2024 Reading Challenge: Is It Too Late to Lower My Goal?

GoodReads Book Challenge Status 2024

Every year for the past few years, I've participated in the GoodReads reading challenge. This year is no different, but I'm struggling to keep up with my reading goal. I've read every day, but sometimes it's only a page or two. I initially set a goal of 25 books for 2024, but I'm only at 11 books with November almost over. It doesn't look promising that I'll finish 25 books by the end of December.

Last year, I was at 17 out of 25 books in early November and ultimately completed my 25-book challenge for 2023 (see post). I finished 2023 by listening to many audiobooks and reading shorter books. I'm not sure if I'll have enough time to catch up on my reading for 2024, especially being at only 11 out of 25 books.

I've enjoyed some great books this year. I recently finished "Goodbye, Butterfly: Murder, Faith and Forgiveness in a Small Kansas Town," which I found captivating. This book was written by my friend Ernie Webb III from Washburn University. It was Ernie's first book, and I think he did an excellent job. The book kept me engaged and interested until the end.

My plan is to find a few audiobooks to listen to and tackle a few more books from my target list. However, I don't think I can fit in 14 books between now and December 31st. We'll see, though, and I'll enjoy the process.

I hope you are enjoying a challenge of your own whether it be reading, exercise, or exploring the great outdoors. 

My Reading Journey from 2023 with a Goal of 25 Books and I Read 25 Books in 2023... Some of my Favorites in this Update

Goal was 25 and Made 25

I met my reading goal for 2023. The goal was 25 books and I read my last book on New Years Eve. On November 5, 2023, I was at 17 of 25 books (see post), so I had to pick up the pace and read every chance I could get. Even reading every chance I could get, it was close as I was juggling multiple books.

I had a fun time reading this year. The majority of the 25 books I read with my Kindle. Some of the books, I did listen to which I know is debated as whether they count or not in some social media circles. I did find that listening to novels does not work well for me unless I am in the car driving and can focus on the audio book. I decided that audio books I listen to in 2024 will be memoirs or autobiographies as they are easier to follow when around the house and doing other things. I did manage to fit in a few autobiographies this year, so that was fun. 

My 25 Books for 2023

 To the right are the 25 books I read during 2023. Here, I will highlight some of my favorites. Starting at the top which are the earliest books I read in 2023, I enjoyed Come Fly the World: The Jet-Age Story of Women of Pan AM by Julia Cooke. This book entered my queue from a bookclub I belong and I found this an interesting read. I was a good book to start my 2023 reading journey and I really enjoyed the history from the book with facts I had not heard previously.

My next favorite book was Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice by Adam Makos. My Uncle Charlie had told me about the movie that he saw and that it was good, but it also included a sequence in the movie that was exactly what my Dad went through when he served in the Navy. I really enjoyed the book and could feel what my Dad went through in that scary moment while reading the section of the book. I was able to watch the movie this past week and it went along exactly how I remember the book portrayed the story.

My first audio book of 2023 was The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl. This book was recommended to me by Carrie. Dave Grohl being the drummer from Nirvana and Foo Fighters. I loved this book! It was even better because I heard the book read by Dave Grohl. It was really good and highly recommend that if you want to read this book that you do the audio book so you can hear Dave Grohl tell his story. Excellent!

A few books later and I was reading another biography The Woman All Spies Fear: Code Breaker Elizabeth Smith Friedman and Her Hidden Life by Amy Butler Greenfield. Once again, an interesting book about the code breakers, women, of WWI and WWII that I found so interesting. This was one of the books I read during 2023 that I found hard to put down. Interesting facts throughout that I had not heard about before. I believe this was another book from the book club I belong, but I do not recall for sure. It was good nonetheless.

I went back and picked up two books by C.J. Box as I continue to enjoy reading the series. I read Out of Range and In Plain Sight. The story continues with about 25 books in the series of game warden Joe Pickett. I will probably read a few more from this series during 2024. Easy reads that move quickly and hard to put down.

Finally after many years and multiple friends colleagues telling me I should read the book, I finally read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Nope! It did not disappoint. I could not put it down and read it fairly quickly for my reading routine. I am so glad that I finally checked it out from the library (e-book of course), waited for it to arrive as there was a wait, and read it thoroughly enjoying the book.

