Summer starts in June! Meanwhile, I read. A lot of what I’ll be reading this month was planned for last month, but I fell behind. There are new book choices planned as well. Only time will tell how far I’ll get through this stack of books this month. There’s a reading diary at the end of the page. I’ll be updating it with notes about my life, videos, art, and reading progress.
Welcome to this June 2019 “living document” page where I share my reading intentions and record progress throughout the month in a diary at the end of the page. When the month is over my writing on this page will be finished.
I’ve started writing on Medium.com – and in the last month wrote two articles there:
1. Why I Go To Church – published May 13
2. Whimsical and Artistic Bullet Journal Borders – published May 27
That’s a start… and I hope to publish more articles there in June.
Goodreads keeps track of books I’ve read this year. Books I’ve read so far in 2019.
My Word of the Month
Opportunities
My Haiku of the Month
Sunshine days allow
visually expansive
walks in the forest.
Bible Verse of the Month
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
Books I plan to read during June, 2019…
☆ – I own a copy of the book
★★ – I own a copy and am currently reading the book
✓ – Finished
↪ – Postponed
↩ – Held over from last month
PSRC = 2019 PopSugar Reading Challenge
I didn’t get all my reading done last month. This was due to two major influences. First, the Asian Readathon added four books to my original plan. Second, I bought a new van and was preoccupied with that and with having my older vehicle, a car, in for repairs.
Fiction continued from last month
✓ ↩ YA: Scarlet, by Marissa Meyer – [PSRC #20. A book set in space]
As of June 1 I’m about half way through this book and am enjoying it immensely. It is the second book in The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. I have to agree with the woman who recommended it to me – this series is very well written and exciting! The main character in the first book of the series is Cinder, a cyborg, meaning she’s a human being with robotic parts. This book continues her story but adds another woman, Scarlet, who has red hair – no surprise there, right? The action takes place mainly in France, but there is a section with an outer space adventure.
↩★★ Asian Readathon: A Thousand Beginnings and Endings, edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman – [PSRC #12. A book inspired by myth/legend/folklore]
I started out strong, reading this book at the beginning of May, but by the time I was four stories in I burned out on short stories. They require more from me, I guess. It is like – with a short story collection you’re constantly having to start over with new characters, new setting, and new events to try to sort out. In this type of collection with many different authors, you also have to get used to a new writing style with each story. All this combined to frustrate me until I set the book aside in favor of reading a novel. I do plan to continue reading this book, however, and am using it for a PopSugar Reading Challenge prompt – #5 – to read a book inspired by myth, a legend, or folklore. This book qualifies for that exactly, as each of the 15 stories is based on Asian folklore.
★★ ↩ Classic: One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez – [PSRC #32. A book written by an author from Asia, Africa, or South America]
Can’t believe I didn’t get to this last month as I’ve been wanting to read it for a long time. It is on my list of classics, a list I’m making efforts to use when planning my reading each year. I’ve heard the author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, is a master of magical realism, a genre I’m really into these days. I hope there are magical realism elements in this book. I will definitely let you know when I get into it.
Nonfiction continued from last month
★★ ↩ Art: Vibrant Watercolors, by Hazel Lale
I want to read one art book each month this year. I didn’t finish this in May so I’m holding it over for June. I deeply desire to learn more about watercolor painting. The image at the top of this page is a watercolor I did in my watercolor sketchbook during the month of May.
★★ ↩ Christian: Pigs in the Parlor: A Practical Guide to Deliverance, by Frank Hammond
I didn’t even open this book last month but still have great hopes that I’ll read it this month. It has been sitting on my shelf for a while now.
✓ ↩ Christian: Rooted, a 10 week study program (with a book) – I’m doing this with a small group formed at my church. This is intentionally continued into June. We’ve completed the first eight weeks/chapters, and I’m in the middle of reading week nine now. Almost done! It will be finished this month.
New listings for June, in case I have time for them
✓ Nonfiction: The Green Age of Asher Witherow, by M. Allen Cunningham – [PSRC #2. A book that makes you nostalgic]
I’ve known about this book since shortly after it was published in 2005, but never put it on my annual TBR list until now. What a special book this is for me! I’ve never forgotten about wanting to read it because it takes place in Nortonville, California – a town that no longer exists, though I’ve visited the town site many times. I used to live nearby in Pittsburg, a California town just west of Antioch. And just outside Antioch is a wonderful regional park called Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve. I used to take my children there frequently when they were young, before we moved away from the area. I love that place! There were originally coal mines there (coal is sometimes called black diamonds) and later, sand mines. This area has a special place in my heart.
✓ Recent Fiction: Alias, Grace, by Margaret Atwood – [PSRC #38. A novel based on a true story]
I’m drawn to this book. A heart magnet is in play. This is a true story based on the life of a teenage girl, Grace Marks, convicted of murder in Canada. She was considered equally responsible for the murders though they were probably done by James McDermott who was also convicted and then executed. Grace’s sentence was commuted to life in prison, though thirty years later she was pardoned and resettled in the northern part of New York state. I’ve read two similar books within the last year. This could be a trend.
★★ Nonfiction: Bound for Glory: The Hard-Driving, Truth-Telling, Autobiography of America’s Great Poet-Folk Singer, by Woody Guthrie
Bob Dylan mentioned this in his book, and now I have to read it. It made a profound impact on Bob Dylan’s musical direction and career. The full documentary based on this book is on YouTube, but if you’re like me, a die-hard “books first” kind of person, you would want to read this memoir first.
