Good Without Fault

(unless you count the fact that it had me up reading until midnight).

I go through blocks of time when I can't seem to find a book selection that holds my attention. Since this seems to happen a lot more frequently in my parenting life, I usually blame it on lack of uninterrupted armchair time and an abundance of chaos. But this book puts all of that into perspective (and the fact that even I read it in only two days speaks volumes). Reading about a course altering left turn and a woman who unexpectedly and suddenly finds herself navigating life with three young children, their hospitalized mother, an absent father and an ornery, shoplifing mother-in-law who can't be trusted to share a room with the baby, pretty makes my day look a holiday. (Yup - pretty much avoided any major spoilers there) Did I mention that she isn't related to any of them!

Without giving anything away, this book is filled from beginning to end with beautifully crafted characters, a descriptive voice, and a story that keeps the reader completely captivated as it unfolds. It's the sort of novel that stirs memories, captures the familiar, paints a scene and asks questions that keep you thinking about it long after it's been put down. One of the reviews I read described it as being as suspenseful as a mystery novel, and that is exactly how it felt; you think about all the possible outcomes and you can't stop reading until you know how it's all going to end.

The big question now - what to read next?