Reading for Me

The Books I Have Read…..Just for Me

Dec 22

Reindeer and Snowmen Everywhere (December 22, 2025)

by kennithfreeman

Even though the weather is unusual for December in Arkansas at the moment, there is still no place like home for Christmas. This has been my first full week resting in the Geriatric Ward for the holiday break and it has been wonderful! The patients worked most of the week, leaving me in a quiet house for much of the day to read and practice. Once Patient 1 came in each afternoon, I would shift to the comfortable recliner in the back (formerly, the home office) and continue reading as well as doing a little writing and crafting. While I wish there was a bit of a chill in the air (a forecasted high of 70 degrees on Christmas Day was not on my Bingo card!), I’m still enjoying the Christmas spirit….and I’ve managed to get some more reading done this week.

What I Finished This Week

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews. This was such a cute read! Ivy moves to the Carolina mountains after a messy divorce, purchasing an old farmhouse. As she moves into the worn home and its vintage furnishings, she learns of the Christmas traditions of the former owners. Hidden in a drawer is the treasured Santa suit. In its pocket is a letter from a little girl asking Santa to bring her daddy home from the war so her mom can be happy again. What follows is a story filled with humor, friendship, love, discovery, and perseverance with lots of small town charm. 4.25 stars.

The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan. First, I must say that I probably would not recommend this as an audiobook. It was challenging to get into from the beginning and was not a great selection for driving. However, I found the book itself to be absolutely charming and a perfect story for the holidays! Carmen has a job in a bookshop in Edinburgh thanks to her sister’s connections. At first, Carmen thinks this is the worst possible scenario. The bookshop is dank and completely unorganized. Carmen’s relationship with her sister Sophia is horrible. Now that she is living in Sophia’s basement, Carmen must interact with three children and their vile, incredibly attractive nanny. On top of all of this, Carmen is alone at Christmas.

Things quickly begin to transform as Carmen meets two men — a bestselling self-help author and a Brazilian scholar interested in trees. The store finds its niche as a Christmas Bookshop and the sales go through the roof. Relationships between Carmen and her nieces and nephew improve, despite the interference of the nanny. Just when everything is beginning to look up, Carmen’s world begins to crash. The Christmas Bookshop is a wonderful story about finding love where you least expect it, the power of community, and family reconciliation. 4.25 stars.

Good Spirits by B.K. Borison. Just when you think you cannot take another spin on A Christmas Carol, along comes Borison with a very inventive and satisfying novel. Nolan is a Ghost of Christmas Past assigned to haunt Harriet’s Christmas this year. Harriet is the owner of a charming antique shop in Annapolis, is full of Christmas spirit, and is generous to a fault. Why is she being haunted? As they journey back to her memories of prior Christmases, Nolan sees that Harriet’s biggest issue is that she does not stand up for herself — especially to her controlling mother. As Nolan finds himself drawn to Harriet in completely non-professional ways, his magic begins to lose focus. Now they are traveling through time into his own memories as well as Harriet’s. As the two fall in love, they know that their time together is limited as Nolan must go away by Christmas Eve. While I enjoyed the romance itself and the fantasy of a mortal falling for a ghost, the commentary about family relations and the need to speak truth even when it is uncomfortable resonated with me. The guilt one feels after speaking up for themselves after a long silence is also very real. I found myself hearing some of Nolan’s advice as though it was written specifically for me. This is a love story for the ages! Insurmountable odds, challenging family dynamics, and undeniable attraction makes Borison’s romance the best read of the Christmas season so far. 5 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

A Very Merry Mistake by Lyra Parish (1:24 of 10:59). I wanted to include one final Christmas audiobook to my readings for the year since I still have a few errands to run this week. So far, I’m really enjoying Parish’s writing style. It is witty and fast paced without sacrificing story. I’m finding that lighter audiobooks are also great accompaniments to my crafting time. I’m still quite early in the story and I doubt that I finish by Christmas Day, but I won’t object to allowing Christmas to linger a bit longer in my reading life.

