Book Reviews and More: AmandaLauer

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Wednesday, 31 December 2025

Top Ten Fiction Books 2025

Top Ten Fiction Books 2025

It has been a good year for reading. I read 424 books this year, making it my third best since I started keeping track. There were many great reads, and a few new authors that I had not explored yet, with plans to read more from some of them. I have read just over a day, in comparison with the last 7 years:

424 - 2025

362 - 2024

455 - 2023

438 - 2022

365 - 2021

317 - 2020

392 - 2019

359 - 2018

380 - 2017

272 - 2016

But back to this year by the numbers:

Books Read: 424

First Time Reads: 309

Fiction: 166

Non-Fiction: 258

5/5 Stars: 303

The first half of this year was great. The second half was very busy at work and home, including moving house. Three teenagers have a lot of stuff and moving a family of 5 takes some serious effort and time; especially when we painted all the bedrooms, the den and did touch-ups in all the common areas. 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.

A few years I set the goal of reading all of Gordon Korman’s books, this year I read 62 of them. Of those 61 received 5/5 Stars. I did not want to make this list a lot of Korman, so anything by him could have ended up on this list. Check out this interview with Korman with Links to reviews of all of his books.

I also included some unpublished manuscripts that could easily have made this list. But I wanted the list to be titles you could lay your hands on and give a read.

Here are my top ten fiction books of 2025.

Top Ten Fiction Books 2025:

1. unSPARKed Books - Corinna Turner

A Mom with Blue Feathers - unSPARKed Prequel Story

A Very Jurassic Hallowtide - An unSPARKed Story

A Nest of Piranha'saurs - unSPARKed Book 12

2. Shard of Eden - Eric Sammons

3. On Tiber's Edge - Declan Finn - Land & Seas Season 2

4. May Day! - Fiorella De Maria - Father Gabriel Mysteries Book 6

5. Calling on a Bad Day - Karina Fabian - A Rescue Sisters Story

6. Letter to the Future - Michael D. O'Brien

7. The Second Skater of the Apocalypse - Fiorella De Maria - Skaters Book 2

8. The Higher We Go: Pier Giorgio Frassati - Corinna Turner - Friends in High Places Book 5

9. Fly, Sparrow, Fly - A.K. Frailey - Oldtown Book 1

10. Joline - Jim Sano - Father Tom Book 5

11. Incarnate - Antony Barone Kolenc - Incarnate Series Book 1

Bonus Books Unpublished Manuscripts:

Armstrong Adventure Series - Nick Donnelly

02 Snares of the Demons

03 Faith of the Armstrong

Lucky and Blessed The Novel - Amanda Lauer (Not final title)

Other Bonus Books:

Newearth Books - A.K. Frailey

Newearth Progeny - Book 3

Newearth Relevance - Book 4

Dead by Dawn - N.R. LaPoint

Deadhead - Cedar Sanderson The Groundskeeper Book 4

Anything by Gordon Korman

As can be seen by the numbers, my reading has been up over the last few years, but last year there was a dip, but rebounded up over 400 again this year. This reading success I in part attribute to Brandon Vogt’s course Read More Books Now, removing all games but 1 brain game from my devices. And I was commuting to work on a bus and read on the bus every day. Working from home reading took a little more discipline, and we are now back to a hybrid model with 5 days a month in the office, so things have changed again.

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.

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2020
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2020

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2020

Top Ten Fiction Books 2020

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2021

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2021

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2021

Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2021

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2021

Top Ten Fiction Books 2021

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2022

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2022

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2022

Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2022

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2022

Top Ten Fiction Books 2022

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2023

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2023

Top Ten Fiction Books Fourth Quarter 2023

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2023

Top Ten Fiction Books 2023

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2024

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2024

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2024

Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2024

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2024

Top Ten Fiction Books 2024

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2025

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2025

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2025

Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2025

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2025

Top Ten Fiction Books 2025

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2026

...

All Top Ten Lists on Book Reviews and More

Statistics Books Read By Year:

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

Tuesday, 30 September 2025

Top Ten Fiction and Non-Fiction Books Third Quarter 2025

Top Ten Fiction and Non-Fiction Books Third Quarter 2025

Top Ten Fiction and Non-Fiction Books Third Quarter 2024 My Den 2024

It has been a good year for reading so far. I am averaging just over a book a day. It has been a great quarter with a large variety of genres and authors.