Carrie recommended I listen to the audio book of The Woman in Me by Britney Spears. Once again, hearing the book read by the author was a good way to "read" the book. Once again, I recommend if you want to read this book that you do the audio book to hear Britney Spears tell her story. Worth it!

My final book of the year which also happened to be an audio book was Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry. Hearing Matthew Perry read after passing away not long ago (October 28, 2023) was a bit eerie but again it was good to hear it in the authors voice. To start out the book, Matthew Perry says "Hi, my name is Matthew Perry, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead." Eerie feeling as I listened to Matthew Perry speak this on the audiobook. If you have the chance and can get on the waiting list, be sure to listen to the audiobook of Matthew Perry.

Those are the highlights of my books from 2023. I barely made my goal of 25 books for the year. For 2024, I did another goal of 25 books although I hope to be closer to 30 books on the year as it comes to a close a year from now. I make it a point to read every day and so far I have been able to keep that streak going for two years straight. Even on days where I listen to an audio book, I still make sure to open my Kindle and read a page or two from one of my many books on my shelf.

If you have a recommendation for a book based on those I read or referenced above that I said I enjoyed, I would be interested to hear from you in the comments of those post. Of course you can also reach out via social media to share with me too.

Enjoy your reading journey and if we have not connected on GoodReads, please follow me on GoodReads. 

The GoodReads 2023 Reading Challenge is Almost Over and I am Behind Schedule for My Goal of 25 Books

Status in GoodReads 2023 Reading Challenge

The GoodReads 2023 Reading Challenge started and I was doing really well about halfway through the year. I was ahead of schedule on books read, but the past few months I have not read as much. My goal is to read each day which I have done, but some days I was only reading a few pages. The past three or four weeks I am trying to read a chapter a day and most days I have been meeting that goal. 

Books Read for 2023

Currently, I am four books behind schedule to complete 25 books for the year. I am at 17 of 25. I have read some good books this year. My favorite series remains the C.J. Box author. I started reading the series last year and I was reading one after the other, so I decided to mix it up and read some other books this year too.

I am juggling four books currently although spending most of my time reading Malibu Burning which was a free book from Amazon that Carrie got. I am almost done with it at 80%, so I should finish it this week. I hope to get another book or two read before Thanksgiving, but I might have to find some short reads to catch up to my planned schedule.

For someone who used to hardly read at all, the past few years have been a big change for me. Reading daily for enjoyment and not because I have to but because I want to is new for me. I read when I was little, but I would not read for long periods of time; instead, I would tend to read a book and then not read for a while until I found another book sounds interesting. This could be a few months to a few years between when I would read when I was little. This changed about three years ago when I started reading daily. There have been times when I have finished a book that I could easily have stopped reading and moved on to something else, but I kept up and got through the book. 

My list of books that I want to read continues to grow. I am up to 31 on GoodReads I have marked that I want to read and I know I have almost that many on my library app too. I continue to have fun and I enjoy the process of reading where I make the movie in my head. I love it when I am reading and become completely lost in the story where time seems to stand still while I read but as I finish the chapter, thirty minutes has gone by.

I better get back to reading so I can meet my goal. Have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week! I hope you are able to enjoy some good reading time where you become lost in the book. If you have a good book to recommend, I am always open to suggestions, so feel free to comment on this post or send me a message.

Completed the GoodReads 2022 Reading Challenge of Twenty Books and Thinking New Goal for 2023

Met My 2022 Reading Goal

A year ago I set a goal to read twenty books for 2022. This was done on GoodReads where I have been a member for a while now. I have tried their challenge a few times setting goals for five or ten books in the past. This is the first time I have completed my goal and actually exceeded my set goal.

The year is not over and I have read 21 of 20 books so far. I hope to be able to complete two more books before the year is finished. I am about halfway through one book and then during the break between Christmas and New Years, I should be able to get another book completed.

I read every day for the past year. There was not one day where I did not read at least a few pages. Whether it was on vacation, at blues festival, or exhausted from a day of work, I found time to read. According to Kindle stats, I have read for a streak of 359 days and 58 weeks in a row which I obviously started before the New Year started a year ago. 

