Saturday, 19 July 2025

Saints of the Sacred Heart - Emily Jaminet and Tracy L Christianson

Saints of the Sacred Heart
Tracy L Christianson (Illustrator)
ISBN 9798889115342
eISBN 9798889115359
ASIN B0F6WRWWXQ

Saints of the Sacred Heart - Emily Jaminet and Tracy L Christianson Cover

I was interested in this volume from the first moment I saw it. It was a case of ‘judging a book by its cover’, or at least being attracted to it. And it shoud not surprise me, as both my son and I have a few icons and numerous prayers cards from the Illustrator, Tracy L Christianson. I did not know anything about it other than the cover. I picked it up as a book to read on the Sacred Heart during June of 2025. It was so with it. It is an excellent volume for young readers, for families or for anyone who wants to grow in this devotion.

The description of this volume states:

“Introduce your child to the beauty of Jesus' Sacred Heart with Saints of the Sacred Heart! This inspiring children's book shares the stories of ten amazing saints who had a special love for Jesus and teach us how to welcome Him into our lives. From St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, who first received the message of the Sacred Heart, to St. Don Bosco, who cared for children in need, each saint shows how love, kindness, and faith can change the world.

With engaging stories perfect for young readers or family read-aloud time, kids will meet saints like St. Martin de Porres, who cared for the poor, and St. Frances Cabrini, who worked tirelessly for children far from home. Whether it's for bedtime, a family novena, or Sunday school, this book is a joyful way to bring Jesus' Sacred Heart into your child's heart and your home!”

About the author we are informed:

“Emily Jaminet is a celebrated author, speaker, and mother of seven, dedicated to enriching family life through faith and service. She is currently the national executive director at the Sacred Heart Enthronement Network, where she promotes devotion to the Sacred Heart and teaches families how to make this powerful devotion a cornerstone of their domestic church.”

About the illustrator we are informed:

“Tracy L. Christianson is a talented artist and designer whose collection (PortraitsofSaints.com) contains exquisite portraits of more than 650 saints.”

The chapters in this volume are:

Letter To Parents 
Introduction
Novena Saints And Prayers
DAY 1: Meet St. Claude de La Colombière, S.J.
     A Heart of Friendship 
DAY 2: Meet St. Gertrude the Great
     A Heart for the Suffering (1256–1301) 
DAY 3: Meet St. Francis de Sales
     A Heart for Everyday Holiness (1567–1622) 
DAY 4: Meet St. Martin de Porres
     A Missionary Heart of Service (1579–1639) 
DAY 5: Meet St. Louis de Montfort
     A Heart for Mary’s Immaculate Heart (1673–1716) 
DAY 6: Meet St. John Bosco
     A Heart for God’s Wayward Children (1815–1888) 
DAY 7: Meet St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
     A Heart of a Teacher (1850–1917) 
DAY 8: Meet St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)
     A Heart Pierced by Love (1887–1968) 
DAY 9: Meet St. Faustina Kowalska
     A Heart Full of Divine Mercy (1905–1938) 
Additional Prayers 

A sample day is:

“Meet
St. John Bosco
PATRON SAINT OF SCHOOLCHILDREN, 1815–1888

“Act today in such a way that you need not blush tomorrow.”

St. John Bosco was born in 1815 into a poor farming family in Becchi, Italy. Early on, he wanted to be a priest, but he had to grow up quickly when his father died. He left home at the age of twelve to work on a farm to help support his family and learned some acrobatic acts from a traveling circus. When he finally did become a priest, with the help of a priest who paid for his education, these talents came in handy when he wanted to share the gospel with children.

Don Bosco had a special place in his heart for young children and teens due to his experiences as a youth; he knew what to do when they were struggling and even rebelling against God: He would seek them out and try to bring them to the loving Heart of Jesus! During his life, he helped find housing for more than eight hundred boys, and he also helped boys find work that was safe and fair. St. John Bosco saw how important children are in the kingdom of God.

In 1859, Fr. Bosco established the Society of St. Francis de Sales, also known as the Salesians. Fr. Bosco promoted devotion to Jesus’ loving Heart by commissioning the Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians in Turin, Italy. He always fostered a culture of love and mercy among youth, reflecting the love of Christ’s Heart to the world.

Offering of the Heart
How can you help those you meet who are struggling — at school, in the neighborhood, or in your community? In what ways can you bring Christ’s love to those who do not know and love Him?

