Novels Christian/Catholic

This biographical historical novel focuses on Jacoba dei Settesoli - the woman who came to be known as Jacoba of the Seven Suns. A wealthy, beautiful Italian aristocrat, Jacoba lived in the tumultuous Middle Ages. In her early teens she moves from her family's palace to Rome's Septizonium when she marries into city's most powerful family - the Frangipani. Her husband, Gratien, who is nearly twice her age dies prematurely leaving the young widow in charge of his palaces and knights as well as raising their children. Jacoba also maintains a lifelong relationship with St. Francis - the reformed playboy who avoided women and considered them "honeyed poison." Why then was Jacoba the only woman he called to his deathbed? More puzzling, why do her remains share his crypt in Assisi? This is the love story that was never told. It is also a chronicle of conflict - internal battles as well as physical clashes. Steeped in medieval history, this novel explores how an extraordinarily close relationship may have developed between the powerful aristocrat and the future saint. This book transports you to a Rome and Assisi unlike the places we know today. It also provides in-depth insight into the often violent and always fascinating medieval period in Europe.

Cozy up with Claire Stewart for adventures, quilting, and more!

Claire and the Quilters of the Door start the fall and Christmas season with apple picking at Marta's farm in Baileys Harbor. Claire is enjoying having Grayson all to herself now that his daughter Kelly is away at college. As the Christmas season nears, Claire meets new acquaintances from Missouri and some other folks you'll know. One surprise after another will keep you engaged as you celebrate a glorious Christmas season in Door County.

Fifth in the Door County Quilts series from best-selling author Ann Hazelwood

Adventures, quilts, romance, and more! Claire Stewart takes readers on a riveting journey.

AND Testimonial: "When I want to curl up with a cozy book, one of my favorite authors is Ann Hazelwood. I know her personally and she remains true to herself as a writer. Her books are charming, filled with characters that I enjoy getting to know. I find myself getting lost in the picturesque surroundings and it feels as if I am there as the stories unfold. Each unique story is engaging from start to finish, and her stories build effortlessly from book to book with intriguing plots that are truly satisfying. As a quilter and an avid reader, I adore Ann Hazelwood." -Jenny Doan

The novel follows Robin and Margaret, a young couple in love who forgo their affection when Margaret realizes Robin is called to the priesthood. Both play a critical role in caring physically and spiritually for their fellow Catholics during this time of terror.

Discover their heroism, love, and sacrifice, and be inspired to live it out in our own frightful times in Come Rack, Come Rope.

Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso--the three fates of the deceased become the three pillars of an epic poem. The Divine Comedy, written by Italian poet Dante Alighieri in the fourteenth century, is considered the foremost work in Italian literature. The journey begins with Dante's descent into the depths of Hell where he witnesses those eternally separated from God. Then he climbs the mountain of Purgatory where Christian souls undergo final purification, before finally touring the celestial circles of Heaven where he is filled with the image of God. An allegorical work, the comedy is representative of the soul's journey towards God. Influential for seven centuries, this classic is a must have for lovers of great literature, and the luxurious leather-bound edition from Canterbury Classics will make a stunning addition to any library.

Despite her royal heritage, Alice is the third generation of women in her family to be enslaved - and the last, if she has any say in it. The only thing standing between her and freedom is a certain Confederate soldier, First Lieutenant Marshall Kent. Follow Alice and Marshall's story as suspicion turns to trust and a sense of admiration turns to something more as they navigate life during the last year of the Civil War.

By Mildred Corell Luckhardt

“Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the Feast of Stephen, when the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.”Familiar to all Christmas carolers, these words begin the story of a brave king and his page as they journey through the winter wilderness, bearing Christmas gifts to the poor and needy.

Bohemia in the time of King Wenceslas is caught in a twofold struggle: first, the old pagan ways and its many gods, against the new Christian religion and its one God, the God of love; second, the authority of its good Christian king, Wenceslas, against the power of his rebellious brother, Duke Boleslas.

When young Vojak is captured by Boleslas, he is claimed by Wenceslas and given the Christian name of Stephen, after the Church’s first martyr. In faithful service to the king, Stephen must face his people’s struggle with courage and compassion, ready at each dangerous moment and every dramatic turn to follow in the footsteps of his master, good King Wenceslas.

Beautifully illustrated by Gordon Laite, Mildred Corell Luckhardt’s Good King Wenceslas is certain to delight readers both young and old with its story of Christian kindness and Christmas joy.

Mildred Corell Luckhardt (1898–1990) was an American Christian author, educator, and lyricist. A graduate of Columbia Uni­versity, Luckhardt wrote and edited over a dozen books, including The Story of Saint Nicholas (1960), Christmas Comes Once More: Stories and Poems for the Holiday Season (1962), and Thanksgiving: Feast and Festival (1966).

Sauron has returned. . . watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 on Prime Video.

The journey through Middle-earth begins here with J.R.R. Tolkien's classic prelude to his Lord of the Rings trilogy.

