Wednesday, 5 March 2025

Jake, Reinvented - Gordon Korman

Old School
Gordon Korman
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN 9781484798423
eISBN 9781423141136
ASIN B00BXQCHWY

Jake, Reinvented - Gordon Korman Current Cover

This book was originally published in 2003 by Scholastic, in has been through numerous reprint since then, The currently available editions are from Little, Brown Books. According to Goodreads there are 20 editions and versions of this volume across at least 4 publishers. Unfortunately the eBook edition is not currently available in Canada. My introduction to Korman’s works was the 39 Clues back in 2009. Since then I have read 55 of his books. Just over half way thorough his canon, but with each one I read I am entertained and often challenged. And I do plan on trying to read them all. My son, who is 17 often, reads these books to me or with me, and he still loves them. 

A description of this volume states:

“There is a mysterious new student at F. Scott Fitzgerald High. Jake Garrett looks like he's stepped out of a J. Crew ad, he's the best long-snapper the football team has ever had, and he hosts the party every Friday night.

All the guys want to be like him, and all the girls want to date him, but Jake only has eyes for Didi, the girlfriend of quarterback Todd Buckley.

Rick Paradis, kicker and back-up QB, tries to stay out of the drama, but that's easier said than done at Fitzgerald High, especially once he gets to know Jake. But it turns out nobody knows the real Jake, and when his secret comes out, his perfectly crafted world might come tumbling down.

In this modernization of The Great Gatsby, beloved author Gordon Korman provides a new look at age-old truths about the desire for popularity and acceptance, and the darker side of human nature

"A compelling investigation of the transience of charisma and the flimsy underpinnings of popularity."
     -Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Korman's reworking of The Great Gatsby places theaction in a modern framework, which makes it more recognizable for today'sreaders and may lead them to the classic. Teens will find deeper issues toconsider about popularity, being true to one's self, and taking responsibilityfor one's actions as they relate to the setting and characters."
     -Booklist.”

This story is an excellent read and one of only a handful of Young Adult novels published to date by Korman. I can be honest and state I never expected a Kegger party, and massive underage drinking in a Korman novel but he really pulls it off masterfully. From the beginning you know the story would be a train wreck. But the premise of the story and how Korman crafted the story is masterful. 

It is another excellent offering from Korman’s masterful pen. I just wish there was an eBook edition available in Canada, I have a dual form of dyslexia and my son has eye tracking issues and we both prefer digital books. A great read I can easily recommend for more mature readers, it is defiantly YA and not MG literature! 
 
Books by Gordon Korman:
MacDonald Hall Series:
         (formerly The War With Mr. Wizzle)
          (aka Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood)
          (formerly Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall)

Bugs Potter Series:

Jeremy Bloom Series:

Monday Night Football Series:

Masterminds Series:
Masterminds (2015)

Slapshots Series:
Cup Crazy (2000)
4-in-1 Slapshots: The Complete Collection (2008)

Nose Pickers Series:
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:

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:

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)
S.O.S (2011)

The 39 Clues Series:
Flashpoint (2014)

Hypnotists Series:
Memory Maze (2014)

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)
...
 

Jake, Reinvented - Gordon Korman Original Cover

Jake, Reinvented - Gordon Korman Current Cover

Jake, Reinvented - Gordon Korman Rebranded Cover

Tuesday, 4 March 2025

Eleven Numbers - Lee Child

Eleven Numbers
Amazon Original Stories
ASIN B0DFMNV4Z3


Prior to reading this I had read all the Reacher novels and the Reacher novella’s and short stories. I picked up my first as a gift for my dad, read the back and ended up reading all that were in print in under a year. I was not exactly sure what I expected from this story, but having enjoyed most of Lee Child’s works in print it I figured it was worth a read. 

The description of this volume states:

“An American mathematician’s assignment in Russia spirals into a high-stakes maze of shifting loyalties and intrigue in a propulsive short thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child.