Let’s Pray!
Sacred Heart of Jesus Prayer (page 25)
St. John Bosco, pray for us!
Help us to be true friends of Jesus!”

Each of the days follows the same format:

The Saints Name
Brief Info and Years
Quite
Info about the saint and how they lived this devotion.
Offering of the Hearts
Let’s Pray

This is an excellent little volume. Great to work through during the month of June, but can be done at any point in the year. It presents the material about the different saints and their devotions in clear and concise language. The devotions and prayers are wonderfully written. The illustrations are excellent.

This book would be a great addition to any home, school, or church library. I can easily recommend it!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Books about the Sacred Heart of Jesus:
…

Books by Emily Jaminet:
Divine Mercy for Moms: Sharing the Lessons of St. Faustina
Holy Habits from the Sacred Heart: Ten Ways to Build Stronger, More Loving Relationships
On the Way to Bethlehem: Advent Daily Devotions for Families
Our Friend Faustina: Life Lessons in Divine Mercy
Pray Fully: Simple Steps for Becoming a Woman of Prayer
Sacred Heart Book of Devotions: Transform Your Life with Jesus' Promises of Graces, Peace, and Mercy
Secrets of the Sacred Heart: Twelve Ways to Claim Jesus' Promises in Your Life
The Friendship Project: The Catholic Woman's Guide to Making and Keeping Fabulous, Faith-Filled Friends
…

Saints of the Sacred Heart - Emily Jaminet and Tracy L Christianson Sample 1

Saints of the Sacred Heart - Emily Jaminet and Tracy L Christianson Sample 2

Saints of the Sacred Heart - Emily Jaminet and Tracy L Christianson Sample 3


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Friday, 18 July 2025

The D-poems of Jeremy Bloom - Gordon Korman and Bernice Korman - Jeremy Bloom Book 1

The D-poems of Jeremy Bloom:
Collection of Poems About School, Homework, and Life (Sort Of)
Jeremy Bloom Book 1
Gordon Korman
Bernice Korman
ISBN 9780590448192
ISBN 0590448196

The D-poems of Jeremy Bloom - Gordon Korman - Jeremy Bloom Book 1

This book was originally published in 1992, it is one of two co-written with Gordon and his mother. According to Goodreads there are 3 editions of the first volume in this series and only 2 works in this series. The ending of this book hinds at a Jeremy Bloom novel in the next grade, but it appears that never happened. But I am getting ahead of myself. My introduction to Korman’s works was the 39 Clues back in 2009. Since then I have read 66 of his books including this volume, a few of them more than once. I set the goal of reading all his books about 2020. I am over half way thorough his canon, and have completed all the stand alone books and am now just working my way through the remaining series. Not counting omnibus editions I believe that as of the summer of 2025 Korman has published 109 books. With each that I read I am entertained and often challenged, and I am always entertained. My son, who is 17 often, reads these books to me or with me, and he still loves them. 

The description of this volume states:

“WARNING: These poems contain the truth about school … and more!

Have you ever been assigned poetry writing as a class project? It’s what happened to Jeremy Bloom! The result is this collection of poetry.

Have you ever had trouble keeping your room clean? Thought your allowance was much too small? Suspected that all those things that are suppose to be good for you just are not? Needed the prefect excuse for coming to school without your homework?

You’ll find poems about it in this book. Poems for all seasons! Poems for all reasone!

Welcome to the poetic world of Jeremy Bloom.”

About the author’s at the back of this volume we are informed:

“Bernice Korman and Gordon Korman make up one of the only mother-and-son poetry-writing teams in the world today. Gordon's first book, This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall!, was written for a seventh-grade English project. Bernice entered the business when Gordon conned her into typing it for him. Bernice lives in Thornhill, Ontario, with her husband, and sometimes with Gordon, when he's not at his New York apartment.”

