Tag Archives: Catholic Teen Books

ASHES: VISIBLE & INVISIBLE – Lenten Anthology

  By Corinna Turner • February 1, 2023

A boy in ancient Israel, a girl in modern-day America, a young man in the far future; a dozen teenagers in different settings. What do they all have in common? Each of these otherwise unrelated young people is presented with a choice, the same choice that every teen must make at some point in their lives: God or self. Sacrifice or selfishness.

CatholicTeenBooks.com (of which I am a member) is excited to announce its newest anthology: Ashes: Visible and Invisible. This short story collection, which comes out on January 31, will both entertain young readers and invite them into a deeper understanding of Lent and their faith.

Some characters in this anthology risk being eaten by dinosaurs, others must simply rise to a new level of maturity in their everyday life, while some must choose a higher level of generosity. The stakes my vary but each character learns a valuable lesson about sacrifice as they grow in their faith.

Why Lent?

Lent is an amazing liturgical season that is often misunderstood. Too often it’s just “the time where you give up chocolate” whereas it can be so much more. It’s a beautiful and liturgically rich season of walking with Christ, even as he approaches Calvary. We wanted to explore some of the variety this season offers and make it more attractive and understandable to teens. My contribution is a brand new unSPARKed short story called ‘A Very Jurassic Lent.’

A taste of what’s inside:

  • When Liz’s faith journey hits a roadblock, will an unexpected detour and chance encounter set her back on track?
  • A teen’s future was all set—before his tragic loss. But his friend’s secret past just might save it.
  • Justin’s religion is outlawed. When an unbeliever asks him about the meaning of life, what can he say?
  • Could God be asking Paul to sacrifice a piece of himself for Lent—literally?
  • A modern American teen discovers what faith, life and love are like in seventeenth-century Scotland.
  • Asher’s desire to prepare for the Messiah intensifies after he’s robbed by bandits. But would fighting alongside the Zealots be the best way?
  • When a risky Ash Wednesday mission to sterilize T. rex eggs goes wrong, fasting is the least of Joshua, Darryl, and Harry’s worries.
  • A medieval girl stranded on a forsaken path confronts threats from without and turmoil from within.
  • Struggling with loss, hunger, and temptation, Ethan finds himself walking in the steps of Jesus

What other people are saying about it:

The Catholic Teen Book authors have done it again! We loved this book from page one; it’s a great way to dig deeper into Lent with your teens. The book has a story for everyone, and they all share the faith in different but wonderful ways. Highly recommend!
Jennifer & Kate Waldyke,
Co-hosts of Catholic Mom and Daughter

‘Ashes’, the latest compilation of stories from CatholicTeenBooks.com provides teen readers with plenty to think about. This compilation focuses on the theme of Lent, Easter, and our own mortality. In each of these stories, there is an encounter with death. Sometimes a death is pending or has just occurred or is threatening nearby. But the experienced and very talented authors at CatholicTeenBooks.com have not presented a depressing, frightening or dark anthology here. Instead, I was surprised to find that each story is uplifting, hopeful and very inspiring.
What binds these stories is that each young person must make a leap of Faith, take a step into a fuller, more mature understanding of their Catholic Faith. Characters are called to forgive, to resist temptation, to be courageous, to be steadfast and responsible. All of them come to understand on a deeper level the sacrificial nature of Love. I highly recommend this collection of stories from the authors at CatholicTeenBooks.com.
Melinda Harrington
Catholic Children’s Stories

This is the fourth anthology from the authors at the Catholic Teen Books collective. Each has been a great read. This Lenten volume is also, to be honest, my favourite of the four now. Each story was remarkable. Many of the contributors to this collection, in their own way, imitate Christ and are master storytellers in our own generation. I have a great deal of respect for the ten authors who contributed to this series. And a couple of them are among my all-time favourite authors. And I read a couple hundred books a year. This anthology is Amazing!
Steven R. McEvoy, BookReviewsAndMore.ca

Links:

Click here to enter a giveaway for this book and some other cool lent-themed items. 

Click here to order the book

2022 Releases!

  By Corinna Turner • January 30, 2023

2022 was a busy year for the unSPARKed series, with a total of 5 titles released!

What is the unSPARKed series?
CAN HUMANS AND DINOSAURS CO-EXIST?
In a Jurassic future, humans no longer have dominion over the earth. Most people live in cities, behind high electric fences, but some choose the freedom of life unSPARKed, close to nature. If you like Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, and Mad Max, you’ll love this pulse-pounding, futuristic, dino-dystopian series with a western twist. Since 2017, award-winning author Corinna Turner has been writing the unSPARKed series. Check it out today!

