Some weeks are just hard. There are things beyond my control that I cannot change that negatively impact me. I want to scream. I want to bang heads together and tell people to get their sh*t together! I might have jokingly suggested a mob with pitchforks, torches, and daggers storm the “castle.”
When weeks like this arrive, reading becomes really hard. At the end of the day, my brain is exhausted. I just want to curl up in a ball and do something numbing and mindless. This week has been a testament to the power of personal habit as my reading streak has continued without interruption. While I’m not incredibly happy with the number of pages read this week, I know that I have to give myself grace and celebrate that I made progress.
Here’s hoping that a new week brings better results.
What I Finished This Week
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. For some reason, I had been avoiding this novel based on Greek mythology. I expected a story filled with vengeful gods and constant battles. While those elements were present, that is not what this story is about. At its heart, it is a love story of Achilles and Patroclus without all of the graphic passages you would find in a modern MM romance. (Yes, the story features two men in love.) Achilles is the son of a goddess and destined to be the greatest warrior the world has ever known. Patroclus is the son of a king who has been exiled simply because he is a constant disappointment to his father. The boys become friends right away. Bound by friendship, the two find themselves fighting on behalf of Agamemnon to rescue Helen from the walled city of Troy. Miller does an excellent job looking at issues such as duty, loyalty, destiny, and greed in this modern retelling of a classic story. 5 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America by Fergus M. Bordewich (p. 125 of 439). My attention was pulled away from my non-fiction this week while I dreamed about Ancient Greece. Still, I have enjoyed progressing through this book. Did you know that Christmas time was a prime time for slaves to attempt escape? With the added days off to celebrate the holiday and the colder temperatures, it was more likely that they could get further away from their master before their absence was noticed and more easily cross natural boundaries when the creeks and rivers were frozen. As I am moving into the second section of the book, I am starting to learn more about individual slaves who were passengers on the Underground Railroad as well as those that served as conductors. Fascinating stuff!
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (p. 190 of 661). This week, I explored the relationship between the Trask brothers and watched as Adam and Cathy set out to make their new life in California. Adam dreams of a lush Garden of Eden; Cathy simply wants to escape. She has already proven that she will do anything necessary to be free of a man and has attempted to rid herself of the child she now carries. My only complaint about this novel at the moment is that I’m not enjoying it as an ebook, but I don’t want to purchase another paperback copy. I think my well-loved copy is in Arkansas at the moment. C’est la vie!
Easter weekend always signifies to me that Spring is finally here! Even if there is still a chill in the air, there is something about all of the bright colors and joyful images in the parks as families enjoy time outside that reminds me that it is a season of rebirth, renewal, and life. For the past several years, I have celebrated Easter in an unusual way. School is on break from Good Friday to Easter Monday, so I take the chance to slip out of town and rest. Typically, I will splurge on a nice hotel room with a large window and comfortable seating. Then I settle in for the weekend and pamper myself.
This year’s Easter vacation looked a little different than most. I went out of town and got a great room, but I rarely left it. Instead of going to the museum or catching a baseball game, I stayed close by and allowed myself to meditate, rest, and breathe. Some would consider this a waste of money because I could have done all of those things in my apartment. To me, it was the perfect investment and a needed change of scenery.
What I Finished This Week
Chariot on the Mountain by Jack Ford. I did not expect this novel to move me as it did! This story is going to stay with me for a very long time AND it influenced a personal research project. I love when fiction goes beyond a mere story and causes you to think deeply about big issues from our past and present. Chariot on the Mountain is the story of Kitty, a house slave who is beloved by her master. Upon his untimely death, his widow Mary has control of his property. To honor her husband’s dying wish, Mary decides to free Kitty. When Mary’s nephew makes a claim against his uncle’s will, it becomes evident that Kitty must leave immediately. Kitty, her three young children, and Mary set out for Pennsylvania along the path of the Underground Railroad. The party arrives safely to freedom, but when a free black man betrays Kitty’s trust, she is caught and returned to bondage at the hands of the violent nephew. In a final act of rebellion, Kitty sues her captor and proclaims herself to be a free person. Chariot on the Mountain is based largely on historical record and is a fascinating novel. While I “knew” about the Underground Railroad through childhood education in Arkansas, Ford’s novel made the circumstances, danger, and moral questions come to life. This will certainly be one of the contenders for the best book of the year for me. 5 stars.
