2012 Library

So I skipped the monthly bookshelf this year as my reading was all over the place and sometimes I was reading three books at once, sometimes I was writing my own and sometimes weeks went by where I didn't open anything. Having a look back, it's a bit ironic that there are 12 books on this list, so I suppose no matter what factors are going on, reading one-book-a-month is still part of my life. I realize that seems like nothing to some who read a book-a-week (or even day), but to me, a working mom who has an adorable husband with an innate desire to be super social every spare second he gets, I'm glad that books are still my dear friends. So what joined the library this year?

#1 - Love Wins - Rob Bell

Read it. Loved it. Bought a million copies for everyone I know. Wish everyone in the world would read it. Amidst the massive amounts of controversy surrounding this book, I obviously was attracted to the mystery. What would get so many people upset about in a book? What would cause people to write rebuffle books and create hate groups surrounding this book? What would be something that God wants so badly for people to hear that the devil tries every single thing in his arsenal to prevent this book from spreading? Few things make me as angry as Christians who boycott or stand on a pedestal in judgement over something (or someone) they have not even bothered to read or research. It's just annoying noise and it's embarrassing. I don't want to be associated with anyone like that and I honestly have rid myself of certain friendships over this very idea. I'm not saying you have to like it or agree with it or even read it. However, if you choose not to read it, you give up your right to have an opinion about it.
I read it. I loved it. I advocate it.

#2 - On Becoming Baby Wise - Gary Ezzo

Hello, we did have a baby this year! Being new parents, it's an understatement to say it's completely overwhelming to see the amount of baby books and parenting philosophies out there. So, what did we do? We asked some very dear parents around us and got opinions about which direction we should take. Baby Wise was recommended by tons of people who have amazing kids and families and morals and boundaries...we gave it a shot. That shot landed directly on target. I loved this book. It was SHORT! woohoo! A new mama needs an easy read. It was PRACTICAL. It gave me practical ideas to implement in every stage of Bina's early weeks. It WORKED! There were things in the book that I sort of raised my eyebrows at and thought 'yeah right, maybe if your kid is super passive and calm that might work'...but we tried it anyway, and it worked. Bina was sleeping through the night after only a few months, she was on a great schedule so we could go places, see people, enjoy life as we know it without any tantrums or surprises. She was eating solids at 4 months and growing, learning, developing, and a super healthy baby...and I do credit the techniques from the book. It's written by a Christian who wants families to succeed and be happy together on the same page. We decided from the beginning that we didn't want to change our life for Bina. We love our life and the adventure it is, and we wanted to bring Bina along to enjoy it with us. That's what we've done and we haven't looked back. It's been a marvelous journey.

#3 - Save Our Sleep - Tizzie Hall

So we read a few baby books along the way. I think it's wise to get alternative opinions and do what works best for you and your family. I'll be honest, I had about 10 books, 5 of which I shut and will never re-open. Not all books are good or valuable. Baby Wise sort of ended with Bina sleeping through the night and being on a great schedule, great for newborn-to-baby phase. But there was the in-between moments of baby-to-crawling-baby phase. I didn't read this cover-to-cover, but borrowed it from a friend who loved it. I jumped to the stage Bina was already at and again had some really great practical techniques and advice which worked overnight. Love it or hate it, no one sells millions of copies of a book that doesn't have something to offer.



#4 - On Becoming Baby Wise 2 - Gary Ezzo

Hooray, we made it to the 9+ month stage where things make more sense. This book comes into play right now and is a very valuable resource. It's only about half the size of the first book, BONUS! Seriously loving short, practical books right now. It's great about implementing the high-chair rules and teaching your child right from wrong rather than letting her discover things on her own in a negative manner. Setting boundaries from a very young age creates stability and security in Bina's life, and it sets the expectations as part of her life rather than waiting until she's at an 'appropriate' age and all of a sudden trying to implement new boundaries. Who needs to set themselves up for future failure...we'll start now. I love teaching Bina new things and this book helps me do it in a loving and directed manner.

#5-7 - The Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins

Yep. You read it right. I'm a huge sucker for young-adult fiction and totally jumped on the band-wagon. Loved it. Saw the movie too! I need to veg my brain out sometimes and these kind of books are perfect for that! Because they're geared at a younger audience, I don't have to worry about some ugly sex scene or violence that I don't want my brain engaging in...rather I can still have the fictional adventure and imagine a new world and a new story, without the adult content staining it. These books were perfect during those first couple of months with the late-night feeds and lack-of-sleep days. I needed a book that would make me excited to get out of bed, and these were the perfect solution.