During the year, I have read a few series. C.J. Box is the recent series I have been reading. I really enjoy his books and story. Another series that I enjoyed was from L.T. Ryan about Racheal Hatch. I enjoyed the history of Code Girls that I read through a book group on-line. I want to do more with that book group as it gets me to read books that I might normally read and then interact with others that are reading the same book.

Full details of the books in the image above can be viewed on my GoodReads 2022 Reading Challenge page. I am thinking about my goal for 2023 and while I do not want to go crazy by picking a larger number I could not possibly hit, I do want to do more than twenty books for 2023. I am thinking I will probably increase it by five and go for twenty-five for 2023. I was ahead of schedule during 2022 on my target, but I would have to double the effort to hit thirty books if I go that high. Granted, there were weekends and evenings where I could have been reading but decided to watch television, sleep, or just relax, but it is possible I could increase the time I spend reading which would help me to meet a higher goal. We will see what I select for my new reading challenge.

I have always enjoyed reading when I made time to do so. I enjoy getting into a story and escaping through the story to whatever setting the author is describing. I am happy to say that reading is a part of my regular day that I make sure to complete no matter what and I intend to keep this going through 2023.

What are your favorite books? Do you have one to recommend based on the series I have read? You can connect with me on GoodReads through my profile.

Book Reading and Attending Author Speaking at Public Library... So fun! Enjoying My Time Reading Each Day...

My goal for 2022 was to read at least 20 books for the year. Well over the half-way point, I think I am going to exceed the 20 book count. I have read my Kindle every day since before January 1, 2022, so I have a nice long streak going of reading. I typically read over the noon hour after eating lunch and at home with Carrie and Oliver. My other regular time to read is while in bed and getting ready to go to sleep. No matter the time, what we are doing, or where we are at, I have made time to read at least once a day.

The Kindle app tracks days I read, how many books I have read, etc., so I like that part of using the Kindle device and Kindle app on my phone. Carrie told me a trick that when I have a book checked out from the library, if I put my Kindle in airplane mode, I can continue reading the book past when it is "due" back to the library. It takes me longer to read than others, but I have made progress, yet I find that Kindle app is currently showing the last time I read was on August 14. Once I finish my current book it will all sync up and show a streak again going back to before January 1.

The latest series I am reading is by C. J. Box which was a recommendation from the late Rick Ellis who worked with Carrie in Learning in the Community (LinC). I am almost done with the third book in the Joe Pickett series. I have enjoyed the books so far and there are over twenty in this series, so I should have something to read for a while.

Joe Pickett is a game warden in the north and a basic average guy who is trying to do the right thing. Protecting the land and the people he loves. The story line is good and believable which keeps me going back to see what happens next.

Carrie had heard that C. J. Box was going to be speaking at Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library this past Tuesday. We got tickets (it was free) and went to hear C. J. Box talk. The place was packed and it is possible Carrie and I were some of the youngest in the audience, but we had a great time. C. J. Box talked for about an hour about various pieces of his book and television shows which recently launched. 

We saw our friend, Autumn, at the event too although she works there, she was excited to hear C. J. Box talk that evening too. Neither Carrie, or Autumn, have read any of the books, but I know Carrie plans to read some of his books. I think my Mom is going to read some of his books too as I told her about the event and how I am enjoying the series.

I am having fun reading and finding new series to read. I have done a few of a book club books and those were good, but I also like to start a series to read the whole thing. I am always interested to hear what books others are ready or what they recommend for me. Carrie has provided me some good books over the years to read.

Enjoy whatever book you are reading...

Rambling Along on a Weekend About Sports, Books, Camping, and Whatever Else Comes to Mind

Carrie and John from 2013

Rambling along on a Sunday is what this post is about. Not one specific thing to discuss or talk about today, but various items that may or may not connect together. That’s what happens sometimes as I go to think about what to write for my Sunday update. In this edition, I will talk sports, books, camping, and anything else that comes to mind that I feel like sharing. I hope you find these as interesting as my other weeks posts about specific events or topics.

