I shared a list of five of my favorite contemporary Catholic romances over at Shepherd.com. See why I love each of these books.
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These are five of the best books I’ve read so far this year, and I highly recommend each.
Fun, sweet, romantic, and mysterious with a splash of Christmas to cool off on a hot summer day.
My daughter and I listened to the audiobook version together over a long period of time. The narration was well done and well-suited to the story.
This novel has so much to offer: history, a marriage-of-convenience romance, mystery, faith, humor, Christmas, and a plethora of literary references. All this in an engaging story of a wonderfully original, genuine heroine with bookish tendencies and a reformed hero who is as loyal as he is dashing.
I loved how Grace’s innocence and enthusiasm shined throughout. The mystery was compelling and kept the story moving. A fun romance for Christmas or any time of year.
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Goodreads tells me I read 114 book in 2020. That’s a good rough-estimate, taking into account unpublished manuscripts I’ve read and picture books that got lumped into that total.
I’ve picked a Top 5 for 2020 in three categories: Christian romance, Debut novels, and Children’s books. Most were published in 2020; several were published in 2019, but I read them in 2020. Without further ado, here they are, in no particular order:
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I’ve got a bazillion books on my to-be-read list. There are paperbacks, hardcover books, ebooks, and audiobooks. There are books by friends and strangers. Beta reads and books to review. And they multiple like rabbits.
I will likely read many more books than these this summer. I plan to read some books aloud to my kids, read friends’ new books, and whittle those lists. (I’m looking at you, NetGalley!)
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I invited Catholic Writers Guild members on the group’s Facebook page to recommend one of their books for reading during this pandemic. What follows are their recommendations, in the author’s words. It’s a mix of fiction and nonfiction. Choose a fun escape, something to expand your knowledge, fiction that edifies, or a means of deepening your faith.
Also check out this list of reading recommendations at Dappled Things: “Literature in the Time of COVID-19”.
Links below are to Amazon, but you can find most, if not all, at additional retailers and some on additional ebook platforms – maybe even on audiobook.
Pandemic Reading Picks from Catholic Writers Guild Authors #CatholicsatHome Click To Tweet Continue reading
At the recommendation of the priest/leader at my husband’s annual men’s retreat, he’s been listening to Be Healed: A Guide to Encountering the Healing Love of Jesus in Your Life by Bob Schuchts. Using personal stories, the author guides the reader to physical, emotional, and spiritual healing by way of the sacraments and the Holy Spirit. From what my husband has said about it, this sounds like a very effective tool for examining interior brokenness and finding hope and peace.
He’s also been listening to An Introduction to the Universe: The Big Ideas of Astronomy by Vatican astronomer Dr. Guy Consolmagno, SJ, PhD. More than purely an astronomy book, religious texts are woven into this talk filled with the wonder of the universe.
Death Panels: A Novel of Life, Liberty, and Faith by Michelle Buckman has been on my reading list for years. This near-future dystopian novel with a large cast of characters depicts a society overly reliant on government in nearly every aspect of life but most grievously in deciding who lives and who dies. Ultimately, Death Panels shows what happens when people turn a blind eye to reality and how small acts of resistance and cooperation can begin to turn a culture around.
I loved listening to Karen Barnett’s Ever Faithful: A Vintage National Parks Novel on audiobook. Each book in the series features a sweet romance set in the early 20th century at one of America’s beautiful national parks along with a Christian faith theme and a touch of suspense. This is my favorite of the three books in the series so far with its well-developed minor characters and the fact that the author didn’t settle for the easy resolution. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.
The Power of Forgiveness (Companion in Faith) by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur is a short but solid resource for those struggling with forgiveness (which is most of us at one time or another). Readers can return to the short verses, reflections, and prayers, using them as needed while struggling to overcome past hurts.
For his summer reading assignment, my high school student chose Ender’s Game (The Ender Quintet) by Orson Scott Card. In this science fiction novel for young adults, a boy genius – who becomes a respected leader—is sent to Battle School to train for defense against alien attack. My son loved this book—until the ending.
