Reading for Me

The Books I Have Read…..Just for Me

Jul 27

Roller Coaster Summer (July 27, 2026)

by kennithfreeman

This week was full of ups and downs. As the week began, things were running smoothly and everyone was getting along. As the week progressed, more challenges were encountered and stress levels went through the roof! In those moments when things got tense, I found myself turning into my reading. What can I say? It’s great therapy! So I guess you can say that there was a silver lining in that I got a lot of reading done this week. Hoping that the reading pace continues without the additional drama though. If this roller coaster keeps going, I may be looking for the barf bag.

What I Finished This Week

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. This is my second Neil Gaiman novel. I’ll share the unpopular opinion; I don’t like his writing at all! It’s not just that I don’t enjoy fantasy. I find the writing convoluted. I think the problem is that I also can’t really tell who the intended audience is supposed to be. If you want to write for children, do it. If you want to write a fairy tale for adults, do it. Don’t try to mix the two. It just doesn’t work. 2.75 stars (and that’s generous…..)

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez. Alexis is a ER doctor in a prestigious Minneapolis hospital. Her family has a long history of making significant contributions in the medical field. She is constantly trying to live up to expectations. While driving home from a family funeral, Alexis swerves to avoid striking a raccoon and lands in the ditch. This is where she meets Daniel, a simple small town guy who is a jack-of-all-trades and runs the local Bed and Breakfast. The two immediately find chemistry, but realize that they come from two different worlds. Jimenez weaves a lovely story that examines challenging family relationships, the importance of social structure, and navigating personal preferences when they conflict with high expectations. Definitely worth a read, but you should know that the book deals prominently with domestic abuse (mostly of a verbal nature, although physical abuse is also present). 4.75 stars.

Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon. I was having difficulty settling on a book that would meet the prompt of a read with a diacritical mark on the cover. Nothing that I found really grabbed my attention. I selected this book on a whim on a recent trip to Barnes and Noble. It turned out to be a very enjoyable read. Frida and Gabriel were raised in a cult and became best friends. After escaping, the two pursue lives on the outside. Gabriel marries a vibrant young woman who tragically dies shortly afterwards; Gabriel is accused of her murder. Nearly a decade later, Frida and Gabriel find themselves once again entwined in the tragic death of a young woman. Michallon writes a fascinating story of family, abuse, and unconditional love. 3.75 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

Bookstore on the Bay by Leeanna Morgan (p. 167 of 244). As part of the summer Beach challenge, I had to select 6 books on my reading list and allow fate (via the roll of a die) to determine my next read. I selected some of the free books that I have loaded onto my Kindle and ended up being very pleased with the results. Morgan tells the story of a widow, Isabella, who returns to the quaint town of Sapphire Bay to reunite with childhood friends. While there, she meets Frank and his young grandson, Tommy. The two become friends as Isabella purchases the town’s bookstore and decides to begin a new chapter in her life. However, developing feelings for Frank and Tommy may come with challenges. Frank relocated to Sapphire Bay to escape the danger brought on by providing evidence to the FBI against a powerful security firm. A quick, fascinating read with a charming love story featuring older adults looking for a second chance.

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon (p. 38 of 870). Ever since first participating in Big Book Summer in 2024, the Outlander series has been part of the annual plans. With Dad’s health complications this summer, there just wasn’t a convenient time to start the book earlier. Since I have a couple of weeks left before my life returns to full swing, I decided this was the time to hit the third volume in the saga. Although I just started the book yesterday afternoon, it has been easy to fall back into the story of Jamie and Claire. I won’t get through this behemoth this week, but I’m hoping to make a significant dent in it.

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell (p. 38 of 305). One prompt for the 2026 challenge has a tendency to sneak up on me — a book that I started reading on the 26th! As I made plans to start new books for the week after Saturday’s finish, I realized I could delay a day and plug something in for this prompt to get it off my plate. Yeah! Hamnet has long been of interest to me. All I really know (at least, what I think I know) is that it is the story of the son of Shakespeare who will ultimately inspire the character Hamlet. I could be completely wrong, but I’m enjoying the early pages of this novel so far.