The Leaving by Tara Altebrando. YA mystery is rarely my jam. Since I needed another mystery to complete the March mini-challenge, I decided to pick up this book on a whim. The premise is quite interesting. Six kindergarten students are taken from school on the first day of class. Their disappearance is completely unexplained and there are no clues leading to their recovery. Fast-forward 11 years…..when five of the students return to their small community. The only problem? They have no recollection of where they have been or anything that has happened during “The Leaving.” I used this novel to fulfill case #28 – a character wrongly accused — and that is probably the only reason that I didn’t DNF this book. Was it really that bad? No…but this month’s challenge has affirmed for me why mystery is not a favorite genre for me. 3 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (p. 82 of 661). I’m returning to this American classic this month while participating in the Active Mind Book Club. While I have previously read the novel, I remember very little about it. I am enjoying the start of the story, but I must admit that I am finding it difficult to engage with the characters at this point. I seem to remember that it took me a bit to get invested in the character’s lives before too, but once I was in the story, it was hard to put down. I’m hoping for a similar experience with this re-reading.
Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America by Fergus M. Bordewich (p. 63 of 439). As I was finishing my reading of Chariot on the Mountain this week, I stumbled upon a YouTube video that referred to “personal curriculum.” I was intrigued by the idea and set out to discover more. Essentially, it is a personal education for a specified length of time on a topic that interests you without the pressure of grades. The goal is simply to learn more. When I first encountered the idea, the vlogger spoke about the power of following your curiosity instead of a set “curriculum plan.” I liked the idea of selecting a topic and learning what you can. A quick question to ChatGPT about best sources to learn more about the Underground Railroad led me to this book. (I’ll share more about my early experiences with “personal curriculum” later this week on my personal blog, Livin’ Life.
Bound for Canaan is an expansive look at the journey of slaves to freedom and the challenges that it brought about. Right now, my focus is on the earliest days of the idea in Philadelphia as abolitionists and Quakers joined forces to protect the African-Americans in their community. While largely fueled by religious fervor, the Underground Railroad was also an expression of the political fight in the young nation’s legislature that would ultimately lead to civil war. My reading of non-fiction is typically slower than fiction, but I am thoroughly enjoying exploring this important aspect of American history.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (p. 29 of 369). I brought a stack of books with me for my holiday weekend getaway because I anticipated needing to start a new book for the main reading challenge. I have heard so many readers complain about the first prompt of the challenge — a book set in an ancient civilization — and decided that I needed to start my selection for this prompt in case I needed to pivot. A contemporary retelling of the myth of Achilles and Patroclus in their pursuit of a kidnapped Helen, Miller’s novel is proving to be fast-paced and quite approachable so far. I am very thankful for the many English teachers I have encountered that made mythology less daunting; it is certainly aiding in my current reading.
March in Review
March was a busy month in my world. Opera rehearsals, a trip to Arkansas, and opera tour dominated my life. Somehow, I managed to maintain a steady diet of reading for the month. That’s surprising to me as well! I’m also surprised to see that my top rated book of the month was one of the mysteries I read…..that just shows you how much I didn’t like the other books I read this month. I’m looking forward to getting back to some of my normal selections in April. Anyway, here are the stats for March.