The Inferno by Dante (p. 137 of 387). I didn’t make a ton of progress this week as my focus was on my Christmas reading. However, I’m still enjoying making my way through each ring of Hell slowly with Dante and Virgil. (That is just as incredibly awkward to write as it is for you to read, I’m sure.) I anticipate getting to push further into this classic read after the holidays.

Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand (p. 38 of 247). The story opens with Kelley, the owner of a Nantucket B&B, finding his second wife kissing the man playing Santa Claus in a closed bedroom. Without any commentary, Margaret announces that she will gather her things and leave. Now Kelley, his ex-wife, and their adult children must navigate the Christmas season and their individual brokenness. Hilderbrand’s writing has consistently been a good option for me and will help me glide into the Christmas celebrations on Thursday.

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren (p. 25 of 304). This is the last of the physical Christmas books that I brought to the Geriatric Ward to read this season. I’ve seen it appear on several readers’ lists as a book they enjoyed, so I’m hoping to close out my Christmas reading on a high note. So far, the writing is funny and lighthearted. I know I’m in for a good read when the novel opens with this paragraph: “Call me harlot. Call me impulsive. Call me hungover. No one ever has before, but someone absolutely should this morning. Last night was a disaster.”

December 2025 Mini-Challenge Update

Last week, I made my required Bingo for the challenge from The 52 Book Club. As I have continued my reading (and with some reassignment of prompts), I’m very close to a black out card. Here’s hoping that one of my final reads includes a contest…..

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Dec 15

Christmas Break Has Begun (December 15, 2025)

by kennithfreeman

Tuesday was a joyful day for me. I played the last jury of the semester, walked out of the office, and headed home to quickly pack. That began 4 consecutive days of driving cross country: Dallas, Geriatric Ward, Nashville, and back to the Geriatric Ward. All of that time in the car meant some quality reading time. It also meant that I didn’t have anything I needed to do when I arrived at each destination (except for a performance in Nashville), so I was able to wind down after each leg of the drive with a good book. That led to a very productive week and lots of Christmas romances.

What I Finished This Week

Billionaire Secret Santa by Lena Michaels. This was a typical holiday romance and a quick read when I needed a change of pace from children’s literature. Bruce, the company CEO, disguises himself as Santa in order to learn what is happening in his company when the employees don’t know he is watching. Holly serves as Santa’s elf and Bruce’s consultant in the investigation. It’s love at first sight and the sparks fly. That’s the summary of the entire plot. This novel had a lot of potential, but Michaels was light on the actual plot, choosing only to focus on the romance. Even though I enjoy the growing love story, I wanted to know what was happening in the company. When Bruce and Holly figure out what is happening, the author just says that things are resolved — and doesn’t create what could have been a really fun, dramatic scene. As smut, Billionaire Secret Santa was fine. As a novel, it left me wanting more. 3 stars.

Good Elf Gone Wrong by Alina Jacobs. Few things can make the holidays more festive than a wedding, right? For Gracie, that has always been the dream. She found her groom for her Christmas wedding in James…until she found him screwing her sister under the tree on Christmas Eve! A year later, James plans to marry Gracie’s sister on Christmas Day — and expects Gracie to plan the wedding. Desperate times call for desperate measures. When Gracie meets Hudson on the bus headed home, it seems that fate has provided the perfect solution to destroy her sister’s wedding. Gracie and Hudson falsely portray themselves as a couple in order to keep Gracie from being forced to answer too many questions. It is also meant to prove that Gracie’s sister will forever try to steal anything she wants from Gracie — including her men! What follows is a funny tale of revenge, deception, and Christmas cookies. This romance novel definitely needs a spice warning — 5 out of 5 jalapenos! Overall, I really enjoyed the book. 4 stars.