My junior high student read Saint José: Boy Cristero Martyr in a day! Fr. Kevin McKenzie brings to life the story of St. José Sánchez del RÍo, a fourteen-year-old Mexican boy martyred during the 1920s Cristero War. My daughter was impressed that the author spent ten years researching the saint’s story for this book. Saint José was canonized by Pope Francis in 2016.
Even my little kids had summer reading projects, and my second grade daughter, who loves all things cute, cuddly, and furry embarked on The Puppy Place series starting with Goldie by Ellen Miles. I’ve got to say that it’s no chore staring at the adorable little dogs that grace the covers of these books. This kid is wearing me down for a dog!
Inspired by his older sister, my youngest son wanted God’s Mighty Warrior Devotional Bible by Sheila Walsh from the display in the back of church. Surprisingly, I see him with pen in hand writing in the book. So, maybe it wasn’t just about what his sister got (God’s Little Princess Devotional Bible). These boy/girl sets of children’s Bibles are sturdy, attractive, and designed for parent/child interaction related to the biblical stories and concepts.
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Snow, squalls, and cold weather have kept us confined to the house more than we’d like, but that leaves lots of time for reading, right? At the end of the day, I’m eager to make a mug of hot tea (Constant Comment, please), wrap myself in a hand-knitted shawl, and hold a book or my Kindle on my lap!
I discovered The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland via a post shared on An Open Book in January. I’m listening on audiobook, and both the text and the narration have drawn me into the lives of the real-life characters featured. Alternately moving, gripping, and, ultimately, uplifting, author Jim DeFede took me right back to my own experience of 9/11. A great choice for teens and older.
Made This Way: How to Prepare Kids to Face to Face Today’s Tough Moral Issues by Trent Horn and Leila Miller presents ten hot-button moral issues, a natural law approach to explaining the Catholic position on them, and tips for guiding both young children and teens. This clear-thinking, common sense approach is a boon to parents and anyone charged with teaching young people about controversial issues such as reproductive technologies, same-sex marriage, pornography, and transgender identity.
I’ve read At Home in Persimmon Hollow by Gerri Bauer, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover this addition to the series: Trust in Love (Persimmon Hollow Legacy Novella 1). I loved the Southern Florida setting–a part of the United States I’ve never considered as part of the American frontier–and was happy to revisit it. So far, I’m getting acquainted with two Catholic immigrants–one Irish, one Italian–working side by side. I sense a sweet romance budding.
Working his way through the Middle Ages, my teenager is reading The Inferno by Dante Alighieri. I get treated to after-school updates about who has been confined to what part of Hell. I read portions of The Inferno in high school, too, and would like to read The Divine Comedy in its entirety as an adult.
Besides marveling at the $1.50 paperback price on the front of my 1980s edition of The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells, my teen has enjoyed this story as a leisure read. I love that he loves classics. He’s discovered that it’s less the horror novel he expected and more a science fiction story, similar to other books he’s read by Wells.
In my daughter’s backpack, she’s carrying The Island by Gary Paulsen. In it, a teenage boy discovers a lake island where he learns about nature and self-reliance. (Common themes in Paulsen’s books, from what I’ve seen.) Just reading the description makes me long for the slow summer days of my childhood spent outdoors, trudging up and down paths and along creeks and ponds, observing and thinking. I think our kids could do with a whole lot more of that. At least when we thaw out from these sub-freezing temps!
I *think* my daughter has, through the use of the inter-library loan system, now read everything she wanted to read in this well-loved series. In Wilbur and Orville Wright: Young Fliers (Childhood of Famous Americans) by Augusta Stevenson, the reader sees the Wright brothers as young boys, eager to create things that fly. The series tells the stories of children–before they were famous. My fifth-grade daughter highly recommends these chapter books for children.
