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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Dec 23

Santa Claus is Coming to Town (December 23, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

It’s nearly Christmas, so this week has featured a little shopping, a little baking, and a lot of lazy reading on the couch! It’s the perfect way to celebrate the season. My reading has taken the turn to holiday stories all week.

What I Finished This Week

The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore. I decided to return to Dream Harbor since I had enjoyed the story of the Cinnamon Bun Book Store. Gilmore once again did not disappoint. The story centers around Kira, the new owner of the local Christmas tree farm. The residents of Dream Harbor are convinced that there are dead bodies — or buried treasure — hidden on the property, so they send in Bennett to get to the bottom of things. Only problem? Kira despises Bennett from first sight and wants nothing to do with him. Bennett’s past dating history has not done him any favors in his interactions with women. This is a cute rom-com that is sure to please most readers while putting them in the Christmas spirit.

My Favorite Holidate by Lauren Blakely. I really enjoyed this read. After being betrayed by her boyfriend at Thanksgiving, Fable enlists the help of her billionaire boss, Wilder, to get them both through the holidays by being each other’s “fake date” for the season. Once their escapades take the couple to a small village for events leading up to Fable’s sister’s wedding, the line between “fake dating” and falling in love become blurred. I found myself laughing and rooting for this unlikely pair as their emotions became real. A little more spicy that what I normally enjoy in a romance, Lauren Blakely once again provides a fascinating story peopled with believable characters that readers are invested in. One of my favorite stories of the month!

The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank. After finishing the other books, I was looking for something short and engaging that wasn’t a romance, but still a holiday story. This short novella fit the bill perfectly! Theodora is a 90-something woman who longs for the Christmases of yesteryear. Largely influenced by the housemaid of her childhood, Pearl, Theodora’s memories are associated with good food, laughter, respect, and worship of the Christ child. Sadly, Pearl passed away many years ago and there is no one who is able to fill her shoes. Now in the present day, the new housekeeper has to leave the home unexpectedly and will not return until after Christmas. She has spoken to her neighbor who has agreed to help the family out. Theodora is shocked when she greets the replacement and discovers it is Pearl! Part Ghost of Christmas Past and part Clarence Odbody from It’s a Wonderful Life, Pearl’s story is filled with warmth, magic, and love. I strongly encourage you to read this short work as a way to celebrate the holiday season.

What I’m Currently Reading

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter (p. 56 of 293) This book came to me as part of the December Book of the Month Club. I was drawn to the pun in the title. I have seen people reading it all over social media with good responses. I am not typically a mystery reader, but I decided to take a chance and give this a read. Still early in the book, but I am enjoying the interactions and the writing style so far. Hopefully, I’ll have this finished by the end of the week without too much difficulty.

The Thief who Saved Christmas by Angela Casella (p. 20 of 391). First, let’s address my frustration with this reading. I am reading it as an ebook, but this edition does not have a page count on my Kindle. Therefore, I only know the percentage that I am through the entire book, but I have no way of knowing how much reading I’ve actually accomplished in each sitting. That is a bad recipe for me. Now….as far as the story goes, I’m fascinated and thoroughly engaged in what has been presented. Rather than tell you what I know of the plot thus far, I’ll just say that this is definitely one that you should look into reading if you are searching for a fun read to finish out the holiday season.

What’s Coming Up

As the year is winding down, I wanted to give you a glimpse into what you should expect from the blog next week. I will be back on Monday with my regular weekly update. On Tuesday, I’ll post a special 2024 in review. This post will include stats from the year — books completed, books that I DNF’d, and total pages read. I’ll also include my favorite selections from each month as well as naming my best read for the year. I’ll conclude with my plans and goals for the upcoming year. (I have some lofty goals and should be an entertaining journey in the year ahead. Above all, I plan to have my nose firmly planted in the pages of books.)

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Dec 16

Let Christmas Vacation Begin (Dec 16, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

Grades have been turned in. Holiday road trip is complete. Final performance of the season is behind me. I am officially on vacation! I started the change of pace before leaving Plainview and got quite a bit of reading done along the way.

What I Finished This Week

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore. Even though this wasn’t the Christmas novel that I thought I was going to be reading, I thoroughly enjoyed this trip to the town of Dream Harbor. Hazel manages this cute bookstore in town. She is searching for adventure as she nears her 30th birthday at the end of the summer. Mysteriously, some books are being shelved backwards and have pages earmarked (the horror!). Each book seems to indicate a personal adventure for her to take. What fun are adventures alone? So Hazel enlists the help of Noah, Dream Harbor’s handsome fisherman. As any reader would expect, the adventures turn into romantic outings, our characters fall in love, and the outrageousness ensues. Is this series rather cheesy? Absolutely. Did I still enjoy it? Apparently, because I’m reading the next book in the series as part of the Christmas mini-challenge.

