Every month in 2024 Pope Francis has a monthly prayer intention. Every month we will release a book list that will draw your heart and soul deeper into prayer on these topics.
Lord Jesus, you who have given us Mary as our Mother: today I want to be grateful, with the whole Church, for all women: mothers, daughters, sisters, wives; for the consecrated women, for women who work professionally… for all of them, in all the beauty and value of their femininity. But I cannot forget the problem of discrimination women often experience. That is why I ask You that every person, particularly, women, – who are more easily subject to violence and abuse- may be respected in their dignity and in their fundamental rights. Help me to make heard the voices of women who are victims of abuse and exploitation, marginalization and undue pressures and to speak out forcefully against the injustices to which they are subjected. May we make room, Lord, for their actions, and orient ourselves to the protection of life in every state, in every age and in every condition, and that we may value women’s undeniable and unique contribution to the common good. And at this time, when humanity is experiencing such profound changes, may women assist mankind from degenerating. Amen.
Our advice to book clubs & individuals:
- Pick just one of these books to read this month
- Pray this short prayer before or after each time you read, and at the start of your book club meetings.
- During the meetings, make use of the topical discussion guides & videos on the Pope’s website.
- Watch how story transforms your empathy, your prayer life, and your capacity to imagine God with you in any situation.
Young Adult
Bravewater by Sarah Robsdottir
Award-winning young adult novel!
Winner of several 2023 Catholic Media Association Book Awards!
Girls are disappearing on their way to the spring…
Will fear stop Talitha, the sole water gatherer for her hut, from searching for her friend—even if it means scaling the walls of the mine owners’ compound, where locals are shot on sight?
And will terror block Moses’ path—or can this teenage hunter battle an underground human trafficking ring with ties to the cities on the other side of Great Mountain?
Join Talitha and Moses on their journey, one marked with violent drug lords, crippling jealousy, blinding anger, but also…tremendous beauty. And, the flutters of first love.
Meet other villagers and colorful characters along the way, all of whom are grappling with dire loss after a recent mine explosion. Become acquainted with multiple generations of a missionary family who sacrificed all, moving out to the African bush to fulfill a driving passion—one that most would call a crazy dream. Listen, as ageless questions are carried in on the hot winds of the Great Red Valley: Do you know what it means to truly be brave? And, what if you had to risk your life for a simple cup of water?
Dive into Brave Water and decide!
Sydney & Calvin Have a Baby by Adrienne Thorne
Playing by Heart by Carmela A. Martino
Emilia Salvini dreams of marrying a man who loves music as much as she does. But in 18th-century Milan, being the “second sister” means she’ll likely be sent to a convent instead. Emilia’s only hope is to prove her musical talents crucial to her father’s quest for nobility. First, though, she must win over her music tutor, who disdains her simply for being a girl. But before she can carry out her plan, a tragedy sends the family into mourning.
In her sorrow, Emilia composes a heartrending sonata that causes the maestro to finally recognize her talent. He begins teaching her music theory alongside Antonio Bellini, the arrogant great-nephew of a wealthy marquis. Emilia’s feelings toward her rival gradually change as she strives to outdo him. But just when her dreams seem within reach, Emilia learns that her success could destroy not only her future but her sister’s life.
Rightfully Ours by Carolyn Astfalk
Sixteen-year-old Paul Porter’s relocation to Pennsylvania is a temporary move during his dad’s deployment. Or so he and his brother think, until devastating news lands on their doorstep. Paul’s new home with the Muellers provides solace, especially in the form of Rachel, his friend and confidante. Their abiding friendship deepens as they work side by side to uncover what could be lost treasure. Will they acquire the strength of character and virtue to take only what rightfully belongs to them or are they in way over their heads, with more than a few lost artifacts at stake? Themes include premarital chastity and overcoming temptation. “When a young man or woman recognizes that authentic love is a precious treasure, they are also enabled to live their sexuality in accordance with the divine plan, rejecting the false models which are, unfortunately, all too frequently publicized and very widespread.” Letter of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to the Young People of Rome, Sept 8, 1997
Life-Changing Love by Theresa Linden
Christian teen fiction. Caitlyn Summer, soon to be fifteen, must practice old-fashioned courtship with high parental involvement, but she has a terrible crush on shy Roland West and she has competition from a girl with no restrictions. As Caitlyn struggles to remain faithful to God, her parents, and herself, her best friend gets pregnant and might get an abortion. When Caitlyn discovers her mother’s past mistakes, she begins to resent all the guidelines her parents expect her to follow.
