My annual summer reading post. Am I setting myself up for failure? I have more obligations than I’ve had in summers past, and reading time is more limited. Let’s look at my track record.

• 2019. I read 2 of 10 books. Yikes.
• 2020. I read all 6 books on my list. Yay, me!
• 2021. Boom! I read all 6 books. Again.
• 2022. Only read 2 of 6. A measly third.

Well, let’s hope I can return to my 2020-21 greatness.

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A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon

Blurb: In 1760, Deborah Samson is born to Puritan parents in Plympton, Massachusetts. When her father abandons the family and her mother is unable to support them, Deborah is bound out as an indentured servant. From that moment on, she yearns for a life of liberation and adventure.

Twenty years later, as the American colonies begin to buckle in their battle for independence, Deborah, impassioned by the cause, disguises herself as a soldier and enlists in the Continental army. Her impressive height and lanky build make her transformation a convincing one, and it isn’t long before she finds herself confronting the horrors of war head-on.

But as Deborah fights for her country’s freedom, she must contend with the secret of who she is—and, ultimately, a surprising love she can’t deny.

Why I want to read it: It’s been a long time since I read an Amy Harmon book, and her popularity seems to have exploded since then. I trust her with this story, and I’ve seen great reviews from readers whose opinions I respect. I’m ready to be swept away by this historical novel.

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Man of Shadow and Mist by Michelle Griep

Blurb: England, 1890
 
Vampires are alive and well in North Yorkshire, leastwise in the minds of the uneducated. Librarian Rosa Edwards intends to drive a stake through the heart of such superstitions. But gossip flies when the mysterious Sir James Morgan returns to his shadowy manor. The townsfolk say he is cursed.
 
James hates everything about England. The weather. The rumours. The scorn. Yet he must stay. His mother is dying of a disease for which he’s desperately trying to find a cure—an illness that will eventually take his own life.
 
When Rosa sets out to prove the dark gossip about James is wrong, she discovers more questions than answers. How can she accept what she can’t explain—especially the strong allure of the enigmatic man? James must battle a town steeped in fear as well as the unsettling attraction he feels for the no-nonsense librarian.
 
Can love prevail in a town filled with fear and doubt?

Why I want to read it: I enjoy Michelle Griep’s books, and I loved the first book in the Of Monsters and Men series. Plus, Dracula is still fresh enough in my mind to thoroughly enjoy the references I’ll find herein.

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Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer

Blurb: Beauty has been nothing but a curse to Penelope Snow. When she becomes a personal maid for a famous actress whose troupe is leaving Chicago to tour the West, she hides her figure beneath shapeless dresses and keeps her head down. But she still manages to attract the wrong attention, leaving her prospects in tatters–and her jealous mistress plotting her demise.

After his brother lost his life over a woman, Texas Ranger Titus Kingsley has learned to expect the worst from women and is rarely disappointed. So when a young lady found in suspicious circumstances takes up residence with the seven old drovers living at his grandfather’s ranch, Titus is determined to keep a close eye on her.

With a promotion hanging in the balance, Titus is assigned to investigate a robbery case tied to Penelope’s acting troupe, and all evidence points to Penelope’s guilt. But Titus might just be convinced that the fairest woman of all has a heart as pure as her last name . . . if only he can prove it.

Why I want to read it: It’s by Karen Witemeyer, who is incredibly consistent in writing historical romances that I love! I hadn’t even looked at the blurb before I added it to my list, but having read the blurb and seeing that’s it gives a nod to Snow White, I’m even more eager to read it.

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Tangled Violets by Denise-Marie Martin

Blurb: Denise-Marie Martin’s debut novel exposes the greatest longings of the human heart: to belong and be loved. Tangled Violets is the riveting story of an adoptee’s search to find out who she is. Advanced degrees, professional success, and a string of failed marriages have done nothing to fill the void that has defined Lizzie Schmidt’s life. Armed with mostly false information, she embarks on an improbable journey of self-discovery, searching for her biological family before the days of the internet or consumer genetic testing made such reunions commonplace.

Tangled Violets is the shocking story of how far one woman is willing to go in search of love and acceptance—a journey that leads to joy, pain, lies, and absolute heartbreak. A tale of redemption and the healing power of forgiveness, this novel demonstrates that no matter what we have done or where we have been, no one is outside the mercy of God and the healing balm of his unconditional love.

