Book Reviews and More: JimSano

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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:

1. Coached by Catherine of Siena Lessons in Charity - Joan Watson

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

Mission to Love: 30 Days with Óscar Romero - Todd Walatka

8. Letter to a Friend on the Prayer of the Heart - Dom André Poisson and Erik Varden - CTS Books

9. Two Discourses on Our Lady The Present and Future of British Catholicism - John Henry Newman - 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 Charles De Foucauld - Michael Lafon

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

15 Days of Prayer with Saint Jeanne Jugan - Michel Lafon

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

Saint Andrew Kim Taegon: The Boy Who Crossed the Mountains

Saint Catherine of Bologna: The Artist Saint: A Catholic Story of Creativity, Practice, and Faith

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha The Girl Who Walked Two Hundred Miles

Saint Sebastian: The Soldier Who Wouldn’t Stay Down

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

Possum Creek Massacre

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

Freak The Mighty

Max The Mighty

The Last Book in the Universe

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

Hamlet

Othello

Bonus Books by A.K. Frailey

Wise Home - Wise Home Book 1

Spice of Life: And Other Stories

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.

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 Books Third 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 2023

Top Ten Fiction 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

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2026

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2026

...

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

Friday, 12 June 2026

The Fighter - Jim Sano - Father Tom Book 7

The Fighter

Father Tom Book 7

Jim Sano

Full Quiver Publishing

ISBN 9781987970784

ASIN B0H2BZFWKB

The Fighter - Jim Sano - Father Tom Book 7

I have been a big fan of both Jim Sano and Full Quiver Publishing since encountering the, Jim has now published 9 books, and this is the seventh in the Father Tom series. Reading a book in this series is always like a visit with an old friend. In some ways Father Tom reminds me of Andrew M. Greeley’s Blackie Ryan, and also of Father Gabriel by Fiorella de Maria. And reading any story with Father Tom and Angelo is like a visit with an old friend you have not seen in a while. But I am getting ahead of myself.

I read a copy of this story over Holy week. Because of family and other commitments I had to put it down several times. Each time it was more difficult. The description of this volume states:

“Danny Nolan is an underground boxer and a single father to his nineteen-year-old daughter, Jenny, who is probing into the mysteries of their family history and a traumatic past that haunts him. As his carefully constructed, isolated world in the South End of Boston begins to crumble and he risks losing Jenny, he must face the Irish crime boss who raised him, the father who abandoned him, and the devastating truth he’s spent a lifetime running from. Entering the Golden Gloves boxing tournament as a path to redemption, Danny navigates a kidnapping, a murder mystery, and the climax of his emotional journey of fear, faith, trust, and truth, with the unexpected help and friendship of Father Tom and Angelo.”

About the author we are informed:

“Award-winning author Jim Sano grew up in an Irish/Italian family in Massachusetts. Jim is a husband, father, lifelong Catholic, and has worked as a teacher, consultant, and businessman. He has degrees from Boston College and Bentley University and is currently attending Franciscan University for a master’s degree in Catechetics and Evangelization. He has also attended certificate programs at The Theological Institute for the New Evangelization at St. John’s Seminary and the Apologetics Academy. Jim is a member of the Catholic Writers Guild and has enjoyed growing in his faith and now sharing it through writing novels. Joline is his eighth novel.

Jim resides in Medfield, Massachusetts, with his wife, Joanne, and has two daughters, Emily and Megan, and grandchildren, Harper and Hunter.”

This story begins on January 7th 2010 and that first chapter is the only one with a date under it. It takes place over many weeks. But we are given a lot of backstory as characters remember the past. And a good chunk of this story is actually trying to figure out some past mysteries. Mysteries around family, friends, and fighting … in the ring that is.

Dany Nolan has raised his daughter as a single parent since he was 16. She is now about to finish secondary school or high school depending on where you are from and is looking to the future. But the past has a hold on both Danny and his daughter Jenny. And the secrets Danny has kept, and the secrets that have been kept from him just might destroy all that they both love. Father Tom and Angelo get pulled into the mystery on a few different fronts. First they have watched Jenny grow and mature through school and through the young adults group at church. But Angelo is also asked about coaching Danny in the Golden Gloves.

There are a lot of rumours about what happened when Danny’s mother and father went missing, and it looks like history is about to repeat itself. Can Father Tom and Angelo help alter that course, and can a lot of prayer and a little luck avoid a great tragedy?

This story is another masterfully written tale from the pen of Sano. It was not easy to put down, and even when I finished it, I debated just starting over again and giving it a second read. Each time I read one of the Father Tom stories I think I should go back and reread them all again, and one of these days I will get around to it.

This book and series are ones I would love my teen children to read. I have recommended them to my father. And I have mentioned different books to numerous friends.

Everything I have read from Sano has been excellent. I can easily recommend this excellent story about faith, family, friends, and just maybe forgiveness. A masterfully written story in a great series.

