Tag: Catholic Teen Books

Shadows: Visible and Invisible

Short Stories from Catholic Teen Books Put the Hallowtide Focus on the Saints and Holy Souls

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Shadows: Visible and Invisible

by Leslea Wahl, Carolyn Astfalk, Corinna Turner, Antony B. Kolenc, Theresa Linden, Marie Keiser, T. M. Gaouette
Published by Catholic Teen Books

Shadows: Visible and Invisible, the newest story anthology from Catholic Teen Books, is a must-read for teens during the spooky season. With powerful tales ranging from historical fiction to contemporary stories to sci-fi and speculative fiction, the authors gently nudge readers to appreciate the importance and efficacy of praying for souls at all times of year.

Shadows: Visible and Invisible

These are powerful stories. There’s definitely suspense, but readers won’t experience the kind of terror they may feel when reading secular horror books. Because each author carefully and gently makes the connection to the true origins of the Hallowtide triduum (All Hallow’s Eve, or Halloween as it is now known, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day), the reader is left not with unsettling despair, but instead comforted that our prayers for souls — even the souls of people we don’t know — can and do make a difference.

What I love about the story anthologies from Catholic Teen Books is the variety of genres included in each volume, and the opportunity to get to know characters from the authors’ longer works. While all the stories in this book are standalones, many have a connection to other books by these authors, which make books like this an excellent introduction to the novels and novellas by the featured authors. A short story is also a great opportunity to try a new genre!

Recently, Leslea Wahl and Antony Barone Kolenc, two authors whose work is featured in this collection, appeared on an episode of the Catholic Momcast to talk about this book.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of this book and some Shadows swag! (US entries only)

From the publisher:

This fall, discover the true origins of Halloween and how your prayers can assist those in Purgatory.

Catholic Teen Books is excited to share its third anthology, Shadows: Visible & Invisible. This collection of short stories by 7 different authors is centered around the All Hallowtide Triduum of All Hallows Eve, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. These fictional stories are meant to help teens learn more about the history of these important days on the Church calendar through engaging tales.

 

"Shadows: Visible and Invisible" from CatholicTeenBooks.com

What’s in this book?

Shadows: Visible & Invisible by Leslea Wahl, Carolyn Astfalk, Corinna Turner, Antony B. Kolenc, Theresa Linden, Marie Keiser, T. M. Gaouette.

  • Grace doesn’t know what it means to go “souling,” but she certainly wasn’t expecting it to be like this!
  • A storm drives William and his friends inside the dark church for shelter. Are animals making noises in the loft or is it something more sinister?
  • Trapped in the mountains by a blizzard and a pack of T. rex, Darryl, Joshua and Harry’s All Hallows’ Eve is looking dangerous enough–even before things take an eerie turn.
  • A medieval girl in a nunnery struggles with conflicts when another novice breaks her vows on the day of All Souls, revealing a shocking secret.
  • Vanessa doesn’t need anyone’s help, and she sets out to prove it by going alone to investigate strange lights in the cemetery.
  • When you live on a spaceship like Philip does, visiting the cemetery to pray for the dead always comes with the risk of joining them.
  • It’s another All Hallowtide, and on this All Soul’s Day, a young man finds himself at the cemetery yet again, but he’s not alone. Will tonight be the night, or will the torment continue?

 

"Shadows: Visible and Invisible" from CatholicTeenBooks.com

Copyright 2024 Barb Szysziewicz

Images courtesy of CatholicTeenBooks.com, all rights reserved, used with permission

Links to books in this post are Amazon affiliate links. Your purchases made through these links support Franciscanmom.com. Thank you!

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On My Bookshelf: Ashes, Visible and Invisible

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The Catholic Teen Books authors, many of whom I have the pleasure to call my friends, have put together their fourth short-story collection. Ashes: Visible and Invisible releases January 31, 2023 on the feast of St. John Bosco, the patron saint of teenagers.