Books read in March: 6 books (even with February)
Pages read in March: 2,296 (up 170 pages from February)
Highest rated book:The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood – 4.75 stars
2026 Reading Challenge Progress – The 52 Book Club
I have been feeling as though I’m behind on the main challenge with all of my attention going to the mini-challenges each month. I have only completed 10 prompts so far (although I have read 24 books so far this year). I’m a purist….normally one book for each prompt across all the challenges. However, when I saw a memory pop up in my feed this week, I noticed that I’m right on pace with last year; I had only read 9 books for the main prompt by the beginning of April. So here I am, taking a deep breath, enjoying my reading and not worrying about how quickly I finish the challenge. My only goal is to actually finish it.
Since I spent nearly half of my reading time this month completing the March mini-challenge (those blasted mysteries!), here’s the graphic showing what I’ve completed there as well. I have to admit that these were a fun departure from my normal reading patterns, but I’m ready to read in my lane for a bit now.
Upcoming Plans
April has another mini-challenge, so I have to get those going. I also need to read a book that has been turned into an Oscar-nominated film and one that has been nominated for the Women’s Prize for another challenge. (I am thinking that I may double dip on the Oscar-nominated story since I also need to read The Godfather for The 52 Book Club Challenge.) As always, I have big plans, but we will just have to see what I accomplish. All I know for sure is that I’ll continue to press my nose into a book daily and see what I can learn about myself, my world, and my fellow man.
Last week was spent in Midland, Texas. I was there with Opera of the Plains performing Little Red Riding Hood for elementary students in the Midland/Odessa area. Eleven performances in six days! With approximately 1,500 students in our audiences, the tour was an immense success. It was also very exhausting!
Clearly, the performance schedule impacted my reading life. I managed to continue to progress through my reads, but I’m hoping that this week will see a return to a regular schedule now that rehearsals and performances are over.
What I Finished This Week
Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy. I’ve long been intimidated by Russian literature. There’s something about seeing the names that I am uncertain how to pronounce that sends my mind reeling. Combine that with a land that I cannot imagine, a culture with which I am not familiar, and a vast history that I know little about and you have a formula for a challenging read. When I think of Tolstoy, my mind immediately goes to War and Peace and Anna Karenina. After plowing through Karenina last summer, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this current read, but I was up for the challenge. Resurrection is a beautiful story of redemption, love, and sacrifice against the background of an unjust prison system in 19th century Russia. The novel was not perfect and seems as though it might have benefited from additional editing. However, I found the juxtaposition of Christian theology, western philosophy, and Russian heritage an interesting blend. 3 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
Chariot on the Mountain by Jack Ford (p. 112 of 285). Last fall, I selected a new shelf in the Unger Memorial Library to read my way through. The latest novel that I am enjoying from that project is Chariot on the Mountain. It is a historical novel set against the background of the Underground Railroad. Kitty is a slave whose master, Samuel, has died and left all of his property to his wife, Mary. Samuel’s dying wish is that his daughter Kitty and her children be set free. Thus begins the unconventional journey of Kitty and Mary to freedom in Pennsylvania. The novel is fascinating and its short chapters make it easy to jump in and out of during a busy season.
The Leaving by Tara Altebrando (p. 122 of 425). For my final read for the March mini-challenge, I have selected a YA mystery. On the first full day of kindergarten, six students mysteriously disappeared from a quaint Florida community. The event — now referred to as “The Leaving” — has been attributed to everything from alien abduction to kidnapping by a horrifying predator. Eleven years later, five of the students mysteriously return with only the clothes on their back and individual maps to their homes. They have no memory of what happened or where they have been. This is a riveting tale that alternates character perspective and challenges the imagination as readers try to discover where the sixth student is and what really happened.
Last week was a most relaxing week. I got to spend much of the week curled up on my parents’ couch with my nose in a book. How could I ask for anything more? Between naps, I managed to get some reading done to continue moving me closer to my monthly goals.