Holiday Ever After by Hannah Grace. My journey through Christmas romances continued with Holiday Ever After. Clara is the daughter of a toy mogul, looking for her path to advancement in the family company. In order to get the promotion, she is sent to Fraser Falls, a small, close-knit community that has become a PR problem for the corporation. What’s the problem? Viral videos are appearing all over the internet claiming that the mogul stole the inspiration for their latest hot toy from the residents of Fraser Falls. When Clara arrives in town to see if she can get the videos taken down, she meets Jack Kelly, the artist who produced the doll in question and a beloved member of the community. What follows are Clara’s efforts to earn the trust of the small community as she attempts to find positive ways to shift the community’s focus away from the family company…..and to earn a long overdue promotion. In the process, she and Jack fall in love. Can it survive the turmoil of doing business? 3.75 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan (5:19 of 11:23). Since I finished my previous audiobook while driving in from Dallas this week, I needed something for the trip to Nashville at the end of the week. I wanted something that had a little less romance and a little more family dynamics. I was cautiously optimistic about this novel set in Edinburgh. Carmen lost her job in a department store due to the economic shift. When she struggled to come up with another position, her mother pressured her sister, a lawyer in Edinburgh, to see if she could find something. Now Carmen finds herself living with her estranged sister and her three children while working at an old bookstore desperate for a change. In fact, the bookstore will be closed if it doesn’t turn a profit by Christmas. With only a few weeks left, Carmen’s work is cut out for her. So far, the book is an interesting story although it does tend to move at a slightly slower pace than my most recent audiobooks. Now that my driving will be significantly reduced, I’m going to need to look for new ways to incorporate listening into my reading schedule.

The Inferno by Dante (p. 96 of 387). This week, I received the invitation to alumni of the Great Books program at Pepperdine to participate in a spring reading group that will focus on Dante’s Divine Comedy. In a moment of wanting to stretch those intellectual legs a bit in a setting that holds tremendous memories, I decided to participate. When I walked over to the bookshelf and saw the edition I had used in class all those years ago, I took it as a sign that there was no better time than the present to start reading. (By the way, the price tag is still on the back of the Penguin Classic edition: $3.50 in the campus bookstore. Somehow, I doubt that students are purchasing copies of the book for that price anymore.) I’ve decided to not be in any rush, reading 1 or 2 cantos each day, so I have time to dive into the notes and think about the implications of each ring’s punishment. So far, I’m finding that much that I learned in my Great Books reading is coming back to me without too much effort. We shall see if the trend continues.

Good Spirits by B.K. Borison (p. 29 of 370). With the finish of Holiday Ever After yesterday, I wanted to go ahead and pick up another of the Christmas themed books I purchased on Thanksgiving weekend. This one has an interesting premise and I’ve heard good things about it. Good Spirit seems to be a spin on Dicken’s classic, A Christmas Carol. In Borison’s retelling, the Ghost of Christmas Past haunts Harriet, but she has no idea why since she is not a Scrooge at all. The idea of a contemporary romance between such diverse characters was far too intriguing to pass up.

December 2025 Mini-Challenge

The December mini-challenge has been pretty simple. It’s a game of Bingo using nine different prompts for each of the spaces. I decided that rather than really planning out my strategy, I would read holiday books and see what would fit where. When I finished Holiday Ever After, I made my first Bingo!

Now what? I figure I’ll still do some holiday reading through Christmas Day and then turn my attention back to My Library Shelf project until the 2026 Reading Challenge starts. I don’t know that I will end up with a blackout board, but anything is possible.

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Dec 8

In the Holiday Spirit (December 8, 2025)

by kennithfreeman

It is officially the Christmas season! I love the sights, the sounds, and the smells. I’m also a sucker for a good Christmas story. I expect to see a lot of Christmas tree farms, Santa suits, baking competitions, and naughty Christmas spirits in my reading for the next few weeks. And since there is a Christmas Bingo board from The 52 Book Club, I get to play a game while reading. Let the fun of the seasonal reading get into full swing.

What I Finished This Week

The Mistletoe Kisser by Lucy Score. As soon as Thanksgiving is over, I begin to celebrate Christmas. I love the season and I love all of the cheesy Hallmark movies. So it should be no surprise that I also enjoy reading holiday romances. Sammy received her first kiss under the mistletoe at a holiday festival in her small town. Many years pass and her “mistletoe kisser” returns to help with a family emergency. There’s only one problem….the man who returned is not her Christmas fantasy. Sure, he shares his first name with his cousin — the real “mistletoe kisser” — but that is where the similarity ends. This Ryan is grumpy and a bit of a Scrooge. The book was a cute enemies-to-lovers tale set during the holidays. The spice level was relatively mild until one massive chapter in the middle of the book…..Reader, you have been warned! I’m using this as part of the December 2025 bingo challenge — a novel set in a small town. 3.5 stars.