The King's Prey by Susan Peek
An insane king. His fleeing daughter. Estranged brothers, with a scarred past, risking everything to save her from a fate worse than death. Toss in a holy priest and a lovable wolfhound, and get ready for a wild race across Ireland. Will Dymphna escape her deranged father and his sinful desires?
For the first time ever, the story of Saint Dymphna is brought to life in this dramatic novel for adults and older teens. With raw adventure, gripping action, and even humor in the midst of dark mental turmoil, Susan Peek’s newest novel will introduce you to a saint you will love forever! Teenage girls will see that Dymphna was just like them, a real girl, while young men will thrill at the heart-stopping danger and meet heroes they can easily relate to. If ever a Heavenly friend was needed in these times of widespread depression and emotional instability, this forgotten Irish saint is it!
Science Fiction
The Rescue Sisters Short Stories by Karina Fabian
As Man ventures into Space, the Church follows. Join the adventures of the sisters of Our Lady of the Rescue, who perform dangerous search and rescue operations in space. Tales of adventure, danger, and deep faith.
Discovery by Karina Fabian
Sisters Ann, Tommie and Rita are part of a classified mission to explore an alien ship that has crash landed on an asteroid three billion miles from earth. Humanity’s first contact with beings from beyond the solar system is bound to unlock the mystery of life in the universe, but the crew have their own secrets; hidden fears, desires, horrible sins – and a mission to kill. Researchers discover something unique about the third arm of the ship: something wonderful, something terrifying. Something holy. This discovery challenges Rita and Ann to confront their own pasts in order to secure the safety of the mission and the very souls of the crew.
Ice Wolf by Colleen Drippé
Young Helen Kley of El Colony, a world dominated by women, doesn’t know what to make of the two young men who suddenly come bursting into her life, rescuing her from a humiliating kidnap attempt. That they are offworlders, she has no doubt, that they are corporate agents of some sort, she suspects. Otherwise why do they withhold their names, giving her only the number of a safe line to contact them? In the end, she becomes friends with the one she dubs “Pro” (the other she call “Con” because of their differing attitudes) and simply learns to think of them as her guardians.
Only when she comes of age, two years later, and is by custom given her father’s name and an invitation to visit heretofore unknown relatives on his homeworld, does she learn the truth about her adopted guardians. In fact she learns truth after truth as she and Pro, whose real name she finally learns, must battle their way through one adventure after another as they seek her missing father while avoiding his enemies.
In the end, she faces not only threats from the outside, but also the need to come to terms with her own values and background — to choose and to choose rightly. Everything she has learned to care about depends on her choice — her own happiness and the welfare of those who have become dear to her.
The Joining by J.H. Dierking
The Joining is a first contact science-fiction novella, set in the near future.
The Joining explores humanity’s attempt at first contact with another species. A crew of scientists travels to a distant star to contact a race truly alien in more ways than first realized. This encounter will not only question whether or not humanity is ready for such an encounter, but also challenge their basic beliefs of what it means to be human.
General Fiction
The City Mother by Maya Sinha
Fresh out of college, small-town crime reporter Cara Nielsen sees disturbing things that suggest, for the first time in her life, that evil is real. But as the daughter of two secular academics, she pushes that notion aside. When her smart, ambitious boyfriend asks her to marry him and move to a faraway city, it’s a dream come true.
Four years later, confined to a city apartment with a toddler, Cara fears she is losing her mind. Sleeplessness, isolation, and postpartum hormones have altered her view of reality. Something is wrong in the lost, lonely world into which she’s brought a child. Visions hint at mysteries she can’t explain, and evil seems not only real—it’s creeping ever closer.
As her marriage falters and friends disappear, Cara seeks guidance from books, films, therapy, even the saints, when she’s not scrubbing the diaper pail. Meanwhile, someone is crying out for help that only she can give. Cara must confront big questions about reality and illusion, health and illness, good and evil—and just how far she is willing to go to protect those she loves.