1.Please Don’t Feed the Dinosaurs

IN A JURASSIC FUTURE, SOME STILL CHOOSE FREEDOM—DESPITE THE DANGERS.

It takes more than a T. rex scratching its back on his Habitat Vehicle to alarm young hunter Joshua—he’s used to living close to nature. But a routine visit to the zoo to deliver a new velociraptor turns deadly when he comes face-to-face with an eleven-foot allosaur called Gold. He knew her when she was a tiny chick—is he a friend from the past—or dinner?

Meanwhile, Darryl and her brother, Harry, are taken completely by surprise when their father remarries. Their new step-mom is a glamorous fashion designer who’s never been outside the city’s electric fences. How will she cope with a life of dinosaur farming? All Darryl can do is try to get her new stepmom safely to the farm. But once you’re unSPARKed, things don’t always go to plan…

From the Carnegie Medal Nominated author of the I AM MARGARET books, adventure lovers will love this fast-paced, fantastically fun series, which has been compared to Jurassic Park and Mad Max.

PLEASE NOTE: Please Don’t Feed the Dinosaurs knits together the original unSPARKed book 1, DRIVE!, with the short story ‘A Dino Whisperer at the Zoo,’ along with a small amount of original material.

Choice of formats and stores HERE.

 

6. A Right Rex Rodeo

THERE AIN’T NO RODEO LIKE HUNTER RODEO!

Desperate for some clue about their father’s fate, Darryl and Harry risk attending the Midwinter Hunter Fair with Josh. But after the rodeo, bonfires, and storytelling are over, a dangerous expedition in search of answers may be their only hope. Even though it means venturing into enemy territory—alone.
Should they risk all on one last attempt—or admit defeat and flee?

Choice of formats and stores HERE.

 

7. FEAR

WE HAVE TO REACH THE HABITAT VEHICLE—OR DIE.
After breaking into Jason’s illegal rex farm to hunt for their kidnapped dad, farm-teens Darryl and Harry, along with young hunter Joshua, have taken extreme measures to escape capture by Jason. But with Darryl now lost in the dark mountains and Josh badly injured, their troubles are far from over. Yet the greatest threat to their survival may be the fears they carry within.

Choice of formats and stores HERE.

 

8. A Different Kind of Camouflage

JOSH, WHERE ARE YOU? ARE YOU ALIVE?
Farm kids Darryl and Harry have experienced the freedom—and dangers—of life as hunters for almost a year while traveling with Josh.
But the authorities have finally caught up with them. Taken to the city against their will, they must both swap wildlife and open skies for concrete and fumes.
In the face of inflexible bureaucrats and ever-watchful social workers, can they remain faithful to their identity and hold onto their hope that one day they will live free again—and be reunited with those they love?

Choice of formats and stores HERE.

 

9. Different Kind of Freedom

DON’T THINK ABOUT WHAT’S OUTSIDE THE WALLS, JOSH.
BECAUSE THE WILDLIFE YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT IS IN HERE WITH YOU.

Young hunter Joshua suffers from severe city-phobia, but now he’s trapped in-city, sentenced to hard prison time for helping Darryl and Harry evade the city authorities for so long. Even if he can survive the threat from inside his own mind, can he navigate the dangers of prison life?
Thrown in with a tough pack of fellow hunters, tensions run high and personalities clash. Will fragile alliances bloom into true friendships or will anger and hatred spiral into violence?
Can the Raptor Whisperer survive being caged with the most dangerous creatures of all—his fellow men?

Choice of formats and stores HERE.

Treasures: Visible & Invisible

  By Corinna Turner • March 10, 2021

Introducing

Treasures: Visible & Invisible

by

Theresa Linden, Susan Peek, Antony Kolenc, Amanda Lauer Carolyn Astfalk, Leslea Wahl, T.M. Gaouette, and Corinna Turner.

 – A brand new Saint Patrick Anthology –

From the early days of the Church, objects touched to holy men and women have been linked to the miraculous, such as described in Acts: “when face cloths or aprons that touched his skin were applied to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.” Acts 19:12

Catholic Teen Books have just released their latest anthology, nicely in time for Saint Patrick’s day next Wednesday. Celebrate this year with an anthology of gripping stories honouring the saint!

Check out the mini-blurbs below:

  • A teen boy sets out to save a friend from pagan druids, but maybe he’s the one who needs saving.
  • Between a baffling scripture verse and a visit from Heaven, a young monk is in for the surprise of his life.
  • A young girl seeks a mysterious treasure that holds the key to granting a nun’s dying wish.
  • Honora is desperate—then a peculiar clover and a mysterious young man change everything.
  • William’s weekend job is a little gift from heaven, but now his family needs a real miracle.
  • When threatened by mobsters, Grace receives help from a surprising source.
  • Alone and afraid, a young girl finds friendship in a stranger. But could this boy be trouble?
  • Kyle was determined to save the precious relic – but now his whole family is in danger. (This is my contribution – it’s a brand new I Am Margaret prequel story.)