The Girl from the Garden by Parnaz Foroutan. This was the first read for My Library Shelf and also represented a book with a leafy green cover for the “starter course” of the May 2025 mini challenge. Set alternately in Los Angeles and Iran, the novel focuses on the lives of the women in one wealthy Jewish-Iranian family. Women are meant to be silent and unobserved. Their only purpose is to bear children — and those children only have worth if they are sons. While the writing is sometimes stilted, the story is gripping and the plight of the women grabs your heart. This is a prime example of why I love reading my way through a library shelf; I never would have picked up this book on my own. I’m so glad that I did. 3 stars.

The Girl Who Saved Christmas by Matt Haig. Christmas is for children, so this seemed like the perfect time to dip my toe back into children’s literature. This 2016 novel is a really charming read about how Amelia, a young orphan girl in Victorian London, helped Father Christmas and saved the holiday. Complete with elves, trolls, a depressing children’s workhouse, and lots of magic, The Girl Who Saved Christmas was an outstanding read that will keep the attention of the most reluctant reader. With appearances from Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and Charles Dickens, the book is packed with adult humor that is creatively woven into the text — making this a perfect option for a family read-aloud as you head into Christmas. 4 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

Good Elf Gone Wrong by Alina Jacobs (3:56 of 13:47). With a busy week of driving ahead, I wanted to get a start on an audiobook. Of course, I got pulled into the story and have kept dipping back in to see what will happen next! Gracie was checking on the Christmas cinnamon rolls the night before her Christmas Day wedding when she caught her fiance canoodling with her sister under the tree! A year later, Gracie is headed back home for the holidays….and the Christmas Day wedding of her sister and her cheating ex. Gracie is convinced that this wedding should not happen and enlists the help of Hudson, a mysterious bad boy she encountered on the bus, to rip the couple apart. How? Hudson will pose as Gracie’s boy toy…..and will flirt with her sister mercilessly. The story features some hysterical characters and outrageous scenes. However, it is not for the meek! Language and scenes are graphic.

Billionaire Secret Santa by Lena Michaels (p. 32 of 178). I picked up this holiday romance on a whim on Saturday night because I needed to take a break from the children’s story. The set up of the story is straight out of a cheesy holiday rom-com. At his office’s holiday party, Bruce DeVos poses as Santa so he can watch his employees without them realizing it. He is assisted by a woman dressed in an elf costume who goes by the name “Snowy.” Bruce is intrigued by her and cannot take his eyes off of her. The two share a kiss at the end of the night, but Snowy never shares her true identity. When Holly arrives in the office on Monday morning as a possible new employee, Bruce recognizes his mystery elf immediately and the sexual tension begins. This is not high literature, but it’s a fun, quick romance before I hit the road on Tuesday evening.

Christmas Bingo!

The December mini-challenge appeared early in the month and that gave me permission to start all of the Christmas reading. I’ve completed two prompts so far, putting me in a pretty good place with my Bingo board. Here’s how things are shaping up after a week of Christmas reading.

Upcoming Plans

With the driving and a holiday performance in Nashville on Friday evening, I’m not entirely sure how much reading I’ll actually get done this week. I expect to finish both of my current reads. Then I have a few more recent additions to my TBR calling my name.

  • Holiday Ever After – Hannah Grace
  • Good Spirits – B.K. Borison
  • Where Angels Fear to Tread – E.M. Forster
  • Iron Flame – Rebecca Yarros

I guess we will all just have to wait until next Monday to see what I actually dive into as I continue Reading for Me.

