The first Wednesday of each month, Carolyn Astfalk hosts #OpenBook, where bloggers link posts about books they’ve read recently. Here’s a taste of what I’ve been reading:

Fiction

This Dread Road by Olivia Folmar Ard. An intriguing tale of two young women, a generation apart, who must learn to live with the consequences of romantic choices they make–and one man who figures prominently in both their lives. Annemarie, a college freshman far from home and the reach of her overbearing mother’s attempts to set her up with every eligible bachelor in the region, falls hard for a man her parents certainly wouldn’t approve of. Her immaturity leads her to handle all of this the wrong way, with results that prove disastrous for her family relationship, her mental health and her love life. 50 years later, that same man mentors Claire, an heiress trying to escape her own mother and her own past. This book is third in a series, but you don’t have to have read the others to enjoy it–I recommend you do read them all, though!(Review based on ebook ARC provided by author)

Abby’s Journey by Steena Holmes. I eagerly anticipated this sequel to Saving Abby, but did not enjoy this book as much as the first. Set 18 years after Abby’s birth and her mother’s death, the book finds a father mired in his grief and beset by (understandable) worry over the fragile health of his only child. Every aspect of the family’s life is controlled by the various lists and journals that were left behind by her mother, Claire. Josh must face his demons when, against his better judgment, extended family members take Abby on the trip of a lifetime–a trip that could cost her life. (Netgalley review; releases 2/14)

The Blessings by Elise Juska. A family saga told in vignettes, this novel is set in northeast Philadelphia. As it is a saga, I wanted more–more of the day-to-day life of this family that was depicted in a true-to-life manner. In some cases, years would elapse between events in the various chapters. The story is told from multiple points of view. Recommended for the local color, but there needs to be more to the story.

Merry Mary by Ashley Farley. Short novella describing a photojournalist who gets a little too involved in the homeless community she’s studying–right down to taking a baby from a crime scene, then trying to figure out ways to keep the child as she struggles with her own failing marriage and frequent miscarriages. As the story went on I had less and less sympathy for Scottie.

The Rejected Writers Book Club by Suzanne Kelman. The town librarian is invited to a mysterious club meeting for a quirky group of authors whose books are never accepted. When she needs to leave town to care for her high-maintenance pregnant daughter, Janet finds herself accompanied by several writers trying to avert publication of a book containing family secrets. So far-fetched, but definitely a fun read.

Nonfiction

A Sea Without a Shore by Jeannie Ewing. Ewing’s words will resonate with readers who feel alone in their pain. While this book is centered on suffering, it is infused with hope. The meditations in chapter 8 (“Faith, Hope and Charity”) are some of the most powerful ones in the book. This, I’m sure, is no accident: these are powerful virtues, as they must be to conquer the despair that can so easily come to those beaten down by life’s difficulties. These meditations are not casual or flip: they are heartfelt, reverent outpourings of the soul. The language is formal, even poetic, with a unique cadence. Written in the first person, each meditation invites the soul to cling to God in prayer. (ARC ebook provided by author)

Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter. I picked up this book on the recommendation of a friend’s daughter who is studying social work. Three Little Words is an honest and harrowing account of life in the foster-care system. The author spent most of her childhood in 14 different foster homes. In some, she received loving care; in others, she was severely abused and saw other children receiving similar treatment. Rhodes-Courter owns her bad behavior and shows true concern for the other children experiencing abuse and neglect in foster care.

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Follow my Goodreads reviews for the full list of what I’ve read recently (even the duds!)

Visit today’s #OpenBook post to join the linkup or just get some great ideas about what to read! You’ll find it at Carolyn Astfalk’s A Scribbler’s Heart and at CatholicMom.com!