#8 - The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

So I skipped Gone with the Wind this year and exchanged it for another classic that I found in the $5 bin at the bookstore. So good. I love classics...and I may have needed a bit more literary thought and vocabulary after the above trilogy...so classics are a great way to travel back-in-time and enjoy a fabulous tale with adult conversation but without the adult content. Perfect for a rainy long weekend or a cabin on a lake.







#9 - Crazy Love - Francis Chan

I've had this book on my shelf for years, collecting dust. Sometimes there are books I really want to read, but know they're going to challenge me or make me think and it seems like too much effort. I thought that would be this book. We started doing Chan's youtube snippets at our cell group on Wednesday nights. I can't help but think of him like Rob Bell; the way he talks, the way he preaches, his nooma videos...maybe that's why I love his book so much too. (Ironic that he was one who actually wrote a book in contrast to Rob's book...but I haven't read it yet, so I won't say anything else about it.) Simple, encouraging, easy-read. One of those books that can really just 'hit' you when you need it. It really is great.



#10 - Another Man's War - Sam Childers

Sam Childers came to our church one Sunday morning. I had never heard of him, as embarrassing as that is. He wasn't a great speaker, he's rough around the edges, he's not someone you would find sitting around your Thanksgiving table entertaining the kids with beautiful stories about butterflies. He is an incredible man of God and he has an incredible calling from God and he doesn't care what you think about that or what you believe about it either. He's going to save kids in Sudan no matter what price he has to pay, including killing anyone who gets in his way from saving those kids. The Machine Gun Preacher became a movie with my favorite actor, Gerard Butler, and is just as raw and extraordinary as Sam himself is. It's not a movie you would watch in your church, and that's probably the thing that makes it great; it's authentic. The book reads like fiction. It's story after story of the most incredible things you've ever read and the entire time I was thinking 'no way!', 'no stinking way!' What a story Sam has to tell, is still telling, and one worth reading for sure.

#11 - Fasting - Jentezen Franklin

Oh man, this one is a doozy. It's probably the worst written of all listed here, yet had the most impact and conviction (besides Love Wins) of said list. Just goes to show God can use anyone, anywhere, anytime to get His message out. I really can't even begin to do justification for this, so I'll just say I highly, highly recommend it. I fasted 7 days during this read and saw the power of God in a way I've never experienced in my life. It's definitely something I'll be making a habit of and something that leaves me in a state of expectation...I'm so excited about it! If you want to come to expect miracles instead of just hoping to hear about them one-day, to train your body and mind to learn to seek God and to really allow scripture to become alive for you...it's a must read.


#12 - Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters - Meg Meeker

Wow. That's really all I can say. Every single father needs to read this. It should be a pre-requisite to leave the hospital. Then, every single mother should read this and remind the father of what it says. It's SUPER intense. It's not going to sit well or be anything sugar-n-spice. It will make you sick. It will probably make you cry and want to lock your daughter away on an island. However, it needs to be said, it needs to be read and it needs to be addressed. You need to read it, even though you're not going to want to finish it. Please read it. Now. Go get it! Download it, it's faster! Don't waste any more time!

