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Chronicles of Ariella #1
Lioness Lost
The first novel in this thrilling Christian suspense series.
When investigative reporter, Ariella "Ari" Dalton, wakes on the morning of November 29, 2021, she has no idea that the course of her life is about to change forever.
Assigned to cover a grisly murder case in her local town, Ari works to uncover the truth, but quickly finds herself deep within the macabre and violent world of a Satanic gang that holds a dark secret. Collaborating with an elite FBI squad led by the very handsome—and very Catholic—Supervisory Special Agent Jesse Sandoval, her investigations will lead her to question her own spiritual and religious beliefs.
As the stakes get higher and Ari finds herself inexplicably drawn to Jesse, her beloved grandmother decides to reveal the history of Ariella's lineage in an effort to help guide her granddaughter. Beautifully interwoven within the story of Ari is that of Ella Ward, another Ariella living during the Gilded Age of the late nineteenth century. As one Ariella fights to discover the truth about the murder case, another Ariella will help lead her down the path to find the truth of who she was meant to be.
The first in the new fiction series written by New Age and the occult expert, Susan Brinkmann, will not only open the reader's eyes to the true nature of the spiritual movements of our day, but will also open their hearts to the glory of Christianity, the critical role of women in the Church, and the Truth that sets us free.
When investigative reporter, Ariella "Ari" Dalton, wakes on the morning of November 29, 2021, she has no idea that the course of her life is about to change forever.
Assigned to cover a grisly murder case in her local town, Ari works to uncover the truth, but quickly finds herself deep within the macabre and violent world of a Satanic gang that holds a dark secret. Collaborating with an elite FBI squad led by the very handsome—and very Catholic—Supervisory Special Agent Jesse Sandoval, her investigations will lead her to question her own spiritual and religious beliefs.
As the stakes get higher and Ari finds herself inexplicably drawn to Jesse, her beloved grandmother decides to reveal the history of Ariella's lineage in an effort to help guide her granddaughter. Beautifully interwoven within the story of Ari is that of Ella Ward, another Ariella living during the Gilded Age of the late nineteenth century. As one Ariella fights to discover the truth about the murder case, another Ariella will help lead her down the path to find the truth of who she was meant to be.
The first in the new fiction series written by New Age and the occult expert, Susan Brinkmann, will not only open the reader's eyes to the true nature of the spiritual movements of our day, but will also open their hearts to the glory of Christianity, the critical role of women in the Church, and the Truth that sets us free.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 14, 2025
About the author
Susan Brinkmann
19 books16 followersSusan Brinkmann, O.C.D.S., is an author and award-winning journalist is a member of the Third Order of Discalced Carmelites. She serves as Director of New Age Research for Women of Grace® (www.womenofgrace.com) and is a frequent guest on EWTN’s Women of Grace® television show. She is the founder of Live Catholic (www.livecatholic.org ), an educational nonprofit devoted to teaching authentic Catholic prayer in the Carmelite tradition to the faithful. Susan formerly worked as a Correspondent for the Catholic Standard & Times, the newspaper for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
For the last 10 years she has been the lead researcher for Women of Grace’s New Age Q&A Blog which is the largest blog of its kind in the world. The library of information now exceeds 1600 entries on everything from acupuncture and angels to wicca and yoga.
She has also authored seventeen books, including The Learn to Discern Compendium: Is It Christian or New Age which has an imprimatur from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Avila Institute published her book, A Catholic Guide to Mindfulness which educates the Catholic faithful about the Buddhist practice of mindfulness and how it differs from authentic Catholic spirituality, teaching and thought. Along with Johnnette Williams, she co-authored the Young Women of Grace Study Program which teaches girls ages 13+ what it means to be authentically feminine. Susan’s Like a Catholic series which introduces Carmelite spirituality to the faithful. This series includes Pray Like a Catholic, Live Like a Catholic, Mindful Like a Catholic, and Fight Like a Catholic, all of which have imprimaturs from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Her daily devotional, entitled Day by Day in the Little Way: 365 Reflections on the Teachings of St. Therese of Lisieux introduces devotees to the Little Way of Spiritual Childhood.
In the fall of 2024, Viident Publications will launch Susan’s new series of Catholic women’s novels entitled The Chronicles of Ariella, a gripping saga of murder, romance and redemption that spans six novels and 2000 years of Church history.