What I Finished This Week
The Royal Governess by Wendy Holden. There are few things better than a good historical novel! I really enjoyed this book about the work of Marion Crawford, governess for Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. I found the anecdotes from the girls’ childhood charming. Marion’s work during the horrors of World War II and the Blitz were invigorating and courageous. However, I found the end of the novel rushed and rather unsatisfying. While we know that Marion was essentially shunned by the Royal Family after the publication of her memoir The Little Princesses, Marion’s failed marriage, her feelings about the early days of Elizabeth’s reign, the birth of Prince Charles, and other events until her death in the 1980s would have been fascinating to explore further. I understand that this was essentially beyond the scope of the novel, but the simple mention of these events left this reader wanting more. 4 stars.
The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood. Continuing to make my way through the March mini-challenge, I read this charming mystery to fulfill case #12: features an amateur sleuth. In the small British town of Marlow, nestled on the banks of the Thames, the serenity has been crushed through a series of unexplained murders. While the police are frantically trying to solve the cases despite being understaffed, Judith is invested in discovering the killer of her friend. Is Judith an investigator? Not at all — she is a 70-year-old creator of crossword puzzles. Through her investigations, Judith teams up with a local dog walker and the wife of a minister to arrive at the truth. This was a fast-paced, witty read that I enjoyed immensely. 4.75 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy (p. 462 of 573). I am continuing to make my way slowly through the novel. Maslova and the other prisoners have begun the journey to Siberia. Nekhlyudov serves as Tolstoy’s eyes as the group mercilessly progresses from the prison to the train station in blazing heat. Questions about the morality of the punishment and the harshness of the conditions are at the heart of the conversation. I’m in the final section of the novel now and should have a huge finish before the end of the month.
As the title of today’s post suggests, I flew home to Arkansas to spend a few days with my parents over Spring Break. Since I would be leaving on Thursday afternoon, the first part of the week was incredibly hectic to try to get things done before I left. While I managed to meet my minimum reading goal each day, the bulk of my reading this week happened in the air on Thursday. Here’s what I managed to get done.
What I Finished This Week
Elementary, She Read by Vicki Delany. It’s no secret that I am not the biggest fan of mysteries. When the March mini-challenge appeared, I decided I could give it a try and commit to reading three mysteries. First up was the one that I selected for Case #6: a cozy mystery. This seemed like an unoffensive kind of mystery to start with — no blood, no obvious violence. Gemma, the owner of a Sherlock Holmes bookstore, is accused of murder in the quiet tourist town. I was pleasantly surprised throughout much of the book and enjoyed the characters. Then, out of nowhere, came the revelation that the murderer was actually a minor character that suddenly had a motive and the ability to kill. That’s what I hate about most of these mysteries. It’s not that I don’t like the suspense; I hate the solutions that seemingly come out of left field when it is time to bring the novel to a close. 3 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
The Royal Governess by Wendy Holden (p. 274 of 420). This is an absolutely wonderful book that I cannot put down! This historical novel tells the story of Marion, a young Scottish student teacher who is hired to become the governess of two very important British girls — Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. Marion’s effects to expose the Royals to normal activities such as riding the Underground, taking a bus, and shopping at Woolworth’s are both charming and heartwarming. The poignant looks at major historical events from the rise of Hitler, the spread of Communism, and the abdication of King Edward VIII to marry the American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, are insightful and illuminating. The novel is based largely in historical fact and is a fascinating read.
Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy (p. 320 of 573). As Tolstoy’s novel has moved into part two, the focus has shifted to issues of land ownership and the plight of the Russian peasants. Nekhlyudov’s moral transformation continues as he attempts to rescue the many who have been wronged by society and his actions. This is a remarkable novel. I am wondering why it has been so overshadowed by the two larger novels. Resurrection is very approachable and much less daunting than either War and Peace or Anna Karenina.
Life was surprisingly calm this week. Half of the cast of the children’s opera were out of town on a choir tour. That meant we didn’t have rehearsal. While that was stressful on one hand, it was a most welcome rest that I embraced gladly. Evenings at home, leisure time to lose myself in the pages of a book. Even though I only have one finish this week, I am very pleased with where things stand at the moment.