We are also informed this was Korman’s 18th published book. The sections and chapters in this volume are:

INTRODUCTION 
I. THE PTERODACTYL PERIOD 
(September 4 to October 30)
     I Can't Clean My Room 
     Vital Question 
     The Word 
     Wide Awake 
     Appeal for a Raise in Allowance 
     Name-Calling 
     Billy Rae the Dentist 
     Why I Was Late 

II. THE STINKO-SMOKESCREEN WHIZBANGER PERIOD 
(October 31 to December 21)
     Honesty Is Not Always the Best Policy 
     Profession 
     Negotiating Bedtime 
     Taking a Fall 
     Answering Machine Message 28
     Equipment Failure 29
     For Your Own Good 30
     Definition 31
     The Olympian 32

III. THE WRONG BOX PERIOD
(January 2 to March 8)
     The Beautiful Day 
     Certainly I Did My Homework 
     Seasons 
     Nutrition Report 
     Chores 
     Gridiron 
     Report Card Blues 
     The Wheeler-Dealer 

IV. THE FENDER-BENDER PERIOD 
(March 1 1 to April 25)
     I'm Feeling Very Ill Today 
     Poetry Is Images 
     Vocabulary 
     The Guest List 
     Andrew and Andy 
     Mean Cuisine 
     A Perfect Afternoon 
     Be Prepared 
     It's Only a Tree 

V. THE TARZAN PERIOD
(April 26 to June 14)
     The Neutron Pants Rap 
     The Ballad of Arabella Hopp 
     How to Wake a Guy for School 
     On the Brink 
     My Chauffeur 
     Ambition 
     I Didn't 
     Science 
     I Pulled an "A" 
     No Boring Parts Allowed 

EPILOGUE 
GRADING SCALE 
ABOUT THE AUTHORS 

The grading scale at the back of the book states:

A+ Excellent
A Very Good
B Good
C Satisfactory
D Poor
D- Jeremy Bloom

The book begins with:

“The poetry in this book happened by mistake. The mistake was made by Jeremy Bloom, who is an expert mistake-maker.

It began with Jeremy's infamous alarm clock. Since the day he took it apart to try to make the world's first time-operated slingshot stink-bomb, it hadn't been working too well. It went off at three a.m., and then again at four. But at seven-thirty wake-up, it was sleeping almost as deeply as Jeremy.”

Jeremy was late for school and got last pick of classes He wanted Music Appreciation which was supposed to be a bird course. But ended up with Poetry and even that was a mistake. For we are informed:

“"Pottery!" he croaked, signing up in a split-second decision. It was no Snooze Patrol, but how hard could it be to make ashtrays?

It was only when he showed up in Ms. Terranova' s room that the truth hit. He had read the sheet wrong. This was not Pottery; it was Poetry. Furthermore, they didn't read it, they wrote it.

And no amount of begging and pleading to Ms. Terranova, the Principal, his parents, and God, could get him out of it.

As Ms. Terranova put it, "Anybody who could see Poetry and read Pottery needs all the English courses he can get."”

A few of my favourite poems are:

“I CAN'T CLEAN MY ROOM

I can't clean my room.
This may look completely chaotic to you,
Like a junk heap a hurricane just blasted through,
But it's neat in a way that is quite scientific,
It's orderly, sensible, truly terrific.
For instance, my homework goes under the hood
Of the race car I built that turned out not so good.
Clean socks are arranged in the box marked "keep out";
The dirty ones hang on the tip of the snout
Of my stuffed kangaroo, and its pouch is the place
For my glasses. (I'm growing some mold in the case.
It's a project for school, and I'm sure you'll agree
That we mustn't disturb it, or I'll get a D.)

I know that you're mad that I don't make my bed,
But it only gets mussed 'cause I work there instead
Of my desk, which I haven't seen since last November.
Oh, it's down there somewhere. I just don't remember
If it's under the town dump of shirts by the door,
Or the comic book library piled on the floor.
Do you need some more proof, or have you seen enough?
If I make one small change, then I won't find my stuff!
So I can't clean my room.”

“NAME-CALLING

On Monday she was Christie, and
On Tuesday she was Krysti, and
On Wednesday she was Cristee, and
On Thursday she was Kristye, and
On Friday she was Chrystey.
On not one single weekday
Was the spelling quite the same.
But on weekends, she was Bertha,
Because that was her real name.”

“PROFESSION

There's no sense planning to be
A dinosaur hunter.
They're extinct —
Which doesn't mean they smell bad.
It means they're dead.
(The dinosaurs, not the hunters.)
So they'd be wasting their time
(The hunters, not the dinosaurs.)
Better be an accountant.”

