Reading for Me

The Books I Have Read…..Just for Me

Aug 26

A New Semester is Under Way (Aug 26, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

Last week, the WBU music building was a hub of activity. Students were everywhere it seemed. New music students were finding their way through the halls. Athletes were meeting with my next door colleague for individual conferences to determine eligibility. The school year got off to a start without too much stress.

I also got back to playing this week. After dealing with an injury for most of the summer that effected my right arm and shut me down, it felt good to start playing again. My chiropractor is taking good care of me and gave the all clear to begin playing again — just with the instruction to make sure that I stretch at the beginning of each session and that I listen to my body. The first big test came on Thursday with the fall retreat of the Singing Men of Texas. It was a lot of playing to be sure. By the end of the day, I knew that I had used muscles that had been dormant for a while because I was tired. Thankfully, there was no pain to report — and that’s very good news!

I’m also happy to tell you that I am on a successful reading streak at the moment. At the beginning of the year, my goal was to read at least 10 pages per day. While that sounds like a really small goal, this wasn’t about quantity, but consistency. I especially struggle during the academic year — and the beginning of the semester is often treacherous for my reading. As of today, I have met my daily goal for 29 consecutive days and fully plan to keep it going!

What I Finished

An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers. On Tuesday, I finished the second volume of the Mark of the Lion trilogy. As I have already mentioned, this volume was darker in tone and dealt largely with sickness, pain, and healing. There were moments of tears and moments of pleasure as the book reached its conclusion. In many ways, it felt as though a lot of loose ends have already been tied up. I’ve decided to step aside from Mark of the Lion for a bit to read something a little different for a while.

What I’m Currently Reading

The Artist as Citizen by Joseph w. Polisi (p. 20 of 178). Polisi was president of the Juilliard School for 20 years. This volume is a collection of articles and speeches from his term. While I have read the book before, it felt like a good time to return and turn my attention to arts’ advocacy for a few days.

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult (p. 195 of 483). Anyone who knows much about my reading life is aware of my love for the novels of Jodi Picoult. I think I have read every book she has published at least once. Every year, I look for the announcement of her latest book and rush to the store as soon as it drops to begin my reading. This year, I pre-ordered the book and it arrived in the mail on Tuesday!

What I enjoy about Picoult’s novels is the way she takes contemporary issues and turns them on their ear, forcing the reader to think about things from another perspective and face their own biases. By Any Other Name is falling a little short for me so far. Here’s why. There is definitely a contemporary issue on the page — the plight of women to have their voices heard in the arts, specifically as a playwright. Where things are failing for me is in the historical fiction set in Elizabethan England. I can tell that it is Picoult’s voice. I understand why she chose this storyline and how it connects to the contemporary story. It just falls flat for me and I don’t think historical writing is where Picoult best shines. I hope that my opinion of the work changes as I continue through the pages. (Let there be no doubt…..I plan to read the novel in its entirety. I’m enjoying the story — I’m just not so captivated by the book that I cannot put it down as I normally am when I encounter Picoult’s writing.)

What’s the Plan?

I hope to finish the Polisi this week. I might get done with the Picoult, but it will all depend on how busy things are in the office this week. I have a Sue Grafton novel on the table to try out next and anticipate having some piano pedagogy resources arriving in the coming week. One of those will probably be my next office read.

Happy reading this week, everybody!

~Kennith

Big Book Summer fiction historical music non-fiction

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Aug 19

Where’s the Thermostat? (Aug 19, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

It’s hot! That’s all there is to it….it’s hot! This week, we have been soaring anywhere between 100-110 F and relief can’t come soon enough. So no one complained too much that we had tons of meetings that kept us in the same room for hours on end and out of this oppressive heat.

Combine the heat with lots of beginning of the semester meetings and my brain is officially fried. Trying to start an online class while getting ready for traditional classes that start in just a few days has me pulling my hair out a little bit. I know I’ll get there. I just might not “really” be ready for everything. One more day to try to put out the biggest fires before we welcome our students back.

Somehow, the heat and meetings didn’t completely stifle my reading this week. I’m feeling pretty comfortable with the progress I have made and look forward to what’s ahead this week in my reading chair.

What I Finished

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance. It took longer than I had planned to finish Vance’s memoir, but I really enjoyed his insightful analysis of rural southern life. So much of what he said parallels my own experiences. I find his ideas about the roles of parents and teachers in education as well as his thoughts about the paths to higher education fascinating. I don’t know that I agree with everything he proposes, but I think there are some conversations that need to be had in our nation.