Sports

The days are getting shorter and believe it or not, the temperature is starting to drop too. We have had some really nice weather the past week or two, so we can see fall is approaching. Granted, we had at least two days this past week that were in the upper 90s, but the evenings are so nice. The shorter days and lower temperatures mean only one thing… football is starting. 

Washburn Football

Washburn plays our first game of the season at home on Thursday, September 1. I cannot wait! We finally have a parking spot in the tailgate this year, so I am excited to have that although it is a ways from our “spot” it will be nice to have the car close for everything we pack and not having to walk a distance to get it to our “spot”. We will still be by the flag pole in the northeast corner of the field. I am doing Weight Watchers, so planning to eat a little better at this tailgate with Subway for dinner and some Michelob Ultra beers for watching the game. We only have five home games and we will miss at least one which will be the last game of the season. I might find a way to get out for part of the game, but too early to say at this point. 

We had a great season last year and I expect to see another great season this year too. Last year we had some memorable victories at home and even one where our neighbor ran on to the field after we won. Good times! I am looking forward to another fun round of games at home and on the road. I renewed my subscription for streaming Washburn sports as well as our season tickets to football in case we decide to go into the stadium. I think it is going to be a fun season and I cannot wait to get it started on Thursday. Go Bods!

Washburn Volleyball

We love going to volleyball games. I watched the whole season streaming last year and it was a wonderful season. Every year we say we are going to go to a lot of volleyball games and the season flies by with us only going to a few. I am hoping to get to a lot more games this year. I have them on my calendar and I know Carrie is interested in going to more of them this year too, so we will plan to cheer on the volleyball team at home this year in-person. I am watching an away game this morning as I write this update on Saturday morning with Washburn playing Midwestern. We started the season Thursday and we are already off to a good start… season is young, but expect great things from the team again this season. 

If you have not been out to a volleyball game, you should make it a point to get out to a match. It is so fun! Even though I do not know/recall all of the rules for volleyball, we have fun cheering on our team. I love the fact that as the final point is about to be scored the home crowd stands and claps until the point is won. Yes, I realize this is not unique to Washburn volleyball, but it makes it a fun environment and us as fans like we are helping the team along to the win.

Fantasy Football and Baseball

The baseball season is coming to an end. The Royals are in another struggling year, but still having fun watching their games and the new talent. I am in two fantasy baseball leagues and while I am not sure I have ever won a fantasy baseball league, I have fun setting my rosters each day and following the games for each of my players. Fantasy sports is a lot of making the right decision on who to play, who to draft, and when to bench a player, but it is also a lot of luck. At one point during this season, I had the majority of my roster in one league on the IR. With all of the “good” players drafted, it makes it difficult to go out to the waiver wire to pick up quality players, so sometimes it is necessary to use up spots on the roster with injured players. Again, this is what makes it fun to struggle through IR instances or survive the season without a single injured player where when I have had this occur, I am toward the top of the rankings. All part of the game and it is so fun!

Fantasy football is starting up and this week I will be drafting in the two leagues I take part. One league is a free league and the other is one where we put in money for fun. Both are a lot of fun and both I am in with friends, so it is a good time. I love baseball, but I really like fantasy football. Unlike baseball where I have to check my roster daily, make changes, etc., in fantasy football I check a few times a week to make changes. Typically prior to Thursday, when there are games, prior to Sunday, and then again on Monday. A final check to see who I can pick up on waivers to prepare for the next week of play. It is so fun!

Typically at some point during the season, usually for football, the league finds a time to meet up at a local establishment to watch a game and talk some trash. I love it when we are able to connect during the season (baseball or football) to watch a game, have a few drinks, and what some of “our” players in a game. All part of the fun of the season.

Kansas City Chiefs

Speaking of football, who is ready for the Chiefs season to begin? We came up short last year and looking to have a great season this year, I cannot wait for it to start. It all starts on Sunday, September 11 with Kansas City Chiefs playing Arizona Cardinals. Looking forward to seeing us on the field and Mahomes leading us down the field. Football happens to be one of the sports Carrie does not enjoy to watch, but it is one of my favorite things to do on a Sunday. Football all afternoon and even better when my Chiefs are playing. 

