Bookbites: Geology, emotions, and grief

The Colorless Womb
by Kimberly Gowdy

Kimberly had always yearned for a child, but after multiple miscarriages coupled with an unhealthy marriage, she accepted that her plan to become a mother was inconceivable. A painful divorce and a job opportunity opened the door for a fresh start in Atlanta. A chance meeting with her husband-to-be, David, was a breath of fresh air. They seemingly shared the same goals and dreams but soon after realized that life doesn't always go as planned.

They entertained the possibility of surrogacy, yet after three unsuccessful attempts and only two embryos left, failure wasn't an option. Desperation to find the right surrogate led them to the biggest surprise of their lives: an unlikely person who proved to be the perfect match.

Rex's Journey
by Dr. Ambroes Pass-Turner

A kid's emotional landscape is full of hills and valleys. Rex has been struggling with understanding why and how he feels. From angry one minute to sad the next, he just wants to be a kid. What's so hard about that? But we can't always control how we feel, especially not as kids.

Follow along with Rex's journey as he learns to cope with his emotions in a safe and healthy way: something we all can learn from. One Amazon reviewer calls it "a beautiful and timely story. We need more books like this! This book showcases the journey of a little boy who had to go to a counselor. Very well done."

Ghosted
by Jana Eisenstein

Fueled by cheap drinks and low standards in her twenties, Jana naively assumes that "happily ever after" is just a dark, sweaty nightclub away. In this memoir, Jana meets men … lots of men. But it becomes clearer that hers is a ghost story and not the fairytale she expected. Still single in her thirties, she realises she'll need to adjust her approach or risk being haunted by the mistakes of her dating past.

Though "Ghosted" depicts the struggle to find lasting love, at its heart it's a story about learning to accept that when it comes to dating, there are scarier fates than ending up alone.

Crossing the Pressure Line
by Laura Anne Bird

Twelve-year-old Clare Burch wonders whether her feelings of sorrow over her grandfather's death will ever go away. A special request sends Clare on a journey from her home to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. She knows she must honor Grandpa Anthony's last wishes.

Clare heads to rural Alwyn with her little blind dog and a duffel bag full of worries. What will she do without her best friends? Who will take her fishing and spoil her with candy now that her grandfather is gone? And is she strong enough to let him go? She stumbles upon the answers, learns to listen to the courageous voice inside and discovers just how tough she really is.