The Forgotten Carols stage performance tells the story of Connie Lou, a nurse whose empty life is changed when Uncle John, a new patient she is attending, recounts the story of Christ’s birth as told by little known characters in the nativity story. The accounts from the Innkeeper, the Shepherd and others help the nurse discover what the world has forgotten about Christmas, ultimately encouraging her to open her heart to the joy of this special season.
Discover the true spirit of Christmas by seeing The Forgotten Carols live!
I am thrilled to be hosting a stop on
the blog tour for LEGACY by Shannon Messenger! I am spotlighting the whole
series today check it out and enter to win the giveaway below!
Illusions
shatter—and Sophie and her friends face impossible choices—in this astonishing
eighth book in the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling
Keeper of the Lost Cities series.
Only
this first edition includes an exclusive extra scene from Tam’s point of view
as well as beautiful illustrated endpapers from Shannon Messenger.
Sophie Foster wants answers. But after a lifetime of lies, sometimes the truth is the most dangerous discovery. Even the smallest secret comes with terrifying new responsibilities.
And Sophie’s not the only one with blank spots in her past, or mysteries surrounding her family. She and her friends are part of something much bigger than they imagined—and their roles have already been chosen for them.
Every clue drags them deeper into the conspiracy. Every memory forces them to question everything—especially one another. And the harder they fight, the more the lines blur between friend and enemy.
In this unforgettable seventh book in the Keeper of the Lost
Cities series, Sophie must let the past and present blur together, because the
deadliest secrets are always the ones that get erased.
Sophie Foster doesn’t know what—or whom—to believe. And in a game with this many players, the worst mistake can be focusing on the wrong threat.
But when the Neverseen prove that Sophie’s far more vulnerable than she ever imagined, she realizes it’s time to change the rules. Her powerful abilities can only protect her so far. To face down ruthless enemies, she must learn to fight.
Unfortunately, battle training can’t help a beloved friend who’s facing a whole different danger—where the only solution involves one of the biggest risks Sophie and her friends have ever taken. And the distraction might be exactly what the villains have been waiting for.
Sophie Foster is struggling. Grieving. Scrambling. But she knows one thing: she will not be defeated.
The Neverseen have had their victories—but the battle is far from over. It’s time to change tactics. Make sacrifices. Reexamine everything. Maybe even time for Sophie to trust her enemies.
All paths lead to Nightfall—an ominous door to an even more ominous place—and Sophie and her friends strike a dangerous bargain to get there. But nothing can prepare them for what they discover. The problems they’re facing stretch deep into their history. And with time running out, and mistakes catching up with them, Sophie and her allies must join forces in ways they never have before.
Dark schemes unfold–and Sophie’s loyalty is pushed to the limit–in this thrilling fifth book in the best-selling KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES SERIES.
Sophie Foster is back in the Lost Cities–but the Lost Cities have changed. The threat of war hangs heavy over her glittering world, and the Neverseen are wreaking havoc.
The lines between friend and enemy have blurred, and Sophie is unsure whom to trust. But when she’s warned that the people she loves most will be the next victims, she knows she has to act.
A mysterious symbol could be the key–if only she knew how to translate it. Every new clue seems to lead deeper into her world’s underbelly and the Black Swan aren’t the only ones who have plans. The Neverseen have their own Initiative, and if Sophie doesn’t stop it, they might finally have the ultimate means to control her.
Sophie Foster is on the run—but at least she’s not alone.
Her closest friends from the Lost Cities have gone with her to join the Black Swan. They still have doubts about the shadowy organization, but the only way to find answers is to start working with them. And as they settle into their new lives, they uncover secrets far bigger than anything they’d imagined.
But their enemies are far from done, and unleash a terrifying plague that threatens the safety of an entire species. Sophie and her friends fight with everything they have—with new allies joining them—but every choice has consequences. And trusting the wrong person could prove deadly.
In this game-changing fourth book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must question everything to find a truth that will either save her world—or shatter it.
Her talents are getting stronger, and with the elusive Black Swan group ignoring her calls for help, she’s determined to find her kidnappers—before they come after her again.
But a daring mistake leaves her world teetering on the edge of war, and causes many to fear that she has finally gone too far. And the deeper Sophie searches, the farther the conspiracy stretches, proving that her most dangerous enemy might be closer than she realizes.
In this nail-biting third book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must fight the flames of rebellion, before they destroy everyone and everything she loves.