Nathan Tyler is an unassuming professor at a middling American university with a rather obscure specialty in mathematics—in short, a nobody from nowhere. So why is the White House calling? Summoned to Washington, DC, for a top-secret briefing, Nathan discovers that he’s the key to a massive foreign intelligence breakthrough. Reading between the lines of a cryptic series of equations, he could open a door straight into the heart of the Kremlin and change the global balance of power forever. All he has to do is get to a meeting with the renowned Russian mathematician who created it. But when Nathan crashes headlong into a dangerous new game, the odds against him suddenly look a lot steeper.”

This story is a very interesting premise. I did not see the two major twists  coming. A regular guy called to serve his country. But everything might not be as it appears. He soon realizes his best friend might be a Russian mathematician he has always looked up to, and maybe sees things better than he does. 

I am glad I read it is a very solid short novella, or long short story. Writing short form fiction is a very different art than writing novels and this is an excellent offering from Child’s pen. If you are a big fan of Child it is an interesting read to show off his skill in short form fiction. I can easily recommend this story for fans of Child’s works, fans of great short stories, or those into the espionage genre. A very intriguing read! 


Books by Lee Child:
Jack Reacher Books Publishing Order:

Killing Floor
Die Trying
Tripwire
The Visitor /Running Blind
Echo Burning
Without Fail
Persuader
The Enemy
One Shot
The Hard Way
Bad Luck and Trouble
Nothing to Lose
Gone Tomorrow
61 Hours
Worth Dying For
The Affair
A Wanted Man
Never Go Back
Personal
Make Me
Night School
The Midnight Line
Past Tense
Blue Moon

The Sentinel

Monday, 3 March 2025

Dilexit Nos - Pope Francis - CTS Books

Dilexit Nos
Pope Francis
ISBN 9781784698331
CTS Booklet DO977

Dilexit Nos - Pope Francis - CTS Books

I picked up this volume for it was the next volume in Father Mark Goring’s Saint Mark’s School of Reading, This is available on the Vatican website for free, but I prefer the CTS Booklet version, I just wish they could publish an eBook edition. I worked through two different versions of this book, this physical edition and the eBook edition available from Opus Dei. I used text-to-speech to listen to the eBook and read this version.

About this volume we are informed that:

“In his fourth encyclical, Pope Francis reflects on the Sacred Heart of Jesus: “The deepest part of us, created for love, will fulfil God’s plan only if we learn to love. And the heart is the symbol of that love.””

The description of this volume is:

“Dilexit Nos is Pope Francis’s encyclical on the love of Jesus’s Sacred Heart, exploring how this divine and human love meets the deepest needs of our world today. The Sacred Heart is not only a symbol but a living reality that invites us to unity, compassion, and transformation. Through Jesus’s actions, words, and sacrifice, we see His enduring closeness to us, His profound mercy, and His desire for our reconciliation with God and each other. This text calls Catholics to return to the heart, where true self-understanding and love for others begin, and to embrace a faith that inspires both personal and societal renewal.

"Love and the human heart do not always go together, since hatred, indifference and selfishness can also reign in our hearts. Yet we cannot attain our fulfillment as human beings unless we open our hearts to others; only through love do we become fully ourselves. The deepest part of us, created for love, will fulfil God’s plan only if we learn to love. And the heart is the symbol of that love." (Dilexit Nos, 59)”

The chapters and sections in this volume are:

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HEART 
     What do we mean by "the heart"? 
     Returning to the heart 
     The heart unites the fragments 
     Fire 
     The world can change, beginning with the heart 

ACTIONS AND WORDS OF LOVE 
     Actions that reflect the heart 
     Jesus 's gaze 
     Jesus's words 

THIS IS THE HEART THAT HAS LOVED SO GREATLY 
     Worshipping Christ 
     Venerating his image 
     A love that is tangible 
     A threefold love 
     Trinitarian perspectives 
     Recent teachings of the Magisterium 
     Further reflections and relevance for our times 

