My Top 30 Books of 2024

It has been a long time since it was this hard to narrow down my top books of the year. I was aiming for a top twenty-four, but couldn't get to a number smaller than thirty.  This year's favorites are divided into five categories: Catholic fiction, Catholic nonfiction, romance, nonfiction & poetry, and other fiction, with a bonus category for the books I was published in. 

Catholic Fiction

The first three books in this category were all published by Chrism Press, my new favorite publisher of Catholic fiction. Whatever the genre, this publisher hits it out of the park every time. The three titles that made my list are a romance, a mystery novel with horror elements, and a historical fiction novel.  I can't wait for more books by these writers. 

• Love in the Eternal City by Rebecca W. Martin
• Wake of Malice by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson
• To Crown with Liberty by Karen Ullo

I also loved these two "classic" Catholic novels, the first of which is a lengthy sci-fi novel that I read with my book club, and the second of which is a Graham Green-esque novel that I read along with Close Reads.

• Voyage to Alpha Centauri by Michael D. O'Brien
• Vipers' Tangle by Francois Mauriac 

The other three books in this category were, respectively, a teen romance graphic novel, a beautifully-crafted fictionalized biography of Julian of Norwich, and a short story collection that reminds readers of the true significance of the Catholic season of Hallowtide. 

• Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang
• I, Julian by Claire Gilbert
• Shadows: Visible & Invisible by Catholic Teen Books  

Catholic Nonfiction

The other four Catholic nonfiction titles on my list are an incredibly concise and well-written spiritual biography of my literary hero, Flannery O'Connor, a 2005 critique of Catholic education that explains how parishes often rob parents of their exclusive God-given right to educate their children, a book of advice from nuns to mothers raising children, and the most beautiful tribute - in poetry- to Flannery O'Connor and her legacy. 

• The Terrible Speed of Mercy: A Spiritual Biography of Flannery O'Connor by Jonathan Rogers
• Designed to Fail: Catholic Education in America by Steve Kellmeyer
• Mother to Mother: Spiritual and Practical Wisdom from the Cloister to the Home by Mary Cuff
• Andalusian Hours: Poems from the Porch of Flannery O'Connor by Angela Alaimo O'Donnell

Romance 

Not one, but two YA romances made my list! Both are amazingly well-written, and both have sequels that I am eager to read very soon. 

• Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter
• Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce

The other romances were also amazingly well-written. Three contemporary, one romantic suspense rom-com, and one sci-fi romance. 

• Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
• Cole and Laila Are Just Friends by Bethany Turner 
• The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter 
• Released by Amber Kirkpatrick 

Nonfiction & Poetry 

In this category is another favorite book by a favorite author, an entertaining look into the very interesting mind of a true independent thinker, a short but beautifully memoir of Eudora Welty's writing roots, the best craft book I've read about flash fiction, and a collection of poems I know I didn't understand, but which I loved so much I read it both my eyes and my ears.  

• This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett 
• Abominations: Selected Essays from a Career of Courting Self-Destruction by Lionel Shriver 
• One Writer's Beginnings by Eudora Welty 
• Going Short: An Invitation to Flash Fiction by Nancy Stohlman
• Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot 

Other Fiction 

And finally, the remaining titles are a hodgepodge: 

• The Road by Cormac McCarthy
  A powerful novel that made me bawl
  
  
• Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor
  A humorous and poignant novel about loneliness and age 
  
  
• ...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
  A sweeping historical novel about post-Civl War middle America, which is the longest book I've ever read 

• A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter 
  The best coming-of-age audiobook I've ever heard 
  
  

• Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith
  The second book in a new favorite series
  
  
• The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman
  A hilariously thought-provoking short story that snuck in just under the wire on December 30 
  
  
• The Diddakoi by Rumer Godden
  A lovely, concise middle grade novel, also sneaking in at the last minute, about a vulnerable child, do-gooders, and bullies.

My Books 

Finally, here is the list of books in which my own fiction appeared in 2024: 

• Summer Sweethearts by me and Rachel Lawrence
• Tails, Scales, & Tiaras edited by Meghan Kleinschmidt 
• Library Lovebirds by me 

• Another Chance to Get It Right edited by Nicole Frail  
• Written Tales Chapbook XV: Echoes of Ink edited by Kevin Saitta
• 12 Days of Book-Club-Mas Vol. VII from Once Upon a Book Club 

And wait for it...

The Bennetts Bloom releases in two weeks, on January 14th! You can pre-order the ebook for Kindle now. Paperbacks go on sale on release day. 

