Book Lady’s May 2020 Reading Report

Hello again! May flowers – now, there’s a concept, and a phenomenon! I should read at least one book this month with flowers on the cover. I’m sure that can be done. In fact, I have several planned.

My Word of the Month

Bloom

My Haiku of the Month

Life renews itself
suggesting we do that too
trusting in the Lord.

Bible Verse of the Month

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. – Philippians 1:6 “

I have another blog with a daily to-do list, gratitudes and a reading list: Linda’s Life

☆ – I own the book and am ready to read.
★★ – I’m reading it.
✓ – I finished reading it. Yay!

What I’m reading during May 2020

Hold-over books from last month:

I absolutely must clear these from my reading list soon! I should not leave books half-read. Ever. Must get this done!! Time to start new things!

Finished Abandoned Parents: The Devil’s Dilemma (link goes to my Goodreads review)

✓ Fiction: Parable of the Sower, by Octavia Butler

I’ll start the month by reading this book by the amazing author, Octavia Butler. I say amazing because I already read another of her books, Kindred, and loved it. That was a time travel novel. She is known as being the first black female science fiction author, but she didn’t identify as that. Parable of the Sower is post-apocalyptic, something I love to read about, and is the first book in a duology. The other novel is Parable of the Talents. I’m reading this for multiple reasons – first, just because I want to … second, because it fits a 2020 PopSugar Reading Challenge prompt, #32 to read a book by a woman of color … third, because it is my choice of fiction for the Maybe Midrash Readathon.

★★ Christian Art: Finding Divine Inspiration: Working with the Holy Spirit in Your Creativity, by J. Scott McElroy

I’ve been holding onto this book for at least six months now, waiting for the perfect time to read it. That time has come. It is my choice for a book to read for the nonfiction part of the Maybe Midrash Readathon in May 2020.

✓ Fiction: If I Had Your Face, by Frances Cha

I’m reading this for the Asian Readathon this year… prompt: a book written by an Asian. It is doing double-service as a prompt for the 2020 PopSugar Reading Challenge: #36 – A book with a pink cover. I think this cover is amazing and beautiful. Love this shade of pink!

✓ Fiction: Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee

This was recommended by a Booktube friend several times, and I’ve had it on my TBR list because of her. I decided to place it on my list of books to read for the Asian Readathon this year. It is a multi-generational story of a Korean family that eventually immigrates to Japan. I don’t know all the details so I don’t want to say too much too soon – I’ll know more after I read the book, of course. It will also serve for the 2020 PopSugar Reading Challenge prompt #A5: A book set in Japan, host of the 2020 Olympics… sadly, the Olympics were canceled due to the Coronavirus epidemic.

★★ Fiction: The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, by Lisa See

This novel looks so amazing – I love the cover. I’m reading this for the Asian Readathon and it will help with 2020 PopSugar Reading Challenge prompt #19 – A book set in a country beginning with “C”.

★★ Graphic Novel: Everyone’s a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too, by Jomny Sun

This looks like a lot of fun – a graphic novel about an aliebn! It was recommended by an Asian booktuber for the Asian Readathon.

My Bible study books for 2020
A one-year Bible: Pray For America
Two devotionals: Jesus Always, by Sarah Young
Praying Through the Bible for Your Kids, by Nancy Guthrie

My May 2020 Reading Diary

May 1 – What will I read today? Haven’t decided yet. May Day mayday! [Later] I started reading The Parable of the Sower early this morning, and this afternoon read the foreword and introduction to Finding Divine Inspiration.

May 2 – I just finished chapter one of Finding Divine Inspiration and started completing the study guide (workbook) for that chapter – and I feel the Holy Spirit all around me. So blessed!

May 3 – I made a video, but didn’t read much. Watched Dane’s livestream. Here’s the video I made.

May 4 – Today I walked around my property three times. I did some calculations with the help of Google and figured out that if I walk the circumference of this half acre ten times, it would be a mile. I would like to create a walking path, maybe just by walking it frequently. Great exercise for a person staying home due to the coronavirus lock-down. I listened to more of my Parable of the Sower audiobook. I guess I’m in chapter 8 or 9 now. I’m taking notes since I plan to do more book reviews.

May 5 – Today I read another chapter in Finding Divine Inspiration and I’m liking it quite a lot. Also I made a lot of progress in reading Parable of the Sower and am in the second half of the novel now. I made this video last night and it was published this morning. The first in a series.

May 6 – Still making progress with Parable of the Sower. Finished it!

May 7 – Finished Parable of the Sower last night and started If I Had Your Face. So far, it is all about plastic surgery on young faces… something about double eyelids? Naturally I can’t identify. My eyelids are terrible but never did I think about getting my face cut on when I was young. Oh yes, I considered a face life as an old woman, but didn’t do it. Thought the money would be better spent on something else. Also today have been working in the Finding Divine Inspiration study guide.

May 8 – Today I spent time reading one of the books I stalled on last month or the month before – whenever it was – earlier this year – it is Abandoned Parents: The Devil’s Dilemma – I guess I stalled because the whole issue triggers me and I needed to step away for a while – but then I got back to it today with a fresh perspective and finished the main part of the book. I still need to read the Appendix. [Later] – finished reading the whole thing. Now I’m going outside to that hammock in the shade to read another book. [Later still] – well, that was awesome! Reading on a hammock. So cool.. peaceful, relaxing, great place to read. I’m now on page 162 of Ramona. I’d really like to finish reading that novel. Just read a passage about the Señora’s pride, and now am thinking I’ll use this book for 2020 PopSugar Reading Challenge prompt #27 – A book featuring one of the seven deadly sins. Yes, that should work.