A Life Decision by Laurie M. Lamb
Earthquake Weather by Kevin Rush
The beloved coming-of-age novel for Catholic teens in its first digital release.
Thirteen year-old Kristine is the one person who knows her genius cousin Jamie’s involved with Raul, a thug on his way to joining a gang. Jamie insists “he’s not like that,” and even fixes Kristine up with Fabio, who turns out to be more Raul’s whipping boy than his friend. So begins a summer unlike any Kristine has ever known, full of intrigue, romance, and danger, culminating in a mistake that threatens to destroy her family. Through it all, Kristine finds the courage and faith to persevere and gain some wisdom about life and what it means to really love.
“Earthquake Weather is an incredible, thoughtful and brilliant revelation of teenagers in the San Francisco Bay Area. Kevin Rush is a talent you will be hearing much from in the future, because he is spiritual, emotionally connected and a brilliant writer.”
…Michael Pritchard, Emmy Award winning actor, Youth Advocate
Finding Grace by Laura Pearl
At the age of thirteen, Grace Kelly (who has been saddled with the name of a world-renowned beauty, but is far from one herself ) is inspired by an offhand comment from her father to become a saint. But coming of age and falling deeply in love for the first time in the early 1970”s-in the wake of the 60”s “sexual revolution” and the historic Roe v. Wade decision-presents true challenges for young people who are trying to live chastely. Grace realizes that without the help of God, the Blessed Mother, and all the saints in Heaven, navigating the thorny path to sainthood would be an almost insurmountable task.
A Good Girl by Johnnie Bernhard
Lying Awake by Mark Salzman
Children’s Books
The Sisters of the Last Straw & the Case of the Haunted Chapel by Karen Kelly Boyce
The Sisters of the Last Straw and the Case of the Haunted Chapel is the first in a series of children’s books that convey the fun-filled story of a group of misfit nuns. These sisters and their madcap adventures teach the importance of tolerance and forgiveness. Each book focuses on the virtues of Gospel living and the frailties of human nature. While children delight in the humor and fast-paced exploits of this special group of nuns, they learn the need to be forgiving of the faults of others and to look for the good in all people. Children are enchanted and entertained with the humorous escapades of the characters while learning the importance of basic Christian values, growth, and love.
Molly McBride and the Plaid Jumper
Molly McBride is back and she is as stubborn as ever about her purple habit. She will wear nothing else! She’s managed to keep it on for her sister’s Big Day, but now the faith-filled five-year-old has a whole new wardrobe worry: kindergarten! Join the McBride family and the kindergarten class at Holy Trinity School as Molly and her loyal wolf-pet, Francis, discover that what we wear isn’t as important as what God sees inside of us.
Fantasy
Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight by G.M. Baker
Rosaline's Curse by Katherine Campbell
Rosaline’s ex-fiancé is a god.
At least, that’s what he claims to be. He could be a purple gnome for all Rosaline cares, she just wants him out of her life.
Unfortunately, his presence is the result of a curse she brought upon herself when she stole the sacred relics of Ilona the Godslayer.
Since the ill-advised theft, her luck changed for the worse in several ways. Her brother died, she was betrothed to that awful swine, and put into an enchanted sleep for almost eight hundred years. To add insult to injury, her fiancé was somehow still alive when she woke up.
It seems the only way to turn her luck around and get rid of her evil ex, is to return the relics she stole.
Unfortunately, a lot changed while she was in that enchanted sleep. For one thing, everyone now spends most of their time staring at the magic rectangles they keep in their pockets. For another thing, moving human bones across international borders requires a permit.
If Rosaline is to return the relics and break her curse, she has to learn to navigate this new and remarkable world of paperwork and machines.
Luckily, she gets a little help from a friend.
—
Mark Reid is working toward a master’s degree in forensic anthropology. His near-perfect life is turned upside down when what he thinks is a perfectly preserved eight-hundred-year-old corpse turns out to be a princess who is still very much alive.
Now, he must help her integrate into the modern world while somehow convincing her that this holy quest to return the relics she stole is a bad idea.