Her national journalism awards include the Bernadine-O’Connor Award for Pro-Life Journalism, the Eileen Egan Journalism Award from Catholic Relief Services, and numerous awards from the Catholic Press Association and the Philadelphia Press Association.
For the last 10 years she has been the lead researcher for Women of Grace’s New Age Q&A Blog which is the largest blog of its kind in the world. The library of information now exceeds 1600 entries on everything from acupuncture and angels to wicca and yoga.
She has also authored seventeen books, including The Learn to Discern Compendium: Is It Christian or New Age which has an imprimatur from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Avila Institute published her book, A Catholic Guide to Mindfulness which educates the Catholic faithful about the Buddhist practice of mindfulness and how it differs from authentic Catholic spirituality, teaching and thought. Along with Johnnette Williams, she co-authored the Young Women of Grace Study Program which teaches girls ages 13+ what it means to be authentically feminine. Susan’s Like a Catholic series which introduces Carmelite spirituality to the faithful. This series includes Pray Like a Catholic, Live Like a Catholic, Mindful Like a Catholic, and Fight Like a Catholic, all of which have imprimaturs from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Her daily devotional, entitled Day by Day in the Little Way: 365 Reflections on the Teachings of St. Therese of Lisieux introduces devotees to the Little Way of Spiritual Childhood.
In the fall of 2024, Viident Publications will launch Susan’s new series of Catholic women’s novels entitled The Chronicles of Ariella, a gripping saga of murder, romance and redemption that spans six novels and 2000 years of Church history.
Her national journalism awards include the Bernadine-O’Connor Award for Pro-Life Journalism, the Eileen Egan Journalism Award from Catholic Relief Services, and numerous awards from the Catholic Press Association and the Philadelphia Press Association.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 21, 2026
I wanted to read this book from the time I first saw the cover. I had read one non-fiction work by the author and numerous articles. It took a while for it to show up in Canada and even longer to be available digitally. With my dual form of dyslexia the eBooks make reading so much easier, my son has eye tracking issues and our deacon has low vision. eBooks help with all of these and other issues. Back to the volume at hand; the description of this book states:
“The first novel in this thrilling Christian suspense series.
When investigative reporter, Ariella "Ari" Dalton, wakes on the morning of November 29, 2021, she has no idea that the course of her life is about to change forever.
Assigned to cover a grisly murder case in her local town, Ari works to uncover the truth, but quickly finds herself deep within the macabre and violent world of a Satanic gang that holds a dark secret. Collaborating with an elite FBI squad led by the very handsome—and very Catholic—Supervisory Special Agent Jesse Sandoval, her investigations will lead her to question her own spiritual and religious beliefs.
As the stakes get higher and Ari finds herself inexplicably drawn to Jesse, her beloved grandmother decides to reveal the history of Ariella's lineage in an effort to help guide her granddaughter. Beautifully interwoven within the story of Ari is that of Ella Ward, another Ariella living during the Gilded Age of the late nineteenth century. As one Ariella fights to discover the truth about the murder case, another Ariella will help lead her down the path to find the truth of who she was meant to be.
The first in the new fiction series written by New Age and the occult expert, Susan Brinkmann, will not only open the reader's eyes to the true nature of the spiritual movements of our day, but will also open their hearts to the glory of Christianity, the critical role of women in the Church, and the Truth that sets us free.”
About the author we are informed”
“Susan Brinkmann, OCDS, is a Secular Carmelite, award-winning journalist, and author of seventeen books on the New Age and the occult, Catholic apologetics and Carmelite spirituality. She currently serves as the Director of New Age Research for Women of Grace® which houses the largest library of research on the New Age and the occult in the world. In addition to educating the public on the dangers of the New Age and counterfeit Christianity, Susan’s work will also open hearts to the glory of Christianity, the critical role of women in the Church, and the Truth that sets us free.”
The beginning of the authors note states:
“As engaging as this story may be, it’s important for the reader to understand that it is not entirely fictional. Only the characters, locations, and plot are imagined. Everything else is true and based on fact. The New Age and occult activity described in these novels is based upon the documented testimony of Catholic exorcists and experts in the various disciplines associated with the study of New Age alternatives. The diverse tactics of the devil, manifestations of demonic entities, and the Satanic rituals used by the gang members is also based on real events. Although it might make for a thrilling read, this information is the result of two decades of serious research, first while serving as a reporter at the Catholic Standard and Times newspaper of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and then in my work under the leadership of Johnnette Williams of Women of Grace, the great early pioneer in the field of New Age research.