What I’m Currently Reading

An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers (p. 328 of 432). The end of this second volume of Mark of the Lion is quickly winding down. Hadassah is now known by the name Rapha — Healer — to conceal her identity from those who would do her harm. That name gives us insight into what this novel is all about. Julia suffers from an illness resulting from her immoral choices. Phoebe’s illness comes on suddenly and without explanation. Marcus is simply lost and needs to be healed of his painful memories, guilt, and sin. As each of their stories progress, they again encounter Hadassah, and, more importantly, her God. While this installment of the trilogy has been darker in tone, I still find myself enjoying the movement of the Spirit across each page as the characters’ sagas unfold.

What’s On the Horizon

I need a break from 1st century Rome and my reprieve will arrive tomorrow in the form of Jodi Picoult’s newest novel, By Any Other Name. I know nothing about the story and really don’t care. It has become a tradition in my reading life to simply pick up everything Picoult publishes and inhale it. So I hope no one really needs much of my time this week…..I’m gonna have my nose in a book!

Happy reading, y’all! See you next Monday.

~Kennith

Big Book Summer Christian fiction historical memoir

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Aug 12

Back in West Texas (August 12, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

Greetings from the HOT plains of west Texas! I started the drive back to my normal life on Wednesday afternoon and arrived in Plainview on Thursday….just in time to do some work on Friday before online classes began. What a whirlwind! Thankfully, I was able to get back into a semblance of my normal routine without too much difficulty and my reading life continues on mostly uninterrupted.

What I Finished This Week

A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers. I was frantically reading this book in the Geriatric Ward throughout the day on Tuesday since it wasn’t my copy and it was so good that I wanted to make sure Mom had access to start reading it soon. I gushed about how much I enjoyed this read in last week’s post, so I’ll spare you a repeat. What I will say is that the ending TOTALLY surprised me and I was reading the last several pages through tears. Really phenomenal story telling that also tugged at my heart strings.

What I’m Currently Reading

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance (p. 152 of 257). You will understand in a matter of moments why I’m still not finished with this book since the Rivers’ novel is completed. I’m still enjoying the memoir, but with all of the hatred that is being spewed on social media at the moment, I’m drawn to fiction over non-fiction at the moment.

An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers (p. 124 of 432). Since I was driving through OKC this week, a stop at Half-Price Books was in order. That meant that I absolutely HAD to pick up the remaining two volumes in Rivers’ Mark of the Lion series because I’m desperate to know how Marcus, Julia, and Hadassah’s stories all play out! That also meant that I had to start reading the second volume — because clearly I have no self-restraint! I anticipate that this will be my last book of #BigBookSummer, but we will just have to wait and see how long it takes me to get through this one. This installment has a darker tone at the opening than A Voice in the Wind and the addition of some new characters have made for some minor challenges in getting my head wrapped around the storyline. But I’m moving forward.

Big Book Summer Christian fiction memoir

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Aug 5

Summer Vacation Must End (August 5, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

It’s the time of year that I hate every year. My summer vacation ends this week and I have to return to west Texas. It always comes without warning and I find myself not quite ready to leave. I’m ready to have my own space again. I’m ready to get things rolling for the Fall semester. I’m really ready to see my chiropractor and let him fix things again! I’m not ready to give up spending time in the kitchen with Mom and helping her with some of the planning that she has to do regularly. But everything has to come to an end whether we like it or not.

During this last week in the Geriatric Ward, I’ve spent most evenings in the kitchen preparing dinner to give Mom one more week of rest before I leave. I’ve also watched a lot of Olympic broadcasts — I’m always fond of gymnastics, indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, water polo, and all of the swimming races. Now I just have to figure out how I’ll keep up with these events once I leave here since my home cable connection is anything but reliable.

With all of the cooking and cheering for Team USA, I’ve also gotten quite a bit of reading done this week. No finishes, but I’ve been pleased with my progress.

What I’m Currently Reading

A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers (p. 384 of 496). I have seen Rivers’ Mark of the Lion on bookstore shelves for years and assumed it was not for me. It is Christian fiction — not my favorite. I assumed that it was a romance on top of that — certainly not my favorite combination. As I was starting my last week in my parents’ home and saw the gift box of the trilogy sitting on the shelf, I decided this was the perfect time to read a little of the book so I could give Mom a teaser to see if she might like it.