You can buy the book from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0997971878/
or anywhere that sells books.

Find the anthology at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57053306-treasures
(Why not leave a review and let other readers know what you thought?

Or check it out at: www.catholicteenbooks.com

 

CHALLENGE:

Can you watch the foot-tapping Book Trailer all the way through without dancing around the room?

 

You can even win the anthology in a giveaway.
Don’t miss it! See below!

Click HERE for the Giveaway! 
(Sorry, US Winners Only!)

 

See what the Advance Reviewers thought:

 

In a world where today’s young adults are constantly surrounded by media that is trying desperately to tear them down, it is a blessing to have books like this that reaffirms our Catholic faith.  Not only does each author give us a great story to read, they also challenge us to think about things like: the hardships of people in our ancient church, putting Grandma first on our social calendars, praying to God when in the midst of fear and suffering, staying strong in our faith while looking death in the face, listening to unlikely friends who lead us on the path to Christ, and ultimately realizing there is sacredness in the relics of our church.  You only find stories that build our faith like this in very special books.  The “building-up”of today’s youth is at the very heart and soul of what the authors are trying to do here, and they have done an amazing job.
Beth Ruggiero
Lit by the Tree, Literature reviews from the Catholic side.
Litbythetree.com


I invite teens, and readers of all ages, to stand on the craggy wind-swept cliff of your imagination, and experience the collection of stories called, Treasures: Visible and Invisible, created by the talented team of authors from Catholic Teen Books. With a shamrock as our touchstone, this book takes us on a journey through an expanse of time from ancient to modern. Be inspired by the holy greatness of heroism rooted in the spiritual treasures of the Emerald Isle.
Cathy Gilmore,
Creator and advocator of stories that inspire heroic virtue. VirtueHeroes.com


We thoroughly enjoyed this cleverly written book about the intercession of St. Patrick throughout the ages. The combination of dynamic characters and intriguing stories kept us hooked from start to finish. A valuable addition to your St. Patrick’s Day bookshelf!
Jennifer & Kate Waldyke,
Co-hosts of Catholic Mom and Daughter



This is the third collection from the authors of Catholic Teen Books. It was an inspiring read. Some stories are of miracles and others about change. Two contributors from the previous collection did not contribute and two new ones have joined the fray. In this collection are 8 stories from the 14 authors who currently compose the collective. My first thought was wow! What an amazing collection of stories around Saint Patrick! I am aware that not everyone likes short stories, but I love them, and this collection is amazing! Short stories are a different art form than novels, and not all novelists have mastered the craft. For a short story to be good, the writing needs to be tighter, cleaner, and crisper. And each of the 8 in this collection is extremely well written…
(Full review on BookReviewsAndMore.ca)
Steven R. McEvoy, BookReviewsAndMore.ca

What a gift to Catholic teens and their families! Each piece in this collection of stories revolving around St Patrick is a beautiful portrayal of the faith. These are wholesome, engaging, and inspiring tales from a variety of genres that will both entertain and spiritually nourish every reader who picks up this book.  
Katie Fitzgerald, ReadAtHomeMom.com

 

For more posts about the anthology, here is the Blog Tour Schedule:

March 5           Bonnie Way                            The Koala Mom                     

March 6           Leslea Wahl                            Ministry Thru Mystery

March 7           Carolyn Astfalk                      My Scribbler’s Heart

March 8           Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur    Spiritual Woman

March 9           Erin Broestl                             Eight Hobbits

March 10         Corinna Turner                        UnSeen Books Blog

March 11         Amanda Lauer                                    AmandaLauer.com

March 12         Sarah Damm                           SarahDamm.com

March 13         Barb Szyszkiewicz                  FranciscanMom                      

March 14         Theresa Linden                       Things Visible & Invisible

March 15         Steven R. McEvoy                  Book Reviews and More

March 16         Lisa Hendey                            LisaHendey.com

March 17         Catholic Teen Books               Catholic Teen Books

 

And you can read all the Author Bios below:

THERESA LINDEN is the author of award-winning Catholic fiction, including the West Brothers contemporary series and the Chasing Liberty dystopian trilogy. One of her great joys is to bring elements of faith to life through a story. She has more than a dozen published books, three of which won awards from the Catholic Press Association. Her short stories appear in several anthologies, including Secrets: Visible & Invisible, and Gifts: Visible & Invisible. Her articles and interviews can be found on various radio shows and in magazines, including EWTN’s The Good Fight, The National Catholic Register, Catholic Digest, Today’s Catholic Teacher, and Catholic Mom. Her books are featured online on Catholic Teen Books, Catholic Reads, FORMED, and Virtue Works Media. A wife, homeschooling mom, and Secular Franciscan, she resides in northeast Ohio with her husband and children. You can learn more about her at www.TheresaLinden.com.