Sophie Foster thought she was safe. Settled into her home at Havenfield, surrounded by friends, and using her unique telepathic abilities to train Silveny–the first female alicorn ever seen in the Lost Cities–her life finally seems to be coming together.
But Sophie’s kidnappers are still out there. And when Sophie discovers new messages and clues from the mysterious Black Swan group, she’s forced to take a terrifying risk—one that puts everyone in incredible danger.
As long buried secrets rise to the surface, it’s once again up to Sophie to uncover hidden memories—before someone close to her is lost forever.
In this second book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must journey to the darkest corners of her luminous world in a sequel that will leave you breathless for more.
Title: KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES (Keeper of the
Lost Cities #1)
Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She’s a Telepath—someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It’s a talent she’s never known how to explain.
Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers there’s a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave danger. In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a place that is vastly different from anything she has ever known.
Sophie has new rules to learn and new skills to master, and not everyone is thrilled that she has come “home.”
There are secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memory—secrets about who she really is and why she was hidden among humans—that other people desperately want. Would even kill for.
In this page-turning debut, Shannon Messenger creates a riveting story where one girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world, before the wrong person finds the answer first.
About Shannon:
SHANNON MESSENGER graduated from
the USC School of Cinematic Arts where she learned—among other things—that she
liked watching movies much better than making them. She’s studied art,
screenwriting, and film production, but realized her real passion was writing
stories for children. She’s the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
of the award-winning middle grade series, Keeper of the Lost Cities, as well as
the Sky Fall series for young adults. Her books have been featured on multiple
state reading lists, published in numerous countries, and translated into many
different languages. She lives in Southern California with an embarrassing
number of cats. Visit her online at shannonmessenger.com and follow her on
Twitter and Instagram @sw_messenger and on Facebook @KepperOfTheLostCities.
Book Synopsis: Daniel Trotter began a forty-day fast. He was consumed by the question and desperate to know, what do I do? After thirty days in the wilderness, God sent him home with an answer. It was, “Come back to Me.” For decades, Daniel was held in thrall to addiction and depression. He had friends, but life had lost all meaning. During a radical fast, Daniel encountered God – and great temptation. Afterward, he lost his wife, and his home, but he gained a new perspective – God’s. He went back to school and graduated with honors. God blessed him with a remarriage to someone who understands his heart and shares his faith. He has found peace and purpose. Daniel found freedom in God’s love and in following God and living according to his precepts. Daniel’s memoir will show you how God can heal every physical, mental and emotional hurt and help you to become whole.
We are Giving away one FREE Copy of “A Different Kind of Strong” and a $50 Amazon Gift Card
Sophie wants one thing for Christmas-a little freedom from her overprotective parents. So when they decide to spend Christmas in South Louisiana with her very pregnant older sister, Sophie is looking forward to some much needed private (read: make-out) time with her long-term boyfriend, Griffin. Except it turns out that Griffin wants a little freedom from their relationship.
Heartbroken, Sophie flees to her grandparents’ house, where the rest of her boisterous extended family is gathered for the holiday. That’s when her nonna devises a (not so) brilliant plan: Over the next ten days, Sophie will be set up on ten different blind dates by different family members. Like her sweet cousin Sara, who sets her up with a hot guy at an exclusive underground party. Or her crazy aunt Patrice, who signs Sophie up for a lead role in a living nativity. With a boy who barely reaches her shoulder. And a screaming baby.
When Griffin turns up unexpectedly and begs for a second chance, Sophie feels more confused than ever. Because maybe, just maybe, she’s started to have feelings for someone else . . . Someone who is definitely not available.
This is going to be the worst Christmas break ever . . . or is it?
“This
piece-by-piece romance doesn’t need its Christmas theme to sell, but it makes
it glitter all the more.”—Booklist
“In a funny
holiday romance that has Sophie dog-sitting in a hockey rink, watching porn at
a drive-in theater, and playing the Virgin Mary in a middle school Nativity,
Elston cleverly reflects the family members’ personalities through their
choices of dates for Sophie.”—Publishers Weekly
Review
The cover is perfect. Festive, beautiful photography and design. I enjoyed 10 Blind Dates because of the bond Sophie has with her family. They are a large Italian bunch jammed into one home for Christmas, and taking bets on Sophie’s dating life. There were so many healthy dynamics illustrated, including post partum recovery, cousin love and close bonds with parents, grandparents and extended relatives.