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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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Oct 27

On the Road Again (October 27, 2025)

by kennithfreeman

Another week has come and gone. This one has been a little different as I have spent more than my fair share of time on the road. A quick trip to Canyon to participate in Opera of the Plains’ Death by Aria event on Tuesday evening was a lot of fun. Thursday’s drive to Perryton, Texas was long, but a great time to take a few deep breaths and clear my mind. As the weekend came around, I found myself taking a few trips down to Lubbock to take care of some errands.

And the driving is not quite over. Next week, I’ll head to Waco for a few days of playing. There’s still a lot that needs to be done in preparation for that trip, but I think I’ll get it all done. (At least, that’s what I keep telling myself!)

What has that meant for my reading? Just the inclusion of an audio book into my reading routine. Also means that I’m being more selective in what I’m reading at the moment as the end of the 2025 challenge is in sight.

What I Finished This Week

The 24th Hour by James Patterson. It was time to return to the familiar world of the Women’s Murder Club. What can I say? I enjoy the predictability of these books from time to time. It’s also nice to know that there is a series that I have almost read in its entirety. While 24th Hour did continue along the regular plot scheme, the inclusion of a long awaited wedding for a couple of the characters was a nice addition. There was nothing earth shattering in the reading, but it was still a very pleasurable experience. 3.75 stars.

The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett. This was my first experience with one of Ann Patchett’s novels (although I had tried to read Bel Canto with no success). I enjoyed the story and really liked how the story unfolded by revealing bits of truth, allowing the complex plot to slowly unravel for the reader. I read this to fulfill the prompt of a book that features a magician. Although Parsifal the Magician dies before the novel opens, he is very present throughout the book through reflection and appearances in dreams. I feel compelled to offer a warning — if you are triggered by reading about domestic violence, this is not a good book for you. While the topic is handled with respect and great sensitivity, it is a major plot point that reappears throughout. 3 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia (5:55 of 13:47). This week required a long drive to the very northern part of the Texas panhandle. With about 6 hours scheduled on the road, I decided this was the perfect time to start an audiobook. The first plan was to read Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher to fit the prompt of a book set in winter. However, I found the audiobook’s narrator difficult because of her accent and voice timbre. The story also progressed very slowly. I knew this was not going to be a good book for me. That “wasted” a three hour drive. Before heading back home, I decided to give Julie Olivia’s book a chance. The premise is pretty expected. After her mother’s sudden death, Michelle heads to a small town to take care of the bed-and-breakfast for a few months. Her new nextdoor neighbor is the single dad that runs the local bakery. Michelle’s opinion of the handsome baker moves from annoyance to lust fairly quickly. It’s an easy read that is appropriate for the cooling autumn weather around here.

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (54 of 448). This novel has been on my shelf ever since it was selected for Oprah’s Bookclub in January, 2004. Winner of the 1982 Nobel Prize for literature, the novel served as an introduction to many mainstream readers to magical realism. Throughout the year’s challenge, I have constantly delayed reading something that includes Latin American history because of my unfamiliarity with the topic. I didn’t know what era of history I would like to explore in a fictional work. I decided that I simply needed to take the plunge this week and start reading the book. Here goes…..

Upcoming Plans

I’ve decided to participate in “Nonfiction November” this year. That’s going to be a real challenge for me as I don’t generally read nonfiction in my leisure reading. I’ve not made any definitive plans at this point, but I have made some decisions. I don’t plan to read anything related to my work — so no music biographies or books about educational issues. My early thoughts is that I’ll read two nonfiction books in November. One will probably be of a spiritual nature; the other is still being considered. I’ve considered reading a Presidential biography, but I’ve also thought about some kind of self-help book. I just don’t know where I want to go yet. The only thing that is certain is that I’ll share the details throughout the month of November with you here on Reading for Me.

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Oct 6

Looking for an Escape (October 6, 2025)

by kennithfreeman

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)

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Sep 29

Making Discoveries (September 29, 2025)

by kennithfreeman

It’s always fun to make new discoveries. This week, while reading a blog about economical ways to support a book addiction — let’s just admit that most voracious readers have a problem that we refer to as our “book collection” — I expected to just be encouraged to visit the library frequently and to embrace ebooks. What I actually discovered was a recommendation for a website called Paperback Swap. The premise is actually pretty simple. You list books with which you are willing to part and list them on the website; you are responsible for the postage, but there are no additional fees. For each book you send, you can request another book from a member. It’s been a fun motivation to peruse my bookshelves with a critical eye and re-discover some books I had forgotten about while also selecting a handful to send to a new home. So far, I have sent out two paperbacks and have a biography of soprano Marian Anderson on the way.