A LOVE THAT GIVES ITSELF AS DRINK 
     A God who thirsts for love 
     Echoes of the Word in history 
     The spread of devotion to the heart of Christ 
     St Francis de Sales 
     A new declaration of love 
     St Claude de la Coiombiere 
     St Charles de Foucauld and St Therese of the Child Jesus 
     Resonances within the Society of Jesus 
     A broad current of the interior life 
     The devotion of consolation 

LOVE FOR LOVE 
     A lament and a request 
     Extending Christ's love to our bothers and sisters 
     Echoes in the history of spirituality 
     Reparation: building on the ruins 
     Reparation: an extension of the heart of Christ 
     Bringing love to the world 

Conclusion 

I highlighted a few passages while reading this volume, they are:

“The symbol of the heart has often been used to express the love of Jesus Christ. Some have questioned whether this symbol is still meaningful today. Yet living as we do in an age of superficiality, rushing frenetically from one thing to another without really knowing why, and ending up as insatiable consumers and slaves to the mechanisms of a market unconcerned about the deeper meaning of our lives, all of us need to rediscover the importance of the heart.”

“It could be said, then, that I am my heart, for my heart is what sets me apart, shapes my spiritual identity and puts me in communion with other people.”

“We see, then, that in the heart of each person there is a mysterious connection between self-knowledge and openness to others, between the encounter with one’s personal uniqueness and the willingness to give oneself to others. We become ourselves only to the extent that we acquire the ability to acknowledge others, while only those who can acknowledge and accept themselves are then able to encounter others.”

“At that point, we realize that in God’s eyes we are a “Thou,” and for that very reason we can be an “I.” Indeed, only the Lord offers to treat each one of us as a “Thou,” always and forever. Accepting his friendship is a matter of the heart; it is what constitutes us as persons in the fullest sense of that word.”

“The heart of Christ, as the symbol of the deepest and most personal source of his love for us, is the very core of the initial preaching of the Gospel. It stands at the origin of our faith, as the wellspring that refreshes and enlivens our Christian beliefs.”

“In his humanity, Jesus learned this from Mary, his mother. Our Lady carefully pondered the things she had experienced; she “treasured them… in her heart” (Lk 2: 19, 51) and, with Saint Joseph, she taught Jesus from his earliest years to be attentive in this same way.”

“Since the heart continues to be seen in the popular mind as the affective centre of each human being, it remains the best means of signifying the divine love of Christ, united forever and inseparably to his wholly human love.”

“Finally, Saint John Damascene viewed the genuine affections shown by Christ in his humanity as proof that he assumed our nature in its entirety in order to redeem and transform it in its entirety: Christ, then, assumed all that is part of human nature, so that all might be sanctified.”

“Devotion to the heart of Jesus, as a direct contemplation of the Lord that draws us into union with him, is clearly Christological in nature.”

“While no one should feel obliged to spend an hour in adoration each Thursday, the practice ought surely to be recommended. When we carry it out with devotion, in union with many of our brothers and sisters and discover in the Eucharist the immense love of the heart of Christ, we “adore, together with the Church, the sign and manifestation of the divine love that went so far as to love, through the heart of the incarnate Word, the human race.””

“It could be argued that today, in place of Jansenism, we find ourselves before a powerful wave of secularization that seeks to build a world free of God. In our societies, we are also seeing a proliferation of varied forms of religiosity that have nothing to do with a personal relationship with the God of love, but are new manifestations of a disembodied spirituality.”

“One who is pierced, a flowing fountain, the outpouring of a spirit of compassion and supplication: the first Christians inevitably considered these promises fulfilled in the pierced side of Christ, the wellspring of new life. In the Gospel of John, we contemplate that fulfilment. From Jesus’ wounded side, the water of the Spirit poured forth: “One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water flowed out” (Jn 19: 34). The evangelist then recalls the prophecy that had spoken of a fountain opened in Jerusalem and the pierced one (Jn 19: 37; cf. Zech 12: 10). The open fountain is the wounded side of Christ.”

