Monday, 25 October 2021

Child, Unwanted - Corinna Turner Friends in High Places Book 3 Margaret of Castello

Child, Unwanted: Margaret of Castello
Friends in High Places Book 3
Corinna Turner
Unseen Books
Zephyr Publishing
ISBN 9781910806265
eISBN 9781910806272
ASIN B09FZS8GZX


I will be honest and state that I knew almost nothing about Margaret of Castello prior to reading this volume. But this story has caused a great interest and I will be tracking down other volumes about this saint to read. On a side note Margaret of Castello was only canonized on April 24th 2021 a few months before the release of this book. I love the writings of Corinna Turner’s and this latest series. I have been a fan of her work since I first encountered I Am Margaret 6 years ago. Since then I have read her books a total of 45 times, and her contributions in two Catholic Teen Books Anthologies. I am a fan of everything I have read. She has many excellent books and great series. And this is the third novel in a her newest series. The title of the series is Friends in High Places and is about friendship and devotion to specific saints and beatified. And this third volume is about Saint Margaret of Castello. The description of the series is:

“Friends in High Places is a short fiction series that presents saints’ biographies in the context of imaginary teenagers’ lives. The stories are written primarily to entertain, with inspiration and education thrown in for free!”

And of this particular volume:

“No one’s adopting scarface. I’m not that dumb.

Abandoned by everyone in his life and scarred from a failed abortion attempt, Miri struggles to believe his new foster family could really want him. When a devastating accident changes everything, all hope seems gone—until a young woman once equally unwanted starts visiting him in hospital. Can ‘Little Margaret’ teach Miri that his life is still worth living, now more than ever?

The third book in the Friends in High Places series, Child, Unwanted can be read as a standalone. The series is Parental Guidance since it contains some mature themes.”

I will be honest with you. This was not an easy book to read. What Miri went through and the life he has is not to be envied. It might remind us of friends or acquaintances we know. It is a powerful story. And it is very well written. It has a great cross over with Daniel from Do Carpenters Dream of Wooden Sheep? St. Joseph's Story as Dreamt by a Sleeping Teenage Boy. And we even have mention a few times of Razim. But back to Miri. Miri has been through a lot, even before he ended up in the hospital. But he is having visits with a young girl that is inspiring him. And soon he and Daniel realize that they have both had conversations with Saints. 

This story deals with disfiguring injuries. With Abandonment. With Hope and with faith. It is wonderfully written. A very moving story. A great read in a wonderful series. 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2021 Catholic Reading Plan!

For reviews of other books about Saint Joseph click here.

Books by Corinna Turner:
I Am Margaret Series:
0.0 The Underappreciated Virtues of Rusty Old Bicycles (A prequel)
0.5 Brothers (Prequel)
1.0 I Am Margaret
1.5 How Snakey Got His Name (Short Story)
2.0 The Three Most Wanted
3.0 Liberation
4.0 Bane's Eyes
5.0 Margo's (Attempted) Diary & Notebook
5.5 An Unexpected Guest
6.0 The Siege of Reginald Hill
6.5 Buttons (Short Story)
7.0 A Saint in the Family
I Am Margaret The Play - Fiorella de Maria
...

Yesterday and Tomorrow Series:
Someday
Tomorrow's Dead
...

unSPARKed Series:
Prequel Short Stories:
0.1 Breach
 7.0 FEAR

Mandy Lamb Series:
Mandy Lamb and the Full Moon
Contributed to:
Secrets: Visible & Invisible 7 Amazing Stories - Catholic Teen Books
Gifts Visible & Invisible 8 Christmas Stories for Teens
Treasures: Visible & Invisible 8 Stories for Teens
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Sunday, 24 October 2021

Saint Teresa of Avila - Jennifer Moorcroft - CTS Great Saints

Saint Teresa of Avila
CTS Great Saints
Jennifer Moorcroft
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781860825187
eISBN 9781784692827
ASIN B071SJBSNB
CTS Booklet B706


A few years back I stumbled upon the books and booklets from the Catholic Truth Society. I instantly fell in love with the clear and concise writing. I have read over 200 books from the CTS, and be blessed and benefited from each of them. There are many wonderful series. This is the first volume I have read from the pen of Jennifer Moorcroft, but I will be tracking down others soon. I loved the books in the CTS Great Saints Series. I have already read 14 book in this series and yet had not read any of the 7 from Moorcroft. I have also read many in the CTS Biographies and also Saints of the Isles Series. And have enjoyed all of them. This volume is an fantastic read, in a wonderful series! As a father of daughters I love learning about female saints and sharing their stories with my girls.

