No.822: What I Read in April 2024

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

#33. THE VISIONS OF SAINT FRANCES OF ROME: HELL, PURGATORY AND HEAVEN REVEALED // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop)

This short little book describes the visions that St. Frances of Rome experienced and was then encouraged to share with her confessor.  Obviously, this is considered private revelation and is therefore not necessary for belief, but man oh man.  If half of what she says is true, may none of us ever go to such a disturbing place as hell.  Terrifying.

#34. MAJOR PETTIGREW’S LAST STAND by Helen Simonson // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

This is a story about Major Pettigrew and Mrs. Ali, two older widow/widowers who meet and eventually fall in love. They connect over a love of reading and tea – so sweet.  The story itself is well-written, but a little verbose.  I liked some parts better than others.  3.5 stars.

#35. FROM SLAVE TO PRIEST: THE INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF FATHER AUGUSTINE TOLTON by Caroline Hemesath, OSF // ★★★★★
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

An excellent biography.  Augustine Tolton overcame so many obstacles in his short life, but his attitude throughout it all was so inspirational to me.  I also loved his mother’s gentle influence.  Throughout all of his suffering and trials, she always reminded him, “Never forget the goodness of the Lord.”

#36. THE CHEMIST by Stephenie Meyer // ★★☆☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

I found a hardcover copy of this book at the used bookstore for $1 and snatched it up after just a quick glance at the description.  Had I known it was written by the author of the Twilight series, I may have passed it up, but alas…I went into it fairly blind.  And while the writing was nothing special, the plot was generally in my wheelhouse until the romance began…oy.

#37. TRUE GRIT by Charles Portis // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

When a beloved father is killed, his gutsy 14-year-old daughter is on a mission for vengeance.  She employs the help of a one-eyed US Marshall and they head out into Indian territory to capture the culprit.  I was expecting to like this more than I actually did, which is kind of a bummer.  Still a solid three star read.  (This was also my 1968 pick for the 20th Century in Literature Challenge.)

#38. ONLY EVER YOU by Rebecca Drake // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

This suspense novel was a page turner for sure, but the main plot line centered around infidelity, a trope I hate reading about.

#39. GREGORIAN CHANT: A GUIDE TO THE HISTORY AND LITURGY by Dom Daniel Saulnier, OSB // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

I guess I should preface this one by saying that while I find Gregorian chant beautiful and fascinating, I have zero musical background and thus went into this book completely ignorant.  This definitely assumed you had a basic musical understanding, so most of the terms went right over my head.  I’ll be looking for a “Gregorian Chant for Dummies” book next!

#40. COME FLY THE WORLD: THE JET-AGE STORY OF THE WOMEN OF PAN AM by Julia Cooke // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

From the blurb: “Required to have a college degree, speak two languages, and possess the political savvy of a Foreign Service officer, a jet-age stewardess serving on iconic Pan Am between 1966 and 1975 also had to be between 5′3″ and 5′9″, between 105 and 140 pounds, and under 26 years of age at the time of hire. Julia Cooke’s intimate storytelling weaves together the real-life stories of a memorable cast of characters, from Lynne Totten, a science major who decided life in a lab was not for her, to Hazel Bowie, one of the relatively few black stewardesses of the era, as they embraced the liberation of their new jet-set life.”  There were lots of interesting nuggets of information in this book and I especially enjoyed reading about Pan Am’s role in the Vietnam War.  3.5 stars.

#41. CROCODILE ON THE SANDBANK by Elizabeth Peters // ★★☆☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

A mystery set in Egypt sounded right up my alley, but I had trouble connecting with/liking the protagonist – she was a little too “I am woman, hear me roar” for my taste.  2.5 stars.  (This was also my 1975 pick for the 20th Century in Literature Challenge.)

---

MY 2024 UNREAD SHELF PROJECT

Unread Books as of January 1, 2024: 209
Books Finished in April: 9
Books Donated/Sold in April: -4
Books Added: +11 (a used bookstore trip to add to my anti-library!)
Unread Books Remaining: 216

---