In addition, the history of the Church that is presented in the various novellas of Ariella’s ancestors is also based upon real history as documented by historians such as Warren Carroll, Jay P. Dolan, and Eusebius, to name a few. The different eras in Church history that are represented in this series were carefully chosen to correlate to current issues in the Church today—the priest abuse scandal, the seemingly out-of-touch responses to social issues, bishops who cave to politics rather than defend the teachings of Christ, the ongoing problem of poor catechesis, and the impact of persecution upon the Suffering Church.
Also to be regarded as factual are the descriptions of the various types of prayer Ari experiences in the chapel. The anointings, infused states, and use of Scripture are all part of the Catholic mystical tradition as taught by the Carmelite doctors of the Church, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. John of the Cross.
Ari’s discovery of these truths very much mirrors my own experience when reverting to Catholicism many years ago. Like her, I looked to the New Age and its Universal Mind for the kind of spiritual highs I could never seem to find in the Mass. And like her, I thought I knew what the Church taught, even though I never read a single encyclical or page of the Catechism. The only Scripture I knew was what I cherry-picked to fit my own narrative. By the time I found the courage to put aside my biases and self-imposed bigotry and really study Church teaching, I was already badly beaten and broken by a world that I thought had all the answers.
When this series ends, Ari will have discovered exactly what I did when I finally summoned up the courage to face what I had so long refused to accept: there is such a thing as objective truth, and we dismiss it at our peril.”
I trusted the book based on the author and publisher, even though this was one of the first books from Feminine Genius, which is an imprint of Viident, which is the parent publishing house of Matthew Kelly over a number of imprints. This story really hit home on many fronts for me. First the history with the occult and new age; second Troubling issues with my mother; and third the power of a praying grandparent. Brinkmann states that in some ways the journey in this novel and series mirrors her own. It also mirrored my own. I did not know much about the story before beginning. I had not read any reviews or even the whole description. When I picked this up I was unaware it was the first in a series, or that the series was planned for 6 volumes. Book 2 was out in Canada by the time I got around to reading it, and book 3 is out in print, though not yet digitally in the US, as of the writing of this review. I discovered the plan for the 6 books arc on Brinkmann’s site while researching for this review. I already have book 2 and it has jumped to the top of me ‘to be read’ pile. And I eagerly away the rest to be available in my region.
Early on in the story are the words:
““There needn’t be any reason other than that we’re Catholic. Christianity is the most hated denomination in the world. . .and Catholics bear the brunt of it.”
Although she dared not say so aloud, she was hardly surprised. The Church stood against modernity. It condemned everything—birth control, abortion, euthanasia, same-sex relations, gender identity. Its strict and backward dogma accomplished nothing but to make everyone feel bad about themselves for being human. In her opinion, there was no future in this church, at least none that would serve in the interest of progress.”
This story has a story within the story. We have Ariella Dalton modern day investigative reporter, who is investigating the hate crime murder at a Catholic church. We have the story of Ariella ‘Ellie’ Ward, found by Ariella’s grandmother and shared over several sections. And we have Ari beginning to question many things. Thinks about her own life, assumptions she had made, and even some of the new age practices she uses. We also have a budding relationship between her an and FBI agent.
The story is very moving. It is inspiring, and it is encouraging. It has some great lessons, but not in a preachy way. It has amazing characters both in the modern story and in the past timeline.
It is a book I could easily recommend for young adult and adult readers, but for teen I would be selective because of some pretty heavy themes. Some of those themes include parental neglect, the new age, and satanic cults. Brinkman handles those subjects masterfully.
I have averaged about a book a day for the last several years. This is one of the best debut fiction novels I have ever read. And one of the best Catholic novels I have read this year. It is an excellent beginning to what looks like it will an amazing series.
This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!
“The first novel in this thrilling Christian suspense series.
When investigative reporter, Ariella "Ari" Dalton, wakes on the morning of November 29, 2021, she has no idea that the course of her life is about to change forever.
Assigned to cover a grisly murder case in her local town, Ari works to uncover the truth, but quickly finds herself deep within the macabre and violent world of a Satanic gang that holds a dark secret. Collaborating with an elite FBI squad led by the very handsome—and very Catholic—Supervisory Special Agent Jesse Sandoval, her investigations will lead her to question her own spiritual and religious beliefs.