May 9 – Spent a few more hours on the hammock in my shady front yard today. It is so pretty out there with the old apple tree, photinia bushes, roses – lots of roses… what a great place to read. Today I read If I Had Your Face. I’m very much enjoying the book which I’d describe as women’s fiction. I don’t know if men would enjoy it as much as women. I just don’t know. Probably depends on the man. On Amazon it is classified as friendship fiction, Asian American literature, and cultural heritage fiction.

May 10 – Happy Mothers Day! Beautiful Sunday!! Finished If I Had Your Face and started reading Pachinko. Nice day. Talked to my sons and daughter. My youngest son spent time with me and assembled a glider bench for me. Thank you!

May 11 – I’m liking Pachinko quite a lot already! I just finished reading chapter three in Finding Divine Inspiration and now am in the study guide looking at some difficult questions to answer. I’m wondering if, for the sake of Maybe Midrash (the readathon) I should forgo the study guide in favor of getting through the book faster, then next month, go back to it. It wouldn’t hurt me to read everything twice. I’m very much learning from and appreciating the book.

May 12 – Published this video today – it is about my progress on Parable of the Sower (finished) and Finding Divine Inspiration (still reading).

May 13 – Published another book disorganization video this morning. Trying to get organized. This evening I researched old magazine articles and found one to read for “May is For Magazines”… it is The Story of an Unfortunate City in the August 1868 issue of the Overland Monthly and Out West Magazine… the story is by Jno. S. Hittell and the magazine was edited by Bret Harte.

May 14 – I got a lot accomplished today but very little reading was done. I filmed and edited another 16 minute book organization video – but in two hours it had only one viewer with no comments and no likes so I figured I probably uploaded it the wrong time of day, I’ve made too many videos lately, close together, and it is too long. Very frustrating. I’ll hold onto it for a few days and upload it later, in the morning and not the afternoon.

May 15 – A friend of mine said she wanted to watch that video so I put it back online this morning. I tried several times this evening to film another video and it was a dismal failure and finally I lost my voice. Ah, well… tomorrow is another day. I’ll try again. I’m enjoying reading Pachinko. Great novel.

May 16 – I had a very interesting day. Made good progress reading Pachinko, had a journal & prayer session with God, and filmed & edited my video about “The Story of an Unfortunate City” by John S. Hittell – an article that was in the August 1868 issue of Overland Monthly. The video will be published in the morning.

May 17 – I’ve been enjoying Pachinko… and according to my Kindle, I’m reading chapter 26 out of 58, so I’m nearly half done. I usually find the second half of a novel easier to read than the first half. It is like, during the first half I’m climbing uphill: getting to know the writing style and characters. During the last half I’m more fully involved with those characters and want to find out what happens to them.

May 18 – Still reading Pachinko and spent some time today researching California history. Also transcribed some pages in one of my very old journals. I’d like to make it all digital then throw the original in the trash at this point. So much verbiage for my children to carry around someday, if I don’t.

May 19 – Busy today and not much reading. I set up my sewing center tables and sewed a little. Mowed the lawn twice after a week of rain. Huge lawn… I can only mow until I’m too tired to continue. Got the side yard done but still have to do 1/4 acre backyard and the front yard. I will mow every day so long as it is still green. This video was published today:

May 21 – Trying so hard to get through Pachinko so I can go on to the last novel in my list for the Asian Readathon. It is a three part book with 21 chapters in part three. Yes, I’m in part three, but have another 17 chapters to read. I hope I can finish reading the novel tonight or tomorrow. Today I painted old food containers to make vases since I left most of my things in Idaho and my garden has an abundance of roses and other flowers.

May 22 – I’ve been filming and editing a video…

May 25 – Filmed this video:

May 26 – Almost to the end of Pachinko now. Seriously, in the penultimate chapter. I started on my home painting project. Since nobody will look at my bedroom closet, I started there. It is now half pink. I will finish it tomorrow. Next, the bedroom, which I don’t sleep in. It will be my “dressing room” for now… and will be dark pink. Here are the colors: Diva Glam and High Maintenance.

May 27 – Finished Pachinko last night and started The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane. I also read a short story, Verity’s Truth, in an anthology I’ve decided to read for a PopSugar Reading Challenge prompt: It’s All in the Story: California: An Anthology of Short Fiction, edited by by D. P. Lyle. More about that next month.

I filmed this writing video last night and published it today. It is about my current work in progress – a memoir.

May 28 – After making my June reading report page for this blog I realized I’m going to need something more to stay on track with my reading this month, especially considering I’ve stalled on five books, and need to finish them while reading the new ones. So I made myself a tracking page. Hard to explain what I mean by that.. so I’ll show you. I’ve made pages like this before, for many reasons. I will fill this out every day, and today I tried it out for the first time.
To continue, on May 28 …. I read one 21-page chapter in Ramona – chapter 14; section 9.4 in Living Beyond Yourself; two pages in Wild Women, Wild Voices; four pages in Creative License; and wrote something on a journal page in the Finding Divine Inspiration study guide. I also started another short story in the California anthology. In the Bible I read/listened to three chapters in the Gospel of John.

May 29 – Errand day, today! I had five places to go to. I saw both of my youngest children while in town. When I had time at home I read another chapter in Ramona and finished reading a short story in the anthology… You Can Bank on the Breeze – a story of modern day financial stress… the struggle is real. Also read page 37 in the Finding Divine Inspiration study guide but was too tired to continue.

May 30 – I’m more than half way through The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane already. It is really, really good. Currently, chapter 11 out of 19.

May 31 – I made this May Wrapup video today.