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. But a lot of it goes back to my dyslexia, and once I learned to read there were all these worlds and all this knowledge out there. I have been addicted since then. I wrote about that in 2006 Confessions of a Bibliophile #5 - How I Became a Bibliophile, From Dyslexic to Addict.

This quarter was very different. It was very fiction heavy. Typically I try and alternate fiction and nonfiction books. Yet this quarter I was pushing to finish all the book by Gordon Korman, I had set it as a goal a number of years ago, and was getting close. So I was trying to balance his volumes, with other fiction and non-fiction. This quarter I read 99 books, my second best second quarter since I started tracking, the comparison with the last 8 years:

2025 - 99

2024 - 87

2023 – 102

2022 – 87

2022 – 79

2021 – 79

2020 – 61

2019 – 89

2018 – 91

2017 – 64

2016 – 94

But back to this quarter by the numbers:

Books Read: 99

First Time Reads: 88

Fiction: 55

Non-Fiction: 29

5/5 Stars: 84

A dip over the last year. 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.

Here is my top ten fiction and non-fiction books of the second quarter of 2024.

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books:

1 The Frassati Field Guide: An 8-Day Ascent to Heroic Virtue - Bobby Angel

2. Leo XIV The New Pope and Catholic Reform - Christopher R. Altieri

3. Vision Books for Young Catholics

When Saints Were Young - Blanche Jennings Thompson and John Lawn

Bernadette, Our Lady's Little Servant - Hertha Pauli and Georges Vaux

Saint John Bosco and Saint Dominic Savio - Catherine Beebe and Robb Beebe

Irish Saints - Robert T. Reilly

4. When the White Smoke Clears: A Guide to the Early Days of Pope Leo XIV - Fr. Mike Schmitz, Jeff Cavins, Dr. Edward Sri, Fr. Josh Johnson, Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio, and other trusted Catholic Voices - Ascension

5. Great Spiritual Teachers - Ave Maria Press

You Shall Not Want 30 Days with the Psalms - John Kirvan and Caroline Myss

Draw Ever Closer 30 days with Henri J.M. Nouwen - Robert M. Hamma

Let There Be Light Hildegard von Bingen - John Kirvan

6. Columbanus - Desmond Forristal

7. Pocket Guide Series - Our Sunday Visitor

A Pocket Guide to St. Paul - Scott Hahn

A Pocket Guide to The Meaning of Life - Peter Kreeft

8. CTS Deeper Christianity Books - Catholic Truth Society

Icons - Fr John Baggley

Faith, Hope and Love The Theological Virtues - Andrew Pinsent

The Name of God: The Revelation of the Merciful Presence of God - Michael Lewis

9. Hope. Always Our Anchor in Life’s Storms - Kris Frank

10. The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women - Kate Moore

Bonus Books:

The Month of the Sacred Heart Practical Meditations for Each Day of the Month of June: Daily Meditations - Abbe Martin Berlioux

What Happened at Fatima - Leo Madigan - CTS Christian Shrines

Our Life, Our Sweetness, and Our Hope! Jubilee Pilgrims of Hope with Mary - Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle

Note: Before getting to the fiction books I need to remind reader that I was focusing on books by Gordon Korman to finish working through his 109 published works. 37 of the 55 books were by Korman and books from series, So I only selected finalor penultimate volumes in series for the list below.

Top Ten Fiction Books:

1. The Higher We Go: Pier Giorgio Frassati - Corinna Turner - Friends in High Places Book 5

2. Light’s Camera, Disaster - Gordon Korman - Macdonald Hall Book 6

3. Fly, Sparrow, Fly - A.K. Frailey - Oldtown Book 1

4. Jackpot - Gordon Korman - Swindle Book 6

5. Murder Bot Diaries - Martha Wells

Exit Strategy Book 4

Network Effect Book 5

Fugitive Telemetry Book 6

System Collapse Book 7

6. Hunting the Hunter - Gordon Korman - On the Run Book 6

7. Hairballs, Hiccups and Hope - edited by Amanda Montandon - Raconteur Press Anthology

8. The Summit- Gordon Korman - Everest Book 3

9. Alien Family Traditions - edited by Sandra L. Medlock - Raconteur Press Anthologies Book 58

10. The Rescue - Gordon Korman - Kidnapped Book 3

Bonus Books:

Any volume from Gordon Korman.