Homeschool Update: November/December 2024

All Grades

Latin 

We worked in Keep Going with Latin up to the point where the third declension was introduced. Then we took a break to go back and really nail down the first and second declensions before we proceed. We are doing "Latin bees" to drill vocabulary and declensions. 

Poetry

M. has not yet mastered "The Highwayman." C. memorized "In Flanders Fields," "Something Told the Wild Geese," and "A Christmas Carol" from The Wind in the Willows. E. memorized "Merry are the Bells" and "A Christmas Carol" by G.K. Chesterton. 

Catechism

We finished the section of the catechism on the incarnation and moved on to the chapter on redemption. We did our usual Advent prayers with the Jesse Tree. We used The Season of Light by Jay Cormier as our Advent Wreath book, and also prayed the Christmas Novena and watched some Brother Francis "Days of Advent" episodes. 

Art

In November, we studied:
Commuters by Norman Rockwell
Máh-to-tóh-pa, “Four Bears” by George Catlin
The Blind Girl by John Everett Millais
Dignity and Impudence by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer

In December, we studied:
Winter Landscape by Peter Brueghel
Sir William Pepperrell and His Family by John Singleton Copley
Madonna of the Chair by Raphael
Forever Free by Edmonia Wildfire Lewis

Music 

The girls have been watching Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts on Wednesday evenings. In November, they played "Skye Boat Song" in a recital. Since then, they have been practicing Christmas music on piano and soprano recorder. Additionally, C. has been playing alto and tenor recorder, M. has been playing alto and sopranino recorders, and E. has been playing the sopranino. 

5th Grade (M., girl, age 11)

Social Studies 

M. finished the Oxford University Press textbook about Africa and moved onto Asia. She watched related Great Courses videos and answered workbook questions daily. 

Science

M. continued watching John Long's Great Courses videos about robotics and did Arduino activities from Arduino for Beginners. 

English 

M. made further progress in Editor in Chief, Sentence Diagramming Level 2, Easy Grammar, and Vocabulary from Classical Roots B. 

Math

M. continues to do a Challenging Word Problem each day. She is still working on Algebra I on Khan Academy (around 80% complete). She is also still working through Life of Fred: Pre-algebra 0 with Physics.

3rd Grade (C., girl, age 9)

Social Studies

C. studied Prohibition and the 1920s and now she's moved into the 1930s and The Great Depression. She was especially interested in the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby. 

English

C. continued working on Sentence Diagramming Level 2 and Daily Grams, and she completed Vocabulary from Classical Roots 6. 

Science 

C. continued working independently on The Book of Birds. We worked together on Snap Circuits, up to chapter 5. 

Math

C. continued working on Singapore Primary Mathematics 4B, including correcting past incorrect answers. She continued Life of Fred: Honey and Khan Academy 7th grade math. 

1st Grade (E., girl, age 7)

Social Studies 

We continued reading from Story of Civilization, covering the Norman invasion, the Bayeux tapestry, monks, the Crusades, the Investiture Conflict, and a variety of medieval saints. E. watched Illuminations and The Secret of Kells. 

Science 

We read Let's Read and Find Out books about animals in shells, about living things and energy from the sun, about icebergs, glaciers, and arctic animals, as well as about satellites, rockets, computers, and telephones. 

English

E. continued working in Sentence Diagramming Beginning and Easy Grammar Workbook 3-4. 

Math

E. continued working on  Singapore Primary Mathematics 2B, finished Life of Fred: Cats and started Life of Fred: Dogs. She is in 5th grade math on Khan Academy.

Pre-K (R., boy, age 4 & A., girl, age 4)

R. read My Father's Dragon and Penny and Peter and started the Dan Frontier series. He started early math on Khan Academy. R. also used rods to make "trains" adding up to specific numbers. 

A. worked on sounding out three-letter words on flashcards. She also started reading an Ant and Bee book with me. She has been practicing tens and ones on her fingers and on the soroban. 

Both twins listened to a read-aloud of every single Beatrix Potter book. 

Read-at-Home Mom Report: November 2024 Wrap-Up

November Favorites

Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson
My book club read this and though I didn't have much to say in the discussion, I really loved the writing, especially in the final scene. 

A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter 
We listened to this as a family in the car going back and forth to Mass this fall. It took us a long time to finish, but I was captivated by every word, and even my four-year-olds seemed to get something out of it. This is more of a YA book, but it wasn't so YA that my tweens didn't appreciate it. 