 

SUSAN PEEK is a wife, mother, grandmother, Third Order Franciscan, and bestselling Catholic novelist. Her passion is writing stories of little-known saints and heroes. All her young adult novels have been awarded the coveted Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval and are implemented into Catholic school curricula not only across the nation, but in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand as well. Saint Magnus the Last Viking and The King’s Prey: Saint Dymphna of Ireland were both Amazon #1 Sellers among Catholic books. The King’s Prey was also voted one of Catholic Reads TOP 10 BEST CATHOLIC BOOKS OF 2017 and was a Finalist for the 2018 Catholic Arts and Letters Award. Crusader King was featured as one of the 50 Most Popular Catholic Homeschooling Books in 2013. Susan lives in northeastern Kansas, where she can usually be found with her nose in a book, researching obscure saints to write about. Visit her at www.SusanPeekAuthor.com.

 

ANTONY BARONE KOLENC is the author of The Harwood Mysteries, an exciting historical-fiction series for youth published by Loyola Press. He is a long-time member of the Catholic Writers Guild, and his novels all have the Catholic Writers Guild’s Seal of Approval. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps after 21 years of military service. A law professor who’s had his works published in numerous journals and magazines, Kolenc now speaks at legal, writing, and home-education events. He and his wife, Alisa, are the parents of five children, and have been blessed with three wonderful grandchildren. To learn more about The Harwood Mysteries and its author, visit www.antonykolenc.com.

 

AMANDA LAUER loves writing books—particularly Young Adult Historic Fiction—that portray the Church in a positive light and depict God’s children endeavoring to become the best version of themselves every day. A journalist and proofreader by trade, Amanda embarked on her novelist career with the award-winning and best-selling Heaven Intended Civil War series. A World Such as Heaven Intended earned the 2016 YA CALA award. Currently Amanda has several more books in the process of being published.

 

In addition to writing novels, Amanda works in the film industry writing and copy-editing screenplays. She was awarded Best Writer 2020 (Red Letter Awards) for her work as a co-writer on the movie The Islands. To learn more about Amanda, who’s lucky and blessed to be living in a world such as heaven intended, visit her web site: www.AmandaLauer.com.

 

CAROLYN ASTFALK writes from the sweetest place on Earth, Hershey, Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband and four children. In addition to her contemporary Catholic romances (sometimes referred to as Theology of the Body fiction), including the young adult coming-of-age story Rightfully Ours, she is a Catholicmom.com contributor. She is a member of the Catholic Writers Guild and Pennwriters. When she is not washing dishes, doing laundry, or reading, you can find her blogging about books, faith, and family life at www.CarolynAstfalk.com.

LESLEA WAHL is the author of the award-winning Catholic teen mysteries The Perfect Blindside, An Unexpected Role, Where You Lead, and eXtreme Blindside. The characters in this short story, Luke, Celia, Austin, and Grandma Grace, appear in her newest adventurous novel, A Summer to Treasure. Leslea’s journey to become an author came through a search for value-based fiction for her own children. She now not only writes for teens but also has become a reviewer of Catholic teen fiction to help other families discover faith-based books. Leslea lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and children. The furry, four-legged members of her family often make cameo appearances in her novels. Leslea has always loved mysteries and hopes to encourage teens to grow in their faith through these fun adventures. For more information about her faith-filled Young Adult mysteries, please visit www.LesleaWahl.com.

 

  1. M. GAOUETTE is the author of the Faith & Kung Fu series for young adults, as well as The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch and For Eden’s Sake. She also contributed to the last two Catholic Teen Books anthologies, Secrets: Visible & Invisible with her short story “Sister Francesca” and Gifts: Visible & Invisible with “Just Jesus.” Her novels have received the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval (except new releases for which the seal may be in process). Born in Africa, raised in London, England, Gaouette now lives on a small farm in New England with her husband, where she homeschools their four children, raises goats, and writes fiction for teens and young adults. A former contributor for Project Inspired, Gaouette’s desire is to instill the love of God into the hearts of her readers. You can find out more at www.TMGaouette.com.

