Summer is almost over and these bloggers have some great end of summer reading suggestions!

Sarah Reinhard  at the Snoring Scholar suggests Do No Harm by Fiorella de Maria:

“Enter Do No Harm, by Fiorella de Maria (Ignatius Press, 2013). It covers topics I am praying about and pretty sick-to-my-stomach about, topics I don’t really know how to handle and things I don’t ever want to read about…The topic: the legal battleground that the emergency room can (and has?) become. The situation: a British doctor saves a patient’s life and is faced with criminal charges…The characters are flawless, the writing is beautiful (though not pandering or flowery). There are twists and turns, and I can say with no duplicity that I was shocked at the end. This book is top of its class. It’s not only fun and compelling to read, it’s a brain-turner that makes you think and consider.”

Sarah also reviewed Everywhere in Chains by James Casper on the Snoring Scholar:

“It’s easy to have an ideal, but much harder to put it into practice in the nitty mess of everyday life. Casper has written a story woven in time, with people, in a way that carried me along. It was like riding a canoe or raft down a gentle stream. I found myself invested with these characters, because they were real. They were people with mannerisms and flyaway hair and quirky little habits.”

On CatholicFiction.net Angele Liboiron suggests Robert Ovies’ The Rising:

“This is a unique and interesting storyline. Since it’s written in the third person, the reader has the opportunity to explore the thoughts of many characters, including a doubtful priest, a protective mother, and a greedy father. While reading I was skeptical about how this novel would end. I kept wondering where this story was going. But I have to say the ending is perfect. It leaves the novel firmly rooted in one’s mind for days afterward. If you’re looking for a novel that will make you believe in the unbelievable, then you won’t be disappointed with The Rising. This story grabs your attention from the very first page and doesn’t let go until the end. I highly recommend it.”

Anamaria Scaperlanda Biddick at Sooner Catholic reviewed both Tobit’s Dog and The Leaves Are Falling:

“Tobit’s Dog re-introduces one of the most mysterious Old Testament books to the modern reader.  The story follows Tobit and his family, black Catholics in the Jim Crow south, through suffering and faithfulness… Those familiar with the Book of Tobit won’t be surprised by an incident with a fish or a love interest that arises, but much of the rich detail of the novel will still surprise.  In addition to the primary narrative that closely follows the biblical story, a Southern tale of injustice unfolds.  In fact, the death of a young boy, seemingly by lynching, sets the entire story in motion…Finally, dog-lovers won’t be disappointed in Okra, Tobit’s dog, who journeys with Tobias and Ace.”

“History lovers will revel in the story of Joseph Halpern, a young musician living in the English countryside at the close of World War II… Despite the kindness of his employers, Joseph is isolated by his past experiences. The novel follows Joseph as he enters adulthood and navigates life as an Eastern European Jew in post-war London. The story brings to light political, moral and religious questions… Throughout it all, Joseph learns to pray, attempting to understand his relationship with his father as well as his father’s relationship with God. While World War II is a much-visited historical event, the details presented in the novel will be new to many readers, illuminating a distinct aspect of that complex event, including the realities of goodness amidst grave evil.