Her neighbor Wes is kind, considerate, and takes good care of the main character as she braves a break up as well as a few sketchy blind date situations. A well rounded plot and endearing characters make this a heart warming, light read. I didn’t enjoy her evil cousins or their date activity. I wish the love interest hadn’t been all but settled until a little further into the book, to build suspense. My only two small complaints. Overall, a fun read!
Parental content: underage drinking, mention of pornography and nudity.
I received a copy from the publisher free as part of a blog tour.
About Ashley:
Ashley Elston is the author of several
novels, including THE RULES FOR DISAPPEARING (a finalist in the Best Young
Adult Novel category of the International Thriller Awards) and THIS IS OUR
STORY. She graduated with a Liberal Arts degree from Louisiana State University
in Shreveport. Ashley worked for many years as a wedding photographer before
turning her hand to writing. Ashley lives in Louisiana with her husband and
three sons.
Ashley is represented by Sarah Davies at The
Greenhouse Literary Agency.
Can the fairy tale bring Charlotte the happiness she’s looking for, or was he always there to begin with?
A modern, reimagined Cinderella story.
When aspiring author Charlotte Kingsley finally gets published, she thinks all her dreams have come true. But the trouble begins when her publicity firm reinvents her quirky online presence into a perfectly curated dream life. Gone are the days of sweatpant posts and ice cream binges with her best friend, Anders, replaced instead with beautiful clothes, orchestrated selfies, and no boyfriend. Only, that carefully curated fairy tale life is ruining her self-esteem and making her feel like a fraud.
When a bestselling author takes Charlotte under her wing—almost like a fairy godmother—she helps Charlotte see the beautiful person she already is and the worth of being authentic. But is it too late to save her relationship with Anders? The clock is quickly ticking towards midnight, and Charlotte must decide between her fairy tale life and the man she loves, before he’s gone forever.
About the Author
Julie Wright is the author of more than twenty novels, including the Proper Romance® novels Lies Jane Austen Told Me and Lies, Love, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. She is a Whitney Award winner and a Crown Heart recipient. She is represented by agent Sara Crowe. She loves reading and writing, playing on the beach or hiking with her husband and kids, and watching her husband make dinner.
Advance Praise/Endorsements:
“This sweet, heartfelt tale of authentic characters
facing intriguing challenges is at once very romantic and charmingly chaste.”
-Booklist, starred review
“Wright spins a modern-day and very meta Cinderella
tale. This fast-paced, lighthearted romance also carries a moral lesson about
falsehoods getting in the way of the quest for true happiness.”
-Publishers Weekly
“Aspiring author Charlotte ‘Lettie’ Kingsley writes
fairy tales and hopes to be published. When she gets one more rejection, her
feelings of pique lead her to an inspired idea: She’ll write a self-help book
called The Cinderella Fiction that will encourage readers to live their best
lives. Lettie’s agent has big plans for the book and has created a team to make
it a bestseller, including a PR firm that demands a complete makeover for
Lettie. From wardrobe to apartment to a new nickname, ‘Char,’ every detail is
changed to create an image that inspires admiration and a legion of followers.
However, it also means that her real-life relationships are affected, and the
new Char is so different from the old Lettie that she’ll have to sift through
what she wanted, and what she’s gained, so she can live her own best life,
authentically. Wright updates ‘Cinderella’ with a modern twist and smart,
satisfying details.”
The Larkin family isn’t just lucky—they persevere. At least that’s what Violet and her younger brother, Sam, were always told. When the Lyric sank off the coast of Maine, their great-great-great-grandmother didn’t drown like the rest of the passengers. No, Fidelia swam to shore, fell in love, and founded Lyric, Maine, the town Violet and Sam returned to every summer.
But wrecks seem to run in the family: Tall, funny, musical Violet can’t stop partying with the wrong people. And, one beautiful summer day, brilliant, sensitive Sam attempts to take his own life.
Shipped back to Lyric while Sam is in treatment, Violet is haunted by her family’s missing piece-the lost shipwreck she and Sam dreamed of discovering when they were children. Desperate to make amends, Violet embarks on a wildly ambitious mission: locate the Lyric, lain hidden in a watery grave for over a century.
She finds a fellow wreck hunter in Liv Stone, an amateur local historian whose sparkling intelligence and guarded gray eyes make Violet ache in an exhilarating new way. Whether or not they find the Lyric, the journey Violet takes-and the bridges she builds along the way-may be the start of something like survival.
Epic, funny, and sweepingly romantic, The Last True Poets of the Sea is an astonishing debut about the strength it takes to swim up from a wreck.