"A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible... All those, young or old, who love a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take The Hobbit to their hearts."--The New York Times Book Review

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." So begins one of the most beloved and delightful tales in the English language--Tolkien's prelude to The Lord of the Rings. Set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth, at once a classic myth and a modern fairy tale, The Hobbit is one of literature's most enduring and well-loved novels.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.

It is the end of a bitter cold winter. A crowd of people files into a cathedral to celebrate the consecration of a new bishop--a good man, they think, strict in doctrine but capable of compassion. A man of tradition, not of reform. A "company man." His name is David Campbell.

And sitting in the last pew of the cathedral is a clean-shaven man of ordinary build, with gentle hazel eyes. His name is Joshua.

Within twenty-four hours of his first encounter with Joshua, David Campbell will propose the most far-reaching reforms in a millennium, reforms to destroy sectarian barriers, reforms to change the direction of the church, reforms to return Christianity to its founders with a simple message. With Joshua as his mentor, David Campbell--the Shepherd--preaches to Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, and Jews of the universal truth of God's love. It is a message that changes everyone it touches. And no one who reads Joshua and the Shepherd will ever forget it.

Don Juan of Austria, one of history s most triumphant and inspiring heroes, is reborn in this opulent novel by Louis de Wohl.

Because of the circumstances of his birth, this last son of Emperor Charles the Fifth spent his childhood in a Spanish peasant s hut. Acknowledged by King Philip as his half-brother, the attractive youth quickly became a central figure in a Court where intrigues and romances abounded. Don Juan s intelligence, kindness and devout attachment to the Church enabled him to live unscathed in an environment of luxury, violence and treachery.

De Wohl paints in brilliant color the vivid scenes and characters at the Court of King Philip, Juan s campaign against rebel Moriscos in Andalusia, and the amazing climactic victory at Lepanto where he saved the Christian world from Islamic dominance. Here is a novel of high adventure which brings to life the turbulence of the sixteenth century with its conflicts of wickedness and piety, its sins of pride and conquest, its seething heresies and its great faith.

Leah

Unwanted, unloved, unappreciated, unknown, with few talents and no beauty that a possible mate would desire.

Yet she overcame her inadequacies and hardships to emerge as one of the premier women of the Old Testament.

Sad, confused Leah. Seeking but not receiving love and acceptance from those who should have loved her the most. And yet she emerges as blessed, happy, and fulfilled.

Leah's story is one that resonates through the centuries to guide and encourage women (and men) as they face the challenge all people must face each day though often not being appreciated by those around them.

Leah. An overcomer. Leah. A victor.

Leah. A true love story.

The narrative begins when the Tribune Constantius, a Roman officer stationed in Britain, meets and wins Helena, only daughter of the mystical and oracular King Coel of Britain. Through the course of their early lives together, and during their ten-year separation when Constantius returns to Britian as a conquering Caesar and Helena has become a rejected wife, devoted mother, and militant Christian, there is a sure and convincing portrayal of character growth and personal conflict. Helena's fierce determination to raise Constantine as a warrior son and her gradual discovery and dramatic acceptance of Christianity prepare her for the final miracle of her life discovery of the True Cross, the Living Wood on Calvary.

The Living Wood is a chapter from the turbulent half-forgotten pages of early Christian history and legend in which the religious conflicts and problems are handled with moving simplicity. It is also an action-packed novel of those times--with a lesson for us today--that captures with equal skill and tumult and the shouting of the battlefield and the devious plots and counter-plots of the court.

An unconventional novel of prairie life, "My Á ntonia" tells the story of a remarkable woman whose strength and passion epitomize the pioneer spirit. ´ Antonia Shimerda returns to Black Hawk, Nebraska, to made a fresh start after eloping with a railway conductor following the tragic death of her father. Accustomed to living in a sod house and toiling alongside the men in the fields, she is unprepared for the lecherous reaction her lush sensuality provokes when she moves to the city. Despite betrayal and crushing opposition, Antonia steadfastly pursues her quest for happiness -- a moving struggle that mirrors the quiet drama of the American landscape.

"No romantic novel ever written in America, by man or woman, is one half so beautiful as "My Á ntonia."" --H.L. Mencken

The third volume in J.R.R. Tolkien's classic epic fantasy, The Lord of the Rings. This edition of The Return Of The King includes the complete appendices and index for The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

As the shadow of Mordor grows across the land, the Companions of the Ring have become involved in separate adventures. Aragorn, revealed as the hidden heir of the ancient Kings of the West, has joined with the Riders of Rohan against the forces of Isengard and takes part in the desperate battle of the Hornburg. Merry and Pippin, captured by Orcs, escape into Fangorn Forest and there encounter the Ents.

Gandalf has miraculously returned and defeated the evil wizard, Saruman. Sam has left his master for dead after a battle with the giant spider, Shelob; but Frodo is still alive--now in the foul hands of the Orcs.

Meanwhile, the armies of the Dark Lord are massing as the One Ring draws ever nearer to the Cracks of Doom.