A Christmas Murder by Mary Grand. I’m not sure if this short novel qualifies as a cozy mystery, but it was a book that I struggled to read. The premise is simple enough — father of an eccentric family dies under questionable circumstances — and an amateur sleuth steps in to save the day. I suppose the book was well-written enough. I just didn’t find the plot or characters compelling. I think I need my mysteries to include a little more intrigue and suspense. I made it through because I just wouldn’t let myself pick up anything else until I had attempted to finish this mystery.

JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography by Liz McNeil and RoseMarie Terenzio. With large portions of four days spent in my car last week, I was able to devote significant time to finishing this 14 hour audiobook. Truly, the account of the life of John Kennedy, Jr. by those who knew him personally was fascinating. However, I think the book could have been shortened by a few hours without negative impact. After the reports about the plane crash, the public’s response, and John’s funeral, the biography should have ended. While Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s death is clearly linked to John’s story, the lengthy exploration of her memorial service and the family’s blame of John for her death was unnecessarily long. The coda included a final opportunity for each contributor to say one final thing about why JFK Jr. was so important to society. The reader already had a clear understanding about how much each cared for the man based upon their statements throughout the book. The coda simply felt like an unnecessary pissing match — an attempt to say “I knew him best.”

What I’m Currently Reading

I needed new books before heading to Nashville for a quick performance. I wasn’t ready for another mystery and I certainly did not want another biography. I wanted something fast-paced and still in the holiday spirit, so Christmas romances are the order of the day again. The plan is to head to the local library this week to see if I can find another holiday genre to clear my palette after reading these.

The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore (p. 56 of 342). Another of the Dream Harbor books, I knew exactly what to expect when I started reading this short novel. Like Cinnamon Bun Book Store, I’m finding the book has a very slow start. Since the main characters were briefly introduced in the previous book, I’m not coming into this environment completely blind, but I’m still not invested in their relationship. I’m hoping that the pace will pick up as I get a little further into the book and the romance begins to bloom between our unlikely lovers.

My Favorite Holidate by Lauren Blakely (p. 112 of 479). Talk about a cliche premise! Fable, our heroine, walks in on her boyfriend having a little too much fun with the caterer at her boss’ Thanksgiving dinner. When Fable’s sister announces at the same dinner that she is getting married at Christmas at the boss’ Christmas extravaganza and the two-timing ex-boyfriend is also in the wedding party, Fable has to come up with a plan to survive. That’s when she and her handsome billionaire boss concoct a scheme to “fake date” through the end of the holidays. Fable wants to stick it to her ex; her boss wants to show her how a woman should be treated….and maybe fall in love in the process. Blakely’s books are always for mature audiences and are mixed with lots of humor and innuendo. I’m really enjoying this read just because of how outrageous the situation is, but I’m also rooting for Fable to land the man who will treat her as she deserves.

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Dec 9

The End is in Sight (December 9, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

The Fall semester is quickly winding down at Wayland. Classes are finished in Plainview and all that remains are finals and turning in grades. I cannot wait to be done! It’s been a long semester and I’m ready for some down time with family.

Thankfully, the last week of classes aren’t insane for me. Mostly, I’m just making sure everyone knows what will be covered on their finals and scheduling piano juries. That means that I had lots of time to do some reading. So I was a very happy little bookworm until the respiratory infection made another appearance at week’s end.

What I Finished This Week

The Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber. On Tuesday, I took a quick trip to the local library to see what kind of Christmas themed book I could find that I could read fairly quickly to complete one of the prompts for the December mini-challenge on The 52 Book Club. I had seen Macomber’s name on shelves many times before, but I don’t think I have ever read any of her works. It seemed like the perfect time to give this short novel a try. Julia lives across the hall from Cain, a curmudgeon who is bringing down Julia’s joyful Christmas spirit. After describing her interactions with her personal “Ebenezer” to her best friend, she is given the advice to “kill him….with kindness.” As Julia launches her Kindness Project on Cain, she also decides to blog about the experience. Since it is a Macomber romance novel, of course the two will fall in love. Will their love be strong enough when Cain discovers what Julia has said about him in the blogosphere? This was a really cute book that warmed my heart without playing too hard on the romance.

How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn. As I shared in my introduction to this book last week, this novel centers around a local contest to see which of the villagers has the most Christmas spirit. With clear references to Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the narrator speaks in rhyming couplets and regularly speaks directly to the characters. Quinn’s novel is humorous and filled with spirit. It is also very mature in its content. This is not an “open door romance”; that term does not adequately express the extremely spicy content. Reader, beware of your surroundings!