About Julia:
Julia Drake grew up outside Philadelphia. As a teenager, she played some of Shakespeare’s best heroines in her high school theater program and their stories would stay with her forever. She received her BA in Spanish from Williams College, and her MFA in creative writing from Columbia University, where she also taught writing to first-year students. She currently works as a book coach for aspiring writers and teaches creative writing classes for Writopia Lab, a nonprofit that fosters love of writing in young adults. She lives in San Francisco with her partner and their rescue rabbit, Ned.
This Christmas, Sadie Hoffmiller Cunningham is making a list and checking it twice. For the first time since she and Pete married five years ago, their combined families are gathering for the holidays in Fort Collins, Colorado, for a party that would make Santa and Mrs. Claus proud.
She just has to bake the famous Cunningham Candy Cane Cake, make sure the looming snowstorm doesn’t derail everyone’s travel plans, and oh, yes, solve one teensy-tiny mystery before the big day.
At ninety-four and nearly blind, Mary, Sadie’s friend and neighbor, knows this will be her last Christmas. When Sadie learns that someone has stolen antique Christmas ornaments from Mary’s tree, she vows to find the thief, no matter what. The ornaments had been appraised at more than $40,000, but they were worth even more to Mary, who had intended to bequeath them to her great-granddaughter, Joy, as a final gift.
With Pete in Arizona wrapping up a case of his own, it’s up to Sadie to question the residents of Nicholas House, where Mary lives, and deduce who had the means and the motive to steal heirloom ornaments during what should be the most wonderful time of the year.
When stories of other thefts surface, Sadie feels like she’s creating a “naughty” list that could rival Santa’s. Identifying the thief, recovering the ornaments, and restoring them to Mary’s tree in time will take a Christmas miracle—and maybe a few extra-special cookies.
We have read all of the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mysteries, and are always thrilled when Josi comes out with another one. Pull up some hot cocoa and cookies to join Sadie as she tries to uncover who has nabbed Mary’s antique heirloom ornaments off the tree in her care center room. With holiday names for each character–Joy, Carol, Ivy plus recipes at the end of each chapter, The Candy Cane Caper will put you in the Christmas mood.
Sadie is a bit meddling and unconventional in her methods, but she cares for each person she encounters. There are some tender moments with Mary as she prepares to wrap up a full life. A bit lighter than the other installments, it is a clean holiday mystery all can enjoy. It will warm your heart!
About the Author
Josi S. Kilpack is an accomplished and prolific author of nearly two dozen novels including the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series. She has won multiple Whitney Awards for Mystery/Suspense, Romance, and Novel of the Year as well as the Utah Best of State Fiction Winner. She lives with her family in Utah.
Follow the author on Instagram @authorjosiskilpack
Advance Praise/Endorsements:
“A warmhearted mystery.” -Kirkus
“Sadie Hoffmiller dishes up a fresh serving of Christmas cheer. An inspirational cozy whose feel-good vibe will be perfect for fans of Julie Hyzy’s and Nancy J. Parra. Readers with a sweet tooth will be sure to enjoy Sadie’s family recipes, sprinked throughout the book.” -Booklist
“Kilpack represents a nice range of ages in this story, and the relationships feel both real and aspirational. The clues and solution are complex enough to keep readers guessing. Recipes are included, making this a fun choice for cookbook discussion groups as well as general readers. Twelve previous “Culinary Mystery” titles precede this entry, which can be read on its own.” -Library Journal
Simon considers himself fortunate after securing the final room at the inn in Bethlehem. While eating his supper, he sees a younger man and his pregnant wife denied lodging at the door of the inn. Simon momentarily considers giving up his space, but he is weary from his travels as a spice merchant and turns away from the thought.
Over the ensuing years, Simon traverses the popular trade routes, and each time he passes Bethlehem, he is reminded of that evening and plagued by guilt.
In time, the Savior begins his ministry, and Simon begins the life-changing process of trying to understand and believe the teachings and miracles of this man called Jesus—said to be the promised Messiah.
The Last Man at the Inn is the story of a journey of conversion we all take in one form or another, told through the eyes and heart of a common man. It is written to affirm the believer, to lovingly beckon to the undecided, and to call out to those who may not even know they are looking for something—only that there is a space in their soul that somehow needs to be filled.
About the Author:
R. William Bennett grew up on the Jersey
shore and in Connecticut. He is the author
of the best-selling Christmas novella Jacob T. Marley
and the award-winning book The Christmas Gift. He works as
a division president of Franklin Covey. He and his wife
are the parents of four children, and they live
in the Southwest.