“Saint Charles de Foucauld and Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, without intending to, reshaped certain aspects of devotion to the heart of Christ and thus helped us understand it in an even more evangelical spirit. Let us now examine how this devotion found expression in their lives.”

“In a world where everything is bought and sold, people’s sense of their worth appears increasingly to depend on what they can accumulate with the power of money. We are constantly being pushed to keep buying, consuming and distracting ourselves, held captive to a demeaning system that prevents us from looking beyond our immediate and petty needs. The love of Christ has no place in this perverse mechanism, yet only that love can set us free from a mad pursuit that no longer has room for a gratuitous love. Christ’s love can give a heart to our world and revive love wherever we think that the ability to love has been definitively lost.”

“I ask our Lord Jesus Christ to grant that his Sacred Heart may continue to pour forth the streams of living water that can heal the hurt we have caused, strengthen our ability to love and serve others, and inspire us to journey together towards a just, solidary and fraternal world.”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for the content of this Apostolic Letter. I admit I was unsure of what to expect when I began reading this. I am thankful I gave it a read. One of the things I loved most about this volume was how much was drawn from the lives and writings of the saints. And many of the saints quoted are among my favourites of those I have studies a lot. In Some ways it was like visiting with many old friends. 

It is a longer than the other Encyclical letters from Pope Francis, it comes in at 144 pages for this edition, 94 for the eBook for this booklet edition and 55 pages if you print it off from the Vatican site. This is a great volume.  

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

Note: Father Mark Goring used a few guest speakers while covering the material in this volume. He wanted a number of hearts to share on the Heart of Jesus. They were: Sister Elizabeth Marie, Father Isaac Longworth, and Amber Rose. The reason for this comes right from the Encyclical the beginning of 148 “Devotion to the heart of Christ reappears in the spiritual journey of many saints, all quite different from each other; in every one of them, the devotion takes on new hues.” It really added to the experience of reading this and the School of Reading Lessons on the volume. 





Books about the Sacred Heart of Jesus:


Sunday, 2 March 2025

Incarnate - Antony Barone Kolenc - Incarnate Series Book 1

Incarnate
Incarnate Series Book 1
Antony Barone Kolenc
ISBN 9798887090764
eISBN 9798887090757
ASIN B0DMGF55YR

Incarnate - Antony Barone Kolenc - Incarnate Series Book 1

This is the first volume in a new series from the masterful pen of Kolenc.  I have read most of Tony’s books. All but one that is not available digitally. And I have read stories from 3 anthologies he has contributed to, and 3 stories he co-wrote. Everything I have read has been well worth the read. And I eagerly anticipated this volume for over half a year. The description of the volume is:

“October, 2007. Joshua Christiansen thinks he's just an ordinary teen, ready to graduate high school and infatuated with his best friend Rachel...until Agent Samson shows up and tells him who he really is. Now, while dodging ruthless zealots and evading government plots, he must test the limits of his mind and body as he seeks the truth about himself.

Was he truly cloned from the blood of a Eucharistic miracle? Does he really have the power to trigger the End of Days? Or will he be killed, captured, or brainwashed by one of the many people who want to use him for their own ends before he can learn the truth?”

About the author we are informed:

“Antony Barone Kolenc is a law professor and author. In addition to writing fiction for Chrism Press and Our Sunday Visitor, he is the author of The Harwood Mysteries, an award-winning medieval series for teens published by Loyola Press. He teaches at Ave Maria School of Law, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps after 21 years of military service. He and his wife, Alisa, live in Florida.”

But back to the volume at hand, I was originally going to read the story with my son, maybe alternating chapters. But I started the first chapter and could just not put it down. It was so good I already look forward to reading it with my son as a second time through!

This story moves at a brisk pace, with travel across a few states. And with encounters with a cult, a terrifying government agency, and a former pastor set on executing a young man to prevent the end times. The story revolves around Joshua Christiansen I and his finding out about his origins, and trying to figure out what is real in this situation and what is fantasy or just plain crazy. He has the assistance and loyalty of his best friend, Rachel, he needs some help to put the pieces together. 

