Open Book May #anopenbook

I’m joining Carolyn Astfalk and Catholic Mom for An Open Book. Here’s what I’ve been reading and working on for the past month.

The Journey by Jim Sano

Release Date May 13, 2024! Thirteen-year-old Will Donovan wishes he could enjoy his friends and trick-or-treating without the nuisance and responsibility of his talkative younger brother, Sam, tagging along. When Will’s wish comes true after finding a strange goblet in the attic, Sam suddenly vanishes into thin air through the attic wall, and Will is challenged to muster up the courage to travel to a strange world to save him. Fortunately, Will’s friends and characters they meet along the way won’t let him face this dangerous journey alone, as they end up confronting their greatest fears, deadly creatures, and an epoch battle between good and evil.

The Gray Apostle: Roman Justice by Colonel Edward J. Barr

Synopsis: In Ed Barr’s exciting sequel to The Gray Apostle: Mission of the Messiah, a powerful Roman Centurion and the High Priest Caiaphas join forces to track down and eliminate Jesus’ earliest disciples.  The authorities worry that Christianity is a threat to Rome, so the new religion must be stopped!

Unfortunately for Emperor Tiberius, it is difficult to track the whereabouts of the 12 apostles.  The Apostle Peter has a secret weapon:  a surreptitious network of courageous young people that is willing to step out on faith to prevent bad things from happening.

My review: This is a compelling biblical novel with several historical characters and mostly fictional ones who are supported in “The Way” of Jesus Christ by a man known only as ‘the gray apostle.’ It’s the second in a series that begins with The Gray Apostle: Mission of the Messiah. Recommend. 4/5.

Totality by Brendan Lyon

Amazon Synopsis: What is man, oh Lord? And what do we owe God in receipt for our body and soul? As we barrel forward in medical and scientific progress, the answer trends increasingly toward ‘nothing.’

Enter the ‘switchover,’ the process by which a human being’s mind is transferred into a genetically perfected body, cloned specifically for them. Held up as the pinnacle of medical science by its creators and embraced by the insurance industry, more and more doctors and plans are making the process a prerequisite for care and coverage. But is the nation moving too quickly toward enshrining this emerging technology as vital to health care? And can such a radical process be rolled out so quickly without missing potentially damaging side effects?

These are the questions that plague Tim Plesac, the primary investor in the early stages of the switchover’s development and the very first successful human patient. It has been a decade since his switchover, but now that the widespread rollout of the process is on the horizon, he has begun to question not only the science but also the ethics. And as he delves deeper into these questions with help from his wife, Ali, the little voice in his head only grows…

Meanwhile, a strange new phenomenon has begun to plague the northeast corridor of the nation: a dozen experimental military time pods have been stolen, and suddenly people have begun to come back in time. Their mission: to kill their past selves. These ‘plurals’ appear, somehow driven mad in the future, with the intent to end their pain by never allowing it to begin. But why? What else could be motivating the attacks? And could there be a link to the looming switchover? Nick Jeffrey and his wife Hannah were content to ignore these questions until Nick comes face to face with a plural in his own office. And what this man from the future tells him will change his once simple life for good.

Totality is a gripping story of a divine mission perverted by earthly desire and the end result of the commodification of health care and human life.

My review: I thoroughly enjoyed this futuristic tale and debut novel by Brendan Lyons. My full review can be found at Catholic Mom. Recommend. 4.5/5.

Penny and the Stolen Chalice by Antony Barone Kolenc

Amazon Synopsis: Penny is a new sixth grader at a Catholic school, but she isn’t Catholic. So when the chalice is stolen from the altar during a school Mass, she doesn’t really understand what the big deal is. When her friend Jayden is accused of the theft, Penny teams up with him to find the real thief and recover the chalice. But what will she do when she finds out the shocking truth at the end of the trail of clues?

Fast-paced and filled with mystery, Penny and the Stolen Chalice will keep middle-grade readers guessing to the very end. As she finds clues with Jayden and her other friends, Penny, along with the reader, gains a deeper understanding of the Mass and the chalice’s place in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

My review: This is a wonderful middle-grade book that will inspire and teach kids about the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Recommend. 4.5/5.

18 Tiny Deaths by Bruce Goldfarb

Amazon Synopsis: In 18 Tiny Deaths, readers are transported to a time when forensic science was in its infancy, and a woman named Frances Glessner Lee emerged as a force to be reckoned with. Through meticulous recreations of crime scenes, Lee revolutionized the way investigators approached criminal investigations, forever changing the face of modern forensics.

Bruce Goldfarb’s impeccable attention to detail brings Lee’s compelling story to life, weaving together elements of history, science, and true crime. Discover how Lee’s determination and unwavering passion defied the norms of her era, paving the way for future generations of forensic scientists.

With a masterful blend of suspense and historical narrative, 18 Tiny Deaths captivates readers from the first page. Uncover Lee’s groundbreaking contributions to forensic science, from her creation of the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death―intricate dioramas that challenged investigators’ skills―to her influential role in establishing the Department of Legal Medicine at Harvard University.

This gripping account showcases Lee’s enduring legacy, shedding light on her profound impact on modern crime-solving techniques. Whether you’re a true crime enthusiast, a history buff, or simply intrigued by the remarkable accomplishments of extraordinary women, 18 Tiny Deaths is a must-read.

My review: This is a fascinating tale of the woman behind Modern Forensics, Frances Glessner Lee, who had no college education but wound up changing the face of forensic medicine. While it’s an engrossing story of her life and interesting on the whole, sometimes the writing is a bit dry. Recommend. 3.5/5.

Jellybean: A Baby’s Journey to God by Theoni and Bastian Bell

Synopsis: For families experiencing infant loss, this picture book shows the important role these babies still have for their families.

Little Jellybean, so nicknamed by her family, experiences an exciting world of sound and sensations inside her mother’s womb, encountering the voices and personalities of her loving family. Just when she has nearly outgrown her mother’s belly, a surprising visitor guides her to a new home. 

There, Jellybean is given a mission to help her family find meaning in their loss and ultimately join her in the presence of God. 

My review: This is a beautiful book for parents who’ve lost babies before birth. They can read this to their other children to help console them and to grieve. Babies who have been lost in miscarriage or other pregnancy loss are still a part of the family and should never be forgotten. Highly recommend.

An Open Book – April #anopenbook

I’m joining Carolyn Astfalk and Catholic Mom for An Open Book. Here’s what I’ve been reading and/or working on for the past month.

The Journey by Jim Sano

Synopsis: Coming May 13 from FQP!

Thirteen-year-old Will Donovan wishes he could enjoy his friends and trick-or-treating without the nuisance and responsibility of his talkative younger brother, Sam, tagging along. When Will’s wish comes true after finding a strange goblet in the attic, Sam suddenly vanishes into thin air through the attic wall, and Will is challenged to muster up the courage to travel to a strange world to save him. Fortunately, Will’s friends and characters they meet along the way won’t let him face this dangerous journey alone, as they end up confronting their greatest fears, deadly creatures, and an epoch battle between good and evil.

Season of Mercy: Lent and Easter by Catherine Doherty

Amazon Synopsis: A  guide to entering into the mystery and celebration of Lent and Easter
Catherine Doherty leads us into the riches of God s boundless mercy as she teaches us the spirit, the liturgy, and the customs of the Lent and Easter season, including:
Practical guidance on preparing for the internal spiritual pilgrimage that is Lent.
Meditations on the meanings of the many holy days preceding and following Easter.
Traditions and customs which will help your family live the holiness of the Easter season.
After-dinner talks by Catherine Doherty, spiritual readings around the dining room table on the spirit, liturgy and customs of Lent, Holy Week, the Easter Triduum and Paschaltide.
Catherine speaks on such topics as how to Prepare for Lent; Why Fasting; The Motive is Love; Sin, Repentance, Conversion. Also on Palm (Passion) Sunday; Holy Week; Holy Thursday: Priesthood and Eucharist; Good Friday; Holy Saturday: Christ’s Descent into Hades; and Christ is Risen! Then Paschal time and Christ s Ascension, Pentecost. A rich tapestry of scriptural reflections and Customs and Traditions to bring it all to life!
Excellent for personal and group study.
A wonderful resource for preachers and teachers!