Advance Praise/Endorsements:
“Bennett (Jacob T. Marley) recreates the life
of the cross-carrying Simon of Cyrene in this enchanting historical…Simon
struggles to accept this new faith—until he is visited by the words of the Holy
Spirit. Now preaching Jesus’s message, he follows his family toward Jerusalem.
Fans of Mesu Andrews will love this earnest exploration of Simon of Cyrene’s
struggle with faith.”
-Publishers Weekly
“Not just a Christmas
book, The Last Man at the Inn is the story
of a man who is experiencing a crisis of faith and his path to
conversion. Beautifully told with a surprise ending.”
-Jason F. Wright, New
York Times best-selling author of Christmas
Jars
“Both riveting and poignant, this book
gives the reader a glimpse into what it might have been like to
live as one of the first Christians and followers of Jesus
Christ. The story left me pondering the path of
discipleship and gave me a deeper desire to stand more firmly as a witness of
Christ in my own life.”
-Emily Belle Freeman, author of A Christ-
Centered Christmas and A
Christ-Centered Easter
“The Last Man at the Inn is
a wonderful invitation to look at Christ’s birth, life, and death
through new eyes. I appreciate William Bennett’s timely reminder that true
disciples come to Christ and stay.”
Relatable, heartbreaking, and real, this is a story of resilience–the perfect novel for readers of powerful contemporary fiction like Girl in Pieces and Every Last Word.
Before, I was a million things. Now I’m only one. The Burned Girl.
Ava Lee has lost everything there is to lose: Her parents. Her best friend. Her home. Even her face. She doesn’t need a mirror to know what she looks like–she can see her reflection in the eyes of everyone around her.
A year after the fire that destroyed her world, her aunt and uncle have decided she should go back to high school. Be “normal” again. Whatever that is. Ava knows better. There is no normal for someone like her. And forget making friends–no one wants to be seen with the Burned Girl, now or ever.
But when Ava meets a fellow survivor named Piper, she begins to feel like maybe she doesn’t have to face the nightmare alone. Sarcastic and blunt, Piper isn’t afraid to push Ava out of her comfort zone. Piper introduces Ava to Asad, a boy who loves theater just as much as she does, and slowly, Ava tries to create a life again. Yet Piper is fighting her own battle, and soon Ava must decide if she’s going to fade back into her scars . . . or let the people by her side help her fly.
“A heartfelt and unflinching look at the reality of being a burn survivor and at the scars we all carry. This book is for everyone, burned or not, who has ever searched for a light in the darkness.” –Stephanie Nielson, New York Times bestselling author of Heaven Is Here and a burn survivor
Review
Scars Like Wings explores the life of a teen who has lost her family and 60% of her body to fire. Ava is at a particularly difficult time of life to be transitioning to a new school and family situation, her aunt and uncle as new guardians. Peers can be cruel and petty, until she meets both a boy and a girl who see beneath her skin to what really matters. I loved seeing the transformation which occurs with friendship and fun. Piper is just the right medicine, taking healing head on and laughing when she could be suffering. This book addresses grief, trauma and coming to be comfortable in one’s own space. Ava has a long road to travel and is bitter at first, but the author shows how one or two people can make a huge difference in each others’ lives.
Content: the first chapter has the most content for parents pre-reading. Some mentions of adults sexual relations and tension. Bullying triggers.
About the Author
Erin Stewart is the author of SCARS LIKE WINGS, her debut novel. Erin is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern and a BYU undergraduate who works as a freelance writer and editor, as well as a weekly columnist in Salt Lake City.
Erin lives in Utah
with her husband and three children. She is represented by the amazing Brianne
Johnson of Writers House.
Title: ACADEMY OF THE ELITES (Untamed Magic #1) Author: Alexis Calder Pub. Date: October 1, 2019 Publisher: Alexis Calder Formats: Paperback, eBook Pages: 139 Find it: Goodreads, Amazon
Upcoming Release Dates for Academy of Elites: Untamed Magic: October 1, 2019 Broken Magic: November 2019 Fated Magic: December 2019
About Alexis:
Alexis Calder writes sassy heroines and sexy heroes with a sprinkle of sarcasm. She lives in the Rockies and drinks far too much coffee and just the right amount of wine. Facebook | Amazon Author Page | BookBub | Goodreads
Giveaway Details: 1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card, International.
