What Are You Reading? National Library Week Edition

I don't know how I would feed my reading addiction if it were not for the library.  Since the beginning of the new year, my stack of reading material has never gone below two books because as one book is finished, another two or three make it onto the stack. The inter-library loan system may hate me.  If a book piques my interest (on another blog, in a catalog, etc.), I promptly put it on hold.  Right now I have five (non-school, non-kid) books scheduled to be picked up.  Eeek! 

My taste is varied, though I'm sure there is a common thread somewhere. 

1. I enjoy well-written Christian fiction.  I was super-excited to read Illusionby Frank Peretti last month.  Thankfully, it was a mostly stay-at-home week because I couldn't put it down and I spent a series of naptimes rushing through the dishes and housework so that I could plop down and read a few more chapters.  I was disappointed, though, when I finished.  Most of his books are allegorical so I was expecting it to all tie together and make sense at the end...but it didn't.  It was more science fiction and sci-fi is not my thing! 


I also read The Scent of Cherry Blossomsby Cindy Woodsmall.  It was good but not great.  I loved Cindy's first series, the Sisters of the Quilt trilogy which had a compelling, heart-rending tragedy and a powerful love story, but her books following the trilogy have been too fluffy and shallow for my taste. 

I'm first on the hold list to get Beverly Lewis's latest, The Fiddler which came out yesterday.  I'm hoping "my" copy will be ready the next time I go into the library.

2.  I like a good mystery.  I feel a little silly saying this, but I've been a Mary Higgins Clark fan since high school.  With the exception of a book or two, I've read everything she's written.  I finished her newest book, The Lost Yearson Monday night.  I was a little hesitant when I saw that there was a sub-plot which deals with supposed ancient church documents (à la The Da Vinci Code), but the book is mainly a old-fashioned whodunit. As a mom, I also like that her books always include short chapters so I can read in spurts between diaper changes and meal cooking!  This book had 84 chapters in less than 300 pages. 

3.  I have always been fascinated by medical information.  When I was a teenager, I used to read our medical reference book.  As a mom, I do my own medical research before I even consider calling the doctor.  (I've correctly diagnosed Fifth's disease, ear infections, plantar erythema nodosum, and roseola, but I missed the mark when Maddie had pneumonia.)  

I read The Pregnancy Project: A Memoir by Gaby Rodriguez in February.  It is the true story of a teenager who faked her own pregnancy for a school project.  It was interesting, but the writing was only so-so.  The book was supposed to be inspiring, but I found it a little depressing. 

I'm excited to begin How Not to Die: Surprising Lessons from America's Favorite Medical Examiner by Dr. Jan Garavaglia  which is on my to-read list.  I've already thumbed through the book and can't wait to get started.  I'm also going to read Doctor of the Heart, the autobiography of Dr. Isador Rosenfeld.


4. A bit of devotional, apologetic,  and general non-fiction makes its way into my book stack. I am slowly reading through Keep a Quiet Heart by Elisabeth Elliot for the third time.  It is so moving and so deep and so rich.  Written in short 1-2 page sections, it is doable, even for the busy mom of little ones. 

We've enjoyed The Answers Book for Kids by Ken Ham as a family.  Our library doesn't have the adult version, but they do have the teen version so I'm planning to read that one myself.  (It's in my bed-side stack, too.)

Right after Christmas I read Growing Up Amish by Ira Wagler so I was excited to see another real-life Amish story in the library...and added Why I Left the Amish by Saloma Miller Furlong to my never-ending book list. I started reading it last night and so far, it is dark and disturbing.  It does not paint an idyllic picture of Amish home-life.

In March I  read The Vow, the true story of the couple who inspired the movie.  The book was good (not great), but I've heard the movie's plot is vastly different than the real-life story...and not in a good way.

The only book I read recently that did not come from the library (but was borrowed from my friend, Allyson, instead) was Don't Make Me Come Up There by blogger, Kristen Welch.  It's another great mom read because it consists of 52 short, devotional-style chapters.  It's funny, too! 

5.  I enjoy juvenile fiction as much as my children!  We finished the 6-book Henry and Ribsy series last week and I was just as hooked as the kids.  Brian has not been able to join us for dinner many nights in the past few weeks so I've been reading a chapter at the table after we finish eating. We've found that Beverly Cleary's book are captivating even to kids with short attention spans.  After a short break to read a book from the  Sugar Creek Gang series, we are going to read through some of Beverly Cleary's independent novels.  (A couple are for older children and a couple deal with divorce so we'll skip those.)

Still there?  What have your read lately...or what is on your to-be-read list? 

*this post included affiliate links