My review: I already included this last month, but it’s the Easter season so I’m including it again.  This is a book I read/review every Lent and Easter. It’s filled with excellent information, spiritual reflections and customs for the season. Highly recommend. 5/5.

Roots of the Reformation by Karl Adam

Amazon Synopsis: Roots of the Reformation is a powerful summary of the issues that led to the Reformation and their implications today. Most Protestants understand the Reformation from only one perspective. As a Catholic, Karl Adam gives a historically sensitive and accurate analysis of the Reformation that stands as a valid and sometimes unsettling challenge to the presuppositions of Protestants and Catholics alike.

My review: Excellent book that includes a basic summary of the issues that led to the Reformation. It’s incredibly informative for both Catholics and Protestants alike. Highly recommend. 4.5/5.

Dreyer’s English by Benjamin Dreyer

Amazon Synopsis: We all write, all the time: books, blogs, emails. Lots and lots of emails. And we all want to write better. Benjamin Dreyer is here to help.
As Random House’s copy chief, Dreyer has upheld the standards of the legendary publisher for more than two decades. He is beloved by authors and editors alike—not to mention his followers on social media—for deconstructing the English language with playful erudition. Now he distills everything he has learned from the myriad books he has copyedited and overseen into a useful guide not just for writers but for everyone who wants to put their best prose foot forward.
As authoritative as it is amusing, Dreyer’s English offers lessons on punctuation, from the underloved semicolon to the enigmatic en dash; the rules and nonrules of grammar, including why it’s OK to begin a sentence with “And” or “But” and to confidently split an infinitive; and why it’s best to avoid the doldrums of the Wan Intensifiers and Throat Clearers, including “very,” “rather,” “of course,” and the dreaded “actually.” Dreyer will let you know whether “alright” is all right (sometimes) and even help you brush up on your spelling—though, as he notes, “The problem with mnemonic devices is that I can never remember them.”
And yes: “Only godless savages eschew the series comma.”
Chockful of advice, insider wisdom, and fun facts, this book will prove to be invaluable to everyone who wants to shore up their writing skills, mandatory for people who spend their time editing and shaping other people’s prose, and—perhaps best of all—an utter treat for anyone who simply revels in language.

My review: What I like most about this very thorough grammar/English book is that it’s entertaining as well as informative. Highly recommend. 5/5.

The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist

By Matt Baglio

Amazon Synopsis: The inspiration for the film starring Anthony Hopkins, journalist Matt Baglio uses the astonishing story of one American priest’s training as an exorcist to reveal that the phenomena of possession, demons, the Devil, and exorcism are not merely a remnant of the archaic past, but remain a fearsome power in many people’s lives even today.
Father Gary Thomas was working as a parish priest in California when he was asked by his bishop to travel to Rome for training in the rite of exorcism. Though initially surprised, and slightly reluctant, he accepted this call, and enrolled in a new exorcism course at a Vatican-affiliated university, which taught him, among other things, how to distinguish between a genuine possession and mental illness. Eventually he would go on to participate in more than eighty exorcisms as an apprentice to a veteran Italian exorcist. His experiences profoundly changed the way he viewed the spiritual world, and as he moved from rational skeptic to practicing exorcist, he came to understand the battle between good and evil in a whole new light. Journalist Matt Baglio had full access to Father Gary over the course of his training, and much of what he learned defies explanation.
The Rite provides fascinating vignettes from the lives of exorcists and people possessed by demons, including firsthand accounts of exorcists at work casting out demons, culminating in Father Gary’s own confrontations with the Devil. Baglio also traces the history of exorcism, revealing its rites and rituals, explaining what the Catholic Church really teaches about demonic possession, and delving into such related topics as the hierarchy of angels and demons, satanic cults, black masses, curses, and the various theories used by modern scientists and anthropologists who seek to quantify such phenomena.
Written with an investigative eye that will captivate both skeptics and believers alike, The Rite shows that the truth about demonic possession is not only stranger than fiction but also far more chilling.

My review: This is one of the best books I’ve read this year and is, for me, definitive proof of the evil that permeates our world today. Truth is usually “far more stranger than fiction but also far more chilling.” Although the movie was also excellent, I’d highly recommend reading this book as it’s better than the movie. 5/5.

Maniac: The Bath School Disaster and the Making of a Modern Serial Killer by Harold Schechter

Amazon synopsis: In 1927, while the majority of the township of Bath, Michigan, was celebrating a new primary school―one of the most modern in the Midwest―Andrew P. Kehoe had other plans. The local farmer and school board treasurer was educated, respected, and an accommodating neighbor and friend. But behind his ordinary demeanor was a narcissistic sadist seething with rage, resentment, and paranoia. On May 18 he detonated a set of rigged explosives with the sole purpose of destroying the school and everyone in it. Thirty-eight children and six adults were murdered that morning, culminating in the deadliest school massacre in US history. Maniac is Harold Schechter’s gripping, definitive, exhaustively researched chronicle of a town forced to comprehend unprecedented carnage and the triggering of a “human time bomb” whose act of apocalyptic violence would foreshadow the terrors of the current age.

My review: I found this book a compelling historical true story of how one man came to murder a school full of children and teachers, as well as himself and others.  I read it in one sitting. If I could offer one criticism, it would be on the chapters about Charles Lindbergh and his flight across the Atlantic.  As interesting as those chapters were, they were mentioned (I believe) because the event overshadowed the Bath school murders and really had nothing to do with the Bath school disaster. Recommend. 3.5/5.

Murder at Penwood Manor (Harwood Mysteries Book 3) by Antony Barone Kolenc

Amazon Synopsis: Xan and Christina embark on a journey to Harwood Abbey, where they reunite with their old friends, Lucy and Joshua. When a brutal murder occurs at nearby Penwood Manor, all evidence points to Laurence, a Crusader recently returned from the Holy Land. Unconvinced of the man’s guilt, Xan and his friends must act swiftly to solve the crime.

Who could have committed such a horrible killing, and is anyone safe?
Is Laurence tormented by demons, or is he haunted by some other secret?
And will Xan be forever changed by the choice Lucy and Christina present to him?

My review: This was a great story (and not just for teens!) I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it. 4.5/5.

An Open Book #openbook November

Happy Solemnity of All Saints!

Today, I’m joining Carolyn Astfalk and Catholic Mom for An Open Book. Here’s what I’ve been reading or working on this past month.

New Friends Now and Forever: A Story about the Holy Souls

by Susan Tassone

Amazon Synopsis: From Susan Tassone – best-selling, award-winning author and renowned “Purgatory Lady” – comes the first children’s picture book about our friends, the holy souls. New Friends Now and Forever: A Story about the Holy Souls is an age-appropriate and engaging book for children ages 6-10.

New Friends Now and Forever is the delightful story of twins Ben and Hope, who become “prayer pals” with Mr. Ray, an elderly friend from their parish. They agree to pray for each other and to help him pray for his departed wife. Along the way, Hope and Ben learn that purgatory is real and that it is nothing to fear because it is a special way God shows His love for us. And the best part? The children learn that the power of their prayers helps the faithful departed reach heaven and that those souls will intercede for them, becoming their “forever friends.”