As the stakes get higher and Ari finds herself inexplicably drawn to Jesse, her beloved grandmother decides to reveal the history of Ariella's lineage in an effort to help guide her granddaughter. Beautifully interwoven within the story of Ari is that of Ella Ward, another Ariella living during the Gilded Age of the late nineteenth century. As one Ariella fights to discover the truth about the murder case, another Ariella will help lead her down the path to find the truth of who she was meant to be.
The first in the new fiction series written by New Age and the occult expert, Susan Brinkmann, will not only open the reader's eyes to the true nature of the spiritual movements of our day, but will also open their hearts to the glory of Christianity, the critical role of women in the Church, and the Truth that sets us free.”
About the author we are informed”
“Susan Brinkmann, OCDS, is a Secular Carmelite, award-winning journalist, and author of seventeen books on the New Age and the occult, Catholic apologetics and Carmelite spirituality. She currently serves as the Director of New Age Research for Women of Grace® which houses the largest library of research on the New Age and the occult in the world. In addition to educating the public on the dangers of the New Age and counterfeit Christianity, Susan’s work will also open hearts to the glory of Christianity, the critical role of women in the Church, and the Truth that sets us free.”
The beginning of the authors note states:
“As engaging as this story may be, it’s important for the reader to understand that it is not entirely fictional. Only the characters, locations, and plot are imagined. Everything else is true and based on fact. The New Age and occult activity described in these novels is based upon the documented testimony of Catholic exorcists and experts in the various disciplines associated with the study of New Age alternatives. The diverse tactics of the devil, manifestations of demonic entities, and the Satanic rituals used by the gang members is also based on real events. Although it might make for a thrilling read, this information is the result of two decades of serious research, first while serving as a reporter at the Catholic Standard and Times newspaper of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and then in my work under the leadership of Johnnette Williams of Women of Grace, the great early pioneer in the field of New Age research.
In addition, the history of the Church that is presented in the various novellas of Ariella’s ancestors is also based upon real history as documented by historians such as Warren Carroll, Jay P. Dolan, and Eusebius, to name a few. The different eras in Church history that are represented in this series were carefully chosen to correlate to current issues in the Church today—the priest abuse scandal, the seemingly out-of-touch responses to social issues, bishops who cave to politics rather than defend the teachings of Christ, the ongoing problem of poor catechesis, and the impact of persecution upon the Suffering Church.
Also to be regarded as factual are the descriptions of the various types of prayer Ari experiences in the chapel. The anointings, infused states, and use of Scripture are all part of the Catholic mystical tradition as taught by the Carmelite doctors of the Church, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. John of the Cross.
Ari’s discovery of these truths very much mirrors my own experience when reverting to Catholicism many years ago. Like her, I looked to the New Age and its Universal Mind for the kind of spiritual highs I could never seem to find in the Mass. And like her, I thought I knew what the Church taught, even though I never read a single encyclical or page of the Catechism. The only Scripture I knew was what I cherry-picked to fit my own narrative. By the time I found the courage to put aside my biases and self-imposed bigotry and really study Church teaching, I was already badly beaten and broken by a world that I thought had all the answers.
When this series ends, Ari will have discovered exactly what I did when I finally summoned up the courage to face what I had so long refused to accept: there is such a thing as objective truth, and we dismiss it at our peril.”
I trusted the book based on the author and publisher, even though this was one of the first books from Feminine Genius, which is an imprint of Viident, which is the parent publishing house of Matthew Kelly over a number of imprints. This story really hit home on many fronts for me. First the history with the occult and new age; second Troubling issues with my mother; and third the power of a praying grandparent. Brinkmann states that in some ways the journey in this novel and series mirrors her own. It also mirrored my own. I did not know much about the story before beginning. I had not read any reviews or even the whole description. When I picked this up I was unaware it was the first in a series, or that the series was planned for 6 volumes. Book 2 was out in Canada by the time I got around to reading it, and book 3 is out in print, though not yet digitally in the US, as of the writing of this review. I discovered the plan for the 6 books arc on Brinkmann’s site while researching for this review. I already have book 2 and it has jumped to the top of me ‘to be read’ pile. And I eagerly away the rest to be available in my region.
Early on in the story are the words:
““There needn’t be any reason other than that we’re Catholic. Christianity is the most hated denomination in the world. . .and Catholics bear the brunt of it.”
