Reading in My Spare Time

Time to catch up on what I have been reading lately.   Sitting in the hospital, staying with Agnes and watching her sleep and rest, riding in the car...all opportunities to read.

First up - Jodi Piccoult's new book, Small Great Things. This is the first of her books I have read (gasp!).  Since I really enjoyed it, I will be reading more of her work.  I became interested in this one after talking to Rae Jeanne French in the aisle of Krogers one day a month or so ago.  She and Chad had been camping and she had it on her Kindle, but left the charger at home, which spun into a story involving buying a hard copy and gifts of books to Emily and Maxine.  I was intrigued.  After checking Barnes and Noble and Amazon and Target, I decided to check it out on Overdrive so I didn't have the added expense and yet another book sitting on the bookshelf.  Verdict - I loved it!  It was full of thought-provoking dialogue and events which would be great discussion points in a book club or even with a few friends.  Rae suggested lunch one day so she and I could talk about it.

Second - I like John Grisham and had heard or read something about his book  Rogue Lawyer.  This one I really enjoyed as well.  At first I was disappointed when I looked at the Table of Contents because there seemed to be separate stories; however, they all intertwined with each other.  Or at least the main character kept them intertwined since he was the common denominator! IAs I started a new section, I was immediately captured by the new story, which is something Grisham usually is able to do with his writing.  I was a little disappointed at the end because I felt like I was left hanging with some of the stories.  What happened with the crazy guy who popped in and out and knew about the white slavery ring?  What about the mafia guy who escaped from the prison just before he was to be executed? Maybe Grisham was keeping the door open for another novel using one of those characters whose stories were still open.  Time will tell!

Third - Picking up another book by the same author as one I just finished usually doesn't happen.  I am often ready for a different style, something in a different format with a different focus.  But I also had read a few comments from reviewers about Grisham's new book, The Whistler, so I checked it out on Overdrive also.  This one I was disappointed in.  The plot seemed to move so slowly.  I wanted it to just get on with it instead of the snail's pace it had adopted.  I have to admit that I skimmed through the final chapters because I was just tired of reading it.  Maybe if I had read something else between Rogue Lawyers and this one, I would have had a different reaction. Lesson learned, I guess.

Fourth - Online Bible Study.  At first I was hesitant to start this study because of Agnes, because of the holidays, just because I feared I would not have time. I ordered the book from Amazon and when it arrived and I flipped through it, I was a little leery of the format, especially the section with spaces for responses.  I never do well with that.  However, this study has been a pleasant surprise.  The title is Wait and See and it was written by Wendy Pope of Proverbs 31 ministries. Once again I was reading while sitting with Agnes.  One morning I sat at the kitchen table and worked on the first chapters which really spoke to me.  Considering the situation I was in at the time, sitting with my mother-in-law while she was in the last stages of her battle with bladder cancer, the "wait" explanation was very timely. (pun intended!).  Then I read about humility the next day.   And as the reading continued, the growth in my need to become more Christ-like was evident.  Last week I was sitting downstairs while Gary was upstairs at the podiatrist appointment with my Wait and See book and using my phone for the Bible readings.  As our life is changing following Agnes' death in that we no longer need to check on her daily, pick up her medicine, or pick up groceries for her, I feel the need for the focus on three things in Chapter 5:  prayer, power of the word, and praise.  This ties in also with Jim's homework assignment from last Sunday. Journaling a note of thankfulness (praise) and praying with a focus on our blessings (prayer and praise).   How cool is that?

Fifth and finally - Because of Bethlehem by Max Lucado.  I picked this up at the Barnes and Noble book fair the other day. I put it down, then regretted not buying it.  Amazon was my friend, and I ordered it and it was delivered two days later.  Reading before I go to sleep is a favorite thing to do for me, and this book is perfect.  I am learning so much about the Bible, about the Christmas story, and about my Christian life from just the few chapters I have read so far.  Max Lucado's style is easy to read and understand, and I am enjoying his casual tone plus the real-life examples he includes.  I was considering ordering more copies for gifts, but since they will be given at Christmas, not before, the timeliness might be off.  Still thinking about that....

 That's all for now!  I have several books on Overdrive (gee!  I am so glad I re-connected with that!) that I need to start on, but I also have decorating, cleaning, and catching up to do here at home.  We shall see. You can't keep a good book away from me!