After seven years in New York, Jakiela gives up her job as an international flight attendant and her dreams of becoming a writer, and returns home to Pittsburgh to take care of her dying mother. Always the loving, befuddled daughter, she stumbles to find her new life while sleeping in her childhood bed and teaching writing to students who hate to read.
Her aunt was a nun who popped pills and did time in Narcotics Anonymous. Her father grew up during the Depression, believed he'd be the next Frank Sinatra, and ended up working in the mills. His daughter, Lori Jakiela, spent her suburban Pittsburgh childhood watching Marlo Thomas in That Girl and dreaming of New York City.Instead, she got bad talent shows, a Junior Miss contest, and college in Erie, PA, where the big attraction was chicken wings. But years later, her Big Apple dreams were still going strong. With her twenties becoming a distant memory, Jakiela answered an airline ad promising a NYC home base, high-flying glamour, and three-day layovers in Paris. The reality was a roach-filled apartment in Queens, a polyester uniform cut like a sack, and a life that wasn't quite what she imagined.
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “The Bridge Kingdom is heart-pounding romance and intense action wrapped in a spellbinding world. I was hooked from the first page!”—Elise Kova, author of A Deal with the Elf King The iconic Bridge Kingdom series begins: a sweeping, sizzling fantasy romance filled with political intrigue and passionate love, from the New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in Blood. A warrior princess trained in isolation, Lara is driven by two certainties. The first is that King Aren of the Bridge Kingdom is her enemy. And the second is that she’ll be the one to bring him to his knees. The only route through a storm-ravaged world, the Bridge Kingdom of Ithicana enriches itself and deprives its rivals, including Lara’s homeland. So when she’s sent there as a bride under the guise of peace, Lara is prepared to do whatever it takes to fracture its impenetrable defenses—and the defenses of its king. Yet as she infiltrates her new home and gains a deeper understanding of the war to possess the bridge, Lara begins to question whether she’s the hero or the villain. As her feelings for her husband transform from frosty hostility to fierce passion, Lara must choose which kingdom she’ll save . . . and which she’ll destroy. Includes two bonus chapters, “The Wedding” from Ahnna’s point of view and “The Capture” from Jor’s point of view Don’t miss any of Danielle L. Jensen's Bridge Kingdom series: THE BRIDGE KINGDOM • THE TRAITOR QUEEN • THE INADEQUATE HEIR • THE ENDLESS WAR • THE TWISTED THRONE (April 8, 2025)
"Readers will be captivated by this beautifully written novel about young people who must use their instincts and grit to survive. Padma shares with us an unflinching peek into the reality millions of homeless children live every day but also infuses her story with hope and bravery that will inspire readers and stay with them long after turning the final page."--Aisha Saeed, author of the New York Times Bestselling Amal Unbound Four determined homeless children make a life for themselves in Padma Venkatraman's stirring middle-grade debut. Life is harsh in Chennai's teeming streets, so when runaway sisters Viji and Rukku arrive, their prospects look grim. Very quickly, eleven-year-old Viji discovers how vulnerable they are in this uncaring, dangerous world. Fortunately, the girls find shelter--and friendship--on an abandoned bridge. With two homeless boys, Muthi and Arul, the group forms a family of sorts. And while making a living scavenging the city's trash heaps is the pits, the kids find plenty to laugh about and take pride in too. After all, they are now the bosses of themselves and no longer dependent on untrustworthy adults. But when illness strikes, Viji must decide whether to risk seeking help from strangers or to keep holding on to their fragile, hard-fought freedom.
“One of the most important and least attended-to mysteries in the treatment of mental illness is the need for a delicate, careful and thoughtful study and separation between the symptoms of illness and the search for God. There’s a difference between visions and hallucinations which very few psychiatrists and psychotherapists understand and support – even now. A Narrow Bridge is the only first-person memoir I’ve read to touch on and reveal these differences and to attempt to explain them. It is a well-thought-out, honest and penetrating memoir. This is one of the things that makes Bronstein’s work a vital contribution to the first-person literature on this deep subject.” —Joanne Greenberg, author of I Never Promised You A Rose Garden “This is a raw, heart rendering and, in the end, victorious book. Bontshe Sveig (in Yiddish literature) could not cry out. But Rabbi Deborah Bronstein could. And we can hear her. And we hear her now. And we will hear her Ad Olam; to the end of time.” —Dvorah Telushkin, author of Master of Dreams “This extraordinary book is a gift to anyone who has been touched first or secondhand by mental illness. With remarkable courage, candor, and compassion, Rabbi Bronstein shares her personal story and, in the process, illuminates the inner experience of mental illness and the inner world of the psychiatric hospital. Depression, despair, shame, rage, and self-loathing are depicted in all of their darkness. And yet, Bronstein insists, “truth is sometimes hidden in dark places. . .and goodness too.” This is ultimately an inspirational book, a testament to the power of the human spirit to move from great brokenness to greater wholeness and healing.” —Ken Pargament, author of Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy: Understanding and Addressing the Sacred
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • ECPA BESTSELLER • “When it comes to the intersection of race, privilege, justice, and the church, Tasha is without question my best teacher. Be the Bridge is THE tool I wish to put in every set of hands.”—Jen Hatmaker WINNER OF THE CHRISTIAN BOOK AWARD® • Winner of the Christianity Today Book Award • A leading advocate for racial reconciliation calls Christians to move toward deeper understanding in the midst of a divisive culture. In an era where we seem to be increasingly divided along racial lines, many are hesitant to step into the gap, fearful of saying or doing the wrong thing. At times the silence, particularly within the church, seems deafening. But change begins with an honest conversation among a group of Christians willing to give a voice to unspoken hurts, hidden fears, and mounting tensions. These ongoing dialogues have formed the foundation of a global movement called Be the Bridge—a nonprofit organization whose goal is to equip the church to have a distinctive and transformative response to racism and racial division. In this perspective-shifting book, founder Latasha Morrison shows how you can participate in this incredible work and replicate it in your own community. With conviction and grace, she examines the historical complexities of racism. She expertly applies biblical principles, such as lamentation, confession, and forgiveness, to lay the framework for restoration. Along with prayers, discussion questions, and other resources to enhance group engagement, Be the Bridge presents a compelling vision of what it means for every follower of Jesus to become a bridge builder—committed to pursuing justice and racial unity in light of the gospel.
