It’s time to wrap up the 2021 reads with a “Best Of” roundup. I haven’t been great at keeping up with Goodreads this year, or keeping any kind of records of what I read last year. If it weren’t for my Kindle (which lets me see what’s been completed) and the pile of nonfiction books in my office, I’d be even harder pressed to come up with a list.

In no particular order, here are the most memorable books of 2021.

Best Saint Book

Saintly Moms: 25 Stories of Holiness by Kelly Ann Guest

Moms need friends to inspire us in our vocation, no matter what our stage of motherhood. Kelly Guest’s book introduces you to 25 saintly friends to encourage you in the challenges of parenting. Meet a new holy BFF, and gain a fresh perspective on familiar motherly saints. Saints highlighted in this book include the Blessed Mother, St. Monica, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Rita of Cascia, Venerable Margaret Bosco, St. Gianna Molla, and more, and for the most part are arranged in chronological order. (Advance copy received from publisher; full review coming soon. Really. I promise.)

 

Best Spiritual Self-Help

All Things New: Breaking the Cycle and Raising a Joyful Family by Erin McCole Cupp

Erin McCole Cupp reaches out to parents who don’t feel equipped for the task because they didn’t have good parenting models as they grew up. If your childhood was marked by dysfunction, difficulty, and a lack of nurturing, you’re not doomed to repeat that scenario with your own family—you need a new parenting toolkit than the one you were provided. This book is not designed only for parents just starting out. Of course, parents of newborns or expectant parents will benefit from the information and encouragement in All Things New, but parents of children of any age (even young adults) can learn strategies for forgiving, trusting (where appropriate), making emotional connections, practicing gratitude, and more parenting skills of the kind those regular parenting books don’t teach you—because they assume you learned them during your formative years. (Read my full review. Advance copy received from publisher.)

 

So Good I’m Reading It Again

Grace in Tension: Discover Peace with Martha and Mary by Claire McGarry

For Catholic women who, like me, deeply identify with Martha in her worry and distraction, Claire’s balanced discussion of how busy women can learn to sit at the feet of Jesus is both a challenge and a gift. Learn to find the grace amid your daily cares and burdens. When we think about the story of Mary and Martha, it’s very easy to fall into the “Martha bad, Mary good” trap. Claire does not do that in Grace in Tension (and that’s why I’m reading the book for a second time). I probably can’t change my tendencies, but as Claire encourages readers, I can — and should — derail the anxiety and worry that I often allow to carry me away from the joy of the moment. By taking steps like choosing a new response, drawing healthy boundaries, asking for help (and accepting it without judging), and adjusting expectations, in addition to the 10 other steps Claire outlines in this book, I can find the gifts God has for me in the moments where He has placed me. (Read my full review. Advance copy received from publisher.)

The Daily Devotional I Actually Read Daily

In Caelo et in Terra by the Daughters of St. Paul, illustrations by Sr. Danielle Victoria, FSP

This big, beautiful book of the saints is a collaborative effort of the Daughters of St. Paul, often nicknamed the “media nuns.” Their mission is to spread God’s word and make disciples through a variety of media, including writing and publishing. In Caelo et in Terra features a saint for each day (and contrary to the subtitle, they’ve covered February 29 as well). As the book is larger than an average hardcover (about 7X10 inches), there’s plenty of space to include two substantial paragraphs about the life of each day’s saint on the page, along with a short reflection (with a great journaling prompt) and a prayer. Information on the saint’s patronage and feast day are included. You’ll also find a robust index, which lists the saints by name, liturgical feast day, and patronage – so this is a reference book as well as a devotional. Each page is beautifully embellished not only with designs of leaves and clouds, which symbolize earth and heaven, but also with drawings of the saint of the day or sacred symbols related to that saint. The interior art, by Sr. Danielle VIctoria Lussier, FSP (who also designed the cover), is done in a consistent style that is simple and beautiful without being distracting.

 

Best Series for Teens

Friends in High Places series by Corinna Turner

The Boy Who Knew: Friends in High Places #1

Old Men Don’t Walk to Egypt: Friends in High Places #2

Child, Unwanted; Friends in High Places #3

This novella series features relatable stories with memorable characters in real-life situations. This series combines compelling fiction with facts about saints whose lives and actions can inspire teens today: Blessed Carlo Acutis, St. Joseph, and St. Margaret of Castello. These novellas are appropriate for readers 12 and up.

Most Relatable Character

A Song for the Road by Kathleen M. Basi

I don’t think I’ve ever read a novel where I’ve identified so deeply with a character as I did with Miriam Tedesco, who undertook a cross-country road trip a year after the death of her husband and their twin teenagers in order to handle some unfinished business that was deepening her grief. It wasn’t so much Miriam’s circumstances as it was her personality that I related to: she reacted to things in much the same way I do. Along the way, Miriam encountered a young pregnant woman traveling alone and clearly hiding a medical secret. Outside of a few misses in the Catholic details (Miriam was the music director at a Catholic church) this was a flawless read.

