The Acting Mom: 3 books to help you recharge

Books can be an easy way to find something outside of motherhood that recharges you. I tend to be a non-fiction reader by nature, but I love a great story that sucks you in as you traverse the emotional ups and downs of the characters. Because books are so easily available through your local library, book stores, e-readers and even online, this option of self-care is available to every one.

Megan Fletcher from East of the Sun is sharing her favorite books that help her escape. She is an air force wife living in Japan and an avid reader. She hosts her own online book club, which she would love for you to join. Enjoy and be sure to hop over to her website and leave some comment love.

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Any time life isn't going my way, I'm feeling discouraged, or life is just too much to handle, nothing uplifts me quite like climbing into a familiar book.

I tend to enjoy books that have a fantasy element, something set in a different time period, or novels that are full of laughter and wit when I'm going through a tumultuous time in my life.

So, without further ado, here are a few of the books the help me escape:

1. HARRY POTTER BY J.K. ROWLING

Um, can a girl just come out and say that she LOVES Harry Potter? Yeah, that's me. It's a part of my childhood that has traveled with me to adulthood and has turned into a mild obsession. But, it's Harry Potter. It's okay to be obsessed with that. The bravery, the adventure, the friendship, and the amazing story line and imagination that only J.K. Rowling could come up with are just a few things that make this series worth escaping in. I get so lost inside these stories that sometimes I forget that I'm even in my own home. Which is exactly what you're looking for when you want to escape the world for a bit. Of course, if someone told me I could live at Hogwarts, I'd be all over that.

2. LITTLE WOMEN BY LOUISA MAY ALCOTT

This is another childhood favorite and it might be part of the reason it is one of my books to read when I want to break away from everyday life. Something about the realness of the four sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy makes me fall in love with them again every single time I read the book (which has probably been ten times in my life). In fact, this book is so adored, that it is falling apart at the spine. I always say that a well-worn book is well-loved. Little Women is one of those books that allows you to fall back into a time when life was simpler and people were good, genuine, and loving. This book always seems like a refresher course on what really matters in life.

3. IS EVERYONE HANGING OUT WITHOUT ME? (AND OTHER CONCERNS) BY MINDY KALING

And, because I couldn't end this post on a serious note, the last book that helps me escape is a humorous collection of essays by the great Mindy Kaling. I love a good non-fiction book. I especially love a good non-fiction book written in humorous prose that keeps me turning the page for more laughter. I seriously read this book twice this year. Within a month. I escaped to Mindy's world of a chunky childhood, career failures, comedy, and the joys of being just a little bit famous. If you don't laugh through this book, there must be something terribly wrong with you. I kid. I kid. But really... A good laugh always helps you escape from life and it usually makes things seem more manageable when you finally pull your head out of the book.

That's all I've got for now! I'm so happy to have the opportunity to write for Karissa and for all of you. Don't forget to stop by my blog, East of the Sun. And if you're a book lover like me, you should join book club, The Book Drunkards!