Reading for Me

The Books I Have Read…..Just for Me

Jan 6

Out with the Old, In with the New (January 6, 2025)

by kennithfreeman

The end of the year was a bit of a whirlwind. My parents were both off work much of the week. (Indeed, the 85 and 88-year-olds still work full time!) While I adore the Geriatrics, having them home meant that there was constant activity and very little quiet in the house. Add in a health scare for my Dad on Sunday evening and you have the recipe for getting less reading in than I had hoped. Still, I’m happy to have made some progress and getting close to adding my first completed prompt to the 2025 challenge.

What I Finished This Week

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke. I managed to finish reading this cozy little mystery on New Year’s Eve as my final book of 2024, bringing my final tally to 45 books for the year. Murder mysteries are not usually a good fit for me, but I’m noticing that as I read more of them, I am getting more comfortable with the form and relaxing into the reading experience. Hannah is a baker in a small Minnesota town that is rocked when the beloved dairy delivery man is murdered. Since she was the one who discovered the body — and since her brother-in-law is on the police force — it is only natural that Hannah use her powers of observation to solve the crime and keep her customers safe! I found Hannah and her family charming. What I found a little bothersome as I read was when Fluke would insert mundane scenes into the plot to give Hannah some normalcy. While there were some elements of flirtation and possible romance included in the storytelling, it was not overt and did not distract from the story. Truthfully, it made for a very charming ending that also served as a great connection to the next book in this franchise. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder was not the worst thing that I have ever read; it was the perfect kind of filler I needed while waiting to begin my next read. 2.5 stars

The Stopover by T.L. Swan. The first book of 2025 was not actually meant for any of the 52 Book Club prompts. Since I was reading a bit of a brick for my first prompt (see below), I thought it would be nice to have a fluff piece going on my Kindle to read at night. Once I got my nose into this spicy romance, I couldn’t put it down. After being upgraded to first class on her flight, Emily meets a handsome stranger. When their flight is diverted due to weather conditions, the two share a night that neither will forget. A year later, Emily begins a new job and discovers that the handsome stranger from her flight is the angry, wealthy CEO who is now her boss. Which one of these men is the real Jameson Miles? The charming man from the flight or the a**hole she now works for?

This was an incredibly spicy open-door romance that was exciting and intriguing from the start. I was visibly angry with many of Jameson’s choices while reading — what a total jerk! Unfortunately, the resolution as the novel came to its close felt rushed and a huge letdown after an emotional journey for this reader. 3.75 stars

What I’m Currently Reading

Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer (p. 545 of 637). I decided to knock out one of my larger books before returning to the classroom next week. Previously, I have read The Clifton Chronicles and thoroughly enjoyed the entire series. Knowing that I enjoy Archer’s writing, I decided to read the book that began his career. I anticipate getting very close to finishing later today, but I didn’t want to delay getting my blog post written too long. I’ll have a full review for you in next week’s post. I’m using this for prompt # 26 – More than a million copies sold. (According to the book’s cover, over 30 million copies have been sold.)

Filthy Gods by R. Scarlett (p. 37 of 168). I am very early in the reading of this short novel that I’m using to fulfill prompt #11 – A prequel. I selected this book because most of the other prequels I found were in the sci-fi realm that I really don’t enjoy. This book hasn’t grabbed my attention fully because I am so engrossed in the saga of William and Abel as told by Archer. I’ll definitely have more to say next week.

What’s Next?

I haven’t decided if I’m going to tackle D is for Deadbeat (Sue Grafton) or Bridget Jones’ Diary (Helen Fielding) next. I’m not always fond of mysteries, so I might get that one knocked out while I can. But there is also something enticing about enjoying a funny read before heading back to Texas for the semester. Decisions, decisions….

Until next Monday, I wish you all happy reading!

~Kennith

2025 Reading Challenge family saga fiction historical romance The 52 Book Club

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Dec 31

Reading Plans for 2025

by kennithfreeman

With the arrival of a new year, it has become a bit of a tradition for me to set annual goals for my reading. This year is no different and I’ve decided it is time to finally reach for the goal that has been the “real” one ever since finishing graduate school. It’s scary to say it out loud and commit to it, but the time has come. For 2025, my goal is to read 52 books.

Since I began keeping track of my annual reading, I have hovered in the mid 30s each year. Reading forty books in a year seemed like an impossible hurdle. At the end of 2024, I finally managed to get over that hump and decided it’s time to plan for the ultimate goal. For the past few years, I have used reading challenges to help guide my book selections, but I have not been fulfilled by the prompts. When I discovered The 52 Book Club’s 2025 Challenge, I was excited at the possibilities and intrigued by the books that I selected for the prompts. (If you want to see the full list of prompts for this year’s challenge, visit the website for yourself.)

