"An Open Book: December 2024" by Barb Szyszkiewicz (FranciscanMom.com)

An Open Book: September 2024

September 4, 2024September 2, 2024 franciscanmom7 Comments

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

Varina Palladino’s Jersey Italian Love Story by Gerri-Lynne DeFino

If you’re from certain parts of northern New Jersey (and I’d venture to say this includes New York City and eastern Long Island), you’re immediately going to understand this book. It’s not so much about the food (though that’s DEFINITELY in there) as it is about the culture as a whole, and especially the language. “Jersey Italian” refers to a particular variety of the Italian language that was brought to this area by immigrants from Naples, and the area of North Jersey where I grew up had been populated by that particular group — so I was familiar with many of the words and phrases the author peppers throughout the book. Each chapter begins with a dictionary entry that includes the word, its origin in the Italian language, and what it’s come to mean. That word figures in the dialogue in that chapter. But it’s not specifically a language book (though this part did particularly fascinate me). It’s the story of a widow, her widowed mother, and her children as they figure out the next steps in their lives, on the way to following their dreams — and the subplot in which Varina’s mother and daughter collaborate to secretly set her up for dates makes for a fun read. Also explored sensitively: mental illness, which is a bittersweet element to this story. If you’re not from the Paterson, NJ, area, it’s still a fun read; for me, it was like reading about home.

The Voice of Angels by Nydia Hadi

This novel centers on the lives of several young professionals in a Canadian city. Olivier, raised a nonbeliever, meets a friend he hasn’t seen in years when the friend is his surgeon following a serious accident. He also meets Regina, a talented musician trying to make it in a professional orchestra, when he rents out an apartment above his own. Drawn into accompanying a church choir, he begins talking to people about their faith and exploring his own relationship with God. This is a clean romance written by a young author and appropriate for ages 15 and up. (Review copy courtesy of the publisher.) Releases September 15.

Lowcountry Lost by T.I. Lowe

If you enjoy home-improvement shows, this novel is for you. Avalee’s mission is to reclaim properties in the Lowcountry of South Carolina before they are demolished or too far gone to repair. She’s found an entire small town and convinces investors to fund the renovation, only to find that her ex-husband has been hired as the structural engineer for the project. Avalee is deeply traumatized after three consecutive pregnancy losses and doesn’t want to face Rowan, but they’re forced to work together on this project. The novel is packed with interesting side characters: twin veterans who craft furniture and built-ins, a homeless teenager, and a charming dog are only a few. An old mystery is solved when Avalee makes a distressing discovery in a hidden compartment of one dilapidated building, and Avalee’s friends help set her on the road to healing in surprising ways. (Netgalley)

Where Trees Touch the Sky: A Redwood National Park Novel by Karen Barnett

A split-timeline story, this novel centers on an aspiring park ranger in the early 1970s who has to work to overcome not only discrimination against her as a woman but also the additional challenges she faces as a polio survivor in a world where accessibility has never been a concern, much less a household word. The second plot involves Marion’s work in the 1920s to preserve prized redwood forests from the logging industry, and her romantic involvement with the son of a logging company owner. Julie is proud of the work her great-aunt Marion did to save the redwoods and returns to that area of the country, only to find that her impulse to publicize Marion’s efforts might prove costly to her beloved aunt’s reputation, once the truth of that work is revealed. I especially enjoyed reading about how Julie strove to overcome the physical obstacles before her and to help others with physical challenges to find ways to enjoy the beauty of the national parks.

Beyond Ivy Walls by Rachel Fordham

In this “Beauty and the Beast” -inspired romance with an intriguing mystery, a young woman leaves her family farm to work in a factory after her father’s injury, but she loses her spot in a boardinghouse and squats in an abandoned building. Otis, returning to town to sort out his family’s financial affairs after his brother’s untimely death, is a recluse because of his physical scars and the emotional trauma associated with them (as well as his father’s disgust at his appearance). He learns that his brother had a daughter and sets out to find the child, intending to raise her himself, but becomes distracted when he discovers Sadie in his family’s abandoned factory and invites her to help his servants sort out the contents of their home. A sweet story.

The Baking Games by Rachel Hanna

A fun reality-show tale in which Savannah, who wants to give her sister a head start on college after their difficult upbringing, enters a 6-week reality baking show contest and finds herself living in a house with, among others, the super-competitive guy from culinary night school (who claims to be a pastry chef on a celebrity yacht but turns out to be a cruise-ship cook) and her toxic ex-boyfriend — in a situation where they all have hot mics, all the time. It’s kind of like Big Brother meets The Great British Baking Show, and it was definitely a fun story to read. I’m not the biggest fan of the cover art, but it’s a slight improvement over the faceless-character art that’s been popular recently.

Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin

It’s only September, but I’m always ready to read a Christmas story; this one is billed as a novella but it’s 280 pages long. Set in 1901, Adelaide is a newlywed who, as her mother would say, did not marry up; she’s a New York society girl and suffragette who fell in love with a middle-class man who will do anything to make her happy, including busting the budget to hire servants and not batting an eye when she takes in a runaway child who’s looking for his little sister and insists his father is at sea but will be home for Christmas. A sweet, motherly cook and her shy niece complete the cast of characters in this sweet story. Love the cover, too! (Netgalley)

A Heart Beyond by Grace Greene

There’s always a mystery in a Grace Greene novel, and this one was no exception. Former model and daughter of a convicted Ponzi-scheme financier Leigh has been hiding out at her aunt’s house for several years, but now that her aunt has died, she has to learn to navigate the world again. A walk to the grocery store ends with her taking in a seemingly feral cat, which becomes a catalyst for Leigh’s re-entry when “Harvey” presents her with four kittens. When Leigh notices that someone’s poking around her old car in her aunt’s garage, and has an unwelcome encounter with the ex-boyfriend who’d gotten mixed up in her father’s business, she finds that she’ll have to learn to trust someone to help her put her lift back together. That’s when her mechanic finds mysterious papers in the trunk of her car. Suspenseful, but not too scary and never gory.

YA/Children’s

Sisters of the Last Straw Book 9: The Case of the Mixed-Up Marathon by Karen Kelly Boyce

I’m a big fan of Karen Kelly Boyce’s Sisters of the Last Straw series of chapter books. They demystify the concept of religious sisters by showing their human side; each sister has a flaw she’s trying to overcome, such as losing her temper, using colorful vocabulary, or being a clean freak — so they can love God better and help others. This book focuses on Sister Krumbles, a clumsy sister who’s inspired by a visitor to enter a marathon despite never having run competitively before. From an accidental sneaker shoplifting incident to a spate of items stolen from the convent, the comical adventures of the Sisters as they try to work together to solve the mystery and encourage Sister Krumbles in her attempt to win the prize money that would help the Sister restock a local food pantry make for a fun read for the whole family or a Catholic-school classroom. As a read-aloud or read independently, this is great for first grade and up. (Review copy provided by the publisher.) Releases September 10.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

I read this book a long time ago, but was reminded of it by a trivia question and immediately downloaded a library copy (that Libby app is just so handy!). The edition I received was an anniversary edition of some sort, including an introduction by the author that describes her writing space — which was a beautiful culmination of the theme of wanting a home in which she felt welcomed and as if she belonged. This coming-of-age novel is written in poetic vignettes that set a mood rather than tell a story and prove that you don’t need a lot of words to express your message. For teens and adults, and especially recommended for teens who feel unmoored or misunderstood.

Nonfiction

What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking by Caroline Chambers

Yes, cookbooks count. I went through the whole thing, deciding which recipes would work for my family at this time of year, so that definitely counts. And I tried two recipes in the first week I had the cookbook. (Sadly, I learned that the broiler in my 25-year-old stove doesn’t work properly, but the Shrimp & Charred Pineapple Tacos, though not very charred, were still delicious. Next time this one goes on the grill.) While I thought this cookbook was heavy on the exotic ingredients (and the peanut sauce), I appreciate the many ideas for substitutions and variations and the clear cooking instructions. Chapters in this book are broken down by the time it takes to cook each recipe, which is a great way to organize a cookbook. In the back, you can look up the recipes alphabetically, by the protein included, or by categories named descriptively: “You’re craving something cozy; you need to drop off a meal for a friend; you want a one-pot/sheet pan meal” are a few of these. Most, but not all, recipes come with a photo of the finished dish.

