March Reading

I’m wrapping up another month of reading today. I was quite surprised to find that I ended up reading 4 books in March . . . 3 of them were at the very beginning of the month and 1 at the very end with quite a gap in between, so it hardly felt like I had read much this month at all. Here’s the rundown:

The Invention of Wings (Sue Monk Kidd) The story of Hetty Grimke, a young slave in Charleston, and Sarah Grimke, a daughter of the family who owns Hetty. The book follows both girls as they grow up, showing Hetty’s difficult life and Sarah’s abolitionist/women’s rights efforts. I liked it well enough, but it never really grabbed me the way it seemed to grab so many other readers. I liked Hetty and her story/voice, but I thought Sarah seemed inconsistent—I never grew to like her character, despite the good she was doing. I give it 3/5 stars.

Me Before You (Jojo Moyes) In a moment of unemployed desperation, Louisa takes a job caring for Will, a bossy, critical, unhappy quadriplegic who hasn’t come to terms with the limits of his life after an accident left him in a wheelchair. This was a good one . . . thoughtful, funny, and sweet. I accidentally read a few spoilers which made the ending less impactful than it probably would have been otherwise, but still a good read. I think this would be a great book club read. 3.5/5 stars.

Out of My Mind (Sharon M. Draper) I absolutely loved this one. It is told by 11-year old Melody, an extremely intelligent girl who has cerebral palsy, which keeps her stuck in a wheelchair, unable to use her body or even speak. Everyone has always assumed she can’t think or learn, until she finally finds a way to use a voice. I thought it was wonderful—so insightful and charming and thought-provoking. I will definitely make sure my kids read this book when they are older—I think any child would benefit from reading it and learning about what it might be like to face the difficulties someone like Melody lives with every day. 5/5 stars.

Notes From the Midnight Driver (Jorden Sonnenblick) When 16-year old Alex makes an ill-conceived attempt at getting revenge on his father for deserting the family, he instead ends up in a courtroom, being assigned as a volunteer for a grumpy old man in a home. They become a pair of unlikely friends as Solomon helps Alex deal with his past and troubles. A fast, funny read with a fantastically authentic YA voice. I’d give it 3.5/5 stars.

You can find me on Goodreads if you’d like to keep up with my reading there, and hey, while we’re connecting, feel free to like my facebook page and follow me on twitter and instagram if you’d like, too!

What did you read this month? Any recommendations for me?