What are you reading, Jamie Jones?

My name is Jamie Jones. I am a wife, mother, trial lawyer, and avid reader. I am a partner with Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP. When I am not working or reading, my husband, David, and I spent a lot of time forcing our 11 year old daughter, Arden, to play board games she finds “intolerable.” (She really loves it, I promise!)

I’ve noticed that you post a lot of book reviews, how many books do you read in an average month?

Until this year, I had not kept track of just how many books I was reading. A lot of friends and acquaintances asked me for book recommendations, so I started posting on social media my book reviews (search Instagram for “jjreadsalot”). That has helped me track what I am reading, which is also useful for me not accidently picking up a book I have already read. I read, on average, about 15 books a month for fun.

What are you reading (now, just finished, lined up to start soon)? If you’ve finished it, what’s your favorite part (no spoilers!)?

I just finished reading Verity by Colleen Hoover yesterday. If you read reviews of it, people love it and compare it to Hitchcock in a book. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy it, so I will say my favorite part was when I flipped the last page. Just goes to show you that we all have different taste! Up next, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan, The Memory of Time by C.H. Lawler, The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore, and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson.

What is your favorite memory of reading as a child?
I have always been an reader. For me, reading was an escape and showed me that there was a whole world that existed beyond my small one. It enabled me to imagine a world where I could become a trial lawyer when I did not know any. My favorite book when I was a child was The Secret Garden, because what is more magical than a garden about which only you and friends are aware?

What was/is your favorite book for children? Why?
My go-to gift is Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls because it opens a magical door to all sorts of fearless women accomplishing art, science, math, law, policy, and I want our girls (and boys) to grow up seeing a world where a woman belongs in every room imaginable.

Do you have a random literary-related story that you love to tell?
In high school and college, I read every book by Richard North Patterson, whose books can be considered legal thrillers. Fast forward to 2003 in law school where I was managing editor of the Kansas Law Review. We published a piece by Mr. Patterson, and I was tasked with editing him and speaking with him through the process. To say it was daunting to edit one of my favorite authors is an understatement! My first conversation with him, I had to physically bite my tongue to stop myself from going fan girl on him and gushing about how much his books had inspired me. Of course, there was very little editing I had to do as he was a superbly great author to work with. This was a relief as it would have crushed me if he had been a jerk.

Book Hot Takes:
Physical/ digital/ or audio?
I generally prefer to physically hold a book and read it. (I read faster than I can listen to an audio book). However, there are some exceptions where the audio is preferred, usually when the author is reading it. Examples include David Sedaris (Calypso is laugh out loud!) and Broken Horses by Brandi Carlisle (She sings! She sings!).
Do you judge a book by its cover?
I love a good suspenseful cover.
Read for business or pleasure?
Both. Thankfully, I never tire of reading!