Today I’m joining Anne from Modern Mrs. Darcy to share what I’ve been reading lately.  I’m always looking for book recommendations, and I’d love to hear what’s on your nightstand now.  What are you reading?

Lift by Kelly Corrigan

I listened to uplifting memoir on motherhood this while out for our daily walks. It’s written as a letter from Kelly to her two daughters and it had me doing the Ugly Cry right there on the sidewalk a couple of times. Especially the line that said something along the lines of: “if I had to choose for you to have infertility or cancer, I’d choose cancer.” As a couple who has faced infertility, that really spoke to me.  This is a short, sweet book about Motherhood and how facing trials provides us with the lift we need to improve and better ourselves.

Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence

Interesting non-fiction book about 3 Aboriginal girls who escaped from a detainment school in Australia and walked hundreds of miles back to their home.  (Spoiler: One of them ends up taking the same journey again later in life!) Fascinating look into the history of the native Australian people, their culture and the way they adapted to life when white people came in.

Go Set a Watchman

My sister and I listened to this during our recent cross-country drive.  At first when she suggested that we listen to it I was thrilled. But I immediately started second-guessing myself.  As a huge To Kill a Mockingbird fan, I was so worried it wouldn’t live up to what I wanted it to be. (Like, ridiculously worried. It was almost silly).   I ultimately decided to follow Anne’s advice and just look at it as an entirely different set of characters and a completely different story.  I liked listening to the book (Reese Witherspoon does an incredible job reading the audiobook!).  It was fascinating to compare Harper Lee’s voice in this book compared with To Kill a Mockingbird.  I wanted to find out how the conflict was resolved, but I didn’t end up feeling like very much actually happened.  In the end I’m very glad I decided to look at this book as a writing exercise on Harper Lee’s part; a way for her to develop the beloved characters in Mockingbird, but not necessarily the sequel to one of my all-time favorite books.

Whistling Past the Graveyard

Loved this coming-of-age story about a young girl coming face to face with racism and the heartbreak of a neglectful Mother.  The main character has as strong voice and it’s delightful to see the world through her eyes and join her on this journey.

The Light Between Oceans

Beautifully heartbreaking and at times very difficult to read. As a foster and adoptive Mama I’ve been on both sides of this story. I felt like the author did a tremendous job portraying the feelings of loss and suffering that come with miscarriage and the loss of a child, as well as the feelings a child would experience when taken from the only home she’d ever known.  I still find myself thinking about the characters and wishing I could fix everything for them.

An Irish Country Doctor

This book was a pretty perfect mix between James Herriot and Call the Midwife. I fell in love with the residents of Ballybucklebo and their brilliant town doctors.  This is a fun read, lighthearted with well-developed characters and a lot of humor.  And I just discovered there are 10 more books in the series! (Warning: Some characters have potty-mouths)

Black Beauty

This was a read aloud with my kids.  We all enjoyed it and I loved the conversations it sparked about kindness and fair treatment.