Smiling on the Inside

This was a sweet little memoir about practicing dentistry. Author, Sarah Akard Wilson, treats readers to stories about the day to day realities of cleaning teeth, shares funny stories about mishaps and misunderstandings, and pulls back the curtain on what really goes on in a dentist's office. Not quite a linear story, this memoir is more of a collection of short essays about different aspects of dentistry. It's humorous, eye opening, and intriguing. This book is very short and easy to read in one sitting. It's a fun glimpse into what really goes on at the dentist.

Orphanland

A little slow to get into, but worth the wait. This charming middle grade read is about a found family of misfits living in a small town Ohio orphanage. Most are truly orphans, but a few, like Kacey, have been abandoned by their parents. Primarily told through the eyes of eleven-year old, Willa, this story is one of friendships, the family you make, rising from the ashes, and of course there is a little mystery at the heart of it all. Willa discovers that Mercy (the manager of Southern Ohio Children's Home) is hard pressed for money and looking for a way to keep the orphanage running. That's when they discover that there is an old boys school practically in their back yard. It's neglected and falling apart and Mercy owns it. Will she sell it to make ends meet? What happened there and why will no one talk about it? Orphanland deals with a lot of meaty issues; opioid addiction, losing your parents, consent, injustice, losing your parents, gender identity and more. I was so impressed with how topics were respectfully discussed without being too preachy. Orphanland is a great book for kids to read and then start asking questions of their own. The cover and title is awful, if it were re-branded I think this book would go gangbusters! 

Night Shift

Another compelling collection of Stephen King short stories. I might have liked this audiobook better with a different narrator, but I eventually got used to his "expressive" voice. This collection is a mixed bag and had a little bit of everything, some of this I wouldn't even classify as horror and others are truly gruesome and gory. As always, King is a master at creating compelling characters and captivating circumstances in no time flat - his ability to set the scene and get the ball rolling on a story is insanely impressive. Some stories that I really enjoyed include: The Graveyard Shift, Quitters, Inc, Sometimes They Come Back, and Strawberry Spring. This wasn't my favorite Stephen King short story collection, but I still really liked it. He is just so dang good! 

There Once was a Girl

A short collection of heartfelt and meaningful poems written over  lifetime. Penned by a central Indiana author, this collection of poetry is melodic and deep. From motherhood to childhood - this poems will resonate with readers. Each poem is accompanied by a picture or an image that adds to the beauty of the collection. Charming and sweet, this is definitely a collection that I will read again!