JP2H - Books 3 and 4

Hey, so this is a random shout out that I meant to write earlier this summer but, hey, life intervened.

Anyhow, have you heard of the "John Paul 2 High" series? Originally published by Sophia Institute Press, they've recently be acquired by Chesterton Press which immediately released books 3 and 4 and will hopefully soon have book 5 out.

It's books 3 and 4 I want to talk about. Because while I enjoyed books 1 and 2, there was still sort of a 'meh' quality there. 3 and 4 change the game.

Quick recap. A new private Catholic school has opened, the first year with just seven students. Some were homeschooled, some are transfers from public school (and one recent convert to Catholicism). There's a school shooting. A poltergeist - or at least someone who is up to no good. And a murderer on the loose.

I read books 3 and 4 in about 24 hours. And I say this as a Protestant. Book 4 deals with some intense Protestant/Catholic stuff, so it's a real tribute to the quality of the writing and the realness of the characters that I loved it so much.

These books feature a new viewpoint character - Brian, who is a geeky homeschooler with pretty much no understanding of girls whatsoever. I wanted to beat him over the head sometimes, but he was still a fascinating character.

And then there was Allie, a girl struggling with her faith, her self-worth, and the recent death of her best friend.

I don't want to say too much, but if you're looking for well-written Catholic fiction, you really don't want to miss out. Tried the first two books and didn't think much of them? It's worth giving them another try.

Protestant reader? This is a great and gripping way to learn about the differences and similarities between the Protestant and Catholic faiths. Plus it's just a good story. I, for one, can't wait for book 5!