Tuesday, 30 June 2026

Top Ten Fiction and Non-Fiction Books Second Quarter 2026

 Top Ten Fiction and Non-Fiction Books Second Quarter 2026


It has been an excellent year for reading so far, not my best to date, but my second best. I averaged under a book and a half a day. Faster than the last few years, and so many books and series I am working through. 

In April of 2023 I wrote a piece called How I Read So Much? Because I get asked the question so often, read the piece linked above if you are looking for some ideas on ways to read more. 

This quarter I read 110 books and I did not any to the ‘did not finish’ list, one of my highest second quarters since I started keeping track, below is the comparison with the last 10 years:

     2026 - 110
     2025 - 118
     2024 - 78
     2023 – 109
     2022 – 110
     2021 – 104
     2020 – 85
     2019 – 102
     2018 – 102
     2017 – 112
     2016 – 36

Year to date by the numbers:

Books Read: 110
First Time Reads: 86
Fiction: 49
Non-Fiction: 61
5/5 Stars: 79
5 Stars Fiction: 44
5 Stars Non-Fiction: 35

The second quarter of this year was great. I can state again that looking back 2016 is a bit of an outlier as late that year I switched jobs and have since had much better work – life balance. In the spring of 2016, I worked through Brandon Vogt’s course Read More Books Now (now available on ClaitasU). The year before that I removed all games from my phone and tablet and my reading had doubled. This year I received a physical Kindle for Christmas; instead of reading on my phone; and my reading has gone up again.

Here is my top ten fiction and non-fiction books of the second quarter of 2026.

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books:

2. Holy Nurses - Dr. Gosia Brykczynska - CTS Books 
3. Holy Scientists - Fr Douglas McGonagle - CTS Books
4. Rescued II: True Stories for Catholic Kids - Kathryn Griffin Swegart 
5. St John Henry Newman: A New Doctor of the Church - Fr Hermann Geissler, FSO - CTS Books 
6. The People of the Way of the Cross: Walking with Jesus through the Eyes of 14 Witnesses - Marci Alborghetti
7. Great Spiritual Teachers Series - Ave Maria Press
Grace Through Simplicity The Practical Spirituality of Evelyn Underhill - John J. Kirva
8. Letter to a Friend on the Prayer of the Heart - Dom André Poisson and Erik Varden - CTS Books 
10. Stories of Saints and the Beatitudes - Sr Marie Paul Curley FSP 
11. The Practice of the Presence of God - Brother Lawrence  with Dr. Matthew K. Minerd, Fr. Gregory Pine, Rebecca Dougherty - Ascension Catholic Classics

Bonus Books:
15 Days of Prayer With Series 
15 Days of Prayer With Saint Louis De Montfort - Veronique Pinardon
15 Days of Prayer with Saint Philip Neri - Jean-François Audrain 

Just A Minute Meditations - Pauline Books and Media
Trusting in God’s Love - Kathryn J. Hermes FSP
Growing in Self Esteem - Marie Paul Curley, FSP

Mini Saints & Missionaries Library - Pettyfeather Publishing
Seven Saints for Boys: A First Communion Collection of Courage and Faith

Top Ten Fiction Books:

1. Far Distant Shores and Other Stores - Fiorella de Maria 
2. Closing Accounts - E. P. Cowley 
3. Lioness Lost - Susan Brinkmann - Chronicles of Ariella Book 1 
4. Witchward Series - Cedar Sanderson
Child of Crows Wings of Broken Magic
5. The Fighter - Jim Sano - Father Tom Book  7
6. Running Out of Sand - MaryJo Thayer - Sand and Soul Book 2 
7. The Timeless Series  - Richard Paolinelli and Gibson Buffa
The Timeless - Dreams Of The Storyteller 17
Secret Of The Sphinx - Dreams of the Storyteller 18
8. Dragon Noir - Cedar Sanderson - Pixie for Hire Book 3   
9. Books by Rodman Philbrick
10. Amelia Counterrevolution - edited by Clayton Barnett - Tales from the Lemurverse Anthology Two

Bonus Books Shakespearean Themed Fiction:
Shakespearen Shorts
ERROR 404: LOVE NOT FOUND: A Romeo and Juliet Reboot - Ty Balt
Hostile Takeover: A Macbeth Remix - Rex MacDuff

Shakespeare Murder Series - Guy Hale
The Croaking Raven 

Post Apocalyptic Space Shakespeare - William Shakespeare and Ted Neill

Bonus Books by A.K. Frailey
Wise Home - Wise Home Book 1

I have averaged just over a book a day over the last decade; and closer to a book and a quarter over the last few years. In April of 2023 I wrote a piece called How I Read So Much? Because I get asked the question so often, read the piece linked above if you are looking for some ideas on ways to read more. 

