Books That Have Managed to Hold My Attention in my Current State of Chronic Sleep Deprivation

Still spending hours a day nursing Truman or allowing him to nap on me, I've recently stopped mindlessly scrolling social media and have spent that time reading. I've missed reading for fun. I think I got discouraged by reading as I was attempting to read Steinbeck, per my husband's suggestion. And I do agree with him that Steinbeck is a phenomenal author but on 2 hours of sleep a night... Not so much! I currently am seeking easy, somewhat jovial reading. But I also have a low tolerance for books that are just fluff from authors who publish 5 books a year. You know the kind, read like a romcom starring Katherine Heigl. Here are some I've found recently that bridge that gap nicely.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. Part forklore, part snapshot of Alaskan life; this book sucked me in it's very first pages. Mabel is introduced as such a perfect characterization of quiet depression and I felt her sadness immediately. Throughout the book I continued to be overwhelmed by the many emotions. Ivey's descriptions transported me so I felt I was living on Jack and Mabel's Alaskan homestead, I could see the sights, smell the smells and feel the weather as I tuned the pages. I can't wait to read more from Ivey.

Sourdough by Robin Sloan. This was an extremely easy read that was just strange enough to hold my interest. A good story about finding your passion and yourself in the most unlikely of places... Admittedly I was disappointed in the ending. I wanted a different moral of the story... Perhaps that was too much to hope for such a light-hearted tale. I won't say anything more for fear of spoiling the story. But if you read it I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep. Cep is a writer I will have to keep an eye on. This was her first book but she sleighed it. I'd describe her style as friendly text book. This book is really 3 stories in one:

1. The story of a Reverend who is believed to have murdered several family members to collect insurance money.
2. The court proceedings for the man who killed the aforementioned Reverend.
3. Harper Lee's coverage of the trial with a brief biography of her life before and after.

Cep presents the facts in a professional tone, guiding the reader to draw their own conclusions. It was a very enjoyable read. 

My Antonia by Willa Cather. I've heard several people go on and on about Willa Cather but I've never actually read anything of hers until now. I enjoyed her somewhat romanticized glimpse of frontier life. The characters all seem a bit cliche now, but seeing as it was written over 100 years ago, that's to be expected. Overall, it was a nice feel good tale about days gone by. I'll probably read more from Cather again but she's not at the top of my current list.

The Farm by Joanne Ramos. This book packed a big punch for a quick read. This novel is fiction but is actually a pretty accurate glimpse of our current society. Immigration, wage inequality, education, parenting... All themes tied together in the stories of Jane, Mae, Reagan and Ate. 

There There by Tommy Orange. Another first time author that impressed me. There There follows the lives of Native Americans living in or traveling to modern day Oakland, California. A good look at their current culture and sense of community, or for some lack of. Each character struggles with his own personal dilemnas as well as identity issues surrounding their heritage. Definitely worth a read!