What I Finished This Week
An Indecent Obsession by Colleen McCullough. I read this book to fulfill the prompt of a book written by an Australian author. What I found was a dark exploration of mental illness and the medical professionals who care for them. Honour is an army nurse who has been assigned to oversee Ward X, a psychiatric ward for soldiers experiencing distress in the waning days of World War II. The patients’ problems range from manic depression and excessive anger to homosexuality and perversion. When Michael arrives in Ward X, everything begins to change. A handsome man, Michael catches the attention of Honour and becomes a trusted confidant of the other patients. As patients vie for their nurse’s attention, situations escalate and tragedy strikes the ward. McCullough looks at unhealthy obsessions in both the sick and their caregivers. Although dated now, it is a loving look at mental health in the early 1980s. 3 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
Elementary, She Read by Vicki Delany (p. 104 of 308). When the mini-challenge for March dropped, I knew I was going to be in trouble. This month’s challenge is all about mysteries — a genre that I typically don’t read. I don’t really know why either. I normally enjoy puzzles and a level of suspense in my reading. Mysteries just aren’t where it is for me. Since the challenge allows me to choose three prompts from a list of 50, I figured that I should at least give it a chance again and see what I could discover. I’m starting with a “cozy mystery” — Elementary, She Read. Here’s the basic premise of the book. A woman hides a priceless magazine in a Sherlock Holmes tribute bookstore. When the owner decides to track her down and return the forgotten item, she discovers that the woman is now dead. Yup….it’s that simple at this point. There are lots of questions about who would want the magazine so badly to kill for it and if our heroine is in danger now. Not high literature, but definitely something to keep me reading when I’m tired and just want to escape for a bit.
Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy (p. 157 of 573). This novel is about as far away from Elementary as I could possibly get! The final story written by the Russian novelist, Resurrection follows a woman who has been sentenced to Siberia for a crime she did not commit. Since she is a prostitute, the judicial system assumes the worst. Among the men on the jury is the wealthy aristocrat that she fell in love with as a teen….and has never fully gotten over. I’m reading this with the Active Mind Book Club. So far, I’m staying on pace with the reading schedule. I’m enjoying taking this one a little slower than usual as we explore ideas about justice, redemption, the role of women, and the sanctity of marriage.
The Royal Governess by Wendy Holden (p. 63 of 420). As soon as I read the summary of this novel, I was hooked! I was just looking for the right time to dive into it. This week, I decided to start reading a little of it and now I just want to read more. Essentially, it is the story of the woman who became the personal tutor and governess for Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth. I’m still really early in this one, but I’m looking forward to diving in this week and seeing where this story will take me.
We survived another week, my reading friends! It wasn’t necessarily easy or pretty, but we made it to the end. Wowzers! When February arrived, I think someone sent out a memo telling people to put ALL the tasks into a single month for me. I felt like I was constantly running a massive marathon that almost took me out. Reading was a luxury. These are the times that led me to making reading appointments in my daily to-do list. If the reminder to allot 30 minutes to read wasn’t there, I probably wouldn’t have spent time in the pages of a story while I just caught my breath. I’m thankful this level of insanity is only for a season…..but I’m ready for this season to pass (even though it is just beginning).
What I Finished This Week
Five Brothers by Penelope Douglas. This was the typical story of a girl from the right side of the track falling for the bad boys. It was scandalous as she flirted and toyed with each of the brothers. However, what set this book apart from other romances was the way it dealt with issues. The discussions about suicide and depression were so lovingly handled that I found myself forgetting that this was really a romance novel. I was invested in the relationship that grew between Macon and Krisjen. 4.75 stars.