CORINNA TURNER is the author of the I Am Margaret and unSPARKed series for young adults, as well as stand-alone works such as Elfling and Mandy Lamb and the Full Moon (for teens) and Someday (for older teens and adults). She has just released The Boy Who Knew (Carlo Acutis) the first book in her new Friends in High Places series about friendship with the saints. All of her novels have received the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval (except new releases for which the seal may be in process). Liberation (‘I Am Margaret’ Book 3) was nominated for the Carnegie Medal Award 2016 and Elfling won first prize for “Teen and Young Adult Fiction” in the Catholic Press Association 2019 Book Awards. Several of her other books have been placed in the CPA Awards and the Catholic Arts and Letters Award.

Corinna Turner is a Lay Dominican with an MA in English from Oxford University, and lives in the UK. She has been writing since she was fourteen and likes strong protagonists with plenty of integrity. She used to have a Giant African Land Snail called Peter with a 6½” long shell—which is legal in the UK!—but now makes do with a cactus and a campervan. You can find out more at www.IAmMargaret.com.

 

BOOK REVIEW: ‘Tortured Soul’ by Theresa Linden

  By Corinna Turner • August 10, 2019 ,

I really enjoyed this. I was rather unmoved by the descriptions and slow to pick it up because I have little interest in ghost stories, but having read most of the author’s other books (and really liked them) I wanted to give this a try. I’m glad I did! I think it works as a conventional ghost story (if that’s your thing) but it also works as a spiritual thriller (much more my thing!) and there’s even a low key but very satisfying romantic plotline.

A highlight was the dinner party gone wrong which was equal parts painful and hilarious. I eventually began to get a little impatient with the creeping around, terrified what she was about to see, but as I said, horror’s not my thing. Loads of creeping around or not, I wouldn’t have missed this book. I found it hard to put it down, and also learned a lot from it.

***Mild SPOILER***
I also got frustrated with the main character that even after purgatory had been suggested, she didn’t start any sort of intensive prayer for the ghost. But thinking about it, I was just as ignorant until I went to dinner at a friend’s house a few years ago and heard about an apparition that had happened there, and the priest present made a good case for it being a soul in purgatory seeking prayers. Until then I would have been just as clueless as the main character. So this is a great book for anyone who doesn’t know much about purgatory or ‘real’ ghosts—i.e. an actual human soul manifesting rather than demonic activity. It would also be a good read for more mature teens.

A little non-fiction book called ‘Daily Pilgrimage to Purgatory’ might interest those who enjoy this book and want to pray for the holy souls.

Get it HERE.

[The author is a fellow member of Catholic Teen Books but I got the book myself and my opinions are my own.]

BOOK REVIEW: ‘The Other Side of Freedom’ – Cynthia Toney

  By Corinna Turner • March 27, 2019 ,

I’ve heard so much about this book and all the prizes it’s won, and been intending to read it for some time, although the blurb didn’t entirely grab me. I’m glad I finally read it! It took me a few chapters to get fully into it, but then I was hooked.

Sal is an engaging hero, and all the characters are fun and well drawn, especially Hiram (I liked the little flashes that highlighted the situation of black people at the time, without letting it take over the story), and Antonina (just moving from girl to young woman). It’s a dramatic story told in a down-to-earth and non-sensational manner, very realistic and all the more powerful for that.

There were a couple of places in the last third when I’d have actually liked a bit more explanation/clarity, but I was reading pretty fast by then, impatient to find out what happened, so the fault may be more with me than the book.

I was relieved the law turned out to be on the side of Sal’s father because I really wasn’t convinced it would be, and spent most of the book on tenterhooks as to how that could come out all right. But I’m no lawyer and I’m sure the author researched carefully.

The title is a clever play on the town name and some of the events of the book!

Overall an excellent story highlighting the troubles (especially for Italians) of the prohibition, through the eyes of a conflicted teen protagonist, and a good study of a crisis of conscience. A great read for teen boys or girls (and the young at heart!).

Get it HERE.

[I am acquainted with the author through an author group but have reviewed this book by my free choice. Opinions are my own.]

THE SIEGE OF REGINALD HILL is out TODAY!

  By Corinna Turner • November 30, 2018 ,

 

THE SIEGE OF REGINALD HILL is out TODAY…

…And it’s a no. 1 new release on Amazon in Teen & Young Adult Christian Science Fiction!

 

I’m not sure if any of my books have achieved a little orange banner before, but this is the first time I’ve actually noticed, so forgive me for sharing the screenshot like a proud parent!

 

In this blog post:

  1. Info about the new book!

  2. Info about the Launch Blog Tour!

  3. Info about how to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card!

 

1. The Book!

An odd surge filled my heart as I looked at him, sitting there in that chair: so old; so evil; so broken; so… alone. A warmth. A caring. A… love. I loved him. Just another poor sinner who need my care…

SAFETY IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF DANGER, BUT THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

Fr Kyle Verrall is living a quiet life as a parish priest in Africa when he’s snatched from his church one night by armed assailants. He’s in big trouble—his sister’s worst enemy is hell-bent on taking revenge on the famous Margaret Verrall by killing her brother, just as slowly and horribly as he can.

