Reading for Me

The Books I Have Read…..Just for Me

Jun 29

A Little More Normal (June 29, 2026)

by kennithfreeman

My world has gradually returned to a version of normalcy this week. On Wednesday afternoon, we brought Dad home from rehab. (He promptly had a fall that evening; we always have to have drama in the Geriatric Ward.) So the end of the week has not had the insanity of constant drives and has allowed for a bit of much needed rest. That has also meant that I was able to settle down and finish several books that were in progress.

What I Finished This Week

The Godfather by Mario Puzo. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this American classic despite my initial trepidation. The story of Michael Corleone and the struggles to maintain power within the Five Families in New York was fascinating. I anticipated lots of violence and bloodshed on the page. While it was definitely present, the accounts were not gruesome or overly descriptive. In truth, the violence was used to propel the story telling. I especially found the afterward to be interesting; taken in light of what was happening in American society in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Puzo’s novel holds an important role in the American literary tradition. I now have to find 3 hours in my life to watch the film adaptation. 4.75 stars.

Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist. This week’s audio book was about getting over the perfectionism that plagues so many of our lives and learning to simply be present in the moment. With lots of emphasis on making sure that we are saying “yes” to the right things and managing our professional, personal, and spiritual lives healthily, I found the book incredibly encouraging and challenging. I must admit that this was probably not the best book to listen to in the current season of my life. With everything going on right now, feelings of being overwhelmed are a reality for me. That’s a topic that is very prevalent in Niequist’s writing. It was hard at times to focus in and really hear the message. That doesn’t mean it was not wonderfully written; it just suggests that it wasn’t the right book for this moment. The format (audio) was also not right for me. I plan to keep this book on my TBR so I can pick up a copy of the physical book and really dive into the truths that are there. 3 stars.

Reckless at Heart by Zoe York. The story of Owen and Kerry is a cute novel. Owen is a single father who struggles with relationships after becoming a father as a teenager. Now pregnant herself, Owen’s daughter turns to Kerry to serve as her midwife. Despite their initial feelings toward each other, Owen and Kerry fall in love. However, they both know that the relationship is destined to be only temporary because Kerry desperately wants children of her own; Owen has moved far away from that part of his life and has taken steps to avoid having children again. Both are faced with deciding which is more important — having the person they love or holding on to the dreams they held for their future. Will love win out? 3.75 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

P.S. I Hate You by Lauren Connolly (p. 50 of 418). In a lot of ways, this books feels very similar in theme to This Book Made Me Think of You that I just finished a few weeks ago. In Connolly’s novel, a brother has passed away. At his memorial service, the deceased has left his sister and best friend with the task of visiting the eight states he didn’t get to during life. Each location is indicated by an envelope with coordinates. Once the pair arrives at the location, they are to open the letter, follow the instructions, and leave a portion of his ashes behind. I just started reading this novel last night, but it is quickly proving to be a very enjoyable read.

The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham (p. 40 of 280). For my next prompt in the summer beach read challenge, I am tasked with reading a classic novel featuring a character with an unusual career. Thanks to an AI search, I found this 1919 novel that features a stockbroker who leaves his life behind to pursue his newly discovered passion as an artist in Paris. (For this musician, a career as a visual artist is FAR from unusual; however, I’m taking the POV of most of society and counting it. Plus, it seems like a situation I would like to explore, so I’m reading the book.) I haven’t encountered Maugham’s writing before and I struggled a bit when I first started reading — because it was an unfamiliar voice. Now I’m finding that the reading is much easier and moves at a relatively easy pace.

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Jun 22

Waving the White Flag (June 22, 2026)

by kennithfreeman

My plan was to write a witty introduction to this week’s reading summary this morning before heading to Jonesboro to see Dad. Right now, life has a way of looking at my plans, laughing, and throwing a curve ball my way. I’m still standing, but I’ve prepared the white flag of surrender so I can yell “Uncle!” to end this current round of the karmic game. How’s that for an intro? Luckily, I had written the rest of the weekly update last night. Here’s what I’ve been reading lately.