The story set in the US, but revolves around places named after biblical locations, and a group trying to bring about the rise of the beast from revelations. When you combine the science or science fiction components and the romance, with a bit of spy thriller and you have an epic story. This book was terribly hard to put down, only work and family commitments pried it from my hands. 

This is a very intense story. Written as a Young Adult novel but it could be ready by anyone who loves a good story. It reminds me of some of the Science Fiction I read many years ago, especially The Eye’s of Heisenberg by Frank Herbert and even Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land; but written with a very clear Christian or Catholic undertones. The way the story ends reminds me of Declan Finn, and I cannot help but picture the action ramping up from here. This is a great story and excellent beginning to a series. I can easily recommend it for mature teens, YA or anyone who love a great story.

A thrilling beginning to a new series from the skilled pen of Kolenc! 

Warning: This book is much better than a lot I read as a tween and teen. But there are some intense and sensitive items in this volume and some parents might object. We witness more than 1 murder. There is discussion of pornography. And there is a cult ritual with sexual overtones and fantasies. And our protagonist is drugged to be more susceptible to unsavoury influence and thoughts. 

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

Books by Antony Barone Kolenc:
The Harwood Mysteries:

Shadow in the Dark
The Haunted Cathedral

Harwood Short Stories:
The Lucy Mysteries:

Incarnate Series:
Incarnate

Saturday, 1 March 2025

Madness Unbound - Karina Fabian - Madness of Kanaan Book 2

Madness Unound
Madness of Kanaan Book 2
Karina Fabian
Laser Cow Press
ISBN 9781956489194
ASIN B0DVV7FZZB

Madness Unbound - Karina Fabian - Madness of Kanaan Book 2

Each time I read a book by Fabian, no matter the series, I think ‘it can’t get better than this’ and yet somehow it almost most often does. This story took me completely by surprise, yet again, I had had the eBook of the original edition since 2013 but had not got around to reading it, or the previous volume in the series. Last year I reached out to Fabian and was informed that the series was being republished this year, more on that below. For some reason I kept skipping over this series even though I have read almost everything Fabian has in print, and some out of print I tracked down. That was my loss, after reading the first 2 I will be bumping the remaining two to the top of me ‘to be read’ pile as they are republished and release over the coming months. It is a great read, and leaves you desperate for me! 

The description of this volume states:

“Deryl isn't crazy; he's psychic.

Desperate to escape the insane asylum, Deryl teleports to Kanaan, a world of telepaths who regard him as an oracle. But freedom comes at a price. The Kanaan expect their oracle to teach them to use their powers to wage war. Meanwhile, he's falling in love, but to be with her means to share his psyche, which could drive her insane. Most dangerous of all, he hasn't escaped the Call of the Master, enemy of the Kanaan, whose telepathic manipulations were why Deryl was committed in the first place. Now, the Master will forge Deryl's powers into a weapon to kill all he loves or destroy his mind trying.”

I said volume one was an intense powerful story, and this one took it to a whole new level. This book was so hard to put down, but due to a busy work cycle and three teenagers at home I had to several times. I read it over 6 few days, which is much longer than a novel normally takes me. Every time I had to put it down, I wished I was not in that position. 

I have to admit I loved Deryl’s story and plot but also greatly appreciated the story arcs for Joshua and Sachiko. And I have met more than a few personalities in life that would be close to Dr. Malachai, even if most of our encounters with him in this one were more smoke and shadow. In this volume Joshua finds out that not only is Deryl not crazy but everything he has said was happening was real. And in a desperate bid to prevent years as a lab rat, Deryl takes Joshua to a most surprising of places. 

This is a masterfully written story. Following both Joshua and Deryl as they figure things out in an alien environment is fascinating. Watching both of them figure out pieces and support each other through this time was very well written. It is a story of faith, friendship, and finding your place in the world or maybe worlds in this case. 

