About a year ago, I got a library card and seriously stepped up the number of books I’ve been reading. Since the book is due 3-4 weeks after I pick it up, I’m reading against a deadline! I keep the books I want to read on a waiting list, so they are constantly popping up available. If you haven’t had a library card since you were a kid, I recommend it! It’s free and I think you’ll find it’s a fun experience. I find it nostalgic to pick up the hard cover books wrapped in plastic and stamped with a call number.

I always find it disappointing to get to an end of a book and find it to have been pretty boring. All those hours invested in reading it are lost! So, I always love getting recommendations from people. Here are two books that I’ve read recently and LOVED! I promise you will enjoy them!

Pope Joan is a story about one of the most controversial women in history. Joan was born in the 9th century, a time when women were judged inferior in every way and not allowed to learn to read or attend school. Joan defies the social restrictions by cleverly disguising herself as a man, moving to Rome, and rising through the ranks of the church to become Pope John Anglicus! I found myself constantly uneasy and intrigued by the decisions and sacrifices Joan has to make along the way, but inspired by her dedication to helping people and refusing to back away because she is a woman. This story is written as fiction, but in the end, the author includes several historical examples that arguably prove her existence. The facts are very convincing! The Catholic Church has done everything they can to erase Joan from history, as it was an embarrassment that a woman was able to deceive everyone of her gender and ascend to Papacy. Whether or not you believe Joan existed, her story will stay with you long after you finish this book.

Before I Go To Sleep had my heart absolutely pounding in the end! I could not put it down before finding out how the heck it was going to turn out! It is a suspenseful story about Christine, a woman with amnesia, that loses all of her memories every night when she goes to sleep. She wakes up the next morning forgetting who she is and her husband, Ben, has to remind her every morning of their life together. At the encouragement of her doctor, she starts a journal to try to help trigger memories. She slowly starts to piece together her life bit by bit through this journal and realizes that she doesn’t know who to trust – can she even trust herself?? This is the kind of book that will keep you up late at night because you just have to know what happens to Christine!

I hope one of these books sparks your interest! Feel free to send me any of your book recommendations!