"A triumphant close ... a grand piece of work, grand in both conception and execution. An astonishing imaginative tour de force."--Daily Telegraph

The Screwtape Texts make The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis accessible to a whole new generation of readers. In this book and study, Lewis' classic work has been translated from a collection of letters sent from a senior demon to his student into a collection of text message exchanges between the two characters.

Wormwood, the tempter in training, makes comments and asks Screwtape questions, which sometimes get him into trouble. His questions bring additional clarity to the reader, who is not meant to see the strategies and tactics used by the devil against them.

This translation expands the scope of weapons used against the "human vermin" to include things like smartphones and other distractions.

The Screwtape Texts also includes reflection questions that can be used for individual or group studies. Each chapter includes references to Scripture and counterattack strategies.

Throughout his career, forensic anthropologist and outspoken atheist Dr. Jon Bondurant has investigated many religious artifacts said to be real, but he knows better. Only weak minds rely on such obviously false relics to maintain their silly, pointless faith.

So when he is invited by the Vatican to examine the Shroud of Turin, said to be the burial cloth that covered the body of Christ--and the most revered of all Christian artifacts--he is delighted for the opportunity to prove once and for all that the Shroud is a fake. But when he meets Domenika Josef, the beautiful and devout Vatican representative who finds him arrogant and self-important, he realizes his task will not be as straightforward as he once imagined. Domenika believes that the relic is real, and wants nothing more than to rescue the tarnished reputation of the church by announcing the good news. As Bondurant and his team examine every element of the Shroud, he and Domenika begin to see each other in a whole new light. And as the evidence about the origin of this highly contested piece of fabric starts to pile up, he begins to realize that he's been seeing a lot of things incorrectly.

But when a sample of the blood from the Shroud--believed to be the real blood of Jesus Christ--vanishes, he realizes his problems are just beginning. The DNA in that sample could have earth-shattering consequences if it falls into the wrong hands. When Domenika vanishes too, Bondurant is caught in a globe-spanning chase to rescue the woman he loves--and stop the evil forces who have their own motives for bringing on the Second Coming.

The Song at the Scaffold is an historical novella based on the gripping story of these brave heroines who offered their lives as a witness to Christ. Written for adults, this 1931 classic has been supplemented with extensive study aids that make it suitable as well for high school students, including footnotes, questions for literary analysis, a glossary, an historical timeline, and an author biography.

Now, the dark forces that have been repulsed in Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra are massed for an assault on planet Earth. Word is that the mighty wizard Merlin has come back to the land of the living after many centuries, holding the key to ultimate power for the force that can find him and bend him to its will. A sinister technocratic organization is gaining power throughout Europe, with a plan to "recondition" society, and it is up to Ransom and his friends to stop this threat by applying age-old wisdom to a new universe dominated by science. The two groups struggle to a climactic resolution that brings the Space Trilogy to a magnificent, crashing conclusion.

Written during the dark hours immediately before and during World War II, C.S. Lewis's Space Trilogy stands alongside such works as Albert Camus's The Plague and George Orwell's 1984 as a timeless classic, beloved by succeeding generations as much for the sheer wonder of its storytelling as for the significance of its moral concerns.

In this magnificent and stirring novel, Louis de Wohl turns his famed narrative skill to the story of the soldier and merchant's son who might have been right-hand man to a king ... and who became instead the most beloved of all saints. Set against the tempestuous background of 13th Century Italy and Egypt, here is the magnificent and inspiring story of Francis Bernardone, the brash, pleasure-loving young officer who was to become immortalized as St. Francis of Assisi.

The story teems with action, pageantry and intrigue with finely conceived characters-the beautiful, saintly Clare, Frederick, the hawk-faced King of Sicily and Holy Roman Emperor, the Sultan Al Kamil, Pope Innocent III. The scene shifts from Assisi, Rome and Sicily to the deadly sands of Egypt.

This book was made into a feature film by 20th Century Fox entitled Francis of Assisi, now available on video from Ignatius Press.

In his latest historical epic, worldwide bestselling author Davis Bunn takes readers on a journey through an ancient landscape. Travel with Empress Helena from Caesarea to Judea. Abandoned by her husband, in danger because of her faith, but with an implacable will to do what God calls her to, she takes a perilous pilgrimage. Along the way she meets those who would help her (the wizened and wise bishop Macarius; the rough-edged but kind-hearted sergeant Cratus; the young soldier Anthony, a man who has lost everything, including his faith) and those who would harm her (the menacing and murderous Roman assassin Severus). Miracles seem to follow this humble but determined woman as she wins many over to the faith, and changes lives forever--including her own.

This unforgettable story of the discovery of the True Cross will thrill readers with its adventure, and with its vivid portrait of one of Christian history's most important women.

"[Bunn] does something few Christian fiction writers do...his stories open readers to a bigger multicultural and multireligious world...he always seems to surprise and lead into places readers don't expect." --Publishers Weekly

The audio edition of this book can be downloaded via Audible.