Welcome to the May 2022 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

I’m still finishing my summer reading list from 2021. (Don’t judge me.) On it is Under the Magnolias by T.I. Lowe. I downloaded it to my Kindle while it was on sale after seeing so many rave reviews, despite not having read any of the author’s other books. I don’t think I even read the book description, so each page has unfolded as a surprise—and I quite like it that way. I knew only that it was set in the 1980s. For whatever reason, I expected a traditional Christian romance. That’s not what this is. Under the Magnolias is Southern fiction, a coming-of-age story, a YA romance, and more. I’m just over halfway through, but I’ve grown to love the quirky tobacco-farming family led by eldest daughter Ox, who is trying to raise six younger siblings while her widowed father descends into madness.

Nicole Deese is probably my favorite contemporary Christian romance author, and she’s hit the ball out of the park with All That It Takes (a follow-up to All That Really Matters). Val, a single mom living without the constant support of her parents for the first time, has landed a spot in a prestigious documentary competition that will cause her to come to terms with a past she’s kept well-hidden. She’ll do that while living above (and falling in love with) Miles, a pastor who’s been shuffled out of his megachurch missionary work to a less exciting, less visible role. There’s so much to say about this book and these characters, but its heart for women who come alongside other women in crisis is tender, touching, and a story that needed to be told. I highly recommend All That It Takes.

I also worked in a quick read of Jody Hedlund’s The Heart of a Cowboy, second in a series. A young, widowed scientist, Linnea, travels the Santa Fe Trail with a group of botanists and Flynn, who’s moving a herd of cattle and his younger siblings to his estranged older brother’s Colorado ranch. Jody Hedlund ramps up the chemistry between Linnea and Flynn, so there’s a lot of will they/won’t they throughout the journey. A couple details kept me from identifying fully with Linnea, but it was an enjoyable book, and I’ll be reading more in the series.

Maria V. Gallagher’s Joyful Encounters with Mary: A Woman’s Guide to Living the Mysteries of the Rosary is new from Marian Press. It gave me an opportunity to slow down and contemplate the Blessed Mother’s life through each Joyful Mystery. Through personal stories, the lives of the saints, and gentle questions, Maria Gallagher guides the reader beyond rote recitation of prayers to living the scriptural mysteries alongside Mary. Perfect reading for Mary’s month, May, or as a gift for a Catholic mom in your life.

My eighth-grade daughter finished a book I may have read more times than any other: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. By halfway through, she’d become invested in the story of 1950s Oklahoma greasers and their fateful encounter with the upper-class Socs. It’s such fun when my kids read and love novels that were close to my heart at their age. Now we’ll be able to watch Francis Ford Coppola’s movie adaption together, the cast of which may have had something to do with my love for the book.

In fourth grade, my daughter has been reading the second in a series by Gordon Korman that she began last month. Zoobreak (Swindel #2), as you might guess based on the title, involves animals being broken out of a zoo, where they are badly treated. Then the animals must be hidden. And then broken in to a better zoo.

A slew of Catholic children’s books has passed through my hands recently. One is The Curious Story of Jonah by Bob Hartman from Ascension Kids. This colorful hardcover picture book is a faithful retelling of the biblical tale aimed at young children. While most stories of Jonah focus almost exclusively on his being in the belly of the whale, this story gives equal time to what came before and after. I love the bright illustrations by Honor Ayres.

The Wordless Weaver by Claudia Cangilla McAdam is set before Passover in Jerusalem. Shira, a talented young weaver, wants to create something beautiful for Yeshua. The story follows Shira, who is mute, as she is a witness to the crucifixion and has an encounter with the apostle John. It’s a sweet, hopeful story perfect for the Easter season but enjoyable any time of the year.

Want more details on An Open Book? You can also sign up for An Open Book reminder email, which goes out one week before the link-up. No blog? That’s okay. Just tell us what you’re reading in the comment box.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY! STAY A WHILE AND LOOK AROUND. LEAVE A COMMENT. SHARE WITH A FRIEND. IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR MY AUTHOR NEWSLETTER TO KEEP UP-TO-DATE ON NEW RELEASES, EXTRAS, AND HOT DEALS!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Welcome to the April 2022 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com!

I was the lucky of winner of some Lent-themed books from Catholic Mom, and my husband is benefitting. His Lenten reading during weekly Adoration is What Jesus Saw from the Cross by A. G. Sertillanges. The author is a priest who lived in Jerusalem, and the book was originally published in French in 1930. Sophia Institute Press has reprinted this “devotional book [which] gives you vivid and dramatic details not included in the Gospel.”