What could possibly save him? The humble young priest is defenceless—or so Reginald Hill believes.

But Kyle has a powerful weapon Hill knows nothing about. And he’s not afraid to use it.

Is Reginald Hill really the hunter?

Or is he the hunted?

 

Background

BROTHERS came out of nowhere about this time last year, and once it was published someone emailed me and wanted to know when another book about Kyle would come out. I emailed her back very confidently saying that BROTHERS was a one-off and I’d no plans to write any more about him.

The Holy Spirit clearly heard me! The following morning I was unable to get on with anything because the plot of THE SIEGE OF REGINALD HILL was so busy unwinding in my head! Phew, it was a tense morning!

I immediately knew I had to write the story and set to work, in-between publishing a couple of fun books I’d written some years earlier (ELFLING and MANDY LAMB AND THE FULL MOON). I thought I was writing a long novella, but when I’d finished it in July I discovered that it was in fact a short novel!

I hope you love it as much as I do. It has a special place in my heart!

 

Here are some buy links:

Amazon UK edition
Amazon US edition

Please note: This book is more suitable for older teens because of intense scenes. Anyone who was okay with I AM MARGARET should be okay with THE SIEGE OF REGINALD HILL, but as always, parents, if in doubt, please read it yourself first!

What do the reviewers think?

The Siege of Reginald Hill is a powerful story of sacrificial love—the kind very few are ever called to. Kyle is faced with unbearable pain and suffering, but he handles it in an amazing, almost unfathomable way. … If you’ve enjoyed the I Am Margaret series, you will love this story.
THERESA LINDEN, author of award-winning Battle for His Soul

There are a few stories that I’ll never forget even though it’s been years since I read them. Henry James’ The Beast in the Jungle and C. S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce, and now Corinna Turner’s The Siege of Reginald Hill. An extremely powerful example of what it really means to love our enemies, this novel provokes a whirlwind of emotions.
T. M. GAOUETTE, author of the Faith and Kung Fu series

What an eloquent priestly figure is given us in The Siege of Reginald Hill! No time is wasted by the young priest on his awesome journey to reach the lost sheep. Fr Kyle’s example reminds the reader that our sufferings lead to victory when united with the sacrifice of Christ.
FR. ARMAND DE MALLERAY, FSSP, author of Ego Eimi – It is I: Falling in Eucharistic Love

The Siege of Reginald Hill is another suspenseful and moving work by Corinna Turner. Fans of I Am Margaret will love the continuation of the story!
REGINA DOMAN, author of The Angel in the Waters and the award-winning Fairytale Novels series.

2. The Launch Blog Tour!

Check out all 10 fantastic stops over the next 12 days!

Dec 1 – Stop 1 – Corinna Turner – Author of the I Am Margaret series including new release The Siege of Reginald Hill – www.IAmMargaret.com

Dec 2 – SUNDAY – Relax and crack open your copy of THE SIEGE OF REGINALD HILL when you get back from church!

Dec 3 – Stop 2 – Steven R. McEvoy – Blogger and Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer Steven R. McEvoy on “Book Reviews & More” – www.bookreviewsandmore.ca

Dec 4 – Stop 3 – Erin McCole Cupp – Blogger, Contributor to Catholic Mom and Author (Jane E. Friendless Orphan series, etc.) – http://catholicmom.com/

Dec 5 – Stop 4 – Regina Doman – Award-winning Catholic teen fiction Author (The Fairy Tale novels, The Angel in the Waters, etc.) – http://reginadoman.blogspot.com/

Dec 6 – Stop 5 – Theresa Linden – Award-winning Catholic teen fiction Author (Liberty series, West Brothers series, etc.) – https://catholicbooksblog.wordpress.com/

Dec 7 – Stop 6 – Sarah de Nordwall – The Catholic Bard! – http://sarahdenordwall.blogspot.com/

Dec 8 – Stop 7 – T.M. Gaouette – Writer, Blogger, and Author of Catholic Fiction (Faith and Kung Fu series) – https://tmgaouette.com/

Dec 9 – SUNDAY – Relax and crack open your copy of THE SIEGE OF REGINALD HILL when you get back from church!

Dec 10 – Stop 8 – Carolyn Astfalk – Author of coming-of-age romance Rightfully Ours, etc. – www.carolynastfalk.com/

Dec 11 – Stop 9 – Leslea Wahl – Award-winning Catholic teen fiction Author (The Perfect Blindside, An Unexpected Role, etc.) – http://lesleawahl.com/

Dec 12 – Stop 10 – Elizabeth Amy Hajek – Blogger and Author of The Mermaid and the Unicorn – https://elenatintil.blogspot.com

 

3. That $10 Amazon Gift Card!

 

I need your help from December 1st-12th!