Why I want to read it: The cover is just lovely, and this is a fairly recent novel by a Catholic author that I’ve been wanting to read.

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Firetender by Erin Lewis

Blurb: Hot-headed Dallas Malone has spent most of his life putting up emotional walls around himself, softened only by his best friend Channing, whom he protects with the fierceness of a big brother. When the two are faced with sudden homelessness, Dallas’s impulsive decisions leave them fleeing from law enforcement and land him in prison. His mistakes threaten to ravish Dallas like a wildfire, unless he can learn to allow something more powerful than himself into his life.

Why I want to read it: Another recent Catholic novel, one I didn’t have much time to sample before publication. (Sorry, Erin Lewis!) But I’m eager to give it a read.

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Blink and We’ll Miss It by Ginny Kochis

Blurb: Mae Griffin’s last blink was six hundred and fifty-three days ago, when she left Minnesott Beach, North Carolina, for good.

It might have been the move. It’s probably the lack of stress now that her mom is stable. All Mae knows is that her world no longer shifts. She doesn’t glimpse people from the past or fall headlong into their private moments. As long as she can go to school, keep her friends at arm’s length, and make sure Mom takes her medication, she’ll have a pretty solid end to junior year.

Except stability breeds complacency, and when Mae’s not looking, life falls apart. Reeling from a tragedy she should have seen coming, Mae returns to her grandparents’ centuries-old house on the Carolina coast, to the friendships she destroyed and the stoic, dark-haired boy who makes her heart ache.

Back to the blinks that plague her mental health.

As Mae’s blinks ramp up in intensity and frequency, she discovers an unsettling truth. Her greatest fear is the key to healing old, brutal wounds and unearthing family secrets that sparked a bitter feud. Torn between loyalty to the friends she once loved and protection from the pain of starting over, Mae must decide if she can open her heart. Not just to the life she let go, but to the parts of herself she’d rather keep hidden. Blink and We’ll Miss It is a poignant, swoon-worthy novel about finding the strength to forgive, the courage to move forward, and the vulnerability to fall in love.

Why I want read it: Yet another Catholic author. Also, look at that cover and all its color. I’m intrigued by all I’ve read about this book, the inclusion of some magical realism, the author’s diligence, and YA romance.

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Holy Habits from the Sacred Heart: Ten Ways to Build Stronger, More Loving Relationships by Emily Jaminet

Blurb: Jesus invites you to experience his love through devotion to his Sacred Heart, a powerful source of spiritual and personal healing that can also transform your relationships with family, friends, and others around you.

In Holy Habits from the Sacred Heart, Emily Jaminet—executive director of the Sacred Heart Enthronement Network—identifies ten habits and virtues that come from the Sacred Heart. She also shows how you can intentionally practice these virtues in order to get closer to Jesus and strengthen the relationships that are most important to you.

Having Jesus at the center of family life isn’t reserved for the pious; it’s a form of practical spirituality that is open to everyone. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus has been a cornerstone of Jaminet’s life bolstering the faith of four generations of her family members. In this book she shares her own story as well as the real-life experiences of regular Catholics whose families have been changed for the better by the love and virtue that came from devotion to the Sacred Heart.

The habits and virtues include:

• Encounter the King: welcome Jesus into your home with the virtue of docility;
• Welcome the Light: have courage to rid your heart of shame;
• Let Go of the Need to Control: rediscover the liberating virtue of humility;
• Put Jesus at the Center of Relationships: experience the release of forgiveness; and
• Live in the Kingdom of Peace: experience the transforming power of prudence.

Each chapter includes a prayer, reflection questions, and wisdom from St. Margaret Mary Alacoque—who began the Sacred Heart devotion—and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Why I want to read it: I’ve been longing to do the Enthronement to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for several years ago, mostly due to Emily Jaminet’s evangelization. What better time is there for me to read more about the Sacred Heart than June, the month dedicated to it?

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Close to the Soul by Mary Jo Thayer

Blurb: Through grit and grace, Carolyn Fandel survives being raped by someone she knows and trusts. She will not accept defeat—even when confronted by her rapist a second time. Instead, she uses her tragedy to help hundreds of others, some of whom she will never meet. Set in the era of the Vietnam War and the new feminism, this book will have you crying and cheering for Carolyn as she navigates the challenges of life after sexual assault.

Why I want to read it: I’m long past due to read this Catholic novel. And look, I share the same name as the protagonist! I don’t think I’ve ever read a character with my name before.

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