In 1883, on the island of Java in the Dutch East Indies, thirteen-year-old Katrien Courtland is determined to prove Darwin's theory of natural selection. Unfortunately, nothing causes her Aunt Greet more angst than Katrien crawling around the muddy jungle collecting bugs in the name of science -- and in the company of a native boy, no less! If only Katrien would take an interest in running a household and making friends with other girls. But Katrien has no interest in changing, especially if it means socializing with the likes of mean Brigitta Burkhart. Then, one stifling afternoon, Katrien's world turns upside-down when the nearby volcano Krakatau erupts with a terrifying blast. For days, a deathly ash rains down on the Javan coast. Amidst the chaos, Katrien knows her only hope of survival is to flee the jungle with the one person she vowed she'd never befriend.
Lorelei Sullivan is placed by the law between two men: the brother, with whom she had moved to the New Mexico territory to escape the past, and the bounty hunter, who is her brother's one shot at redemption. Original.
*#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER *Winner, Kobo Emerging Writer Prize Nonfiction *Winner, Indigenous Voices Awards *Winner, High Plains Book Awards *Finalist, CBC Canada Reads *A Globe and Mail Book of the Year *An Indigo Book of the Year *A CBC Best Canadian Nonfiction Book of the Year In this extraordinary and inspiring debut memoir, Jesse Thistle, once a high school dropout and now a rising Indigenous scholar, chronicles his life on the streets and how he overcame trauma and addiction to discover the truth about who he is. If I can just make it to the next minute...then I might have a chance to live; I might have a chance to be something more than just a struggling crackhead. From the Ashes is a remarkable memoir about hope and resilience, and a revelatory look into the life of a Métis-Cree man who refused to give up. Abandoned by his parents as a toddler, Jesse Thistle briefly found himself in the foster-care system with his two brothers, cut off from all they had known. Eventually the children landed in the home of their paternal grandparents, whose tough-love attitudes quickly resulted in conflicts. Throughout it all, the ghost of Jesse’s drug-addicted father haunted the halls of the house and the memories of every family member. Struggling with all that had happened, Jesse succumbed to a self-destructive cycle of drug and alcohol addiction and petty crime, spending more than a decade on and off the streets, often homeless. Finally, he realized he would die unless he turned his life around. In this heartwarming and heart-wrenching memoir, Jesse Thistle writes honestly and fearlessly about his painful past, the abuse he endured, and how he uncovered the truth about his parents. Through sheer perseverance and education—and newfound love—he found his way back into the circle of his Indigenous culture and family. An eloquent exploration of the impact of prejudice and racism, From the Ashes is, in the end, about how love and support can help us find happiness despite the odds.
Explores the phenomenon that millions of people, many who are not otherwise active in the practice of their faith, come back to church to receive ashes and engage in Lenten practices every year. It offers some practical ideas for active Catholics to accompany newcomers and visitors throughout the season of Lent and beyond – and in so doing, help turn brief moments into memorable milestones on the journey of faith.
If you eat while lying down, you will turn into a snake. If you don't polish off all the rice on your plate you will marry a man full of pimples and pockmarks. Looking After the Ashes is a semi-biographical fiction of Kopi Soh's childhood stories. Growing up in a large extended Taoist influenced Peranakan family filled with strong women, Soh hears these words of 'wisdom' daily. She used to live in a world where clipping finger nails at night was strictly forbidden, pointing at the moon would result in one's ears getting chopped off, and children were forced to stay indoors during sundown for fear of collision with evil forces. A world where mental disorders and illnesses were believed to be caused by malevolent spirits. Talisman, mediums and fortune tellers were a part of everyday life.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Cheryl McGuinness kissed her husband good-bye as he headed off to work. She never saw him again. Tom McGuinness was the co-pilot of American Airlines Flight 11 -- the first airplane to crash into the World Trade Center. On that day, Cheryl's world fell apart. But since that day, Cheryl McGuinness has learned how to hope again. Through her powerful story, the rest of us can find our way to hope as well. Cheryl's message of renewal, recovery, and faith is a message that resonates with every aching heart. As you read through this intimate look at heartbreak and joy, you will discover an incredible sense of the good that is yet to be, and you will find in yourself a growing conviction that with God's help, you can face any sorrow or pain.
After narrowly escaping fiery death in Out of the Flames, San Francisco police detective Manhattan Sloane and DEA Agent Finn Harper embark on something even more perilous: bringing to justice all those responsible for the murder of Sloane’s wife, and rekindling the love they had for each other as teens. Both have the potential to burn them badly—and scar Sloane’s grieving stepdaughter, Reagan. Even as Sloane rediscovers that life without love is no life at all, she is learning that parenthood—especially single parenting—means making sacrifices. Can she have it all? Finn and Reagan and the badge she has worn with honor for almost nine years? Or will a cartel drug lord bent on revenge force her to not only betray her conscience—but also fail to save the ones she loves? A Manhattan Sloane Thriller.
How does life go on after losing a child? Life from the Ashes shares the dark and raw story of Shari O’Loughlin’s loss of her 14-year-old son, Connor, who was shockingly killed in an airplane crash on his way home from a four-day vacation. Like all parents, Shari was struck with the most unimaginable nightmare when her family received the soul-numbing news. Parents trying to navigate the perilous journey of traumatic loss know the path is agonizing. Happiness, faith, and wholeness seem reserved for everyone else but them. Shari shares her story to help bring the same unexpected hope and healing she experienced to parents alike. She helps answer questions on how parents can trust again, feel happiness, and have faith after God let their child die. She addresses how to live with this new life, take steps toward healing, and live a more purposeful life after loss. In honor of Connor and her family, Shari shares her path from darkness to light so other parents may better find their way. Although Shari’s story shares the journey after the loss of a child, it contains tools that can help anyone who has suffered a loss of any type move forward in life.
In the third book in Diane Moody's bestselling WWII trilogy, Dutch war bride Anya Versteeg McClain is struggling to adapt to her new life in America. Her husband Danny, a former B-17 pilot, is troubled by her rollercoaster moods, but vows to do whatever he can to make her happy. Little did he know that would mean letting her go again. When an unexpected telegram requires her return to Holland, she leaves with a conflicted heart. Danny can only hope and pray she'll come back to him. There in her homeland, Anya makes an astounding discovery that alters the course of her life. From the Ashes of War concludes the compelling story of a family's journey from the heartache of war to the promise of hope and healing.
There are stories where the girl gets her prince, and they live happily ever after. (This is not one of those stories.) Jenna Lord's first sixteen years were not exactly a fairy tale. Her father is a controlling psycho and her mother is a drunk. She used to count on her older brother—until he shipped off to Iraq. And then, of course, there was the time she almost died in a fire. There are stories where the monster gets the girl, and everyone cries for his innocent victim. (This is not one of those stories either.) Mitch Anderson is many things: A dedicated teacher and coach. A caring husband. A man with a certain...magnetism. And there are stories where it's hard to be sure who's a prince and who's a monster, who is a victim and who should live happily ever after. (These are the most interesting stories of all.) Drowning Instinct is a novel of pain, deception, desperation, and love against the odds—and the rules.