A Hero Such as Heaven Intended - Amanda Lauer - Heaven Intended Book 6

Dark Day, Bright Hour - Julie Frost

Moon of the Crusted Snow - Waubgeshig Rice - Moon Book 1

My reading has been staying pretty consistent at about a book a day over the last several years. I attribute in part to Brandon Vogt’s course Read More Books Now, removing all games but 1 brain game from my devices. And I was commuting to work on a bus and read on the bus every day. Working from home reading took a little more discipline, and we are now back to a hybrid model with 5 days a month in the office, so things have changed again.

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. Or this year not to flood the list with one specific author.

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2020
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2020

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2020

Top Ten Fiction Books 2020

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2021

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2021

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2021

Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2021

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2021

Top Ten Fiction Books 2021

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2022

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2022

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2022

Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2022

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2022

Top Ten Fiction Books 2022

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2023

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2023

Top Ten Fiction Books Fourth Quarter 2023

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2023

Top Ten Fiction Books 2023

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2024

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2024

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2024

Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2024

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2024

Top Ten Fiction Books 2024

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2025

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2025

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2025

Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2025

...

All Top Ten Lists on Book Reviews and More

Statistics Books Read By Year:

352 - 2025 January - September

363 - 2024

455 - 2023

438 - 2022

365 - 2021

Tuesday, 9 September 2025

A Hero Such as Heaven Intended - Amanda Lauer - Heaven Intended Book 6

A Hero Such as Heaven Intended

Heaven Intended Book 6

Amanda Lauer

Full Quiver Publishing

ISBN 9781987970777

ASIN B0FMJRGJYJ

A Hero Such as Heaven Intended - Amanda Lauer - Heaven Intended Book 6

With the reading of this volume it marks the seventh stand-alone work I have read by Amanda Lauer. I have read her contributions to anthologies numerous times. I have yet to read anything by here that was not excellent. And this one does an excellent job wrapping up this series.

I am not the typical target audience of this book or some of Lauer’s other offerings. But I have greatly enjoyed the writing in her books and specifically those I have read in this series. They are the type of books I would love my daughters and nieces to read. Good clean Christian Catholic fiction. I have also read Lauer’s Royal & Ancient series, at least the two available to date, which have a similar feel to this story. Her stories are well crafted and it is obvious that they are deeply researched and crisply written. This story and the other I have read are strong enough to stand on their own. I have read 3 of the 6 volumes in this series and each is strong enough to stand on their own, but together they are even better and I need to get back to reading those I have missed.

The description of this novel is:

“As the Civil War grinds on, Theresa Lundgren’s world unravels in besieged Atlanta. Trapped by encroaching Union forces, a desperate act costs her step-brother his life and forever alters her own, and that of Sergeant Joseph Laurent, a Cherokee soldier questioning his loyalty to the Union cause.

Their meeting at the scene of a crime is far from ideal. Theresa, an ambitious Southern spitfire, and Joseph, a man torn between conscription’s demands and his pacifist roots, couldn’t be more different. Yet, as Atlanta braces for General Sherman’s devastating March to the Sea, an unexpected bond forms between them, fueled by a shared faith, perilous circumstances, and perhaps something deeper.

With the city under siege and their lives in jeopardy, can Theresa and Joseph bridge their divide to survive the war’s final assault? Or will the flames of conflict consume their chance at love?”

About the author we are informed:

“Amanda Lauer is an award-winning author of 11 YA historical and time-travel novels, with a passion for crafting inspirational stories that resonate with young Catholic readers. Her work has earned the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval for fidelity to Catholic teachings, as well as awards from the Catholic Media Association, Catholic Arts & Letters, Catholic Publishers Association, and Red Letter Awards. With 11 years as a published author, Amanda has built a dedicated readership through her engaging narratives and commitment to Catholic values. She is active in the Catholic writing community and regularly speaks at schools, parishes, and conferences to promote faith-based storytelling.”