Last season I remember we started out slow losing some early season games. I recall social media saying our season was over and then we came to life and started winning. I am hoping not to start off slow this year and have game mode at the start of the season. Do not let teams back into games, but finish them early and keep the heat on throughout the game to the end. We lost the first four of seven games last year and people were saying our season was over, but yet we turned it around. Let’s not start that way this season! Let’s go Chiefs!

Books and Reading

Reading with Kindle

I continue the enjoyment of reading. I started January 2022 with the goal of reading 20 books for the year and so far I have read 14 books. I have read every day since January 1, 2022 which has been a nice change. I typically read every night before going to sleep, so sometimes I read for just a few minutes to thirty or 40 minutes before falling asleep. It is a nice way to wind down, ignore the phone, email, and social media to just relax and enjoy a book. I continue to read on my Kindle which I love and I have anywhere from two to three books downloaded at any one time to the device in airplane mode so I do not lose them when they are due back at the library. Work out nice except sometimes I miss books I have reserved because I cannot come out of airplane mode or I will lose some of my books. 

Currently I am reading “Where the Crawdads Sing” which happens to also be in theaters. I am really enjoying this book and I look forward to seeing the movie. Prior to this book, I had been reading a lot of series. An eight book series by L.T. Ryan, I only have one book left. I had to take a break from the series though, but I plan to finish up that last book in the near future. I have another series Carrie started me on by C.J. Box which as been really good and I am about three books into that series. Again, I took a little break while I read some other books that were on my list.

At the rate I am going, I think I will exceed my 20 book goal for the year. Only a few short months and the year will be changing, but I think I can finish strong and go a ways past my twenty book target. It will be the most books I have read in one year. It has been a fun process and I look forward to continuing the goal for next year.

Camping

We have only been camping once this year. It was early spring that we went. We were hoping to go again, but it was a busy summer and the fall is turning out to be busy too. I have hope we can fit in one more weekend get away to go camping. The difficult part is that there are sports happening that I want to see, blue festival in early October, and other events happening that prevent us from taking a weekend. Still, I hope we can find a weekend to take Oliver and get to be lakeside somewhere to enjoy the outdoors and some good books.

Next year, I hope we can make it to more than four camp sites. We went to three sites last summer with four total as we went to one spot twice, so I am hoping to make it to just as many next summer if not more. Start a little earlier in the spring and go later in the fall, we might be able to beat that camping number.

End of Rambling

The end of August is right around the corner and I wish the days would slow down just a little. Going by way too fast as we watch 2022 speed by. I hope to have some future posts about sports that we attend as well as books I am reading. Of course, I also hope to have a camping trip in the near future, but not sure when that will occur. For now, I am trying to slow down the days and enjoy reading a good book or enjoying a sporting event. 

I hope you have a great rest of the weekend and can enjoy some quiet time before the busy week starts again.

Finished Reading News of the World and Watched the Movie Along with Books I am Reading

I continue my reading journey. I have read four books so far in 2022. Probably the most books I have read in a short amount of time in my life. Right now I am going back through my GoodReads to finish books that I started in the past. I am down to three books remaining in my “reading” list. More on this later as right now I want to talk about News of the World that I recently finished. I started reading this book back on March 12, 2021. Carrie had recommended the book to me to read and so I started the book. The book uses a unique process of writing compared to what I am used to reading in books. It does not use quotes to show what the characters are saying. It took me a little while to get use to the writing style, but I enjoyed how it all came together. At a certain point reading the book, I did not notice it was not written like other books. So, it took me a few months to read the book, but there were months between March and January where I did not read the book, or any book, at all.

After finishing News of the World, we decided to watch the movie. We watched News of the World on HBO Max. News of the World movie features Tom Hanks as Captain Kidd. The movie was very well done. It captured what I had in my mind as I read the book. The casting was perfect with Tom Hanks as the Captain and then Helena Zengel as Johanna. The movie had been in our queue to watch for a few months since it was released, so it was good to be able to watch it last evening. The movie stuck close to the book from what I could tell. Obviously, going from book to movie there are going to be changes, items left out, or modified, but I thought it stuck well to how the story went and matched what I had visioned in my mind as I read the book. 