“NUTRITION REPORT

The minimum daily allowance
Of chocolate is now fourteen pounds,
Divided between Hershey Kisses,
Fudge, chocolate chip cookies, and Mounds.
Bazooka Joe gum is essential,
Tortilla chips make you much stronger,
Increase your intake of white sugar
So you can stay healthier longer.
For developing bones and good posture
It's obvious ice cream's the key,
Washed down with five gallons of cola,
Or 7-Up, not sugar-free.
Of course, you will need lots of fiber,
Like pretzels, and popcorn, and chips.
Make certain that nothing which grows in the ground
Is permitted to pass through your lips.
And this rule is terribly urgent:
We must be sure everyone eats a
Colossal amount of tomato, three-cheese,
Pepperoni and anchovy pizza.

SURGEON GENERAL'S NOTE:
It's probably a bad idea to do what this guy said.
It's excellent for gaining weight, and things like dropping dead.”

“ANDREW AND ANDY

Andrew is an angel,
And Andy is a devil.
Andy never tells the truth,
But Andrew's on the level.
Andrew is a gentleman.
So very well-behaved.
Andy's who you look for
When you find the cat's been shaved.
Andrew's kind and neat,
And always gets a summer job.
Andy's mean and lazy,
And a veritable slob.
I know them inside out, I do,
They're very clear to see.
Andrew's good, and Andy's not —
And both of them are ME.”

Each section of the book begins with an event where things go sideways and Jeremy’s relationship with his teacher, Ms. Pterodactyl, err I mean Ms. Terranova hits a bump in the road. And if followed by a series of poems.

This book is very different than anything else I have read by Korman. Or in this case Korman and Korman. It was a really fun volume. The epilogue begins with:

“Forty-four D minuses average out to a final grade of D minus. No bell curve. It is impossible to say just how much Jeremy learned in his year with Ms. Terranova, since his first and last efforts, and all those in between, received exactly the same grade.

It is interesting, though, that Jeremy commented at the end that Poetry class was "not as boring as I thought." In fact, he found the writing part "kind of fun," and intended to continue. Next year, Ms. Terranova was offering a seventh-grade course in novel writing. If a few poems could do all this to the infamous Ms. Pterodactyl, Jeremy was sure he could come up with a D-minus novel that would totally blow her away.”

So I was expecting the next volume to be Jeremy writing a novel over the school year. But based on the title I doubt that is the case. That epilogue ends with:

“Only, she wouldn't be Ms. Terranova anymore. On the last day of class, she told her students that she was going to be married that summer, and was planning to use her new husband's name. When she returned in September, she would be Mrs. Stegowitz.

As Jeremy left Poetry class for the very last time, he gave her his most sincere good wishes: "Have a nice summer, Mrs. Stegosaurus."

By Labor Day, the whole school knew.”

So maybe it is good he did not have her again to work on that novel.
 
This was a really fun read, both the poems and the stories about that period of Jeremy Boom’s output! I could see this being loved in the classroom. Some poems are just a few lines, some a few pages. Most the text flows normally but a couple is spreads across a two page spread, and one has text that flows in various line on angles across and back on the page. 

This is a great read, and it is a pity it is out of print. If you can track it down well worth the read!

Books by Gordon Korman:
MacDonald Hall Series:
         (formerly The War With Mr. Wizzle)
Light’s Camera, Disaster (1991)
          (aka Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood)
The Jokes on Us (1995)
          (formerly Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall)
…

Bugs Potter Series:
…

Jeremy Bloom Series:
The Last-Place Sports Poems of Jeremy Bloom (1996)
…

Monday Night Football Series:
The Quarterback Exchange (1997)
Running Back Conversion (1997)
Super Bowl Switch (1997)
Heavy Artillery (1997)
Ultimate Scoring Machine (1998)
NFL Rules! Bloopers, Pranks, Upsets, and Touchdowns (1998)
…

Masterminds Series:
Masterminds (2015)
…

Slapshots Series:
The Stars From Mars (1999)
All-Mars All-Stars/The Dream Team (1999)
The Face-off Phony (2000)
Cup Crazy (2000)
…
4-in-1 Slapshots: The Complete Collection (2008)
…

Nose Pickers Series:
Nose Pickers from Outer Space! (1999)
Planet of the Nose Pickers (2000)
Your Mummy Is a Nose Picker (2000)
Invasion of the Nose Pickers (2001)
…
4-in-1 The Ultimate Nose-Picker Collection (2006)
…

Island Series:
Shipwreck (2001)
Survival (2001)
Escape (2001)
…
3-in-1 Island Trilogy Collection (2006)
…