On the recommendation of Catholic Mom and Daughter, I bought a copy of The Sermons of St. Franics de Sales for Lent. I’ve been reminded why I liked the saint’s Introduction to the Devout Life so much, and I’m doing something I never do: using a highlighter to mark all the bits of wisdom shared. It’s easy to do since De Sales’ sermons are well-organized. It may have been written in the 17th century, but the lessons are still applicable to 21^st-century life.

Lost in Darkness by Michelle Griep quickly became my favorite book I’ve read so far this year. With great characters, excellent pacing, and nods to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, this Gothic romance is a reminder of the importance of full reliance on God. The brother of heroine Amelia Balfour is a noble, tragic “monster,” who becomes a wiling victim of the true monster of the tale, a misguided surgeon. Luckily, there is an honorable, kindhearted hero on hand.

I revisited the 1980s—an era I more frequently wish to return to—with A.J. Pittman’s Pride and Prejudice retelling, Pudge and Prejudice. Beloved nostalgia aside, I enjoyed the parallels to the classic, and I become more invested in Elyse and Billy’s happy ending than I ever was in Elizabeth’s with Mr. Darcy. A 1980s Texas high school setting worked remarkably well, and particularly Billy Fitz’s character (Mr. Darcy), rang true.

My oldest son continues to read through the Star Wars series he discovered in the attic. Vector Prime by R. A. Salvatore (The New Jedi Order) takes place twenty-one years after the Battle of Endor depicted in Return of the Jedi, when the New Republic faces a new threat from the Outer Rim. He gives the series a thumbs up!

My teenage daughter has begun reading Cece Louise’s Forest Tales series, beginning with Desperate Forest. She loved the first novel in this historical fantasy series. Princess Roselynn flees to Eternity Forest after the murder of her father and is captured by an outlaw, Jay. He might be her enemy—but he might also be the love interest. We know how that goes, right? I’m so glad my daughter liked this fun, clean YA book. She’s eager to continue the series.

With her eighth-grade class, she is also reading Restart by Gordon Korman. Chase has a case of amnesia after a fall. Apparently, before the fall, he was a jerk. Now he has a chance to be someone different. Someone better, as the tagline would suggest: Lose your memory. Find your life. My daughter is enjoying this book a lot.

My younger daughter is reading another Gordon Korman book with her fourth-grade class. Swindle is described thusly: “Ocean’s 11 . . . with 11-year-olds, in a super stand-alone heist caper.” The stolen item is a valuable baseball card and the obstacles to its safe return are a nasty guard dog, a high-tech security system, and the disadvantages of being 11-year-old kids. Looks fast paced and fun.

We have lots of crossover reading going on here not only with Gordon Korman books, but with this daughter reading Stuart Little, which I’m sure I’ve included here before; The Wild Robot, which her younger brother read a couple of months ago; and Flora and Ulysses, which her young brother is currently reading.

Flora and Ulysses by KateDiCamillo is a Newbery Medal winner about a superhero squirrel named Ulysses, and Flora, the girl who discovers him. The book includes not only text but comic-style graphics and full-page illustrations. It seems that the friendship between Ulysses and Flora and how it affects others is what makes the story beloved.

Just as we eat a healthy diet with some junk on the side, so is my son reading both the old, giant Illustrated Treasury of Children’s Literature and Splatoon Squid Kids Comedy Show by Hideki Goto. I don’t expect much from books based on video games, but he liked this illustrated book, zipping through it quickly. (In true Japanese fashion, it’s read from right to left.)

Finally, I saw What to Do When Your Temper Flares: A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming Problems with Anger by Dawn Huebner recommended in a Facebook group and thought someone in my household could benefit from it. We haven’t worked through the entire book yet, as it has some exercises to do, but it seems practical and helpful. It guides kids and parents through techniques for dealing with anger as it arises— “anger dousing” methods, as they are called. It seems like a positive and productive means of helping a child learn to cool his temper.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY! STAY A WHILE AND LOOK AROUND. LEAVE A COMMENT. SHARE WITH A FRIEND. IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR MY AUTHOR NEWSLETTER TO KEEP UP-TO-DATE ON NEW RELEASES, EXTRAS, AND HOT DEALS!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.