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 during July:
Fiction
Meet Me at the Starlight by Rachel Hauck.
A split-time romance centered around a roller-skating rink on the Florida coast. The rink’s mysterious origins set it apart in the small town, and it’s always been a haven in the community, but 1980s developers threaten to raze it so they can build high-rise beach condos. A hotheaded Hollywood celebrity returns to help his grandmother, Tuesday, save the rink and strikes up a romance with a former supermodel who wants to escape her painful past. My favorite part of this book was the 1930s storyline, in which Tuesday struggles to run the rink and raise two boys on her own while her husband disappears for weeks at a time — denying (without much success) that he’s involved in any criminal activity.
The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center.
Aspiring screenwriter Emma has put her life on hold for 10 years to care for her brain-injured dad and support her sister until graduation, so she takes the chance to cowrite a screenplay for a famous Hollywood writer whose writer’s block is likely due to a project outside his usual genre. What’s an action-adventure writer doing writing a rom-com? That’s complicated, but entertaining, as is the cast of characters populating this story.
YA/Children’s
Saint Joan of Arc: The Soldier Saint by Maria Riley.
Saintly inspiration and friendship for independent readers! Maria Riley’s Adventures with the Saints series gives young readers a chance to meet the saints, up close and personal, as they explore ways to handle real-life situations. These books are just right for the beginning chapter-book reader and make excellent read-alouds in the home or classroom. This installment highlights a courageous young saint who serves as an example to kids who experience or witness bullying. https://amzn.to/3AbF6J6
6 Blocks Home by Tara J. Stone
When 12-year-old Sam, who’s been raised without stability, faith, or friendship, has to move in with the neighbors after a tragic accident, she finds out what family life, friendship, and faith are all about. While the situation in this YA novel is a little far-fetched, Sam believably struggles with the emotional conflict she feels when she compares her life at home to her stay with the Howard family — and deals with the crush she has on their teenage son (it’s mutual, by the way).
680 Miles Away by Tara J. Stone
Sequel to 6 Blocks Home. This might be the first novel I’ve read with a pandemic setting; I’d wondered how long it would take for that to filter into fiction. In this story, Evie is a talented violinist who’s a little spooked when she and a friend spot a teenager who looks like Evie’s younger self. As she struggles with her romantic feelings toward her longtime friend Finn, Evie must find a way to stop running from her problems, and eventually she’s dramatically confronted with an unexpected truth: she has a sister who shares her musical abilities. I enjoyed this one more than the first book in the series, and it can be read as a standalone; the author did a great job filling in the background info without boring the reader. (Review copy)
Nonfiction
Stories of the Eucharist: A Family Treasury of Saints and Seekers by Heidi Hess Saxton
This book was written for families to enjoy together, but older children, teens, or adults can still benefit from reading it on their own. Heidi has collected the stories of 40 people and events that highlight the graces and miracles that have resulted from deep devotion to the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Parents with sensitive children will appreciate content warnings about martyrdom stories. Heidi combines masterful, compelling storytelling with historical information and food for family conversation and prayer in this lovely book designed to encourage Eucharistic devotion through the domestic church.
Links to books in this post are Amazon affiliate links. Your purchases made through these links support Franciscanmom.com. Thank you!
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 2024 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images copyright 2023 Carolyn Astfalk, all rights reserved, used with permission
Will you consider adding In and Out of Darkness by Patrick Hardeman to your reading list? Thank you for your consideration
Hi Patrick, I looked the book up on Amazon but the description tells me nothing about it. Would you kindly email barb@franciscanmom.com with a synopsis?
I have “Meet Me at the Starlight” on my library holds list. So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Thanks, Patrice! I’m not going to say it’s the best novel I’ve read all summer, but it’s a nice easy “beach read.”
Rachel Hauck has branched out from royalty romances! The roller rink setting tempts me since I spent many Friday evenings roller skating with friends in the early 1980s. Thanks for linking to An Open Book!