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!

An Open Book: April 2024

April 3, 2024April 1, 2024 franciscanmom6 Comments

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

The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski. You don’t see a lot of mainstream fiction with Catholic characters who are more than culturally Catholic, but Claire Swinarski delivers on that in this wonderful novel centered on a group of elderly northern-Wisconsin women who cater (free of charge) all local funerals. (This is not something they do here in NJ, but it’s a beautiful practice.) When the deceased ex-wife of a famous TV chef is returned to her hometown for burial, the funeral ladies take pity on Cooper (the celebrity chef’s son) and his younger sister and find them a place to stay at an AirBnB owned by one of the ladies’ single granddaughters. This isn’t just any old meet-cute, though: the novel digs deep into the topics of grief, PTSD, and what it really means to be a parent.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. This was one of my 12 Books for the year. What an excellent story! It’s a long novel, at more than 600 pages, and takes a split-time approach to the story of a group of women who’d been recruited by the British government to work as codebreakers during the Second World War. They couldn’t tell others about the work they did, so they essentially led double lives, kept unbelievable hours, and truly felt the weight of the world—and the war—on their shoulders as they realized how their loved ones and neighbors could be affected if they didn’t break the German codes in time for the Allied forces to deter a planned attack. A few years after the war, a mysterious letter brings the women back together in a race against time, seeking to protect one of them who’s been confined for several years to the psychiatric facility that had formerly been their codebreaking headquarters. Beautifully written, and highly recommended.

Jennifer Lamont Leo’s Love’s Grand Sweet Song (Windy City Hearts Book 3) tells the story of Francie a waitress, who has big dreams of singing in operas like the ones on the records the restaurant owner plays during her shift. But Francie feels the heavy responsibility of supporting her younger brother as well as her mother, who can’t hold a job but always has money for booze. Already rejected by one college boy, Francie finds a way to get voice lessons and falls for another rich college guy whose father openly disapproves of their relationship. As the Great War begins and Francie gets that shot at the opera stage she’d desperately wished for, the two have to handle the possibility that their life paths will diverge. This one seemed a little more far-fetched than the other two books in this series, but the author tells a good story and it was an enjoyable read overall.

All We Were Promised by Ashton Lattimore. Escaped slave Charlotte and her father (who can pass for white) settle in 1837 Philadelphia, but it’s definitely an “always looking over their shoulders” situation, and Charlotte has to pretend she’s her father’s servant. She befriends Nell, an idealistic free young Black woman who wants to work for the abolitionists’ cause. Charlotte pushes Nell and other women who oppose slavery to take more action when Evie, a friend from her slave days in the Carolinas, arrives in the city and seeks a way out of her own situation. A fascinating look at what life was like in my local area almost 200 years ago: I learned quite a bit about history from reading this novel. Couldn’t put it down! (Netgalley review; now available)

YA/Children’s

The Holy Spirit and the Greatest Adventure by Gracie Jagla, illustrated by Ted Schluenderfritz. I imagine it would be very difficult to write a children’s book about the Holy Spirit, so this rhyming book about Pentecost and the mission of the apostles was a wonderful surprise. The story continues through the early years of the Church, noting the martyrs who gave their lives for Christ and the long line of popes, saints, visionaries, and other holy people, wrapping up with us today as we receive the sacraments and pray with our families. My favorite illustrations are on the pages where hearts are mentioned: those images include red hearts with yellow borders, which call to mind the flames of the Spirit at the first Pentecost. What a lovely way to teach children to invite the Holy Spirit into all the ordinary moments of their day. New from OSV Kids. (Review copy received from publisher)

Annie’s Life in Lists by Kristin Mahoney. This book was absolutely charming. Most of it is written in the form of list-based journal entries by a fifth-grader whose incredible memory for detail can sometimes put her into complicated situations. She believes that something she said is the reason the family suddenly picks up and moves from her beloved Brooklyn neighborhood to a small town in upstate New York, where she and her older brother need to make new starts in new schools while her parents fret continually over the budget. The list format worked better than I expected—the characters were surprisingly well-developed and the storytelling was terrific.

Finally Heard by Kelly Yang. Chinese-born Lina wants nothing more than to fit in, but she doesn’t have the right clothes, doesn’t always say the right words, and doesn’t have access to a smartphone or social media. Add in the typical 10-year-old puberty issues and you have a child who’s motivated to do just about anything to feel a part of things. When Lina, her sister, and some friends start making videos to promote Lina’s mom’s small business, they’re introduced to the very situations their teacher is trying to help them avoid: dopamine addiction and cyberbullying. I can’t speak to how realistic this story is, since I’m more than a decade past the time I had a 10-year-old in the house, but from glimpses of the neighborhood kids on their phones as they wait for the school bus, walk down the street, and even ride their bikes, it’s probably a pretty accurate depiction of what happens when kids who aren’t even in middle school yet are handed smartphones without restrictions.

The Quince Project by Jessica Parra. Continuing with the theme of kids and teens living their lives through Instagram filters, this YA novel about a high-school student who overplans everything and has banked her hopes for an education and future career on an internship with a social media-star event planning firm. She takes on the project of a quinceañera for a schoolmate who’s a well-known Disney influencer, lying to her and others that she’s already an intern with the famous firm. But Cas’s project doesn’t go as planned, and she’s left to wonder what’s real, what’s not, and why she feels the need to live her life according to her ever-present planner. I don’t know that the YA audience would read this as a cautionary tale, but parents definitely should. (Netgalley review; releases 5/28).

Walking in Circles by Amy Matayo. Such a sweet story! Emma Lee grew up watching her dad beat her mom, and sometimes was beaten herself. When they finally get away—far away—and move to a small town on the other side of the country, she has a hard time trusting the elderly neighbor who’s truly a kind soul, never mind the cute guy across the street who’s an athlete but not the stereotypical player. Shane, meanwhile, is dealing with a loss he doesn’t want to talk about either, and he’s been carrying that burden by himself for too long. When they’re finally able to trust each other (thanks, in part, to that elderly neighbor—I’d love to read more about him!) a tragic accident brings Emma to the point of acknowledging just how much the people she’d come to trust really dod matter to her. This is labeled YA, but adults shouldn’t skip this one just because of a label.

Nonfiction

For Love of the Broken Body by Julia Walsh, FSPA. Also one of my 12 Books for 2024, this is a spiritual memoir by a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, detailing not only her soul’s journey through the formation process of becoming a religious sister, but also her physical recovery from a hiking accident that left her disfigured: nearly every bone in her face was broken. In this book, Sister Julia ponders the meaning of her vocation and how God wants her to live that out. Her discernment process mirrors the physical transformation she undergoes as she endures several surgeries and the trauma following her accident. I met Sr. Julia about a year ago at the LA Religious Education Congress and helped interview her for the Catholic Momcast. Her enthusiasm and heart for the poor are as evident in this book as they are in her discussion on the podcast.

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!

An Open Book: January 2024

January 3, 2024January 1, 2024 franciscanmom10 Comments

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

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis. A terrific novel about the Rockettes in the mid-1950s, this book is both a coming-of-age story and a thriller. Marion Brooks wants more than the life of a well-heeled housewife, so she puts her lifelong dancing lessons to good use and secretly auditions for the Rockettes. But along with the rest of New York City, she finds herself terrorized by a serial bomber—and unwittingly joins the search for the killer, along with a psychologist using a new profiling technique. There were wonderful secondary characters in this book as well, including the demanding dance coach who’s surprisingly fatherly and concerned for the girls.

A Paper Snowflake Christmas by Maddie Evans. Because Marlie didn’t choose a professional path that met her parents’ expectations, she’s left behind when they attend a destination wedding on a cruise over Christmas. Marlie’s friends decide to spend Christmas together and make the holiday fun for her—led by childhood mischief-maker Devin, who now has custody of his traumatized 4-year-old nephew. The friends decide to show the little boy the wonders of Christmas, but no one suspects the depths of the child’s troubles. And Marlie is challenged to get over her assumptions that a onetime troublemaker could never change. As with all Maddie Evans’s books, the dialogue is terrific and the characters real enough that you can easily picture them and their hometown.

