WanderTime: What's On Your Nightstand?

Is there anything better than snuggling up with a furry friend, steaming mug of hot heaven, and an inspired read while the wind whips the mounds of snow around outside? (Don’t think so.)

I thought it would be fun to share some of my recent finds in case you’re in pursuit of a good book for those upcoming rainy spring afternoons. Or, even better, a day at the beach (yes, summer is on its way!)

I’m not much on giving reviews. For me, the review is in the finishing (as in, if I’m not hooked 20 pages in, I move on). Instead, how about a favorite detail or two?

Adult Fiction:

Gone Girl

by Gillian Flynn

This bestseller got me through the heartbreak of my thwarted Puerto Rico trip. Was supposed to be my beach read but instead became my companion for the first blizzard of 2015 (seems SO long ago.) This bestseller masterfully weaves the creepy and absurd, rendering it memorable.

Loving Frank

by Nancy Horan

Number one thing I enjoyed about this historical fiction story (highlighting Frank Lloyd Wright’s life with his mistress and her role in the woman’s movement) is how no one is let off the hook. Horan portrays characters who are both loathsome and lovable, and therefore believable.

Young-Adult Fiction:

Crossover

by Kwame Alexander

This 2015 Newbery Medal Winner is tough to describe, but smooth to digest. The reader can’t help but breathe in sync as Alexander intricately weaves a yarn of growth and loss through the rhythm of teenage twins and basketball.

Eleanor & Park

by Rainbow Rowell
This book is still sitting on my nightstand (even though I read it over a month ago) because I’m having a hard time returning it to the friend who sent it my way. An anything but typical first-love story about two on-the fringe adolescents growing into themselves with each other. Beautiful, complicated, unforgettable.

Middle-Grade Fiction:

Rules

by Cynthia Lord

Ever wish life came with rules? Twelve-year-old Catherine has created a very specific list of rules to help her autistic brother navigate everyday situations. This charming tale of a frustrated, but determined, sister, daughter and friend tackles the question, "What is normal?"

Swindle

by Gordon Korman

Korman is a master of middle-grade suspense and the well-timed twist. This book champions resilience and the power of pooling talents toward a goal. Favorite part of this book: the plot is purely kid driven.

Ungifted

by Gordon Korman

My always reads non-fiction nine-year-old devoured this one--score! (Overheard him asking the librarian for a book like Ungifted after he read it...)

My read: Ungifted messes with the (tired) definition of “smart” and is hilariously funny in the process.

Reading now:

The Girl On The Train

by Paula Hawkins