Note: I do not include books that have been read in previous years and were reread this year in my top ten lists, they are sometimes in the bonus section.
 
But if you want more options check out my favourite books year by year list. 


Relates Posts: 
Top 10 Fiction Books 1st Quarter 2010
Top 10 Fiction Books 2nd Quarter 2010
Top 10 Reading Goals for 2010
Top 10 Fiction Books 3rd Quarter 2010
Top 10 Fiction Books 4th Quarter 2010
Top Ten Reading Goals For 2010 - Recap
Top 10 Fiction Books 2010
Top 10 Picture Books of 2010
Top 10 Non-Fiction Books of 2010
Top 10 Graphic Novels for 2010
Top Ten Reading Goals For 2011 
Top Ten Fiction Books 1st Quarter 2011
Top Ten Fiction Books 2nd Quarter 2011
Top Ten Reading Goals for 2011 Update 
Top Ten Fiction Books 3rd Quarter 2011 
Top Ten Fictions Books 4th Quarter 2011
Top Ten Fiction Books 2011
Top Ten Reading Goals 2011 - Recap
Top Ten Reading Goals 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books 1st Quarter 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books 2nd Quarter 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books 3rd Quarter 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books  4th Quarter 2012
Top Ten Fiction Books 2012
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2012
Top Ten Reading Goals 2012 - Recap
Top Ten Reading Goals 2013
Top 10 Fiction Books 1st Quarter 2013
Top 10 Fiction Books 2nd Quarter 2013
Top 10 Books Second Half 2013
Top Ten Fiction Books 2013
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2013 
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2014
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2014
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2014
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2014
Top Ten Fiction Books 2014
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2014
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2015
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2015
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2015
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2015
Top Ten Fiction Books 2015
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2015
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2016
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2016
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2016
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2016
Top Ten Non- Fiction Books 2016
Top Ten Fiction Books 2016
Top Ten Catholic Books
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2017
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2017
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2017
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2017
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2017
Top Ten Fiction Books 2017
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2018
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2018
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2018
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2018
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2018
Top Ten Fiction Books 2018
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2019
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2019
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2019
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2019
Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2019
Top Ten Fiction Books 2019
Top Ten Books First Quarter 2020
Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2020
Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2020
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2020 
All Top Ten Lists on Book Reviews and More

Statistics Books Read By Year:
261 - 2026 January-June
424 - 2025 
363 - 2024  
455 - 2023 
438 - 2022
365 - 2021
317 - 2020 
392 - 2019
359 - 2018
380 - 2017 
272 - 2016 
177 - 2015 
130 - 2014 
 88 -  2013
176 - 2012 
163 - 2011
302 - 2010
142 - 2009
 98 - 2008
 83 - 2007
191 - 2006
151 - 2005
 60 - 2004
 52 - 2003
 97 - 2002
 50 - 2001
 41 - 2000
 71 - 1999
 73 - 1998
131 - 1997
101 - 1996



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Monday, 29 June 2026

Possum Creek Massacre - Cedar Sanderson - Witchward Book 2

Possum Creek Massacre 
Witchward Book 2
Sanderley Studios 
ISBN 9781072915331
ASIN B07SQNLMPP

Possum Creek Massacre - Cedar Sanderson - Witchward Book 2

This is the thirtieth volume by Sanderson that I have read. I first encountered the works of Cedar several years back in Cracked: An Anthology of Eggsellent Chicken Stories, and after reading her piece there knew I had to track down and read more from her pen. And to date everything I have read has been entertaining and some have just been amazing stories. The description of this volume states:

“Renowned for her witch hunting skills, Detective Amaya Lombard knew that being summoned from the coastal rainforest of Oregon to the backwoods hollers of Kentucky meant the case was something special. From the moment she arrived at the magic-drenched scene in an abandoned farmhouse she knew how bad it was going to be.