The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman by Louise Plummer (YA). One of my favorite “bookstagrammers,” Katie Fitzgerald, recommended this one, and I’m so glad I got a copy. Written in 1997, it didn’t feel dated (I didn’t even miss the lack of cell phones, Google, and social media.) It’s clever and hilarious, and the dialogue is terrific—there’s even a smattering of linguistics banter in there, which thoroughly delighted me. Kate, a high-school student, stars in the romance novel she’s writing with the help of a guidebook (the key to all the tropes) with her older brother’s best friend as her love interest. Along the way, she gains insight about a fair-weather friend and sympathy for others who missed out on the kind of family experiences she’s taken for granted.

The Charter Class by Anne Faye. As a graduate of a college that had very similar beginnings to The College of Our Lady of the Elms, I thoroughly enjoyed this look at the origin story of a hundred-year-old educational institution. This novel covers the first year of the college’s existence, and focuses on the (fictional) experiences of three of the 36 original students. From crushing on a roommate’s brother to fulfilling a mother’s dying wish to seeking an escape from an abusive father, the young women face challenges beyond the academic ones. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

Nonfiction

Scott Hahn and Ken Ogorek have put together a book that takes Sunday Mass prep to the next level. Breaking the Bread: A Biblical Devotional for Catholics not only offers reflections on the Sunday Mass readings that helps readers understand how all the readings for each Sunday Mass fit together, it also features quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church that provide even more background information and connection to the life of the Church. As a parish musician, at Sunday Mass I’m a bit distracted because I’m always listening for the next musical cue. Whether it’s your service at Mass or your young children that diverts your attention from the readings each Sunday, reading this book at home can help you not only stay caught up on the readings from Mass, but enrich your understanding of them with background information from the Catechism. This book can be used to prepare for Sunday Mass or to recap what you heard at Mass later in the day or week. Read my full review.

Come to Me: Living the Nine First Fridays by Sister Anne Flanagan, FSP, is a fascinating devotional that takes the often off-putting, flowery language surrouding some Catholic devotions and puts the ideas into plain English. It’s designed to be read one month at a time for nine months, to help the reader complete the practice of making the Nine First Fridays. The beginning of the book introduces the practice of this devotion and explains that this is not a vending-machine kind of practice, but one that fosters a relationship with Jesus that will awaken our hearts in new ways so we can love and serve Him through our daily lives. In the second part of the book, there are nine guided meditations, meant to be read and pondered during a holy hour. The final part of the book contains history of the devotion to the Sacred Heart, plus prayers that can be prayed during Adoration, or before or after Mass. I’m finding this book refreshing in its simplicity, and on every page, the author’s deep love for Jesus shines through.

That Sounds So Good: 100 Real-Life Recipes for Every Day of the Week by Carla Lalli Music. My older son, who’s a terrific cook, gave me this book for Christmas. I immediately started a list of recipes I want to try. This cookbook is designed for intermediate to advanced cooks, and has a feature with every recipe that I really appreciate: a “spin it” note that offers variations on the recipe. The beginning of the book is an excellent introduction to building a pantry and planning meals, so I’d definitely recommend reading that even if these recipes aren’t the types of food you normally cook. On my list of recipes to try from this book: braised short ribs with pasta, sheet pan chicken with tomato and chickpeas, chicken with burst tomato sauce, pasta with cacio and walnut, plus broccoli rabe with cheese and brussels sprouts with sesame.

The Heirloomed Cookbook: Made-from-Scratch Recipes to Gather Around for Generations by Ashley Shoenith, with photography by Heidi Harris. This cookbook is definitely a social-media-driven project; the photos and recipes are clearly curated with a particular vibe in mind (beyond “delicious homemade food”). While the pictures are beautiful, a filter is used on all of them that washes out or desaturates the color, which makes many of the foods look less appetizing than they likely would on your own table at home. There’s definitely a focus on Southern recipes here: okra, grits, boiled peanuts, sausage gravy all make an appearance. I’m looking forward to trying the shrimp scampi, cast-iron sauteed brussels sprouts, parker house rolls, and baked salmon with sriracha soy sauce, to name a few. And the deviled egg salad sandwich sounds interesting, too! I did love that the author recommends interviewing elder family members and friends and getting them to teach how to make their favorite recipes. That’s a wonderful practice that will help preserve those traditional family dishes! (Review copy received from publisher.)

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.

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!

An Open Book: December 2023

December 6, 2023December 3, 2023 franciscanmom4 Comments

It’s been 3 months since I put together a real reading roundup for #AnOpenBook. Maybe in the New Year I’ll get better about doing this consistently. (See, sometimes I can be an optimist!)

Before we begin, if you still need any Advent resources or a Sunday-readings devotional for Year B, check out my recommendations.

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:

The latest in Antony Barone Kolenc’s Harwood Mysteries for middle-school readers, Murder at Penwood Manor, is one of those stories that will keep your teen reading late into the night. Xan, an orphaned teen who was first taken in by monks and then came to live with an uncle in a distant town, seeks to exonerate a crusader who has returned from the Holy Land and is now accused of the murder of a romantic rival. Xan is accompanied in his quest to save Laurence the crusader by two young women, one in formation at a local abbey and another who appears to be his love interest. (Review copy from Loyola Press.) Read my full review.

Rachel and Ted Schluenderfritz of 5Sparrows.com, collaborated on a new children’s book, The Narrow Gate, which is a parable about our human tendency to accumulate too much stuff. In this story, a community packs up everything everyone owns in search of a new location where there is water—the one thing they don’t have. But all that stuff they’ve brought along turns into a bigger obstacle than anyone realized. The book concludes with a page of questions for kids and a second page of questions for readers of all ages. (Review copy from Emmaus Road Publishing.)

New from Our Sunday Visitor publishing is In My Mother’s Womb by Fr. Bill Deschamps, Christine Schroeder, Mary Roma, and Susan J. Bellavance, illustrated by Dan Andreasen. This week-by-week picture book that chronicles the development of a child in the womb, skillfully intermingling scientific information (the approximate size of the growing child, the formation of various organs, and the development of physical abilities) with Scripture verses, in a true celebration of the new life God has created through the baby’s parents. This book is appropriate for children of all ages and would particularly be enjoyed by a family anticipating the birth of a new baby. (Review copy from the publisher.)

Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN, shares her spiritual memoirs in HOPE: An Invitation. I didn’t know what to expect when I opened this book, but I found it to be not only hope-filled, but joy-filled as well. That is not to say that the author takes a Pollyanna look at life, because she is very honest about struggle, work, and pain. But in all of it, she finds hope and encourages the reader to seek to do the same. There is plenty to ponder in this little book. “The entire life of a saint becomes an act of hope” (59). (Review copy from the publisher, Our Sunday Visitor.)

Fans of local color and restaurant stories will enjoy On the Rocks: The Primadonna Story by Maria C. Palmer and Ruthie Robbins. Written by the daughter of Pittsburgh-area restauranteur Joe Costanzo, Jr., this true story is told in Joe’s voice and recalls his rise and fall as an entrepreneur. Joe’s superior marketing skills put his restaurant on the map, but his lack of good record-keeping regarding his charitable donations, along with his disregard for rules about things like the time bars must close for the night, eventually gain him the attention of law enforcement and he winds up spending six months in a white-collar prison. I wasn’t entirely convinced that Joe was repentant, but the story was entertaining, and the flavor of the neighborhood was well depicted. Be warned: there’s some strong language in this one—not a ridiculous amount, but it is in there. (Review copy from the author.)

Kristin Contino’s novel The Legacy of Us is also a good read for fans of local color. This split-time story is set in Philadelphia, where Liz, a young jewelry designer (who has a day job in a fashion boutique) finds a cameo in a box addressed to her among her late grandmother’s possessions. Along with the necklace is a diary that provides details of her grandmother’s life that no one in the family had known. Liz simultaneously reconnects with her old fiance and meets a new guy who’s understandably reluctant to get involved with someone who still has ties to her ex, losing the cameo in the process and eventually learns to take responsibility for her own mistakes.

