What I've Been Reading - March 2017

Welcome to What I've Been Reading, where I share my (quick and personal) thoughts on what I've been reading this past month. For specifics (plot summary, etc.) about each book, click on the provided links.

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the Endby Atul Gawande (4 stars)

Read this book! It is heartbreaking and a difficult read, (in that it deals with a difficult topic,) but it is such an important read. It lead to a lot of great discussions between me and my husband. I truly believe everyone needs to read this book.

A Fine Gentleman (The Jonquil Brothers #4) by Sarah M. Eden (5 stars)

I love Sarah M. Eden's Regency Romance books. I can't help myself! Her latest release does not disappoint. (Though its cover kind of does!) I've read a lot of authors within this genre and Eden is still, by far, my favorite. If you too love Regency Romance, check out Eden's books. Friends and Foes is the first book in the Jonquil Brothers series and one of my favorite Eden books. (Picture below is linked!)

Homegoing: A novelby Yaa Gyasi (5 stars)

What an amazing debut novel! It has been few weeks since I finished this book and yet I am still thinking about it. The book tells the stories of half-sisters, Effia and Esi, born in Ghana in the 1700's, as well as the stories of their descendants, all seven generations of them. It is beautiful and difficult and inspiring and so much more. I know it is early in the year yet, but if you only read one book this year, read this one.

The Girl You Left Behind: A Novelby Jojo Moyes (3.5 stars)

I feel a little torn in my review of this book. It has two different, but connected storylines. This is where I feel torn. I really enjoyed one storyline, but didn't really enjoy the other. Hence, the 3.5 stars. 4 stars for one storyline. 3 stars for the other. Is it for you? If you like Jojo Moyes, I think you would enjoy it. (MMD Book Club flight book)

A Piece of the World: A Novelby Christina Baker Kline (4 stars)

This book was a surprise "like" for me. It starts a little slow, and, because of this, I found myself struggling to get into it, but quickly gains steam. Close to seventy pages in, I found myself unable to put it down and finished the remaining pages in one sitting. The book is inspired by the life of Christina Olson. She is the real-life woman in Andrew Wyeth's painting, Christina's World. I think if you give this book a try, it might me a surprise "like" for you too. (MMD Book Club pick)

The War That Saved My Lifeby Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (3.5 stars)

This is an excellent companion read to A Piece of the World. I found it to be heartbreaking, but lovely and inspiring. I am strongly encouraging my kids to give this one a try. You should too. (MMD Book Club flight pick)

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creativeby Austin Kleon (3 stars)

This is a fun, quick read. (It took me less than an hour to read the entire book.) I am not an artist by any means, but I found some good takeaways. If you are an artist of any kind, I definitely recommend it. (MMD Book Club flight pick)

Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and Everything in Between)by Lauren Graham (5 stars)

I just loved this memoir! I knew I loved Lauren Graham, (Gilmore Girls and Parenthood are among my all-time favorites!) but now I know why I loved, and still do love, her so much. She is wonderful. If you are a fan, you will definitely love her memoir. It is a lot of fun.

Make sure to check out what Modern Mrs Darcy has been reading lately!