Cinder Allia by Karen Ullo
Cinder Allia has spent eight years living under her stepmother’s brutal thumb, wrongly punished for having caused her mother’s death. She lives for the day when the prince will grant her justice; but her fairy godmother shatters her hope with the news that the prince has died in battle. Allia escapes in search of her own happy ending, but her journey draws her into the turbulent waters of war and politics in a kingdom where the prince’s death has left chaos and division. Cinder Allia turns a traditional fairy tale upside down and weaves it into an epic filled with espionage, treason, magic, and romance. What happens when the damsel in distress must save not only herself, but her kingdom? What price is she willing to pay for justice? And can a woman who has lost her prince ever find true love? Surrounded by a cast that includes gallant knights, turncoat revolutionaries, a crippled prince who lives in hiding, a priest who is also a spy, and the man whose love Allia longs for most—her father—Cinder Allia is an unforgettable story about hope, courage, and the healing power of pain. Winner of the 2023 Louisiana Indie Author Project, Best fantasy novel of 2017 (tied) at CatholicReads.com, Finalist in the 2018 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Historical Fiction
The Silence of Bones by June Hur
The Reluctant Queen by Lin Wilder
I’m called Esther-a Persian name, and yet I’m a Hebrew. Had I been able to do so, one of the questions I would have asked my mother and father when I grew older was, “Why did you give me this name?” But now, of course, I know why.
The story of the orphaned Jewish girl who saves the Jewish nation from extinction is the stuff of fantasy and legend.
Did such a person exist?
Could an anonymous girl have been selected to be wife of the ancient Persian king of kings?
“Esther, soldiers will soon be combing the cities and countryside to look for the most beautiful young virgins. They will take hundreds of young girls for the king’s harem. Then the king’s eunuchs and servants will spend many months preparing the women for their night with him.” His words came faster and faster, wanting to get through this.”
The author of the award-winning I, Claudia and My Name is Saul ancient novels returns with the story of Esther. Wilder’s skills at blending historical fact with vividly imagined, well-founded characters have become her trademark. The Reluctant Queen is guaranteed to captivate both her loyal fans and eager newcomers, right down to its last riveting page.
Joan of Arc by Voyage Comics
THE HEROIC LIFE AND DEATH OF ST. JOAN OF ARC!
At age 18, Joan led the French armies into battle. She was a peasant girl who couldn’t even read, let alone fight a war. To save France from the English, she was going to need divine intervention.
The heavens answered her.
Joan received aid from St. Michael the Archangel, supreme commander of the heavenly armies. With his help, Joan led the French to victory on the battlefield, paving the way to the end of the Hundred Years’ War.
This two issue series follows Joan’s encounters with the Archangel, exploring her brief military campaigns in France, ending in her capture, trial and heroic martyrdom.
COLLECTING: The Mission of Joan of Arc #1-2 by Philip Kosloski, Alexandre Nascimento and Jesse Hansen.
The Wind that Shakes the Corn by Kaye Park Hinckley
2018 INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD WINNER
FIRST RUNNER-UP: Josiah W. Bancroft Award, Florida First Coast Writer’s Festival
FINALIST: Pirates Alley Society Faulkner/Wisdom Competition
FINALIST: Tuscany Prize for Catholic Fiction
Beginning in eighteenth century Ireland and then set against the background of a burgeoning America, The Wind That Shakes the Corn tells the story of the feistiness of Scots Irish immigrants, and the heart-held faith and courage that led their struggle toward individualism in America. Nell Dugan’s hatred, but also her love and determination, spotlights the Irish, both Protestant and Catholic, who bring to Revolutionary America age-old grudges against longtime English rule.
On Nell’s wedding night in Ireland, English soldiers abduct her from the arms of her Scottish Lord and throw her on a ship, slave-fodder for a West Indies sugar plantation. But Nell uses her beauty and cunning to seduce the plantation owner’s son who sneaks her away to pre-revolutionary Philadelphia where she agrees to marry him, keeping secret her marriage to the Scottish lord she truly loves, and swearing to pay back the English not only for her own kidnapping but also for her mother’s hanging two decades earlier. A story of love, hate, revenge, and the ever-hovering choice to forgive.