She had no idea just how complicated it was going to get, professionally and personally. Now she must catch a killer before they catch her. The roots of evil plunge deeply into the past, and the blood soaked history of Kentucky’s witch warded houses and barns may hold the key to keeping her alive in the present.”

This jumped to the top of my ‘to be read’ pile when Sanderson announced the next volume in the series was coming out soon. This was another excellent read from Sanderson’s masterful pen. This book and series is a little different than a lot of her other works I have read. Amaya really reminds me of Annie O'Malley by K.T. Galloway, except Annie uses perception and feelings to help the team and Amaya can sense magic and even track or trace it at times. I read a lot of British and Scottish crime novels the likes of the DCI Kett novels from Alex Smith and the DCI Will Blake novels from J.E. Mayhew. And the DCI Jack Logan books by J.D. Kirk. I have also read all the Reacher offerings from the Child brothers, and I can state this novel is right up there. It nails the police force and investigative vibe, but with that extra element. 

The characters are incredibly well written. We cannot help but feel for Amaya who appears to be a bridge between 2 worlds or way of seeing the world. Detective Amaya Lombard works well with Deputy Mark White. Special Agent Christopher Woods is a completely different story. And it will be interesting to see how things change with Deputy Director Stalle in the coming stories. This novel moves at a quick pace. It is an intriguing world Sanderson had created, and this novell leads into a much deeper into the lore and history. A third title as released, Child of Crows Wings of Broken Magic, it is another novella like the first and leads to a forthcoming novel. I am always intrigued by chapter titles, and in this volume the chapters are:

Benediction
Cleaving the Sky
Endeavour
Wrestling with the Devil
Through A Glass Darkly
Suffer Not a Witch
Morning Comes but Also Night
Dwell Among Ravenous Beasts
The Sorrows of Hell Compassed Me About
Testify, Sister, to the Glory of the Lord
By the Blood of the Lamb
Vengeance is Mine
Sup With a Long Spoon
Hell’s Foundations Quiver
When the Walls Come Tumblin’ Down
Writing on the Wall
Streams of Mercy
Bind My Wandering Heart
Sin’s Galling Fetters
Though the Night Deepens
The End

This story is part police procedural, part supernatural, and part romance, and it makes for an amazing story! I have been impressed with all of Sanderson’s writing that I have read to date, and have very much enjoyed her recently works published under the name of Lilania Begley. This is a great novel in an excellent series. I can easily recommend this story and series. I look forward to the next story in the series, and hopefully more to come.

Books by Cedar Sanderson:
Warp Resonance
One-Eyed Dragon
Snow Angel
Inktail & Friends: A Coloring Book
Voyageur's Cap
Fairy Little Sister
Milkweed
Mindflow
Crow Moon
Zombie Maggots
Poor Gregory
…

The Groundskeeper Series:

Pixie for Hire Series:
Dragon Noir
…
Pixie for Hire: Omnibus Edition

Children of Myth Series:
Vulcan's Kittens 
The God’s Wolfling
…

The Tanager Series:
Jade Star
Tanager's Fledglings 
…

Witchward Series:
Child of Crows 
… 

Illustrated by Cedar:
Something Wicked #15
Jormungandr's Venom (Fenris Unchained Book 3)
Hunted Behavior
A Time To Die
Legion
…

Contributed to:
The Hearts' Enchantment
Calexit- The Anthology
Supernatural Streets
Something Wicked Anthology, Vol One
Something Wicked #15
Mythic Delirium Magazine Issue 0.4
The Haunted Library Anthology: Volume 1 
But Not Broken - Hope and Healing Book 2
Postcards From Mars - Postcard Stories Book 1
Space Cowboys - Raconteur Press Anthologies Book 4
Space Cowboys 2: Electric Rodeo - Raconteur Press Anthologies Book 5
Twisted Tropes
Steam-Powered Postcards - Postcard Stories Book 2
Space Marines - Raconteur Press Anthologies Book 6
Fanta-Fly Postcards: A Micro-Fiction Collection
Postcards from Foolz: A Micro-Fiction Collection
Falcons of Malta
Space Marines 2 - Raconteur Press Anthologies Book 9
Single Servings of Liberty - Postcard Stories Book 5
Tales From The Occupation: A Fae Wars Book 4
…

Books as Lilania Begley:
Slice of Pie
...