Another Chance to Get It Right: A New Year's Eve Anthology, edited by Nicole Frail 
This one makes the favorites list because I have a story in it that I'm really proud of. I'm still eagerly awaiting my author copies, but I had an e-ARC to tide me over. Not every story will appeal to my readers, but there are some good ones in there. Nicole is also fantastic to work with, and I'm looking forward to 

...And Ladies Of The Club by Helen Hoover Santmyer 
This is the longest book I have ever read. I started in September and finished a few days before my birthday. It follows a group of women in a literary society over their entire adult lives, from college graduation just after the Civil War until most of their deaths in the 1930s. It's been a couple weeks, and I'm still thinking about these characters.  

The Day I Became an Autodidact and the Advice, Adventures, and Acrimonies That Befell Me Thereafter by Kendall Hailey
My husband recommended this light, funny memoir, reflecting on the author's decision to leave school early and teach herself. Lots of funny anecdotes and snappy lines in this one. 

Broken Harbor by Tana French 

This is not as good as The Likeness, but it was still so good. Tana French has such a distinctive writing style. She makes even ordinary things appear interesting. 

Read-Aloud and Homeschool Books

The Family That Prays Together Stays Together by Fr. Willy Raymond (all) (4 stars)

Choristers' Cake by William Mayne (older girls) (4 stars)

 Beatrix Potter books (twins)

Series and Sequels 

• What Katy Did (Carr Family Book 1) by Susan Coolidge (3 stars)
• Staged (Busybodies Collection Book 1) by Elle Cosimano (4 stars)
• The Reunion Dinner (Busybodies Collection Book 2) by Jesse Q. Sutanto (3 stars)
• Crime of Fashion (Busybodies Collection Book 3) by Emma Rosenblum (3 stars)
• The Nosy Neighbor (Busybodies Collection Book 4) by Nita Prose (5 stars)
• One Lucky Subscriber (Busybodies Collection Book 5) by Kellye Garrett (3 stars)
• A Classic Case (Busybodies Collection Book 6) by Alicia Thompson (5 stars)
• One Perfect Day (Romeo Family Romance Book 1) by Jennifer Youngblood (4 stars)
• Fatal Fried Rice (A Noodle Shop Mystery Book 7) by Vivien Chien (3 stars)
• Miss Buncle's Book (Miss Buncle Book 1) by D.E. Stevenson (4 stars)
• Cruel Winter with You (Under the Mistletoe Collection Book 1) by Ali Hazelwood (4 stars)
• Merry Ever After (Under the Mistletoe Collection Book 2) by Tessa Bailey (2 stars)
• Mallory Hates Boys (and Gym) (The Baby-Sitters Club Book 59) by Ann M. Martin (4 stars)
• Livid (Kay Scarpetta Book 26) by Patricia Cornwell (4 stars)

Stand-Alone Books 

• Legal Briefs: A Collection of Short Stories by G. Lynn Brown (4 stars)
• Misshelved Magic by S.R. Crickard (4 stars)
• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (5 stars)
• The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin (4 stars)
• Jemima Shore's First Case: And Other Stories by Antonia Fraser (4 stars)
• Just Listen by Sarah Dessen (5 stars)
• Mystery & Mayhem: Twelve Deliciously Intriguing Mysteries, edited by Katherine Woodfine (3 stars)
• The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System--and How to Fix it by Natalie Wexler (4 stars)
• Do-Gooders: How Liberals Hurt Those They Claim to Help by Mona Charen (4 stars)
• Booked for the Holidays by Liz Maverick (4 stars)
• The Stolen Princess by Sandralena Hanley (4 stars)
• A Very Chapel Falls Christmas by Amanda Lauer (4 stars)
• Very Sincerely Yours by Kerry Winfrey (5 stars)

Family Reading Lists

M. (girl, age 11)

• When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead 
• Traveling Man by James Rumford

C. (girl, age 9 years, 2 months)

• from the You Choose series: 
• Spies of World War I
• World War I
• The Sinking of the Lusitania
• At Battle in World War I 
• Angel on the Square by Gloria Whelan 

E. (girl, age  7 years, 1 month)

• King Oberon's Forest by Hilda van Stockum 

R. (boy, age 4 years, 8 months)

• Reptiles Do the Strangest Things by  Leonora Hornblow
• Three Tales of My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

A. (girl, age 4 years, 8 months)

• Pig Wig Can Hit by Barney Saltzberg

My husband 

• What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge
• The Tournaments of the Lions by Jay Williams 
• Shadow Hawk by Andre Norton
• The Emperor's Arrow by Burke Boyce
• The Day I Became an Autodidact and the Advice, Adventures, and Acrimonies That Befell Me Thereafter by Kendall Hailey
• Ravensgill by William Mayne
• Brother Dusty-Feet by Rosemary Sutcliff
• The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System--and How to Fix it by Natalie Wexler