Based on a True Story

Where Angels Pass by Ellen Gable

Ellen Gable’s newest novel, based on her own father’s experience of sexual abuse at the hands of a predator priest and her own experience of the consequences in his life, is difficult to witness. But we owe it to victims of clergy sexual abuse to listen to their stories. Listening, understanding, and awareness of warning signs are steps toward preventing such occurrences in the future. Ellen is to be commended for her courage and honesty in bringing this story to light. Where Angels Pass is not an easy read – but it’s an important one. (Read my full review.)

Catholic Fiction

In Pieces by Rhonda Ortiz

In this richly detailed post-Revolutionary War love story, Rhonda Ortiz transports the reader to 18th-century Boston. Molly Chase, the beautiful and talented only child of a prominent Boston fabric merchant, suffers nightmares and other mental-health challenges after discovering her father’s body following his suicide. Readers will cheer for the strong female characters and the smitten, determined hero who battle rigid social expectations and a villain you’ll love to hate. A King David-style conflict, a Custom-House mystery, some PTSD, and even a little espionage make In Pieces a novel you won’t be able to put down. At one point when I was reading this book, I emailed the author and said, “Did so-and-so seriously just …” (I can’t tell you more, because I don’t want to spoil the fun!). This novel is even better the second time around! (Read my full review.)

Horror

Jennifer the Damned by Karen Ullo

This is not at all the kind of book I usually read. I don’t touch horror or vampire fiction at all. It is a testament to Karen Ullo’s skill as a writer that I stuck with this book beyond the first 2 chapters – and more than that, couldn’t wait to keep reading. Normally I think of horror books as about as anti-Catholic as they can be, with religion either anathema or afterthought or, at best, superstition. But this is a very, very Catholic book, dealing with themes of conscience, our immortal souls, and the overarching power of the sacraments. The many sides of the title character are well explored: Jennifer as vampire, Jennifer as teenager trying to fit into that world, Jennifer as a child abandoned by her mother (and clearly traumatized by the facts of her own situation and what her mother has taught her), Jennifer as a young woman raised in a convent by religious sisters who don’t know the whole story.

 

Strongest Book Hangover

Spirit of the Violinists by Maddie Evans (Castleton String Quartet, #3)

Maddie Evans saved the best for last in this final novel of the Castleton String Quartet series. Longtime musical rivals Lindsey and Jason vie for the leadership position in the quartet, even as Lindsey dreads her father’s final days and the two violinists discover a bond they didn’t know they had. A peek at the vulnerability Jason never shows sheds new light on his character, both for Lindsey and the reader. Keep tissues handy for the most beautiful funeral I’ve ever seen in a book. (That’s not a spoiler, BTW, if you look at the blurb offered by the author.) ARC provided by author.

I highly recommend you read the full series, in order. Some fun elements: there are characters from the author’s Brighthead Running Club Romances who make appearances in these books, Maddie Evans is unparalleled in writing clever banter, and the musician in me enjoyed a series featuring musicians and a music school.

 

Best Christmas Road-Trip Read

A Cross-Country Christmas by Courtney Walsh

If this book doesn’t make you want to take a road trip, nothing will. Courtney Walsh’s Christmas romance brings together a Hollywood set decorator who tries her hardest to avoid all things Christmas and her childhood crush. The two embark on a road trip from California to Illinois, and despite Lauren’s bad attitude and rude demeanor right from the first mile, you’ll find yourself rooting them on. She’s no fan of Christmas. He is. Find out why in this fun, sweet read. And how cute is this cover?

 

Most Likely to Make a Great Movie

In a Far-Off Land by Stephanie Landsem

Such an excellent novel! Stephanie Landsem places themes from the Parable of the Prodigal Son in 1930s-era Hollywood in this compelling tale of ambition, glamor that’s all on the surface, family loyalty, and forgiveness. While aspiring starlet Minerva Sinclaire is meant to be the star of the show, I was much more fascinated by the two young men, Oscar and Max, who opened themselves to considerable risk in order to protect and help her. Yes, this is kind of a meta choice for this category, since the book is about life in Hollywood in the heyday of the movie era, but I’d watch it just for the costumes, architecture, and cars! I’m hoping there will be another novel about some of these characters.

 

Best Title

Sweet Jesus, Is It June Yet? 10 Ways the Gospels Can Help You Combat Teacher Burnout and Rediscover Your Passion for Teaching by Amy J. Cattapan

Written for new and veteran teachers alike, this book is the perfect read for anytime in the school year, offering Bible-based strategies teachers can use to battle discouragement, stress, and burnout. In August, I interviewed the author about this book; I asked whether feelings of burnout make you a bad teacher, what you can do to combat faculty-room cynicism, and which chapters are most beneficial to teachers feeling extra stress due to the pandemic. Traditional publishers don’t usually allow authors to title their own books, and this book’s title is the exception to that rule. I recommend it for anyone involved in education.

At the Top of the TBR

Mysterion: The Revelatory Power of the Sacramental Worldview by Fr. Harrison Ayre

The Catholic Wedding Planner, coming soon from Our Sunday Visitor. You’ll get my Mother-of-the-Bride perspective on this one!

If I Were You by Lynn Austin

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Copyright 2022 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Image: Stencil

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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.

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The first Wednesday of each month, Carolyn Astfalk hosts #OpenBook, where bloggers link posts about books they’ve read recently. On January 5, you can 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!