Book Reviews and More: NRLaPoint

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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I also included some unpublished manuscripts that could easily have made this list.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

Monday, 29 December 2025

Top Ten Fiction and Non-Fiction Books Fourth Quarter 2025

Top Ten Fiction and Non-Fiction Books Fourth Quarter 2025

It has been a great year for reading, and fairly balanced across all four quarters. I averaged just over a book a day. It has been another 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 a little low, but both work and home life were very busy. Some huge projects going live at work, and we had to move and a family of 5 with 3 teenagers have a lot of stuff to move.. This quarter I read 72 books, my second best second quarter since I started tracking, the comparison with the last 8 years:

2025 - 72

2024 - 77

2023 – 88

2022 – 94

2021 – 83

2020 – 65

2019 – 95

2018 – 78

2017 – 104

2016 – 89

But back to this quarter by the numbers:

Books Read: 72

First Time Reads: 27

Fiction: 22

Non-Fiction: 50

5/5 Stars: 42

A dip over the last year, but very slight. 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 fourth quarter of 2024.

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books:

1. Pocket Guide Series from OSV

A Pocket Guide to Catholic Apologetics - Patrick Madrid

A Pocket Guide to Confession - Michael Dubruiel

A Pocket Guide to Purgatory - Patrick Madrid

A Pocket Guide to the Bible - Scott Hahn

A Pocket Guide to the Mass - Michael Dubruiel

2. 15 Days of Prayer with Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati - Père Charles Desjobert, OP

3. Breaking the Bread: A Biblical Devotional for Catholics Year A - Scott Hahn and Ken Ogorek

4. 30 Days with St. Therese - Thomas J. Craughwell

5. 30 Days with the Irish Mystics - Thomas J. Craughwell

6. Great Spiritual Teachers from Ave Maria Press

Peace of Heart Francis of Assisi - John Kirvan

Rejoice in the Lord 30 days with Augustine of Hippo - Trenton Mattingly

Set Aside Every Fear: 30 Days with Catherine of Siena - John Kirvan

7. The Handy Little Guide to Novenas - Allison Gingras - OSV Handy Little Guides

8. Praying the Rosary for Inner Healing - Dwight Longenecker - Second Edition

9. Praying with the Church Through Advent - Father Edward Looney

10. Dilexi Te On Love for the Poor - Pope Leo XIV - CTS Books

Bonus Books Advent Titles:

A Journey to the Crib: An Advent and Christmas Devotional - Fr Philip Caldwell - CTS Books

Prepare Him Room: Advent Family Devotions - Amy Welborn

Wonders of His Love: Family Devotions and Activities for Advent - Amy Welborn

Top Ten Fiction Books:

1. unSPARKed Books - Corinna Turner

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

5. Newearth Books - A.K. Frailey

Newearth Progeny - Book 3

Newearth Relevance - Book 4

6. Dead by Dawn - N.R. LaPoint

7. The Groundskeeper: Have A Dead Night - Cedar Sanderson - The Groundskeeper Book 5

8. Man or Beast - Corinna Turner

9. Thanks for the Mummyries - Karina Fabian - DragonEye PI Book 2.5

10. Catholic Teen Books Collaborative Stories

The Gift of the Angel Tree

A Lack of Christmas Spirits

Bonus Books Murderbot Short Stories – Martha Wells:

Compulsory - Murderbot Diaries Book 0.5

Obsolescence - Murderbot Diaries Book 0.5

Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy - Murderbot Diaries Book 2.5

Home Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory - Murderbot Diaries Book 4.5

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.

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

Saturday, 20 December 2025

Dead by Dawn - N.R. LaPoint - Virgil Everness Book 1

Dead by Dawn

Virgil Everness Book 1

N.R. LaPoint

Mistcreek Publishing

ISBN 9798270684730

ASIN B0FX1F73RG

Dead by Dawn - N.R. LaPoint - Virgil Everness Book 1

This was the thirteenth offering from the pen of LaPoint that I have read. I have now read eleven novels, and two short stories. I originally read about a book a week and now have read all novels he had in print. LaPoint has contributions to 4 anthologies I have not read yet, but I will get to them in good order. The first of his works I read was a short story, Azrael, in the anthology Swords and Maidens he edited; the second was, Christmas Evil: A Heavy Metal Holiday Novella. I have just finished alternating titles in this series his Raven Mistcreek series the Dinosaur Warfare series. The stories I have read by LaPoint are vastly different, and each book or series has given me a greater appreciation for his skill and talent as an author. LaPoint came from a recommendation by Declan Finn, a few years ago I read everything Finn had in print reading about a book a week, I now have one completed that same task with LaPoint and eagerly await the two announced novels. And this latest did not disappoint.

The description of this volume is:

“The year is 18XX

The great frontier is overrun. Not by bandits and outlaws, but by monsters, sorcerers, and things that shouldn't exist. Across the canyons of Colorado to the dark, unforgiving forests of the North, America has become a hunting ground.

Virgil Everness doesn't flinch. A man of quiet faith and lethal skill, he and his wife pursue the wicked, their blessed weapons turning back the tides of Hell itself.

When every town is a potential graveyard, and the darkness comes in a hundred twisted forms, only one thing is certain: There is no place evil can hide from the aim of Virgil Everness.”

The chapters in this volume are:

File 01: Madman

File 10: Blood Moon

File 13: Red Dirt

File 16: Null Pact

File 22: Phantom Ridge

File 23: Dead by Dawn

File 31: Chupacabra

File 33: Fog

File 45: Dinner

File 49: Rattus Diabolicus

I admit it took me a while to get around to reading this one. When it first came out life was very busy at work, and we were in the process of moving houses as a family. Once I started it thought I could hardly put it down. It is a real page turner.