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Jul 20

No Rest for the Weary (July 20, 2026)

by kennithfreeman

This week was rather hectic. A frantic race to sign papers in Plainview (which turned out to be a fruitless trip), getting the other Geriatric in for a CT scan, and a long Friday afternoon in the ER with my Dad. Add to all of this an excruciating back ache, and you have the formula for a lot of reading since I couldn’t do much else.

What I Finished This Week

Breaking His Rules by Layla Hagen. The first audio book that I completed this week. Grant is the COO of a security company who does everything by the book. When his best friend decides to host his engagement party at a small restaurant, Grant plans to overrun the charming space with security upgrades in order to ensure that nothing happens. The restaurant’s owner, Ruby, turns out to be a bigger obstacles than Grant had anticipated. Ruby fully intends to maintain the quaintness of her space while trusting that everything will be just fine since nothing has ever happened before that should cause concern. The two square off and prepare for battle, but become friends along the way as they realize that they share a common goal — making sure the engagement party is everything their friends have dreamed of. This is really a cute enemies-to-lovers romance that has more character building than you would expect. 3.5 stars.

Dating You/Hating You by Christina Lauren. Dating You/Hating You had been on my TBR since the beginning of the 2026 challenge since Christina Lauren is a pen name for the writing duo of Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. Carter and Evie both work as talent agents in successful Hollywood studios. When their companies merge, the two find themselves competing for the same job. Their attraction is undeniable, but it is also what they fear most. Will their tenderness toward each other be used by one of them in order to get the upper hand? This was a really enjoyable audio book that made the roads through Texas and Arkansas pass much more quickly. 3.5 stars.

Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham. Sebastian Rudd is the lawyer everyone hates. He defends the most despicable and often gets his clients lighter sentences than they deserve. His ex-wife thinks he is a worthless father, more concerned with his career than his child. The police hate him because he is less concerned with justice than winning the case at any cost. One of his clients claims to know the current location of a missing police officer and reveals crucial information to Rudd. The problem? Should Rudd share this information with the authorities, he will be breaking attorney-client privilege and jeopardize his career. While this wasn’t my favorite of Grisham’s novels, I was enthralled by the story as well as the legal and moral issues raised. 3 stars.

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. Set in Iceland, this novel was read to fulfill the prompt of a story set in either the Arctic or Antarctica in the main 2026 challenge. Agnes has been convicted of killing a man in his home. Her sentence? Death by beheading. While awaiting her execution date, Agnes is sent to the remote farm in northern Iceland. Suffering through the extreme winter weather, she is also outcast by the farming family that is forced to host her. In order to prepare mentally and spiritually, a young priest is assigned the task of ministering to her (despite Agnes’ lack of faith). Kent’s historical novel examines the search for truth, the impact of unrequited love, and the natural fear of death in a gripping tale of intrigue and doubt. 3 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon (p. 49 of 299). A summer resort is rocked by the death of a woman and the subsequent arrest of her famous husband. For Gabriel and Frida, the events trigger memories of their time in a cult as children. I just started reading last night, but I’m already fascinated and ready to tear through more of this story tonight.

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez (p, 80 of 372). I read Yours Truly last year and thoroughly enjoyed the story. I decided that I should read the first of the books in the series. This story focuses on Alexis and Daniel, two people who could not be more dissimilar, but find themselves drawn to each other. I really enjoy Jimenez’s writing style and the ease of getting pulled into the story.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (3:06 of 5:43). It only seems appropriate to be reading at least one book at the moment that is not a total hit for me. For the summer challenge, I needed a fantasy book with a “watery” scene. Fantasy is not a favorite genre for me, so I was looking for something rather short that didn’t require too much world building. I’m just not in the mood for that type of work at the moment. At just under 6 hours, Gaiman’s tale seemed like the perfect option. The story is entertaining and I’m finding that listening to the story makes it easier to get into.

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Jul 13

Things are Heating Up (July 13, 2026)

by kennithfreeman

It has been a warm week in eastern Arkansas. Heat indexes reached the 100s this week and the only thing I wanted to do was find a cool corner and read. Despite having several trips to see doctors and physical therapists for Dad, I still managed to complete two books this week. In keeping with the summer vibes, they were both fluffy beach reads that kept me relaxed and my mind off of the other pressures of the day. Right now, that’s just what the doctor orders!

