Anxiety, depression, and panic disorder are featured in these recommended books. They are, in my opinion, well-depicted with realism and authenticity. Often, mental illness is isolating, and these books remind those who suffer from these disorders that they are not alone. They also help those who haven’t experienced these disorders to understand what it might be like to live with them.
For reasons unknown (or not recalled), I didn’t review two other books I’ve read and would recommend that include this topic: Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade and Song of Silence by Cynthia Ruchti.
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A Single Bead by Stephanie Engelman
You might think a book about rosary beads would be a little dull. Maybe a little dry, dusty, and dated. You’d be wrong.
A Single Bead by Stephanie Engelman is real, relevant, and, in spots, riveting. It doesn’t gloss over the suffering from which none of us escape. Kate, whose immediate family is marginally Catholic, at best, is grieving the loss of her grandmother. More troubling, however, is her mother’s inability to cope as she sinks into a pit of depression.
A single bead provides hope to Kate, and as the story progresses, to all of her family. Through a single bead, the discovery of subsequent beads, and the experiences of those who possess them, hope and faith bloom. In the end, A Single Bead is a beautiful testament to the power of a prayer and a touching portrait of the love that accompanies each prayer.
For those new to the Rosary or skeptical of Catholic practices, you’ll get a thorough (not preachy) explanation. Any notions of superstition or “magic” associated with the prayers or objects is handily dispelled.
Despite the fact that the point of view character is a sixteen-year-old girl, I think boys would enjoy the story as well. It’s honest and human – not girly in any way. Appropriate for teens of all ages. (And enjoyable for adults, too, because we all need a reminder of the power of prayer.)
Bleeder: A Mystery by John J. Desjarlais
Excellent! Well-paced mystery, superbly drawn main character (Reed Stubblefield), and though I had an inkling as to who the murderer was, the possibilities proffered kept me doubting and guessing clear to the end.
So much is done right here – the writing for sure, but the faith elements, the pacing, the voice, and the themes woven throughout, from the wisdom of Aristotle to death, to faith, and supernatural reality.
Highly recommended!
‘Tis the Season by Olivia Folmar Ard
Olivia Folmar Ard is building a reputation for relevant, contemporary women’s fiction with soul. ‘Tis the Season, while short enough and, on the surface, light enough for a Christmas read, is a character-driven story. It is THE story most of us need to read at the holidays. It’s a reminder to be more transparent and less concerned with appearance, more merciful and less retaliatory, and more generous than envious.
At one time or another, we all think we’ve got the market cornered on suffering and deprivation – maybe now more than ever thanks to social media. ‘Tis the Season is your antidote – or maybe you’re prophylactic – meant to be read before you head over the river and through the woods to a houseful of passive-aggressive or narcissistic family members. (Fill in your own family dysfunction.)
However or whenever it’s read, it’ll leave you with a spirit of generosity, perfect for strengthening strained relationships and receiving the joy of the season into your heart.
A Season to Love by Nicole Deese
All the technical (but important) writing craft stuff aside, there’s an intangible character about certain books that make them memorable. A Season to Love‘s got it.
This quick, easy read had me propping up my Kindle so I could read while I handled laundry and cooked dinner. At its climax, empathy for Willa left me with a bittersweet ache in my chest. I also found my non-sentimental self doing things I don’t ordinarily do – highlighting passages, rooting for characters, and pushing back tears.
Willa and Patrick’s relationship never feels rushed or forced, developing naturally out of their friendship. The sibling relationship between Willa and Weston is just as authentic and moving.
Nicole Deese shares not only a sweet and tender love story, but beautiful lessons about fear, anxiety, courage, and control that merits reading and re-reading. I can’t wait to revisit Lenox!
Castles in the Clouds by Myra Johnson
I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the Flowers of Eden series set in drought-ridden Arkansas during the Great Depression. A sweet romance blooms between a reticent young woman studying to be a teacher and a nearly blind missionary who has returned to the United States from Kenya.
