Flowers! So exciting! After a heavy-snow winter these lovely pink flowers are making me very, very happy. They are blooming from a Redbud tree that burned in the forest fire, then was cut down two years ago.
Word of the Month
Renewal
Bible Verse of the Month
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”
– Jesus (John 3:3)
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.
May… oh, I’m so happy to say I’ll be having a shed built this month. Before the forest fire two years ago I had a nice shed with lots of shelving and a good workbench space. I decided to get one similar to that. It will be built later this month by shed builders from Oregon. I will be using it as an art studio and for making videos, and for storage. I’ll have all my books in there except the ones I’m reading. I’m really looking forward to that… having them out of boxes and on shelves!
New-to-me books I want to read this month
✓ Christian Historical Romance: Laurel’s Dream, by Pepper Basham
I started to read this book under this one and after two chapters realized it was second in a series. I stopped immediately, and went in search of book one. This one. So I’m reading it first. I have a habit of wanting to read series novels in order. Finished: May 16 – awesome novel… Here’s 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’m taking a break from my pursuit of classics to do some mood reading this month.
✓ Christian Historical Fiction: All Through the Night, by Tara Johnson
Recommended by a Booktube friend. Finished: May 10 – Great novel, if you like Christian romance.. in a historical setting. This one takes place in Washington DC during the Civil War. Here’s my review. Five stars.
The author discusses All Through the Night… her inspiration…
✓ Historical Fiction: How We Disappeared, by Jing-Jing Lee
I’m still reading some international literature for my “Around the World” challenge this year. This book is set in Singapore, as I understand it. Finished: May 3 – This was such a great book… I audio-read it in only a day. Here’s my review. Five stars.
✓ Travel Biography: The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America , by Elizabeth Letts
I’ve had my eye on this book for months now. I kept applying for free review copies but never got chosen for one. So, I bought the audiobook version. Really looking forward to audio-reading this. Finished: May 6 – What a great (true) story. Loved it. Here’s my review. Five stars.
✓ Christian Historical Romance: An Uncommon Woman, by Laura Frantz
Finished: May 20 – I very much enjoyed this novel, written in USA 1770 dialect. Great audiobook narration! Here’s my review. Five stars.
★ Biographical Captivity Narrative: The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman, by Margot Mifflin
The Oatman family was attacked and most were killed by Yavapai warriors in 1851. Three children survived. Olive and her younger sister, Mary Ann, were kidnapped to be slaves. An older brother, Lorenzo, was injured and left for dead, but he in fact survived. This happened about 100 miles east of Yuma, Arizona. Finished: May 22 – Such a sad story! But it is true. The Oatman family was attacked about 100 miles from their destination after crossing the country in a wagon train from Illinois, heading toward Yuma, Arizona. The last 80 miles of the trip the family traveled alone. Here’s my review, which explains more. Five stars.
★ Cult-Classic: The Happy Return, by C.S. Forester
This month’s Hornblower. This is #6 in an 11 book series. Alternate title: Break to Quarters.
∅ Art: An Eye for Art: Focusing on Great Artists and Their Work, by National Gallery of Art
Ostensibly for children, but a great reading experience for adults!! Take my word for it. Lots of paintings and great sensible information. Soft DNF – I enjoyed what I read of this book but had borrowed it from Overdrive, and had to return it. I may get it again and read more.
Still reading, since last month
✓ Christian Writing: How to Journal With God, by AmyLu Riley
This is a short Kindle book focused on Christian journaling including communication with God and journal prompts. Finished: May 1 – My review. Four stars. Excellent information, but short, and I probably won’t reread it. Much appreciated however!
✓ Cult-Classic: Hornblower and the Crisis, by CS Forester
Last month’s second Hornblower. Book five in the series, chronologically speaking. The last book the author wrote. Finished: May 2 – I liked the story, what there was of it. Here’s my review. Five stars.
★ 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 – and I’m not even to page 100 yet. It is an interesting story about a traveling storyteller in Ireland and the stories he tells, and a boy who loves listening to him.