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

Books by Jim Sano:

Van Horn

The Journey

…

Father Tom Series:

Joline

…

Fallen Graces - Jim Sano - Father Tom Book 5

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

Monday, 31 March 2025

Top Ten Fiction and Non-Fiction Books First Quarter 2025

Top Ten Fiction and Non-Fiction Books First Quarter 2025

It has been a great year for reading so far, not my best to date, but well up there. I averaged over a book a day. Faster than the last few years, but I had the first few weeks off work, 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 132 books and I did not any to the ‘did not finish’ list, one of my highest quarters since I started keeping track, below is the comparison with the last 9 years:

2025 - 132

2024 - 119

2023 – 160

2022 – 145

2021 – 97

2020 – 96

2019 – 123

2018 – 91

2017 – 100

2016 – 52

As can be seen this is right about on par, with the last few years. One factor that impacts this year is Lent started much later, in fact the latest it can start, and during Lent I try and read and pray a Stations of the Cross each day which provides a bump during those 48 days. But back to this quarter by the numbers:

Books Read: 132

First Time Reads: 89

Fiction: 32

Non-Fiction: 100

5/5 Stars: 105

I was really surprised; when the year started I expected it to be another year with a dip. In fact I planned on it. I did not see hitting close to the high water mark again, so I am pretty surprised by these results.

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

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books:

1. Books by Pope Benedict from the Catholic Truth Society

10 Things Pope Benedict Wants You To Know - John L. Allen Jr.

Do Not be Afraid to Believe Homilies and Addresses in Africa

2. Jesus and the Jubilee - John Bergsma - The Biblical Roots of the Year of God’s Favor

3. Hope: An Anchor for the Soul: 30 Daily Devotions - Amy Welborn

4. Books by Barbara Calamari and Sandra DiPasqua

Holy Places Sacred Sites in Catholicism

Patron Saints A Feast of Holy Cards

5. Led by the Immaculata - Joshua Mazrin

6. Honor Thy Wife - Kevin Lowry - A 31-Day Spiritual Journey of Marital Renewal

7. CTS Children's books by Juliette Levelier

Prayers Around the Crib

Praying at Mass

Praying with the Friends of Jesus

Praying with the Holy Spirit

The Rosary

8. Drawing Close to the Holy Spirit: Keys to a Transformed Life and Joyful Heart - Sr. Mary Ann Fatula, OP

9. Great Spiritual Teachers Series - Ave Maria Press

Let Nothing Disturb You: 30 Days with Teresa of Avila - John Kirvan

Simply Surrender: 30 Days with Thérèse of Lisieux - Caroline Myss

Come into the Silence 30 Days with Thomas Merton - John Kirvan

10. Just One More Thing Stories from My Life - Peter Falk

11. Catholic Truth Society Books associated with the new Lectionary

The Gospel of John - Fr John Hemer MHM

The Gospel of Luke - Fr John Hemer MHM

The Gospel of Mark - Fr Javier Ruiz-Ortiz

The Gospel of Matthew - Fr Javier Ruiz-Ortiz

The Book of Psalms and Canticles - The Abbey Psalter

12. The Riddle of the Tongue-Stones: How Blessed Nicolas Steno Uncovered the Hidden History of the Earth - Thomas Salerno and Dillon Wheelock

Bonus Books:

Catholicism and Mental Health - Dr. Pravin Thevathasan - CTS Explanations

Deepening Prayer: Life Defined by Prayer - Mary David Totah - CTS Deeper Christianity

Devotion and Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus - J. B. Midgley - CTS Devotions

Lectio Divina: Spiritual Reading of the Bible - Jean Khoury - CTS Deeper Christianity

Louis Marie de Montfort - Alan J. Frost - CTS Great Saints

Louis Marie de Montfort: His Life, Message and Teaching - Paul Allerton SMM - CTS Great Saints

Spiritual Warfare Fighting the Good Fight - Vivian Boland - CTS Deeper Christianity

Thérèse Teacher of Prayer - Craig Driscoll - CTS Spirituality

The Upward Arrow - Fr. Colum Power

Top Ten Fiction Books:

1. Honeymoon from Hell - Declan Finn

Cross Over

Fae'd To Black

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

3. Madness of Worlds - Karina Fabian

Madness Bound

Madness Unbound

Madness of Worlds

4. Joline - Jim Sano - Father Tom Book 5

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

6. In Plain Sight - Leslea Wahl - Finding Faith Book 3

7. Space Traipse: Hold My Beer: Season Eight - Karina Fabian

8. Pogue One - Edited by Spearman Burke - Raconteur Press Anthologies Book 44

9. The Case of the Mixed-up Marathon - Karen Kelly Boyce and Sue Anderson Gioulis - Sisters of the Last Straw Book 9

10. Jumping into Joy - Theresa Linden and Kelsey Doherty - Caitlyn and Peter's Rosary Adventures Book 1

Bonus Books:

Books by Gordon Korman:

Jake, Reinvented

No More Dead Dogs

Old School

The Toilet Paper Tigers

The Twinkie Squad

The Zucchini Warriors - Macdonald Hall Book 5

My reading has been up and down over the last few years it is staying pretty consistent at about a book a day for the year. I attribute in part to Brandon Vogt’s course Read More Books Now, removing all games but 1 brain game from my devices. 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 changing 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.

All Top Ten Lists on Book Reviews and More

Statistics Books Read By Year:

132 - 2025 January-March

363 - 2024

455 - 2023

438 - 2022

365 - 2021

317 - 2020

392 - 2019

359 - 2018

380 - 2017