While searching my shelves for books to list on the website, I also found a few editions of the classic that I have begun reading this week. While I am enjoying reading primarily from an edition without footnotes and textual interruptions, it is nice to have those resources at hand when I get completely lost along the way. So I’m finally sitting down to read of Ishmael, Queequeg, and Ahab rather than dreading my journey along the open waves with them.

This week features one finish and three current reads. (I know, I know….my “one at a time” approach was very short lived….but it is going to keep me from getting completely overwhelmed by the classic American novel….at least, that’s my hope!)

What I Finished This Week

The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O’Clover. After a couple of heavy reads last week, I was in the mood for something lighthearted. Something that would make me smile. O’Clover’s funny romance was a great fit for me this week. Louisa (called Lou by her friends) has been dating her musician boyfriend for nearly six years. His hit song “Purple Girl” is all about her and they live in Lou’s dream home outside of Denver. She has everything she could ever hope for….until she learns that the boyfriend has been cheating while on tour. Refusing to leave her home, but unable to pay the rent on her own, she decides to convert it into a bed-and-breakfast. Only problem? She has to convince the handsome veterinarian, Henry, who is now her landlord. Henry’s past begins to trouble him when he learns that Lou plans to target heartsick people who need to heal after a breakup when publicizing the Inn. The Heartbreak Hotel features a lovely cast of characters while exploring issues of self-confidence and family relations. 4 stars.

What I’m Currently Reading

Moby Dick by Herman Melville (p. 81 of 552). I have never read this classic novel. I have started it several times and never found a rhythm to complete it. While planning for this year’s reading challenge, a young man who I respect greatly told me that I was missing out by not reading this novel. He went on to tell me that it was the greatest book ever written in his opinion. I decided that was enough of an endorsement to put Melville’s tale about the great whale on my TBR once again. My plan is to move through the book at a rather slow pace and couple it with contemporary works to see if that helps me find a better rhythm.

Nothing But the Truth by John Lescroart (p. 101 of 439). Since Night Over Water by Ken Follett just wasn’t the right fit for me at the moment, I went on a search through my bookshelves for another novel with a title that begins with the letter N for the reading challenge. I picked up this novel randomly on a trip to Half Price Books in Oklahoma City. Lescroart’s legal thrillers have been recommended to me many times, but I’ve never actually read one of them. This seems like the perfect opportunity to be introduced to the author and his famous character, Dismas Hardy. Here’s what I know about the story so far. Dismas’ wife, Frannie, was having coffee with Ron Beaumont on the morning of his wife’s murder (confusing and convoluted, right?) and is Ron’s alibi in the police investigation. When Frannie is called before the grand jury, she decides to keep a crushing secret that Ron shared with her in confidence rather than answer the court’s inquiries. When Frannie insults the judge, things become explosive and Frannie finds herself in jail for 4 days! That’s when Dismas discovers that Ron has emptied his condo and made a run for it with his two young children. This is a fast-paced, fun legal thriller that keeps the reader constantly on the edge of their seat as they try to decide what really happened and who is in the wrong.

People Watching by Hannah Bond-Young (2:09 of 10:21). I’m including this book in this week’s reading because technically I have started the book. I have some travel coming up later this week and one of my prompts for the reading challenge is an audiobook with multiple narrators. Two narrators and a beautiful cover were all the incentive I needed to download the book. I did a little listening at the end of the week to make sure I would connect with the story, but I plan for this to accompany me while I’m driving this week. This is the story of Milo and Prue. Milo is a down-on-his-luck artist, returning to his childhood hometown to assist his brother in launching his new business. Prue is caring for her mother, a retired art teacher struggling with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. So far, it is the perfect blend of romance, humor, and tenderness. This is definitely a book I am going to enjoy!

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