Quick Lit: What I've Been Reading Lately

I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy for this month's quick lit, where I share short and sweet reviews of a few books I've read in the past month. You can also find me over at Goodreads if you are interested in other books I've read or reviewed.

"Wild in the Hollow" by Amber C. Haines. Haines shares poetically and candidly about her brokenness and her longing for home. Her writing is gut-wrenching and honest. I really appreciated reading her journey through her trials, failings, and eventually finding a place to call home. There was something in her writing that really seemed to connect on a soul level. This book was a true gift to read!





"The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin. While pondering the idea of happiness, Rubin decided to take a year to improve her happiness level. Tackling one area per month, she covered things like meditation, clutter, exercise, and marriage. The idea behind the project was an interesting one, but I found myself getting bored and eager for the end. I didn't find a whole lot of eye-opening insights, but there were some good refreshers about ways to infuse more happiness into my own life.




"The Forgotten Garden" by Kate Morton. I've really been on a Kate Morton kick ever since I read "The Secret Keeper" last summer. This was another brilliant offering by her. In this novel, a young girl is abandoned on a ship to Australia in 1913. She is adopted by the dockmaster and told the truth about her adoption on her 21st birthday. She is then set on a journey to discover the truth about her early years, which is carried on by her granddaughter. I loved this story and am eager to pick up another one by Morton.




"Desperate" by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson. This was a re-read for me and I loved it just as much the second time through. Mae and Clarkson tag team the writing. Mae, a mom of three young children, writes out of her current experience; Clarkson, a mom of four grown children, writes from the years of experience she has garnered. There are 14 chapters, each one addressing a different aspect of motherhood. Topics include sin, selfishness, housework, purpose, and needing a mentor. It is a wonderful book to go through on your own, or for a group to go through, or even for a couple of women to read through. There is much to discuss and process and all of it is good, solid material. "Desperate" is a must-read for every mom!


"Teaching From Rest" by Sarah Mackenzie. I have become a fan of Mackenzie's through her work on the Read Aloud Revival. My kids attend our local public school, but I am exploring the possibility of homeschooling my kids at some point down the road. This book has been a great resource for mulling over what it would mean to me and my family to adopt homeschooling. I've appreciated her insights and advice. This is a great resource for homeschooling families and those who are exploring the future possibilities.



"The Sweetness of Forgetting" by Kristin Harmel. In this stirring novel, Hope McKenna-Smith moves back home to Cape Cod following her divorce in order to take over the running of her family bakery. Her French-born grandmother suffers from Alzheimer's disease, but manages to share a mysterious secret in a moment of clarity. With very little to go on, Hope embarks on a journey to find out the truth about her grandmother's past and her family origins. This is a beautiful story with plenty of twists and turns.