PRAISE:
“Kaye Hinckley writes deeply textured stories with a distinctive voice. Characters caught up in complex relationships, seeking yet often rejecting redemption.” –Arthur Powers, A Hero for the People
“A talented and sensitive Catholic writer whose complex stories are gripping, memorable, and abounding in nourishment for readers hungry for substantial Christian fiction. –The Catholic World Report
“The reader is delighted by beautiful prose, then challenged to examine the longings of the soul. In the process he learns about faith. –Dr. Ron O’Gorman, MD,”Fatal Rhythm
Fisher of Women by Catherine Magia
A Distant Prospect by Annette Young
In 1928 Sydney, Australia, an Irish school girl finds new hope, after polio and personal tragedy, while playing cello in a string quartet. “The author’s … love for and extensive knowledge of music, fine arts and literature shines through” … “The landscapes are vast and vivid, the seasons sensory and real, and the emotional journey heart-wrenching.” … “some of the most profound considerations on the meaning of suffering and understanding others, making allowances for their faults” – GoodReadingGuide.com Publisher description: Australia promised a fresh start for Lucy Straughan and her father when they fled war-torn Ireland. Instead, Lucy was stricken by polio. Having mastered the cello during her prolonged confinement, Lucy is now fifteen, lonely and full of questions. Suddenly she is thrust into a string quartet and meets quixotic Della Sotheby, hot-headed Pim Connolly and precocious Phoebe Raye. The experience transforms each of their lives as they forge friendships and share not a few family secrets. Set against the vivid background of 1920s Sydney, A Distant Prospect is an intimate, hilarious and ultimately deeply moving coming-of-age adventure told with a touch of poetry by a quintessentially Irish narrator.
The Fisherman's Bride by Catherine Magia
She has no name. She is not even a footnote. Her tale is hidden behind the well-told fable of her husband, the man who would become Simon Peter, the first Apostle.
Cast off by her family after shunning a wealthy suitor to marry a humble fisherman, her life is fraught with hardship. She endures her husband’s growing restlessness, fish shortages from the Sea of Galilee, and the oppression of an all-powerful Roman Empire over her people. Then her life is forever changed when her dying mother is saved by a miracle performed by a young carpenter—a man who speaks with understanding and acts with compassion. A man who can inspire the extraordinary.
Simon Peter lives on in history as the undaunted martyr of the carpenter. This is the untold story of his young bride. Her journey traverses villages and deserts, love and tradition, and a brewing revolution, to an awakening of faith that challenges everything she has ever known.
Messina: Book 1 The Casa Bella Chronicles
Ominous words from the stone-faced physician at the temporary hospital greet her: “Welcome to hell, Miss James.” No description could be more accurate. Earthquake, tsunami, and fire have razed Messina, Sicily. In a single night in 1909, one hundred thousand people never wake up. Physician Lucille James is determined to help despite horrendous conditions, almost non-existent medical supplies, and the opposition of the medical community she worked so hard to join. Giovanni Castello, the man facing her now, stands as her biggest opponent. Surrounded by blood and death and pushed to the edge of exhaustion, Lucille relies on God as her only option. When God gives a gift, after all, a person must use it. Will she have the strength, courage, and faith to do so?
Mystery
Relic of His Heart by Jane Lebak
Dying for Revenge by Barbara Golder
Finalist Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2017 Christian Fiction
“Barbara Golder joins the ranks of Chesterton’s bloodthirsty heirs as she spins a tale that will delight mystery fans. With Dying for Revenge in hand, your beach experience is now complete!” Mark P. Shea, Author of “Mercy Works”
Someone is killing the rich and famous residents of Telluride, Colorado, and the medical investigator, Dr. Jane Wallace, is on a collision course with the murderer. Compelled by profound loss and injustice, Jane will risk her own life to protect others from vengeful death, even as she exacts a high price from those who have destroyed her world. DYING FOR REVENGE is a story of love, obsession and forgiveness, seen through the eyes of a passionate, beautiful woman trying to live her life — imperfectly but vibrantly — even if she won’t survive.
“Dying for Revenge dives into the deeply personal place in so many hearts with “justifiable” reasons for revenge… but the face of mercy is entwined in the unexpected turn of events. You’ll be captivated…”
Patricia M. Chivers
ABLAZE Radio WNRE-LP 98.1 FM
Catholic Church of Saint Monica
Dying for Compassion by Barbara Golder
“It is rare indeed to find an author who not only tells a good story but writes with real literary flair. Barbara Golder is such an author. In this latest offering, we find the plot twists and twisted characters that one would expect in a good murder mystery but also the fine character development and deep insight into the human condition which separates the truly great mysteries from the run of the mill.”