Lessons Learned in 2024 (and previous years)

My work life greatly impacts my reading life. This shouldn’t be a surprise at all. March through May are insane times in my academic world. In 2024, I only read 4 books during this busy season — and two of those were audiobooks.

I do better when I know what my next book is. I struggle starting a new book. Once I am invested in the character’s lives, I can plow through a novel and enjoy the experience. Because I don’t always enjoy the beginning, I often find it challenging to make my next selection if I’m just winging it. It is also important that I already have the book in hand — whether as an ebook, a physical purchase, or a library loan. If I have to find time to make a trip to the library or the bookstore and THEN decide what I want to read, the effort involved becomes too much.

2025 Plans….

Once the 2025 reading prompts were released, I printed them out and made time to visit each Goodreads list. I perused the options there and consulted my own TBR and bookshelves and made an initial plan for each prompt.

Once almost all of the prompts were assigned a book, I began to sketch out what books I would plan to read in each month for the first half of the year. I looked at my calendar and made sure that I included a couple of easy reads for really busy seasons. I also assigned books that I am really excited to read during those tougher reading seasons. While I have a plan, I know that I have permission to make changes as inspiration and life comes my way. (To be honest, before writing this post there have already been changes made to the plan.). I also took into account some seasonal challenges that I plan to include — like Big Book Summer that runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day — and planned my reading accordingly.

So what am I reading? I’m not going to include the full list of books here, but I will tell you that it is rather diverse. It includes some children’s literature (Anne of Green Gables and The Princess Bride) as well as classics (The Picture of Dorian Gray and Emma). There are also thrillers, fairytale retellings, romances, and mysteries. Since I’ve already referenced “Big Book Summer,” I will admit that I am being very ambitious; my list includes Anna Karenina, Moby Dick, and Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2). I’m either planning a really exciting year of reading or I will realize my insanity by May and do some restructuring. My bet is that there will be a bit of both!

On Deck in January

Without further ado, here are the five books that I plan to read in the month of January 2025 and their prompts from the challenge.

  • Prompt 11: A prequel – Filthy Gods by R. Scarlett
  • Prompt 16: Author has won an Edgar Award – D is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton
  • Prompt 26: More than a million copies sold – Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
  • Prompt 32: Includes a diary entry – Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding
  • Prompt 38: An adventure story – The Princess Bride by William Goldman

As you can see, I do not intend to complete the prompts in numerical order. I decided that January should include a wide range of reading, so we have a family saga as well as romance, mystery, and YA. I *think* I’ll begin the year with the Archer novel, but plans could definitely change.

Want to follow along on my reading adventure? Watch for a weekly blog post (normally on Mondays) to let you know what I finished, what I thought about the books, and what I’m reading at the moment. You’ll also get a little insight into what’s going on in my world and how it is impacting my reading life. I’ll try to keep the personal narrative to a minimum here so we can focus on the books and the reading experience.

Until next Monday…..I wish you happy reading!

~Kennith

2025 Reading Challenge plans The 52 Book Club

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Dec 30

Goodbye to 2024! (December 30, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

The end is getting close and I’m honestly ready to turn the page on this year. 2024 hasn’t been the worst year ever, but the end has been challenging. Yesterday morning, I was pulled out of bed at 3:30am to the news that my dad was being transported to the hospital by ambulance with chest pains. While everything turned out to be okay and he was released, it made for a very long Sunday with lots of heavy eyes. That meant that I wouldn’t get to make as much progress in my current read as I had hoped and probably will not finish it before the calendar turns. Nevertheless, it has been another productive reading week and I am pleased with the final results for the year.

What I Finished This Week

The Thief Who Saved Christmas by Angela Casella. This was an absolutely charming read that I stumbled on while looking for another read for the year’s end. A reformed thief falls in love with a B and B owner who is on the spectrum. Simple love story, right? Throw in some lovable friends and the burglary of prized Christmas decorations for a read that you won’t be able to put down! The “sexy Santa” references and the inner thoughts of our unlikely lovers will also keep you chuckling throughout as well. (By the way, Casella settles the question once and for all….Die Hard is NOT a Christmas movie!)