This story is different in that it is a collection of 10 stories or case files in the adventures of Virgil Everness. Everness has an unusual occupation. He is called in by Bishops, Priests or just stumbles across things that need dealing with. The stories span more than decade. Everness is a bounty hunter of sorts, but he hunts the supernatural. From the names of the chapters a few of the creatures are expected, some it is more cryptic at the beginning of the tale. Over the course of the stories Everness works with a woman who becomes his fiancée, then wife, then mother to his children. In some stories his oldest child even plays a role in the hunt.

Again I find that LaPoint has masterfully written the plots across these stories. There are moments of great intensity, and also times of reflection. I love the use of blessed weapons and ammo. In some ways it reminds me of John Carpenter’s Vampires, but Everness is not only faithful to the hunt but to the church and Christian living. The collection was terribly difficult to put down. Fortunately being a series of stories it was easier to take a break based on life’s demands.

This is what I believe is a new series from LaPoint and I cannot wait for more stories set in this universe. And I have already suggested it for my 17 year old son.

This is an excellent read. I can easily recommend this volume. A great read, that leaves you hoping for further instalments!

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

Books by N.R. LaPoint:

Lightsinger

Gun Magus

Christmas Evil

Dead by Dawn: The Files of Virgil Everness

…

Raven Mistcreek Series:

Chalk

Dusklight

Archangel

Hellgate

…

Dinosaur Warfare Series:

Death Planet

Metalsaurus

Deus Volt

…

Virgil Everness Files:

Dead by Dawn

...

Contributed to:

Fantastic Middle Schools 4

Fantastic Middle Schools 6

Shoot the Devil

Shoot The Devil 2 Dark Matter

Swords and Maidens

Rock and Roll Mercenaries

…

Wednesday, 21 May 2025

Rock and Roll Mercenaries A Pulp Rock Anthology - Edited by N.R. LaPoint - A Mistcreek Publishing Anthology

Rock and Roll Mercenaries

A Pulp Rock Anthology

N.R. LaPoint (Editor)

Mistcreek Publishing

ISBN

eISBN

ASIN B0F74SMGM1

Rock and Roll Mercenaries A Pulp Rock Anthology - Edited by N.R. LaPoint - A Mistcreek Publishing Anthology

I picked up this volume because I really enjoyed the other Anthology from Mistcreek Publishing that I had read. I have been reading about a book a day for a few years now. I had previously read stories by a few of the contributors, and looked forward to their tracks. One of the things I love about reading anthologies is to be introduced to new authors. The authors who contributed tracks to this volume are:

Aaron Van Treeck

Christopher DiNote

Denton Salle

Drako and Pen Billson

Jack McLiam

The description of this anthology states:

“Fifteen rocking tales of adventure and mayhem that will set your bookshelf on fire!

Get ready for heroes on alien worlds, concerts gone terribly wrong, ghost towns brought back to life, eldritch abominations, and death machines!

Whether it is bands fighting evil, a tale inspired by a song, or an artist, roadie, vet, or dragon on a mad odyssey, Rock and Roll Mercenaries will keep you moving until the final beat.”

The 15 tracks in this collection are:

Man Against Machine - Nathan Dabney

An Unexpected Bonus or Backstage Tickets to Freakin’ Psycho Trauma! - TJ Marquis

On a Hot Summer Night - Christopher R. DiNote

Viper: Devil’s Due - Milton Lane

Dead Ringer for Love - Aaron Van Treeck

Spirit Rock - JD Cowan

An Airbrushed Odyssey - Jacob Calta

The Supersonic Voyage of the Rock Dinosaurs - Drako and Pen Billson

Heavy Metal - NR LaPoint

Worst Live Show Ever - Michael Gallagher

Scales on the Heart - John Pretorius

If You’re Gonna Play in Texas, You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band - Denton Salle

Bad Attitude - Jack McLiam

Red Tales: Serial Killer - Hawkings Austin

Sign of the Black Lotus - Erik Waag

I really enjoyed most of the stories in this volume. The only one that really I really did not connect with was The Supersonic Voyage of the Rock Dinosaurs by Drako and Pen Billson, it reminded me a lot of the Scooby Doo and Kiss movie my kids love so much. But I could just not picture dinosaurs playing the instruments as described. My top picks would be Spirit Rock by JD Cowan loved the ending of this one, Heavy Metal by NR LaPoint, Worst Live Show Ever by Michael Gallagher, On a Hot Summer Night by Christopher R. DiNote. I also really enjoyed Bad Attitude by Jack McLiam, I would love to see more stories set in this world. The dragon by John A Pretorius in Scales on the Heart reminds me a lot of Vern by Karina Fabian, and I would absolutely read more stories about him.

But to be honest all of the stories were worth the read. This was an excellent themed anthology. Many great sorties and the rest are good. I can easily recommend this anthology. It is a bit Minority Report, Mad Max, and the best of music lovers just trying to do the best they can when they are between a rock, a monster, a demon and a hard place! A great collection of stories.

For all reviews of Anthologies click here.

For all reviews of books by NR LaPoint click here.

For All reviews of books by Christopher R. DiNolte click here.

Anthologies from Mistcreek Publishing:

Swords and Maidens

Rock and Roll Mercenaries

Mistcreek Tales

…

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.

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.