The New Bully

There seems to be a growing trend among mothers that drives me crazy. I'm not sure if it's something that has always been around, or if it's something that's progressing with all the readily available information we have at our fingertips via technology.
Mums who feel it's their duty to give advice to other mums, essentially bullying mums to do/feel/act the same way they do or make them feel like they are a bad mother.
There are a zillion and twelve ways to parent your child. What does that mean? There are a zillion and twelve opinions on what parenting your child can look like. With the newness of it all, the lack of sleep, the over-exerted hormones and the constant fret that you might be doing something wrong, the very last thing a new mum needs is advice from someone when they haven't asked for it. Granted, when we ask, we really really do want to know what you have to say.
If we don't ask, we don't want your opinion.
My philosophy: you do whatever it takes to keep your baby alive and happy while maintaining your own sanity. That's it. No matter what it looks like or what other people think is the 'right' way, you have to do what works for you. Of these zillion and twelve parenting techniques, there are 2 that seem to be what mums bully other mums the most about...
Attachment/baby-demand parenting, the philosophy that your baby can only communicate through tears/crying, that they are in the 4th trimester and therefore the parent needs to meet every need no matter what in order to bond/care for the child, including feeding whenever the baby wants it and co-sleeping, wearing the baby in a sling all day, not ever letting your baby 'cry-it-out', etc. This form of parenting works great for some mums. Their baby is healthy, they feel a special bond, that's awesome! However, if you've been bullied into attachment parenting and are finding it's just not working, then try something else without feeling bad. If you're finding your baby is snacking and not eating full meals, if your baby is sleeping in your bed (or room) and your intimacy with your husband is suffering, if your baby has colic, or if you're finding neither you nor your baby is getting enough sleep because you're awake at every beck-and-call of your child...then it's ok to try something else.
Maybe you've been bullied into strict scheduling parenting, the 'cry-it-out' method or the 'Von Trapp Family' idea. The philosophy suggests your baby is not developed enough to know what it needs and it's up to the parent to teach the baby. This is done through a strict schedule throughout the day/night in the hopes of teaching your baby when it needs to eat, when it needs to sleep and when it needs to play. This method also works amazingly well for many parents who stick to it, with their infants sleeping through the night at 6 weeks of age or sooner and the calendar is planned over the next 12 months without a hitch. That's great for many mums, but for some, it's just not working. The strict schedule often lends to the mum and baby becoming a hermit in their own homes because they're afraid to venture out and mess up the schedule/routine. They often say 'no' to all sorts of social engagements because of the schedule and their relationships can suffer because a closed-off mum can lead to a depressed mum with a screaming baby in the next room. If this is the case for you, try something else without fear.
Do what works for you and don't let anyone bully you into a parenting method.
Some recent parenting bullying I've seen has been in the media. It's very subtle and usually comes across as media controversy, with the majority of the world forming an opinion about it, but with many mums feeling bullied by the picture, the writing and the opinion.
Why, oh why, did Time magazine publish this cover with the defiant mother having her toddler suck on her bare breast? What does this accomplish? Why was that personal decision a mom chose to breastfeed her toddler something that needed to be thrown in my face and be published on millions of magazines? Why couldn't she keep her choice to herself as something that works great for her? Something she could talk to her close friends/family about if they ask.

Why in the world would anyone post a picture of themselves breastfeeding on Facebook? I about vomited seeing both the Time Magazine cover and the Facebook photo. I choose to breastfeed as well, that doesn't mean I need to shove it down the throats of those who choose not to breastfeed. I don't need to make a statement to the world by whipping out my boob in public and telling everyone I know that it's natural and they should get on board with it. I don't need to tell people that breastfeeding is the right thing to do, because some women try their very best and it doesn't work. Some women choose to use formula and it doesn't hurt their children at all and can actually benefit their children greatly. Why should they feel like bad mothers because other mothers have proactively given their opinions to the world when nobody asked for it. The idea that special 'bonding' happens by only parenting a certain way is scientifically inaccurate. It might make the mum feel special, but the bub will be just as happy, just as loved, just as cared for, just as much a part of a family no matter if the mum chooses to stay at home or go to work; breastfeed or formula feed; demand or be directed, go to daycare or have a nanny; ceasarian or natural birth...the thing that will make a difference is if the mum is completely at her wits' end and frustrated or doing what works best for her and her baby without external influence. Why the outcries around books and philosophies? Why not just educate yourself and parent your own way?
So what has worked for me?
Prayer. Lots and lots of prayer for our daughter who is on loan from God. She's not ours, we're only in charge of raising her in the way she should go so she will love God with all her heart, soul, mind and strength. She will be the beautiful person God created her to be no matter how we choose to parent her. He is in control of her safety, growth, mind, development, etc. We have absolutely nothing to worry about as long as we do our best.
I've read a bunch of articles, magazines, books, websites, etc. about parenting and the number one physical resource that helped both Ben and I in raising Bina was the book:
Baby Wise.
Insert scary music.
I have no idea why it is controversial to some people. Maybe those people haven't taken the time to fully read it? It's actually the least controversial of all the books I've read. It gives a detailed view of the two very common parenting philosophies (mentioned above), and finds a happy middle-ground with lots of flexibility. It says breastfeeding is great, but if you chose to use formula, that's ok too, it's your choice. It gives samples of a schedule to help you with varying ages of your child, but emphazizes the idea that this schedule will change based on circumstance and that's ok. It gave me room to breathe and gave very practical guidelines that we can use to assist our daily life with Bina in order to raise her up to the best of our ability. The result? Bina is feeding great, very happy, sleeps through the night and is a complete joy to be around. Does that mean it will work this way with our next baby? Who knows, I hope so, but don't know if it will. Does that mean it will work with your baby? Maybe, maybe not. I have no idea, but it is what worked for us and if anyone does ask, I will advise them to read it. Is it the only way? Of course not, the book itself says it's just an idea that has worked for many women, myself included, that has room to be tweaked based on your own child.
Overall, I guess being a new mum makes me more sensitive to what I hear, see, listen to coming from other mums. Maybe it's not a big deal, but I've had more than one friend in tears because of the bullying words of another mum, no matter the good intention. Let's be on the same team here.

