Hello, and happy 2024! I don’t know how another year has already slipped by. Somehow it has, though, and for that reason, I will be recapping my faith-related reads of 2023, as well as listing a few books that I wish to read in 2024.
It’s no secret that I am a very big bookworm and consider reading to be one of my favorite hobbies. I feel as if I did well with my nonfiction last year as well. (It’s weird to be speaking of 2023 as last year!) I normally go straight to fiction when I wish to read, but this year, I made the effort to read more nonfiction, especially faith-related reads. I read eight faith-related books in 2023, and my goal is ten in 2024. Some of my faith-related reads of 2023 were very good, so I thought that I’d make a post about them.
Faith-Related Reads of 2023
Holy Moments by Matthew Kelly
This book was okay. I feel as if many of the Matthew Kelly books that I read don’t leave a lasting impact and I don’t usually remember them a lot. I do remember liking this book and its theme, but not much beyond that.
Dare to Be More: The Witness of Blessed Carlo Acutis by Colleen and Matt Swaim
Blessed Carlo Acutis is someone that I greatly admire. Following his short battle with leukemia at the age of fifteen, he died in 2006 and was beatified in 2020. I wrote a post about him here. He is very inspiring as a person who lived less than 20 years ago. This short booklet covered Carlo Acutis’s life and was very in-depth and inspiring.
A Walk With Christ to the Cross by Dawson McAllister
I read this book during Lent, and I think that it provided me with a good insight into what Christ went through for us. It was definitely a good pre-Good Friday read. While it was a bit protestant-y, it wasn’t anti-Catholic.
A Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux by St. Thèrése of Lisieux
This book was one of my favorites of 2023. Saint Thérèse is a saint that I turn to a lot, and I find her life very inspiring. It was very interesting to read about her life through her own words in her autobiography. I learned many things about the saint that I didn’t previously know, and would very much recommend this book.
The Book of Confidence by Father Thomas de Saint Laurent
This book was another favorite of the year. Have you ever read something, and were amazed because the words seem as if they were written specifically for you at that point in your life? That is how this book was to me. Several of the ideas and passages in this book really spoke to me as I read them.
Fighting for Life by Lila Rose
Although this book isn’t specifically faith-related, it covers a topic that pertains to my faith, so I decided to include it in this list. This was a very powerful book, and I admire Lila Rose’s ability to write about the heartbreaking topic of abortion the way she did in this book. Although it was a bit difficult to get through, it’s definitely worth a read.
The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis de Montfort
Before reading this book, I knew how to pray the rosary, and prayed it semi-often with my family. However, this powerful Catholic classic teaches about the rosary in a way that made me yearn to pray the rosary every day and form a better relationship with Mary. It includes the historical origins of the rosary, as well as why and how people pray the rosary.
Prayer for Beginners by Peter Kreeft
This book was very good. It included helpful tips for praying and I would recommend giving it a read, for it was beneficial for my faith life.
Hail, Holy Queen by Scott Hahn
I really loved this book! I like Scott Hahn’s writing very much and the way that he approached the topic of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It perfectly captures some of the reasons that she is such an important part of the Catholic faith, and this too was another favorite book of the year.
Faith-Related Books to Read in 2024
The Story of a Family by Fr. Joseph Piat
I got this book a little while ago and have been wanting to read it for a while. My ever-growing TBR list makes it difficult to get around to some books, but I am hoping that I can read it this year.
The Lamb’s Supper by Scott Hahn
Since I liked his book, Hail, Holy Queen, I thought that I’d give Scott Hahn’s The Lamb’s Supper a read. I actually started it a little while ago and really liked what I read. I got busy and neglected to read it, but I will pick it back up soon.
Divine Mercy in My Soul by Saint Faustina
I thought that this one may be a book that is best read a bit every day. Since it is a pretty thick book, it’s a bit intimidating, but I have wanted to read it for a while and hope to get around to reading it soon.
Conversation with Christ by Peter Thomas Rohrbach
I just got this one for Christmas from my aunt, and have already started it! From what I’ve read so far, it’s very good.
The Wisdom of Fulton Sheen: 365 Days of Inspiration by Fulton Sheen
I started this book on January first, and have found it to be beneficial to my days so far. There is a short yet powerful excerpt of text by Fulton Sheen for each day of the year. They really give me something to think about every day.
That’s all for today’s post! I hope that you all are doing well, and thank you for reading this post.
Did you read any good books in 2023? Do you have any book recommendations?
~ Rebekah
Rambles With the Saints 