Joseph Pearce, Author of The Quest for Shakespeare, The Unmasking of Oscar Wilde, and Tolkien: Man & Myth
What happens to a new love when an old one appears to claim first rights to a man and a marriage?
Just as Telluride Medical Examiner Jane Wallace and Irish writer Eoin Conner take their first steps toward romance, Eoin’s beautiful wife Fiona arrives to resume her long-abandoned life with Eoin.
When Eoin discovers that Fiona was responsible for the denial of their annulment, he returns to Ireland to find the proof to free him to marry Jane. After Fiona is found dead in her hotel room, Eoin is indicted for her murder.
Unwilling to leave the matter solely in the hands of Irish authorities, Jane goes to Ireland to follow the evidence wherever it leads. She leaves behind a tangle of problems in Telluride, where it is left to her trusted friend Father Matt to unravel the mysteries at home, unaware that they hold the key to Jane’s mystery abroad.
Rachel's Contrition by Michelle Buckman
Most Highly Favored Daughter by Janice Lane Palko
The Author Zone Award for Romantic Suspense 2018
Finalist 2018 Indie Book Awards for Inspirational Fiction.
The truth shall set you free . . . Or kill you.
Cara Cavanaugh is living the dream. And then it becomes a nightmare.
Adored and loved by the public, she has it all—beauty, fame, wealth, and respect. Then she is framed with an unspeakable crime, and her charmed life unravels.
As she battles to clear her name and reclaim her life, she and brooding, handsome private detective Jake Gold expose a ruthless crime network and a devastating secret from her past so explosive it endangers her life and the lives of everyone she loves.
Can Cara clear her name and rebuild her life? Is the truth worth her life?
Horror
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Brother Wolf by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson
For Athene Howard, the only child of renowned cultural anthropologist Charles Howard, life is an unexciting, disillusioned academic project. When she encounters a clairvoyant Dominican postulant, a stern nun, and a recusant English nobleman embarked on a quest for a feral Franciscan werewolf, the strange new world of enchantment and horror intoxicates and delights her—even as it brings to light her father’s complex past and his long-dormant relationship with the Church of Rome. Can Athene and her newfound compatriots battle against the ruthless forces of darkness that howl for the overthrow of civilization and the devouring of so many wounded souls? In this sister novel to A Bloody Habit, the incomparable Father Thomas Edmund Gilroy, O.P. returns to face occult demons, gypsy curses, possessed maidens, and tormented werewolves, accompanying a charming neo-pagan heroine in her earnest search for adventure and meaning.
Memoir
In the Footsteps of St. Therese: How to Be Single but not Alone by Theresita Ogg
This book is about the “little way” of St. Thérèse, whose footsteps are presented as an answer to how one can find happiness in the single state of life. It is a light conversational illustration of a contemporary journey, discerning a vocation and realizing through “the language of prayer” that one can be “a bridesmaid never a bride,” and “live happily ever after.”
Broken Brain; Fortified Faith by Virginia Pillars
Finding God Anew by Barbara Kudwa
God Never Gives Up On You!
Author Barbara Kudwa unveils how God never gave up on her. She takes you down a very personal journey through the storms of life to hope and healing as her relationship with God is tested. She faces challenges in marriages resulting in divorces, heartbreak in pregnancy loss, and deaths of family members, along with holding on to unforgiveness and anger from shocking betrayals. Experiencing trauma, anxiety, pain, and grief, she turns to God for hope, allowing her relationship with God to flourish and her brokenness to heal.
Praise for FINDING GOD ANEW
Barbara Kudwa has penned an inspirational, easy-reading book. She reveals the darkest moments in her life and the role that God played in allowing her to rise above them. All who read will find it therapeutic in dealing with their most difficult life issues. -JUDY WINKEL, MSW, ACSW
Woman: My Confession by Marianne Collins
Live through the extraordinary life of Marianne Collins and her amazing conversion. Features an absolutely unbelievable ending that will transform your perspective on grace, suffering, and love.
We warmly invite you to meet this truly beautiful woman. Tens of thousands of readers, men and woman alike, have been deeply moved by her incredible life. She is an effortlessly engaging writer and her story takes less than an evening to read.