☆ Nonfiction: Grandma Gatewood’s Walk, by Ben Montgomery – [from the 2018 challenge list]
Here’s another book I’ve had on my reading table since last year. This was recommended to me by a dear friend in Northern California, Judy Bushy, the writer and editor of Happy Camp News. She was inspired by Grandma Gatewood, and I know I will be too. Grandma Gatewood was a major force in the creation and early use of the Appalachian Trail. Can’t wait to read this biography of this great woman.
✓ YA: Touching Spirit Bear, by Ben Mikaelsen.
This YA book was recommended to me by a member of our church – a 7th grade English teacher. I asked her to tell me what books she has her students read, and this was one I hadn’t read yet. She seemed excited and enthusiastic about the novel so now I want to read it too. I’ve purchased the Kindle version.
✓ YA: The Oregon Trail, by Matt Doeden – [PSRC #42. A choose-your-own-adventure book]
I decided to read a middle grade choose your own adventure book for this prompt with the hope I can pass it on to a young person when I’m done with the paperback.
Art: Angelic Visions, by Angela Sasser
So pretty! Who would not love to paint beautiful angels? I will give it a try. I’m always up for something new in the world of artistic adventures.
✓ Christian: The Dream Giver, by Bruce Wilkinson
I’ve already read some of Bruce Wilkinson’s other books and decided to get this one too. This is half fiction in a Pilgrim’s Progress type of way with characters like Someone, Anyone, and Border Bullies. Fun. The rest of the book is the author’s advice on fulfilling your dreams. He likes to help other people rediscover their early dreams, resurrect them and make them happen. Very inspiring!
My art studio – early 2019 – Linda Jo Martin
My June Reading Diary
June 1 – I’m still reading Scarlet – something left over from last month. I’m half way through this YA novel. It definitely holds my attention!
June 4 – Finished reading Scarlet late in the evening.
June 5 – Reviewed Scarlet at Goodreads. I’m starting to read another story in A Thousand Beginnings and Endings. This one is called The Counting of Vermillion Beads, by Aliette De Bodard. I also started reading Touching Spirit Bear on my Kindle. I’ve discovered my reading is a bit imbalanced this month as almost everything must be read in hardback or paperback. I have no audiobooks scheduled (that’s terrible) and only this one book on Kindle. How will I manage? I need better reading options.
June 8 – I had to rearrange my literature this month because I included too many paperbacks and not enough Kindle versions and audiobooks! I need a variety of formats. I can listen to the audiobooks in my van while driving and read the Kindle as I’m going to sleep at night. Anyhow, currently reading Touching Spirit Bear on my Kindle, The Green Age of Asher Witherow via audiobook, and an art book in paperback. Happy me.
June 10 – Is it sick to love a book? I love The Green Age of Asher Witherow. Just finished it today. Read my Goodreads review to find out why my heart is so involved with this novel. I’m still reading Touching Spirit Bear, but I’m getting close to the end. Loving that one too. Today I also published my May Reading Wrapup on YouTube.
June 11 – Just finished Touching Spirit Bear … a wonderful YA novel I can now highly recommend to everyone. Here’s my Goodreads review.
June 12 – Today I finished reading Rooted.
June 14 – I’m reading a lot of different books at one time. Probably not a good idea – but it is all about the formats. I started a paperback copy of One Hundred Years of Solitude. I haven’t read far into it yet… less than fifty pages. Slow going. A classic… I must read. I also need a Kindle book for bedtime reading so started Bound for Glory by Woody Guthrie. I also need an audiobook for listening to in my van as I drive… so I started Alias, Grace . . . then got addicted to it and stayed up all night last night listening – and I’m about halfway through with it now.
June 15 – Alias, Grace has my attention. I’m listening to chapter 33 of the audiobook… in part IX of the book.
June 16 – I finished Alias, Grace and listened to the entire audiobook version of The Dream Giver. Good stuff. Both books. Here’s my Goodreads review of Alias, Grace.
June 17 – I’m still reading Bound for Glory on Kindle. My paperback is still One Hundred Years of Solitude and I need to step it up with that one. It is long, with small print! No new audiobook yet. I’ll figure that out next time I go for a drive in my van.
June 19 – I published my June video today.
June 20 – Busy day… it was a van floor building day. Pastor Les (retired) is a talented carpenter and cut the boards to fit the van floor. Tomorrow will be for cutting the insulation and I will paint the floor boards… they will be whitewashed with polyurethane on top. Since I ran out of audiobooks for this month I started one I had planned for next month: The President’s Daughter, which is about the daughter of Thomas Jefferson.
June 24 – The month is rolling right along and I’m almost out of month and need to start wrapping things up soon. I made a Book Acquisitions video yesterday while I was at Corbin Park next to the Spokane River.
Image credits: The watercolor city painting came from one of my watercolor sketchbooks. The art studio photo is mine. Nobody has asked me yet why there’s a spatula in my art studio. The blue background of my reading goals list came from Pixabay.com. I added lettering using Paint Shop Pro. The book covers come from Amazon.com. All the videos are from YouTube.
You are ambitious. Wow.
I’m happy if I finish one fiction book. And that’s usually at night. I did find Emma at a thrift store and plan to read it next.
Blessings
Janis
Emma is wonderful… I didn’t like her at first but am glad I stuck with the novel and finished. Now I’m on a Jane Austen pursuit. I’ve read three of her novels and have three more to read.
That’s a cool reading challenge. I’ve never seen that one. I might have to try it for the at least the last half of the year. 🙂
And Pigs in the Parlor sounds fantastic!
I have a lot of fun with reading challenges and Booktube. I’m looking forward to reading Pigs in the Parlor – at least I will finally understand more about deliverance ministry. Thanks for coming by!