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I made a big dent in my bookshelf during March by reading 13 books. I read some fiction, some memoirs and some inspirational books. I also started the Divergent series, which I will probably finish in April – it’s very intriguing! My two favorites were Calico Joe by John Grisham and Chasing Slow by Erin Loechner.

A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire
This is the third book in the Wicked book series. It feels more like the original book series than the movies and I really enjoyed the in-depth story of the Cowardly Lion. Fans of Wicked will enjoy the book series.

Calico Joe by John Grisham
A baseball story is out of the norm for Grisham books, but this is a very captivating tale of finding redemption when a father and son’s relationship revolves around baseball.

Ollie Ollie In Come Free by Anne Bernard Becker
Becker’s memoir describes how growing up in a family that didn’t discuss the deaths of her siblings led her to turn her grieving into a lifelong guilt. The books shows how we must be careful with children’s minds and hearts.

Flow by Clare Littlemore
Water has risen high on the Earth and there are very few places that can support a population. In this dystopian novel, a few teenagers try to find their place in a world they know very little about, but the more they find out, the less they like what they see.

Extreme Ownership and Way of the Warrior Kid by Jocko Willink
Jocko Willink is inspirational, but brutally honest, for getting you in shape physically, mentally and for being a leader. The Way of the Warrior Kid is great for children who are looking to find discipline. Extreme Ownership is great for anyone who leads people.

Chasing Slow by Erin Loechner
I had never heard of Erin Loechner, but a friend really like this book, so I read it, too. The story is about finding the right pace of life so it’s enjoyable. Erin shares how she fought to fend off perfectionism for her home, her family and herself.

Ellipsis by Gina Rincavage
A love interest leads Journey to take a job in Jerusalem researching if there is any genetic markers for an affliction called Jerusalem Syndrome where people come to Israel and think they are a person from the Bible. Her research leads her closer to God than she ever thought possible.

Lovesick by Jacqueline Levering Sullivan
When a teenage girl finds herself in love with her best friend’s boyfriend, she fights hard to leave him alone. He treats her like his best buddy and when he gets sick, he leans on her more and more until they can’t deny the spark. A bittersweet teenage love story shows the importance of friendship.

Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan
Mother-daughter relationships can be complicated. When Kelly decides to travel the world after college, her mother worries and tries to persuade her to stay and get a job. Needing money when her and her friend hit Australia, she becomes a nanny to a widower with two children. As she steps in a mothering role, she ponders how much her mother influenced her life and develops a deeper appreciation for her. 

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Chicago is base to a post-war society where people are divided into five factions or live without a faction on the street. At 16, teens are given a choice to stay in their faction of birth or switch to a new one where they will face initiation or be faction-less. Beatrice leaves her safe, quiet home to become one of the most violent and loud factions – and her life will never be the same.

Divine Mercy for Moms by Michele Faehnle and Emily Jaminet
St. Faustina had visions and wrote them out as lessons in Divine Mercy. This short book goes over how those lessons can apply in the daily life of a mother and in a family. I read a chapter each week of Lent and found it very practical.

Confessions of a Prodigal Daughter by SarahBeth Caplin
This is a memoir of a woman who grew up in a Jewish home but felt the appeal of Christianity in college. The journey to Christianity was long and had many bumps in the road. The book shows the true struggle that she faced both internally and in her relationships. 

What did you read in March?
Comment below with your favorite!