The description on the back of the book is:

“This great Spanish saint (1515-1582), mystic and Doctor of the Church spearheaded the reform of the Carmelite order, founding dozens of new convents in her own lifetime. Admired and disliked in equal measure, her strong will and incredible energy were supplemented by a great human compassion, frankness and sense of humour, and a constant search in prayer for her beloved Christ. Jennifer Moorcroft sets out this inspiring epic with ease, and introduces readers to Teresa's Interior Castle and other writings.”

And the chapters in this little volume are:

Early life
Life at the Incarnation
Saint Joseph’s: the first Convent
Life at St Joseph’s
First Foundations
Storm Clouds over the Reform
Closing years

This was the second biography of Saint Teresa of Avila I have read, the other was Saint Teresa of Avila: Joyful in the Lord by Susan Helen Wallace from the Encounter The Saints Series from Pauline for younger readers. This volume opens with these words:

“In 1920, a Jewish philosopher, Edith Stein, picked up a copy of the Life of a sixteenth century Spanish nun, Saint Teresa of Avila, while staying in the house of a Catholic friend. She stayed up all night reading it, and at the end she said, ‘This is the truth.’ Within a short while she had become a Catholic, and later entered the Discalced Carmelite Order that Teresa had founded. In 1942 she died in the gas chambers of Auschwitz.

Who was this nun, whose writings have had such a profound influence on generations of souls, especially those seeking a deeper life of prayer, and who in 1970 was declared a Doctor of the Church? As if presciently, it is said that King Philip II of Spain, Teresa’s contemporary, had placed his copy of her Life between the works of Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Augustine, who were both Doctors of the Church.”

Reading this biography was deeply moving and inspiring. This woman lived her life, and her faith to the full. She lived with a level of commitment and service that few today have. The way she lived, endured her cancer and died was an incredible witness of faith. She strove to live in all things for God. 

This volume was published in 2008 and the eBook edition released in 2017. It has since been rebranded as have many of the books in the series that are still in print. It seems every time I read a book from the Catholic Truth Society I find 2 or three others I want to read. I have an ever growing wish list of eBooks, books in print, and books out of print I want to track down. I very much enjoyed reading this volume. I learned a lot, and was challenged. This is another excellent read, in a great series. It is very well written, and leaves me wanting to find the others from this author in the series. It is a great volume in the CTS Great Saints Series. 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2021 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.


Books by Jennifer Moorcroft:
A Catholic Response to the Jehovah's Witnesses
When Silence Speaks. The Life and Spirituality of Elisabeth Leseur
The Hidden Light: A Life of Saint Dominic
He is My Heaven: The Life of Elizabeth of the Trinity
God Is All Joy: The Life of St. Teresa of the Andes

In the CTS Great Saints Series:
…


Books in the CTS Great Saints Series:
Antonio Rosmini - J.B. Midgley
Bernard of Clairvaux - J.B. Midgley
Benedict Patron of Europe - J.B. Midgley
Charles Borromeo - J.B. Midgley
Dominic - J.B. Midgley
Elizabeth of the Trinity The Great Carmelite Saint - Jennifer Moorcroft
Francis de Sales - J.B. Midgley
Gemma Galgani Gem of Christ John Paul Kirkham
George: Patron of England - J.B. Midgley
John Baptist de La Salle - J.B. Midgley
John of the Cross - Jennifer Moorcroft
John Vianney - J.B. Midgley
Martin de Porres - Glynn MacNiven-Johnston
Patrick Missionary to the Irish - Thomas O’Loughlin 



















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Saturday, 23 October 2021

This Thing of Darkness - Fiorella De Maria and K.V. Turley

This Thing of Darkness
K.V. Turley
Ignatius Press
ISBN 9781621644439
eISBN 9781642291797
ASIN B09GVDKYBN


