The first Wednesday of each month, Carolyn Astfalk hosts #OpenBook, where bloggers link posts about books they’ve read recently.

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Here’s a taste of what I’ve been reading:

Fiction

Tupelo Honey by Lis Anna-Langston. A powerful novel about a young girl whose mom’s drug addiction and extended family’s mental illness bring her eleven-year-old into situations no child should experience. Tupelo Honey, with her imaginary friend Moochi, does what she can to survive — bonding with drug dealers, hiding money from her schizophrenic uncle, and navigating the group-foster-care system. This kid shows guts in unbelievably awful circumstances.

The Ghosts of Faithful by Kaye Park Hinckley. Not your usual ghost story, Kaye Park Hinckley’s Southern Gothic novel takes place during a single week — Holy Week — and follows a family haunted not only by ghosts, but by each family member’s secrets, betrayals, and regrets. Acts of unspeakable violence, in the past and the present, are connected by the ghosts whose mission seems to be to enact justice, even when everyone’s lives, careers, and marriages seem to be falling apart. I received an advance review copy of this book from the author.

Chasing Someday (Home in You book 4) by Crystal Walton. Aspiring coffee-shop owner Livy keeps failing at relationships, so her best friend Chase offers to help her “practice date.” She’s the last one to see where this is going, choosing instead to focus on the famous local-boy-made-good who shows up when he feels like it, stands her up more often, and generally treats her badly. Chase is tired of being in the “friend zone” and wants to find a way to pursue his dream to restore classic cars so he can help support his aging dad — and that’s not something he can do locally. Mix in an aptly-named dog named Bandit for some comic relief and you get a really good story.

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Amy Matayo. Presley and Micah were across-the-street neighbors as kids, both living any child’s nightmare with abusive parents — and keeping each other’s secrets. Micah, as an adult, has decided to stick it to his abusive dad and runaway mom by getting out of town and making it big in the city. Presley’s dreams keep her close to home, in the small town Micah can’t wait to leave behind. The two are drawn to each other, but Micah is also drawn in by Mara, the new girl in the office who flouts company policy by dating Micah in an extremely public way — and Presley’s the only one who sees Mara’s true motives. Great suspense, plenty of twists and turns, and characters it’s not easy to forget.

Close to You by Kara Isaac. Allison has a Ph.D. but the guy she married was still married to his first wife, and he’s got all her money tied up in a bitter court case. She lost her job as a professor over the whole mess, so she’s giving Tolkien tours in New Zealand. Her latest tour includes an elderly gentleman with more money than he knows what to do with, and his nephew, who can’t stand Tolkien but wants to get on his uncle’s good side so he can borrow money to repay investors after his own relationship disaster, in which his girlfriend stols his company’s secrets and gave them to another guy. A predictable but sweet romance — with plenty of comic moments. (And you don’t have to be a Tolkien fan to enjoy this story.)

Night of Miracles by Elizabeth Berg. A sweet story of friendships across the generations. The elderly Lucille keeps busy baking cakes for restaurants and teaching cooking classes, but she’s slowing down. Several times, she bargains with the Angel of Death to let her live a little longer so she can be there for the little boy next door, whose mother has leukemia. Lucille’s assistant, Iris, can’t bake, but she’s very smart — and needs a project to distract her from her regrets. And then there’s Monica and Tiny, who seem so right for each other — but there are too many near-misses. A bit New-Agey for my taste at some moments, but a sweet story; it’s the second in a series and I will go back to find the first one. I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley.

Love’s Rules of the Road by Maddie Evans (First Street Church Romances). In this sequel to Love’s Highway, rebellious wealthy runaway Casey returns to Sweet Grove for a week’s visit with her boyfriend Peter before returning to college. While she’s there, an accident lands Peter’s older brother in the hospital, derailing Peter’s plans to enlist in the military and causing plenty of family chaos. Casey, whose train-hopping habits were the reason she met Peter in the first place, seeks solace in the hobby that helps her run away when things get tough.

American Street by Ibi Zoboi. A Haitian teenager coming to Detroit to stay with cousins is desperate to reunite with her mother, who was detained by border patrol. She quickly learns that America is not what she dreamed it would be, and that her aunt and cousins’ lifestyle, while not lavish, is financed through illegal means. Fabiola agrees to collect evidence against her cousin’s boyfriend in order to secure her mother’s release, but finds out that things are not always what they seem. Heavy profanity and violence.