They Say He Flies at Night by Amy Matayo was one of the most compelling novels I’ve read in quite a while. As the title implies, rumors abound regarding antique-shop owner Walter Lorry, who keeps to himself and sleeps on the porch of his store, even though he owns the house next door but seems never to go in. But Walter’s penmanship is so exquisite that Piper Moore’s soon-to-be mother-in-law pressures her into approaching Walter to design wedding invitations. Piper gets a glimpse into the real story behind the elderly man, and that changes her mind about everything she’d thought about love.

I’ve read quite a few forgettable novels in the past few weeks, as well. We won’t talk about those. But my Kindle remembers that I’ve read them.

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.

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!

An Open Book: April 2023

April 5, 2023April 1, 2023 franciscanmom6 Comments

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

Fiction

Yesterday’s Tides by Roseanna M. White. A World War II novel set in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, with a little touch of espionage—plus a split-time plot that takes place in England during the Great War. There’s an offshore U-boat, a mysterious intruder, an injured English guest at a family inn who’s supposed to be tracking a German spy, and a beautiful young innkeeper who clearly has secrets of her own to hide. So good! I loved that characters from some of White’s other novels make brief appearances here; that was a fun little touch.

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz. I think I saw this reviewed in a newspaper; it’s definitely not my usual genre, but the premise grabbed me: a writing professor learns that a promising but annoying student has died, and after no posthumous publications are made, uses a writing sample from that student’s college days as the basis for his own bestselling novel. Then he begins receiving anonymous messages: “You are a thief.” The suspense was incredible, and I kept changing my mind about who the mysterious note-sender could be. Warning: language, and some rather nasty (unnecessary) digs at Christianity, the pro-life movement, and crisis pregnancy centers.

Code Name Edelweiss by Stephanie Landsem. In this suspense-packed novel based on a true story, a group of amateur spies works to take down the Nazis who are infiltrating Hollywood during the 1930s. Leisl Weiss, a single mother supporting two children, her ne’er-do-well brother and stubborn mother, was fired without cause by the Jewish studio owners. She is recruited to work as a spy to help undermine the Nazis by infiltrating one of their organizations, at the cost of her longtime friendship with a Jewish neighbor. Interestingly, some of the spies who worked together were unknown even to each other. Highly recommended!

Finding Home by Irene Hannon. A sweet story of a romance between a construction supervisor and a single mom whose middle-school son has ventured onto the construction site too often for the supervisor’s liking. Both Scott and Cindy face professional challenges, and Scott has an elderly, ailing grandmother on his mind as well. Lovely setting and interesting characters. This book is the second in a series, but I haven’t yet read the first one (I will, though) and there was no problem jumping right in.

Memory Lane by Becky Wade. One trauma survivor helps another when reclusive artist Remy spots an apparent shipwreck victim in the sea outside her home on a remote Maine island. After she rescues him, she discovers that her mysterious guest (who acts like an aristocrat) can’t remember anything, including his name. Finding out his true identity, and how he came to be on a life raft in the Atlantic, puts the two on a dangerous path.

My Phony Valentine by Courtney Walsh. This book was worth it just for the opening scene, in which Poppy sees an old nemesis in a coffee shop and pretends to be in a romantic relationship with the handsome, athletic man behind her in line—and he goes along with it. Poppy is trying to save her ego and her failing restaurant, and Dallas is a hockey pro whose public reputation does not at all reflect the real man. The banter between these two characters was terrific.

(From the “judging a book by its cover” department: what do you think of these illustrated covers on sweet romances? Normally I read them on Kindle anyway, so I don’t really see them as I go, but I’m not sure I like the whole faceless-character vibe that seems to be in cover-art fashion right now. The comments are open, so go ahead and weigh in!)

YA/Children’s

The Mitchells: Five for Victory by Hilda van Stockum. After The Plot, I needed a literary palate cleanser, and Catholic Mom writer Katie Fitzgerald recommended this one in an article I was editing. I’m not above picking up a children’s book when I need a reading break after something very intense. This is a really sweet story—just right for independent readers who are on the younger side of middle grade, or perfect for a family or classroom read-aloud. Like Katie, I loved that the mom in the story isn’t shown as the perfect stay-at-home wartime mom with dresses and pearls and everything going right without a hitch; she’s overwhelmed by her circumstances but digs deep to be resilient and resourceful. And Joan, the older daughter, is both responsible and vulnerable—very much like her mother.

Nonfiction

From Prodigal to Priest: A Journey Home to Family, Faith, and the Father’s Embrace by Fr. Goyo Hidalgo (Ave Maria Press). A touching story of a man’s path away from the Church, and then back into it after a moment of awakening while watching the funeral of Pope John Paul II on TV. Throughout the book, you’ll see how Fr. Goyo’s mother’s love and prayers were the key to his journey. This memoir is both a quick read and a book I wanted to linger over. I read the whole thing on a cross-country flight, but have found myself going back to it, mostly to savor the “Prayers of a Prodigal” that end each chapter. Many of those would make beautiful songs, which makes sense, since Fr. Goyo is a singer-songwriter in addition to serving as a priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and a social media evangelist (follow @frgoyo). Review copy received from publisher.

Glorifying Christ: The Life of Cardinal Francis E. George, O.M.I. by Michael Heinlein (OSV). I’m not done reading this biography yet, but it’s a fascinating story of a cardinal who lived and served during my lifetime (Cardinal George passed away in 2015). Stricken with polio during eighth grade, Francis George almost saw his dream of becoming a priest melt away when the Archdiocese of Chicago rejected his application to the seminary because of his physical disabilities. Yet George’s resilience and his academic abilities helped him to successfully pursue ordination with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate just as Vatican II began. This biography recounts the challenges George faced as a cleric in the post-Vatican II era and his eventual return to Chicago as its archbishop. This book is both a biography of an interesting priest of our era and a portrait of the Church during this time. Review copy received from publisher.

Etc.

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.

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!

An Open Book: October 2022

October 5, 2022October 2, 2022 franciscanmom10 Comments

The first Wednesday of each month, Carolyn Astfalk hosts #OpenBook, where bloggers link posts about books they’ve read recently. It’s been quite a while since I’ve done these! I always enjoy recapping the books I’ve read … but sometimes things get away from me. So here’s a taste of what I read this summer. Mostly, this is a Kindle recap, because if I got a library book that I’ve since read and returned, all bets are off.

Recently I reread In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read this book. The Kindle version I purchased had a fascinating introduction that I’d never read before and isn’t included in my print edition. Rumer Godden is an amazing storyteller and this is one of her best; it’s so easy to lose yourself in the story of a woman with a late vocation, entering a Benedictine monastery in rural England in the early 1950s. (And while Philippa is clearly the main character, another principal in the story emerges as the heroine for me: Abbess Catherine, who famously prayed, “I can’t, so You must.” Best prayer in a novel, hands down.) I’d give it 10 stars out of 5.

I grabbed a Netgalley offer for a cookbook and I’m glad I did. Tastes Better from Scratch: Easy Recipes for Everyday Life by Lauren Allen introduced me to a new recipe source. I liked that the book was packed with pictures, because I like to see what I’m going to be cooking. The author also included hints for modifying the recipes to allow for different cooking methods (make-ahead, make from frozen) and also modifying for different tastes. These recipes were easy to follow and left the door wide open to personalization. This is a good family-style cookbook. 4 stars.

Victoria Everleigh’s The Hope We Vow completes her Vows for Life series. Sadie Rosati, sister to the main character in The Love We Vow, has returned to the faith and is trying to figure out what God wants for her life after her boyfriend doesn’t react well to learning the secret that’s burdened her since her teenage years. Sadie’s explorations lead her not only to new relationships but to the possibility of consecrated life; exploring that possibility opens a door for her to use her musical gifts in a new and unexpected way. A satisfying end to the series. 4 stars.