My Incredible Life's Journey by Dr. Margaret P. Price
This book contains the memoirs of an individual who originated from one of the smallest islands in the Caribbean and rose to the top of her chosen profession, while serving God and her neighbors in more than 17 countries and leaving a legacy of professionals, priests and other leaders who are committed to the service of others with joyful and happy hearts.
The book outlines her journey, starting with a showing of gratitude to her parents, siblings, extended family, church, village community and schools. These she identifies as the providers of the foundation that prepared her to face the world, with the challenges that she had to face and overcome in order to grow and succeed. Significant incidents, challenges, encounters and lessons learnt are articulated. Some life experiences are highlighted insofar as they help project her personality; for example, her propensity to smile in all circumstances and her belief in the benefits and value of a smile; her way of dealing with racist encounters; her love of dancing, visiting friends, going to the beach; her love of travel that took her to more than 20 countries on vacation or pilgrimages, and the benefits she derived from these.
Most importantly, however, the book highlights her encounter with Christ and the impact that this continues to have on her life. It is manifested in terms of her commitment to the service to the poor, the sick, needy, prisoners, widows and orphans. Chapter 7, the chapter on entitled legacy, reflects some of this impact. Her commitment to the greater good is reflected in the blessings and opportunities provided to her whenever she was at a crossroad and relied on the Lord for direction. Incidences of these are spread throughout the book. Opportunities to serve in Ghana as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, a member of the Archdiocesan Justice and Peace Commission, chairman of an Outstation Committee, an election observer, Mother of the Year, and to be able to spearhead the construction and initiation of a daycare centre for the aged, all happened because she was able to say yes and move by faith. However, that faith had to be strengthened and her ego had to be pruned. She believes that anyone who is willing to humble themselves and see every failure as an opportunity to grow can achieve what she has and more. Yes you can.
At age 85, she sees herself as still being a work in process. This book outlines some of the teachings and insights that she gained along the way that she believes can be of help to others in their growth and journey towards self-fulfilment
Nonfiction
All Things New by Erin McCole Cupp
It’s time to break the cycle.
Not every family is the perfect model of Catholic family life. Some of us approach parenting still wounded by childhood experiences that were less than ideal. When we start our own families, at best we feel a bit unprepared, and at worst we feel paralyzed with fear that we will repeat our parents’ dysfunctional, abusive behaviors.
In All Things New, Erin McCole Cupp draws on her own and others’ experiences to discuss how to develop a joyful family life when our own experience of being parented was damaging. Erin wrote this book for moms and dads who want to parent better than they themselves were parented.
Drawing on the Holy Family as the model of family life, and distilling practical lessons from the Two Greatest Commandments and the Beatitudes, All Things New shows readers that, while change isn’t easy, God has given us all the ingredients we need to create a holy, joyful family.
Girl, Arise by Claire Swinarski
Saving Cinderella by Faith Moore
It’s time to save Cinderella! Ready for a radical statement? Disney princesses aren’t anti-feminist. Until the 1990s, Disney princesses were role models for little girls, teaching them how to grow up into strong, centered, moral women. But then something terrible happened. A vocal minority of viewers and film critics (let’s call them “princess critics”) got hold of the narrative. They called Disney princesses “drips,” said they were “boring,” and boiled their dreams down to “husband hunting.” And Disney listened, churning out princesses who were virtue-signaling, man-hating puppets shouting the ideas of the princess critics. But the princess critics were wrong. Each chapter in this book covers one of the eleven “official” Disney princesses (plus Elsa and Anna from Frozen, who aren’t yet “official”). In chronological order the book will explore the themes, tropes, and symbolism of these movies, and the ways in which the princess critics have influenced our perceptions of them. And then it will prove the princess critics wrong.Saving Cinderella rescues the Disney princess narrative from the princess critics, giving Disney fans everywhere the validation they need to proudly love the princesses they’ve always admired in secret.
Romance
In Pieces by Rhonda Ortiz
Certain things ruin a girl’s reputation, and madness is one.