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter. A couple of mystery writers swept off to a mysterious English mansion just a few days before Christmas. Shortly after their arrival, their host — a revered author herself — goes strangely missing. With lots of twists and turns as well as poisonings, fires, and shots fired, our duo must discover what is going on before the holiday is over. As a reader who does not enjoy mysteries for the most part, I found this book quite entertaining with its mix of mystery, suspense, and romantic comedy. It was a nice final read for the holiday season for me.

What I’m Currently Reading

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke (p. 119 of 312). The last Saturday of the year rolled around and I had completed all of my planned reading, so I was looking for something simple that I could plow through before the end of the year. It really was about just getting in another book to add to my tally and not a search for high quality writing. Yep, it’s another mystery. (What is wrong with me?!) Yep, it’s as bad as you would imagine. (Again, do I have a fever?) I doubt I get through it before Wednesday, but I’m not going to fret about it too much. It can replace one of the books I selected to meet the 2025 reading prompt that I wasn’t terribly excited about.

2024 Reading in Review

So it’s time to tally the results of this year’s reading. By the numbers, I have read

  • 45 books
  • 16,851 pages

I’m really happy with those stats! Those are personal highs for me in both categories. December was a really productive month for me, adding 10 new reads to my overall list.

I like to break down stats a little more before going to my best of 2024 list. If you aren’t into all of the stats, feel free to jump to the next section.

  • 9 DNF’d (Did Not Finish) books
  • 37 novels
  • 1 classic (The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot)
  • 7 non-fiction titles
  • 5 audiobooks
  • 15 romances

As you can see, I tend to read a lot of fiction. Surprisingly, this turned out to be the year of the romance. I think that number got boosted slightly by my holiday reading. 9 of the 10 books I read in December were Christmas romances. Not typical, but I guess that was where my reading interests were taking me this year.

The Best of 2024

I decided to keep my list to only my top 3 reads of the year….well, I also had to throw in an honorable mention because it was such a fun read! Here they are for your consideration.

Honorable Mention: My Favorite Holidate by Lauren Blakely. (447 pp)

Read Dec 14-20, 2024.

Romance, boss and employee, fake dating, humor

#3: A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers (525 pp)

Read July 28 – Aug 6, 2024.

Christian romance, historical fiction, trilogy

I read the entire Mark of the Lion trilogy this year and loved it. Highly recommended!

#2: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (627 pp)

Read June 10-30, 2024.

Time travel, romance, historical fiction

#1: The Women by Kristin Hannah (471 pp)

Read Feb 29 – Mar 27, 2024.

Historical fiction, love, loss, gripping read

From the first page, I knew this book would be one of my favorites of the year. Excellent! Allow time for reflection and tears.

What’s Ahead?

Look for a special post to appear tomorrow (December 31, 2024) that will outline my reading plans for 2025 and will include my scheduled reading list for January.

update Year in Review

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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.)

Book of the Month Christmas family saga mystery romance

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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.

audio Christmas mystery romance

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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

Christmas Mini Challenge romance The 52 Book Club

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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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Nov 26

The One with Lots of Rehearsals (Nov 26, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

I’m late with this week’s post again. Last minute packing for a much needed trip to Arkansas to rest with family meant that I didn’t get around to writing when I had planned. Enough about my current situation — let’s talk about last week.

Last week was BUSY! In addition to my normal responsibilities, I had nightly rehearsals for the opera workshop performance, a recruiting trip to Hobbs, New Mexico, and a masterclass to accompany. It was a fulfilling week of music that I greatly enjoyed. However, it did have an impact on my reading life. When I got home each night, I was more interested in crawling in bed than cracking open a book.

What I’m Currently Reading

JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography by Rosemarie Terenzio and Liz Neil (4:38 of 14:54). Can I find an excuse to do a little more driving for someone? I get to listen to my audiobooks while I’m on the road and I’m anxious to do some more listening! This week, I have learned about John’s time in high school and at Brown University. Of course, he was defensive about his father’s presidency and the men that surrounded him. Who wouldn’t have been given his personal history? I love reading about his friendships with both celebrities and everyday Americans. It seems that the Kennedy family longed to simply have the freedom to live their lives away from the public eye. John’s journey to India and his interaction with the people there was heartwarming and reminded me of why America — and the entire world, for that matter — absolutely loved John-John.