With vibrant illustrations by Yorris Handoko, New Friends Now and Foreverbeautifully expresses the rich traditions, signs, and symbols of our Faith.

New Friends Now and Forever has been granted an Imprimatur, so you can be sure it is true to the teachings of the Catholic Faith. Special features include:

• An important message for adults, encouraging them to teach children about purgatory.
• Seek-and-Find activities.
• Special prayers for the holy souls in purgatory.

Help the children in your life realize the power – and the joy – that comes with praying for the holy souls in purgatory.

My review: This outstanding book seeks to teach children about the importance of praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. I can’t wait to read it to my grandson! Highly recommend.

The Divine Beauty Parlor: Rediscovering Purgatory

by Meggie K. Daly

Amazon Synopsis: The Divine Beauty Parlor: Rediscovering Purgatory is a captivating narrative that examines purgatory through the multifaceted approach of theology, philosophy, history, Christian anthropology, Catholic teaching, and Protestant objections. Extensively researched by Meggie K. Daly, the book is written from a Catholic perspective but with an ecumenical eye toward understanding the roots of Christian denominational differences regarding purgatory’s existence.

Against the backdrop of a postmodern world, the book explores the concept of absolute truth through the prism of the “Three Pillars” that the Catholic Church uses to discern truth: Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and Magisterium. The book addresses the complexities of sin, guilt, and conscience and delves into the oft-misunderstood concept of temporal punishment of sin. Arguments for and against purgatory are framed within their respective theological views of justification, sanctification, and human psychology. Various theological models of purgatory are presented, emphasizing divine mercy, divine justice, or both with philosophical insight and historical perspective. The “work” of purgatory is speculated upon within the guiderails of Catholic doctrine.

The history of purgatory examines early Christian epitaphs and “literature,” classical biblical exegesis, the writing of the early Greek and Latin Fathers, the impact of Scholasticism, and papal and council documents, including dogmatic declarations. The theology and historical roots of indulgences are unearthed, including their ties to early Christian penitential rites, the “Holy Wars” and Crusades, and their impact on the Protestant Reformation. Purgatory’s depiction in medieval art, literature, and the legends and writings of Saints are unveiled. Lastly, contemplation of traditional Catholic channels of grace and Thérèse of Lisieux’s “Little Way” offers readers open pathways to potentially bypass purgatory.

Daly’s penetrating approach and unique synthesis of information presume no previous knowledge other than the basics of the Christian faith and an inquisitive mind. The Divine Beauty Parlor is appropriate for anyone curious about purgatory, those who desire a deeper understanding, and serious scholars alike.

My review: I had the privilege of proofreading this outstanding book. Meticulously researched, the author presents purgatory from a Catholic perspective. I had never thought this carefully about purgatory, but this book has made me reflect in ways I hadn’t considered. Highly recommend!

Thy Will Be Done: The Greatest Prayer, the Christian’s Mission and the World’s Penultimate Destiny by Daniel O’Connor

Amazon Synopsis: The greatest petition of the Greatest Prayer—the Our Father—will not go unanswered. These words of Christ, “Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven,” are the most exalted ones ever spoken; they chart the course of history, and they define the mission of each Christian. From the teachings of Scripture and Saints, from Church Fathers and Doctors, from Mystics and Seers, from Magisterium and more—you will discover, within the pages of this book, how to engage in the Christian’s mission more powerfully than ever before, for the radical transformation of your life and the arrival of the World’s Penultimate Destiny.

My review: This is an excellent book. I recently attended a conference in which the author was the speaker. His talks were thorough, thought-provoking, and inspiring. This book is the same. Surrendering to God’s will has the potential of making us great saints. Highly recommend.

Love’s Mystery: A Mystical Theology of the Body according to St. John Paul II and St. John of the Cross by David P. Hahn (with a Foreword by Christopher West) (Second Edition)

Now available from Full Quiver Publishing and Amazon!

Synopsis: It is well-known that St. John Paul II was a student of St. John of the Cross.  The Pope, as a young man, decided to learn Spanish to study the writings of St. John of the Cross in the original language.  As a young priest of only twenty-eight years of age, this future Pope wrote his dissertation on St. John’s philosophy of faith in the mystical contexts, Faith According to St. John of The Cross.   The writings and spirituality of St. John influenced the Pope’s entire way of looking at spirituality and philosophy. St. John, like many other mystics and saints, looked at the Song of Songs as an example of God’s love for us, the souls He created.  A very deep, passionate love for the soul is called agape, portrayed in eros, which is the love between man and woman.  This love is mentioned by John Paul in his works The Theology of The Body as well as Love and Responsibility.  The love that God has between Himself and the human soul is also the same kind of love that man and woman should exchange between themselves. David P. Hahn explores the connections between St. John Paul II and St. John of the Cross, and their associated theologies in Love’s Mystery.  Follow along in the exploration of the concepts that both Saints use in guiding humanity into the love, union, and happiness that was meant for man and woman since the beginning.

My review: I am thrilled to be publishing the second edition of this book, which I edited six years ago. It’s a bit thick theologically but very readable. Highly recommend!

A Faith Such as Heaven Intended by Amanda Lauer

Coming November 17 from FQP: When the men from Tonica, Illinois, are shipped off to fight in the Civil War, Ruth Simmons decides to tag along after her older brothers and her sole male classmate. Disguised as a drummer boy, Ruth finds herself in over her head as the regiment arrives in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on the eve of one of the bloodiest battles of the war. A chance encounter with a Confederate prisoner of war in the aftermath alters the course of her life.

Captain Ben Holt, a brilliant young surgeon, has sold his surgical skills to the highest bidder. What he hadn’t bargained on was being put to the test by the beguiling Ruth Simmons, a sharp young woman with the preposterous notion of becoming a surgeon herself.

Their two lives are entwined as they make their way from Gettysburg to Washington City, where they are caught up in the events occurring during the monumental final year of the Civil War, including the attack on the capital city, the attempted kidnapping and subsequent assassination of President Lincoln, and the hunt for his killer. With their lives on the line, Ruth and Ben must set their differences aside and, using their shared faith as common ground, determine a way to escape the District of Columbia so they can pursue the lives of which they’ve dreamed.

My review: I’m a bit biased as I’m the publisher of this book, but this is one of my favorites of the series!

Full Quiver Publishing Got Genre Video #catholicfiction

Check out our new FQP Got Genre Video!

Open Book October #anopenbook

Today, I’m joining Carolyn Astfalk and Catholic Mom for An Open Book. Here’s what I’ve been reading or working on for the past month.

Fallen Graces by Jim Sano (Fr. Tom #5)

Synopsis: Now available from FQP on Kindle.

When a dead man’s body is found in the upper basin of a historic fountain in Boston Common with a cryptic message in his pocket, Detective Brooks reluctantly calls in Father Tom and Angelo to help solve the clues in the hunt for a killer set on justice and revenge. Fallen Graces, the fifth book of the award-winning Father Tom series, delves into the psychological and religious complexities of a killer who becomes as equally unpredictable as dangerous to the parish neighborhood of St. Francis, and Father Tom has no choice but to become more involved, risking his own life to find the answer.

Royal and Ancient by Amanda Lauer

Synopsis: Bronwyn Campbell’s end-of-summer plans were simple: wrap up her job at Saint Andrews Country Club, meet her friends one last time at the virtual reality arcade, and move across the country—again—with her father. But when lightning strikes while she’s working the club’s Saint Andrews Heritage Day, she’s transported from an American fairway to the home of golf, The Links at St. Andrews, in Scotland—and in the year 1691, no less.