The three books I have remaining in my reading list of GoodReads include Fortune’s Rising, Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King and Owen King, and then Dark Light. I started Fortune’s Rising back in 2019 while I was waiting for a library book at the time to become available. I do not believe I have started Sleeping Beauties or if I have, I will need to restart it as I do not remember anything about the book. I also have not started reading Dark Light which I see is a series and it is book #13. So, I might end that book and start at #1 in the series as I do not believe I have read any of the books by Randy Wayne White.

I have found that for the past month I find time to read whenever I can fit it into the day. I head home for lunch and instead of watching television I grab my Kindle and read. When I get home in the evenings from work, I will grab my book to read. Or, at night when it is bedtime, instead of grabbing my phone, I will grab my Kindle and read a chapter or two. I have a tendency to fall asleep while reading, so it is perfect for the evenings, but when I want to read over lunch or when I get home in the evenings, it is frustrating as I will read the same passage multiple times as I drift off to sleep. While it is kind of nice and mind plays tricks on me over the passage I just read, it does not help with finishing the book. The time I get most of my reading completed happens to be on the weekends when I read a lot on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

I continue to be well ahead of my goal of twenty books for the year. I am hoping by the end of 2022 that I will be way past 20 books and set a new record for myself on reading. Carrie set her reading challenge to 80 books. Carrie has already read eight books and the month is not over. I am sure she will go way past her target of 80 books and if I could do half that number, I will be happy.

So, back to reading for me. Enjoy your weekend and your reading.

My Book Reading Experience Has Peaks and Valleys… Right Now on a Peak! I am Enjoying Reading for Fun! #books #reading

A few times a year, I find myself reading for fun. I would not call myself an avid reader, but I do enjoy reading. Of course I spend every day reading a lot of email, information, etc., for work, but sitting down to read is not something I do regularly or at least most years. The past few weeks, I have found myself reading in the evening, weekends, and often times as I go to sleep. I have started reading when riding the bike on my regular workouts which is a nice change and helps to make the time pass as I ride. 

My book reading is typically read for a few weeks, finish a book, and then I stop reading for a period of time. As 2021 ended, I started a series which I have found I really enjoy. There are seven books in the series and I have read four of them so far. I set my GoodReads profile goal this year to read 20 books. I am at 2 of 20 so far to start 2022.

The series I stumbled across is the Rachel Hatch series by L.T. Ryan. Easy reading and they keep my interest. I am taking a little break from them currently and reading another book but I plan to go back to the Rachel Hatch series once I am done with The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towels. I recently joined a book reading club which I have never done before. This one is through Washburn University and you can join it too by visiting https://washburn.pbc.guru/. The book being reviewed at this time is A Gentleman in Moscow. I am currently on a waiting list from the library to get the book. Estimated to be 16 weeks, so I am hoping to get the book in time to review before the first part of March. 

So, I am interested to participate in the book reading club and to discuss books with others from the Washburn community. If you are not a member of GoodReads, I would encourage you to do so. A popular site to track books you are reading, want to read, or connect with others with similar interests. I have been a member of GoodReads since 2013. If you check my profile at GoodReads, you will see if I have not read that many books in the nine years since I joined (78 read books). 

This year, I am hoping to change my GoodReads stats for reading and meet my goal of 20 books for the year if not surpass the goal I set of 20 books. As I mentioned earlier, I read a lot throughout the week as most of us do relying on email for our work. I read a lot of documents, I stay updated on news by reading the local paper (online of course), and I read a lot in my job to stay current on technology. 

I forget how much I enjoy reading until I become entrenched in a story. When I get a good book that takes me to where ever the story is happening, I can make the movie in my head and I find I dream of the story of the book too at night when I am sleeping. The story becomes so real, that I cannot wait to get back to the book to see what is happening and what will happen next. In the past, I have read books that later go on to be movies (i.e. The Woman in the Window, The Girl on the Train, The Client, etc.) where I think what I had in my mind is better than what was depicted on the big screen. Still, it is fun to read the books and then see how the director plays out the story.