Although she dared not say so aloud, she was hardly surprised. The Church stood against modernity. It condemned everything—birth control, abortion, euthanasia, same-sex relations, gender identity. Its strict and backward dogma accomplished nothing but to make everyone feel bad about themselves for being human. In her opinion, there was no future in this church, at least none that would serve in the interest of progress.”
This story has a story within the story. We have Ariella Dalton modern day investigative reporter, who is investigating the hate crime murder at a Catholic church. We have the story of Ariella ‘Ellie’ Ward, found by Ariella’s grandmother and shared over several sections. And we have Ari beginning to question many things. Thinks about her own life, assumptions she had made, and even some of the new age practices she uses. We also have a budding relationship between her an and FBI agent.
The story is very moving. It is inspiring, and it is encouraging. It has some great lessons, but not in a preachy way. It has amazing characters both in the modern story and in the past timeline.
It is a book I could easily recommend for young adult and adult readers, but for teen I would be selective because of some pretty heavy themes. Some of those themes include parental neglect, the new age, and satanic cults. Brinkman handles those subjects masterfully.
I have averaged about a book a day for the last several years. This is one of the best debut fiction novels I have ever read. And one of the best Catholic novels I have read this year. It is an excellent beginning to what looks like it will an amazing series.
This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!
May 1, 2026
Susan Brinkmann's "Ariella" series promises to be an enjoyable read as its kickoff book "Lioness Lost" left me ready for more. I've not read anyone else's reviews yet so as to avoid being influenced. I'll give "bad news" first. Contains Spoilers!
Criticisms:
1) Why would a clever journalist like Ms. Brinkmann set a work of fiction in November 2021 but make no mention of that infamous "world wide health event" that those of us who lived through it are unlikely to forget anytime soon? My apologies if she put it there and I missed it. Did Ms. Brinkmann do this because the main character Ariella Dalton is a type 1 diabetic, and since that particular plague was unkind towards those with underlying health conditions, the author didn't want to hamstring Ariella? Readers will get tired attempting to follow the busy Ariella while she scurries hither and yon as an investigative journalist. Given Ariella Dalton's personality, while she might have questioned some of the more popular pandemic responses, she would not have hidden in her grandmother's house.
2) Why would the feast of St. Joseph the Worker be mentioned as May 1 in Chapter 22, which is solidly in the 19th century flashback story of Ella Ward? According to an EWTN UK online article dated May 1, 2024: "While the saint’s March feast dates back to the 10th century, his May feast wasn’t instituted until 1955." The EWTN article goes on to say: "Even before the institution of this feast, many popes were beginning to spread a devotion to St. Joseph the Worker. One of these was Pope Leo XIII who wrote on the subject in his encyclical Quamquam Pluries in 1889." The novel mentions Pope Leo XIII but I think I can assume the erstwhile Pope said nothing about May 1 IRL. Who knows, I may be wrong. And while I don't object to poetic license, there are some fire breathing Catholics who will flame and roast Ms. Brinkmann for her anachronism. Put on the armor of God... and some asbestos for the fire breathing Catholics!
3) The positive plug for Andrew Carnegie in chapter 24 might cause a bit of spluttering from my devoutly catholic Pittsburger in-laws...
Positives:
1) Upon hearing a synopsis, literary snobs might think the story of Ariella "Ella" Ward will shape up to be nothing but a boring cliche. But I found it quite heartwarming. Ms. Brinkmann creates a fictional saint who feels human, warm-blooded, and real. Not every Christian writer has the skill to describe a saintly person without being mawkish. Believe me, I've seen more "mawk" than I care to make comment of. Ella has no halo, no angel's wings, and no white robes. She was simply a good lady who cared about others more than herself. IMHO Ella Ward's story was better than Ariella Dalton's, but Ariella Dalton's story is not yet complete so I can't judge.
2) Ariella Dalton's story was interesting enough for me to want to read more about her. I'm getting frustrated as I can't seem to find an electronic version of the series. Does one even exist?
(edited: I don't know why I didn't see it before, but the second book has a Kindle edition. yay!)
3) Ms. Brinkmann is a New Age expert as per EWTN. While I completely accept the church's teaching I will give Ms. Brinkmann the benefit of the doubt that she will pull off Ariella Dalton's rejection of New Age and conversion to Catholicism without finger-wagging and preaching. I like that Ariella's psychic friend sounds human and likeable as well and there aren't on-the-nose whiffs of the diabolical in the psychic, the Reiki massage therapists, and the hippie crystal peddler. IMHO it's important to show the appeal of New Age and the likeability of those who practice it, or it'll come across as preachy. I'm curious to see what happens in the next installments of the series.