✓ Historical Fiction: Medieval Woman: Village Life in the Middle Ages, by Ann Baer
What was it like to live in a Medieval village? This book is fiction but is intended as a great learning experience. Finished: May 4 – I enjoyed learning about a year in Marion’s life. Here’s my review on Goodreads. Five stars.
★ History: Lifting the Veil on The Lost Continent of Mu, the Motherland of Men, by Jack Churchward, great-grandson of James Churchward
The entire original James Churchward text about Mu is contained in this book. This is novel research, and I’m reading it for Historathon 2023!
Here’s where I’m keeping notes on this book and my research on it: The Continent of Mu: history or fantasy?
So far I’m really interested in what I’m reading here. I’ve always had an interest in ancient archeology. I don’t make time to read this book very often but when I do, I enjoy learning from it.
⇗★ Christian Nonfiction: The Power of Praying For Your Adult Children, by Stormie Omartian
Still reading. I’m loving and appreciating it – and at the same time am having a hard time making time for it and getting through it. I’ve read other of her books and done so quickly but for some reason this one is a bit of a slog for me. It could be in part that she writes about things I should have done as a parent and at this point it is way too late – my kids are all age 30 and older. I wasn’t a Christian when they were young.
★ Christian: Clinging to Hope, by Charles R. Swindoll
My current Netgalley read. This is a nice book but it is kind of a slog for me as right now I’m not too excited about all my Christian nonfiction these days. I’d read it faster if I had an audiobook version but no, I’m reading a Kindle version and just not getting to it very often.
My May 2023 Reading Diary
May 1 – May Day. I wanted a little journaling inspiration so I read How to Journal With God. Here’s my Goodreads review. Four stars. Nice book but I dropped to four stars from five because it is a short “how to” book… really very nicely written, however.
May 2 – Finished a Hornblower novel. Here’s my review. Five stars. Also – I wrote Rainy Day Notes on my Linda’s Life blog.
May 3 – Finished audio-reading a WWII novel: Why We Disappeared. Here’s my review. Five stars.
May 4 – I finished reading a novel I was reading for Historathon 2023… Medieval Woman: Village Life in the Middle Ages – Here’s my review on Goodreads. Five stars.
May 6 – Fantastic book: The Ride of Her Life – just finished. Here’s my review. Five stars.
May 10 – I’m doing a lot of mood reading this month. Great Fun. Today finished All Through the Night – a Christian historical romance novel. Here’s my review. Five stars.
May 15 – Just cruising along through this month. Haven’t finished a book in 5 days now. Today I rebranded my video channel. I’m slanting it toward older people now. Why? Because most younger people ignore me anyhow so I’m tired of trying to fit in with them. I comment on their channels and they don’t reciprocate by commenting on mine. It seems like a one-way relationship only – one that I no longer want to try to maintain. Like, if they want to be friends, let me know! I’d be open about that. But no, they don’t seem to care that I’m trying to grow my channel too. So I figured that if my AGE is what’s keeping them from showing any interest in me, that’s what I need to EMBRACE. I’m embracing my AGE and so excited about getting on with this new chapter of my life. I’m also expanding the scope of the channel to include a lot more than just books, though books will continue to be a focus as reading is something I often do. Look for my new videos to appear next month, after my video-making shed is built. Oh, I might do one before that… we’ll see. Anyhow, the new channel name is ELDERTALK . . . https://youtube.com/@eldertalk … I’m having so much fun planning this upcoming venture!
May 16 – I finished reading Laurel’s Dream. I’m very impressed with Pepper Basham’s ability to write interesting and compelling historical fiction for Christians. Here’s my review. Five stars.
May 20 – I finished reading An Uncommon Woman by Laura Frantz. This is the first of her books I’ve read, but probably won’t be the last. Here’s my review. Five stars.
May 22 – A biography worth reading… finished today: The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman. Here’s my review, which explains more. Five stars.
May 29 – I finally published this:
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