Prior to reading this volume I had read all of Fiorella’s fiction and one of her non-fiction works. I had also read the only other volume I believe that K.V. Turley has published. I eagerly anticipated this book from the moment I heard about it. I would pick up anything De Maria published, and was impressed by the previous volume from Turley I had read. This volume marks the twelfth time I have read a volume from de Maria, and I wish there were more available. But this story is unlike anything else either has previously published. The description of the volume is:

“Hollywood, 1956. Journalist and war widow Evangeline Kilhooley is assigned to write a "star profile" of the fading actor Bela Lugosi, made famous by his role as Count Dracula. During a series of interviews, Lugosi draws Evi into his curious Eastern European background, gradually revealing the link between Old World shadows and the twilight realm of modern horror films.

Along the way, Evi meets another English expatriate, Hugo Radelle, a movie buff who offers to help with her research. As their relationship deepens, Evi begins to suspect that he knows more about her and her soldier husband than he is letting on. Meanwhile, a menacing Darkness stalks all three characters as their histories and destinies mysteriously begin to intertwine.”

 In some ways it reads as historical fiction. There is a touch of romance. A good dose of horror or even a hint of thriller. And the scenes in the POW camps are powerful. This story is haunting in many way. And the haunting begins with the cover. I could not look at the cover and but feel a bit of dread. The cover reminds me of the classic horror or monster movies I would watch on Saturday afternoons when young, with commentary and interjections by Elvira. Reading the book is both disturbing and haunting. All that both Evi and Hugo have been through. Their growing connection as he assists her with her pieces. They whole mystery around the famous or infamous Bela Lugosi, his powerful presence, his stories and the implications of what he says and leaves unsaid. And finally the intervention of a Catholic Priest, and an Exorcist at that. 

Just wow. It is a dark story powerfully told. I cannot help but wonder how the duo wrote the story. If they alternated sections from the different perspectives? Worked on it together, or some other format. But no matter how the work was completed it has made for a mesmerizing tale. Normally I read a novel in a day. I spread this one out over a few days. I had to stop and think and reflect upon the story at a couple of key junctures. To figure out if I was interpreting the events in the story as intended, or if my own personal lenses were skewing the intent. 

This story is masterfully written. And though it is unlike anything either has published it is executed to perfection. The pacing, the characters, the interwoven narratives all come together perfectly. It was a perfect book to read as summer turned to autumn. And it is a book I am certain will entertain. I would have no concerns picking up another book if the two collaborate again, and can easily recommend this to fans of the genre.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Books by K.V. Turley:
…

Books by Fiorella De Maria:
The Cassandra Curse
Father William's Daughter
Poor Banished Children
Do No Harm
We'll Never Tell Them
A Most Dangerous Innocence
I Am Margaret The Play

Father Gabriel Mysteries:
The Sleeping Witness
The Vanishing Woman
See No Evil

Books as Fiorella Nash:
The Abolition of Woman: How Radical Feminism Is Betraying Women
...

Author Profile and Interview with Fiorella de Maria.











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Friday, 22 October 2021

John Bosco - Jennifer Moorcroft - CTS Great Saints

John Bosco
CTS Great Saints
Jennifer Moorcroft
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781860825811
ASIN B073GZCY1N
CTS Booklet B719


A few years back I stumbled upon the books and booklets from the Catholic Truth Society. I instantly fell in love with the clear and concise writing. I have read over 200 books from the CTS, and be blessed and benefited from each of them. There are many wonderful series. This is the second volume I have read from the pen of Jennifer Moorcroft, but I will be tracking down the rest. I loved the books in the CTS Great Saints Series. I have already read 15 book in this series and had only  read 1 other from Moorcroft. I have also read many in the CTS Biographies and also Saints of the Isles Series. And have enjoyed all of them. This volume is an excellent read, in a wonderful series! 