YA/Children’s

3 Things to Forget by Cynthia T. Toney. A satisfying conclusion to the engaging “Bird Face” series for teens, this novel sees Wendy finally getting to visit her friend Sam in Alaska, and trying to reconnect with Sam’s grandmother, Mrs. V, whose dementia is quite advanced by now. Typical Wendy wants to protect those around her from doing things that could be harmful to themselves, and this time her well-meant intervention focuses on Dev, a fellow volunteer at an animal shelter who’s depressed and angry at her family. It was easy to jump right back into the series, and I’m sad to see this 4-part series end; I really enjoyed this cast of characters.

Charlotte’s Honor by Ellen Gable Hrkach. This second book in the “Great War Great Love” series is the story of Charlotte, who serves as a medical volunteer near Soissons, France, and has a heart for aiding the most critically wounded patients, patiently comforting the dying soldiers. She shows her strength when she volunteers to stay behind with these patients and a surgeon when the field hospital is evacuated due to enemy fire. Charlotte’s unique combination of devotion and grit attracts the attention of Dr. K, whose own heartbreak steers him away from pursuing a relationship with her. Another volunteer is jealous of the time Dr. K spends with Charlotte and tries to undermine Charlotte’s character. Meanwhile, Charlotte discovers a cryptic note in a hidden old chapel, a note which leads to a surprising discovery. I received an advance review copy of this book from the author. Read my full review.

Unlikely Witnesses by Leslea Wahl. Can’t get enough of the characters in Leslea Wahl’s full-length books? This novella puts couples from The Perfect Blindside and An Unexpected Role in the same location, on a trip to a dude ranch that turns into a mystery they just can’t leave alone. The four wind up being interrogated by a disgruntled FBI investigator, who finds himself unexpectedly impressed by their guts and their faith. Comic moments keep the story from being too heavy. You don’t have to have read the novels that introduced these characters before you read this story, but I recommend you read them anyway! My only complaint? This is under 100 pages. I would have been happy for more!

Margaret’s Night in St. Peter’s by Jon M. Sweeney. This 64-page chapter book (the second in a series) would make an excellent classroom read-aloud in the days leading up to Christmas break. The inquisitive little cat will capture students’ hearts, and there’s the added fun of an insider’s look at life in Vatican City! Author Jon Sweeney depicts the pope as a humble man who sneaks his pet into choir rehearsals and takes a break in the middle of a busy Christmas Eve to show Margaret all around St. Peter’s Basilica. I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher, Paraclete Press.

Sisters of the Last Straw: The Case of the Haunted Chapel by Karen Kelly Boyce. I’m a big fan of this series — but somehow missed reading the first one until now! You won’t find picture-perfect nuns among the Sisters of the Last Straw: All of them had failed in other convents because of bad habits they just can’t shake. Together, their best and worst qualities make for high comedy as they chase runaway goats and try to figure out what’s causing the strange noises and voices they’re hearing in the chapel. This book for readers in grades 2 and up would make a great read-aloud for primary grade students too.

Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M.M. Blume. Cornelia’s mom is a concert pianist who’s almost never home; Cornelia’s dad isn’t in the picture at all. Raised by a stern house manager, Cornelia avoids friendships because everyone is always more interested in her famous parents. When glamorous, elderly Virginia Somerset moves in next door with her servant and French bulldog, Cornelia is captivated — and learns what it’s like to be appreciated for who she is.

Nonfiction

Don’t Forget to Say Thank You by Lindsay Schlegel. The things we say to our kids contain more truth than we think: truths about our relationship with God. Lindsay Schlegel shares 15 of those phrases we say around the house on a daily basis, and examines what they mean by imagining God saying those same phrases to her. Rounding out each short chapter is a prayer, reflection questions, and a couple of patron saints whose example can help us on our spiritual journeys. Honest, encouraging, and challenging. I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.

Poetry

From Dust to Stars by Jake Frost. The author captures the reader’s imagination by grounding the poetry in history. The poems cover topics ranging from biblical figures and events to persecution of Catholics in Britain to saints of the Church. Some of them are even prayers, written in verse. I received a review copy of this book from the author. Read my full review.

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Where noted, books are review copies. If that is not indicated, I either purchased the book myself or borrowed it from the library.

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!

Copyright 2018 Barb Szyszkiewicz