Please cherish your child in a personal way that works for your family and allow for other mums to do the same.

Pebbles in the Road

This was a real tear-jerker.

(Good thing I finished it on the plane to Brisbane...of course that's not awkward, watching a largely pregnant woman crying her eyes out on an international flight.)

Starting the year off with yet another memoir, this was exciting for me in so many ways!

First, I personally know the author. She is vibrant and wonderful and an absolute joy to be around. I'm not sure I've ever met anyone like Ryll. Her story is tragic, really, yet she lives each day as a gift and knows how to laugh and enjoy the little moments. She makes you feel like you've been her friend for years the first time you meet her. Her real story is not yet complete, her book is just a glimpse into her journey.
Second, her book takes place right here in Brisbane and it's so exciting to see photos and read stories about places I walk by, places we visit and places we're coming to know and love.
Her story is one that's been long awaited and her writing style is true to herself.
Pick up a copy and see for yourself. Check out her website here for some nuggets.
We can all learn a lot from Ryll. We can learn to choose to not play a victim role, but choose to move forward and make things happen for ourselves.

On another note - Ryll's husband, Wayne, was hit by a car last Friday and had to undergo some major hip-repair surgery and will be enduring some intensive and painful therapy. Please keep both of them in your prayers.

Sarah's Key

The latest and greatest from the book shelf. 'Sarah's Key' is quite a story. It was sent to me in a care package from my mama. (Yes, I'm almost 30 years old and still love getting care packages from my mama). I actually had never heard of it before. Sad, but true. It's an international bestseller, and I had not even heard of the title. My most favorite genre of all time is Historical Fiction. I can get lost and found and lost all over again in fantastic historical fiction novels. This book has a little bit of everything. It is historical fiction, but it is also modern-day fiction. It's a combination that is very well written and you can find yourself in the emotional turmoil of the main character.
Seriously, I think the last book I read on the Holocaust was 'The Diary of Anne Frank' back in junior high. It's not because I don't appreciate or enjoy the many books out there, it's because it's very hard to be reading something very private and specific and real that happened to very real people and then go on my merry way throughout the day. It's the same idea as reading 'Shake Hands with the Devil' about the genocide in Rwanda, it's beautiful and tragic and leaves your stomach in knots with an empty feeling of 'what can I do?' and 'how can this happen in this world?'
This book is easier than that. It's a story. A sad story, yes. A tragic story, yes. But pieces of happiness float through though and it's an easy read. It takes off the harsh edge just a bit to give you a slight education (that I ashamedly was completely unaware of) and a look into a modern-day world which helps you breathe if you find yourself drowning a little bit.
Worth the read.

Heaven is for REAL!

What a great book!
It could be the fact that I'm pregnant and tears come creeping at the most in-opportune time these days,  but I had the waterworks flowing every single time I picked up this book. It was incredible. It's not written in any sort of dogmatic, 'believe this' sort of way at all. This book isn't filled with deep theology or Christianizey language. (thank God!) It's merely a testimony of what happened to one family, and it's a beautiful testimony.
A simple read, could be the perfect weekend rainy-day book, it's a sweet, innocent story about a boy who went to heaven during surgery. He's so matter-of-fact and doesn't brag about things he experienced, he just doesn't understand why everyone doesn't see things the way he sees them now. This book is the perfect reminder of how small our lives here on earth are and how much more we have to look forward to. Such great inspiration for those who have loved and lost and are left here wondering. When we approach God with faith like a child, we can rid our vocabulary of words without meaning and come to him truly as our dad, our friend, our advocate, our future.

"Look at that rainbow, Colton," Sonja said. "There definitely should be a big pot of gold at the end of that thing."... "Cool," he said with a nonchalant smile. "I prayed for that yesterday."...
Colton Burpo hadn't seen a rainbow in a while, so he asked his heaveny Father to send one. Faith like a child. Maybe, Sonja and I thought, we had a lot to learn from our son.