What I DNF’d This Week
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. Despite my intentions and my best efforts, I had to admit to myself this week that another reading of Hugo’s classic was just not in the cards for me right now. The text required me to read really slowly. Life is too hectic at the moment to make the progress that I wanted to and reading the novel felt more like a chore than something that was bringing me joy. So I gave myself permission to shelf this read for another time. I enjoyed what I did complete and don’t regret a moment that I spent in the pages with Valjean. I’m just not in a place where finishing it is in my best interest at the moment.
What I’m Currently Reading
The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe (3:30 of 7:55). I hit a bit of a road block with this book this week. While I am enjoying the short vignettes, this week my drive time was frantic as I raced to rehearsals and I needed quiet to calm my mind. So I did not make much progress here. With a couple of longer drives ahead this week, I anticipate finishing this book before my next post.
The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros (p. 141 of 423). When the February mini-challenge arrived from The 52 Book Club, I set out to find my first book. After starting a couple of other works, I finally settled into this beautiful story. Chaos is a member of special forces serving in a dangerous war zone. His friend, Mac, suggests that Chaos begins a pen pal relationship with Mac’s sister back in the States. When Mac is killed in action, Chaos receives the last letter from his buddy, asking him to return to Colorado and support his sister in one of the most challenging times of her life. The book took a back burner while I finished up Five Brothers this week, but I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with the story and I’m looking forward to getting back to it this week.
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (p. 13 of 281). I have heard so many good things about this novel and have planned to read it for several weeks. It is a bit shorter than what I typically read, so I’m hoping to make decent progress on it while I’m in San Antonio this week. We shall see how that plan works out.
Happy Groundhog Day, readers! If Punxsutawney Phil was correct this morning, we have 6 more weeks of winter weather ahead. I have far too much to do to deal with more of this mess. But….if I were to get snowed in again, I might actually be able to get some more reading done. That wouldn’t be the worst thing ever.
After the snow weekend last week, I found myself hitting a bit of a wall in my personal reading this week. Now that I could get out of the house, I wanted to spend less time with my nose in a book and more time breathing in fresh air. So I only finished one book this week. That will probably be the trend for the next couple of months as my professional life and rehearsals fly into full swing. Let the insanity of the spring semester begin!
What I Finished This Week
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall. This was such a great read despite the mixed reviews I have heard lately. It is hard to classify into a single genre. It is part suspenseful mystery, part romance, and part family drama. The novel opens with the death of a farmer and the question of whether it was an accident or murder. It is this image that the entire plot will propel the reader back to with lots of twists and turns along the way. The story centers around Beth, a farmer’s wife, and her first love from her teenage years, Gabriel. Beth and Gabriel come from two distinct worlds, yet they are drawn to each other. Beth has since married Frank and the couple mourn the death of their young son, Bobby. Beautifully written and enthralling, Broken Country is a novel that you will not soon forget. 5 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (p. 625 of 1304). So I managed to read about 100 more pages of this huge book. I have to admit that I’m getting discouraged. Because the novel is so large, I find it very difficult to take around with me. That means I’m only reading it at home. When I’m in the recliner, there are always other things pulling my attention. It’s normally at the end of a long day and I’m not looking to be mentally challenged. I enjoyed the live chat Sunday afternoon with other members of The Active Mind Book Club, but I just don’t know that this is going to be a finish for me this month. February is too busy and I think I may just have to cut my losses. I’m not ready to make that call yet, but I’m getting close.
Five Brothers by Penelope Douglas (p. 67 of 516). This week’s first new read is off to an interesting start. The title refers to the five Jaeger brothers, without parents, living together in the large house on the wrong side of the tracks. Krisjen (that’s how she spells it!) is a bit of a princess from a seemingly wealthy family. However, with her parents’ impending divorce, her mother is on a terror and trying to marry her off in order to secure the family’s financial situation. This is definitely going to be a contemporary romance featuring the bad boys. The spice level has not been through the roof at the beginning of the novel, but there are definitely indications that things may heat up very fast. If you see me blushing, you’ll know…..