What I’m Currently Reading

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore (p. 186 of 347). When the December Mini Challenge arrived in my email on Monday evening, I made my way directly to Barnes and Noble to see what Christmas books were on display that might grab my interest and fulfill one of the prompts. I was disappointed to find that only holiday romances were prominently featured. (What does this say about our society? Do only those who read romance novels want to be in the holiday spirit? I digress….) Since one of the prompts has to do with seasonal treats, the title caught my eye; what I failed to notice is that the cover clearly indicates an autumnal setting. What’s most funny is that this novel’s opening is at the end of summer…so I completely missed the prompt. Anyway, I have the book so I’m reading it and must admit that it is cute. Hazel, the manager of the bookstore, will soon turn 30. She feels as though her 20s have slipped away and she hasn’t had much adventure in life. It seems as though she is being prompted to be more adventurous as she is finding books shelved in the wrong places with dog eared pages and highlighted passages. Hazel takes these as clues to her personal adventure (yeah…it’s as cheesy as it sounds). In a blueberry patch late one evening, Hazel has had too much to drink and tells the handsome fisherman, Noah, about the clues she has found. Noah agrees to follow the clues with Hazel to see where they may lead.

A Christmas Murder by Mary Grand (p. 66 of 317). My reading life began with mysteries. I spent many hours in the pages of books featuring Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Somewhere along the way, I ventured away from the mystery genre. It was partially because of the violence and the suspense. (In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m not a fan of things that go bump in the night!) Since I am on a bit of a romance overload at the moment, I decided this was a good time to try out a mystery. Set in an English manor during Christmas, Grand’s novel features the members of a large, wealthy family who are coming to the countryside to celebrate Christmas together. As I have forced myself to get started in the book, I am realizing why I tend to avoid this genre. The novel opens with the murder that must be solved before jumping back in time to slowly bring all of our parties together in the manor. I’m still in the “introductions” stage when what I really want to know is what happens to the corpse that has been discovered. It just feels that mystery writers take forever to fully develop their characters before moving forward with the plot. I’m hoping that this book gets better quickly and that I am mistaken in my assumptions about mysteries since I have a few of them on my reading plan for 2025. I guess I’ll just have to let you know how things turn out as I continue to plow ahead in A Christmas Murder.

JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography by Liz McNeil and RoseMarie Terenzio (6:18 of 14:54). I did a little more listening this week about JFK Jr. This week explored his entry into the spotlight, being named People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1988. From this point on, people were aware of his relationships with Brooke Shields, Julia Roberts, and Daryl Hannah. It was also around this time that John made his entry into the political landscape, introducing his uncle at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. As I have said for several weeks now, my hope is to make significant progress in this audiobook while driving home to Arkansas later this week.

There you have it. Hope you all have a great week of reading!

~Kennith

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Dec 2

Gobble, Gobble Week (December 2, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends. I was blessed to visit my parents in eastern Arkansas this week. In addition to lots of food, I also got to enjoy time to sleep, bake, and decorate the house. With flights to and from the Geriatric Ward, I also managed to do quite a bit of reading this week.

What I Finished This Week

Owning Jacob by Simon Beckett. My flight path on Tuesday took me from Amarillo to Houston before ending up in Memphis. I managed to find a relatively quiet corner to myself on these Southwest flights and lost myself in this story that I finished somewhere high above Arkansas. The plot took a turn that I didn’t see coming that also turned the book from a psychological study of a man in a mid-life crisis to a fast-paced thriller. Since I finished this one while in the sky, I had to turn to whatever I had loaded on my Kindle.

Every Secret Thing by Rebecca Hartt. Since I didn’t have a lot of options while in the air, I started the second volume of the Acts of Valor series. Once again, this was a Christian thriller featuring Navy Seals who found themselves battling a secret organization that was trying to sell guns to the enemy. As they get closer to the truth, they find themselves and those they love in greater danger. While this isn’t high literature by any stretch of the imagination, I did find it entertaining and a relaxing read during a busy holiday week.

What I’m Currently Reading

JFK Jr: An Intimate Oral Biography by Liz McNeil and RoseMarie Terenzio (4:52 of 14:54). Little progress was made in my audiobook this week since all of my travel was by air. I anticipate seeing significant improvement here next week as I drive my car back to Arkansas for the Christmas break.