I also enjoyed glimpses of characters from the first book in the series, whose story is still unfolding. Fans of Christian historical fiction will enjoy Castles in the Clouds.
The King’s Prey: Saint Dymphna of Ireland by Susan Peek
Martyrdom is brutal and doesn’t necessarily lends itself to a lighthearted treatment. Then again, this is the Church that made St. Lawrence, roasted to death over a slow fire, the patron saint of cooks.
Susan Peek, wisely I think, intertwines St. Dymphna’s difficult story with that of two Irish orphan brothers, Turlough and Brioc. Both will come to her defense, seeking to save her from her insane widowed father’s attempt to force her into marriage to him.
While Dymphna’s father, the king, is largely an unsympathetic character, for obvious reasons, Brioc’s character allows the reader to delve into the mind of someone struggling with mental illness – not a murderous, villainous person, but a good and kindhearted person who has suffered numerous losses and traumas.
Interspersed with mortal peril, swashbuckling, and glimpses of mental illness are lighter moments, many of which come via the overgrown wolfhound, Sam, loved by Brioc and, begrudgingly, Turlough. The novel also delves into the fractured relationship between Brioc and Turlough, the seemingly insurmountable distance between Brioc and his pregnant wife Lynnie, and several minor characters.
In the end, you’ll be left with a fuller sense of the horror of St. Dymphna’s struggle, the beauty of loving sacrifice, and the power of those sacrifices when offered to God for the sake of another. Ultimately, as with every Christian story, there is a message of hope.
As in all of Susan Peek’s books, the pace is quick, the stakes high, and action nearly nonstop, making it a smooth read.
Liberation, (Book #3) could have, with some adjustments, served as the conclusion to the I Am Margaret series. With that in mind, I wondered where Bane’s Eyes would take the story.
Corinna Turner does a great job in bringing the reader into the darkness – both literal and figurative – pervading Margaret and Bane’s fledgling marriage. Margaret’s growing burdens and increasing isolation are palpable.
Beyond their marriage, the final installment turns every relationship inward as multiple characters wrestle with forgiveness and conversion. From Bane and Margaret to Major Everington, Kyle, and others, they have to learn live with themselves, whatever becomes of the EuroGov.
In addition to the interior struggles, plenty of exterior tension and action move the story forward as the Underground uses both political maneuvers and media savvy to create a groundswell of support for peaceful revolution.
All loose ends are tied up in a satisfying conclusion filled with hope despite those who have been lost and the challenges sure to come.
I Am Margaret is a series I look forward to re-reading. Filled with action, tension, romance, and courage, it’s not only a thrilling read, but a profound reflection on the things that matter most – those that are worth dying for.
The Partition of Africa by Olivia Folmar Ard
We know from the outset of The Partition of Africa that Hattie Greene has gotten herself in a mess of trouble. From there the reader travels back in time to witness Hattie’s descent into a moral quagmire of her own making.
Despite the fact there are no earth-shattering events in the book – no deaths, disasters or external upheavals, the author lays an intriguing trail of bread crumbs for the reader to follow in examining how Hattie hit rock bottom. Who is Cameron to her? What happened over Thanksgiving? What’s behind her roommate Claire’s promiscuous behavior?
Olivia Ard allows the reader to see through Hattie’s eyes, learning from her missteps as she does. Not everyone is as they seem – not Cameron Walcott, not Professor Campbell, not Claire, and not Hattie. Only through her journey of self-discovery will she gain the courage to renounce her mistakes and realize her self-worth.
The novel is well-written and paced. Attention to little details such as early pregnancy symptoms, panic attacks, and college life enhance the telling. A linear timeline may have leant more clarity to certain aspects of the story and allowed for more natural development of Hattie’s involvement with Professor Campbell in my opinion, but did not detract from the heart of the story, which is Hattie’s maturation.
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