I ADORE THIS BOOK AND CAN’T GET MY NOSE OUT OF IT! I had no clue what I was missing. Yes, it is Christian fiction and it definitely has an element of romance in it — but don’t hold those descriptors against this book. This is just high quality writing that pulls you into a marvelous story. It is the story of a young Jewish girl who is taken into Roman slavery in the 1st century. Her interactions with her master’s adult children are memorable and thought-provoking. I have been struck by the similarities between Rome as depicted in the novel and 21st century America.

My hope was to finish this book before leaving here on Wednesday morning as part of #BigBookSummer. It’s possible, but it might be a tight fit. I want to leave it here so Mom can read it this fall, but I also don’t want to have to push pause on my own reading!

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance (p. 104 of 257). I continue to plug away at this memoir. I am regularly struck by how Vance’s experiences parallel my own — escaping circumstances through education, the impact of charismatic religion on my faith journey, and the importance of strong women in making me the man I am today. I plan to shift this book to the front of my reading because I want to make sure that I am giving it the attention it is due.

There you have it for now. Next week, I’ll be coming to you from Texas….hopefully I won’t be melting too badly!

Happy reading, y’all!

~Kennith

Big Book Summer Christian historical memoir

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Jul 29

Insomnia is Not Fun (July 29, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

As summer vacation is beginning to wind down, I’m struggling with my sleep. Oh joy! There are a mixture of issues going on, but I’m not entirely sure how to fix any of them. I have been staying up later than normal because of the Olympic broadcasts that I love. That normally is a good recipe for my sleep patterns. Several nights this week, I have found myself lying down at night exhausted and ready to snooze….and once my head hits the pillow, it is as though a switch has been flipped and I am suddenly wide awake! It’s frustrating to lie in bed waiting for Mr. Sandman to come for his nightly visit. To add to my frustration, my father does not understand the concept of quietness. When he gets up between 5am and 6am, it is as though a proverbial bull has been set loose in the house with the emptying of the dishwasher and his grunting. (I know that he is 88 and things probably don’t move very smoothly for him. When I am pulled out of a deep sleep, empathy is not easy to come by.) After his breakfast is finished, he sits in his recliner and begins the long process of clearing his lungs and throat; the acoustics in that spot are VERY good. Most mornings, I swear that he could rouse the dead from their graves with those sounds. LOL!

Those who know me well know that I HATE mornings already, so being wakened does not make for a happy Kennith at all. So you can imagine the level of crabbiness that emerges when I am sleep deprived due to not being able to fall asleep and then abruptly waking after struggling to get to sleep because of all of the noise! Ugh! But, I digress. I only have a few more weeks in the Geriatric Ward before returning to West Texas.

All of this is not only intended to be humorous; it is also a bit of a glimpse into my reading world. I am one of those readers who must have absolute silence to dive into the written word. (You can imagine how challenging it is for me to concentrate in a noisy music department….) If other people are around and quiet, I can read in a public setting. As you have probably derived from my descriptions above, silence is not an option when my dad is around. Truly, I don’t think he realizes the amount of noise that he makes due to his hearing issues. While it is hard to fault him for that, it is still a reality to all of the rest of us in his orbit. That means that my reading life for the past few weeks has been significantly reduced; as the temperature outside rises, Dad is at home more often. And that just means fewer opportunities to bask in the quietness of a lazy afternoon.

There’s a New DNF in Town

Blackout by Connie Willis. This week, I finally admitted to myself that forcing myself to read this book was just not worth it. I wasn’t enjoying the process and I was feeling guilty that I wasn’t reading the book. So I made the choice to label the book as “Did Not Finish” (DNF). When there’s a book on my reading table that I am “supposed” to read — whether I assigned it to myself or someone else has told me to read it — I stop reading entirely. It’s a bit of a perfectionist mentality that is not healthy for me. I’m not saying Blackout is a bad book; I’m just admitting to myself that it is not a good book for me in this moment. So I let it go after reading nearly 50% of the book so I could shift my focus to things that were more interesting in this moment. I will admit that it took most of the week to finally give myself permission to DNF the book after getting that far into it….perhaps I could just power through in order to just have a finish. Nope! I just had to hear the voice in my head chanting “Too many books, too little time to devote to reading something you are not enjoying.”

