Each month I share the books I have been reading as a part of The 2016 Reading Challenge, as well as books I have read for fun. I hope that these quick reviews provide you with some new titles to add to your list of Books to Read.
March was a great month for reading. Because I was ill for several days, I was able to devour a new series and read some great nonfiction. Here are the highlights for the month!
Isaac’s Storm: A Man, A Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson
I enjoyed Erik Larson’s Dead Wake so much, that I knew I had to read every book I could find by him! Isaac’s Storm is a nonfiction account of the 1900 Galveston hurricane–still the single greatest natural disaster in American history. While I wasn’t particularly intrigued by the in-depth description of the science behind hurricanes, the human interest stories really gripped me. I still find myself playing the “What If” game after reading this book. As in, “What would I do if a ______ hit right now?” I highly recommend the book for anyone interested in history, weather forecasting, Texas, or just great storytelling.
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
The subtitle says it all! The 1936 Olympics, held in Nazi Germany, have long since fascinated me. Many amazing stories have emerged from that particular Olympics: Jesse Owens, Louis Zamperini (whose life provided the inspiration for the book and movie Unbroken), and the rowing team from Washington. I am almost finished with the book, and now have a new desire to watch rowing! The story of these nine young men–their struggles during the Great Depression, their coming together as a team in college, and their push to succeed–is truly inspiring. If you are looking for a nonfiction book that is as interesting as a novel, pick up The Boys in the Boat today!
Young Adult Fiction
I am a middle school teacher, so I try to read quite a bit of young adult fiction so that I can make recommendations and discuss good literature with my students.
The Hopper-Hill Family by Erika S. Castiglione
The author sent me a copy of this lovely book to review, and I am so glad that she did. I found the young adult novel to be very hopeful and touching. Piper Hill has always wanted a bigger family, and she gets her wish in the most tragic way. Her aunt and uncle die, leaving her three cousins without a guardian. Her parents take care of the three children and try to make one family out of two. Several conflicts and misunderstandings ensue, but the love of family wins out. The Hopper-Hill Family would make an excellent book to read with your child in order to discuss family dynamics, adoption, sibling relationships, and love.
Adult Fiction
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
I am officially in love with the Maisie Dobbs series! This month I have read the first five books in the detective series, and I have two more on hold at the library. You see, I had a Downton Abbey shaped hole in my heart, and Maisie Dobbs filled it beautifully! Maisie Dobbs is a female detective in England during the 1920s. After serving as a nurse during The Great War, Maisie becomes a private investigator who uses psychology and intuition to solve crimes. The first novel sets the tone for the series, introducing Maisie’s character and establishing the setting–particularly the time period. I found that the actual mysteries themselves improved with each subsequent book, so if you’re still on the fence after the first book you should keep reading. I knew very little about World War I or the post-war Europe, and really enjoyed learning more about the time period through this mystery series. My librarian also recommended that I read the books in order. While the mysteries themselves do not need to be in order, many things in Maisie’s personal life make best sense when they are read from the first book on. If you are looking for a new mystery series, be sure to check out the Maisie Dobbs series!
Get more book recommendations from March’s Reading Challenge: A Book Set in Another Time Period. Be sure to check out The 2016 Reading Challenge!
Also, you can follow me on Facebook in order to get more recommendations and join in the conversation about great books.
What are you reading this month?
(Linked to Quick Lit on Modern Mrs. Darcy.)
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You have done some serious amount of reading in March! The Boys in the Boat was looong but worth every page in it!
Another Maisie Dobbs fan here too. The librarian is right–read them in order.
I believe I mentioned to you that my husband and I are both native Galvestonians so Isaac’s Storm has additional meaning for us. My husband’s great-grandfather and his sister were the only 2 children of his family to survive the storm by locking their arms together over a tree floating in the water. Their mother and siblings died and their father survived only because he was off the island on business at the time.
Oh, Florence, I didn’t know about your great-grandfather. What a tragedy. So many of the stories from the book–especially regarding children–have really stayed with me. I can’t imagine how much more powerful the book was since you had personal connections and had heard stories directly from those involved.
I also got hooked on the Maise Dobbs books…Yes stay in order!! I am on #11. The only thing is she puts in yoga/Hindu teaching but you can bypass it not a worry. Otherwise I enjoy the history and character development in the Maise Dobss novels. 🙂
I agree with you on the mysticism in the book. I just skip over that little bit and enjoy the rest. Perhaps I should have put a warning about that in my description. Hmm…
I will also add that another good series I enjoyed along the lines of Maise Dobbs is Bess Crawford Mysteries by Charles Todd. Set in WW1, a nurse, she solves mysteries while patching up the men on the front. Nice historical novels. A series. Start with book one and don’t skip. 😉
I had not heard of the Bess Crawford series before. Thanks for the recommendation!
I have heard great things about Boys In The Boat. I need to pick it up soon!!
I hope you do, Elena! I found the beginning a little slow, but once it got going I was fascinated.