I like genealogy, but that's just me. Not everyone does. So another reason for me to follow the series!
Criticisms:
1) Why would a clever journalist like Ms. Brinkmann set a work of fiction in November 2021 but make no mention of that infamous "world wide health event" that those of us who lived through it are unlikely to forget anytime soon? My apologies if she put it there and I missed it. Did Ms. Brinkmann do this because the main character Ariella Dalton is a type 1 diabetic, and since that particular plague was unkind towards those with underlying health conditions, the author didn't want to hamstring Ariella? Readers will get tired attempting to follow the busy Ariella while she scurries hither and yon as an investigative journalist. Given Ariella Dalton's personality, while she might have questioned some of the more popular pandemic responses, she would not have hidden in her grandmother's house.
2) Why would the feast of St. Joseph the Worker be mentioned as May 1 in Chapter 22, which is solidly in the 19th century flashback story of Ella Ward? According to an EWTN UK online article dated May 1, 2024: "While the saint’s March feast dates back to the 10th century, his May feast wasn’t instituted until 1955." The EWTN article goes on to say: "Even before the institution of this feast, many popes were beginning to spread a devotion to St. Joseph the Worker. One of these was Pope Leo XIII who wrote on the subject in his encyclical Quamquam Pluries in 1889." The novel mentions Pope Leo XIII but I think I can assume the erstwhile Pope said nothing about May 1 IRL. Who knows, I may be wrong. And while I don't object to poetic license, there are some fire breathing Catholics who will flame and roast Ms. Brinkmann for her anachronism. Put on the armor of God... and some asbestos for the fire breathing Catholics!
3) The positive plug for Andrew Carnegie in chapter 24 might cause a bit of spluttering from my devoutly catholic Pittsburger in-laws...
Positives:
1) Upon hearing a synopsis, literary snobs might think the story of Ariella "Ella" Ward will shape up to be nothing but a boring cliche. But I found it quite heartwarming. Ms. Brinkmann creates a fictional saint who feels human, warm-blooded, and real. Not every Christian writer has the skill to describe a saintly person without being mawkish. Believe me, I've seen more "mawk" than I care to make comment of. Ella has no halo, no angel's wings, and no white robes. She was simply a good lady who cared about others more than herself. IMHO Ella Ward's story was better than Ariella Dalton's, but Ariella Dalton's story is not yet complete so I can't judge.
2) Ariella Dalton's story was interesting enough for me to want to read more about her. I'm getting frustrated as I can't seem to find an electronic version of the series. Does one even exist?
(edited: I don't know why I didn't see it before, but the second book has a Kindle edition. yay!)
3) Ms. Brinkmann is a New Age expert as per EWTN. While I completely accept the church's teaching I will give Ms. Brinkmann the benefit of the doubt that she will pull off Ariella Dalton's rejection of New Age and conversion to Catholicism without finger-wagging and preaching. I like that Ariella's psychic friend sounds human and likeable as well and there aren't on-the-nose whiffs of the diabolical in the psychic, the Reiki massage therapists, and the hippie crystal peddler. IMHO it's important to show the appeal of New Age and the likeability of those who practice it, or it'll come across as preachy. I'm curious to see what happens in the next installments of the series.
I like genealogy, but that's just me. Not everyone does. So another reason for me to follow the series!
July 26, 2026
This was a fun read. The premise is fascinating, and I enjoyed the exploration of modern occult/New Age practices from a Catholic perspective. However, I do think this book would have benefitted from a bit more editing. There were a couple grammatical errors and the pacing felt off. The plot started out strong, then switched gears from the murder case to develop a romance between Ari and Jesse, then took a break while we heard Ella's story, and then kind of just...ended? I know it's part of a series; I just hadn't realized the story would end without featuring some form of climax/conclusion, so that threw me off a bit, but that means I'll just have to start the next one soon! The pacing may have only felt awkward to me since I had different expectations going in.
I wasn't as interested in the secondary storyline about Ari's ancestor, Ella, fighting for worker's rights, mainly because it started halfway through when I was already invested in Ari's story and didn't appreciate stopping to pursue a different and ostensibly unrelated storyline. I'll admit I skimmed through those parts once or twice in my desire to get back to Ari's story. I know the ancestor storyline in the second book will be set during the Elizabethan persecution, which is one of my favorite time periods to read about, so I'm hoping I'll like that one a lot more!