What I Am Currently Reading

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance (p. 76 of 257) I made a little more progress in this memoir once I allowed myself to DNF Blackout. As I stated earlier, I don’t intend to fly through this book as I am wanting to get to know a little more about the VP Candidate through his writing. This week, I have been struck by the challenges Vance described as his family made their way from rural Kentucky to Middletown, Ohio. Some have attempted to make Vance’s Middletown experience that of a privileged suburban existence. As a person who grew up close to a metropolitan area, I can understand how a few miles geographically can still equate to an enormous gap between the ease and convenience of the city and the poverty and challenges of rural living.

A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers (p. 24 of 497) Several years ago, I gifted a box set of Rivers’ three volume Mark of the Lion series to my mother for Christmas. The books are intimidating because of their size and the historical scope of the saga. A Voice in the Wind is the first of these books and I decided it was finally time for me to find out for myself what they were all about. Even though I only read the first few pages last night before bed, I am definitely hooked and looking forward to this piece of Christian fiction.

The story centers around Hadassah, a young Jewish woman living in 1st century Jerusalem at the height of the Roman occupation. Although other Jews have fled the city, Hadassah’s father insists that the family remain to share their personal accounts of the deity of Christ and the power of His resurrection. Quickly, Hadassah loses her entire family to Roman violence — only surviving as a slave with little hope for release or a rich future.

Rivers’ prose is lyrical and places the reader in the heart of the story. Her characters are created with great care and her attention to detail and historical accuracy is obvious from the beginning. I cannot wait to continue reading about Hadassah’s experiences and watching her courage and faith grow in uncertain circumstances.

That’s what I’ve got for this week. I hope you all have a lovely week of reading as you greet August and all that it entails for us.

~Kennith

Big Book Summer Christian historical memoir update

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Jul 22

Of Water Heaters and Shower Doors (July 22, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

Greetings, friends! It has been another unforgettable week here in the Geriatric Ward. This is not one I will soon forget. Sure, I continued to struggle with a little congestion and not feeling terribly well, but that wasn’t the biggest event of the week.

Let’s just “dive” in…..the water heater in my parents’ bathroom developed a severe leak this week. Truly, there was water standing all over the floor. The old linoleum has torn from the floor and the area rug that was in the room is completely ruined. Patient #1 decided to order a tankless water heater to install. It sat unboxed in the living room as he puzzled over the instructions. The next morning, his crew joined him before deciding that this was too complicated to install. So off to the store they went to buy a new water heater.

Once I returned home, this merry band of workers had installed the new water tank — after shoving the vanity that sat next to it over a few inches. It was clearly obvious to any observer that the new tank was wider than the previous resident. That’s when the hilarity began.

The next thing I hear is Patient #1 calling Patient #2 to tell her that we have a “little problem.” While installing the heater, the crew had kept the door to the shower open — still not entirely sure why they were in the shower, but sometimes questions are better left unanswered! Anyway, now the shower door can’t be closed because the top of the vanity sits in the door’s path! Over the next few hours, there is talk of cutting the corner off of the vanity by the same crew of merry men — I could just see the entire thing collapsing to the ground — or buying a new shower. The last time Patient #1 bought a shower, he had gotten something so small we can barely stand in it…..so I had to think quickly and come up with a solution that would buy time for Mom to find the shower she wants.

So off I go to Walmart, a place I hate more than any other, and purchased a shower curtain, liner, and rings. We have removed the door of the shower and installed the curtain. It’s not pretty and it’s certainly not ideal, but it gets things started. Now I just have to make some phone calls to get estimates to redo the bathroom. Nothing like the end of the summer for things to start falling apart in the Geriatric Ward!

What I Read This Week

My Best Friend’s Secret by Romeo Alexander. I don’t really have a lot to say about this book. It was an easy read when I wasn’t feeling well. It wasn’t the best use of my time, but it kept me reading when I didn’t necessarily feel like it. I don’t think I would recommend it to others though.

What I’m Currently Reading

Blackout by Connie Willis (p. 290 of 491) I made progress this week. I didn’t make much progress, but I put a few more pages in the rear view mirror. When I finally sit down to read the book, I don’t hate the experience. I just have to consciously make a choice to pick this book up. It just doesn’t call to me. So I’m trying something new this week to see if I can help get a little further along and finish the #BigBookSummer selection for July.