Owning Jacob by Simon Beckett (p. 193 of 343). I can’t decide whether I’m loving or hating this book. As I told you last week, I was fascinated with the premise: Ben’s autistic stepson was not the biological child of his dead wife — she kidnapped him from the delivery ward! The 6-year-old has now been returned to his biological father’s care, but Ben is obsessed with the child’s new stepmother and fears that the boy may be in grave danger from his father’s negligence. The story is fascinating and I’m deep into the obsession. What I’m not enjoying right now is the dark turn the book has taken. I’m not sure if I’m watching a man lose his sanity through his obsession or if he is going through a very sexualized mid-life crisis. There’s no question that I will finish Beckett’s novel because I have to know what happens. If all goes well, I’ll finish it up on today’s flight to Memphis.

What’s Ahead

As the year begins to draw to a close, all sorts of reading challenges are appearing online. While I’ve never finished a 52 book challenge, I do enjoy looking at the prompts and seeing how things will align. For 2024, I used The Booklist Queen’s Reading Challenge. The prompts were fun, but a lot of times I found myself stretching to make a book fit one of the prompts so I could push forward to the end. For 2025, I’m in the process of changing my approach. I have found The 52 Book Club and their challenge for the upcoming year. This group does a very good job of including suggested books for each prompt, so I’m planning to sit down in the coming month and have a basic plan for my year of reading. I think that my brain may benefit if I know what books I hope to read in each given month. It will also give me the opportunity to shift my plan if a book doesn’t strike my fancy at the moment rather than wallowing in a sea of uncertainty as I try to find something to read. I’m especially noticing that happens more frequently when my schedule gets incredibly busy. Having a plan makes it more likely that I’ll actually follow through.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy time with family and friends. Take some time to curl up with a good book along the way!

~Kennith

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Nov 18

On the Mend (Nov. 18, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

After what feels like the longest illness ever, I think I am finally on the road to recovery. I’m still dealing with some lingering congestion and sneezing, but I am definitely feeling better. As a result, I managed to put my nose into a few books this week and got two finishes for my efforts.

What I Finished This Week

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes. Once again, Jojo Moyes hit me right in the feels with another excellent novel. Yes, this book was about bullies and self-doubt. It was also about misunderstandings and forgiveness. It was a beautiful look at a dysfunctional family wrapped up in a charming romance. It was everything that I should have hated in a novel that left me much richer for sharing a little time with these powerfully drawn, deeply flawed characters.

No Book Beginners: A Step-By-Step Framework for Creative Piano Teaching by Tim Topham. I’m a little ashamed to admit that this book has taken me several months to complete. It wasn’t because the writing was challenging or that I found the discussion uninteresting. Truthfully, the book is a very fast read. What slowed me down was the fact that I really needed to wrestle with the basic argument and decide where I stood on it. Here’s the basic idea: if we really want to teach young pianists effectively, don’t rush into introducing them to the challenge of reading the notes of the page. Instead, focus on the other elements of music — melody, harmony, rhythm, and sound. Let the students become so engrossed in the music itself and develop a natural curiosity about it. Then (and only then) begin to explore the language of reading music. It’s not how I was trained, so everything in me rebels against the idea. Yet, I have to admit that there is something in the argument that causes me to pause and consider. Topham presents a 10-week framework for these beginning lessons that prepare the student for reading. Am I ready to jump in completely? Not yet….but it has definitely given me something to think about. That’s what we ask from the non-fiction that we invest our time and energy into reading.

What I’m Currently Reading

JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography by Liz McNeil and RoseMarie Terenzio (1:46 of 14:54 listening time). Normally, a 15 hour audiobook would turn me off, but this one caught my eye. I had started listening to Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell on Wednesday, but the topic was much darker than what I had originally anticipated. That’s when I saw this biography on John F. Kennedy, Jr. I have always been fascinated with the man and watched along with the rest of the nation when his plane went down. Honestly, I had planned to listen to a little bit of this book to close out the week and begin with something a little shorter next week. But then I realized this wouldn’t be like other biographies. McNeil and Terenzio have gathered recollections from those closest to the Kennedys to tell the story of John-John from their various perspectives. The result is a story that I cannot get enough of. The recollections of John’s famous salute to his father’s passing casket and his early interactions with other men after his father’s death are spellbinding. While this won’t be a quick read, I am in for the long haul now.