The debut novel Grieving Daughter’s Club by Andrea Bear brings together a cast of characters who might not ordinarily meet (much less become friends) but do so because of a book discussion group at their church. Many of them share the bond of having lost a parent. This is a wonderful story of developing friendships, and of women who literally come to the point of being willing to lay down their lives for each other. By the end of the book, you’ll feel as if these characters are your friends too. Worth a reread! 5 stars.

I don’t remember how I heard about Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool, but this middle-grade historical novel set in Depression-era Kansas was a delightful read, despite the hardships 12-year-old Abilene has endured in her lifetime. Sent to Manifest on her own by her father, Abilene sets out to find out what really happened during her father’s childhood and unlock the long-buried secrets of the town. The side characters are just as winning as Abilene. 5 stars.

The dads take over the PTA in Schooled by Ted Fox, a hilarious novel about rival stay-at-home dads running a cutthroat campaign for the presidency of the PTA in the socially competitive school their young children attend. If you thought PTA moms were bad, they’ve got nothing on Jack and his childhood nemesis Chad, who seems willing to stop at nothing to make sure he wins this election. Plenty of politically-correct everything, but the story is worth getting past all that. 4 stars.

And in a completely different vein, The Girl They Left Behind by Roxane Veletzos is a deeply tragic World War II story, which begins in Bucharest when a three-year-old is found on a doorstep, abandoned by her Jewish parents who hope someone will care for the child while they hide in a neighbor’s attic. They think it will be just for a little while, but things don’t work out the way they had hoped. The story follows Natalia into adulthood and is an eye-opening look at life behind the Iron Curtain. Compelling, but be sure to have a light read afterward as a palate cleanser. 4 stars.

One of the best books I read this summer was Amy Matayo’s They Called Her Dirty Sally. Journalist Finn Hardwick arrives in a small Arkansas town reluctantly, assigned to cover the 30th anniversary of a tragic hospital fire that killed several newborns and young mothers. He encounters unexpected resistance from the locals who are unwillling to give up the town’s long-held secrets, and discovered that the hospital fire seems to have a tie to his own life as well as to the reclusive, mysterious woman known as “Dirty Sally,” who has not spoken a word to anyone since the day of the fire. 5 stars.

In Perfectly Human, Joseph Dutkowsky, M.D. describes his journey from engineering student to pre-med and on to a series of academic and professional opportunities that led him to dedicate his medical career to caring and advocating for persons (mostly children) with disabilities. It’s evident from the very first page that Dr. Dutkowsky loves his work, and that his patients have been as much a gift to him as he has been to them. Dr. Dutkowsky looks into the eyes of his patients and sees the eyes of Jesus looking back at him. One of the best parts of this book is the love story of the doctor and his wife. If you’re a teacher or the parent of a child with special needs, don’t miss this one. (Review copy received from the author)

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!

Links to books in this post are Amazon affiliate links. Your purchases made through these links support Franciscanmom.com. Thank you!

Where indicated, books are review copies provided by the author, publisher, or Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

An Open Book: July 2022

July 6, 2022July 6, 2022 franciscanmom5 Comments

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

Shadowed Loyalty by Roseanna M. White. Sabina, daughter of a Chicago mob boss in the days just before Al Capone’s rise to power, discovers she’d been played: the handsome young man who’d been secretly courting her is actually a government agent seeking to take down her father. But Sabina’s secret love life is unwelcome news to the young man who’d loved her since childhood—her fiancé, who puts aside his own code of ethics to get Sabina’s father out of legal trouble. A fascinating story. 5 stars.

For a Noble Purpose by Kelsey Gietl. Built on a premise from an episode in the Book of Tobit, the novel follows a young woman whose seven husband all died mysteriously shortly following the wedding, before the marriage could be consummated. Immediately after the death of the seventh, Sarah and the slave woman she grew up with run away to join a wagon train led by Tobias Lark and his brothers, a family of men with extraordinary gifts who seek to start a new community in the Washington Territory. An interesting look at wagon-train life from a privileged woman’s perspective. 4 stars.

So THAT Happened: An Accidental Romantic Comedy by Katie Bailey. Instagram posts from this author finally got me to buy this book, and it was a fun story. After a flight cancellation, Annie winds up having to share a hotel room—and a bed—with her handsome but grumpy seatmate from the plane, and she even pretends he’s her new boyfriend when she encounters her old boyfriend and his pregnant girlfriend in the airport. But she figures they’ll never see each other again … until she arrives at her new job Monday morning and discovers he’s the CEO. This clean romance would make a hilarious movie. 4 stars.

Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson. Assistant-editor Savannah works at a publisher whose CEO considers romance novels too pedestrian for their lineup, but she’s secretly working on one to pitch to a competitor. After hiding her manuscript in a secret room, she returns later to discover someone’s been editing it—and making it infinitely better. This begins a back-and-forth, complete with scheduled secret-room runs so author and editor will be guaranteed never to meet. All the while, Savannah wonders who else knows about the room, and who’s working on her book. Thorougly enjoyable. 5 stars.

Beach Wedding on the Rocks by Maddie Evans. Noah and Elsie, known for their pranks during their high-school days and former high-school sweethearts, team up against the guy who was the cause of their breakup 8 years ago. During the week before the wedding, they stage elaborate schemes to dish out some cold revenge, and find themselves battling old feelings while they’re thrown together in hilarious situations. As always, this author’s greatest strength is her characters’ banter. 4 stars.

Not Until Someday by Valerie M. Bodden. Grace has a plan to renovate the house she just inherited from her grandfather into a bed-and-breakfast. She also has a life plan, right down to all the qualifications and characteristics of her future husband. When former NFL great Levi shows up as the contractor for her project, she resists her attraction to him because he doesn’t check the boxes on her list. This Christian romance was heavy on the Christian, sometimes to the point of getting in the way of the story. 3 stars.

Last Summer Boys by Bill Rivers. I’m not even sure how I found out about this one, but what a gem! In this novel set in 1968 rural/Appalachian Pennsylvania, a young teen seeks an opportunity to save his oldest brother from being drafted. He and a cousin, sent to spend the summer outside riot-plagued Chicago, plan an expedition to find a fighter jet that crashed in the area several years ago. Plenty of local color and flavor of the time, when developers sought to take over formerly rural areas and kids could roam for hours in the woods and hills. 5 stars.

Blackberry Beach and Sea Glass Cottage by Irene Hannon. While I love the mainstay characters of the Hope Harbor series, I’m starting to feel as if it’s jumped the shark. Nevertheless, these are easy, sweet reads—just right for relaxing during the summer, and solid 4-star tales. I heard there’s another one releasing this fall, and yes—I’ll be looking for it. Because sometimes, this kind of book is exactly what you need.

YA/Children’s

Love and Other Great Expectations by Becky Dean. A medical condition after an injury ends Britt’s soccer career and dreams of going to college. Offered an opportunity to spend a week in England for a contest that could net her the money she needs to replace her lost athletic scholarship, she travels around the country on a competitive scavenger hunt culminating in a Canterbury-Tale themed final project—and meets a young British man on a life quest of his own. This clean YA romance was a terrific read. 5 stars. (Netgalley)

Nonfiction

Encountering Signs of Faith: My Unexpected Journey with Sacramentals, the Saints, and the Abundant Grace of God by Allison Gingras. Interspersed with stories of Allison’s own spiritual journey as she and her husband adopted a profoundly deaf young child from China is “sneaky evangelism” about grace and the ways it’s shown to us—and the ways we hold our faith in our hearts. Allison had to make the faith visible and tangible to her daughter, but the Church made that easy for her through its traditions of sacred art and sacramentals. This book contains not only a fascinating testimony but also an invitation to make your faith personal, by incorporating meaningful devotions, developing relationships with saints, and learning to see God’s grace and providence in every aspect of your life. I want to read it again—this time with my journal near at hand. 5 stars. (Netgalley; available September 30 but you can preorder it now.)