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance (p. 11 of 257) I’m going to see if a non-fiction selection will help me devote a little more time to Blackout this week. I read Hillbilly Elegy in the summer of 2017. I remember the basic details, but now that Vance has been named the Republican Vice-Presidential nominee, I think it is important to revisit the narrative so I have my own opinions about the book’s content. I just started reading late yesterday, so clearly I’ve not gotten very far — actually, just the introduction. I think I will probably read a little more slowly this time through since I am looking for Vance’s philosophy and if that lines up with my personal feelings on important topics.

So I’m not really feeling very good about my reading in the past few weeks. I had hoped to get much more done, but we deal with the circumstances of life. I did reach the halfway point in my personal reading goal for 2024 — finishing my 20th book of the year. We are now in the 30th week of 2024, so i need to get in a few extra books if I hope to get back on pace for reaching that goal.

There you have it! Hope you have a good week ahead filled with lots of happy reading!

~Kennith

Big Book Summer memoir romance update

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Jul 16

Music and a Little Summer Sickness (July 16, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

I’m back in the Geriatric Ward after a quick trip to Cincinnati, Ohio last week. The trip included attending a recital by my friend, Jessica Rivera Schafer. It was lovely to sit at the back of the hall and just listen to some quality singing after a long summer hiatus from any classical music.

The trip also included a lot of sleeping. After the recital on Thursday evening, I slept for nearly 14 hours and simply could not seem to get enough rest. I don’t know if I was sick or exhausted, but I was confined to bed for the next couple of days — even deciding to skip going to the baseball game (Marlins at Reds) that I had been looking forward to all summer long.

I felt poorly enough after getting home on Saturday night that I made my way to the medical clinic yesterday morning. That visit took longer than I anticipated, putting me completely off of my regular routine. While the tests came back negative for COVID and the flu, I didn’t feel like doing much of anything when I got home. Thus this week’s update post is a day late….but here it is.

What I Finished This Week

The Truth About the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline. A couple of short flights to Cincinnati made my Kindle the perfect reading companion. This relatively short novel was packed with intrigue and interesting characters. As I mentioned last week, the story opens with John Devlin suspecting that he had killed a man and asking for help from his brother, TJ. As the story continues John attempts to pin the murder on TJ in order to hide his own secrets. Can anyone say dysfunctional?! Having enjoyed other novels by Scottoline, I had high hopes for this one. It was okay…..I didn’t hate reading it, but it felt rather routine and formulaic.

What I’m Currently Reading

Blackout by Connie Willis (p. 264 of 491) Your eyes don’t deceive you. I have read all of 10 pages of this book this week. I didn’t try to pick it up until I got to Cincinnati when I was expecting quiet time in my hotel. However, I didn’t feel like reading and wanted to sleep instead. I forced myself to read a chapter and a bit more of this month’s entry for #BigBookSummer. I hope to get back to this novel this week and see if I can make some progress. I’m not really sure why, but this one is just not grabbing my attention at the moment.

My Best Friend’s Secret by Romeo Alexander (p. 138 of 313) I needed a new Kindle read for the flight home and picked up this one. I’m barely halfway through the book and it’s just now getting to the basic premise. Since I started it when I wasn’t feeling very well, I didn’t get acclimated to the story right away. The alternating voices seem very similar in tone to me, so I’m having some difficulty keeping the characters straight in my head as well. It’s not a bad book…..I’m just not in a good place with it.

What’s Ahead?

My intentions this week are to finish My Best Friend’s Secret and to make significant progress in Blackout. However, I also have a couple of memoirs in my sights that I want to dive into this week. One was written by my sister and I feel obligated to give it a cursory glance at least. The other is J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy; since he has been named as the Republican nominee for the Vice-Presidency, I feel it is important to re-read this piece and reacquaint myself with his story as the nation makes an important decision later this fall.

There you have it. I’ll return to my normal Monday posts next week and let you know what I’ve managed to get done.

Happy reading, y’all!

~Kennith

Big Book Summer historical romance Sci-Fi Series

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Jul 8

Doctors and Independence (July 8, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

As July arrived, the reality that there are only a few weeks remaining of my summer vacation became a reality. That meant it was time to take care of a lot of doctors’ visits for me. Before the holiday arrived, I visited both the dentist and the cardiologist. Thankfully, I got good reports from both….and might have heard about the importance of flossing and exercise.