A few books, I have had problems finishing. Carrie will recommend them to me and I will start, but they are difficult to read or do not keep my interest. I will start them, read a few chapters, and then stop reading. Sometimes I will start a book and read it over the course of a few months between either not reading at all or reading other books and going back to pick up where I left off to read more of the book. It is fun to find a good book, or series, that keeps my interest and helps me to go back to reading to find out what will happen next. 

We will see where I am at in another five to six months to see where I am at in my reading challenge of 20 books for the year, but I am hoping to be to about ten by that time… if not more. More on this later this year as I continue by reading journey.

What are your favorite books? Do you have any series that you enjoy that you would share? You can see my GoodReads Profile to see what I have read, or those I want to read, and make suggestions, I am open to checking out new titles.

Happy reading…

Reading Books While Taking Days Off and Planning for More Books to Read

I go through times where I read a lot and times where I read very little or not at all. The current month is one where I am reading every day. I look forward to bedtime as that’s when I usually read, but it does not work well because I am tired and fall asleep while I read. So, I am in my new mode of reading once again. I continued a book I had started earlier this year, stopped, and resumed reading again. The book I continued reading is “News of the World” that Carrie had read and recommended. It is also a movie on Apple TV I believe that we plan to watch after I am done with the book.

While reading “News of the World” I had another book become available for me to read which I had heard about a few months ago. John Grisham wrote “Sooley”. I read “Sooley” in record time for me. I just checked it out last week and finished it on Saturday. Granted, it helped as we have been camping since Thursday and I have read a lot while doing nothing, relaxing, and drinking. It has been a really nice experience. 

I plan to finish “News of the World” as I am at 60 percent done in the book. It is taking me longer to read “News of the World”. I like the story, but it is written where there are not quotes in the book but rather it simply builds into the dialog of the book that someone is speaking. It took me a few chapters to get used to how it was written. I am enjoying the book, but unlike “Sooley” I have not spent focused time reading “News of the World”.

I like to read books where chapters are about 10 - 15 minutes to read as that makes for good stopping points and time for bed stops. “News of the World” has long chapters which means long times for me to read or stop in the middle of a chapter before going to bed. I do have my next book that I will start following “News of the World” which I s “Open Season” by C.J. Box which was recommended to me via Carrie through her boss. It is a series and sounds like it will be good for me.

What are your favorite books? Anything you recommend for me to read, please post a comment and let me know.

Audio Books with Recommendation to Listen to "A Very Punchable Face" by Colin Jost

A few weeks ago while out doing yard work, our neighbors and I started talking. We usually catch up social distancing style keeping our distance while we put yard work on hold. We talk about shows we are watching, recommendations for the other household to watch, etc. Kelly asked if I read very much or listen to podcasts and I told her I go through periods where I read a lot and then go to the other extreme where I do not read much at all. She suggested I should check out audio books and had a recommendation for me.

Normally, I we only listen to audio books when going on trips. Start the audio book as we leave Topeka and drive to where ever we are going with the book playing the whole time. Usually, we get to our destination and then finish the book on our way back to Topeka following the trip. Our most recent trip to Dallas/Houston, we started a book and it was so long that we ended up finishing it when we got back to our home.

I have tried doing podcasts which again I go through periods where I will listen to them and then not listen at all. I know they are what all the cool kids are doing and I enjoy them, but I find that I cannot listen to them at work because you know, I am working, and have to pay attention to the podcast, so it does not really work for me. I have tried to listen at home, but usually watching TV and cannot focus on the podcast.

The recommendation Kelly had for me was A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost. It was excellent! The audio book through the Topeka Public Library is read by Colin Jost, so you can hear his tone while he reads his book. I really enjoyed the experience.

I would listen to the book usually at night when going to bed. Spending anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes listening to one night I listened for a good hour before going to bed. I had told Carrie I had started the book and then proceeded to crack up throughout the book, so I would have to stop the book and fill her in on what was so funny. I won't do that here as I would recommend read, or listening, to the book as it is good! Carrie is on the waiting list to get the audio book too as she heard me laughing so much she wanted to listen to it too. 

I finished the book and immediately checked out Bossypants by Tina Fey. I am early in this book only starting it Friday night, but it sounds like it is going to be another good one. For now, I believe this will be my new thing to listen to books as I get ready for bed as I am enjoying the process.

