#OpenBook for November 2026

 

Welcome to #OpenBook. I'm joining up with Carolyn Astfalk who hosts an #OpenBook Linkup on CatholicMom.com. Here's what I've been reading this past month. The dates indicate when I finished the books. Thanks for stopping by!

10-7-26 The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne -  I read this classic with my fifteen-year-old daughter. It tells the story of a woman forced to wear a scarlet A because she had a child out of wedlock in Puritan Massachusetts, while the man who sinned with her gets away apparently without punishment. But secret guilt weighs on a person. In addition, the woman's husband, who reappears after a long time away, is out for revenge. I remember reading and enjoying it in high school. I still enjoyed it, but its themes hit differently as an adult. I'm glad that I had the opportunity to revisit this story. 

10-9-26 Why I Became a Catholic Priest - Edited by Lynn Prepejchal - I always love reading vocation stories, so I was excited to read this compilation of six priests sharing their stories and advice for those who might be considering a priestly vocation. I especially loved that it showed these men still have hobbies and are "real people" even though they are priests. Fr. Jarvis wrote, "I want to live life to the fullest and for God's greatest glory. I am going to take my truck in the mud, and then I am going to go and save souls. After that, I am going to pray the rosary and go to Adoration. When I screw it all up, I go to confession." I highly recommend this one for anyone who enjoys vocation stories or is considering entering the priesthood. 

 

10-9-26 A Dash of Decorum - Jen Turano - This is a zany rom-com set in the Gilded Age, with a woman in disguise trying to escape her wicked stepmother who wants to steal her inheritance, a wealthy family looking to gain some polish, and a cast of colorful supporting characters. It is the third in a series but works fine by itself. This was a fun read. (Read for a book review publication).

10-13-26 The Three Works of Reparation: God's Divine Mercy for Our Time - Belinda Terro Mooney - This is a lovely book introducing readers to three ways to help atone for sin and pray for the conversion of sinners. Mooney explains the history of and ways to practice Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Holy Face of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. (If you can't complete the whole devotions, I recommend doing what you can. I like to think that God still counts it to some extent.)
 

10-19-26 My First Saint Nicholas Book - Amanda Lauer - This is a lovely board book to share with a young child. It is good for those who want to teach children about Saint Nicholas while still maintaining the Christmas Eve Santa Claus tradition. It also teaches children to do good deeds.  

10-21-26 Missing Asset - Lynette Eason - This is a high-energy, suspense-filled story about a hunt for a missing military K-9 who has evidence embedded in him that can bring down a human trafficking ring. Fans of action-packed thrillers with a touch of romance will appreciate this story. (Read for a book review publication.) 

10-24-26 Receipts from the Bookshop: A Bookseller's Year in an English Seaside Town - Katie Clapham - This was exactly what the subtitle promised - a year in the life of the owner of a small bookstore in England. It was entertaining and also made me want to go buy books from my local bookstore. 

10-25-26 Theo of Golden - Allen Levi - I do try to read the books everyone is talking about, even if I have to wait for months on the library holds list. Sometimes, I get these "must-read" books in and I am disappointed within the first two chapters. Back to the library it goes without a second thought. This one was soooo worth the wait. It is a hauntingly beautiful tale of an old man bringing good to the world, Catholic fiction in the best sense of the term. And it is wonderful to see a book like this on top of the New York Times Bestseller List! 

10-30-26 Holding the Reins - Mindy Steele - This is a feel-good story about two restless young people trying to find their place in the Amish world. Diana would rather work with horses than be a proper Amish woman, and Johnathon's been sent to work on his great-uncle's farm in a last-ditch effort to keep him from jumping the fence. (Read for a book review publication).

10-30-26 The Temperament God Gave You: The Classic Key to Knowing Yourself, Getting Along with Others, and Growing Closer to the Lord - Art & Laraine Bennett - This was the textbook for a six-week online class I took through the Avila Institute on the Transformation of Our Temperaments. I've long been interested in personality theory (primarily through the Myers-Briggs framework) but knew little about the temperaments. I learned a lot from the class and the book, both of which discuss temperaments to help you understand your own and those of the people around you, as well as how they impact your spiritual life. 

 

11-1-26 Emily of Deep Valley - Maud Hart Lovelace - I heard about this one on Sacrifice of Love's Open Book for September.  It's a lovely story about a young woman graduating from high school in 1912 who feels left behind when all her friends leave for college. It reminded me of reading Anne of Green Gables books when I was young.

11-2-26 The Formed Soul: A Catholic Ascent to the Word - Pablo Voss - This book features an ambitious reading list (the work of a lifetime, truly) for those who wish to come to a deeper understanding of Scripture and the Catholic faith. Voss includes summaries of each of the works (which can be helpful by themselves) and an impressive group of appendices with helpful information on how to read and analyze these texts. This book will appeal to a select group of readers who want to delve deeply into the Catholic intellectual tradition. (Read for Catholic Mom)
 

Since the spring of 2019, I have been making my way through the Great Books Curriculum of Thomas Aquinas College (I'm currently working on the readings for senior year). 

10-10-26 Review of the Origin of the Species - Henry Charles Fleeming Jenkin - Jenkin (1833-1885) was a British engineer, inventor, economist, linguist, actor, and dramatist. He was a professor of engineering at the University of Edinburgh. He argued that Darwin's theory, while it may have had some interesting points, was not valid due to the sheer amount of time it would take for these changes in species to take place and that the theory should not be accepted as fact while still unproven. This was also a racist document, arguing for the superiority of whites over other races.  

10-27-26  On the Genesis of Species - St. George Mivart - St. George Jackson Mivart (1827-1900) was an English biologist and convert to Catholicism who tried to reconcile the theory of evolution with the teachings of the Catholic Church. In this work, he challenges some portions of Darwin's theory while making the case for God as creator.  

11-2-26 Experiments in Plant Hybridisation - Gregor Mendel -  Mendel (1822-1884) was an Austrian Augustinian friar, biologist, meteorologist, and mathematician. He was the founder of the modern science of genetics. Unfortunately, his work wasn't recognized until many years after his death. This is his scientific paper on the inheritability of traits in pea plants. 

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Purchases made after clicking a link help support this site. Thank you!