How My Neighbour Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn (p. 190 of 470). Once the decorations began to go up in my parents’ house, I was ready to do a little holiday reading. As I browsed Kindle Unlimited, I found this book and was intrigued. Think of a Hallmark movie. A small community that celebrates Christmas year round hosts an annual competition to see which of its residents has the most Christmas spirit. When an outsider who is caring for her aunt decides to enter, the town grump also must join the contest simply to keep the stranger from winning. Alas, not only is he defending the town’s honor, but he is also slowly admitting that he is attracted to the beautiful red head. Each chapter begins with a short poem written in the style of Dr. Seuss — which gives the book an obvious allusion to How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Is it cheesy? Absolutely. Is it also funny? Definitely! Quinn’s book has proven to be a quick read so far and I anticipate it will continue in that vein through its conclusion.

What’s Ahead?

The 52 Book Club released its mini-challenge for December 2024 earlier today. I have already found myself drawn to the idea of reading around the holidays this month, so the challenge seems like a perfect motivation for me. Here are the challenge’s three prompts and my selections at the moment.

  1. December captured on the cover: The Christmas Tree Farm (Laurie Gilmore)
  2. Holiday harmonies:
  3. Features festive flavors: The Cinnamon Bun Book Store (Laurie Gilmore)

While visiting Barnes and Noble this evening, I was surprised that more Christmas books were not featured on tables throughout the store. Truthfully, there was only one small table of romances sitting out. I didn’t realize until I typed the list above that I selected two books by the same author. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I generally prefer to read a little more widely. As you can see, I don’t have a selection for “Holiday Harmonies” at this point, so I am open to suggestions. The prompt can be interpreted in several ways. It can either have a significant scene featuring caroling or choral singing. Or one of the main characters can be a musician or composer. The other option is that the book’s cover feature either a singing character or musical notes. Normally I would head to the local library for some options, but since I’m leaving here next week, I don’t want to take a book and keep someone else from enjoying the read while I’m away. Have a great idea for a December cover or holiday harmonies? I’m all ears!

Hope you all have a very happy week of reading!

~Kennith

Christian Christmas family saga Mini Challenge The 52 Book Club thriller

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Dec 25

#29: Unwrapping Christmas (Lori Copeland)

by kennithfreeman

First, a word about what appears to be an error in my numbering system.  Somehow the numbers on this blog and my Goodreads challenge list for 2017 have managed to get off from each other. I still haven’t really figured out what is going on, but after repeatedly counting the books that I have read this year, I am able to confidently say that this is actually the 29th book of the year.  One more book before January arrives and I will have achieved this year’s goal of 30 books!  I’ll be more careful about the numbering in 2018, but for now….

As has become my tradition for the past few years in the week leading up to Christmas, I found some piece of fluff holiday writing to pull me back to a simpler pace and focus my thoughts on the important things of the season — family, love, and the Savior. This year’s Christmas novella was Unwrapping Christmas by Lori Copeland. The story centered around a busy mother who has become so enthralled with taking care of everything on her agenda that she has forgotten to care for the people she encounters, including her small family. When a fall on the ice threatens to foil her plans for the family’s Christmas Eve celebration, she learns how important it is to pause during the Christmas season — and throughout the year, as well — to make sure that what is most important is receiving the most attention.

This piece will not win any major literary awards. Its plot is easy to predict. Its message, however, hit me clearly between the eyes in the midst of a busy season. While I don’t recommend it be read for its literary value, it was a story that I encountered at just the right time. 

Now back to our regular programming here on Reading for Me…..

Christian Christmas fiction

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Dec 27

#46: Comfort and Joy (Kristin Hannah)

by kennithfreeman

Joy has lost everything. Her marriage has fallen apart because her husband and sister have had an affair. To make matters worse, Joy’s sister announces that she is pregnant and the two will be married the following summer. What a horrible Christmas gift! Joy decides to set out on an adventure for parts unknown, leaving her tragic life behind. Before reaching her destination, her flight crashes in the middle of the woods. Mildly injured, Joy walks away from the crash site and finds herself at a lodge run by Daniel and his precocious son, Bobby. Or does she actually walk away? Comfort and Joy is an intriguing story filled with Christmas magic as Joy searches for her comfort away from the heartache that the holiday brings.

Christmas fiction

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Dec 22

#45: The Christmas Note (Donna Van Liere)

by kennithfreeman

I’m a sap for a good Christmas story. The Christmas Note is a charming story from the author of The Christmas Shoes. Gretchen and her two children are moving into a new condo when they meet Melissa, a grouchy neighbor who doesn’t want to be disturbed by life. Gretchen is quickly put in the awkward position of relaying a message to Melissa regarding her mother’s recent death. The relationship that develops is both unexpected and life-changing….and it all begins with an unfinished note that Melissa finds in her mother’s apartment.

Sprinkled with funny and heart-warming characters, The Christmas Note reminds us that there are no coincidences in life and encourages us to listen carefully for those “snaps of Heaven” that guide us daily.  Such a charming book!

Christmas fiction

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