Sumire Series:

Bluehills Series:

Contributed to as Lilania Begley:
He Was Dead When I got There
...


Snow in Her Eyes - Cedar Sanderson - Witchward Book 1

Possum Creek Massacre - Cedar Sanderson - Witchward Book 2

Child of Crows - Cedar Sanderson - Witchward Book 3

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Sunday, 28 June 2026

Othello - William Shakespeare and Ted Neill - Post Apocalyptic Space Shakespeare Book 2

Othello
Post Apocalyptic Space Shakespeare Book 1
William Shakespeare 
ISBN 9798288989223
eISBN 1230009639652
ASIN B0FF853MZH

Othello - William Shakespeare and Ted Neill - Post Apocalyptic Space Shakespeare Book 2

I picked up this volume for a few reasons. First it was a promo email for Kindle deals and looked interesting. Second I have had a love for Shakespeare for many years and my two youngest kids and I love attending plays at Stratford. Third the premise was very intriguing. And because I had picked up three more before finishing the fist, including this one.

“A billion years in the future, humanity is extinct.

But Shakespeare remains.

A machine civilization, so far advanced that it has the power to recreate lost civilizations, stumbles upon the works of the playwright, William Shakespeare.

With only those plays to represent humanity, the machines must decide whether humanity is worth resurrecting or not.

The only way to know the plays is to stage them.

Enter J-9, although she prefers to be called Janine. She is a human-like construct, created by the machines, to enter and experience the plays of Shakespeare, as they run in simulation, indistinguishable from reality.

Based on Janine’s impressions of humanity, drawn from her experiences of living within the unfolding plays, the machines will render their judgment: is humanity worth saving or shall we be consigned to oblivion?

The stakes are higher than the Bard could have ever imagined.”

The description of the series states:

“Created by Ted Neill, the Post Apocalyptic Space Shakespeare remains true to the plots of William Shakespeare’s plays while introducing stage directions that make the text more accessible to modern readers. The addition of Janine as an outsider looking in—and caught up in her own story framing the action of the plays—provides commentary and insight usually buried in academic papers but delivered here with heart and humor. It’s an original take on classic plays that will remind readers why the plays endure five hundred, and maybe five billion, years after they were written.

Traditionally, Shakespeare’s plays, do not need to be read in a particular order. These “simulations,” do have an order, especially as Janine’s story evolves with them.

Simulation Order:
Hamlet
Othello
Twelfth Night
As You Like It
A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream
Much Ado About Nothing
Taming of the Shrew
Romeo & Juliet
Cymbeline
The Tempest
MacBeth
Richard III
Troilus & Cressida
Pericles
King Lear
Julius Cesar
Anthony & Cleopatra”

I will note towards the end of the first volume Janie and Otto are sort of debriefing and we are informed there are 37 plays still left. But the list above has just 17. I am uncertain if Neill has plans to do all the plays or just the 17 listed above. Only time will tell.

The chapters and sections in the work are:

Post-Apocalyptic Space Shakepeare Presents
The Tragedy Of Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark

     Dramatis Personæ

Introduction

     Scene I. The comms room
     Scene II. The gray rooms

ACT I

     Setting: Venice
     SCENE I. A rooftop over Piazza San Marco
     SCENE II. Venice, a street.
     SCENE III. Venice, outside the Sagittary Guest House
     SCENE IV. Venice, the senate chamber.

ACT II

     SCENE I. A seawall along the harbor below Kyrenia Castle
     SCENE II. The city streets
     SCENE III. Kyrenia Castle

ACT III

     SCENE I. The courtyard of Kyrenia Castle.
     SCENE II. The garden of Kyrenia Castle.
     SCENE III. On the shore of the island.

Intermezzo

     SCENE I. The Gallery and the Gray Rooms

ACT IV

     SCENE I. The map room of Kyrenia Castle.
     SCENE II. Kyrenia Castle.
     SCENE III. Othello’s study.
     SCENE IV. The battlements of Kyrenia Castle.

