It’s time for another episode of What I’m Reading here on It’s Just Life. Aren’t you excited? I usually have at least 3 books that I am reading at the same time. One on my Kindle, one physical book and one audio book. Each one has its place and no — I don’t get mixed up. It just works for me. So what have I been reading or what’s up next? Here we go.

First up was a book club choice for my fabulous Gola Book Club here in Connestee. I love this group of women and we alternate choosing books that we read monthly. We usually meet in each other’s homes and have a lively discussion and yes – we really do discuss the books. But we have developed a bond that has surpassed the book club and we truly care about one another and are there for each other. Lovely when that happens.

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Our book this past month was The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. We are reading James by Percival Everett next month and wanted to have the background for that.

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So what did I think of Huckleberry Finn? I know I read it as a grade school or middle school student and it was not one that I have picked up since then. It was a bit difficult for me to get into so I switched to listening to an audio book and that helped immensely to have someone else read and hear the dialects. While I hated hearing some of the hateful words repeated and repeated, I tried to get past that and take the book for the time period it was written and appreciate Mark Twain’s humor and ability to address real life issues in a somewhat humorous way. I enjoyed it but I doubt it is one that I will ever read again.

Books I have finished in the past week or so include the following.

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Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall is a love story and a bit more. This one has gotten a lot of publicity because it was a Reece Witherspoon book club book and it lived up to the hype. I loved the characters and while it was a love story, it also had a bit of mystery to it. The characters were well developed and even if it was a little predictable at times it was a lovely book.

Loved, loved, loved The Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy. This is one of those books that pulls you in and Denny is a wonderful character. The description offered is this:  a man who is defined by his limitations sets out to fight a murder charge—and discovers unexpected truths about himself, his family, and the world at large. It is a complex book about a man with a developmental delay, a dog named George and an escapade with a goose named Tom Hanks. It truly is one of those books that makes you smile on every page. The writing is lovely and it is a heart felt read.

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I always love a good Beach Read and Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey fit the bill as author Kristy Woodson Harvey always delivers. Her southern charm and fun writing style always lends itself to a great book and this one was no different. I loved the story and the concept of the Momune where a group of women and children lived together and shared life together for as long as they needed to for a variety of reasons. Definitely a light read and just the book to offset Huckleberry Finn.

So what is on my To Be Read List ? Currently I am reading The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram which was a Book of the Month choice. It is a fun lighthearted read so far and I am enjoying it.

Another book that I have just started is by a local author Katherine Scott Crawford – The Miniaturist’s Assistant. I went to an author event at our library where Katie spoke and did a presentation and I learned a lot about miniatures that I had no idea about so this historical novel is going to be fun to read. I love the local connection and Katie leads book club sessions at Highland Books occasionally so I feel like she is part of the family.

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So tell me, what are you reading today? I would love to hear about it so leave me a comment and Comment for a Cause for Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Month.