of progress toward meeting that short-term goal yet. I wandered over to the books on My Library Shelf and found that The Partner Plot also featured an author photo that included a toothy smile. (Kristina Forest’s photo on the inside cover is absolutely charming.) I could read a book from My Book Shelf and fulfill a prompt for the mini-challenge? Sounds like a win-win to me! The Partner Plot was rather funny. Violet is a stylist to the stars. Xavier is her high-school sweetheart who now teaches English in their hometown. Nine years ago, Xavier broke Violet’s heart. While working in Vegas, the two are reunited and the chemistry is clearly still present. After spending a few hours catching up, they drunkenly decide to have a “pretend marriage.” When Violet is featured in an industry journal, she alludes to her recent marriage to avoid discussing a nasty breakup. When Xavier learns of the white lie, he decides to use it as well to advance his own career. Thus begins the deception that will spin out of control in a humorous way. While this wasn’t high literature, it was an enjoyable read. 3 stars.
What I DNF’d This Week
East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I just couldn’t do it right now! In some ways, it is a very sad DNF. I adore Steinbeck’s writing. I’ve read almost everything he published. East of Eden is by far my favorite of his works. But at this moment, in this season of life, I just can’t devote the energy to make my way through this grandiose novel. Rather than living with the guilt of not making progress, I decided to shelf it instead.
What I’m Currently Reading
Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America by Fergus M. Bordewich (p. 201 of 439). This is the book that suffered the most from this week’s schedule. I am continuing my study into the Underground Railroad, but I got stalled on the tracks this week. Time to set a study schedule for my week and see if I can get things moving towards freedom (and learning) again.
Some weeks are just hard. There are things beyond my control that I cannot change that negatively impact me. I want to scream. I want to bang heads together and tell people to get their sh*t together! I might have jokingly suggested a mob with pitchforks, torches, and daggers storm the “castle.”
When weeks like this arrive, reading becomes really hard. At the end of the day, my brain is exhausted. I just want to curl up in a ball and do something numbing and mindless. This week has been a testament to the power of personal habit as my reading streak has continued without interruption. While I’m not incredibly happy with the number of pages read this week, I know that I have to give myself grace and celebrate that I made progress.
Here’s hoping that a new week brings better results.
What I Finished This Week
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. For some reason, I had been avoiding this novel based on Greek mythology. I expected a story filled with vengeful gods and constant battles. While those elements were present, that is not what this story is about. At its heart, it is a love story of Achilles and Patroclus without all of the graphic passages you would find in a modern MM romance. (Yes, the story features two men in love.) Achilles is the son of a goddess and destined to be the greatest warrior the world has ever known. Patroclus is the son of a king who has been exiled simply because he is a constant disappointment to his father. The boys become friends right away. Bound by friendship, the two find themselves fighting on behalf of Agamemnon to rescue Helen from the walled city of Troy. Miller does an excellent job looking at issues such as duty, loyalty, destiny, and greed in this modern retelling of a classic story. 5 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America by Fergus M. Bordewich (p. 125 of 439). My attention was pulled away from my non-fiction this week while I dreamed about Ancient Greece. Still, I have enjoyed progressing through this book. Did you know that Christmas time was a prime time for slaves to attempt escape? With the added days off to celebrate the holiday and the colder temperatures, it was more likely that they could get further away from their master before their absence was noticed and more easily cross natural boundaries when the creeks and rivers were frozen. As I am moving into the second section of the book, I am starting to learn more about individual slaves who were passengers on the Underground Railroad as well as those that served as conductors. Fascinating stuff!
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (p. 190 of 661). This week, I explored the relationship between the Trask brothers and watched as Adam and Cathy set out to make their new life in California. Adam dreams of a lush Garden of Eden; Cathy simply wants to escape. She has already proven that she will do anything necessary to be free of a man and has attempted to rid herself of the child she now carries. My only complaint about this novel at the moment is that I’m not enjoying it as an ebook, but I don’t want to purchase another paperback copy. I think my well-loved copy is in Arkansas at the moment. C’est la vie!
Easter weekend always signifies to me that Spring is finally here! Even if there is still a chill in the air, there is something about all of the bright colors and joyful images in the parks as families enjoy time outside that reminds me that it is a season of rebirth, renewal, and life. For the past several years, I have celebrated Easter in an unusual way. School is on break from Good Friday to Easter Monday, so I take the chance to slip out of town and rest. Typically, I will splurge on a nice hotel room with a large window and comfortable seating. Then I settle in for the weekend and pamper myself.
This year’s Easter vacation looked a little different than most. I went out of town and got a great room, but I rarely left it. Instead of going to the museum or catching a baseball game, I stayed close by and allowed myself to meditate, rest, and breathe. Some would consider this a waste of money because I could have done all of those things in my apartment. To me, it was the perfect investment and a needed change of scenery.
