Growing up, Jude McCallister was the bane of my existence. My best friend. Fiercest ally. The most annoying boy in the world.At eighteen, the boy I loved to hate became the man I couldn't live without.We were young. Madly in love. Invincible. Strong enough to weather any storm.Cocky enough to believe that no amount of time or distance could destroy us.When Jude finally returned home from overseas, it should have been cause for celebration. But the man I'd fallen in love with was gone, and in his place was someone I no longer recognized. I can't do this, the note said. I'm sorry. Now, after six long years he's back. Only my heart ... it doesn't beat just for him anymore.
This is a novel about people who find themselves in the middle of a horrific conflict and how they survive. Their choices affect their families, the people they love, and the course of their lives. Their stories start before the events in Sudan touch them, following them through challenges and triumphs, as they rebuild their lives. What they have in common with the rest of us is that their journeys are about finding out what kind of people they are: Should they try to draw strength from their anger or should they let it go? Is it better to stick with what you know or find the courage to change?
In north-eastern Victoria, bush-covered hills erupt into flames. A Bush Stone-curlew escapes the fire but a woman studying the endangered bird does not. When Robin's parents split up after the fire, her mother drags her from the country to a new life in the ugly city. Robin misses her dog, her best-friend, the cows, trees, creek, bushland and, especially, the birds. Robin is a self-confessed, signed-up, card-carrying bird-nerd. Just like her dad. On the first day at her new school, Robin meets Delia. She's freaky, a bit of a workaholic, and definitely not good for Robin's image. Delia's older brother Seth has given up school to prowl the city streets. He is angry at everything, but mostly at the fire that killed his mother. When the Bush Stone-curlew turns up in the city parklands next to Seth and Delia's house the three teenagers become inextricably linked. Soon their lives are circling tighter and tighter around each other, and the curlew.
In a small Minnesota mining town, young Krissa is sheltered from her violent father by Danny, the brother she idolizes. Danny, a budding musician, is determined to escape with his sister in tow. When the pair finally succeed, they meet Quinn, a privileged and wealthy college student. Drawn together by a passion for music, Danny and Quinn set up a successful pop group. As their stars begin to rise, Danny falls in love with fame, and Quinn and Krissa fall in love with each other. But the higher Danny, Quinn and Krissa climb, the faster their worlds crumble, until they part. Sixteen years later, their paths cross once again, three fallen stars. Danny is gravely ill. Quinn and Krissa are still in love. But to hear the music again, the three must face their joined pasts and use the lessons to create a better future. REVIEWS: "...beautiful, lyrical writing, fascinating characters, and a touching renewed romance..." ~ All About Romance "An extraordinary novel! ...full of beauty, love, compassion, and truth..." ~Susan Elizabeth Phillips HOMETOWN MEMORIES, in order After All These Years Don't Forget to Smile Till the Stars Fall Again
A “persuasive . . . heartfelt and vividly written” call to counter systemic racism and build national solidarity in America (Publishers Weekly). The American Promise enshrined in our Constitution states that all men and women are inherently equal. And yet racism continues to corrode our society. If we cannot overcome it, Theodore Johnson argues, the promise that made America unique on Earth will have died. In When the Stars Begin to Fall, Johnson presents a compelling blueprint for the kind of national solidarity necessary to mitigate racism. Weaving together history, personal memories, and his family’s multi-generational experiences with racism, Johnson posits that solutions can be found in the exceptional citizenship long practiced in Black America. Understanding that racism is a structural crime of the state, he argues that overcoming it requires us to recognize that a color-conscious society—not a color-blind one—is the true fulfillment of the American Promise. Fueled by Johnson’s ultimate faith in the American project, grounded in his family’s longstanding optimism and his own military service, When the Stars Begin to Fall is an urgent call to undertake the process of overcoming what has long seemed intractable.
Celestia and her warriors are back! Now a wife and mother, Queen Celestia is enjoying a hundred years of peace, or so she thought. When war breaks out in a neighboring kingdom, she and her warriors make their way to the home of the Oracle to figure out why. They discover the prophecy was not completely fulfilled, and they must embark on another quest to finish what they started. But, can they do so before the stars that were once aligned fall?
The main characters are Turner Thompson, his wife Barbara and their two children, TJ and Samantha along with their pastor in Atlanta. Follow Turner in his work as a top cryptographer as his elite team gathers vital information with which to protect the United States from terrorist attacks. Go with Turner and his family and pastor on a spiritual journey that discovers the end time information that reveals the nature of the war against the prince of the power of the air. You will be transported to the time of the end and the terrible and wonderful consequences of the events.
Create a calm bedtime ritual with this debut book in the Before Bedtime series, Stars Before Bedtime - a soothing journey through the glittering constellations of the night sky woven with tried-and-true sleep exercises from the best-selling author and clinical psychologist Dr. Jessamy Hibberd. In this fast-paced world, relaxing and preparing for sleep can be difficult for children. This beautiful, fact-filled book helps ease bedtime struggles with mindfulness, muscle relaxation, gentle yoga poses, visualization, and other exercises proven to help kids release stress and anxiety, clear their minds, get ready for bed, and fall asleep faster while also boosting happiness and improving overall health. With gentle, calming artwork from the wonderfully talented Hannah Tolson and simple, melodic text, children explore the sky's constellations and the mythical stories behind them as they get their minds and bodies ready for bed. Each exercise, called out by a moon symbol, is simple and easy to do. Usher in calm with these and more soothing techniques: Stretch out on your bed like the snake-like constellation Draco the Dragon--take a deep breath in through your nose and then breathe out all the air through your mouth, making a hissing sound, just like a slithering snake! Close your eyes and picture the ship from the constellation Argo Navis in your head. Now climb on board and let's go on an adventure. You are the captain of the ship. Maybe you'll dream of floating through a moonlit sky on broad wings, like Aquila the Eagle. Or perhaps you'll drift down a glittering stream with Cygnus the Swan. Hold your hands together just like Castor and Pollux, the twins of the constellation Gemini. Rest them on your chest--can you feel your breath moving in and out as your chest rises and falls? The pages are self-contained so you can start anywhere and complete as many, or as few, exercises as you like. Join your child as they complete the exercises--you might just find something that works for you, too. Tips on mindfulness and extra resources for parents are included at the back of the book. Stargazers of all ages will love this journey through constellations. Good sleep is essential for growing brains. Each beautifully illustrated book in the Before Bedtime series helps curious children prepare for sleep by uniting a different intriguing non-fiction topic with sleep-inducing mindfulness exercises; an effective alternative to the traditional bedtime story. Fascinating facts are paired with guided relaxation techniques inspired by the topic for a peaceful routine that not only leaves bedtime battles far behind but equips children for success in a hectic world.
