the books I read in March

 

I love it when I encounter a book that makes me stay up way past my normal time of going to bed. It's been a while since I read a book like that! I'm hoping to experience that this month.

It was a disappointing month of books for me. I started so strong, but it quickly fizzled out when I kept losing interest in what I was trying to read. That just happens sometimes, I know, so I won't let it keep me down for long. I already have my books lined up for this month, so fingers crossed that I do better in April! 

I read four books in March. I'll just jump right in!

I read two books by Danielle Steel in March—Child's Play and All That Glitters. Both were okay...just okay, though. I almost always love her books, but these two were not my favorites. Here is what Amazon has to say about them.

Child's Play: 

A senior partner at a prestigious New York law firm, Kate Morgan couldn’t be prouder of her three grown children. Tamara, Anthony, and Claire all went to great schools, chose wonderful career paths, and would have made their father proud. A single mother for years after the death of her husband, Kate keeps a tight rein on her family, her career, and even her own emotions, never once asking herself if she truly knows her children . . . or if her hopes for them are the right ones, and what they want. She is about to find out.

During one hectic summer in Manhattan, Kate’s world turns upside down. One child has been keeping an astonishing secret while another confesses to an equally shocking truth. A wonderful match and picture-book wedding are traded for a relationship that shakes Kate to her core. A totally inappropriate love affair and an out-of-wedlock baby complete the chaos. Challenged as a mother and as a successful independent woman herself, Kate struggles to keep up with a dizzying and escalating chain of events, and begins to realize that she has a part to play in the chaos. Because Kate too has kept secrets from her children.

Sometimes the surprising choices our children make are the right ones . . . better than what we wanted for them. More often than not, parenting is about letting go of our dreams and embracing theirs.

All that Glitters:

Nicole “Coco” Martin is destined to have it all. As the only child of doting and successful parents, she has been given every opportunity in life. Having inherited her mother’s stunning beauty and creativity, along with her father’s work ethic and diligence, she has the world at her feet. Her graduation from Columbia is fast approaching, and with it the summer job of her dreams working at a magazine. Between work, leisurely weekends at her family’s home in Southampton, and spending as much time as possible with her best friend, Sam, life couldn’t be better—until tragedy strikes. Coco’s beloved parents are killed in a terrorist attack while on vacation in France.

Now devastated and alone, Coco must find a way to move forward and make her way in the world without the family she loved. Determined to forge her own path and make her parents proud, Coco pursues her dreams, dazzled by exciting opportunities that come her way. Her goals are to think outside the box—and always play by her own rules. As she finds herself drawn to charismatic, fascinating men, each relationship will teach Coco new lessons, some delightful, some painful. She will come to realize what matters, and how strong she truly is—and in the end, she will discover herself.

Richly exploring one woman’s poignant journey through life, All That Glitters is a compelling tale of challenges, heartbreak, discovery, and triumph, a powerful reminder that all that glitters is not the essence of life. And what is truly worth having was right there in our hands all along.

They were both good, just not my favorite by her.

My third book was A Walk Along the Beach by Debbie Macomber. Here is another description by Amazon:

The Lakey sisters are perfect opposites. After their mother died and their father was lost in grief, Willa had no choice but to raise her sister, Harper, and their brother, Lucas. Then, as an adult, she put her own life on hold to nurse Harper through a terrifying illness. Now that Harper is better and the sisters are living as roommates, Willa has realized her dream of running her own bakery and coffee shop, bringing her special brand of caretaking to the whole Oceanside community.

Harper, on the other hand, is always on the go. Overcoming a terrible illness has given her a new lease on life, and she does not intend to waste it. When Harper announces her plan to summit Mount Rainier, Willa fears she may be pushing herself too far. Harper, for her part, urges Willa to stop worrying and do something outside of her comfort zone—like taking a chance on love with a handsome new customer.  

Sean O’Malley is as charming as he is intriguing—a freelance photographer whose assignments take him to the ends of the earth. Soon Willa’s falling for him in a way that is both exciting and terrifying. But life has taught Willa to hedge her bets, and she wonders whether the potential heartache is worth the risk.  

Life has more challenges in store for them all. But both sisters will discover that even in the darkest moments, family is everything.

My last book of March was The Road Back to You by Ian Cron and Suzanne Stable. This book is all about the Enneagram, therefore a fascinating read. I loved reading all the descriptions of the numbers and trying to guess who was what number from the people in my own family. Knowing what Enneagram number someone is helps you to understand how they work and function and it helps knowing for yourself what each family member is to get a glimpse of how they're wired and why they do the things they do. 

For instance, I didn't realize until I read this book that my husband and I are POLAR OPPOSITES. He is loud, extroverted, loves conflict and debate and is extremely competitive. I am quiet, introverted, peace-loving and tend to get along with everyone and I am not competitive. He is an Enneagram 8 and I am an Enneagram 1 with a wing of number 9. If you don't know your Enneagram number, you should find out for yourself. It's fascinating! Another great book I read on this was Anne Bogel's Reading People. 

The best part of the first of the months is figuring out which books I hope to read next. I already have a pile of them beside me! I'd love to hear what you're reading. 

Thanks for reading! Love to all.