 

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Ashes contains ten short stories by Theresa Linden, Marie Keiser, Cynthia Toney, Ellen Gable, Antony Kolenc, Amanda Lauer, Carolyn Astfalk, Leslea Wahl, T.M. Gaouette, and Corinna Turner. All of them have some connection to Lent, and each story stands on its own. You can enjoy these stories in any order.

Ashes, like all the CTB story collections, is packed with well-written stories that are faithfully Catholic. The stories feature teenagers growing in faith and virtue—teenagers facing true-to-life situations, teenagers dealing with moral dilemmas, teenagers seeking to know the right thing to do. Settings for the stories vary from the time of Jesus to the Middle Ages to modern times and a dystopian future. There’s something for every reader, and you might even enjoy exploring a new-to-you genre.

One of my favorite things about the CTB story collections is that many of the stories are connected to these authors’ larger-format work. The characters you meet in these collections might be minor characters from a novel, or a story might include a bonus scene that picks up where a novel leaves off. These stories are a great way to get to know a particular author’s work, and after each story you’ll find a note from the author explaining where you can read more about that character.

 

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Take a peek into the stories you’ll read in Ashes:

  • 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.
  • Teenager Lexie Dugan struggles to understand the sacrifice of Lent when she’s asked to help take care of her siblings while her pregnant mother is on bed rest.
  • 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.

Visit CatholicTeenBooks.com to learn more about the authors behind this story collection and the mission of Catholic Teen Books.

 

 

Catholic Teen Books is offering a fun prize pack in conjunction with this giveaway! Enter today to win a copy of Ashes, Lenten socks, a handmade rosary, devotional for teens, and more! This giveaway ends on release day, January 31.

 

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Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images: courtesy of CatholicTeenBooks.com

A copy of this book was provided to me for the purposes of this article.

This article contains Amazon affiliate links, which provide a small compensation to the author of this piece when purchases are made through the links, at no cost to you. Thank you for your support. 

bookshelf with Catholic fiction titles

Book Review: ‘Treasures’ for St. Patrick’s Day or Any Day

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Treasures: Visible & Invisible, a new short story collection from Catholic Teen Books, reads almost like a novel if you let yourself binge on the eight stories, all linked by a mysterious object whose origins can be traced back to none other than St. Patrick himself.

(Pardon the Irish fangirling. It can’t be helped.)

It was easy to get lost in each and every story, some of which come with promises of longer works featuring these characters. And it was fun to note each appearance of the special object that connects each story.

That connection is even more remarkable when you realize that these stories were not written in order, progressive-story-style, with the second author building on what the first author had already contributed. These eight authors composed on their own, with that mysterious object in mind, but with little (if any) idea of what their fellow authors were creating.

But just as we’re all Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, the eight authors of this collection were all on the same page as they put together these linked stories.

What’s Inside:

  • A teen boy sets out to save a friend from pagan druids, but maybe he’s the one who needs saving. (“Treasure in the Bogs” by Theresa Linden)
  • Between a baffling scripture verse and a visit from Heaven, a young monk is in for the surprise of his life. (“A Single Day … or Not” by Susan Peek)
  • A young girl seeks a mysterious treasure that holds the key to granting a nun’s dying wish. (“Lucy and the Hidden Clover” by Antony Barone Kolenc)
  • Honora is desperate — then a peculiar clover and a mysterious young man change everything. (“Lucky and Blessed” by Amanda Lauer)
  • William’s weekend job is a little gift from heaven, but now his family needs a real miracle. (“Danke” by Carolyn Astfalk)
  • When threatened by mobsters, Grace receives help from a surprising source. (“Grace Among Gangsters” by Leslea Wahl)
  • Alone and afraid, a young girl finds friendship in a stranger. But could this boy be trouble? (“In Mouth of Friend or Stranger” by T.M. Gaouette)
  • Kyle was determined to save the precious relic – but now his whole family is in danger. (“The Underappreciated Virtues of Green-Fingered Monsters” by Corinna Turner)

 

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)

Check out the book trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuj-NR4L1Dc&t=16s

Win a copy of Treasures!