The Greatest Love Story Ever Written

I just realized I haven't posted a book-shelf recommendation lately, oops! Trust me, I have some great ones to catch you up on.

Of course, I had to break from recent memoirs to enjoy my favorite classic, Gone With the Wind. I try to read it every-other year to once again get swept away by the most beautiful writing I've ever experienced and emerce myself into a story that causes me to laugh, to cry, to cheer and to cringe all in one chapter. The first time I was 'forced' to read this gem was as a senior in high school when I took my most beloved class, 'Classic Novels' while attempting to avoid AP English at all costs. I've been hooked ever sense. It never gets old for me. Whenever I'm in a writing rut, I can pick this up and visualize what 'good' writing truly is to me. If you haven't experienced this love story, I encourage you to give it a try. It's old, it's classic, it's politically in-correct, it's a southern view of the civil war, it's so many things we run screaming in the opposite direction from today, but it's a story. It's well written. It's full of life, love and adventure and it's so worth losing yourself in the magnitude of the 'greatest love story ever told.'

In the midst of all that is going on in the US, and the impact of the global financial crisis that has set it's teeth into many, I find so many themes throughout this book written 80 years ago to eerily be the headlines of today. Some grant themselves pity and walk a living death, while others hike up their bootstraps and dust off their knees...I see this daily with friends, family, acquaintances...and I believe it's a choice everyone has, not a fate.

"...They were all busy, busy at something, working hard, working harder than they would have dreamed possible in the days before the war. They weren't doing what they wanted to do perhaps or what was easiest to do, or what they had been reared to do, but they were doing something. Times were too hard for men to be choosy. And if they were sorrowing for lost hopes, longing for lost ways of living, no one knew it but they. They were fighting a new war, a harder war than the one before. And they were caring about life again, caring with the same urgency and the same violence that animated them before the war had cut their lives in two."

Life Without Limits-Grab the Tissues

Oh My.Word.

Ahhhhhhhh! This book is SOOOO good! and also SOOOO frustrating. I read it during my lunch-breaks at work and always was sniffling uncontrollably like an idiot. Sometimes, I hate books that make me think. Sometimes I just want to read a book that says, 'yep, you're pretty mediocre and that's ok...you're probably not great at anything, but you're alright at some things.' That would make life easier. Why do we have to try so hard to follow our dreams, why can't they just fall into our laps without work? Bah. I know it's about the journey, the picture, the pain that makes the answer stick and true appreciation set in. I get it. (do we all have Mylie Cyrus's annoying song in our heads yet?). I could quote pretty much every stinking page of this book, it's really that good, and that inspirational, and that positive. Wow. What a beautiful creation God made in Nick. His story is unlike any I've ever heard. He is simply and utterly amazing.
I'll be honest, the majority of the time I read anything 'inspirational' that is non-fiction, I throw it across the room and never finish it. Half the time it doesn't apply or isn't truthful or is something people don't need to hear. This book is truly amazing, super easy to read and there is something about the simplicity of it combined with his story that just makes you stop and think your life is really something to be appreciated and we can all stop crying over spilt milk, pull up our bootstraps and move forward.

"When you are confronted with hard times, tragedies, or challenges, instead of looking inward, look to those around you. Instead of feeling wounded and seeking pity, find someone with greater wounds and help them heal. Understand that your grief or pain is legitimate, but suffering is part of the human condition, and reaching out to someone else is a way of healing yourself while helping others heal too." Nick Vujicic

Joker One

Bookshelf Review for March!

Another memoir of course. I think I might take a break and read an old classic favorite next month on our trip to NZ, but I just picked up another memoir gem tonight, so we'll see how much 'down-time' between climbing mountains and adventure sports we'll have.

Joker One by Donovan Campbell.
It was good, not the best book I've ever read, but good and worth reading for sure, regardless of your view on war, this war, that war, a future war...this is real life, we need to hear these stories, they need to be close to our hearts because these are our men, our fathers, brothers and our sons.
There wasn't anything I disliked about it. This is a true story, this is what really happened, (and is still happening) some of these men really died, they really fought and still fight for the freedom I have to even write on this blog.
I would recommend this book, it's a great picture of some pretty amazing and heroic men. I don't care if you're completely anti-war and hate President Bush, these men fight for you too and deserve your respect and admiration.
"A good portion of the city's residents hated us just for being American, and a smaller but still sizable chunk of them actively tried to kill us every day. Why would anyone want to risk his life to help these people? How could anyone love them? What does it really mean to love? ... For my men, love was expressed in the only currency that mattered in combat: action–a consistent pattern running throughout the large and the small, a pattern of sacrifice that reinforced the idea that we all cared more for the other than we did for ourselves. For them, love was about deeds, not words..."

