Checkmate, Shadows of the Son #4 by Mina Ambrose is now available on Kindle and in paperback.
Jude flies to California to search for his real parents and the truth of his origins but is left with more questions than answers
And unwilling to face the possibility that he may be half-vampire, he decides instead to concentrate on his quest, as the most immediate concern. He is convinced that Phaedra is the “damsel in distress” of his recurring nightmare and that it is his task to rescue her from the “dragon,” Charon.
He returns to the mansion for another renovation job (transforming the top floor into an observatory) and allows himself to be persuaded to join the vampires’ parties after hours. His hope is that he may learn the master’s plan for Phaedra and foil it.
Phaedra has been warned, but under the guise of a star party with her astronomy class, is lured to the mansion. Charon quickly ensnares her and she vanishes into the labyrinth. Jude begins a mad search for her, fearing what the master intends. But meddling with the powers of darkness brings dire consequences, and the price of saving her may be dearer than even he has reckoned.
Charon has promised that his vampire crew will become daywalkers, and he, lord of all. Is this to be the end of the world as we know it?
Synopsis: Amara McKirnan and Nathan Simmons share a devotion to their Catholic faith but their loyalties lie on opposite sides of the conflict. Dedicated to the Confederate cause, Amara offers to help out at her uncle’s makeshift hospital in Atlanta. Fate brought Nathan to their doorstep and into Amara’s life. Little does Amara know that the wounded soldier she cares for harbors a secret that will not only jeopardize his life but hers as well.
Follow Amara and Nathan’s story from the heart of war-torn Atlanta to the Northern Georgia battlefields to the plains of East Texas as their lives become intertwined in a way that shatters the separate worlds they once knew.
Reviews: “Amanda Lauer brings history to life in this fast-paced, emotionally charged, splendid tale. Extremely enjoyable.” May McGoldrick, International Bestselling Author of The Thistle and Rose,Secret Vows and the Highland Treasure Trilogy
“The South of 1864 springs to life in ‘A World Such as Heaven Intended.’ Rich in details of language, setting, and social mores, Lauer takes readers on the journey of her protagonist, Amara McKirnan, a strong woman ahead of her time who wrestles with her blended family and the horrors of the Civil War to find the peace and happiness she is convinced awaits her.” Marni Graff, Author, The Nora Tierney Mysteries
“‘A World Such as Heaven Intended’ is a fast-moving historical romance that will keep you turning pages until the very end! An excellent read.” Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur, Author, The Catholic Baby Name Book
“A charming romance with well-drawn characters and clear imagery, offering the reader a chance to slip away to another era and come home refreshed.” A.K. Frailey, Author, The Deliverance Trilogy
Synopsis: Catherine Doherty leads us into the riches of God’s boundless mercy as she teaches us the spirit, the liturgy, and the customs of the Lent and Easter season, including:
Practical guidance on preparing for the internal spiritual pilgrimage that is Lent.
Meditations on the meanings of the many holy days preceding and following Easter.
Traditions and customs which will help your family live the holiness of the Easter season.
After-dinner talks by Catherine Doherty, spiritual readings around the dining room table — on the spirit, liturgy and customs of Lent, Holy Week, the Easter Triduum and Paschaltide.
Catherine speaks on such topics as how to Prepare for Lent; Why Fasting; The Motive is Love; Sin, Repentance, Conversion. Also on Palm (Passion) Sunday; Holy Week; Holy Thursday: Priesthood and Eucharist; Good Friday; Holy Saturday: Christ’s Descent into Hades; and Christ is Risen! Then Paschaltime and Christ’s Ascension, Pentecost. A rich tapestry of scriptural reflections and Customs and Traditions to bring it all to life!
Excellent for personal and group study.
A wonderful resource for preachers and teachers!
My review: As we begin Lent today, I’m sharing one of my favorite Lent and Easter books. This beautiful book can help anyone maneuver through the “Season of Mercy.” Highly recommend!
Good Men and Grace by Alita Ngo
Coming Soon from FQP: Good Men and Grace is the story of an orphaned young man, Abel Wheaton, of mixed Anglo and American Indian descent, set in 1860, with flashbacks about 20 years into the past, in the U. S. Territories and states of the period. Abel is a rider for the Pony Express. On a few days’ break from his duties, he comes across the Pearces, a lost family of freed slaves traveling west from Chicago to Sacramento. During Abel’s time with them, both heartwarming and heart-rending exchanges, and a life-threatening situation, take their toll as he gains greater insight into slavery in the South and a deeper understanding of himself and his own circumstances. Join Abel, Jake, William, and of course, Grace, in a journey toward an unexpected, triumphant friendship.
Amazon Synopsis: From Alice and Abe to Zeb and Zipper, an alphabetical array of guests turns out for the biggest birthday party ever. But Hooper Humperdink isn’t on the guest list!
My review: I’ve been reading this one frequently with my two-and-a-half-year-old grandson. I say “with” because he knows this one by heart (like many books). This one is especially entertaining! At first, it seems the author wants to exclude Hooper from his birthday party, but in the end (spoiler alert), he decides he wants to invite Hooper to his party. A fun read!
Amazon Synopsis: BOSTON, 1793—Beautiful and artistic, the only daughter of a prominent merchant, Molly Chase cannot help but attract the notice of Federalist Boston—especially its men. But she carries a painful secret: her father committed suicide and she found his body. Now nightmares plague her day and night, addling her mind and rendering her senseless. Molly needs a home, a nurse, and time to grieve and to find new purpose in life. But when she moves in with her friends, the Robbs, spiteful society gossips assume the worst. And when an imprudent decision leads to public scandal, Molly is tempted to take the easy way out: a marriage of convenience.
Merchant sailor Josiah Robb is as familiar to Molly as a brother—as dear and as exasperating. Yet she is no sister to him. He hopes to marry her before anyone else does, but sailing the high seas leaves no time for convincing Molly that he is more than her teasing childhood friend. Josiah wants a new job and a fresh start, and when he agrees to carry a confidential letter to President Washington, his life is forever changed.
In the wake of tragedy, these longtime friends discover a new intimacy. But slander, confusion, absence, and a wealthy, conniving bully stand between them. And with French spies on the loose, they not only have to rescue their reputations—they have to protect their lives.
My review: Wonderful story and beautifully written. Highly recommend!
Plot Line and Sinker (Ellen Gable, Author) 