Son of the Mob Series:
Son of the Mob 2: Hollywood Hustle (2004)
…

Everest Series:
The Contest (2002)
The Climb (2002)
The Summit (2002)
…
Everest Trilogy Box Set (2002)

Dive Series:
The Deep (2003)
The Danger (2003)
…

On the Run Series:
Public Enemies (2005)
Hunting the Hunter (2006)
…

Kidnapped Series:
The Search (2006)
The Rescue (2006)
…

Swindle Series:
Swindle (2008)
Zoobreak (2009)
Framed (2010)
Showoff (2012)
Hideout (2013)
Jackpot (2014)
Unleashed (2015)
Jingle (2016)
…

Titanic Series:
Unsinkable (2011)
Collision Course (2011)
S.O.S (2011)
…

The 39 Clues Series:
Vespers Rising (2011)
The Medusa Plot (2011)
Flashpoint (2014)
…

Hypnotists Series:
Memory Maze (2014)
The Dragonfly Effect (2015)
…

Ungifted Series:
Ungifted (2012)
Supergifted (2018)
Hypergifted (2026)
…

Slacker Series:
Slacker (2016)
Level 13 (2019)
...

Non Series Books:
Born To Rock (2006)
Schooled (2007)
Pop (2009)
Restart (2017)
Notorious (2019)
War Stories (2020)
Game On (contains The Chicken Doesn’t Skate and The Toilet Paper Tigers (2021)
Unplugged (2021)
Linked (2021)
The Fort (2022)


The D-poems of Jeremy Bloom - Gordon Korman - Jeremy Bloom Book 1

The Last-Place Sports Poems of Jeremy Bloom - Gordon Korman - Jeremy Bloom Book 2


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Thursday, 17 July 2025

In The Place Called Har-Magedon - Richard Paolinelli - Dreams Of The Storyteller Book 16

In The Place Called Har-Magedon
Dreams Of The Storyteller Book 16
ASIN B0FBFKT9CG

In The Place Called Har-Magedon - Richard Paolinelli - Dreams Of The Storyteller Book 16

Wows! This is the second short work by Paolinelli has written with Judas as a main character. But I am getting ahead of myself.

A few years ago I read 14 volumes in the Dreams of the Storyteller Series. I really enjoyed these short stories and novellas. And I was very excited when Paolinelli announced he was releasing two more tales in this series. This series is mainly comprised of stories that had appeared in Anthologies and are not published as stand along stories. My first encounter with Paolinelli’s work was in the Anthology Cracked An Anthology of Eggsellent Chicken Stories edited by Bokerah Brumley, since then I have read work by Richard over 35 times. And I have greatly enjoyued his work across many genres, and a number of series.

Unlike the first volume featuring Judas this one has no note or history provided by Richard. But having read Monster In The Second Reel, I had some expectations. The story was nowhere near what I was hoping for, but was way more than I expected. This is an excellent story. I finished it and immediately used adaptive technology to listen to it. Then I went back and listed to Monster In The Second Reel as well.  

The description of this volume states:

“Judas Iscariot, the now immortal Warrior Jesuit Priest known by the Church as "The Jesuit", continues his work toward redemption in a future that is far from Earth.

He is sent on a mission to the the planet Mars, where an evil force seems to have taken hold over Musk City.

Upon arriving, Judas discovers the truth is even worse and he will come face-to-face with an old adversary. One he has a very large score to settle with, even as he fights to free the residents from the grip of the Devil himself.”

Judas is given a mission by the Pope, it is delivered in person by the Camerlengo, Cardinal John E. Konecsni in person. The bishop of Luna, Bishop Joseph Igwe, was surprised by the mission of the Camerlengo, and the hermit he was here to visit. The story begins on Armstrong City, Moon Base Alpha, 2117, Cardinal John E. Konecsni is there to begin an investigation of the Diocese on Mars. He is there to task The Jesuit with this mission. Traveling under the name Brother Julian, he soon realizes things are in fact dire on the red planet. And The Jesuit must face off with an old foe. 

To find out more you will need to read this excellent story. While reading this story, and especially while listening to it my second time through I could not help but think of the Rescue Sisters Stories by Karina Fabian, I have visions of a crossover between the Sisters and The Jesuit, working together. A fan can dream, can’t he.

Now having read both stories that contain this surprising character, the Jesuit, I can only hope there will be more.   

