What I've Been Reading...

Since we moved our television to the basement a few months ago I've gotten back into reading during the evening--that is when the monkeys are asleep and I'm still awake enough to do so. :o)

I've read two really good ones that I wanted to share with you all.

"All She Ever Wanted" is written by Lynn Austin. I liked the first title of hers I randomly picked off the shelf, ("A Candle In The Darkness"), but I REALLY liked this one!

One reviewer wrote:

All she ever wanted was a loving husband, a close family, and a beautiful house in the suburbs. And Kathleen is living out her dream, or so she believes, when her daughter Joelle is arrested for shoplifting. As a part of her reconciliation with Joelle, Kathleen finds she must let go of her current dream life and face the reality of her past. Even as a Christian, she finds this too painful to bear.

Kathleen receives a homecoming invitation from her sister, and encouraged by her husband and daughter, she agrees to revisit her hometown. Kathleen and Joelle take the trip together, and together they begin to understand the mysteries of the past--not only Kathleen's but also her mother Eleanor and her grandmother Fiona. In this light, Kathleen is able to truly forgive and live anew.

In "Life Without Summer" by Lynne Griffin, Tessa Gray's life changes forever when she loses her 4 year-old daughter, Abby, in a hit-and-run accident outside her preschool. As Tessa grapples with her grief, she finds solace in Celia Reed, the therapist her husband has pushed her to see. Never could she have imagine how closely their lives would intersect--how similar their personal griefs.

While this is a secular portrayal of grief, devoid of the hope I have as a Christian, I found it incredibly insightful, witty, and impossible to put down. Griffin expertly balances the harsh realities of the most painful kind of loss--that of a child--with the idiosynchracies and challenges of family life, and everyday humor. I was wary of reading this book at first since my daughter is close to 4 and sometimes all you need is to read something that closely resembles your life to keep you awake with wild imaginings at night. BUT, I was very pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed this book. I also felt it helped me to again carefully consider how I interact with those who are going through loss--particularly those who do not believe as I do.