When Iain MacDonald discovers Bronwyn knocked out cold on the seventeenth green, little does he know their meeting will change not only the course of their lives but the course of history. The son of the chieftain of Clan MacDonald, Iain bears the weight of responsibility for his family and his clan’s survival on his shoulders. Family drama and the growing discord over religion in Scotland add to the heavy load he carries daily while stepping further into his role as future chieftain.

As political events between England and Scotland heighten the conflict surrounding the MacDonald lands, Bronwyn and Iain rely upon their shared faith and growing feelings toward each other for survival. Amid the questions that plague both of them, though, one stands out: How can you be with the one you love if your choice ultimately influences history?

My review: If you like time-travel novels, you’ll love this historical romantic adventure, Royal & Ancient, by Amanda Lauer. Crisp imagery, well-developed characters, and Lauer’s incredible worldbuilding make for an entertaining read. Recommend.   

The Way of Light (The Story Behind the Resurrection) by Denise Mercado

Synopsis: Do you know the 14 stations of the Resurrection of Jesus?
The Way of the Light – is both an educational and uplifting reminder to walk in the steps that Jesus took from the Resurrection to the first day of Pentecost. It is in His last words and the places along His journey that we learn more about the importance of each of these steps.

And this is not just a historical book – this is an engaging book of light and truth where Denise Mercado encourages the reader to reflect on each of these moments in the steps of Christ and how they would identify with each of the characters in the story.

As a follow-up to her first book, Mary’s Life Journey & Her Amazing Yes!, Mercado takes the reader deeper into the spiritual truths of why these 14 stations are so important to all of us. Each one is unpacked with a wealth of information, scripture quotations, and personal experiences.

It’s important to know the greater story behind what we believe. And now, you can discover the meaning behind the significance of what Christ did from the grave to the day of Pentecost.

My review: I had never heard of the Stations of the Resurrection before, so this was a very educational book. The Way of Light is a beautiful devotion that focuses on the time of the Resurrection to Pentecost with similar prayers to the Station of the Cross. Highly recommend.

All About Me by Mel Brooks

Synopsis: All About Me! charts Mel Brooks’s meteoric rise from a Depression-era kid in Brooklyn to the recipient of the National Medal of Arts. Whether serving in the United States Army in World War II, or during his burgeoning career as a teenage comedian in the Catskills, Mel was always mining his experiences for material, always looking for the perfect joke. His iconic career began with Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows, where he was part of the greatest writers’ room in history, which included Carl Reiner, Neil Simon, and Larry Gelbart. After co-creating both the mega-hit 2000 Year Old Man comedy albums and the classic television series Get Smart, Brooks’s stellar film career took off. He would go on to write, direct, and star in The Producers, The Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Silent Movie, High Anxiety, and Spaceballs, as well as produce groundbreaking and eclectic films, including The Elephant Man, The Fly, and My Favorite Year. Brooks then went on to conquer Broadway with his record-breaking, Tony-winning musical, The Producers.
 
All About Me! offers fans insight into the inspiration behind the ideas for his outstanding collection of boundary-breaking work and offers details about the many close friendships and collaborations Brooks had, including those with Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Gene Wilder, Madeleine Kahn, Alfred Hitchcock, and the great love of his life, Anne Bancroft.
 
Filled with tales of struggle, achievement, and camaraderie (and dozens of photographs), readers will gain a more personal and deeper understanding of the incredible body of work behind one of the most accomplished and beloved entertainers in history.

My review: This was an entertaining read about one of the most prolific writers and producers (and one of the few entertainers who’ve won an Emmy, Oscar, Tony, and Grammy) in Hollywood. Recommend.

Love’s Mystery: A Mystical Theology of the Body According to St. John Paul II and St. John of the Cross by David Hahn with Foreword by Christopher West

Synopsis: It is well-known that St. John Paul II was a student of St. John of the Cross. The Pope, as a young man, decided to learn Spanish to study the writings of St. John of the Cross in the original language. As a young priest of only twenty-eight years of age, this future Pope wrote his dissertation on St. John’s philosophy of faith in the mystical contexts, Faith According to St. John of The Cross. The writings and spirituality of St. John influenced the Pope’s entire way of looking at spirituality and philosophy. St. John, as many other mystics and saints, looked at the Song of Songs as an example of God’s love for us, the souls He created. A very deep, passionate love for the soul is called agape, portrayed in eros, which is the love between man and woman. This love is mentioned by John Paul in his works The Theology of The Body as well as Love and Responsibility. The love that God has between Himself and the human soul is also the same kind of love that man and woman should exchange between themselves.

Second Edition coming soon from FQP!

The New Fire: Living the New Covenant by Robert Margetts

Synopsis: “I came to cast fire upon the earth; where that it were already kindled.” Luke 12:49
Would Christendom be reunited if we began to dialogue together over our belief differences in the Holy Spirit? What is really needed is a common conversion experience to the Holy Spirit. Catholics and non-Catholics and Orthodox need a common conversion experience. We need a shared conversion experience. We need a common Pentecost. A new Pentecost! A New Fire! An embracing of the New Covenant together. A great revival. This all seems impossible. However, it is possible if the Lord brings us to a remnant.

My review: Powerful new book on the New Pentecost! Highly recommend!

An Open Book #openbook August

Today I’m joining Carolyn Astfalk and Catholic Mom for An Open Book. Here’s what I’ve been reading and/or working on for the past month.

Nazareth Family Spirituality: Celebrating Your Faith at Home with Catherine Doherty

Synopsis: Bring your home and family life to Christ! Catherine Doherty, foundress of Madonna House and best-selling author of the award-winning spiritual classic Poustinia, talks straight to families in this compilation by one of her spiritual sons, MH priest Fr. Blair Bernard. Catherine first talks about Christ’s hidden “Nazareth years”, which made up most of his earthly life, and which prepared him for the three years and three days which would change the world. She elaborates on the profound spiritual significance of these years, not only for the Lord but for each of us and our families. With the Nazareth years as her point of departure, Catherine discusses the ways families can connect their ordinary lives with God. For her, Nazareth is “that hidden little village [where we] become whole again.” As the title of this book indicates, “Nazareth” is a whole way of life, especially in its hiddenness. For “hidden” is the life that most of us live. In simple, chatty chapters, Catherine demonstrates the spiritual depth of the hidden vocation of marriage and family: to form a community of love. The book also presents practical ways of passing on the faith, to celebrate it particularly for and with children. The unique and beautiful cycle of the church year customs celebrated in Madonna House is here adapted for use in your home. Over the years the MH community has drawn these customs from the East and the West, and from various countries; they have stood the test of time in their communication of the joys as well as the truths of our faith. Catherine discusses of various issues in family life: teen dating, the loneliness of living a faith life in a secular world, parents as co-creators with God, various difficulties of wedded life. Catherine introduced to her community of Madonna House a Russian idea of unity called “sobornost”; here she presents this idea of sobornost as a goal for family life as well. And fearlessly she addresses the end of life in the section “’Til Death Do Us Part”, completing the cycle of a life lived in the Lord. Nazareth Family Spirituality provides much food for families to digest, families whose sanctity and integrity is so questioned in our day and age. It also gives much encouragement to live a life of faith in our modern world.

My review: Catherine Doherty’s book, Dear Parents, has been out of print for many years. Madonna House republished it as Nazareth Family Spirituality. I’ve used Catherine’s quotes on “The duty of the moment,” and “I am Third” in my articles. This book is, in fact, three or four books in one. It includes much of Dear Parents, but also includes parts of Donkey Bells (Christmas and Advent) and Season of Mercy (Lent and Easter), which makes it a much more inclusive book for families. Every Catholic family should own a copy of this book. Highly recommend.

The Priests We Need to Save the Church by Kevin Wells

Synopsis: While dissolute bishops and priests around the world grab headlines for their untoward words and deeds, too many other unfruitful priests minister as little more than glad-handing bachelors doing social service work.

