We have been in Australia for 2 months. One thing very different about my life here, as I mentioned in my last blog, is that I have time to read. While I am with my kids 24/7 (literally)…  I don’t have my usual TV shows to watch and not much of a social life. It rains so much, and we spend a good amount of time on public transportation. So I read. I used to a read a ton. After babies I lost my attention span, and I’d fall asleep during anything I tried to read. Then I was teaching, so I mostly read 5th grade essays. I’m so happy to be rekindling (hee hee) with an old love! 

     I decided to share what I’ve read. It’s a funny assortment of books. I have a few non fictions I am also working on, but those are more about how to raise children who can function in society. Boring. And I’m also reading some books with the kids for homeschooling.

      These are the books I’ve read for leisure. I am at the point where I can’t afford to buy books anymore because I am finishing books in just a few days. Therefore, I am limited to books from the Denver Public Library and Kindle Unlimited. So aside from some purchases early on, I’m reading whatever I can that seems interesting to me in that moment and is free. Amazon Prime also offers me a free book once a month and has occasional sales. I love my Kindle. So much. It’s so easy to bring everywhere. I can read in the dark if Wes is asleep. I can read at the beach. It’s the best. I am having a full on love affiar…in Australia….with my Paperwhite. 

I wish I could tell you I remember them all. A few, I would have to look up to remind myself of the characters and then I’d know the story. I’ll just tell you that my very favorite was Hillbilly Elegy. Highly recommend.  I also really liked Yellow Crocus. I know I liked it because I kept giving updates to Wes and Elle as I read that one. Three Wishes was okay, but I did enjoy very much that it took place in Sydney. It was fun to understand “local stuff.” I hated Mindy Kahling, and I found Gloria Vanderbilt’s life fascinating. Elizabeth Warren is my hero.

I’m sure this list will keep growing. Such a fun perk of sabbatical life! 

*DBM

PS. Here’s where we find out if my twin reads my blog. Ha. My brother recently wrote a book called “Help! My Child Wants to be a YouTube Star.” I read MOST of it when we first got here…Especially because Luke really, really does want to be a You Tube Star. Elle read the whole thing and told me I should take parenting advice from Michael. It was a great read and helped me understand Luke’s current obsession with some married couple from Florida named Pat and Jen who play Minecraft and Hide and Go Seek. Love you, MJB! 

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Yellow Crocus- Laila Ibrahim

The Rainbow Comes and Goes -Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt

Three Wishes- Liane Moriarty

Not that Kind of Girl- Lena Dunham

Between Breaths-Elizabeth Vargas

Why not me?- Mindy Kaling

Where am I now? True Stories of Girlhood  and Accidental Fame – Mara Wilson

Everything We Keep -Kerry Lonsdale

Small Great Things- Jodi Picoult

Hillbilly Elegy- JD Vance

Hungry Heart- Jennifer Weiner

Good as Gone- Amy Gentry

Delicious Foods-James Hannaham

A Fighting Chance- Elizabeth Warren