The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe (0:44 of 7:55). While driving to church on Sunday morning, I decided that I needed to start a new audiobook. I have always enjoyed Mike Rowe’s storytelling and thought this selection in the style of the classic Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story would be a relaxing option to move in and out of easily. Rowe tells the unheard portions of the biographies of famous people and manages to weave in anecdotes from his personal experiences. It is proving to be an enjoyable read thus far.
January in Review
January has been a successful month for my reading life, but the return to the reality of teaching has slightly dampened the amount of time I have to devote to the written word. It was really hard to select the highest rated book of the month since I had three contenders that earned 5 stars.
Books read in January: 10 books (down 3 from December)
6 physical
4 audio
Pages read in January: 2,292 (down 2,218 from December)
Highest rated book: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford – 5 stars
Lowest rated book: The Inferno by Dante Aligheiri – 2.5 stars
2026 Reading Challenge Progress – The 52 Book Club
I’ve been reading this month for several different purposes, so not all of my reads have been for prompts on the main reading challenge. Still, I’m ending the month on track — 4 books in 4 full weeks.
Traditionally, February is a challenging month for my reading life. This year doesn’t look as though it will be much different with trips to San Antonio and Wichita happening this month as well as a rather hectic rehearsal schedule for the children’s opera. I plan to set daily goals to get through at least one novel each week to keep me on track. I’ll probably be relying on audiobooks rather heavily this month as well.
As the week came to a close, winter weather arrived in West Texas! With temperatures hovering around 0 degrees as snow, sleet, and freezing rain pelted my windows, there was little to do other than snuggle under a warm blanket and entertain myself with a few really good books. If it wasn’t for the difficulty in driving — I’m sick of turkey and cheese at the moment — I wouldn’t mind this kind of life. The snow is beautiful, the heat is doing its job, and I’m enjoying spending the day with my nose in a good book.
What I Finished This Week
Malibu Burning by Lee Goldberg. I had mixed reactions when I first started this audiobook. The characters were flat and uninteresting. I also struggled with the shifting timelines early in the book. Once the “past” plot line was established and it became clear that those events would serve as motivation for the criminal activity, I was on board. Here’s the essence of the novel’s story. A convicted con man has decided to avenge the death of a friend at the negligent hands of the LA Fire Department by setting a series of wildfires in the midst of the notorious Santa Ana winds. As the fire rages, the crooks will target three multi-million dollar homes in the canyons to rescue the riches inside. I used this book to fulfill the prompt “features a natural disaster.” Now, while I understand that the fire was caused by man’s action, there is so much impact from nature included here — winds, dry brush, unexpected storms — so I feel completely comfortable calling it a natural disaster. 4.25 stars.
Chocolat by Joanne Harris. Who knew that a book about a mysterious woman opening a chocolate shop in a provincial French village would have so much to say about tolerance, religion, temptation, and corruption? Vianne is a single mother who rarely stays in one place very long. When she sweeps into town, she is immediately met with suspicion by the village’s elite women. When she opens her shop directly across from the church, her actions are viewed as evil and a direct attack on the church and the local priest. The daughter of a witch, Vianne is fluent in the language of the occult and frequently returns to the memories of her past almost as a reflex. Is she evil? Is she misunderstood? This absolutely beautiful novel explores the meanings of terms like “morality” and “free will” from a contemporary perspective. While I may not agree with everything that Harris presents, I find her questions valid and worthy of consideration. 4.75 stars.