The arrival of Independence Day signaled one very big reality for the rest of the week — the Geriatrics would have a four-day weekend. Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents. But I am the oddball of this family and prefer to enjoy the sounds of silence more than the cacophony of mind-numbing televisions. My dad is the major culprit in this issue. Because he cannot hear (I don’t jest!), he has no idea just how loud things really are. Several times, I had to shut the doors separating the living room from the bedroom-turned-small-den in the rear of the house because the volume on the tiny television in the back was so loud that you could hear it over the main system in the front. It was really bad!

Somehow, I managed to convince my Mom to resume her reading life and she has had her nose in The Women by Kristin Hannah recently. Two readers in the house means there was a little more productivity going on since we didn’t have to have the television roaring for entertainment purposes. That’s a happy sound to my ears!

What I Finished This Week

Crusher by Darryl Banner. This light romance told the story of Quin and Adrian. Quin is an art student with immense talent and low self-esteem. He has been convinced by everyone — his parents, his art instructor — that he should pursue another career. But Quin’s passion for painting tells him otherwise. While visiting a beach-front town, Quin encounters Adrian – the local heartthrob who is known around town as the “Heart Crusher.” Opposites attract, the two fall in love, and all’s well that ends well. LOL!

What I personally found most rewarding about this read was the insightful conversation the two boys had about the pressures of creating and searching for validation from those you trust. Quin voices the fears of every young artist and explains beautifully to his non-artist friend the emotional roller coaster that is trying to figure out if you have the fortitude and talent to succeed.

What I’m Currently Reading

Blackout by Connie Willis. (p. 254 of 491) Now that I have reached the halfway point of my July selection for #BigBookSummer, I’m finally beginning to enjoy this book. I was worried for a bit as I dove into the book this week.

Here’s the basic premise….Historians at Oxford in 2060 have the ability to travel back in time to observe important events as they occur. Despite their various intentions, the team finds themselves in sundry locations in and around London during World War II. Okay…I like historical fiction and I am fascinated by this war. I thought this would be an excellent read for me. A large portion of the novel’s opening necessarily explores the time travel since the intricacies of the process are important as the story progresses. However, I got lost in the weeds and just wanted to get to the War. Now that the aspects of time travel are woven into the background of the characters’ stories, I am finding that I can simply enjoy the trials and exploits of these people. I’m glad that I stuck with it for a while and did not DNF this book. But be warned….if you are not a sci-fi fan (like me!), this is probably not a book I would recommend.

The Truth About the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline. (p. 114 of 369) This novel is proving to be a fun and fast read that keeps me coming back for more. The Devlin family are all lawyers — everyone except TJ, that is. TJ is a convicted ex-con and recovering alcoholic who works for the firm as an investigator. TJ’s older brother has his sights set on taking over the firm when his parents finally retire and is working on a major merger to insure he is set financially. When John discovers that the company’s accountant has been embezzling funds, John arranges a private meeting. In the early pages of the book, John becomes irate and throws a rock at the accountant that strikes him in the head. When the accountant’s body is found a few days later, a few questions are at the top of everyone’s minds. Did John kill the man or did someone else? Does it matter?

At this point, I don’t have many of the answers at all, but I’m definitely looking forward to continuing my reading to find out what is going to happen next and to learn The Truth About the Devlins!

Upcoming Plans?

Later this week, I’ll be visiting Cincinnati for the first time to hear a friend’s voice recital and to take in a game at the Great American Ball Park. As a result, I’m not entirely sure just how much reading I’ll get done. I would like to finish the Scottoline book this week, but we will just have to see how that goes. Regardless, I’ll meet you back here next Monday to give you the update about my reading life.

Happy reading!

~Kennith

Big Book Summer fiction historical Sci-Fi

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Jul 1

Finding Quiet Moments (July 1, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

The Geriatric Ward continues to be in recovery mode. Mom has continued to convalesce from her latest infection. The antibiotics simply sap her of all energy and strength. She does appear to get stronger with each passing day, so I’m hoping that she is able to get back to her normal routine slowly this week.

Since she has been getting better, I was able to sneak into the back room much of the week and get some serious reading done. That brings me to the first success of #BigBookSummer.

What I Finished This Week

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Few things are more enjoyable than turning the last page of a big book and knowing that you have accomplished something significant. When you can admit that you thoroughly enjoyed the book as well, that just makes it better!