What I Finished This Week

The House of Hidden Letters by Izzy Broom. As part of the Summer Beach Read Challenge, I needed to read a book with something you would expect to find at the beach on the cover. My assigned genre was historical fiction. I am thrilled that I found The House of Hidden Letters! Told in alternating time lines, the novel traces the story of Skye, a modern woman who has left her British home and career to flee her abusive husband. When she lands in Greece, she finds a community of friends and an unexpected mystery. Hidden in the chimney of her restoration house, Skye discovers a pack of love letters written by Katerina, a young woman trying to survive the Italian invasion of the Greek isles during World War II. Katerina’s story is one of love and murder. The young woman is traumatized by the Nazi general living next door in the occupied land. If you have followed my reading journey for very long, you probably know by now that I love this era of history and Broom’s story was engaging while presenting a portion of the Great War with which I was not familiar. I found the novel to be a fairly quick read and I was always excited to see how the story would progress (much to the chagrin of the other novels I was reading at the time). 4 stars.

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey. For this week’s audio book, I borrowed Fix Her Up from my local library using the Libby app. That means that the book didn’t cost me anything and would fulfill that prompt for The 52 Book Club Challenge. This Tessa Bailey book tells the story of Georgie and Travis. Georgie is the youngest child who chose to launch her own business rather than working with the family. Her chosen career is that of a children’s entertainer — specifically, a clown. Obviously she receives no respect for her choice from her siblings or parents. They view her as an immature failure who simply needs to be tolerated and not respected. Travis has returned to his childhood home after injury ended his promising career in Major League Baseball. Despite his success, the only voice that Travis hears is that of his alcoholic father who repeatedly proclaimed that Travis would never amount to anything. Georgie wants the respect of her family; Travis needs to land a new job as a sports commentator. In order to help each other reach their goals, the two decide to masquerade as a couple. This cute romance was a really fun book to listen to. The narration by Charlotte North was exceptional. Be warned though — in typically Bailey fashion, the spicy scenes are off the charts! I would normally listen to an audio book on my commute; since my mother was in the car with me most of the week, this was definitely not a book that was going to get much airplay. 4 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

The Godfather by Mario Puzo (p. 315 of 428). I have put off reading this book for much of the year. The prompt was to read a book inspired by the top grossing movie from the year that you were born. In 1972, that film would have been Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. I wasn’t really that interested in reading something about the mafia and the thoughts of exploring the lives of Coppola or Brando didn’t appeal to me either. So I decided to bite the bullet and read the novel that inspired the film. Since I’ve not watched the movie before, I had an erroneous idea of what the story was about. I was expecting lots of murders gruesomely described. While the mob wars are certainly present, the focus of the story is about the Don and his children. It’s a story about loyalty, betrayal, and revenge set against a sprawling family saga. I’m really enjoying the read much more than I expected and plan to watch the movie later this week.

Reckless at Heart by Zoe York (p. 235 of 596). The novel’s opening line grabbed my attention: “Dad, I’m pregnant.” A single dad to a teenage daughter, Owen is not prepared to watch his daughter repeat the same mistakes he did as a young father. When the girl announces that she is going to use the services of a midwife, Owen is anything but pleased. Now Owen must come to terms with the fact that he finds himself attracted to the midwife that is caring for his daughter. Why did I pick this one up? The prompt for the summer challenge called for a romance that included the name “Rebecca” in the acknowledgements. (That was surprisingly more difficult to find than I had expected!) I’m not expecting a 5 star read here, but it has proven to be an easy read to pass the time while at the rehab center.

Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist (0:28 of 4:15). On Sunday afternoon, I had a few minutes alone in my car while running some errands, so I decided to get an early start on my next audio book. The book appears to be about moving from exhaustion and burnout to peaceful living through simplicity. That’s definitely something that I need to hear right now. I’m reading this to fulfill the prompt of a comma in the subtitle.

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Jun 15

Hospitals & Rehab (June 15, 2026)

by kennithfreeman

Much of the week has been spent in medical facilities. Thankfully, I can report that Dad is making significant progress and doing much better than anyone ever expected. My physical read of the week was finished early while sitting in an ICU waiting room waiting for a procedure to be finished. The audiobook I finished while trying to calm my mind at the end of long days. It’s amazing the power of books to help us navigate troublesome times.

What I Finished This Week

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. The second volume of The Empyrean series left me feeling a little lacking. I enjoyed watching the relationship between Violet and Xaden grow. However, the entire rebellion felt forced and very contrived. I remember finishing Fourth Wing looking forward to continuing the story. Now that I’ve read Iron Flame, I’m finding myself asking “Really?” I don’t know if I will read Onyx Storm or not. 3.5 stars.