Top and bottom, is this the Church that Christ intended? Are these the priests we need?

No! cries author Kevin Wells in these compelling pages that showcase how heroic priests can faithfully tread the narrow path of holy self-sacrifice first blazed by the apostles themselves. From scores of insightful interviews with modern priests, exorcists, seminary formators, and even disillusioned laity, Wells here draws forth a blueprint for priestly holiness that can once again fill our Church with priests abounding with sincere, supernatural faith, on fire with God s love, and moved by the irresistible impulse to save souls, no matter the cost to themselves.

Reading this book will deepen your own faith and help you understand what all priests, by their vocation, are consecrated and called to be. Giving a copy to your parish priest will help him and encourage him as he strives to become a member of the small but growing contingent of holy priests we need.

Review: This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. It’s engaging and yet drives the point home: without a holy priest and holy bishops, the flock is heading to perdition. One of my favorite lines: “Our society is fast achieving the diabolical flip — virtue is now sin; sin is virtue — and hordes of Catholic children and teens are wandering. Our youth have lowered their heads not in sorrow and pain but to genuflect to Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook in order to turn away from their unspoken confusion, torment, and hidden sin. But truth doesn’t live in social media, so their immortal souls further petrify in Satan’s relentless spiritual war for them. And because it seems as if many Catholic dads and moms have decided to canonize comfort — helicoptering every aspect of their children’s lives except their souls — their children are left unequipped to combat spiritual enemies. I highly recommend this wonderful book!

Vassals of the Valley by Robin Sebolino

Synopsis: Kalag suffers from the traumas of his life and deeds as a pirate in the seas of 16th-century Southeast Asia. Together with his warrior peons, he embarks on a journey to find a peaceful home and live a quiet life on his native island of Luzon.

A promising place he finds is the newly founded pueblo of Nueva Avila, where he discovers his sister and her family well adapted to its laws patterned after the Spanish legal system and Catholic morality. He thrives in Nueva Avila, adopts its customs and religion, and even releases his peons from servitude. But he soon realizes that even this town is far from the ideal place he hopes to live in. Nueva Avila’s governor, Don Fernando, has struck a deal with Ichijuo Kenki, an up-and-coming Japanese pirate lord. Kalag abandons Nueva Avila to live in the prosperous port city of Manila, where he establishes himself through trade and the support of the city’s clerics.

He returns to Nueva Avila after hearing that Ichijuo has begun enslaving its people. With warrior companions (his former peons), a Dominican priest, and strong, creative resolve, Kalag rushes to liberate the pirate-controlled pueblo in the least bloody way possible.

My review: One of the things I love about the 21st century is that I get to meet and work with authors from all over the world. Robin Sebolino is an author who lives in the Philippines, and he has written a beautiful historical novel that takes place in Southeast Asia. I helped Robin edit his book. This is a compelling and well-written book that takes the reader on a sweeping adventure. Highly recommend.

Love’s Mystery: A Mystical Theology of the Body According to St. John Paul II and St. John of the Cross

Second Edition Coming Soon from FQP!

Synopsis: It is well-known that St. John Paul II was a student of St. John of the Cross. The Pope, as a young man, decided to learn Spanish to study the writings of St. John of the Cross in the original language. As a young priest of only twenty-eight years of age, this future Pope wrote his dissertation on St. John’s philosophy of faith in the mystical contexts, Faith According to St. John of The Cross. The writings and spirituality of St. John influenced the Pope’s entire way of looking at spirituality and philosophy. St. John, as many other mystics and saints, looked at the Song of Songs as an example of God’s love for us, the souls He created. A very deep, passionate love for the soul is called agape, portrayed in eros, which is the love between man and woman. This love is mentioned by John Paul in his works The Theology of The Body as well as Love and Responsibility. The love that God has between Himself and the human soul is also the same kind of love that man and woman should exchange between themselves.

David P. Hahn explores the connections between St. John Paul II and St. John of the Cross, and their associated theologies, in Love’s Mystery. Follow along in the exploration of the concepts that both Saints use in guiding humanity into the love, union, and happiness that was meant for man and woman since the beginning.

My review: While we usually don’t publish non-fiction, we jumped at the chance to publish the second edition of this book (one that I edited many years ago). Highly recommend.

Collared by Juliana Weber

Synopsis: Father Paul is assigned to heal a parish scandalized by the former pastor’s involvement in underage sex trafficking. A gifted yet new priest, Father Paul gains the survivors’ trust and hears their stories, bringing healing and fatherly love. As he listens, he inadvertently puts together the clues to bring down the trafficking ring, one so lucrative that even the police are afraid to touch it. Or are some of the police in on the take?

Like every church, this one is full of suspicious characters, and someone nearby is clearly trying to harm Father Paul. The pastor endures all the usual church politics and ministry mayhem, while he races to bring down the crime ring. Can he stop the traffickers before they collar their next round of victims? Or will the traffickers be the ones to stop him?

Review: I enjoyed this thriller and read it in one sitting. Recommend. 4/5.

Transfigured: Patricia Sandoval’s Escape from Drugs, Homelessness, and the Back Doors of Planned Parenthood by Christine Watkins and Patricia Sandoval

Synopsis: Patricia Sandoval’s life story is an unusually gripping, hard-to-put-down ride along a journey that leads to an extraordinary triumph of God’s mercy—the mercy that waits patiently for all of us. Patricia came from a broken home, good and bad boyfriends, three abortions, a job at Planned Parenthood (where she was told never to reveal what she saw), followed by methamphetamine addiction and homelessness. The way that Jesus came to her in the streets will leave you breathless, as will the heights to which God has since carried her.

If you know of someone who believes they cannot be forgiven or return to Church, this is the book to give them. (Watch the video of reader comments below.) Read Transfigured. Be Transfigured.

Patricia now travels the world as a pro-life speaker, sharing her story with millions in packed stadiums and on radio and television shows, such as EWTN’s Bookmark, Life on the Rock, Women of Grace, At Home with Jim and Joy; and in Spanish, on EWTN’s Cara a Cara, Nuestro Fe en Vivo, Ellas lo Dicen, De Dos en Dos—and now on her own show with Astrid Bennett Gutiérrez: Informe Provida.

My review: This is a powerful story, although a bit choppy with regard to the storytelling. However, Patricia’s story remains as powerful as her in-person testimony. Recommend.

Rosary Reflections for Pregnant Mothers

I recently contributed to Rosary Reflections for Pregnant Mothers for Catholic Mom. It’s now available free via ebook at this link.

My reflection was for the First Glorious Mystery, the Resurrection.

The Resurrection of Jesus is the necessary truth and foundation of our Catholic faith. Jesus has died but has risen from the dead. Jesus comes out of the darkness and into the light of life. The Cross comes before the Resurrection. Without the Cross, there would be no Resurrection. 

Your unborn child is the living reflection of spousal love. For nine months, your precious baby has been developing and growing as you nurture him/her. At birth, this tiny human will emerge from the darkness of the womb and into the light of life outside the womb. 

For women, carrying a baby for nine months is a sacrifice: morning sickness, fatigue, headaches, sleepless nights, and labor itself can weigh you down physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. If you have other children, this sacrifice can be more overwhelming. Nine months can seem like a lifetime.  It can feel like you’ll be pregnant forever. Pregnancy helps us to grow in patience. The sacrifices you endure for this beautiful child are necessary and must come before the birth of your child. 

In his book Life of Christ, Archbishop Sheen writes, “Deferred joys purchased by sacrifices are always the sweetest and most enduring.” 

When you finally gaze into the face of your newborn baby, it’s easy to forget the pain and embrace the sweet joy. Your child, the living reflection of your and your husband’s spousal love, is an eternal, unrepeatable, and irreplaceable gift from God. 