ACT V

     SCENE I. The courtyard of Kyrenia Castle
     SCENE II. Othello and Desdemona’s bedchamber in Kyrenia Castle.
     SCENE II. The hallways and battlements of Kyrenia Castle.
     SCENE IV. Othello and Desdemona’s bedchamber in Kyrenia Castle.

Wow, was my first reaction to book one in this series, and if I had a better word I would use it for this second offering. I worked through this book through a mix of reading and at various points using adaptive technology and listening to this book. It hits on all the right marks. My son and I absolutely loved Goblin MacBeth, but this concept. A billion years in the future, humanity has disappeared, but Shakespeare has survived. A vast intellect has created a construct to work through the plays of Shakespeare to determine if Humans are worth brining back into existence. 

This second volume does an incredible job of presenting the source material, and having it be very well done. Second, the interaction of the construction and her assistant or guide journey through the scenes and acts and interacting with the characters is masterfully written. When we add in Ophelia, as a new companion on this adventure and things take on a new level of intrigue and surprise. This is one of my favourite of the Bards plays, and to be honest this might be my new favourite version of it. Both my son and I would love to see this done as a production on stage or on film.

I believe these books could open up Shakespeare to a whole new audience. And for those who are already fans it is a great addition. This was an amazing first book in a series and I look forward to giving others a read. I am very glad I took a chance on them, it more than paid off. I have greatly enjoyed the first two and have already picked up the next few. An excellent story I can easily recommend! 

Other Posts Related to Shakespeare:

Reviews of Stratford Shakespeare Productions:
The Tempest - Stratford Festival 2019 
Richard III – 2022
Hamlet – 2022
King Lear – 2023
Cymbeline – 2024
Twelfth Night – 2024
The Tempest - 2026  
Something Rotten – 2026 
Othello - 2026 
...

Reviews of Shakespeare Movies:
Cymbeline – 2014

Books by Ted Neill:
Post Apocalyptic Space Shakespeare Series:
Twelfth Night
As You Like It
A Mid Summers’s Night Dream 
Much Ado About Nothing 
…

City on a Hill Series:
The City
Light of the World
Rememberancer
A Dream to Kill
…

Elk Riders Series:
In the Darkness Visible
The Voyage of the Elawn
The Font of Jasmeen
The Journey to Karrith
The Magus
Lost Elawn
…

Mystery Force Series:
Mystery Force Assemble! 
The Case of the Stolen Horn 
Blazing Blizzards  
The Case of the Peryton Thief  
Framed!  
…

Reaper Moon Series:
Scavengers & Remnants
Orchard
Stars & Flame
Blood & Soil
Land Of The Blin
Wolfpack
Reaper Moon
…
 
Snog Team Six Series:
Jamhuri, Njambi & Fighting Zombies 
Zombies, Fratboys, Monster Flash Mobs   
HALO Jumpers, Human Traffickers & Tiger Zombies  
Bounty Hunters, Black Cowboys, Nordic Zombies, Trickster Gods 
Glam Rockers, Glitter Bombs, Murder Birds, & Emo Gods 
…

Other works:
The Selah Branch
Two Years of Wonder 
Finding St. Lo 
Bunny Man's Bridge 
Three Devils & An Artist 
The Daniel & Sidney Stories 
The Sundry Others 
…

Post Apocalyptic Space Shakespeare - William Shakespeare and Ted Neill

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Saturday, 27 June 2026

15 Days of Prayer With Saint Bernard - Pierre-Yves Emery

15 Days of Prayer With Saint Bernard 
Pierre-Yves Emery, Brother of Taize
Victoria Hébert (Translator)
Denis Sabourin (Translator)
ISBN 9780764805745
ISBN 0764805746

15 Days of Prayer With Saint Bernard - Pierre-Yves Emery

Last year I stumbled upon a different volume in this series, 15 Days of Prayer with Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati by Père Charles Desjobert, OP, and really enjoyed it. I did some research on the series and this was the ninth volume I have work and prayer through. In my research to date there have been at least 40 volumes in this series. Many written in French and then translated, including this volume, this book was first published in French in 1995, the English edition appeared 2000. There does not appear to have ever been an eBook edition of this volume. 