Our Secret Summer by R.S. Grey. Isabel is an American socialite who is spending the summer in Ibiza in honor of her twin sister who recently passed away. While in Spain, Isabel decides to complete the bucket list that the two girls made together for their summer adventure. At the top of the list was to fall in love with a handsome Spaniard. Enter Cristiano, a successful entrepreneur and all-around playboy. R.S. Grey’s novel was full of fun and wit. It’s also rather spicy…..you have been warned! Overall, a great read for me in this current season of life. 4 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

The House of Hidden Letters by Izzy Broom (p. 203 of 388). I was looking for historical fiction that included something that might be seen at the beach on the cover for one of my reading prompts. After another failed attempt, I stumbled on The House of Hidden Letters and cannot put it down! The novel is told in split time lines. Set on a small Greek island, Skye is one of the winners of a lottery where the prize is a hilltop home costing 1 Euro. Despite the fact that the home is in shambles, having remained unoccupied since the Second World War, it is the perfect way for Skye to escape her abusive husband. During the course of renovations, Skye discovers a series of love letters hidden in the fireplace flue. As other discoveries are made at nearby homes, a story of the occupation of the island during the war emerges. I’m absolutely adoring Broom’s characters and enthralled with the challenges that both of our heroines are facing — in the 1940s and the present day.

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey (1:28 of 9:58). Audiobooks are proving to be a good fit for me right now, so I got started on another one on Sunday afternoon while resting on the couch. Georgie has no respect from her family. Since she did not follow in the family business of house flipping (opting to be a party clown instead), she is not taken seriously. Travis has returned to town after his professional baseball career came to an end as a result of injury. What did not end for him, however, was his tainted image. Georgie and Travis decide to enter into a fake relationship in order to earn the respect of others. I’m still early in the reading of this one, but I have high hopes based upon my previous experiences with the works of Tessa Bailey.

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Jun 8

Reading at 35,000 Feet (June 8, 2026)

by kennithfreeman

This week was always going to be about travel and reading. Things did not go as planned however. On Saturday morning, I boarded flights to spend the rest of the summer in Honolulu to do some teaching and community relations. While over the Pacific, I received a text message from my brother informing me that my dad had suffered a stroke and was to undergo immediate emergency surgery. By the time I landed, the surgery was over and had been declared a success. There were still several obstacles to overcome.

I headed to housing and that’s when it hit me — all of the stress, uncertainty, and the tears. I called my dean (still sorry about the late call — blasted time zones!) and expressed how I was feeling. Thankfully, everyone involved was incredibly supportive and I was told to get back to Arkansas post haste and not worry about anything else. Just 7 hours after landing on the island, I was back in the air and retracing my steps in a roundabout way.

Books were my constant companion this week. For that, I am extremely grateful.

What I Finished This Week

Protected by the Biker by Logan Chance. When the summer reading challenge appeared from The 52 Book Club, I was intrigued and immediately wanted to start reading. My first prompt for this summer reading game was a book with a four-word title in the romance genre. Since I had some travel coming up later in the week, I didn’t want to start another physical book that would add to my baggage. So I checked out what had recently been added to my Kindle as free purchases. That’s where I found Protected by the Biker. The only thing I can positively say about this one is that it was short, didn’t cost me anything, and introduced me to a new author. At less than 80 pages in length, there was no time to really develop the story line fully. It felt more like an outline for a potential story rather than something fully developed. 2 stars.

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page. What an outstanding book! It had me laughing, reflecting, and crying — sometimes without even turning a page. Tilly and Joe are a perfect love story. Living in London, they are setting out on their new life together. Then tragedy strikes. Joe is diagnosed with cancer and passes away. Tilly is left alone to grieve, survive, and somehow continue living. Six months after Joe’s death, Tilly receives a rather strange call from the local bookstore — they have a book ready for her to pick up; the book was ordered by her husband, Joe. When she hesitantly arrives in the shop to accept the gift, she learns that Joe has actually gifted her with a year of books — one book each month. What follows is one of the best stories I have encountered in a very long time. Join Tilly as she rediscovers her love of reading, boldly accepts challenges and embarks on exciting adventures — all inspired by the books that Joe gifted her. This was my first experience with Libby Page’s work, but it will certainly not be my last! Her writing is effortless and full of emotion. I’m definitely a new fan. 5 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros (p. 763 of 886). Lots of time on an airplane this weekend meant that I got a lot of this book read. I really thought I would have another finish before posting today, but my body decided it needed sleep far worse than mental stimulation. As always, Yarros delivers another great read. This installment feels a little more mature than Fourth Wing, especially the relationship between Xaden and Violet. As I get close to the end, I’m ready for the story to come to a major pausing point so I can get out of the realm of fantasy for a few days.

