Happy Friday, y’all! It’s the last Friday of the month, so I thought I’d share the books I’ve read over the last month or so! I definitely feel like I’m bouncing back from my “February Reading Funk.” Of course, with a little more time on my hands, I’m reading a bit more…BUT I’m also making it a priority to read more. When my kids are completing their daily 30 minutes of reading, I read too (plus other times in the day as well).
So…here are the four books I’ve read recently.
American Royals
I touched on this book in a previous post (before I had finished reading it)…
In this twist on history, the US won the revolution and Washington became king. Set in modern day, Princess Beatrice is being prepped for the throne. Of course, I’ve been watching The Crown and the parallel to that bit of history added meaning to this story. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and it was an easy read, for sure.
I think this book is technically “young adult,” but I loved it. The sequel, Majesty, comes out this fall; I can’t wait to read it too.
The Broken Girls
The story is set in Vermont with chapters taking place in 1950 and 2014. There is a girls’ home called Idlewild where girls who aren’t wanted or who are trouble makers are sent back in 1950. In the 2014 setting, journalist Fiona Sheridan is investigating the details surrounding her sister’s death twenty years earlier. Her sister’s body was found near Idelwild. When renovations begin on the property in 2014, it has Fiona wanting to learn more and put together the pieces of two different puzzles.
Small Great Things
Small Great Things was a book centered around the themes of hate and racism. The main character, Ruth, is an African American labor and delivery nurse. She cares for a newborn whose parents (Turk and Brittany Bauer) are white supremacists and don’t want Ruth caring for their child. Ruth ends up being arrested and put on trial after an emergency with the baby.
It took me some time to get into the book at first as it was difficult for me to connect with that level of hate. The title is in reference to quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”
With the trial, Ruth’s relationship with her son, and the story line with the Bauers, this is certainly a story with many layers.
Another quote I loved from the book was, “Freedom is the fragile neck of a daffodil, after the longest of winters. It’s the sound of your voice, without anyone drowning you out. It’s having the grace to say yes, and more important, the right to say no. At the heart of freedom, hope beats: a pulse of possibility.” Freedom is another underlying theme throughout the book, and of course, freedom means something different to each character.
Again, it was a slow start for me, but I did end up enjoying this book, and it’s certainly one I will never forget.
The Secret to Southern Charm
After reading Small Great Things, I needed a lighter read. The Secret to Southern Charm is the second book in the Peachtree Bluff Series. I read the first book, Slightly South of Simple last summer and loved it.
The book picks up where the first one left off with the three sisters, Sloane, Caroline, and Emerson in a small coastal town in the south. Sloane’s husband is a POW, Caroline and her have had marital issues, and Emerson is an actress trying to figure out her next steps in life and in her career. The three girls are very close with their mother, Ansley, who is caring for her own aging mother.
Of course, there are family secrets, times of strife, and a close connection between these southern ladies.
The Secret to Southern Charm was a quick read that left me wanting to visit the south, hang out with some of my closest girlfriends, and sip a cocktail while sitting on a porch swing! I can’t wait to read the third book in the series The Southern Side of Paradise.
(**Side note: Kristy Woodson Harvey commented on my What’s Up Wednesday post, and it feels like the biggest high five of my life! Go check out the Peachtree Bluff Series. You’ll enjoy it!)
Well, that’s a wrap on what I’ve been reading and the month of March. I saw this meme yesterday, and it made me laugh!
I do feel like we got into a routine this week while continuing to find the balance between work, play, and social distancing! I will say that the highlight of this week was yesterday when the kids’ school had a Teacher Parade through the neighborhood. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful thing to see those teachers smiling, waving, and missing their kids…May have brought a tear or two to my eye!
I hope you have a great weekend. See you back here on Monday for a funnies with some March memes!
Take care,
showmeandsweettea.com 