Yes, you can help!

😀

Will you help me spread the word?
Please tell your family, friends, youth group, and church community about the new book.

As a thank you, I’m offering the chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.

It’s easy to enter! Just share my promotional images on Facebook and Twitter—or email them to your friends, whatever you like! Send me an email or Facebook message to tell me what and how many times you shared about the book. You’ll get one entry for every share!

The winner will be drawn on the last day of the Blog Tour!
Thanks so much for your help!

 

I hope you enjoy THE SIEGE OF REGINALD HILL.

 

Don’t miss Stop 2 on the Launch Tour on Dec 3 – Steven R. McEvoy – Blogger and Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer Steven R. McEvoy on “Book Reviews & More” – www.bookreviewsandmore.ca

OUTCAST Blog Tour – Stop 4!

  By Corinna Turner • November 19, 2018 ,

So I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the release of Theresa Linden’s new novel OUTCAST!

 

He’s searching for the truth but is he ready to proclaim it? 

For shy Roland West, speech class is synonymous with humiliation. The last thing he wants is more attention from the gossips and troublemakers of River Run High School. But when an outcast’s house is viciously vandalized, Roland needs to find the perpetrators—before they strike again. Yet nothing is as straightforward as it seems. Suspected by the police and ridiculed for his beliefs, Roland draws closer to the sinister truth. When the perpetrators threaten a good friend, can Roland overcome his fear of speaking out and expose them?

 

I’m not going to do a full review here because I haven’t read the final published novel yet. However, I was honoured to read an earlier draft and I will say that considering how good that was, with the final improvements having been made, it must now be a VERY powerful, gripping read that challenges us to think about when we should stay silent–and when we cannot, however much we may want to. The novel takes an honest look at prejudice, hate, political correctness, and bigotry, especially when it comes to Same-Sex attraction, but handles the topic sensitively.

I was SO delighted when Theresa Linden told me that she was working on this novel, because there is such a need for it in the sphere of teen fiction.

And now it’s OUT and available to BUY! (And in time for Christmas!)

Get it HERE.

 

[Theresa Linden and I are both members of Catholic Teen Books. Opinions my own!]

BOOK REVIEW: ‘Saving Faith’ – T.M. Gaouette

  By Corinna Turner • October 31, 2018 ,

This was just as gripping as ‘Freeing Tanner Rose’—but more painful to read! Unlike in book 1, Faith, the main female character of this book, is a cradle Catholic, previously strong in her faith, who is suffering extreme temptations and going seriously astray. In some ways this created even more suspense than when Tanner Rose, an unchurched Hollywood starlet, was encountering sincere Christians for the first time in book 1.

I spent so much of this book shouting at Faith in my head, but her decisions were realistic, even when infuriating and tragic. Possibly my favourite character was actually Christian, and for me his was the most satisfying plot arc. But I’ll say no more for fear of spoilers!

A great read. Give it a try!

 

[I received a review copy of this book from the author, with whom I am acquainted through several author groups. Opinions are my own.]

BOOK REVIEW: ’10 Steps to Girlfriend Status’ – Cynthia T. Toney

  By Corinna Turner • October 31, 2018 ,

What a great read. There’s so much to like in this book. I think my favourite thing was the deaf character, Sam, who speaks American Sign Language—it’s always so great to see convincingly portrayed characters with disabilities as significant players in a book. And he’s so lovely!

A close second was Wendy’s relationship with her elderly neighbour, Mrs V., who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. The elderly are so often invisible in our society—and in our entertainment—so this significant relationship and important plot strand were very welcome. It also played out in a convincing and moving way.

I also loved the mystery involving an interracial romance at a time when that was not widely accepted. However, I both liked, and disliked, the fact that it all ended up tying up so very neatly in the modern day. Very contradictory of me, I know, but I can’t quite decide how I feel about that!

Another thing I couldn’t quite decide how I felt about was the presentation of the ‘blended’ family. With divorce and remarriage so prevalent nowadays, this is a reality for many teens, and it’s great for them to see an honest treatment of it, not minimising the challenges, but showing that it can be made to work well. But I’m always, simultaneously, uneasy about the consequences of taking the normalising of something of this nature too far. No one wants teens in this situation to feel bad, to struggle, let alone to be bullied. But if divorce and remarriage are normalised in their minds, they are more likely to repeat the cycle themselves. This dilemma is not specific to this book, of course, and I have chewed on it for a long time and have no answer. The portrayal of a blended family is certainly done very well in this book and should help teens dealing with such situations.