I believe as of the writing of this review there have been 40 volumes in the series; the earliest I found was from 1999 through to a volume which was published in 2025. The earlier editions were published by Liguori, but they have moved to New City Press now, part of Focolare Media. Only about a dozen seem to be in print currently and of those only a handful appears to have eBooks. With my dual form of dyslexia this is disappointing. I greatly prefer eBooks so I can change the font, and the colour of font and page to make reading easier. I have added all the eBook editions I could find to my wish list. And have been tracking down older out of print editions like this one and scanning them to read them. About the Series we are informed:

“15 Days of Prayer Series

 On a journey, it’s good to have a guide. Even great saints took spiritual directors or confessors with them on their itineraries toward sanctity. Now you can be guided by the most influential spiritual figures of all time. The 15 Days of Prayer series introduces their deepest and most personal thoughts.

This popular series is perfect if you are looking for a gift, or if you want to be introduced to a particular guide and his or her spirituality. Each volume contains:

• A brief biography of the saint or spiritual leader 
• A guide to creating a format for prayer or retreat
• Fifteen meditation sessions with reflection guides”

The description of this specific volume states:

“Follow in the footsteps of Saint Bernard

Bernard of Clairvaux was a twelfth-century Cistercian monk whose influence extended into many areas of Church life. His monastic reforms emphasized mystical prayer as the foundation of daily observance, bringing the Cistercian order into a position of unprecedented expansion and renown. He fought successfully for acceptance of Innocent II after a disputed papal election, and aggressively countered theological heterodoxy within the Church. Bernard was also a great champion of the Second Crusade and obtained recognition for the Knights Templar as a dedicated order of Christian warriors.

Stand fast in the Gospel

Saint Bernard’s most enduring contribution to the Christian Faith is his body of writings, including his letters, homilies, and a variety of theological studies. Perhaps his best-loved works are his collections of sermons, including Homilies in Praise of the Blessed Virgin and Sermons for the Seasons of the Year, which reveal Bernard as an experienced guide for your spiritual journey and resolve the paradox of his varied life: secluded monk and Church leader, man of peace and man of the sword, humble servant and bold reformer—always a dedicated preacher and champion of the Gospel. Let Saint Bernard accompany you on the path to spiritual renewal in Christ.”

About the author on the back cover we are informed that:

“Brother Pierre-Yves Emery has been part of the Taizé community for over 40 years. A pastor and theologian, his special area of study is Saint Bernard and his disciples.”

The chapters in this volume are:

How to Use This Book 
A Brief Chronology of Saint Bernard 
Introduction 
Day One—Christmas: God’s Humility, a Model for Our Own 
Day Two—Christmas and the Ascension: The Conversion of Understanding and Desire 
Day Three—Assimilate the Word of God 
Day Four—The Qualities of Prayer 
Day Five—The Fulfillment of Prayer
Day Six—Prayer: The Conversion of Desire 
Day Seven—Gratitude: Grace and Thanksgiving 
Day Eight—Seeking God 
Day Nine—Our Holiness Is a Work in Progress 
Day Ten—With God During Suffering 
Day Eleven—Contemplate Christ:
Humbled, Glorified 
Day Twelve—A Dynamic Stability 
Day Thirteen—Fraternal Love 
Day Fourteen—Preparing Oneself for Death 
Day Fifteen—Humility and Greatness in Mary 
Notes
Bibliography

I highlighted a number of passages while reading this volume some of them are:

“During his youth, he was the subject of many temptations, but his virtue triumphed, often heroically; he often thought of retiring from the world to live a life of solitude and prayer.”

“Bernard drafted the outline of the Rule of the Knights Templar at this council.”

“During the last years of his life, Bernard was greatly saddened by the failure of the Crusade he had preached—assuming the entire responsibility for its failure.”

“Saint Bernard exerted a great influence on monasticism: he encouraged monks to devote themselves to mystical prayer in the regular framework of monastic observance; and he modified the concepts of early Citeaux in practice, developing the Cistercian order.”

“To Bernard, faith is something else. But our affectivity is urgently invited to enter into the movement of faith in order to become fervor, a spark and love, so that faith, instead of remaining only cerebral, also seizes our desire and makes it the force of our will.”

