The Bible tells us that waiting strengthens us. I’m grateful for that. I’m in need of strength. I’m still waiting for my shed to be built. Granted, I am the one who special-ordered the windows that haven’t arrived yet. I know the shed will be built when the time is right. Meanwhile, I can water the garden and read books.
Word of the Month
Probabilities
Bible Verse of the Month
But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.”
– Jesus (John 12:31)
This month’s reading diary is at the bottom of this page, after the book list.
My Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/lindajm
★ – I’m reading it.
✓ – I finished reading it. Yay!
⇗ – Still reading at the end of the month.
⇓ – I did not like it or finish it.
∅ – Stalled – I started but didn’t finish.
I’ve decided to rebrand my YouTube channel. I have several goals in mind. I’ve outgrown the old narrow focus. Plus I’m 70 now and want to celebrate and embrace my age. I’ve renamed the channel… it is now called Eldertalk.
Here’s what I want to read during June
☆ Classic Fiction: Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray
Okay, here we go again – a nice thick old classic. Over 800 pages. Great book for starting out Big Book Summer. I’ve never read this before.
✓ Elderage Fiction: The Woman Who Kept Everything, by Jane Gilley
I usually love reading about older people. Reviews are mixed on this one. Finished: June 2 – Wow… I really loved this novel! On the surface it could be just a nice book about people in their late-seventies and early-eighties. Looking deeper, it is an uplifting novel about finding one’s own strength and taking joy in living. Loved it! Here’s my Goodreads review. Five stars.
☆ Fantasy: The Hollow Hills, by Mary Stewart
I’m part of a Goodreads group reading all the Mary Stewart books in the order they were written. This is the next book, and it is book 2 in her Arthurian Saga. 475 pages.
☆ Cult-Classic Fiction: Ship of the Line, by C.S. Forester
This is our next Hornblower novel – chronologically, #7 out of 11.
✓ Classic Western: The Light of Western Stars, by Zane Grey
I’m joining in on the June on the Range Readathon. It requires one Zane Grey and one Louis L’Amour … and I was already planning on reading this during 2023. Finished: June 16 – honestly, not my favorite, sorry to say. Too much “greaser” and not enough reality. Here’s my review. Three stars.
✓ Classic Western: The Californios, by Louis L’Amour
Here’s my second book for June on the Range. It doubles as a book based in California – another obsession of mine. (California books.) Finished: June 5 – Unexpected: a paranormal western! Here’s my review at Goodreads. Five stars.
✓ Classic Western: Shane, by Jack Schaefer
Recommended by a Texan! I’m reading this for June on the Range – a Booktube thing. Finished: June 12 – Short novel. HUGE impact. Amazing western novel. Here’s my review. Five stars.
✓ Classic Western: The Mark of Zorro, by Johnston McCulley
In case I finish the other books and need another classic western novel to read, I have this one in mind. Originally published in 1919. Set in California. Sounds like my kind of book. Finished: June 24 – Great pulp fiction classic! Here’s my review. Five stars.
✓ Christian Historical Fiction: Heart of Gold, by Robin Lee Hatcher
A nice Christian story to finish up my June on the Range month. Finished: June 29 – Enjoyed greatly. Set in Idaho. My review. Five stars.
★ Christian Historical Romance: The Heart of the Mountains, by Pepper Basham
I’ve been wanting to read more Christian historical fiction for a while now. I meant to read this last month but because I realized it was the second book in a series, I opted to read the first book first.
★ Historical Fiction: Ireland, A Novel, by Frank Delaney
Started this in March to celebrate my Irish heritage. I’ll continue this month. It is long – over 600 pages. It is about a traveling storyteller in Ireland and the stories he tells, and a boy who loves listening to him.
My June 2023 Reading Diary
June 1 – A special day – the day of my youngest son’s birth. Here’s his most recent video. His YouTube channel is called Free to Ride.
I feel like I’m planning to read too many guy-books this month. Hope I don’t keel under with this heavy burden. My heart yearns for lightweight Christian historical fiction intended for women.
June 2 – I’ve done it… I finished a great novel… an unexpected novel that I came across at Audible.com (my main audiobook source.) Loved.This.Novel!!! Of course, I’m 70 and the main character in the novel is 79 at the beginning of the story. I was so inspired by all the strength she found within herself. Here’s my Goodreads review. Five stars.
June 5 – Loved reading The Californios by Louis L’Amour, a paranormal western. Here’s my review at Goodreads. Five stars.
June 9 – I just finished reading The Happy Return – aka: Beat to Quarters – the first Hornblower novel ever written. Not my favorite. Here’s my Goodreads review. Three stars. It was listed on my May page.
June 12 – My grandson’s birthday! He’s a teenager. Today I finished audio-reading Shane – a very impactful western novel. Here’s my review. Five stars.
June 16 – Finished another June on the Range western novel: The Light of Western Stars. I’m not a Zane Grey fan, sorry. Here’s my review. Three stars.
June 20 – Yay! My new creativity shed was built from June 14-17 by The Shed Guys of Central Point, Oregon. Great shed builders!
June 24 – Zorro! I’ve now read the original… The Mark of Zorro. Here’s my review. Five stars.
June 26 – My June on the Range video.
June 29 – A good way to finish the month: Heart of Gold – My review. Five stars.
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