What Does a Busy Mom Read? Everything she can get her hands on...

That's right folks, by some miracle I have read more books since the onset of motherhood than I probably did all of my pregnancy.  How can this be, you ask? Well, it is quite simple.  While pregnant I planned a wedding, took several vacations out of town, planned a reception, painted/decorated a nursery, and got really fat and miserable and didn't feel like doing anything but whine (with the exception of the day before Ellie was born, more on that later). And then--I had 8 somewhat-leisurely weeks at home with my bundle of joy, and am nursing (which means I have a lot of "hands free" time), so I really have been able to pound them out.  Here's my post-delivery book list:

Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff

Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Catching Fire & Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (I read the 1st book in the trilogy, Hunger Games, in its entirety the day before Ellie was born--sitting in the rocking chair in her nursery, feeling supremely fat and grumpy, and telling my mom & hubby to stay the heck away from me).

Change of Heart by Jodi Picault

Persuasion by Jane Austen

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr

The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg

**and countless American Baby, Oprah, Parenting & Real Simple magazines, and one National Geographic.

I'm now realizing that with the exception of Persuasion, I read some very dark, sad, scary stuff.  Definitely not intentional, but interesting to see the list in retrospect.  By far, my favorites were Angel of Darkness, Monsters of Templeton, and of course, Persuasion (love me some Jane Austen!).   The rest were excellent reads, for sure, but those three have stuck in my consciousness. 

I went on a short hiatus to catch up on all my magazines that had piled up, and picked up Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf.  Anyone out there read anything by her before?  I haven't, so I felt I should (much like The Great Gatsby that's still hanging over my head--that may be next).  I got about three pages in and realized I had no idea what was going on--it was like reading someone in a manic state.  I put it down in favor of the Baby Whisperer, but plan to pick it up and give it another try.

All of you out there--what are you reading?  Do you have any recommendations for me?