This next bit of this review is only relevant to Catholics. I was under the impression that this was a ‘Catholic’ book about a Catholic protagonist and family. Quite honestly, that’s not made clear at all—though I should note that I have not read book 1, so maybe it is made crystal clear there. To check that I hadn’t missed anything in this book (I was reading fast, very eager to find out what was going to happen) I actually did a search for specifically Catholic words and the only one I found was ‘Mass’, which appears once. So if you’re looking for a specifically Catholic book, this isn’t the one for you. It’s a vaguely, gently Christian book and a very nice read, but I’d hesitate to label it as specifically ‘Catholic’.

This raises a slight problem for Catholic readers, because consistent with the lack of explicit Catholicism, the author also omits even one single sentence, one tiny nod, to the idea that the mother of the protagonist might have acquired an annulment before remarrying. Since the protagonist’s father is alive, this gives an extremely bad impression. I read somewhere that the author felt that readers would ‘assume’ the annulment. But with such a deafening silence on the subject and with the family’s Catholicism not made explicit, I would have assumed the exact opposite and I imagine many teens growing up in our current culture will as well. So if you are Catholic, you will NEED to have a conversation with your teens about annulments after they read this book and make sure they did understand that ‘of course Wendy’s mother wouldn’t have remarried without one’.

Catholic bit over!

The only other thing that made me slightly uncomfortable in this book was that the teen protagonist kisses a boy on her first date. Not her first date with that particular boy, but her very first date, EVER. And that’s presented as normal and healthy. There seems to be a bit of a convention in teen fiction that a kiss doesn’t ‘count’ as sexual activity, but as something utterly sweet and innocent, and this book is far from alone in following this convention. However, this doesn’t really tally with reality and I do question how easily teens getting physical right from the get-go are going to manage to wait for marriage.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed the book, and I think it could be a great jumping off point for conversations about a really wide range of issues and topics. I’m certainly looking forward to reading the rest of the series, and especially to seeing more of Sam! I think he’s definitely my favourite character.

 

[I am acquainted with the author through author groups but purchased my own copy of this book to read and review. Opinions my own.]

BOOK REVIEW: ‘An Unexpected Role’ by Leslea Wahl

  By Corinna Turner • October 31, 2018 ,

This was a very easy, enjoyable read, a summer romance crossed with a crime mystery with some satisfying character growth thrown in.

Rather amusingly, I inferred completely the wrong thing from the title and synopsis. Not being a theatre nerd, the word ‘role’ suggested to me that Josie would have to take on some ‘role’, such as caring for someone, that she wouldn’t want to do. So I spent a long time waiting (in suspense!) for her aunt or someone else on the island to get a terrible diagnosis, forcing her to grow up and start caring for them. Ha ha! I think it’s only a mild spoiler to let on that this doesn’t happen. ‘Role’ is used in the theatre sense! (Just in case anyone else was under the same misconception!)

Josie does grow up during the book (thankfully ? and therefore all the more satisfyingly) but the catalyst for this is other things. There’s quite a lot of excitement—I found the motorbike scene particularly heart-in-the-mouth and shocking.

Josie’s attraction to (and description of) Niko was so overwhelmingly physical and very much based on the stereotype that ‘Latin men are hot’ that it was a bit uncomfortable. BUT, since this reflects her state of maturity at the time, it isn’t unrealistic. It’s just good—if uncomfortable—characterisation.

Some parents might want to be aware that Josie wears a bikini at times and this is viewed as 100% normal. However, although Josie, in a convincing teen girl manner, is very fixated on appearances, the book is very clean (there are 2 kisses, one initiated by a boy, one by Josie).

However, I do feel that parents probably need to have a conversation with their teens after the book is read about when the use of torture is justified (or rather, that it isn’t, ever!). This is because (mild SPOILER) the teen heroine manages to obtain a confession from the baddie at the end through the use of impromptu, but pre-meditated and sustained, torture, albeit of an unusual nature.

It is never named as ‘torture’, but it is—in fact, it is potentially life threatening—and the fact that there is no discussion about what happened clearly implies that because the baddie had done evil things and would probably otherwise have got away with it, the torture was therefore justified. Whilst it would be hard not to read the scene and sympathise with Josie’s desperate desire to save the day, save her friends and the innocents affected, and set things right, I couldn’t help feeling she had crossed an ethical line here. The ‘end justifies the means’ message made me very uncomfortable and I really wished the author could have written the ending differently.

Overall, though, a very enjoyable read, providing a good lead into discussion of a challenging—but important—moral topic.

 

[I am acquainted with the author through author groups but purchased my own copy of this book to read and review. Opinions my own.]