As you look forward to the birth of your unborn baby, remember that the sacrifices of this life will someday lead to the immeasurable joy of eternal life and the Resurrection. 

Let us pray for patience and grace to endure the sacrifices of pregnancy so we can embrace the sweet joy of our baby’s birth. 

An Open Book – May #openbook

Today I’m joining Carolyn Astfalk and Catholic Mom for An Open Book. Here’s what I’ve been reading for the past month!

St John Paul the Great, His Five Loves by Jason Evert

Synopsis:

A French novelist once wrote, “Tell me what you love, and I will tell you who you are.” Although there are countless ways to study Saint John Paul the Great, the most direct route is by entering the man’s heart.

Discover the five greatest loves of Saint John Paul II, through remarkable unpublished stories about him from bishops, priests who organized his papal pilgrimages, his students in Poland, Swiss Guards, and others. Mining through a mountain of papal resources, Jason Evert has uncovered the gems and now presents the Church a treasure chest brimming with the jewels of the saint’s life.

Rekindle your own faith by learning what (and who) captivated the heart of this great saint.

My review: I’m in the middle of reading this wonderful book that showcased JP II’s “Five Loves.” So far, I’m thoroughly enjoying it!

Code Name Edelweiss by Stephanie Landsem

Synopsis:

“What I am looking for―what I desperately need, Mrs. Weiss―is a spy.”

Adolf Hitler is still a distant rumble on the horizon, but a Jewish spymaster and his courageous spies uncover a storm of Nazi terror in their own backyard.

In the summer of 1933, a man named Adolf Hitler is the new and powerful anti-Semitic chancellor of Germany. But in Los Angeles, no-nonsense secretary Liesl Weiss has concerns much closer to home. The Great Depression is tightening its grip and Liesl is the sole supporter of two children, an opinionated mother and a troubled brother.

Leon Lewis is a Jewish lawyer who has watched Adolf Hitler’s rise to power―and the increase in anti-Semitism in America―with growing alarm. He believes Nazi agents are working to seize control of Hollywood, the greatest propaganda machine the world has ever known. The trouble is, authorities scoff at his dire warnings.

When Liesl loses her job at MGM, her only choice is to work with Leon Lewis and the mysterious Agent Thirteen to spy on her friends and neighbors in her German American community. What Leon Lewis and his spies find is more chilling―and more dangerous―than any of them suspected.

Code Name Edelweiss is based on a true story, unknown until recent years: How a lone Jewish lawyer and a handful of amateur spies discovered and foiled Adolf Hitler’s plan to take over Hollywood.

My review: This was an absolutely riveting novel, and I enjoyed it immensely. If you like Film Noir, you’ll love this book. I laughed out loud at the line, “The speakeasy was dark and smelled of late nights and bad decisions. Cigarette smoke hung in a thick fog along the low ceiling, and a sorry-looking three-piece band plucked out an off-key rendition of “Rhapsody in Blue.” I could almost hear Edward G. Robinson in the background. Highly recommend.

Dial M: The Murder of Carol Thompson

Synopsis:

At 9:00 on the morning of March 6, 1963, in the quiet St. Paul neighborhood of Highland Park, Mrs. Fritz Pearson glanced out her window and saw something almost unimaginable: slumped on the front steps of the home across the street was a woman, partially clothed in a blue bathrobe and bloodied beyond recognition. The woman, Mrs. Pearson would come to learn, was her beloved neighbor Carol Thompson, wife and mother of four.

Earlier that morning, T. Eugene Thompson, known to friends as “Cotton,” dropped his son off at school and headed to the office, where he worked as a criminal attorney. At 8:25 am, he phoned home, later telling police that he did so to confirm evening plans with Carol. Mr. Thompson lied.

Through police records, court transcripts, family papers, and extensive interviews, William Swanson has re-created Middle America’s “crime of the century,” the deadly plot by a husband that made headlines around the world. But Dial M: The Murder of Carol Thompson also tracks the lives of the Thompsons’ children. Their journey from disbelief to acceptance culminates in a private family trial where they decide whether their father truly was responsible for the violent act that crushed their childhood and forever altered their views of the world.

My review: This was a riveting true-crime thriller that I would highly recommend. Four children lost their mother on the day of the murder in 1963, and not long after, their father was arrested for the crime. He served nearly 20 years and then was released on parole. What makes this book so unique is that the author shares what it was like for the children as they grew up without their mother and coming to grips with the fact that their father killed their mother. This is one I’ll likely read again.

Hidden Book 2: Secrets: The Truth Will Out by Verity Lucia

Synopsis:

Perfect looks. Perfect boyfriend. Perfect image. High schooler, Elise Thames, has it all under control until one late night and two little pink lines change everything.

After fleeing to Chicago to erase the life growing inside her, Elise begins hearing voices and seeing visions that thrust her into the minds of others. Her newfound telepathy draws out grim insecurities buried within, and Elise’s identity as one of the most popular girls at Jefferson High shatters. When news of her pregnancy spreads, Elise must face the truth about who she is—and make a choice.

SECRETS: The Truth Will Out

• A desperate girl.
• A supernatural bracelet.
• And a choice that will change everything

My review: Although this book is geared to teens, I found it a compelling read. It’s unapologetically pro-life, but it also illustrates well the rationalization from the pro-abortion camp as the pregnant girl in question keeps hearing she should just have an abortion and “things will be back to the way they were.” Highly recommend for teens and adults.

Saint Jerk by D.J. Dixon

Synopsis: Holy Smokes – Saint Jerk is Amazing!
Funny. Edgy. Uplifting. Catholic.

Jack knew what was coming, but that didn’t make it any easier to face. As the new school year started at St. Mary’s, his eighth-grade class was assigned to complete twenty hours of community service by the end of the semester. Bungling his way from one adventure to the next, Jack hilariously tells the tales of his deeds gone heroically right and horrifically wrong. Along the way, he learns unexpected lessons about his faith and its meaning in his life. Most importantly, he’ll realize that the person he becomes is determined by the choices he makes. And boy, does he make some bad ones…

As provocative as it is hysterical, Saint Jerk is a powerful response to a broken culture, a story that both entertains and arms young Christians with confidence in the truth of their faith in the face of a secular society. It’s an invitation to readers of all ages to consider the most important questions that have ever been posed by mankind, to recognize that the answers have already been provided, and to reflect on the consequences of that truth in their lives.

My review: I really enjoyed this teen book and would recommend it to any teen or adult. I’m not sure I’d call it provocative or hysterical, but it was a great story with some humor, and I felt I knew the main character. He’s not unlike many teen boys facing temptations, peer pressure, and trying to fit in. Recommend.

Forever Thirteen: A Family Tragedy and a Young Man’s Struggle to Recover by Doug Shumard

Synopsis:

Have you ever wondered who you are? Or how you became who you are? Or what is it that defines you as a person and, more specifically, what were some of those defining moments in your life?

Forever Thirteen documents a Sunday morning newspaper headline that read, “Boy Scout Camper, 13, Drowns as Raft Sinks.” This is the true story of a family tragedy as recounted by the nearly twelve-year-old brother who writes this story some years later. It is a story of a mother’s nervous breakdown and a father’s inability to provide comfort to his children at this critical period. It is a firsthand account of unintentional abandonment, suffering, sadness, detachment, guilt, and recovery.

As a youth, the author struggled through this experience, maintaining his faith in God and continuing to hope and pray for the rebuilding of his family, while maintaining love for those who were letting him down.

This is a story that can help others in their personal journeys through those tragedies that we all eventually face.

My review: This is a tragic story of a boy who loses his older brother in a drowning accident and his struggle to recover. It’s a compelling tale that I’d highly recommend. It’s written by Douglas Shumard (we helped him publish this book). He recently passed away and has been reunited with his beloved brother.