Again this story and series has a bit of everything, paranormal, scifi, fantasy, and real life. In some ways it feels like it could be a crossover in Madeleine L'Engle’s between Chronos and Kairos time. The book splits between real time and real events and God time or otherworld otherworldly events. The story has a real L’Engle feel to it. It also reminds me of God Game by Andrew M. Greeley and also of The Kayan Kronicles by Derya Little. 

In the acknowledgements at the end of the first story Kabian informs us this story was based on a shorter work originally written in 1986. It was first published in 2010 by Dragon Moon. She states:

“Fast forward to 2010, and Dragon Moon. Gwen Gades loved the book, but hated the title (which was Asylum Psychic.) She held the contract hostage until I had a better title. I went to my great friends at The Writers Chat Room (writerschatroom.com) who brainstormed with me until we came up with Mind Over… Mind Over Mind was the first; then Mind Over Psyche and Mind Over All. I couldn’t squeeze the Joshua/Sachiko wedding in, and some readers complained, so I completed the set with Hearts Over Mind.” 

and also:

“In 2023, I got the rights to the Mind Over trilogy back, just as an editor friend was telling me how much she’d loved the books. Thus encouraged by Rebecca Martin, I decided to republish them. I was never sold on the title, especially Mind Over Psyche, so I asked my friends at the Catholic Writers Guild for suggestions. Mark Baker came up with Madness of Kanaan: Madness Bound, Madness Unbound, Madness of Worlds, and Madness of Love.

So much love and adventure went into this book. Thanks again to all my supporters and to the gracious God who led me to this calling.”
 
This book is another excellent read from Fabian’s masterful pen. I regret not having read this series earlier. Do not make my mistakes pick this up and read the book and series. It is certain to entertain. Another great read in a different series from Fabian that I can easily recommend.     

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


Dex Hollister Series:

The Old Man and the Void
Dex's Way
...

Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator Series :
Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator
I Left My Brains in San Francisco
Shambling in a Winter Wonderland


DragonEye PI Series:
DragonEye PI Novels:

Space Traipse Series:
Space Traipse: Hold My Beer, Season 1
Space Traipse: Hold My Beer, Season 2
Space Traipse: Hold My Beer, Season 3
Space Traipse Stories

Madness of Kanaan Series:
(formerly The Mind Over Series)

Edited by: Karina Fabian:
Infinite Space, Infinite God I
Leaps of Faith
Infinite Space, Infinite God II
...


Contributed to:
Firestorm of Dragons
The Zombie Cookbook
The Book of Tentacles
Twisted Fayrie Tales
FRIGHTLINER: And Other Tales of the Undead
Mother Goose is Dead
Word by Word: Slowing Down with the Hail Mary
Image and Likeness Literary Reflections on the Theology of the Body
Corrupts Absolutely? Dark Metahuman Fiction
Weird Noir
The Complete Guide to Writing Paranormal Novels
Manifesto UF
Avenir Eclectia
Planetary Anthology: Jupiter
Planetary Anthology: Pluto
Planetary Anthology: Luna
Planetary Anthology: Uranus
FlagShip Science Fiction and Fantasy v2i5
My Little Book of Headdesks
To Be Men: Stories Celebrating Masculinity
...


Madness of Kanaan Series Covers:

Madness Bound - Karina Fabian - Madness of Kanaan Book 1

Madness Unbound - Karina Fabian - Madness of Kanaan Book 2

Madness of Worlds - Karina Fabian - Madness of Kanaan Book 3

Madness of Love - Karina Fabian - Madness of Kanaan Book 4

Original Mind Over Series Covers:

Mind over Mind - Karina Fabian - Mind Over Book 1

Mind over Psyche - Karina Fabian - Mind Over Book 2

Mind over All - Karina Fabian - Mind Over Book 3

Hearts Over Mind - Karina Fabian - Mind Over Book 4