It is possible that as I listen to audio books that I might go back and revisit podcasts again and try to get into the habit of listening to those again. First though, I will continue on this new audio book listening track. I am so happy that our neighbor told me about the book and started me on this new routine.

Reading Books, Goodreads, and Goal for End of Summer Reading

I am in no way an avid reader. I go through spurts where I read a lot and then other times where I read very little. I might go months without picking up a book to read. When I am taking classes and reading textbooks, I typically do not read at all. My summer class recently ended and I told myself I am going to try and read as much as I can between now and when the fall semester class starts which will be in the middle of October. So, I should have a chance to read a lot between now and then.


My Goodread profile was created back in 2013. During that time, I have not read many books at only 63. I think my most productive year of reading was last year. I pick up books that look interesting from the cover or a brief read of the info about the book from Goodreads. I have started a few books and then end up abandoning because I do not find it interesting. I need to rely more on the recommendations of other Goodreads friends as it seems that when I do find a book that sounds interesting it sometimes is not great and it takes a while to get through those as it is difficult to keep focus on the book.

Carrie has recommended a few books to me and one that I loved was Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime Discovery. It was a book I could not set down and found it inspiring to read about a true story of life in space. If you have not read the book, I highly recommend picking it up and enjoy the read.

I am always looking for new books to add to my read list, so if you have a recommendation, please feel free to comment on this post or friend me on Goodread profile to recommend a book.

My current book is Say You're Sorry (Morgan Dane #1) which I think I got for free through Amazon and being a Prime member. It is one of those books I started back in December, my spring class started, I did not read at all, summer class started, and I did not read, so I picked it back up the middle of July and continued reading. The book has been entertaining and I am almost done with it. In fact, I should finish it today as I am at 93% complete. Overall, I am enjoying this book that I found for free on Amazon.

Other than the books I get through Amazon, I typically get books from our local library through Overdrive. I only read electronic books and only on my Kindle. I sometimes will read with the Kindle app on my iPhone if I do not have my Kindle reader. Makes it nice as it syncs up from both devices including the computer. I know my mom, and others, enjoy the feel of a book in their hands while they are reading, but I prefer the e-book to a real book.

My goal is to finish two books before the fall semester begins in the middle of August. Not my semester, as my semester does not start until the second eight weeks of the fall semester as I mentioned earlier. But, I want to finish two books before the semester begins. If I give myself a goal, it helps to be able to stay on track and motivate for reading at least a chapter each day.

Please post a comment if you have book recommendations or connect with me on Goodread profile to share book recommendations. I would love to hear from you or connect with others on discussion of books.

Another Long Time...

Ok, I must say it has been a long time since my last post. Once again! Where does the time go? Well, I know, but I think it is primarily just me not wanting to post anything event though I think about it from time-to-time. I keep saying I am going to get back into the swing of posting on a regular basis and then I keep letting weeks slip by without posting anything.

Ah well, that is the life of a blog..... The holidays were great! I always love the time between Christmas and New Years as I get that whole week off. It was almost ten days this year. No, I did not do a lot during that time except for watch movies, stay up late, and have a few beers.

The Spring semester started with not a lot of problems. For the most part, it was one of the better starts to a Spring semester. We are coming up on a month away from Spring Break which is hard to believe.

Lately, I have taken up reading. Carrie won a Kindle at her work and I have been using it a lot. I love it! I finished "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown and now I am reading Michael J Fox's book which I am almost done with... after which I have a list of books on my save list at the library on-line section. Too cool! I have also downloaded a on-line book from the Topeka Public Library connection and I listen to it on my Blackberry over the weekends.

Well, tonight I find myself watching the Duke vs North Carolina game. It is a lot closer than what I was expecting from UNC from their last few games. However, I guess you could see it coming with them playing tonight at UNC. Good game!

The Kansas Jayhawks are going strong once again this year! They are undefeated in the Big Twelve and they are fun to watch. They play again on Saturday and then again on Monday. There are only four more home games which is crazy... again, we are almost to March Madness.

Well, I am going to finish watching the end of the game and hopefully I will be posting again soon. Until then, happy trails...