The Inferno by Dante Alighieri. I made it to the end. That was my greatest accomplishment with this work of verse. I really enjoyed the references to characters from classical literature, mythology, and Scripture throughout. It was fascinating to see which sins Dante considered most damning and the punishment that he associated with each. The depiction of Lucifer is one of the most disturbing images in all of literature in my opinion. As the work moved closer to the end, Dante became very political and made lots of references to historical figures of Italian government and the Church. As a modern reader, these references were mostly lost on me. It would be interesting to see where contemporary figures would fall in Dante’s portrait of hell. Actually, that would be a really fun assignment for a literature class. 2.5 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo (p. 526 of 1304). I have made some good progress with Hugo this week as well. The first of the live conversations about this book happens next weekend, so I hope to get caught up with the group (or at least close to it) this week. I found Valjean’s time in the convent incredibly interesting, especially as Hugo compared the religious institution to the prison from which he has already escaped. In this section, our hero has clearly been set up as a type of Christ in the novel. Now time has passed, Cosette is growing up and the Revolution is about to explode. Here’s hoping that the pace picks up once again.
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (p. 33 of 302). A weekend confined to the house because of snow meant I got to finish a couple of books. On Sunday afternoon, I picked up this selection that has been on my TBR since the fall. I was drawn to the colorful cover art, the perfect remedy for the snowy blues! I’m still very early in the book, but it is clear that there is a history between Beth and Gabriel. With an opening paragraph like this, how could I not be pulled in?
The farmer is dead, he is dead and all anyone wants to know is who killed him. Was it an accident or was it murder? It looks like murder, they say, with that gunshot wound to the heart, so precise it must have been intended.”
Claire Leslie Hall, Broken Country, p. 3
Now….where did I put my glasses? Time to get back to the books.
It is hard to believe that January is half over already! Where did the time go? School started back up this week (both online and brick and mortar classes). That meant I actually had to start doing my real job instead of pretending I was getting paid to read all day. But I still managed to knock out two more books this week.
What I Finished This Week
Mona’s Eyes by Thomas Schlesser. Mona experiences an unexplained episode of blindness as the novel opens. While this is a crucial story element, it wasn’t really the focus of the book. As part of her journey to mental health, Mona accompanies her grandfather every Wednesday afternoon for 52 weeks to see artistic masterpieces in the museums of Paris. Along the way, Mona becomes obsessed with her limited knowledge of her grandmother’s life. Mona’s Eyes is an exploration of beauty, maturity, personal growth, family ties, and man’s free will to choose. While I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of the art, I left the novel uncertain how I wanted to respond. I’m still quite conflicted about what I have experienced and can’t decide if I’m truly ready to move on to another literary experience or not. I’m not sure if that is a sign of a great book or an abstract compilation of loosely connected ideas. 3.75 stars.
First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison. Lucie is a single mother raising her pre-teen daughter. Next door are her baby’s daddy and his partner. While life is good, her dating life is less than stellar. When she checks on her daughter late one evening, Lucie hears a conversation from under the covers with an adult man. Ripping back the covers, Lucie demands the cell phone be turned over and learns that her daughter has called Aiden, the host of a late night romance hotline talk show. Against her better judgment, Lucie and Aiden talk late into the night. And thus begins a fun story about self-worth, love and loss, and daring to risk in order to find love. While there were some spicy scenes, I found this romance relying more on chemistry and flirting to keep up the heat. 5 stars.
What I’m Currently Reading
Malibu Burning by Lee Goldberg (5:58 of 8:05). I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about a novel featuring wildfires after having lived through several of them while studying in Malibu in the 1990s. I decided that an audiobook was the way to go for this one so I could zone out if I needed to. The story is actually quite interesting. While fighting a wildfire, a criminal volunteer fire fighter dies due to negligence. The fire department denies any wrong doing. The fallen man’s fellow Penal Firefighters that witnessed the event know the truth and vow to take revenge. How? They plan to set fires along the wealthy coastal area and rob homes before everything burns.
The Inferno by Dante Alighieri (p. 287 of 387). I didn’t read a word of this one this week. I only have 100 pages remaining. I really just need to finish it and move on. That may just become a secondary goal for the week.
Les Miserable by Victor Hugo (p. 355 of 1304). Not a lot of progress in this one either this week. Now I really am behind my reading schedule and need to give this work some serious attention. Who knew that reading a classic novel was going to be so demanding?
Reading for Me 