What I Finished This Week

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood. I took a mental health break on Wednesday afternoon since Mom was taking the afternoon off. I had a doctor’s appointment early in the afternoon, so she told her co-workers that she would just take the entire day. After getting a good report from the cardiologist, I took the afternoon as a reset and made this audio book as my soundtrack for my drives around the city. I really enjoyed the story of Jack and Elsie against the backdrop of academia. Hazelwood’s writing was witty, sharp, and concise. I especially enjoyed Elsie’s struggles with honesty in uncomfortable situations because of her fear of abandonment. (I might have seen a bit of myself in this aspect of her.) My only issue with this reading experience was the lack of listening time. Even though I have been in the car quite a bit lately, I haven’t been alone — so I don’t listen. I think my inconsistent listening might have impacted my overall enjoyment of this story. 3.75 stars.

I Loved You First by Cate Beauman. Jack is a single father raising his soon-to-be five-year-old son. Although his son was the result of a drunken night, Jack has no regrets because he adores the child. What he does regret, however, is that Fiona got away because of his poor choices. When her mother suffers a car accident, Fiona returns to her small Vermont home to care for her parent — and quickly runs into Jack. Their friendship blossoms, largely due to the charming five-year-old. I Loved You First handles discussions of fertility issues, unwanted pregnancies, and adoption tenderly. Even though it fell into typical plot lines, I found myself loving the characters in the novel and rooting for their happily ever after ending. 3.75 stars.

What I DNF’d This Week

Beartown by Fredrik Backman. This is not a “will not read” choice for me; instead, the message is “not right now.” In the middle of summer while watching baseball and World Cup soccer, I am not enthralled by the story of a hockey town and the difficult relationships of the players and coaches. I think I will ultimately enjoy Backman’s writing, but I wasn’t in the headspace right now to connect. Until later, Beartown.

What I’m Currently Reading

Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham (p. 252 of 346). My latest prompt in the Summer Beach Read challenge called for a judicial procedural with a red spine. After lots of searching through cover art, I finally landed on Rogue Lawyer. The novel has been a little different from what I have come to expect from Grisham’s writing. The book features several cases that are connected by the lawyer defending each. As I am entering the last third of the novel, an earlier client is making a reappearance — possibly to tie the different stories together. I just don’t know yet. This has been an easy read and I am enjoying the writing, but the lack of a continuous story line has left we wanting a little more.

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (p. 150 of 314). In the middle of the week, I made a trip to the bookstore simply to browse. While there, I decided to look for books that would fit two of the prompts of the 52 Book Club’s 2026 challenge that I am most nervous about — 1) a book set in either the Arctic or Antartica and 2) a book with a diacritical mark on the cover. I was especially pleased when I found something that would work for both prompts that grabbed my attention. (I’ll tell you more about the second novel next week once I start reading it.) Burial Rites is set in the northernmost section of Iceland — just inside the Arctic Circle — and focuses on Agnes, a young woman convicted of murder. Her punishment? Death by beheading. While awaiting her execution, Agnes is sent to live on a family farm. Outcast by her hosts, Agnes must come to terms with her own feelings about death, her past, and how the community views her. To help her in her quest for peace, Agnes receives spiritual guidance from a young priest. I was intrigued by the premise of this historical novel, but didn’t expect to enjoy the work as much as I am.

Breaking His Rules by Layla Hager (0:37 of 7:28). I had several errands to run this weekend and I thought I would have time in the car alone to start a new audiobook. I chose this one on a total whim because it was included with my Audible membership and I have already used this month’s credits. Turns out that Pop was going a little stir crazy on Saturday and decided to tag along with me on the afternoon errands — so I only listened to 30 minutes of the book. Honestly, I’ll probably start from the top when (if?) I end up making a frantic dash back to Texas this week to tie up a few loose ends there that just can’t wait until August.