Pete the Cat Big Easter Adventure by Kimberly and James Dean

Synopsis:

Author and artist James Dean brings us along for a hippity-hoppity Easter adventure with the coolest cat around: Pete!

When Pete wakes up Easter morning, ready to check out his basket of goodies, he discovers the Easter Bunny needs a little extra help. Our favorite groovy blue cat puts on his bunny ears and finds a way to collect, paint, and hide the eggs all in time for Easter.

Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure will be a welcome gift in an Easter basket or anytime!

My review: We bought this book for our grandson for Easter. Pete the Cat has a very wry sense of humor, and I can understand why my grandson enjoys his books. Even the adults will chuckle. Recommend.

An Open Book – April #openbook

I’m joining Carolyn Astfalk and Catholic Mom for An Open Book. Here’s what I’ve been reading or working on this past month.

Season Of Mercy: Lent and Easter by Catherine Doherty

Synopsis: A guide to entering into the mystery and celebration of Lent and Easter. Catherine Doherty leads us into the riches of God s boundless mercy as she teaches us the spirit, the liturgy, and the customs of the Lent and Easter season, including: Practical guidance on preparing for the internal spiritual pilgrimage that is Lent. Meditations on the meanings of the many holy days preceding and following Easter. Traditions and customs will help your family live the holiness of the Easter season. After-dinner talks by Catherine Doherty, spiritual readings around the dining room table on the spirit, liturgy and customs of Lent, Holy Week, the Easter Triduum and Paschaltide. Catherine speaks on such topics as how to Prepare for Lent; Why Fasting; The Motive is Love; Sin, Repentance, Conversion. Also on Palm (Passion) Sunday; Holy Week; Holy Thursday: Priesthood and Eucharist; Good Friday; Holy Saturday: Christ s Descent into Hades; and Christ is Risen! Then Paschaltime and Christ’s Ascension, Pentecost. A rich tapestry of scriptural reflections and Customs and Traditions to bring it all to life! Excellent for personal and group study. A wonderful resource for preachers and teachers! Volume one of this series is Donkey Bells: Advent and Christmas Meditations and Traditions by Catherine Doherty also available.

My review: This is another favorite of mine that’s perfect for Lent and Easter. Highly recommend. 5/5.

33 Days to Morning Glory, A Do-it-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Marian Consecration by Fr. Michael Gaitley

Synopsis: From Fr. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC, author of the bestselling book Consoling the Heart of Jesus, comes an extraordinary 33-day journey to Marian consecration with four giants of Marian spirituality:

St. Louis de Montfort, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and Blessed John Paul II. Fr. Michael masterfully summarizes their teaching, making it easy to grasp and simple enough to put into practice. More specifically, he weaves their thought into a user-friendly, do-it-yourself retreat that will bless even the busiest of people. So, if you’ve been thinking about entrusting yourself to Mary for the first time or if you’re simply looking to deepen and renew your devotion to her, 33 Days to Morning Glory is the right book to read and the perfect retreat to make.

My review: Last month, I re-consecrated myself to Our Lady on the Feast of the Annunciation and used this book for preparation. It’s easy to read and follow, and Fr. Mike gives excellent quotes and information from St. Louis de Montfort, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Mother Teresa, and St. John Paul II. Highly recommend. 5/5.

The Demon of Brownsville Road by Bob Cranmer and Erica Manfred

Synopsis: October 1988: Bob Cranmer buys a house in the Pittsburgh suburb he grew up in. He has no idea that his dream home is about to become his worst nightmare…

The Cranmers seemed fated to own the house at 3406 Brownsville Road. As a young boy, Bob had been drawn to the property, and, just when the family decided to move back to Brentwood, it went up for sale. Without a second thought, they purchased the house that Bob had always dreamed of owning.

But soon, the family began experiencing strange phenomena—objects moving on their own, ghostly footsteps, unsettling moaning sounds—that gradually increased in violence, escalating to physical assaults and, most disturbingly, bleeding walls. Bob, Lesa, and their four children were under attack from a malicious demon that was conjuring up terrifying manifestations to destroy their tight-knit household. They had two choices: leave or draw on their unwavering faith to exorcise the malicious fiend who haunted their home.

Now, Bob Cranmer recounts the harrowing true story of the evil presence that tormented his family and the epic spiritual war he fought to save everything he held dear…

My review: I heard of this book while watching a documentary on a Catholic website. It’s a chilling and horrifying account of a demon who inhabited the house that, among other things, was used for illegal abortions in the 1920s. It’s not a book you want to read right before bed, but it is an excellent illustration that demons do, in fact, exist, and they thrive on man’s choice to sin. Recommend. 4/5.

The Cases that Haunt Us by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker

Synopsis: America’s foremost expert on criminal profiling provides his uniquely gripping analysis of seven of the most notorious murder cases in the history of crime — from the Whitechapel murders to JonBenet Ramsey — often contradicting conventional wisdom and legal decisions.
Jack the Ripper. Lizzie Borden. The Zodiac Killer. Certain homicide cases maintain an undeniable, almost mystical hold on the public imagination. They touch a nerve deep within us because of the personalities involved, their senseless depravity, the nagging doubts about whether justice was done, or because, in some instances, no suspect has ever been identified or caught.
In The Cases That Haunt Us, twenty-five-year-FBI-veteran John Douglas, profiling pioneer and master of modern criminal investigative analysis, and author and filmmaker Mark Olshaker, the team behind the bestselling Mindhunter series, explore the tantalizing mysteries that both their legions of fans and law enforcement professionals ask about most. Among the questions they tackle:
Was Jack the Ripper actually the Duke of Clarence, eldest grandson of Queen Victoria, or perhaps a practicing medical doctor? And did highly placed individuals within Scotland Yard have a good idea of the Ripper’s identity, which they never revealed? Douglas and Olshaker create a detailed profile of the killer, and reveal their chief suspect.
Was Lizzie Borden truly innocent of the murder of her father and stepmother as the Fall River, Massachusetts, jury decided, or was she the one who took the ax and delivered those infamous “whacks”? Through a minute-by-minute behavioral analysis of the crime, the authors come to a convincing conclusion.
Did Bruno Richard Hauptmann single-handedly kidnap the baby son of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, the most famous couple in the world, or was he an innocent man caught up and ultimately executed in a relentless rush to judgment in the “crime of the century”?
What kind of person could kill six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey on Christmas night in her own home? Douglas was called in on the case shortly after the horrifying murder, and his conclusions are hard-hitting and controversial. Why, in the face of the majority of public, media, and law enforcement opinion, including former FBI colleagues, does Douglas believe that John and Patricia Ramsey did not murder their daughter? And what is the forensic and behavioral evidence he brings to bear to make his claim?
Taking a fresh and penetrating look at each case, the authors reexamine and reinterpret accepted facts and victimology using modern profiling and the techniques of criminal analysis developed by Douglas within the FBI. This book deconstructs the evidence and widely held beliefs surrounding each case and rebuilds them — with fascinating and haunting results.

My review: Because reading is part of my job, when I read for pleasure, it’s usually one of my guilty pleasures: true crime. This is one of the best books I’ve read on these unsolved cases (perhaps the best), especially regarding the Lizzie Borden case. The author, whose expertise in criminal profiling led to the Behavioral Analysis Unit at the FBI (on which the show Criminal Minds is based), analyzes all the evidence and gives us a profile of the killer. Fascinating step-by-step of how a profiler would take the evidence in each case and offer an accurate description of the Unknown Subject (UNSUB). Highly recommend. 5/5.

