An Open Book: March 2025 Reads

March somehow completely flew by, and it's hard to believe that Easter is almost here! I'm linking up with An Open Book to chat about the books that accompanied me last month. There was some great nonfiction about the Lenten season, as well as a fun mix of fiction books. Let's dive in!  

A Very Chapel Falls Christmas, by Amanda Lauer

Even though I didn't get to this when it was still wintertime, this novel hit me with all the cozy Christmas vibes. This story follows Nik, a famous musician who returns to his hometown--only to discover that his former fiancé, Noelle, has recently taken a job there. Against a backdrop of Christmas festivities and the arrival of an old flame of Nik's, Noelle and Nik find themselves rekindling their relationship. This book is perfect for fans of Hallmark Christmas movies--but honestly, even though I don't like Hallmark movies, I enjoyed curling up with it and soaking in all of the story's small-town Christmas charm. 

Hunger for Righteousness, by Phoebe Farag Mikhail

Phobe Farag Mikhail explores the gifts of the Lenten season in this fantastic volume that draws together Scripture, insights from the fathers of the Church, stories of the saints, and her own personal stories. The author is a Coptic Orthodox Christian, and she has a marvelous way of being welcoming and ecumenical in her writing, while still holding true to the Faith and her heritage. I loved her first book (Putting Joy Into Practice) and I really enjoyed this one, as well. This book launched me into lots of thought, prayer, and soapboxes about Lent, and seeing her perspective really helped me appreciate this season more. I highly recommend her books! 

 

In the Trenches, by Kelsey Gillespy

Gillespy, a young mom of several young children, relates the adventure (and misadventures) of life as a mom of little kids. The chapters are short and insightful, each focusing on one vivid story from Gillespy's life, and then leading into her reflection on how that incident helped her draw closer to God. Each chapter also includes a prayer (written by the author) that focuses on that particular lesson or struggle. I enjoyed this book, and I'm glad that I finally read it (it has been on my TBR list for a while). It didn't hit me with quite as much impact as I expected, but I'm guessing it's because I'm in a very similar age/stage as the author and I also write about some of these topics. This is still a good book, and I think it's especially valuable for brand-new moms, who only have one or two children. 

The Oystercatcher of Southwark, by Erica Colahan

This novel switches between two storylines: That of Mary, an Italian Catholic woman in love with a Jewish man in 19th century Philadelphia, and Bella, Mary's great-great-granddaughter, who lives in modern-day Philadelphia and struggles with her recent spousal separation. Bella meets Sophie, an elderly woman who claims to be related to Mary's husband. Together, Bella and Sophie research and work to untangle the mystery of Mary and her family. This was a fascinating, riveting book. I love how it made the reality of immigrant families come alive, and how it touched on the realities of a mixed-faith marriage. I also really loved reading the author's historical note at the end. This was a great book, and I really enjoyed it! 

Season of Mercy: Lent and Easter, by Catherine Doherty

Another book that has been on my TBR list for a while! This selection of writings by Catherine Doherty was super good. A lot of them were reflections on Alexander Schmemann's book on Lent (he is another author who has been on the edge of my TBR list, maybe I'll get to his books someday). This book also includes a couple different prayers and homilies that have been used for communal gatherings at Madonna House. I love Catherine Doherty's writings (I now own several of her books) and I love Lent and Easter, so naturally, I loved this book. 

Perilous, by Susan Laspe (Rise of the Charioteer Book 3)

Brynwen, a healer, simply wants to care for others with her tinctures and gain the courage to enter a relationship with Padric, a man her grandfather does not approve of. Instead, she is summoned to find adamant, a precious stone that an enemy is also trying to find. At the same time, many people are falling ill due to poisoning--and no cure has been found. So, Brynwen is also tasked with figuring out a cure. This was a fun, adventurous tale, and I enjoyed the setting-14th century England, with mythological beings mixed in. Some of the dialogue felt a bit too 21st century to me, so that was a little distracting and I also got a little lost with all the character and plot threads at times. Still, this was pretty interesting, even though it wasn't my favorite read this month. 

Sparks Fly Upward, by Kelsey Gietl (Larksong Legacy Book 3)

Set in the 19th century, this story follows Martha, a free black woman, who is living in a supportive community in Washington, Larksong. One day, as Martha and her friend take some children to the beach, one of the little children is captured by an unknown assailant. Martha determines that she and the child's father must travel to San Francisco, to enlist the help of Garrett-a man who has a Gift for locating people-and who she has been corresponding with for several years. Martha and Garrett joyfully reunite, but their lives are immediately turned upside-down as they become entangled with the dark side of a local circus. Their adventure was gripping, and I stayed up way too late reading this book! The story deals a lot with human trafficking, so this wasn't the lightest read out there, but it was a very compelling story with vibrant characters. Now I need to read the rest of the series! 

Thank so much for joining me this month! If you have any recommendation, please drop them in the comments-I always love hearing about new books.