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Jul 6

Celebrating 250! (July 6, 2026)

by kennithfreeman

This week was rather normal here in the Geriatric Ward. Lots of doctor’s appointments, caring for my parents, making dinners, and preparing for the family to gather and celebrate the July 4th holiday together. Somehow, I also managed to get some reading done along the way. (It sort of helps when you don’t have to do a regular job at the moment as well…..taking care of the patients is enough of a full time job!) It’s been a really good week and I’m please with the results.

What I Finished This Week

PS: I Hate You by Lauren Connolly. For some reason lately, I’m reading all of the books about loved ones who have passed and the awkward ways of saying goodbye. While I hope that the Universe is not trying to prepare me for something upcoming, I will admit that the stories have been lovely and somewhat comforting. In Connolly’s novel, Maddie has lost her brother to cancer. At the funeral, she receives instructions that she is to visit the 8 states that her brother did not get to during life and spread his ashes in beautiful locations. There is a catch though — she is to be accompanied by Dominic. Dominic was her brother’s best friend and the guy that broke her heart. In the typical enemy-to-lovers fashion, the adventures are filled with anger and lots of sexual tension. Overall, this was a charming look at the idea of a chosen family and the importance of building relationships while balancing our moral responsibilities. 4 stars.

The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham. Published in 1919, this classic novel is an exploration of the line between focusing on material wealth and security and following our passions. Charles Strickland was a successful stock broker in London who had it all — wealth, success, and a loving family. Despite it all, he was not happy. Strickland announces that he is done, packs up and moves to Paris to pursue the life of an aspiring artist, leaving his wife, children, and job behind without a second glance. Strickland does not find success and continues to run, making his way to Tahiti. There the artist will live in poverty and ultimately succumb to a horrific disease that will take his life. After his death, Strickland is finally appreciated as a genius and master of his craft. Maugham presents a tale that teaches that moderation is more important than total devotion to either extreme. 3 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood (8:57 of 12:33). A romance set in the cut-throat world of academia? Yes, please! I’m really enjoying this story of the grumpy experimental physicist who falls for the lovely theorist who has been posing as his brother’s “fake date.” Confused? It’s a fun puzzle to unravel.

I Loved You First by Cate Beauman (p. 50 of 330). Another romance for my summer challenge. This one features Cam, a single father who has never left his quaint New England hometown. After her mother’s car accident, Fiona returns home for the first time since Cam broke her heart, announcing that he was going to marry her rival who was now pregnant with his child. Fiona intends to avoid Cam at all cost, but once she meets his precocious 5-year-old son…all bets are off. I’m certain this is going to be very predictable, but it’s proving to be an enjoyable read so far.

Beartown by Fredrik Backman (p. 60 of 415). A murder in a small town obsessed with hockey. That’s all I really know at the moment. Reading this one because of the many rave reviews it has received. At this point, the jury is still out for me.

June 2026 in Review

June has been a very productive reading month for me. Reading was my escape during long days visiting hospitals and rehab centers. For the most part, I didn’t read “hard-hitting” literature, but it was what I needed in the moment. Here is the month by the numbers.

  • Books read in June: 9 (up 1 from May)
    • 2 physical
    • 3 audio
    • 4 ebooks
  • Pages read in June: 2,650 (up 795 from May)
  • Highest rated book: This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page – 5 stars
  • Lowest rated book: Protected by the Biker by Logan Chance – 2 stars

The 52 Book Club Challenge Progress

I made six additions to the main challenge this month, bringing me to the 40% mark with 21 finished books. I would like to be a little closer to the halfway point, but I think I can continue to make some serious progress toward my goal in the remaining few months of summer vacation. I’m not worried (yet!) about completing the challenge by the end of the year, but I am certainly reading with a little more focus now.

The 52 Book Club Summer Beach Read Challenge

The summer reading challenge began this month and I’ve had a lot of fun with the board game element. I’m currently reading my 5th book for the challenge and about to make my way along the bottom border of the board. As you can see, my reading has been dominated with romances with a bit of historical fiction and classics thrown in. Realistically, this challenge will extend past Labor Day for me, but I’m not too upset about that. I’d like to get done early in the Fall, but my focus will remain on the main challenge…until a new batch of mini-challenges begin to appear, at least!

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