And Round Me Slays the Dark (Shadows of the Sun #6) by Mina Ambrose

Synopsis: New from Full Quiver Publishing! The sixth and final book of the Shadows of the Sun series. Jude is on the run again, this time not only from the mad doctor and his henchmen; there is also an over-zealous and determined police officer on his track.

Robert Anderson, Oregon State Trooper of heretofore exemplary reputation, is out to defend his honor and that of his squad from those who would doubt their sanity and would relegate him, as the officer in charge, to the bottom rung of the career ladder—or evict him from the force.

All because of an apparently unassuming young vagrant, who, he is convinced, somehow erased crucial minutes from their memories. True to his local fame as Master of Puzzles, Anderson puts his logical mind and his detective skills to work to track down this enigma and call him to account.

Jude manages to keep one jump ahead of his enemies’ mad pursuit, leading them in a wild chase across the country and back again, until they all converge on Mara’s hometown, and the Group is called into play.

He finds himself, against all odds, facing the mad doctor once more, to save Phaedra—and himself.

You Don’t Own Me by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke

Amazon Synopsis: Television producer Laurie Moran recently became engaged to her investigative television show’s former host, Alex Buckley, and since then, the two have been happily planning a summer wedding, preparing for Alex’s confirmation to a federal judicial appointment, and searching for the perfect New York City home for their new life together.

But then Laurie is approached by Robert and Cynthia Bell, parents of Dr. Martin Bell, a physician who was shot dead as he pulled into the driveway of his Greenwich Village carriage house five years ago. The Bells are sure that Martin’s disgraced and erratic wife, Kendra, carried out the murder. Determined to prove Kendra’s guilt and win custody over their grandchildren, they plead with Laurie to feature their son’s case on Under Suspicion, ensuring her that Kendra is willing to cooperate.

As Laurie dives into the case, she learns that Martin wasn’t the picture-perfect husband, father, and doctor he appeared to be and was carrying secrets of his own. And what does the web of lies ensnaring the Bell family have to do with a dangerous stranger, who gazes at Laurie from afar and thinks, She is actually quite a lovely girl, I’m sure she’s going to be missed…?

My review: I’m a long-time fan of the late Mary Higgins Clark (God, rest her soul), and in the past ten years or so, I haven’t found her books to be as good as her earlier works of the 80s and 90s. However, she began working with another author a few years back. This one is supposed to be Book 4 in a series, but I picked this up at a local bookshop because I had a gift card. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the characters were well-developed, and the plot kept me guessing until the end. 4/5. Recommend.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara

Synopsis: For more than ten years, a mysterious and violent predator committed fifty sexual assaults in Northern California before moving south, where he perpetrated ten sadistic murders. Then he disappeared, eluding capture by multiple police forces and some of the best detectives in the area.

Three decades later, Michelle McNamara, a true crime journalist who created the popular website TrueCrimeDiary.com, was determined to find the violent psychopath she called “the Golden State Killer.” Michelle pored over police reports, interviewed victims, and embedded herself in the online communities that were as obsessed with the case as she was.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark—the masterpiece McNamara was writing at the time of her sudden death—offers an atmospheric snapshot of a moment in American history and a chilling account of a criminal mastermind and the wreckage he left behind. It is also a portrait of a woman’s obsession and her unflagging pursuit of the truth. Utterly original and compelling, it has been hailed as a modern true crime classic—one which fulfilled Michelle’s dream: helping unmask the Golden State Killer.

My review: This is another excellent true crime book, but it’s written with richer language than the usual non-fiction book. I would call this more of a true crime memoir. The author didn’t live to see the Golden State Killer’s eventual capture by genealogical DNA, but her book is a comprehensive retelling of the history of the crimes and her own search and obsession to bring him to justice. Recommend. 4/5.

An Open Book – March 2023 #openbook

I’m joining Carolyn Astfalk and Catholic Mom for An Open Book. Here’s what I’ve been reading and/or working on this past month.

Shooting at Heaven’s Gate by Kaye Park Hinckley

Amazon Synopsis: When Malcolm J. Hawkins, the Head of Psychology at Bethel University in Alabama, feels his position and his credibility threatened by up-and-coming English professor Ginnie Gillan, he decides to use her husband Edmund’s gullibility against her. Feeding Edmund a steady diet of drugs and manipulation, Mal lights the fuse of the greatest tragedy Bethel has ever known.

Eighteen-year-old Alma Broussard, her quirky mother Moline, and her feisty Aunt Pauline run a chicken farm in Bethel. Their lives seem wholly separate from the feuds of academia—but dark secrets lurk in Moline’s past that will bring the people she loves straight into the path of a murderous madman.

In the wake of death and destruction, the town that used to be called Heaven’s Gate will find no easy answers, but there may still be hope for redemption. Shooting at Heaven’s Gate is a Theology of the Cross novel in which genuine goodness, bona fide evil, and suffering truly live side by side.

My review: This is one of the best books I’ve read in the past few years. Well-drawn characters, a compelling story, and rich, beautiful writing make this an outstanding book. Highly recommend!

Pope Benedict XVI Servant of Love,

published by Ignatius Press

Amazon Synopsis: Through stunning photographs, glorious art, insightful commentary, and his own inspiring words, this beautiful deluxe commemorative book celebrates the extraordinary life and legacy of Pope Benedict XVI. Lavishly illustrated. Special Commemorative Edition.

Part 1: Benedict XVI, the Man
An intimate portrait of Joseph Ratzinger in word and image from his youth through his reign as Pope Benedict XVI

Part 2: Benedict XVI’s Thought
His writings on Divine Revelation, Christ, the Church, Mary, the Eucharist, Charity, Faith and Reason, and more

Part 3: Praying with Benedict XVI
The Pope’s most inspiring spiritual meditations and prayers

My review: I was fortunate enough to get an advanced review copy. Pope Benedict XVI’s contribution to the Catholic faith and his service to the Church is joyfully celebrated in this book. Stunning photographs, beautiful artwork, and interesting commentary make this an extraordinary book. I learned so much about Pope Benedict XVI. Now that he has gone to his reward, this is an ideal keepsake for this extraordinary pope. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about and celebrate his life of service. See my full review here.

Pope Benedict XVI, servant of love, pray for us.

Self-Portrait (Fr. Tom #4) by Jim Sano

Synopsis: New from FQP! Thieves have struck again at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the site of the largest unsolved and infamous art heist in history. This time the priceless self-portrait of Rembrandt is stolen. Detective Brooks isn’t too happy to have Father Tom back poking his nose into another police case, but the surprising twist and turns and complex lives of the players involved make for an intriguing and emotional climax. Themes: self-awareness, forgiveness, marital love, personal growth.

Advanced review: Self Portrait is a story of self-forgiveness, self-discovery, self-reflection, and self-acceptance. This story leaves readers contemplating their own humanity and humility as we watch Sano’s characters reveal their deepest fears and their greatest loves in personal quests for goodness and truth. Self Portrait delivers in every respect. Mary Jo Thayer, award-winning author of Close to the Soul

The Way of Mercy, Pilgrimage in Catholic Poland by Stephen Binz

Synopsis: Deep suffering, when united with the merciful Jesus, produces great sanctity. This is the story of Catholic Poland over the centuries and the reason for its legacy of saints and churches. This pilgrimage guide is meant for those who wish to travel to Poland, those who want to remember their experiences there, and especially for those who want to imagine the beautiful, tragic, spiritual, and inspiring places of this land. Paging through this colorful and well-written book, designed to spotlight the holy people and sacred sites of Poland over the centuries, provides a transformative journey in the best tradition of religious pilgrimage. Read, gaze, reflect, pray, and contemplate the richness of Catholic Poland.

My review: This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to travel to Poland to experience “The Way of Mercy.” Highlight recommend!