Richard is not only an author but the driving force behind Tuscany Bay Books, I have read many volumes from the Bay by a number of authors and all have been well worth the read. This was one of several two short stories that dropped in the collection Dreams Of The Storyteller in 2025. There are now collection of 16 volumes in this collection, the first 2 date from 2014, 1 from 2022, and several in 2023, And now these 2 new ones in 2025.

This an amazing short story from Paolinelli’s masterful pen. It took me by surprise. A great addition to the Dreams Of The Storyteller collection. I can easily recommend this story for what an excellent piece of Science fiction!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan!

For reviews of all books from Tuscany Bay click here.

Books by Richard Paolinelli:
Maelstrom
When the Gods Fell
The Calling
The Last Lonely Trail
A Zombie Christmas Carol

Infinity Series:
Exploring Infinity
Expanding Infinity
…

Starguest 4th Age Series:

Timeless Series:
The Timeless
Secret of the Sphinx
…

Jack Del Rio Series:
Betrayals
Endgames
…
Del Rio Omnibus Edition
…

Divine Trolls Comedies:
The Fall Of The House Of 770 Vile Aromas 
The Corvo
…

SeaDragon:
SeaDragon 1 May 1986
SeaDragon 2 June 1996

Sherlock Holmes Pastiches:

Non Fiction:
Perfection’s Arbiter
From The Fields
The Space Shuttle: 1981–2011 
…

Contributed to:
To Be Men 
Places Beyond The Wild
Space Force Building The Legacy
Secret Stairs 
A Tribute To H.G. Wells (2019 Edition)
Beyond Watson 
Holmes Away From Home, Vol. 2 
Sherlock Holmes Adventures In The Realms Of H.G. Wells 
Sherlock Holmes Aventures In The Realms Of Edgar Allan Poe
The Art Of Sherlock Holmes 
The Mx Book Of New Sherlock Holmes Stories, Part Xxii
…

Planetary Anthology Series:
Sol
Earth
Luna
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
…
Best Of Planetary Anthology Series
…


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Wednesday, 16 July 2025

The Hypnotists - Gordon Korman - The Hypnotists Book 1

The Hypnotists
The Hypnotists Book 1
Gordon Korman
ISBN 9780545503259
eISBN 9780545503273
ASIN B00B9FX3O0

The Hypnotists - Gordon Korman - The Hypnotists Book 1

This book was originally published in 2013. According to Goodreads there are 23 editions of the first volume in this series, including editions in English, French, German and Russian editions listed. My introduction to Korman’s works was the 39 Clues back in 2009. Since then I have read 67 of his books including this volume, a few of them more than once. I set the goal of reading all his books about 2020. I am now over half way thorough his canon, and have completed all the stand alone books and am now just working my way through the remaining series. Not counting omnibus editions I believe that as of the summer of 2025 Korman has published 109 books. With each that I read I am entertained and often challenged, and I am always entertained. My son, who is 17 often, reads these books to me or with me, and he still loves them. 

The description of this volume states:

“Is it a gift . . . or is it a curse? Jax Opus can use his color-changing eyes to make people do things they don't want to do. (Only his color-blind best friend, Tommy, seems immune.) At first, Jax doesn't know what he's doing -- temporarily hypnotizing friends, foes, and strangers. But then his power pushes things way too far, and his secret isn't a secret any longer. Soon Jax finds himself meeting Dr. Elias Mako, who wants him to join a special institution that will teach him how to use his powers. But what will his powers be used for? That's the big question for Jax as his hypnotic abilities draw him into a conspiracy that will have him racing against time and a mysterious mastermind to save his best friend, his parents, and the entire United States.From #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Gordon Korman comes a fast, fun, and fantastic adventure about a kid who can make other people do what he wants -- and who's wanted big-time because of it.”

Another is:

“An all-new, mesmerizing adventure from the masterful Gordon Korman! Jackson Opus has always been persuasive, but he doesn't know that he's descended from the two most powerful hypnotist bloodlines on the planet. He's excited to be accepted into a special program at the Sentia Institute -- but when he realizes he's in over his head, Jackson will have to find a way to use his powers to save his friends, his parents, and his government.”

