Goodness I'm reading A Lot! {more random reading updates}

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a bit of pocket change if you buy things after using one of my links. It doesn't cost you a thing. Let me know if you have questions!

My husband was out of the country for three weeks. After the exhaustive game of wrangling children all day, I tended to fall right into bed. I figured I'd binge watch all the TV I missed last year. Instead I did nothing but read. It made for lots of reading in three weeks!

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Wonder is a great read for 4th grade and up. Yet, its still a compelling and though provoking story for adults as well. Auggie was born with significant facial abnormalities. The story that unfolds is about the consequence of our words and actions, the power of friendship, and the wide reaching consequences our families have on each of us. I honestly think it's a book I'll read again along with my daughter when she hits pre-teendom. It's a fantastic way to discuss differences, kindness, and the joys of good friendships.

The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

This book is totally outside of my wheelhouse and I honestly have no clue what led me to pick it up. The Luckiest Girl Alive is a bit of a chick lit thriller. Basically it tells the story in flash backs of a high school girl who survived a mass shooting. It wasn't particularly compelling or interesting. I know many have loved this book but I wasn't one of them.

The Fifth Wave by Ricky Yancey

The Infinite Sea by Ricky Yancey

 

The Last Star by Rick Yancey

I read The 5th Wave Trilogy based on the trailer for the movie. It's a dystopian YA novel, which was right up my alley. It even added alines, which led me to believe it was a book I could share with my husband. To me, the series dwindled as the books progressed. I was engrossed in the first book and by the third I was reading just to say I finished it. The initial twists and turns that were so surprising gave way to what felt like a simplistic story about revenge. If you like the genre, I think its worth a read. If you're not usually a fan, then I would look elsewhere.

 

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

I read The Year of Magical Thinking for work. Gotta love getting paid to read. As the Bereavement Coordinator for a pediatric hospice, I am working on compiling a book list to share with families. My hopes is that it is comprised of both clinical knowledge as well as stories they can identify with. Joan Didion's adult daughter spent a year battling a life threatening illness after what they thought was the flu. During this time, Joan's husband died suddenly. She goes on to share the delusional, grandiose, and magical thinking that guided her year. It was a raw, honest read about how grief can turn an intelligent, highly functioning individual into one who clings to fairy tales. 

The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes

My best friend recommended The Girl You Left Behind. I'm having trouble hunting it down (silly library), so I read The Ship of Brides as a stop gap. I loved this fun read.Moyes was inspired to write this book based on her grandmother's experience of being a War Bride. It is a fictionalized account of Australian War Brides being transported to England on a functioning air craft carrier (which really happened!). The novel flows in and out of the consciousness of multiple storytellers. As a result, it can be a bit Tolstoy-seque in figuring out who is talking. But it is a fun, sweet read about an event I knew nothing about.

I've already finished The Cursed Child and I've nearly wrapped up The Last Letter from Your Lover. Someone give me something to read!