Flipping a few pages

Life as we know it is changing because of Covid. What will it look like after this is all over? It’s hard to say while we’re waiting for the changes to get cemented and trying to find new and old things to do or try. It’s easy to turn on Netflix and binge a series. It’s hard to go through an entire room and find what can be gotten rid of. Our schedules are freer but we’re not free like normal and have to find other things to do than what we normally do.

One thing I have enjoyed about doing social distancing is working remotely. I had done it previously for over a year and I loved it! When I took a new position, it meant I would be in the office. That meant I couldn’t have my music or an audiobooks on in the background. I use headphones some at work but I don’t like having them in my ears all day long.

Since I can work remotely again, audiobooks are on the come back and reading in general. I’ve listened to 3 books so far because I haven’t had a lot of time or the attention span to work and listen to a book at the same time. I’ve missed having the option for audiobooks while I’m working in the office since they’re more distracting somehow. But when I’m working at home they’re background noise I can focus with and to.

One of the books I’ve read is The Night Bird by Brian Freeman. I read and listened to this book. I enjoyed the book and liked the suspense of trying to figure out who was the murderer. This wasn’t a book that I read at night and it was a book I needed to pay attention to the details in order to understand what was happening. There were moments where what the murderer sent to different characters creeped me out. I thought I had the book figured out about two thirds of the way through though I thought it was too easy. It was but the connections that explained the reasons were compelling and complete. I didn’t feel at a lose with how this book ended though I am curious what happens in the next book in the series (even though I don’t feel a strong need to read it).

Another book I’ve read is The Vine Witch by Luanne G Smith. This book was so fun to read! I enjoyed the fairy tale aspects of the story - the mythology, the characters, the imperfections of the stories world. I read this book in two days. It was fast and easy but I also couldn’t figure out what was happening until almost the end of the story. I felt for the characters as they tried to solve the problems the vineyard faced. Science and magic meet beautifully in the story and compliment each other.

Currently I’m listening to and reading The First Girl Child by Amy Harmon. I’ve done a fair amount of reading on this book too. I’ve really enjoyed how the story has been built. There are so many characters whose perspectives you need in order to understand what’s happening with the story. I think I know how this story will end but I love the escape of being able to go somewhere else with other problems that must be solved. This world is broken and trying to recover but man hasn’t helped solve the problem as they should. Love and respect are missing from the relationships between men and women in this world but I think as the story continues, it will help reinforce those two aspects so the world can heal.

I have a lot more books to read and listen to from my list but it’s a start. I made it a goal this year to read 50 books. I’m a fifth of the way there and excited to see what the next book will bring.

Have you read any books or have you found it hard to read anything? Do you like audiobooks or can you not listen to them?