Overall, this was a fun, interesting read. I'm looking forward to seeing where the story progresses in future books!
The first two books are available through Hoopla for anyone interested!
I wasn't as interested in the secondary storyline about Ari's ancestor, Ella, fighting for worker's rights, mainly because it started halfway through when I was already invested in Ari's story and didn't appreciate stopping to pursue a different and ostensibly unrelated storyline. I'll admit I skimmed through those parts once or twice in my desire to get back to Ari's story. I know the ancestor storyline in the second book will be set during the Elizabethan persecution, which is one of my favorite time periods to read about, so I'm hoping I'll like that one a lot more!
Overall, this was a fun, interesting read. I'm looking forward to seeing where the story progresses in future books!
The first two books are available through Hoopla for anyone interested!
February 6, 2025
The start to a new series! Susan Brinkmann writes an intense story about a hate crime committed at a local Catholic Church. It follows Ariella (Ari), an investigative journalist, as she digs deep into what happened. There's drama, action, romance and more. Using her knowledge of New Age practices and the Church's teachings on them, Susan opens discussion into what lies out there in the world.
Be aware there are some intense themes in this book: new age, satanic cults, parental neglect. Definitely a book for adults or older teens!
The book also contains a past timeline, the story of a past Ariella, which is a large chunk of the story. (almost half) Susan includes lots of Church history here though!
This book was a 3 star read- very interesting. Past timelines aren't my favorite literary technique, and I feel as if the rest of the series might utilize it too, so I'm not sure I'll continue with there series, but you never know.
Be aware there are some intense themes in this book: new age, satanic cults, parental neglect. Definitely a book for adults or older teens!
The book also contains a past timeline, the story of a past Ariella, which is a large chunk of the story. (almost half) Susan includes lots of Church history here though!
This book was a 3 star read- very interesting. Past timelines aren't my favorite literary technique, and I feel as if the rest of the series might utilize it too, so I'm not sure I'll continue with there series, but you never know.
February 10, 2025
Lioness Lost is an intriguing book that keeps the reader on their toes as the character Ariella Dalton tries to solve the murder case. A long-time follower of Susan Brinkman, she wrote this book loosely based on real accounts that happened in satanic cults. Her knowledge and exposure to the occult make the reader think about how much darkness is out there, but also how God always triumphs.
Dalton's character is intriguing as she struggles with her belief (or disbelief) in God, but as the story unfolds, she begins to realize how real He is and that he is our only hope.
I look forward to the next book in this series and can't wait to see what Susan has in store.
Dalton's character is intriguing as she struggles with her belief (or disbelief) in God, but as the story unfolds, she begins to realize how real He is and that he is our only hope.
I look forward to the next book in this series and can't wait to see what Susan has in store.
June 18, 2026
First, I admire Susan Brinkmann for all the work she has done for our Catholic faith. She has written many books, she is a lay Carmelite, and she is an expert on New Age research. I couldn't wait to dive into this book, and sure enough, I could not put it down once I started. It begins with a murder of a sacristan in a Catholic Church, and Ari, an investigative reporter, is called to the scene. As Ari delves deeper into the investigation, with the FBI, she learns things that might change her life forever. Brinkmann also interweaves an historical story, and it makes for a very interesting and suspenseful tale. This is the first book in a series, and I am already reading Book #2.
May 4, 2025
Lioness Lost is a modern crime thriller, romance, historical fiction, and Catholic book all at once! I didn’t know what to expect when starting it but definitely enjoyed the read and can’t wait for the rest of the series to come out.
July 18, 2025
Love the history, the spiritual truths and how the story pulls you along that you can't put it down. How timely, some of the story takes place when Pope Leo XIII was pope after whom Pope Leo XIV named.
June 4, 2026
This book is a little different than most ones I pick. The author will be speaking at a conference I'm attending and I wanted to read it. The story was different than I expected, but I enjoyed it. I loved the flashback storyline. 'It all started with a pair of boots.'
May 19, 2025
3.5. I love the potential of this book, but it could use more editing. Some of it was quite underdeveloped. However, the connection to faith and the characters are very likable and interesting.
September 27, 2025
It just wasn’t long enough! Looking forward to the rest of the series.
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