Dancing with Gravity, by Anene Tressler

This novel examines a priest’s life, and I’ll admit, I found it difficult reading. I’m not sure if it challenged me because the priest’s interior life had conflicts or if it was a result of what the conflicts were.

In the end, I enjoyed it. It’s character-driven and it made me consider the challenges of a priest’s vocation in a more ongoing way.

Dion: The Wanderer Talks Truth, by Dion Dimucci

This is a book I might have missed if it hadn’t come to me as a review copy, and what a pity for me. I wasn’t even sure who Dion DiMucci was at first, but then I heard him interviewed on The Catholics Next Door and I realized just who he was. (What’s that say about me? Well, never mind that. This is about the book, not me.)

This book is a delightful conversion story of the return to the Catholic Church of someone who had it all. Dion doesn’t hash out things he’s shared in other biographies, but rather examines how his spiritual life changed, and how that brought him back to the Catholic Church.

It might not be a book that will change your life, but it’s a worthwhile read. It’s also a slice of modern rock-and-roll history, which makes it fun.

Meet the Saints, by St. Anthony Messenger Press

I’m a sucker for a book about the saints, and this book does not disappoint. It’s easily tucked into a purse, but for its brevity, it still packs a punch. In the twelve chapters, you’ll meet 145 different saints, grouped together in ways that I didn’t expect. There were old favorites of mine, such as St. Francis of Assissi and St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, and also some that were new to me, such as St. Isaac Jogues and St. Sharbel Makhlouf.

The lessons shared in each chapter aren’t rocket science, but they made me pause and reflect. At the end of each chapter, there’s a small task associated with each saint…some of them are more achievable than others, but I liked the way it was presented and integrated.

Highly recommended. This would make a great gift or a wonderful addition to your home or parish library.