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “An epic, action-packed tale of love, revenge, and betrayal.”—Jennifer Estep, author of Kill the Queen In the second novel of the heart-pounding Bridge Kingdom series, one woman fights to win back her throne, her people, and the love of the man she’s betrayed—from the New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in Blood. A queen now in exile as a traitor, Lara has watched as Ithicana is conquered by her own father, helpless to do anything to stop the destruction. But when she learns her husband, Aren, has been captured in battle, Lara knows there is only one reason her father is keeping him alive: as bait for his traitorous daughter. And it is bait she fully intends to take. Risking her life on the Tempest Seas, Lara returns to Ithicana with a plan not only to free its king but to liberate the Bridge Kingdom from her father’s clutches, using his own weapons: the sisters whose lives she spared. Yet not only is the palace inescapable, there are more players in the game than Lara ever realized: enemies and allies switching sides in the fight for crowns, kingdoms, and bridges. But her greatest adversary of all might be the man she’s trying to free—the husband she betrayed. With everything she loves in jeopardy, Lara must decide who—and what—she is fighting for: her kingdom, her husband, or herself. Includes a brand new, never-before-seen bonus chapter from Sarhina’s point of view Don’t miss any of Danielle L. Jensen's Bridge Kingdom series: THE BRIDGE KINGDOM • THE TRAITOR QUEEN • THE INADEQUATE HEIR • THE ENDLESS WAR • THE TWISTED THRONE (April 8, 2025)
“The next installment in the Bridge Kingdom series is not to be missed. Do not walk to pick up this book. Run.” —Jennifer L. Armentrout, author of From Blood and Ash In the third novel of the iconic Bridge Kingdom series, forbidden romance blooms between two sworn enemies who must choose between their thirst for vengeance and their love for each other—from the New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in Blood. A soldier raised as heir to an empire, Zarrah is motivated by two truths: The first is that the Veliant family murdered her mother. The second is that her pursuit of vengeance will put every last one of them in their graves. The Endless War between Maridrina and Valcotta has raged for generations, leaving thousands of Zarrah’s people dead and still more orphaned. So when she’s given command of the contested city of Nerastis, Zarrah is prepared to do whatever it takes to destroy the Maridrinian forces who oppose her—and to kill the Veliant prince who leads them. Yet a chance encounter with an anonymous and handsome Maridrinian causes Zarrah to question whether the violence she’s perpetrated is justice or a crime. And as she continues to meet the nameless man each night, she finds common ground—and fiery passion—in his arms. But when identities are revealed, Zarrah must decide whether to embrace a chance at peace or march to the drums of war. Includes the bonus Bridge Kingdom novella The Calm Before the Storm, from the points of view of Lara and Aren Don’t miss any of Danielle L. Jensen's Bridge Kingdom series: THE BRIDGE KINGDOM • THE TRAITOR QUEEN • THE INADEQUATE HEIR • THE ENDLESS WAR • THE TWISTED THRONE (April 8, 2025)
A classic fantasy novel. Part one in the series The legend of Amornia In her bed at home in Bromma, Agnes wakes up with a jerk. Something has awakened her. Cautiously, she sneaks up to the window and peeks out from behind the curtain. The wind is blowing in the tree canopy outside the house and the darkness is compact. Suddenly something yellow gleams out from behind a little lilac bush. What is that? Agnes closes her eyes for a moment, then opens them again. The yellow light has gone. In Nazaria, the dark despot is pacing about his black palace. Naz-Halham is furious. Once again, his emissary has failed. But now he is to receive his punishment. Tomorrow he will personally cut the man’s heart out of his chest and sacrifice it in the sanctuary brazier. A demonic smile crosses the increasingly insane king’s stiff lips. The Secret of the Stone Bridge is the first part of the Legend of Amornia series. It is an exciting, imaginative story about kings, magicians, gods - and an ordinary girl who is destined to make a journey like no other. Follow Agnes and her grandmother on an adventure that brings them face to face with prophecy, evil and dire challenges.
Anna Starling flees a dissolving marriage in California to save herself and her artistic career, and rents a house in the isolated landscape of Cape Breton. There, her life intersects with that of her neighbor Red Murdock, a cabinetmaker who has recently lost Rosaire, the great love of his life, to cancer. Surrounded by the old ghosts of this landscape and the echoes of the indigenous Scottish culture that once lived in this isolated community, Anna and Murdock slowly come together just as the modern world encroaches on their town. When a local drug–smuggling ring starts to impede on their natural landscape, Anna finds herself caught in the crosshairs, and both she and Murdock must shake off the past in order to contend with the dark forces swirling all around them. Part love story, part moral fable, and part quest for home and heart, The Ice Bridge is a superbly crafted tale of love after love, a novel rich in atmosphere and infused with lyrical descriptions of land and sea. It is about timeless characters caught in a distinctly modern world. Written with an ear for the cadences of Cape Breton and a profound understanding of the many emotional shadings that exist between the sexes, The Ice Bridge is another superb work from D.R. MacDonald.