Boston, 1793—Beautiful and artistic, the only daughter of a prominent merchant, Molly Chase cannot help but attract the notice of Federalist Boston—especially its men. But she carries a painful secret: her father committed suicide and she found his body. Now nightmares plague her day and night, addling her mind and rendering her senseless. Molly needs a home, a nurse, and time to grieve and to find new purpose in life. But when she moves in with her friends the Robbs, spiteful society gossips assume the worst. And when an imprudent decision leads to public scandal, Molly is tempted to take the easy way out: a marriage of convenience.
Merchant sailor Josiah Robb is as familiar to Molly as a brother—as dear and as exasperating. Yet she is no sister to him. He hopes to marry her before anyone else does, but sailing the high seas leaves no time for convincing Molly that he is more than her teasing childhood friend. Josiah wants a new job and a fresh start, and when he agrees to carry a confidential letter to President Washington, his life is forever changed.
In the wake of tragedy, these longtime friends discover a new intimacy. But slander, confusion, absence, and a wealthy, conniving bully stand between them. And with French spies on the loose, they not only have to rescue their reputations—they have to protect their lives.
How Sweet the Sound by Courtney Guest Kim
Annette is an intelligent but naive college student who overcomes her illusions to grow into womanhood. She and Philippe stumble through problems that arise from differences in age, culture and religion. Can they ultimately bring out the best in each other? This is a romance with steamy moments but also deep spiritual introspection. It is full of not-so-wise choices with sometimes amusing, sometimes angst-filled consequences. Allusions to intellectual topics related to art and theology give depth to the characters. Brief sex scenes are relevant to the story-line. Redemption is the theme, as both characters must come to terms with their own imperfections and transgressions until through suffering they arrive at a happy ending.
Unclaimed: The Memoirs of Jane E. Friendless Orphan Book 1 by Erin McCole Cupp
Born not in a past of corsets and bonnets but into a future of cloning and bioterror, could Jane Eyre survive? This Jane is an “unclaimed embryo,” the living mistake of a reproductive rights center–or so her foster family tells her. At age ten she is sold into slavery as a data mule, and she must fight for freedom and identity in a world mired between bioscientific progress and the religions that fear it. What will happen to a girl without even a name of her own?
Stay With Me by Carolyn Astfalk
Finalist in the 2016 IAN Book Awards (Romance)!! With her sister Abby’s encouragement, Rebecca has moved out of their overbearing father’s home. When a chance encounter with Chris ends with an invitation, Rebecca says yes. The authentic way Chris lives his life attracts Rebecca and garners her affection. Chris loves Rebecca and her innocence, but he’s confounded by the emotional scars she bears from her parents and an attempted assault. Her father’s disdain for Chris’s faith and career only make matters worse. With the counsel of their friend Father John, can Rebecca and Chris overcome every obstacle and bridge the deepening gulf between them and her dad? Or will a crucial lapse in judgment and its repercussion end their relationship? Reviews: This is a warning: the book you hold in your hand is compelling and well-written and you may find it, as I did, impossible to put down. It’s a romance that’s not trashy in any way, one that illustrates what a novel of this sort should inspire in its reader. When you’re finished, you’ll be a better person. (And probably a very tired one, because you’ll have stayed up all night to finish it.) You’ll also be sharing this book with every woman you know! – Sarah Reinhard, author and blogger at SnoringScholar.com
All In Good Time by Carolyn Astfalk
The Grace Crasher by Mara Faro
Armed with a Jesus fish that might be swimming in the wrong direction, Julia must pretend to be “born again” for her Christian housemates—cute EMT Mark and his church-lady mom. Their place is within walking distance (cough, stalking distance) of Dylan, her latest musician crush.
Mark knows she’s faking her faith. But he needs someone like her to crash his dull routine. So he protects her secret and brings her to his Evangelical church. Hiding her Catholic past, she bumbles her way through hand-raising worship. Other times she sneaks into Mass. Meanwhile, Mark explains how to be “saved.” (Sure, she needs saving—from her alcoholic dad, her copier-jamming job, and Mark’s suspicious mom.) But does he just want to save her? Or date her?
Then Dylan sings her a song at open mic. Suddenly she’s torn between two guys, flubbing her way through three different churches, and completely confused about life. Will it all crash down around her, or will she crash straight into grace?
The Grace Crasher was selected “Best of 2017, Romance Category” by Catholic Reads and received the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval.