Castaway Kid

Still on the memoir kick...

"Castaway Kid" by R.B. Mitchell was a recent gem. 

When we don't know the exact dynamics of government programs, yet think they're just fine, we mis-lead ourselves. We find ourselves judging bad behavior in kids because we think they should act a certain way, when really, we have no clue about their situation. Have you ever wondered why a parent doesn't control a juvenile delinquent who terrorized the neighborhood? Or why a screaming child on a plane isn't taken care of immediately? Have you noticed the media is crammed full of stories of 'bullies' at school and how 'these bad kids' affect the personalities and behavior of the 'good kids?' Have you ever looked beyond your selfish annoyance and fear to find out the source of the issue? What makes these 'bad kids' do the things they do? Is it really their personalities? Is it their conditioning? Is it the negligence in their lives? Maybe it's a bit of everything. This book will make you ask yourself those questions. 

It reminds me of a recent lesson in Eastern thought. (not that this has anything whatsoever to do with the book, but this is a random thoughts blog, remember?) 

Two people were asked the question: 'What is the main reason for juvenile delinquency?' 

The one from a western culture answered 'The parents.' 

simple and true. 

The one from an eastern culture answered. 'If dad eats raw onions and mom chews on garlic, don't expect the child's breath to smell good.'

hmmm, the same exact question, the same exact answer. Which one sticks with you more? Which one makes you think a bit longer? Which one paints a picture in your brain? 

This book will take you through the author's personal journey. It's not the worst life story you've ever read, it's not the best, but it's his, and he's allowing you to look into it, if you want. It will allow you to relate your own childhood as well as remember kids you knew who were in his situation as well. I hope it inspires you to look at your own attitude towards children/kids/teens/adults who may have reasons for acting the way they do as well as check what values and awareness you're instilling in your own children. 

Same Kind of Different as Me

The truth about it is, whether we is rich or poor or somethin in between, the earth ain't no final restin place. So in a a way, we is all homeless—just workin our way toward home. 

Denver Moore

I enjoy fiction. I have a hard time reading non-fiction as I'm so very busy with the day-to-day, when I do get time to read, I want to read for pleasure, to veg my brain out and be entertained. It makes me feel better about myself than if I were to do the same thing by watching television. I read to fuel my imagination and appreciate creative story. I read to become inspired in my own writing. I read to go into another world if only for a brief moment. Non-fiction makes me think too much. It's hard. Too many years at school, too many people telling me what I should think, too many spiritual books that completely misguide, too many awful books about self-help and all that junk. I just get bored and tired with non-fiction. 

So, I've found a happy medium. 

Memoirs.

An autobiography is too factual, I don't have time for that. Rather a memoir is like an autobiography, but with story, with memory and with feeling. I don't care that James Frey added a bit to make his memoir a bit more entertaining, if that's how he wants to remember it, that's fine with me. 'The Glass Castle' was an entertaining read, albeit predictable, as well as 'My Name is Asher Lev.' Although, I'm not sure the latter qualifies as a memoir, but it reads like one, so I'll keep it in this category. 

The latest book-shelf read has been 'Same Kind of Different as Me' by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. It's a super quick read, always a plus, and so very very good. It was hard to put down for me, and with all the rain we've been getting, I flew through it in a couple of days. It is a snapshot of what happens every single day. It is a very good picture of the homeless in America, the prejudice that still exists and the fact that yes, there still are good people out there and we don't have to all cry 'foul' on the world. Bad things happen. But so do good things! 

It has everything I love. I laughed, I cried, I  was angry, I was happy...all the reasons I have for spending time with a book were layered within the pages. (A bit embarrassing as I finished it in the gym while on a stationary bike, wiping away tears as I pretended they were sweat droplets.) It opened my eyes to a new world and it inspired me to do more, to be a better person. I'm excited to know of a sequel, although I will give the first a chance to sink in for a while.

If you're looking for a fireside paperback, or a morning bus coffee and kindle, this book fits the bill. 

enjoy the read!