 

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Copyright 2021 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images courtesy of Catholic Teen Books; used with permission, all rights reserved.
An advance copy of this book was provided for the purposes of this review. Opinions are mine alone and are uncompensated.
This article contains Amazon links; your purchases through these links benefit FranciscanMom.com.

 

On Barb’s Bookshelf: A Short-Story Anthology for Teens from CatholicTeenBooks

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A brand-new #1 new release on Amazon is a terrific introduction to the work of 7 Catholic authors! Secrets: Visible and Invisible, a short-story collection compiled by CatholicTeenBooks.com, reached #1 in the “Values and Virtues Fiction for Teens” category in its first 24 hours!

I’m very familiar with the work of many of the authors whose stories are featured here: Carolyn Astfalk, T.M. Gaouette, Theresa Linden, Cynthia T. Toney, and Leslea Wahl. Two other authors are new to me: Susie Peek and Corinna Turner — and I’ll definitely be taking a look at these authors’ full-length work after getting a taste of their writing.

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Here’s a bit about the 7 stories you’ll find in this anthology:

  • In a dystopian future, an innocent picnic turns deadly!
  • Elijah knows nothing of an elderly stranger’s secret past — until her disappearance changes everything.
  • A mysterious, ever-changing painting alarms a group of teens.
  • A cannonball took Dario’s legs … Will he lose his soul too?
  • The arrival of a mysterious girl challenges everything about Jason’s life.
  • An unlicensed driver. His dad’s truck. What could possibly go wrong?
  • An old tale of murder and forbidden love leads to a modern-day treasure hunt.

As a rule, I don’t endorse a book I haven’t read. I’m proud to endorse Secrets and I’ll state right now that I’ll definitely be reading it again. Here’s my endorsement:

This anthology of Catholic fiction for teens will introduce readers to seven diverse authors. Many of these stories, in a variety of genres but linked by a common theme, offer a peek at characters from full-length novels. Readers already acquainted with these authors will enjoy new perspectives on favorite characters. Kudos to CatholicTeenBooks.com and these seven authors for dreaming up this excellent collection.

From dystopia to historical fiction to sweet romance to mystery, there’s something for every reader to like in this collection — and it might even encourage a reader who’s locked in to a certain genre to branch out a bit.

This book is appropriate for readers in middle-school and up, and would be an excellent addition to a school or classroom library. As described by Mark Hart of Life Teen International, who provides the foreword, “Each story reveals something different about the human heart and our constant (though, often veiled) desire for truth and virtue.”

Want to win a copy for your teen?

Enter the blog tour giveaway!

Visit the other stops on the Blog Tour for more chances to win:

Blog Tour Schedule:

July 4              Steve McEvoy                        Book Reviews and More

July 5              Leslea Wahl                            Leslea Wahl

July 6              Barb Szyszkiewicz                 Franciscan Mom

July 7              Shower of Roses                     Shower of Roses

July 8              Carolyn Astfalk                      My Scribbler’s Heart

July 9              Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur  Spiritual Woman

July 9              Sarah Damm                           Sarah Damm

July 10            Corinna Turner                       Unseen Books

July 11            Christina Weigand                  Palace of Twelve Pillars

July 11            Virginia Lieto                         Virginia Lieto

July 12            Theresa Linden                       Things Visible & Invisible

July 13            T.M. Gaouette                        T.M. Gaouette

July 14            Karina Fabian                         Fabianspace

July 16            Therese Heckenkamp             Therese Heckenkemp

July 17            Ellen Gable Hrkach                Plot Line & Sinker

July 17            Barb Szyszkiewicz                 CatholicMom

July 18            Catholic Teen Books              Catholic Teen Books

Copyright 2018 Barb Szyszkiewicz
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I was given a free review copy of this book, but no other compensation. Opinions expressed here are mine alone.