Island of Silence is the second book in The Unwanteds series, and it largely deals with the aftermath of the battle between Artimé and Quill from the first book. Artimé has survived and is now able to come out into the open, as well as allow travel between Artimé and Quill. As such, many of the Necessaries in Quill …

Making Sense Out of Suffering is a book by Peter Kreeft, a Catholic philosopher at Boston College. He writes very well, and this book is no exception. Part of what makes his writing style so effective is that it is very accessible. He is clearly a philosopher and knows the subject deeply, but there is a distinction …

The Unwanteds is a middle-grade fantasy novel set in a dystopian society called Quill, where citizens are divided into three groups: Wanteds, Necessaries, and Unwanteds. At the age of 13, children undergo a yearly judgment in which any sign of creativity is deemed undesirable. The only catch is that those labeled …

Throughout salvation history, there is an unseen action of angelic beings intimately involved in human activity. This is taught theologically, and we encounter angels periodically in Scripture. Fr. Giesler reflects on events in salvation history from the angels’ perspective and highlights the “struggle between the good …

Come Rack, Come Rope is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, a time when practicing Catholicism could bring danger or even death. This historical fiction novel weaves real historical details into a gripping fictional story, following Catholic characters, mainly Robin and Marjorie, in how they respond to …

Growing up, I often heard about the many changes in the Catholic Church that followed Vatican II. It was a spiritually challenging time for many Catholics and for the broader culture. Many parishes experienced dramatic shifts in liturgy and practice, resulting in diminished reverence and understanding of the …

The Wild Robot Protects is the third book in the series. The first book focuses on survival on the island where Roz, a robot, finds herself. The second book follows Roz as she escapes from the mainland and returns home to the island. The third book centers on protecting the island from a poison tide that is killing …

The Wild Robot Escapes continues the story of Roz, the wild robot, in this middle-grade science fiction story. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but as the title suggests, Roz must escape. The story follows her adventure as she breaks free from human civilization and attempts to return to the wilderness island …

The Wild Robot is a middle-grade science fiction book about a robot shipwrecked on an island and forced to survive among the island’s wildlife. Interestingly, it is about survival, community, and family. I first watched The Wild Robot movie and really enjoyed it. However, the movie ended on a cliffhanger, and I wanted …

The Return of the King is another great book in the Lord of the Rings series and the final volume in the epic quest to destroy the One Great Ring of Sauron. I read this book years ago and watched the movie version, but I remembered that there were a number of parts I did not fully understand, such as the Paths of the …