I know I’m late to the Outlander phenomenon. I had resisted reading these books for some time. I was expecting something that had a lot more to do with time travel. I was anticipating something more magical and supernatural. You cannot imagine how excited I was to find that I couldn’t have been more wrong while also kicking myself for missing out on such an enjoyable read for so long!

Outlander is a love story at its core. As the relationship between Claire and Jaime grows, the readers’ understanding of the danger and implications it has on both of their lives makes for an exciting story. Gabaldon does an exceptional job of making the Scottish landscape come to life while setting us firmly in the political intrigues of the 17th century. I found myself laughing out loud at the outrageousness of events only to be twisted in knots as I waited to see how Claire and Jaime would escape those who wanted to harm them. I was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful conversations between Claire and Anselm in the abbey at the novel’s conclusion. These explorations of issues of faith were incredibly enlightening and extremely well written. I’m looking forward to Dragonfly in Amber, but I think I’m going to wait a little longer so my Outlander experience can be extended.

What’s Up Next?

With the arrival of a new month, it is time to begin another big book as I celebrate #BigBookSummer. This month’s selection is Blackout by Connie Willis. I haven’t started reading it yet, but the description sounds intriguing. Essentially, the story centers around time-traveling historians in 2060’s Oxford who are returning to events of World War II. (I know, I just said that I’m normally not one who enjoys time travel!) I heard the description on a podcast and thought it sounded really interesting, so I’m going to give it a try. Coming in at 491 pages, it is one of the shorter “big books”, so I decided it was worth a try.

In addition to the big book, I’m also hoping to read a few more small books this month. First up is Crusher by Daryl Banner. This is another installment in Banner’s Texas Beach Town Romances, the first of which I read in honor of pride month. Just beginning the book, it is a funny MM romance that is just a fun read.

There you have it. Hope you all have a great week and lots of happy reading along the way.

~Kennith

Big Book Summer romance Sci-Fi

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Jun 24

Part-time Nurse, Part-time Reader (June 24, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

Happy Monday, fellow readers! Things have been hopping here in the Geriatric Ward this week. Mom was getting better with her chest infection all week long. Sadly, on Friday evening, another infection appeared that required another trip to the ER. Thankfully, this was nothing life-threatening, but couldn’t wait until Monday…..so we spent roughly 6 hours getting care. (That’s an entirely different story that I might share at some other point.)

Somehow, I have managed to get some reading done this week now that I’m back at home. I am happy to say that I have a finish, some serious progress, and a decision. Here’s what’s been going on.

What I Finished

The Radcliffe Ladies’ Reading Club by Julia Bryan Thomas. As I mentioned last week, this was a fun, fast-paced read set in the 1950s featuring four freshman women at Radcliffe College. The novel took an unexpected turn at its climax that I am still trying to decide if I liked or not. What I did enjoy was how each of the four women grappled with their beliefs about the role of women in their society and the importance of marriage. Even after reading the final word in the middle of the week, I found myself thinking about these characters and wondering what might have become of each of them as their lives continued. I suppose that is a mark of an exceptionally well-written story.

What I Put Away

Adam Bede by George Eliot. This should really not come as a surprise to anyone. I enjoyed the premise of the novel. The writing was wonderful. I simply could not find desire or time to read the novel to make any significant progress. The sense that I “should” read this novel was also having a negative impact on my reading of other books because I would feel shame whenever I picked up something else. Admitting that to myself made the decision to DNF Adam Bede an obvious choice. Will I return to it again later? Maybe. I enjoyed reading The Mill on the Floss earlier this year. Perhaps one Eliot novel is my max for the year.

What I Am Reading Now

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (p. 349 of 627). Now I cannot put this book down! I’m loving the developing relationship between Claire and Jaime. I find the prose smooth and the plot filled with suspense, love, and humor. It’s really a beautiful novel!

Plans for the Week Ahead

Since it is the last week of the month, I’m going to focus my attention on finishing Outlander as part of the Big Book Summer Challenge. I have a bit of incentive to finish as well; my next big book arrived today — Blackout by Connie Willis. I’m also going to start looking for my next “normal sized” read for my Kindle. But this week is all about Outlander….and I can’t wait!

That’s it for me! Happy reading, y’all.

Big Book Summer fiction Series

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