“Another theme serves to frame the book, since it characterizes the first and last chapters (days), reappearing again in the eleventh: humility, one of the great focal points of Bernard’s works—humility as a means of gratitude and choice of the true grandeur, first in God, as well as in Mary, and then in ourselves.”

“The spark for our search depends upon our experience with the presence of God. What a requirement...yes, don’t be discouraged, for God does not ask for us to have already arrived, but that we constantly continue the journey; our holiness is a work in progress.”

“Everthing begins with an astonishment. Everything: faith, a Christian life, the action of repentance, spiritual reflection, prayer, and feelings for someone else. 

An astonishment that is constantly renewed. An astonishment to see that God always takes the initiative to come to us, like he did at Christmas.”

“We are only ourselves as a result of what we receive from God and what we offer of ourselves to him in response to the gift that he made to us of himself. God’s law is the law of giving.”

“Faith and understanding are not meant to be separated. In fact, Jesus came to us that we might understand. Yes, we must have faith, since there are mysteries we cannot understand, but it is always faith seeking understanding. In light of the revelation that Jesus has imparted, we must direct our desire toward the singular goal of knowing and understanding everything in the light of Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life.”

“In other respects, what becomes of our sensitivities, our subjective reactions in the spiritual adventure of faith? The problem is actually posed with a certain acuity. Some people, naively and voluntarily intermingle faith with what they feel. In fact, they replace faith with feeling, in this way becoming, themselves, the norm of truth, the thermometer of their fervor, the yardstick of the qualities of their prayer and love, the barometer of their spiritual progress.”

“If the Son of God was united with us at Christmas, and during his entire life on earth, it was (Bernard tells us) in order to allow the apostles—and us through their teachings—to have access to God’s truth, the revelation of his project of alliance.”

“Do I separate faith and understanding in my life? Or do I desire to unite the two? Is my faith seeking understanding? Do I attempt to view the world—to understand the universe around me—in light of the revelation of Jesus Christ? How does the revelation of Jesus Christ affect my relationship with the people I encounter, with the books and articles I read, with the choices I make concerning the environment? How do I unite the decisions I make in my life to my desire to understand Jesus in the light of faith?”

“Bernard noted that between the two comings (advents) of Christ, which are well known to Christians, the first being his birth in Bethlehem, the second when he will establish his Kingdom, there is a third. Yes, a third advent, or rather an intermediate advent where Jesus is now with us “in the Spirit and power,” to be our comfort, which makes us progress from the first to the last advent.”

“If you keep the Word of God in this way, without a doubt, you will be kept by it.”

“We see that, without understanding and memory, the heart will not recognize Christ in his words. But, without the heart, the understanding will limit itself to one understanding: left to itself, it could only peel away biblical passages by cutting them away from the One who is speaking.”

“We must reread the last paragraph of Bernard’s text that is cited above: if we mobilize all our strength to keep the Word of God in this way, we will be kept by it, and all things will be made new in us. This comment is important. To act in the name of faith is to let it happen. To keep is to be kept.”

“The third peril which threatens prayer is that it may be lukewarm instead of bursting forth from a vivid spark of our affective strengths.”

“Take our “delight” in the Lord? Yes, so that our prayer will truly become the agreement of our desire with that of God, we must first have this conviction: God, more lucidly than I, and even better than I, knows and wants my true well-being.”

“Thus, prayer is presented as a privileged moment where the spark of desire—the heart—is called to unite with the judgment of reason, which, as we know, is the instance in us when we receive the light of faith.”

“We say the words “say thank you” to a child so often that it almost seems instinctual for us to take rather than receive and the spontaneous desire to possess without owing anything to anyone. Yes, for many it is difficult to give, and it is even more difficult to receive.”

“To seek because we have found: that is a perfect contradiction, humanly speaking. But it is an incredible truth (however believable), when God is concerned. The Fathers of the Church liked to say it: Saint Augustine, Saint Gregory the Great.... And in the same way, Bernard says it here in a magnificent way.”

“And if my desire now, which is spontaneously all encompassing, and egocentric as well, encounters Christ, and if I allow myself to be regenerated through his Word, in faith and baptism, what will become of this desire that I am? It will become a search for this Lord who sought me, through whom I allowed myself to be found, and in whom I recognize God, the source of this desire, and the only one who can fulfill it one day.”