Lauer does an excellent job writing her characters and having them express their Catholic faith. This is the story of Miss Theresa Lundgren and Sergeant Joseph Laurent both trying to find their place in the world. Both raised in the Catholic faith, but living it out very differently when they meet. They are both trapped in Atlanta while it is being destroyed by union forces in November of 1864. Neither appears to have stick allegiance to either side. Both have dreams and hopes for the future and they appear to be colliding. However Miss Theresa also has another suitor in the form of Major Johannes Andersen. And for the first time in a long time Theresa prays for guidance. It was enthralling to watch Theresa and Joseph try and do what is right, even if it put their own lives at risk.

This is historical fiction written large. Great action, high intrigue, life and death situations. The plot is intrigue and woven life a finely crafted crochet piece; the example of their faith stitches in and out throughout the story, the life of the two main characters, their close friend Hans Krauss. And the priest and pastor who helped them out along the way. oh and you will absolutely love the song at the end - pure genius.

I can easily state that this is a very entertaining read. It is a wonderful story in an excellent series. It is another outstanding read from Full Quiver and from the masterful pen of Lauer. But I cannot help but wonder if there will be a future volume where Major Johannes Andersen comes seeking his promised revenge. I can recommend this volume easily for teen, young adults and adults. A great read!

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

Books by Amanda Lauer:

Anything But Groovy

Dubbie: The Double-Headed Eagle

A Very Chapel Falls Christmas

…

Heaven Intended Series:

A World Such as Heaven Intended

A Life Such as Heaven Intended

A Love Such as Heaven Intended

A Freedom Such as Heaven Intended

A Faith Such as Heaven Intended

A Hero Such as Heaven Intended

…

Royal & Ancient Series:

Royal & Ancient

Lent Royal and Ancient

...

Contributed to:

Treasures: Visible & Invisible

The Best is Yet to Come by Lorene Hanley Duquin

Living Virtuously by Erin Harrison

Ashes Visible & Invisible 10 Stories for Teens

…

Tuesday, 31 December 2024

Top Ten Fiction Books 2024

Top Ten Fiction Books 2024

It has been a good year for reading. I have read 362 books this year, many great reads, and a few new authors that I had not explored yet, with plans to read more from some of them. I have read just about a day, in comparison with the last 7 years:

362 - 2024

455 - 2023

438 - 2022

365 - 2021

317 - 2020

392 - 2019

359 - 2018

380 - 2017

272 - 2016

But back to this year by the numbers:

Books Read: 362

First Time Reads: 282

Fiction: 153

Non-Fiction: 188

5/5 Stars: 264

The first half of this year was great. The second half, I switched roles at work, and family life was very busy.. 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.

Top Ten Fiction Books 2024:

1. Raven Mistcreek Series - N.R. LaPoint

Chalk

Dusklight

Archangel

2. Weigh the Odds - Corinna Turner - unSPARKed Book 11

3. Shadows Visible & Invisible - Catholic Teen Books Anthology

4. Curse of the Seawolf - Nick Donnelly (Unpublished manuscript)

5. Gapman - Karina Fabian - DragonEye, PI Book 9.0

6. Honeymoon from Hell - Declan Finn

The Neck Romancer

Blood Country

Wyverns Never Die

7. Little Red-Hood and the Wolf-man - Cedar Sanderson

8. Missing, Presumed Lost - Fiorella De Maria - Father Gabriel Book 5

9. Sumire Series - Cedar Sanderson as Lilania Begley

Djinn A Short Story

Dust Storm

Distress Signal

10. Raven - Lori Janeski - Carter Files Book 2

Bonus Books 2024:

Dinosaur Warfare Series - N.R. LaPoint

Death Planet

Metalsaurus

Deus Volt

A Very Chapel Falls Christmas - Amanda Lauer

Pixie Noir Series - Cedar Sanderson

Pixie Noir

Trickster Noir

The Dwarf's Dryad - Cedar Sanderson

As can be seen by the numbers, my reading has been up over each of the last few years, but this year there was a dip.

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.