Blessed are the Cheesemakers by Sarah-Kate Lynch

10/10 - Boy I really loved this book. It was sooooo different, which I'm sure you could guess by the name. Pregnant vegetarian milk maids, blond supermodels, Sulivan Islanders, Irish Cheesemakers, and cats named Jesus, Mary, and All the Saints. How's that for a cast of characters? This was definitely a "I couldn't put it down!" kind of book. I loved Lynch's writing style too. Can't wait to read another by her.

Monique and the Mango Rains by Kris Holloway

10/10 - This book really inspired me and reminded me why I became an L&D nurse in the first place. I think this should be a mandatory read for every L&D nurse who feels they are becoming jaded. I just fell in love with Monique, her caring, passion, and sense of humor. I was so touched by her story that I donated money to the clinic in her honor, Cabinet de Soins Monique. I will be passing this book around to my co-workers. And to Monique... Allah ka dayoro sumaya... May God cool your resting place.

Whistling in the Dark by Lesley Kagen

9/10 - I'm not usually a mystery fan, but I really enjoyed this one. The O'Malley sisters were just such great characters, and Kagen does very well writing from a child's perspective. I did figure out who the killer was, but there were plenty of other suspects in the book, so I was often reconsidering my choice.

The Other Mother by Gwendolyn Gross

9/10 - This book really challenged my thinking. I thought it would be more about working mother versus stay at home mother, but the issues it really brought up was how as mothers we judge anyone who parents differently than we do, and how that arises from our own self-consciousness as mothers. It also talked a lot about how people balance being needed and needing. I really liked it. I'll be thinking about it for a while. At first, I didn't think I liked it, because I didn't really like either of the main characters, but now I think that was essential to the points.