Beginning Well: 7 Spiritual Practices for the First Year of Almost Anything by Joel Stepanek. I can never resist a “do something for a year” book and this one is a refreshing take on that theme—and a way better idea than making recipes from the same cookbook every day for a year (yeah, I read that one, AND saw the movie; bet you did too). In this new book from Ave Maria Press, Joel Stepanek offers seven spiritual practices to get you through times of transition. It’s a small book, and the author writes in a very down-to-earth, uncomplicated, conversational style. I recommend this easy, encouraging read, no matter what kind of transition you find yourself in. 5 stars. (Netgalley)

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!

An Open Book: March 2022

March 2, 2022February 25, 2022 franciscanmom4 Comments

The first Wednesday of each month, Carolyn Astfalk hosts #OpenBook, where bloggers link posts about books they’ve read recently. I’ve decided to only share books here if they merit 4 or 5 stars

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

Fiction

Much Ado About a Latte by Kathleen Fuller. 4* for the characters, whom I enjoyed in a previous book in this series. A sweet friends to lovers romance with a lot of missed opportunities between two coworkers. Synopsis: A coffee war is brewing in Maple Falls, where Anita and Tanner are serving up plenty of sparks to keep the town buzzing. Anita Bedford needs to face reality. It’s time to decaffeinate the dream that she and Tanner will ever be more than friends. Growing up in small-town Maple Falls, she’s had a crush on Tanner for years. But he’ll only ever see her as good, old, dependable Anita. Now she’s finally ready to make her own goals a reality. In fact, that deserted building next door to Sunshine Diner looks like a promising location to open her own café … Tanner Castillo may know how to operate a diner, but he doesn’t know beans about love. After pouring his life savings into buying the Sunshine Diner, he needs to keep his mind on making a success of it and supporting his widowed mother, not on kissing Anita Bedford. First order of business: improve his customers’ coffee experience. Next, he should probably find out who bought the building next door …It’s a bitter cup to swallow when ambition turns longtime friends and coworkers Anita and Tanner into rivals. Now that they own competing businesses, how could they ever compete for each other’s hearts? Or will the two of them come to see what’s obvious to the whole, quirky town of Maple Falls: potential for a full-roast romance, with an extra splash of dream?

Great or Nothing by Caroline Tung Richmond, Joy McCullough, Tess Sharpe, Jessica Spotswood. 4* A very well-written 4-author collaboration on a WWII version of Little Women, with each author in charge of writing one character’s chapters. At this point in the story Beth has already died, and her chapters are poems addressed mostly to her sisters, though some just seem to be musings. Vague reviewer thoughts, no-spoiler edition: Jo’s character won’t be a surprise to some readers, but I felt that it wasn’t true to the original or necessary to the story. And I should probably check authors’ backlists before I request Netgalleys. Synopsis: A reimagining of Little Women set in 1942, when the United States is suddenly embroiled in the second World War, this story, told from each March sister’s point of view, is one of grief, love, and self-discovery. In the fall of 1942, the United States is still reeling from the attack on Pearl Harbor. While the US starts sending troops to the front, the March family of Concord, Massachusetts grieves their own enormous loss: the death of their daughter, Beth. Under the strain of their grief, Beth’s remaining sisters fracture, each going their own way with Jo nursing her wounds and building planes in Connecticut, Meg holding down the home front with Marmee, and Amy living a secret life as a Red Cross volunteer in London–the same city where one Mr. Theodore Laurence is stationed as an army pilot. Each March sister’s point of view is written by a separate author, three in prose and Beth’s in verse, still holding the family together from beyond the grave. Woven together, these threads tell a story of finding one’s way in a world undergoing catastrophic change. (Netgalley)

The Daughters of Erietown by Connie Schultz. 4* I ran into some timeline confusion with this one (it’s easy to forget what year you’re in) and 3 points of view seemed to be a lot. Synopsis: 1957, Clayton Valley, Ohio. Ellie has the best grades in her class. Her dream is to go to nursing school and marry Brick McGinty. A basketball star, Brick has the chance to escape his abusive father and become the first person in his blue-collar family to attend college. But when Ellie learns that she is pregnant, everything changes. Just as Brick and Ellie revise their plans and build a family, a knock on the front door threatens to destroy their lives. The evolution of women’s lives spanning the second half of the twentieth century is at the center of this beautiful novel that richly portrays how much people know—and pretend not to know—about the secrets at the heart of a town, and a family.

The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson. 4*, a predictable but fun story. Synopsis: Cassie Everson is an expert at escaping bad first dates. And, after years of meeting, greeting, and running from the men who try to woo her, Cassie is almost ready to retire her hopes for a husband—and children—altogether. But fate has other plans, and Cassie’s online dating profile catches the eye of firefighter Jett Bentley. In Jett’s memory, Cassie Everson is the unreachable girl-of-legend from their high school days. Nervously, he messages her, setting off a chain of events that forces a reluctant Cassie back into the dating game. No one is more surprised than Cassie when her first date with Jett is a knockout—but when Cassie finds herself caring for three sisters in an emergency foster placement, she decides to hide them from Jett to avoid scaring him off. When Jett’s sister’s addiction issues land her three children at his home, he decides the last thing Cassie needs to know about is his family drama. Neither dares to tell the other about their unexpected and possibly permanent family members for fear of scaring away their potential soulmate, especially since they both listed “no kids” on their profiles! With six children between them and secrets mounting, can Cassie and Jett find a way forward?

The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson. 4* Set in a library, this sweet friendship story is set in a small British village with some delightfully quirky characters. June’s grief has encompassed her life; she works at the library and reads, nothing else—until the library is threatened with closing and she bands together with an unlikely group of library patrons to keep it open. Synopsis: June Jones emerges from her shell to fight for her beloved local library, and through the efforts and support of an eclectic group of library patrons, she discovers life-changing friendships along the way. Lonely librarian June Jones has never left the sleepy English village where she grew up. Shy and reclusive, the thirty-year-old would rather spend her time buried in books than venture out into the world. But when her library is threatened with closure, June is forced to emerge from behind the shelves to save the heart of her community and the place that holds the dearest memories of her mother. Joining a band of eccentric yet dedicated locals in a campaign to keep the library, June opens herself up to other people for the first time since her mother died. It just so happens that her old school friend Alex Chen is back in town and willing to lend a helping hand. The kindhearted lawyer’s feelings for her are obvious to everyone but June, who won’t believe that anyone could ever care for her in that way. To save the place and the books that mean so much to her, June must finally make some changes to her life. For once, she’s determined not to go down without a fight. And maybe, in fighting for her cherished library, June can save herself, too.

YA/Children’s

One Blessing at a Time by Leslea Wahl. 5*, YA. This is a fun prequel to Leslea’s novels, with 4 characters we meet in her novels and series later. A single object makes its way from one character to another; two are related, and the others are connected by chance. Because I’ve read and enjoyed the other books, this was like greeting old friends. But this is a standalone prequel and you don’t need to have read any of the author’s other novels to enjoy it (though you’ll probably want to, once you read this). Synopsis: This intriguing short story about a mysterious sacred object offers a glimpse into the backgrounds of snowboarder Jake, aspiring journalist Sophie, baseball player Ryan, and theater enthusiast Josie, offering new details from their pasts. Ever wonder about the event that catapulted Jake to the national spotlight? Did Sophie always have a knack for uncovering the truth? What circumstances provided Ryan with the opportunity to play ball for an East Coast scout team? How successful was Josie as she tried to go unnoticed during her first years of high school? This illuminating short story prequel explores the idea that you never know whose life you may touch with a simple blessing.

Beckoning by Claudia Cangilla McAdam. 4*, YA. Split-time Biblical fiction, but 90% of the time was spent in the Biblical setting, making me wonder why the author even bothered with the other story line. It got in the way of the flow of the Biblical story. Synopsis: Tabby Long is a non-Christian girl in a Catholic school whose world gets turned upside down when her dad, who has never been a man of faith, experiences a miraculous healing on Good Friday. Her father’s dramatic religious conversion alienates her mother, who deserts the family. In her struggle to understand what has happened to her family, Tabby follows the suggestion of her school’s religion teacher, and she begins spending time reading Scripture while in Eucharistic Adoration. Following the practice taught by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, she inserts herself into the biblical stories she reads. Through this process, she “time travels” to first-century Jerusalem, where she is Tabitha Longinus, the daughter of the centurion Gaius Cassius Longinus, who pierces the side of the crucified Jesus, incurs a spontaneous healing, and undergoes immediate conversion. Tabitha is a Gentile girl with Jewish friends and a mother who can’t accept her husband’s newfound (and dangerous) faith.

Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor. 4*, YA. When a solitary, routine-bound homeschooled teenager gets into her dream school (Oxford), her parents decide to send her to theatre camp for the summer so she can prove her ability to socialize before they’ll let her travel abroad for college. (And her parents are therapists! OK, sex therapists, but still. Talk about out of the frying pan, into the fire.) What could possibly go wrong? An entertaining novel packed with the stereotypical theatre-kid characters and some to spare: the characters are a lot of fun to read about. I’m not sure of the significance, if any, of the title. Synopsis: Growing up homeschooled in Berkeley, California, Beatrice Quinn is a statistical genius who has dreamed her whole life of discovering new mathematical challenges at a school like Oxford University. She always thought the hardest part would be getting in, not convincing her parents to let her go. But while math has always made sense to Beatrice, making friends is a problem she hasn’t been able to solve, so her parents are worried about sending her halfway across the world. The compromise: the Connecticut Shakespearean Summer Academy and a detailed list of teenage milestones to check off. She has six weeks to show her parents she can pull off the role of “normal” teenager and won’t spend the rest of her life hiding in a library. (Netgalley, releases July 26)

Butter by Erin Jade Longe. 4*, YA. Better than the movie. The movie is what got me interested in reading the book at all (because I wanted to see how they compared). I thought the book’s ending was more realistic than the movie’s, though still a reach. Butter is isolated both from his parents and his peers because of his weight. The only sympathetic character is his music teacher, who encourages his ability by letting him jam with his jazz band. But Butter decides he’ll get back at the bullies by promising to webcast as he eats himself to death. Synopsis: A lonely 423-pound boy everyone calls “Butter” is about to make history. He’s going to eat himself to death live on the Internet – and everyone will watch. When he makes this announcement online, he expects pity, insults, or possibly sheer indifference. Instead, his classmates become morbid cheerleaders for his deadly plan. But as their dark encouragement grows, a few voices begin to offer genuine support and Butter starts to have doubts. His suicidal threat brought his newfound popularity–and a taste of what life could hold for him–but can he live with the fallout if he decides not to go through with his plan? Emotionally raw and darkly humourous, this is an all-consuming look at one teen’s battle with himself.

Nonfiction

In Awakening at Lourdes: How an Unanswered Prayer Healed Our Family and Restored Our Faith, Christy Wilkens describes the details of her last-ditch spiritual effort to heal what modern medicine could not. She and her husband were exhausted, and the constant caregiving, monitoring, and medical visits for Oscar did not leave much left over for their five older children—or their marriage. Synopsis: The grotto at Lourdes is known as a place of healing. But sometimes the miracle that occurs is not physical, but something much deeper. Wilkens made the long trek to Lourdes with her husband, Todd, and their toddler—who is plagued by mysterious seizures—through a program with the Order of Malta. In Awakening at Lourdes, Wilkens shares that while Oscar’s condition did improve after their visit, the real healing took place between she and her husband. Through their time at Lourdes, they discovered a deeper love for each other, a renewed sense of appreciation for their faith community, and an abiding confidence in God’s mercy. Persuaded by her husband to take the trip, Wilkens summoned her faith– faith in God, faith in her husband, and faith in the doctors and other helpers who surrounded them every step of the way—to embark on the journey of a lifetime. Recording their experiences with deeply personal yet highly relatable language, Wilkens offers a firsthand account of the traditions and culture of the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes and the shrine’s special servers, the Order of Malta. She also captures her own doubts, questions, and fears as she attempted to process the family’s physical and emotional journey.

The Fine Print

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.

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!

New Spiritual Reads for Lent 2022

February 3, 2022February 2, 2022 franciscanmom1 Comment

While Lent is still a whole month away (Ash Wednesday is March 2, 2022), ongoing supply-chain and shipping issues mean planning ahead is a good idea. This year I’ve had the chance to preview four new resources: one family prayer and activity booklet, one guided prayer journal, and two daily devotionals.

Claire McGarry’s booklet, Abundant Mercy: Family Devotions and Activities for Lent, is perfect for families with school-age kids. Each day’s prayer page is right-sized for busy families, with a quote from Scripture, a micro-story or reflection, a meditation on our faith, and a Mercy section at the bottom of each page: a one-line prayer (“Receive Mercy”) and a call to action (“Extend Mercy”).

My favorite feature of this booklet is that Mercy section. The prayers are for intentions kids can understand and relate to, and the suggested actions are do-able for kids who are old enough to be in school.

For example, Wednesday of the First Week of Lent features Matthew 5:44, a paragraph about the Christmas 1914 ceasefire in Germany, a reflection about making the first move toward reconciliation, a prayer for help in forgiving our enemies, and this call to action: “Extend Mercy. Write a prayer for someone you’re having trouble with. Work for a ceasefire by praying that both of your hearts become filled with peace.”

Some of these “Extend Mercy” actions are individual; others are things families can do or discuss together. At only a page a day, the reflections in this booklet could be used at the beginning of the day or around the dinner table. Abundant Mercy is available on Kindle or in print from Creative Communications for the Parish.

RESTORE: A Guided Lent Journal for Prayer and Meditation, the new seasonal journal by Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT and illustrated by Valerie Delgado, is a beautiful journal that invites you to write your thoughts and prayers throughout Lent. This book is appropriate for moms, dads, and other adults, including college students.

Four pages for each day of Lent, as well as Easter Sunday, include a line of Scripture, a one-page meditation, and two full pages with journal lines, topped by a question to ponder and ending with a one-line prayer.

The meditations and prayers by Sr. Miriam James are complemented by Valerie Delgado’s inviting art, shown at the beginning of each week’s section. The book’s design is uncluttered, eliminating unnecessary distraction during your prayer time, and accented in subdued Lenten purple.

RESTORE will be released February 11 on Kindle or in print from Amazon and from Ave Maria Press. (I recommend purchasing the print book—the ebook price is almost equal to the print version, and since this is a journal, the print book makes more sense.)

Thy Kingdom Come: A Lenten Journey by Fr. Dennis Gallagher, AA, Provincial of the Augustinians of the Assumption, offers daily reflections based on the daily Mass readings. Fr. Gallagher writes in a simple, accessible style that brings home the truths of each day’s Gospel without being complicated.

The daily entries in Thy Kingdom Come include a line from the daily Gospel, a brief reflection (most are two short paragraphs in length), and a concluding prayer related to the topic of that day’s reflection. All the reflections in this book are centered on the theme of choosing to follow God’s will for our lives.

If you’re unable to attend daily Mass during Lent, the reflections in this booklet will serve as mini-homilies and are an excellent accompaniment to each day’s readings.

This booklet is geared toward an adult audience and would be suitable for a married couple or prayer group to read and discuss together.

Thy Kingdom Come is available on Kindle or in print from Amazon or from Creative Communications for the Parish.

Fans of the spiritual writing of Dutch priest Henri J.M. Nouwen (1932-1996) will enjoy Drawn to the Cross: Inspiration from Henri J.M. Nouwen. This booklet of Lenten devotions includes a Scripture quote for each day, a line or two from one of Nouwen’s works, then a reflection on that theme. The reflections and the prayers that conclude each day’s entries are written by Gil Duchow.

This booklet, designed for adult readers, explores the meaning of the cross in terms of humility, service, and sacrifice.

On the back of the booklet, readers will find a list of Nouwen’s published works quoted in the daily entries. While that’s required for copyright purposes, it’s also an excellent resource for readers who want to explore this author’s work in more depth.

Drawn to the Cross is available in print from Creative Communications for the Parish.

Some links to books in this post are Amazon affiliate links. Your purchases made through these links support Franciscanmom.com. Thank you!

#OpenBook: June 2019 Reads

July 3, 2019July 1, 2019 franciscanmom4 Comments

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 (hint: there’s been a bit of a fiction binge lately).