About the author at the back of this volume we are informed:

“GORDON KORMAN is the #1 bestselling author of three books in The 39 Clues series as well as five books in his Swindle series: Swindle, Zoobreak, Framed, Showoff, and Hideout. His other books include This Can’t Be Happening at Macdonald Hall! (published when he was fourteen); The Toilet Paper Tigers; Radio Fifth Grade; the trilogies Island, Everest, Dive, Kidnapped, and Titanic; and the series On the Run. He lives in New York with his family and can be found on the web at his website.”

I was always hesitant to give this series a try. But it is the second last series for me to start from those still in print. I have to admit I was greatly surprised by this story. I made the mistake of judging a book by its cover, and I feel this is a pretty cheesy cover. From what I have read this story is about the middle of the road for intensity among Korman’s books, but there are some pretty dark events or attempted events in this work. 

Jax Opus has a strong pedigree, one he is completely unaware of until some surprising events take place and bring him to the attention of meeting Dr. Elias Mako and his institute. But all is not as it appears at the Sentia Institute and the contrast with the Sandman’s Guild is night and day. Jax soon realized he has chokies to make, and with threats and coercion he is making choices that will have worldwide impact. Can he turn it around? Can he protect those he cares about? What sacrifices will he have to make. To find out you will need to read this excellent story.

Wonderfully written characters, great pace, and the beginning of what looks like it will be an excellent series. This story is another great read from Korman’s masterful pen. 

Books by Gordon Korman:
MacDonald Hall Series:
         (formerly The War With Mr. Wizzle)
Light’s Camera, Disaster (1991)
          (aka Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood)
The Jokes on Us (1995)
          (formerly Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall)
…

Bugs Potter Series:
…

Jeremy Bloom Series:
The Last-Place Sports Poems of Jeremy Bloom (1996)
…

Monday Night Football Series:
The Quarterback Exchange (1997)
Running Back Conversion (1997)
Super Bowl Switch (1997)
Heavy Artillery (1997)
Ultimate Scoring Machine (1998)
NFL Rules! Bloopers, Pranks, Upsets, and Touchdowns (1998)
…

Masterminds Series:
Masterminds (2015)
…

Slapshots Series:
The Stars From Mars (1999)
All-Mars All-Stars/The Dream Team (1999)
The Face-off Phony (2000)
Cup Crazy (2000)
…
4-in-1 Slapshots: The Complete Collection (2008)
…

Nose Pickers Series:
Nose Pickers from Outer Space! (1999)
Planet of the Nose Pickers (2000)
Your Mummy Is a Nose Picker (2000)
Invasion of the Nose Pickers (2001)
…
4-in-1 The Ultimate Nose-Picker Collection (2006)
…

Island Series:
Shipwreck (2001)
Survival (2001)
Escape (2001)
…
3-in-1 Island Trilogy Collection (2006)
…

Son of the Mob Series:
Son of the Mob 2: Hollywood Hustle (2004)
…

Everest Series:
The Contest (2002)
The Climb (2002)
The Summit (2002)
…
Everest Trilogy Box Set (2002)

Dive Series:
The Deep (2003)
The Danger (2003)
…

On the Run Series:
Public Enemies (2005)
Hunting the Hunter (2006)
…

Kidnapped Series:
The Search (2006)
The Rescue (2006)
…

Swindle Series:
Swindle (2008)
Zoobreak (2009)
Framed (2010)
Showoff (2012)
Hideout (2013)
Jackpot (2014)
Unleashed (2015)
Jingle (2016)
…

Titanic Series:
Unsinkable (2011)
Collision Course (2011)
S.O.S (2011)
…

The 39 Clues Series:
Vespers Rising (2011)
The Medusa Plot (2011)
Flashpoint (2014)
…

Hypnotists Series:
Memory Maze (2014)
The Dragonfly Effect (2015)
…

Ungifted Series:
Ungifted (2012)
Supergifted (2018)
Hypergifted (2026)
…

Slacker Series:
Slacker (2016)
Level 13 (2019)
...

Non Series Books:
Born To Rock (2006)
Schooled (2007)
Pop (2009)
Restart (2017)
Notorious (2019)
War Stories (2020)
Game On (contains The Chicken Doesn’t Skate and The Toilet Paper Tigers (2021)
Unplugged (2021)
Linked (2021)
The Fort (2022)

The Hypnotists - Gordon Korman - The Hypnotists Book 1

Memory Maze - Gordon Korman - The Hypnotists Book 1

The Dragonfly Effect - Gordon Korman - The Hypnotists Book 1


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