The description on the back of the book is:

“The inspiring account of a poor boy from Piedmont who discovered his vocation to look after the street urchins of nineteenth-century Turin, going on to found one of the Church's most famous religious orders for the care of youngsters. Defamed, deemed mad, and shot at, Fr Bosco's complete faith in the Holy Spirit guided him through the greatest obstacles, while nurturing in him his abiding love and respect for children and the poor. Before his death in 1889 many already considered him a saint.”

And the chapters in this little volume are:

Early life
Towards the Priesthood
The Pinardi Shed
Attacks and Persecution
The Miracle Worker of Turin
Worldwide
The Fire Dying Within

Prior to reading this book I had read one other book about Saint John Bosco, Saint John Bosco Champion for the Young by Emily Beata Marsh. That volume was geared for a younger audience and many of the stories and incidents in this volume were omitted. It was fascinating to read this story and find out more about this saint. He faced so much opposition, attempts on his live, being attacked by a group of thugs. And yet he continued to love and serve. Some of the passages I highlighted my first time through this book were 

“The moral, he said, was that we tend to imitate others, for good or for bad. John was very young when he discovered he had just such a gift of influencing others.”

“He was sensitive towards others. There was one boy, from a family as poor as his, who brought coarse black bread to eat. Margaret made good bread for her family so John looked at the other boy’s bread and said he liked the look of it, could they swap? They did so and after that John ate the hard bread.”

“At that time children did not receive Holy Communion until the age of twelve, but the parish priest agreed that he should make his First Communion when he was ten years old.”

“Discovering John’s desire to become a priest Don Calosso took him under his wing and supplemented his meagre schooling with further lessons, especially in Latin, that would better prepare him for the priesthood.”

“Now a priest himself, Don Bosco was always and everywhere open and available to everyone and above all to his boys, whom he treated with the utmost respect, seeing their unique individuality and their potential. He said that the boys should be loved, and know that they were loved.”

“Don Bosco decided to respond in kind and took up his pen to write in defence of the Faith – he became a prolific writer, penning some 700 works of different kinds. For every tract produced by the Waldensians John wrote one in defence.”

“Everyone laughed, but Fr Rau took it to heart. He worked so hard to achieve the fatherliness he so admired in Don Bosco, that he became a faithful replica of the saint. John, in his turn, admired the deep spirituality, the boundless energy and loyalty of his faithful lieutenant.”

“The Eucharist and Our Lady were the twin anchors of Don Bosco’s life, and in this dream he was being shown that they are the twin anchors that will also hold the whole Church steady.”

I hope those few quotes will inspire you to pick up this excellent volume and give it a read. It seems every time I read a book from the Catholic Truth Society I find 2 or three others I want to read. This was one of those. I have an ever growing wish list of eBooks, books in print, and books out of print from the Catholic Truth Society I want to track down. I greatly enjoyed reading this volume. I learned several things about this Saint I was unaware of. This is another excellent read, in a great series. Like the previous volume from Moorcroft this book is very well written, and leaves me wanting to find the others from this author in the series. It is another great volume in the CTS Great Saints Series. 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2021 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.



Books by Jennifer Moorcroft:
A Catholic Response to the Jehovah's Witnesses
Saint Therese of Lisieux and Her Sisters 
When Silence Speaks. The Life and Spirituality of Elisabeth Leseur
The Hidden Light: A Life of Saint Dominic
He is My Heaven: The Life of Elizabeth of the Trinity
God Is All Joy: The Life of St. Teresa of the Andes

In the CTS Great Saints Series:
…


Books in the CTS Great Saints Series:
Antonio Rosmini - J.B. Midgley
Bernard of Clairvaux - J.B. Midgley
Benedict Patron of Europe - J.B. Midgley
Charles Borromeo - J.B. Midgley
Dominic - J.B. Midgley
Elizabeth of the Trinity The Great Carmelite Saint - Jennifer Moorcroft
Francis de Sales - J.B. Midgley
Gemma Galgani Gem of Christ John Paul Kirkham
George: Patron of England - J.B. Midgley
John Baptist de La Salle - J.B. Midgley
John of the Cross - Jennifer Moorcroft
John Vianney - J.B. Midgley
Martin de Porres - Glynn MacNiven-Johnston
Patrick Missionary to the Irish - Thomas O’Loughlin 


















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