Books like Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska — picked by fans

This book has become so familiar to us through cartoons and movies that we often forget how very weird it is as a piece of writing. The book begins when Alice, bored of her sister’s company, notices a white rabbit muttering to itself “Oh dear! Oh dear!”, and starts to become curious—not, mind you, because talking rabbits are impossible, but only because they are so very intriguing.

The rest of the book shares this bemused tone: Alice will be subjected to all sorts of indignities, including a near-beheading, but as a “good” Victorian girl, she will generally accept the bizarre reality that is presented to her. Carroll’s mastery of language is key to this effect. Nearly every character sounds sensible, turning well-formed logical sentences, but they never make much actual sense, and their speeches are riddled with so many puns, double meanings, and other linguistic tricks that one can never… show more.

I found Tyler Henry’s story helpful as it relates to the presence of those who have passed on. As an 8-year-old, I saw my cousin Ben in my thoughts. He was standing by a lake. A moment later my mother received a call that he had drowned. Tyler Henry had a near-death experience at 10 and later received a message from his dead grandmother. That was the beginning of his journey. He considered becoming a hospice nurse but accepted that his gifts might be better utilized to bring closure to those who have lost a loved one. His messages are not faith-based but come from a knowing that feels divinely guided.

I love this book because it gives you such a wonderful example and perspective of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. It makes them so real and personable.

I like how the author doesn’t blame God for everything but sees it more like how the Bible teaches. It’s very moving. It brings you right in and gets you emotionally attached to the characters.

Now you've all heard of Mortal Instruments, the set of books that was never going to end, and the flop of the movie and the T.V. series being shut down, not giving the fans a H.E.A. But I bet you haven't heard of Infernal Devices. These are three books, yes, another trilogy. Although Infernal Devices is a prequel to Mortal Instruments, there is a huge difference between the two stories. And yes, I read them in the wrong order. But Mortal Instruments never took hold of my heart and squeezed it, like Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, and Clockwork Princess did. These books have all the fantasy elements you would expect from a Cassandra Claire novel, the danger, the thrills, but what was added to all this was a heart-wrenching love story that will have you crying in your tissues and screaming why! Why is life so unfair?

The curiosities we have about life can be deeply mysterious, and I’ve learned to love that about it. So, it seems, has Jane Christmas; her memoir recounts her exploration of the possibility of living a cloistered life. She feels compelled to take this journey and is willing to follow her instincts even if they lead to some unusual places.

I loved that this writer and human were open to exploring a deeply spiritual existence and then sharing what that experience was like. It’s not every day we get to go behind the scenes on what may be one of the most personal journeys of a human life.

Kate Horsely’s writing is exquisite. Every word, every detail is carefully chosen and her language has a beauty all its own. The novel is about an Irish nun, Gwynneve, who was raised pagan. She sought refuge in Saint Brigit’s and is welcomed because of her literacy. She is to transcribe the words of St. Augustine and St. Patrick. She observes the crossroads of paganism and Christianity and witnesses the positive and negative of both sides. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but Gwynneve becomes caught up in the conflict as she records her diary of observations and pays the price for honesty. Again, I’m fascinated by the two belief systems, pagan and Christian, side by side, and searched for how that transition occurred.

Marie S.C. Castro knows. Here on Saipan, we tell a different story about aviator Amelia Earhart's and Fred Noonan's fate. The famed pilot and navigator did not "disappear." They crashed on Mili atoll in the Marshall Islands; were detained by the Japanese military; brought to Saipan where Fred was beheaded and Amelia died of dysentery. Without a Penny in my Pocket includes rare photos and shares Marie's account of growing up and attending school during the Japanese occupation, moving stateside, and ultimately returning home. It helps us understand the lifestyle of the local people at the time of Amelia's presence. (Castro, founder of Saipan's Amelia Earhart Memorial Association, has a book with Earhart researcher, Mike Campbell, to further the mission of keeping the legacy alive. Start the adventure with Marie's story!)

In exploring the magic around us, we can see the effects of the good, bad, and curses. The danger of using magic for love spells is that it can backfire. I believe there are people who can reunite with us for many lifetimes, and there are multiple reincarnations of ourselves.

I am not a crier, but I came close in this one. The ending was not what I wanted and was completely unexpected, but that’s the type of book that will keep you thinking about them for a while afterward. I personally love books that have that effect on the reader!

This older, quieter novel by Sarah Dunant has stayed with me over the years. It tells the story of a young Italian woman forced into a convent after a clandestine love affair. This was the fate of thousands of Renaissance women, whether or not they had a religious vocation: convents were repositories for “surplus” women who couldn’t be respectably married off.

I appreciate how this book focuses on the surprising complexity of the cloister, from the friendships and enmities among the nuns to their incredible knowledge and expertise in music and medicine.

Dunant’s books about Renaissance Italy are always well-researched, and she has a flair for integrating small details that bring this hidden world to life.

It is beautifully written, which is one reason I love it so much. I’ve re-read it several times. I’ve never been to Kentucky, where much of it is set, but everything Ann Patchett describes is as vivid as a photograph. The protagonist, Rose, leaves her husband when she finds out she’s pregnant and enters a Catholic home for unwed mothers, intending to give her baby up.

It touched me how the very private Rose bonds with her roommate, Angie. She feels protective of her, and Angie, in turn, leans on Rose. Yet they know they will leave each other behind. I found it poignant that all the young women in the home rely on each other far more than the nuns in charge.