Fiction

Pearl of Great Price by Myra Johnson

A job in the family business in a small town suits Julie Pearl Stiles just fine, but when she realizes she may be at the center of a long-ago tragedy, she begins to wonder about her real identity. This story of suffering, friendship, mental illness, romance, and figuring out one’s place in the world will hook you from the start.

Ever Faithful: A Vintage National Parks Novel by Karen Barnett.

All the local color you could want in a novel. This Depression-era story, set in Yellowstone National Park, sets a vivid scene as backdrop for a blossoming romance between a Brooklyn-born CCC worker and a young local woman working hard to achieve her goal of becoming a teacher. Both are wounded in their own ways. A mystery creates enough intrigue (with plausible red herrings) to keep you reading. I’ll look for more from this author!

The Sisters of Summit Avenue by Lynn Cullen

“Two sisters bound together by love, duty, and pain” – from the blurb. SO MUCH PAIN. The pain was overwhelmingly palpable. Ruth and her 4 daughters barely keep the family farm running during the Depression; her husband was felled several years ago by encephalitis lethargica. Her sister June is one of the “Bettys” — women developing recipes and answering letters to Betty Crocker. And their mother Dorothy is practically a recluse, hiding from the secrets of her past. Plenty of plot twists and infidelities, and the split-time story line can get a bit confusing. And then there’s that cheap trope where one of the characters wants to write a book, and you discover that you’re reading the book they’re writing. (Netgalley review; available August 2019.)

The Road She Left Behind by Christine Nolfi

Old family dramas and a lifetime of hurts caused Darcy, burdened by guilt over an accident that killed her father and sister, to flee her family’s estate, abandoning her sister’s baby, Emerson, to the mother Darcy couldn’t wait to escape. 8 years later, Emerson disappears, and Darcy is called back to her family home to help find the young boy and make amends to the boyfriend she left behind years ago. A good story with great secondary characters.

Like Never Before by Melissa Tagg

When political speechwriter Logan discovers he’s inherited his hometown newspaper, the last thing he wants to do is follow up on that or deal with the ambitious young editor who wants to take over the paper before it’s sold to a conglomerate. But Amelia is chasing a story that has Logan intrigued, and he finds himself trying to untangle Maple Valley’s longtime unsolved mystery, and falling for Amelia in the process. A light, clean summer read; part of an enjoyable series.

All this Time by Melissa Tagg

Bear, haunted by a guilty promise he made after his girlfriend’s death, wants to prove himself to her parents in the mission they founded in Brazil. But he’s charged with the care of his nephew and niece, whose parents’ and grandparents’ drug-trade activities put them in danger. He winds up in Maple Valley, where an old crush invites him to stay with her family until his situation stabilizes.

A Place to Belong by Melissa Tagg

This novella provides some back story about Megan and her shop, Coffee Coffee, in the small town of Maple Valley. When Megan meets Eric, owner of a struggling local halfway house, she’s almost ready to put aside a dangerous infatuation from her past – until her baby’s father returns to town. A bit predictable, but fills in the blanks of some of the other Maple Valley novels.

From the Start by Melissa Tagg

First in the Walker Family series, this book sets the scene for the quintessential (and a little bit quirky) small town of Maple Valley. Screenwriter/novelist Kate needs a fresh start after disappointments in love and her career, and when she returns to her hometown, she runs into Colton Greene, a sidelined NFL quarterback who needs someone to write his biography as much as he needs a new direction in life after his injuries.

Sister Mary Baruch: The Early Years by Jacob Restrick

Rebecca Feinstein is drawn to Catholicism through a friend, and while she’s still a college student, she decides to convert from Judaism and, later, to enter a cloistered Dominican monastery. Various family members react in different ways, but a rift between Rebecca and much of her family continues throughout the novel. It’s a good story, but it reads as if an elderly man were dictating the book to a transcriber. I was not intrigued enough to continue reading the series.

Jane by the Book by Pepper D. Basham

This romance novella features two overly-formal characters thrown together by a 150-year-old mystery. Buttoned-up inkeeper Jane and impulsive novelist Titus are an unlikely pair as they try to track down the story of one of Jane’s ancestors while both visit Bath, England. Meanwhile, Titus writes Jane into his novel — and she suspects he’s using her. Maybe you need to be an Austen fan to appreciate this better, but I was underwhelmed.

The Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In an attempt to escape the influence of her controlling boyfriend, Margie takes refuge in Mt. Rainier National Park. Her senator father pulls some strings to secure a place for her, but she chooses a remote, tumbledown cabin in order to be closer to nature. Fighting her own fears of her boyfriend when he follows her to the mountain, Margie also battles a rush to development that would destroy the park’s natural beauty — as well as her attraction for a handsome ranger who doesn’t share her faith.

YA/Children’s

Silver Meadows Summer by Emma Otheguy

11-year-old Carolina grieves her native Puerto Rico, which her family left so they could join relatives in upstate NY. She feels that her family is leaving their heritage behind, trying to fit in to their new place, but all she wants to do is go home and have everything the way it was. She befriends a girl at day camp, and together they find a tumbledown cabin in the woods, which they fix up as a combination hideout/art studio. But their camp, and their studio, are threatened by real-estate developers, and they don’t think middle-schoolers can do anything to stop it. Enjoyable novel for ages 10 and up.

Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar

10-year-old Ruthie, a recent immigrant to New York City from Castro’s Cuba, is just finding her way to fit in when she’s in a terrible car accident that leaves her housebound and in a body cast for months. She endures unimaginable loneliness on top of the severe pain from the accident and surgery. This middle-grade semi-autobiographical novel explores the experience of Jewish-Cuban immigrants in the late 1960s.

Nonfiction

The Catholic Working Mom’s Guide to Life by JoAnna Wahlund

A practical guide bolstered by real-life honesty. The author speaks from her own experience as a Catholic working mom. There are chapters concentrating on specific concerns of moms with infants and very young children, but much of the advice in this book applied to me as well (a full-time, work-from-home mom of a teenager with a young adult also living at home). It’s a good antidote to the Mommy Wars and encouragement to working moms, whether full-time, part-time, split-shift, or what flavor of work schedule describes yours. Many, MANY plugs for the author’s Facebook group, which came off as a bit self-serving. (ARC received from publisher.)

Live Big, Love Bigger: Getting Real with BBQ, Sweet Tea, and a Whole Lotta Jesus by Kathryn Whitaker

Not what I expected – and that was a good thing! From the blurb, I thought it would be more of a travelogue of the Whitaker family’s barbecue pilgrimage, and that’s not at all the case. Since I’ve never been to Texas nor had barbecue, I didn’t expect to relate to this book. Instead, I found that it’s full of honest talk from a mom who had to learn the hard way a lesson we all need to learn: perfectionism doesn’t get you anywhere. If you have a quiet place to read and a bottomless glass of sweet tea, you’ll easily read your way through this book in an afternoon, but its lessons will stick with you much longer. (ARC received from publisher; available late August 2019.)

Educated by Tara Westover

A disturbing memoir of a family that was beyond dysfunctional. The author grew up physically and emotionally isolated from others and was never allowed to attend school. Her mentally ill father and codependent mother created an unstable environment for the family that put themselves and their children in danger on repeated occasions. The author seems to be trying to move toward a place of healing, but frequently backtracks and undercuts some of her statements by introducing competing accounts from others. This book is enormously popular but I don’t see the attraction, unless you’re after a voyeuristic look into a family life affected by mental illness.

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!

Fiction

Varina Palladino’s Jersey Italian Love Story by Gerri-Lynne DeFino

The Voice of Angels by Nydia Hadi

Lowcountry Lost by T.I. Lowe

Where Trees Touch the Sky: A Redwood National Park Novel by Karen Barnett

Beyond Ivy Walls by Rachel Fordham

The Baking Games by Rachel Hanna

Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin

A Heart Beyond by Grace Greene

YA/Children’s

Sisters of the Last Straw Book 9: The Case of the Mixed-Up Marathon by Karen Kelly Boyce

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Nonfiction

What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking by Caroline Chambers

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The Fine Print

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