Owning Jacob by Simon Beckett (p. 40 of 343). On Sunday afternoon, I was browsing the Kindle library for a new read. I didn’t want anything too literary. I did want something that would keep my attention from the start because I hope to continue making significant progress in my personal reading as the year draws to a close. This thriller has all the elements I was looking for. The novel opens with the death of Sarah who has left behind her husband Ben and his 6-year-old stepson, Jacob. While sorting through his wife’s possessions, Ben stumbles upon a lockbox that contains Jacob’s birth certificate and newspaper clippings about a child that was taken from the hospital nursery. As Ben continues to investigate, he realizes that Jacob shares the same birthday as the child that was taken! Was Jacob actually Sarah’s son? Or has he unknowingly been part of something far more sinister? As the truth begins to emerge, Ben is now faced with the question of what he should do — reunite his autistic son with his birth parents or continue as though nothing has changed? This novel is absolutely riveting. Since the truth has been revealed so early in the story, I’m anxious to see where Beckett’s storytelling is going to take us next.

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Nov 12

A Mixture of Singing and Hacking (Nov 12, 2024)

by kennithfreeman

I apologize, dear reader, for visiting with you a day later than normal. I spent much of last week at Sam Houston State University for a voice competition. I accompanied a few students between bouts of coughing up a lung. Yes, as usual for my annual NATS visit, I fought the crud…and the crud won.

I struggled with my reading this week. Have you ever noticed how much the book in your hand moves when you are trying to extract a lung via your sore throat? Yeah, that’s a real thing! I did manage to do some listening during the cross-state drive and completed an audio book. I’ll take that as a win!

What I Finished This Week

Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten. This audio memoir was a beautiful look at success through the eyes of the beloved food icon. From negative messages from her childhood through the beliefs of the day that a woman only went to college to find “her man”, Ina shares a lovely tale of how she views obstacles as inconveniences rather than roadblocks. Tell her she can’t do something, Ina will look for a way to achieve her dreams rather than being stifled. The story of her marriage to Jeffrey Garten and their ensuing challenges as career-driven newlyweds was inspiring and a lesson in the power of compromise when both parties lovingly speak truth despite the uncomfortable situation. Personally, I also loved Ina’s story about leaving the high-powered world of Washington, D.C. politics to pursue her passion for food, despite the outcries of others. I have always appreciated the simplicity of Ina’s food; now that I understand that the same philosophy guides her relationships and business pursuits, I am a bigger fan of this successful woman. If you’ve ever found yourself drawn to The Barefoot Contessa and couldn’t really explain why, I encourage you to take a look at this memoir. I highly recommend the audio book. It feels as though you are sitting down for a cup of coffee with a new friend who is sharing story after story with you as the two of you laugh together.

What I’m Currently Reading

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes (p. 225 of 369). Despite only getting another 100 hundred pages into the novel this week, I’m still hooked by the story. Our unlikely quintet has made it to Scotland for the Math Olympics. Along the way, the children have connected with Mr. Nicholls while Jess is beginning to have to admit to herself that the man who has freely driven them across the country is not such a jerk after all. In fact, Jess might just be attracted to him. The book does contain triggers of bullying, domestic abuse, and betrayal. I know I said that I wanted to finish it last week…..but this week, I really intend to finish this great novel and get started on another one!

Just a Bit of Accountability

Each year, I set two major reading goals for the year. First, I set a target for the number of books that I hope to read in the new year. Then I set a target for a gross number of pages. For 2024, the two goals are 40 books completed and a minimum of 15,000 pages. (Pages of books that I ultimately DNF count toward my total page count.)

Since it is now November, it’s time to look at where things stand and what I have ahead in the next 6 weeks if I plan to reach my goal. Currently, I have read 12,037 pages which is about 80% of my total goal of 15,000 pages. Just under 3,000 pages in 6 weeks? I think I might actually be able to do this if I can get back into the reading routine. (Just so we are all clear, I also include audio books in my total pages. So a drive to the Geriatric Ward in a few weeks and flights over the Thanksgiving holidays should help me get close to the goal.)

The number of books might be a different story. Currently, I’m sitting at 30 books completed. I’m pleased with what I have accomplished this year in my reading life, but I know that I hit a few weeks where reading was just not happening in my corner of the world. 10 books in 6 weeks is certainly possible, but that would mean I would need to finish approximately 1.66 books per week. That’s not a normal reading pace for me normally. I’m not going to give up on this goal just yet, but what I am able to accomplish in the coming week will tell a lot about the story. Plus, I get to decorate for Christmas while I’m at home in a couple of weeks…..and that’s not going to involve much reading. If I select some lighter reads and dive into some “fluff”, I can probably reach the goal. But do I think reaching the goal of total books read a worthy goal to read books that aren’t as personally enriching? Decisions, decisions!

Next week, I should get back to my normal routine of posting on Monday. Until then, happy reading!

~Kennith

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