A Baby Sister for Frances by Russell Hoban is one of my children’s favorites. Interestingly, it was not a favorite of mine when we first read this story of a young anthropomorphic badger who runs away to beneath the kitchen sink with a package of prunes when a baby sister comes along, hogging her mom’s time and attention. As we read this sweetly illustrated book aloud, my kids reminisce about their own experiences with “running away” and their first impressions of Frances.
I received a copy of Before You Were Born by Joan Lowery Nixon from my obstetrician’s office after my first son was born in 2003. We have the 1980 edition, which includes very, uh, 1980-ish illustrations: abstract with lots of swirling colors. The text is marvelous, tracing a child’s beginnings from conception through birth, emphasizing how loved the child was at every stage of development. I see Our Sunday Visitor released a new edition in 2006 with more contemporary illustrations. It looks great!
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I’ve moved full-on into Christmas reading mode. While we won’t decorate until Gaudete Sunday and I’m not interested in listening to carols yet, in this one area, I enjoy Christmas a little early. Two new Christmas novellas have set the reading bar high this season.
I loved A Holiday by Gaslight: A Victorian Christmas Novella by Mimi Matthews. The cover conveys the historical Christmasy feel of the book set in Victorian London. I connected immediately with the main characters, who were straightforward and unpretentious. (Unlike most everyone else in the story.) Scenes of dragging evergreen boughs through the snow and hauling yule logs to the hearth helped set the scene for a romance that crosses social class boundaries.
Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock immediately became one of my contemporary Christmas favorites. Gourmet chef turned cab driver Finn ends up toting around an ill elderly woman while her frazzled granddaughter Sydney struggles to hold onto her job defending a defenseless, spoiled drunk. The story is the perfect blend of poignancy and humor (especially in regard to the cab service/Uber rivalry). In the season when God comes to us as an approachable babe in the manger, the religious message in Catching Christmas is on point.
After reading so many glowing remarks about The House on Foster Hill by Jamie Jo Wright, I couldn’t wait to read it. I’ve been listening to it on audiobook, and the narration by Erin Bennett is very well done. The story moves between the early 20th century and present day, connecting Ivy Thorpe and the mysterious murder of a young woman to her descendant Kaine’s relentless pursuit by a stalker following her husband’s death/maybe murder. For both Ivy and Kaine, there is strong and handsome protector on hand to add a touch of romance. So far, I’m loving this book.
My son’s class has been reading the play Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw. In helping him study for a quiz, I learned a little about the play and the playwright. Unhappy with the way Saint Joan of Arc had been portrayed, Shaw sought to write a play that showed the saint in a more realistic light – proud, naïve, and foolhardy. With this play, Shaw is said to have reached the height of his fame as a dramatist.
In looking for some other books tucked away in the attic, my husband brought out a favorite of mine for our daughter to read. America’s Favorite Backyard Wildlife is all about the little critters that we see in the yard (and dead on the road): squirrels, raccoons, skunks, opossums, etc. It’s a fun and easy read of backyard tales and critter facts. Downside: My daughter now wants to keep a chipmunk as a pet.
If you read An Open Book regularly, you know that once my daughter finds a series or author she likes, she sticks with it. That is the case with Gary Paulsen. She’s currently reading Dogsong, a Newbery Honor book set in Alaska. This one involves an epic journey with dog sleds. The cover is striking, isn’t it?
On a recommendation from The Christian Fiction Girl, I borrowed Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex from the local library. My first grader has read it about six times in the past day. It’s a humorous picture book in which a child poses a series of questions to Darth Vader as to what might frighten him. Toward the end, it slips into a kind of metafiction, reminding me of The Monster at the End of This Book. A fun read!
This is the perfect time for us to bring out the most unusual Christmas picture book we own: The Other Side of Christmas: An Upside-down Book by Beth Gully. (I recommended it in Under the Catholic Child’s Christmas Tree last year.) Read the book for the Santa story of Christmas, then flip it upside down and read the Jesus story of Christmas. Clever and fun!
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