What I Finished This Week
Chariot on the Mountain by Jack Ford. I did not expect this novel to move me as it did! This story is going to stay with me for a very long time AND it influenced a personal research project. I love when fiction goes beyond a mere story and causes you to think deeply about big issues from our past and present. Chariot on the Mountain is the story of Kitty, a house slave who is beloved by her master. Upon his untimely death, his widow Mary has control of his property. To honor her husband’s dying wish, Mary decides to free Kitty. When Mary’s nephew makes a claim against his uncle’s will, it becomes evident that Kitty must leave immediately. Kitty, her three young children, and Mary set out for Pennsylvania along the path of the Underground Railroad. The party arrives safely to freedom, but when a free black man betrays Kitty’s trust, she is caught and returned to bondage at the hands of the violent nephew. In a final act of rebellion, Kitty sues her captor and proclaims herself to be a free person. Chariot on the Mountain is based largely on historical record and is a fascinating novel. While I “knew” about the Underground Railroad through childhood education in Arkansas, Ford’s novel made the circumstances, danger, and moral questions come to life. This will certainly be one of the contenders for the best book of the year for me. 5 stars.
The Leaving by Tara Altebrando. YA mystery is rarely my jam. Since I needed another mystery to complete the March mini-challenge, I decided to pick up this book on a whim. The premise is quite interesting. Six kindergarten students are taken from school on the first day of class. Their disappearance is completely unexplained and there are no clues leading to their recovery. Fast-forward 11 years…..when five of the students return to their small community. The only problem? They have no recollection of where they have been or anything that has happened during “The Leaving.” I used this novel to fulfill case #28 – a character wrongly accused — and that is probably the only reason that I didn’t DNF this book. Was it really that bad? No…but this month’s challenge has affirmed for me why mystery is not a favorite genre for me. 3 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (p. 82 of 661). I’m returning to this American classic this month while participating in the Active Mind Book Club. While I have previously read the novel, I remember very little about it. I am enjoying the start of the story, but I must admit that I am finding it difficult to engage with the characters at this point. I seem to remember that it took me a bit to get invested in the character’s lives before too, but once I was in the story, it was hard to put down. I’m hoping for a similar experience with this re-reading.
Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America by Fergus M. Bordewich (p. 63 of 439). As I was finishing my reading of Chariot on the Mountain this week, I stumbled upon a YouTube video that referred to “personal curriculum.” I was intrigued by the idea and set out to discover more. Essentially, it is a personal education for a specified length of time on a topic that interests you without the pressure of grades. The goal is simply to learn more. When I first encountered the idea, the vlogger spoke about the power of following your curiosity instead of a set “curriculum plan.” I liked the idea of selecting a topic and learning what you can. A quick question to ChatGPT about best sources to learn more about the Underground Railroad led me to this book. (I’ll share more about my early experiences with “personal curriculum” later this week on my personal blog, Livin’ Life.
Bound for Canaan is an expansive look at the journey of slaves to freedom and the challenges that it brought about. Right now, my focus is on the earliest days of the idea in Philadelphia as abolitionists and Quakers joined forces to protect the African-Americans in their community. While largely fueled by religious fervor, the Underground Railroad was also an expression of the political fight in the young nation’s legislature that would ultimately lead to civil war. My reading of non-fiction is typically slower than fiction, but I am thoroughly enjoying exploring this important aspect of American history.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (p. 29 of 369). I brought a stack of books with me for my holiday weekend getaway because I anticipated needing to start a new book for the main reading challenge. I have heard so many readers complain about the first prompt of the challenge — a book set in an ancient civilization — and decided that I needed to start my selection for this prompt in case I needed to pivot. A contemporary retelling of the myth of Achilles and Patroclus in their pursuit of a kidnapped Helen, Miller’s novel is proving to be fast-paced and quite approachable so far. I am very thankful for the many English teachers I have encountered that made mythology less daunting; it is certainly aiding in my current reading.
March in Review
March was a busy month in my world. Opera rehearsals, a trip to Arkansas, and opera tour dominated my life. Somehow, I managed to maintain a steady diet of reading for the month. That’s surprising to me as well! I’m also surprised to see that my top rated book of the month was one of the mysteries I read…..that just shows you how much I didn’t like the other books I read this month. I’m looking forward to getting back to some of my normal selections in April. Anyway, here are the stats for March.
Books read in March: 6 books (even with February)
Pages read in March: 2,296 (up 170 pages from February)
Highest rated book:The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood – 4.75 stars
2026 Reading Challenge Progress – The 52 Book Club
I have been feeling as though I’m behind on the main challenge with all of my attention going to the mini-challenges each month. I have only completed 10 prompts so far (although I have read 24 books so far this year). I’m a purist….normally one book for each prompt across all the challenges. However, when I saw a memory pop up in my feed this week, I noticed that I’m right on pace with last year; I had only read 9 books for the main prompt by the beginning of April. So here I am, taking a deep breath, enjoying my reading and not worrying about how quickly I finish the challenge. My only goal is to actually finish it.
Since I spent nearly half of my reading time this month completing the March mini-challenge (those blasted mysteries!), here’s the graphic showing what I’ve completed there as well. I have to admit that these were a fun departure from my normal reading patterns, but I’m ready to read in my lane for a bit now.
Upcoming Plans
April has another mini-challenge, so I have to get those going. I also need to read a book that has been turned into an Oscar-nominated film and one that has been nominated for the Women’s Prize for another challenge. (I am thinking that I may double dip on the Oscar-nominated story since I also need to read The Godfather for The 52 Book Club Challenge.) As always, I have big plans, but we will just have to see what I accomplish. All I know for sure is that I’ll continue to press my nose into a book daily and see what I can learn about myself, my world, and my fellow man.
Reading for Me 