It’s Been a Rough Few Weeks (Jan 26, 2024)

I had great plans for this week. The universe was setting up for a perfect situation for lots of reading. The cold came in and no one wanted to move. Then life happened. With the cold came a migraine that wouldn’t let go. Then came a performance that I had hoped to avoid. Dad was admitted to the hospital after going to the ER with chest pains and difficulty swallowing. (Thankfully, everything turned out okay and he’s back at home.) Just as I was about to get back into a routine, I developed a nasty sinus infection that almost wiped me out! Now I’m sitting in the airport in Houston on my way to Asheville for a much needed weekend break.

Why tell you all of that? I felt I needed to explain the next portion.

What I Finished Reading

Nothing….nada….nope! I really thought I was going to have at least one book to add to my completed list, but….yeah…..

What I’m Reading

The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot. (94% complete) I have struggled to finish this novel. I loved the relationship between Tom, Maggie, and Phillip as children. I was engaged as Tom and his father raged against Wakem. But as Maggie found herself in a love triangle, it felt as though things simply dragged on eternally. I used the first leg of today’s flight to plug through some more of the novel. I’m hoping now that I’m in the last 10% of the book that I can just power through so I can start something new (and devote some time to what I have neglected).

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (p. 282 of 334). I cannot put this book down! I am fascinated by the concepts that are raised about quality of life, the struggles of the paraplegic community, and the impact that injury has on families and caregivers. Since I’m reading this on my iPad, I don’t always have a sense of how much progress I am making. I think it would have been a much faster experience if I were reading it in a traditional format, but I’m trying to get used to doing more ebooks. I’m enjoying the process and should have a finish here as well before my next update.

Dear Reader by Cathy Rentzenbrink. (27% complete) I haven’t read a word since my last update. This is also on my Kindle, so every time I pick up the device, I feel as though I need to read the Eliot instead.

What’s Next in my TBR

I’ve got a few things coming up that I’m really looking forward to. Here’s what I’m planning for the weeks ahead (in no specific order)

• On the Way to the Wedding (Julia Quinn) – It’s time for a return to the Bridgerton series.
• The Caine Mutiny (Herman Wouk)
• Yellow Face (R.F. Kuang)
• Silver Linings Playbook (Matthew Quick)

There you have it. I’ll join you again on February 9 from San Antonio and the Texas Music Educator’s Conference. Not entirely sure how much reading I’ll manage to get done while I’m there, but we will see.

Happy reading, y’all!

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