“There is a significant space that concerns us all: the space between the people we are and the people we are called to be. This space can be quite discouraging. But God’s mercy must always be kept in mind.”

“This is not a statement that is well-received nowadays. We don’t like such ideas, we suspect—not always wrongly so— that they express a morbid taste for suffering, or at least a passive manner of allowing oneself to be beaten down by them and a too easy justification for unhappiness.”

“That is what the Apostle effectively affirmed: what is realized in the initial verses of Romans 5. This future of glory, that is hope, is already found to be present in suffering (just as the fruit is already present in the seed). Suffering itself is an experience of glory. Remember that from the time suffering appears to you, it is a way of choosing the future in God. Make suffering the goal of your life.”

“It is better for me, Lord, to have suffering, as long as you are with me, rather than ruling, feasting, or knowing glory without you. It is better even for me to keep you in my embrace through suffering, and passing through the furnace with you, than to be without you, even in heaven.”

“It is not that suffering, in itself, is useful, necessary, and, in fact, desirable. No, it is because of the promise: the Lord is with us in it. But it is also because we would have “taken care to have always been with him.” In other words, suffering will be our way to choose him, to give ourselves to him, to belong to him and trust him, and, in all of this, to mysteriously enjoy his presence.”

“When I suffer, am I aware of the presence of God in the midst of my trials? Do I feel a sense of peace knowing that suffering has been made holy by Jesus Christ?”

“We thus evade two symmetrical dangers: this form of pride which is intellectualism, by serving as a pretext for faith that brings no fruit of life; and this temptation for religious sentimentalism which takes the place of faith.”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for this volume. Of the volumes in this series that I have read this was the one I have connected with the least. It was more cerebral than I expected, or maybe than I am use to. Do not get me wrong it is a great read. I just found that sometimes I had to go back and reread sections to make sure I was getting what was being said, with how it was being said. I am not sure if that is from the saint it is based off, the author who wrote it or the translation team who worked on translating it. 

This is a good volume in an excellent series. Spending these 15 days with Bernard, was a very different experience for me than the other 8 volumes I have read. I just really wish all of the 40 volumes were available as eBooks, I would work through them all if so. If you read all 40 volumes back to back without tasking a day for the introduction, and biography between it is 600 days of praying. If you do take extra days for those sections, or end up missing a day here or there, or choose to reread a day from time to time It would take close to 2 years to work through the collection. They are excellent books. As mentioned I just wish they were all in print and available digitally!

An good read in a great series!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books in the 15 Days of Prayer With Series:
Blessed Frédéric Ozanam - Christian Verheyde
Brother Roger Of Taize - Sabine Laplane
Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Matthieu Arnold
Don Bosco - Robert Schiele
Henri Nouwen - Robert Waldron
Jean-Claude Colin - Francois Drouilly
Johannes Tauler - Andre Pinet
Meister Eckhart - André Gozier
Peter Joseph Triest - Brother René Stockman
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin - André Dupleix 
Saint Alphonsus Liguori - Jean-Marie Segalen
Saint Augustine - Jaime García
Saint Benedict - André Gozier
Saint Catherine of Siena - Chantal van der Plancke 
Saint Clare of Assisi - Marie-France Becker
Saint Dominic - Alain Quilici 
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton - Betty Ann McNeil
Saint Eugene de Mazenod - Bernard Dullier
Saint Faustina Kowalska - John Cleary
Saint Francis de Sales - Claude Morel
Saint Francis of Assisi - Thaddée Matura O.F.M.
Saint John of the Cross - Constant Tonnelier
Saint Katharine Drexel - Leo Luke Marcello 
Saint Louis De Montfort - Veronique Pinardon
Saint Martín de Porres: A Saint of the Americas - Brian J. Pierce
Saint Philip Neri - Jean-François Audrain
Saint Teresa of Avila - Jean Abiven
Saint Therese of Lisieux - Victoria Hebert
Saint Thomas Aquinas - Suzanne Vrai and André Pinet
Saint Vincent de Paul - Jean-Pierre Renouard
The Curé of Ars - Pierre Blanc
…


15 Days of Prayer Series from New City Press


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