Our Secret Summer by R.S. Grey (6:57 of 10:11). After the death of her twin sister, Isabella decides to head to Ibiza as her sister had planned and complete her bucket list of activities. The list includes everything from swimming in the ocean, cliff diving, going skinny dipping, and falling in love with a sexy Spanish man. Charmingly written and full of personality and warmth, Our Secret Summer has been a very enjoyable read far.

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Jun 1

Reading Marathons! (June 1, 2026)

by kennithfreeman

With the first real week of summer vacation here, I have had tons of time to read — and I’ve taken advantage of every available moment. It has been so nice to spend quiet time on the couch in the Geriatric Ward while the patients are at work with my nose in a book. Nothing on the television. No noisy neighbors’ voices seeping through the apartment walls. Just me and the gentle rustling of the page. I’ve gotten a little spoiled to the stillness in just a few days to the point that I have found myself getting irritated when my peaceful reading times are interrupted. Oh, to have no distractions! (A guy can dream, can’t he?)

It also has meant that I’ve had a couple of books running at the same time. Thankfully, the story lines are all very different, so there is no chance of getting confused as I jump from story to story.

What I Finished This Week

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles. What a great book! I anticipated reading about a road trip. While there is travel, the novel is really about a quartet of unlikely friends who are attempting to tie up loose ends in their personal stories and find the freedom to proceed into the next chapter of their life. Some act with integrity and strong values; some are looking for an easy pass at any cost. Filled with heart and amazing story telling, this novel has convinced me to add more of Towles’ works to my TBR. 5 stars.

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. I feel like a traitor saying this….but this book really did not resonate with me at all. I know it is revered by many and consider a major work that tells a loving story of the trials of Chinese-American immigrants. I want to have loved this book so badly. Instead, I’ll just settle for saying that I completed it. Perhaps the issue was that I read it as an audiobook. Perhaps I am not in a place to connect with characters searching for meaning as they reflect on their mothers’ lives. Whatever the reason, this was not a hit for me at all. 3 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros (p. 381 of 886). Coming back to the Empyrean series was a lot less challenging than I feared. While I had forgotten some of the finer details from the first book, Yarros writes in such a way that you are quickly pulled back in and reminded of the important relationships and events you have already encountered. The spice level in this installment feels a bit higher (I just read the scene between Xanos and Violet in the shower……). Honestly, I’m all in for this adventure story. Who would have guessed that I would enjoy a little fantasy in my reading life?

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page (p. 21 of 407). I received this book earlier this spring in a shipment from The Book of the Month club. I was drawn to it because of the cover and the title honestly. Now that I’ve actually read the first few pages, I’m completely hooked! A husband selects 12 books for his wife after receiving a terminal diagnosis. The woman, who has long been an avid reader, found herself unable to read at all as she faced the uncertainty of her husband’s illness. Now that he is gone, he is attempting to restore the joy of reading — and of living — to her through the pages of these books that reminded him of her. Anyone else preparing for the flood of tears ahead?

May 2026 in Review

Another month has come and gone. I’m happy with my reading progress this month. I’ve encountered some great reads and made some new friends on the page along the way.

  • Books read in May: 8 (up 3 from April)
  • Pages read in May: 1,855 (down 281 from April)
  • Highest rated book: The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles – 5 stars
  • Lowest rated book: Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad by Jacqueline L. Tobin – 2.75 stars

The 52 Book Club Challenge Progress

In May, I finished up the April mini-challenge and completed the entire May mini just under the wire. Really enjoyed the pivot of the May challenge as I needed to read from different decades for each prompt.

The main 2026 challenge, however, is a different story. Putting so much focus on completing the mini-challenges as they appear has distracted me from the main challenge. With only 14 of the 52 prompts completed, I’m not feeling great about where I am as we approach the halfway point of the year. (When I look at my overall reading stats for the year, having read 35 books in 5 months is much better to my ears!)

The summer challenge is coming out in a few weeks and I am really excited to see what the “beach reads” prompts will be all about. I’m also finding it difficult to get excited about some of the prompts in the 2026 main challenge. In many ways, they are feeling so random that I’m not excited about the words inside their pages. So I’m wondering if I need to skip the summer challenge and put my attention on the main for a few months so I can make some progress there instead. Both of my current reads will fit one of the prompts that I’m missing, so that’s something. I think I need to sketch out a reading plan for myself to see what I’m going to need to do to complete the challenge by December 31.

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