Tag Archives: catholic ya novel

New Release: Rightfully Ours

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A brand new Catholic romance for teens and young adults!

Rightfully Ours by Catholic author Carolyn Astfalk is a coming-of-age story of first love, buried treasure, and discovering some things are worth the wait.

A new home. A new friend. A mystery and adventure with serious consequences… 

As teens Paul and Rachel work side by side to uncover what could be lost treasure, will they acquire the strength of character and virtue to take only what rightfully belongs to them–or are they in way over their heads, with more than a few lost artifacts at stake?.

Rightfully Ours is available as a Kindle ebook and will soon be released in paperback as well.

Read the first few chapters for free right here.

Book Review: A Soldier Surrenders

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A Soldier Surrenders by Susan Peek is an incredible story about
Saint Camillus de Lellis, a great sinner of the 1500s who became a great saint. He is entirely human, very flawed, and thus easy to empathize with. His story is sure to inspire anyone who struggles with temptation and sin–and who among us doesn’t?!

With his pious mother dead, young Camillus follows in his soldier father’s footsteps, making many bad choices and even, for a time, siding with the Turks against the Christians. A tall, formidable man, Camillus is brought low by bad habits such as drinking, gambling, and brawling–becoming, in fact, a slave to his vices.

Due to the profound impact of his father’s death, Camillus attempts to change his life, but his hot temper and intense pride repeatedly thwart his efforts. Additionally, he is plagued by a mysterious ulcer that refuses to heal.

Besot by temptations and failures, Camillus is rejected and dismissed in shame from places where he attempts to build a life. A lesser man would give in to despair, but Camillus soldiers on and is shaped by the soul-shaking trials he endures.

At long last, after struggling to find his way alone in the world, Camillus realizes he’s not alone. He discovers that it takes humility to have true courage–the courage to surrender to God’s will.

As always, Peek knows how to keep readers hooked! She treats us to lively writing, entertaining situations, and crisp dialogue. A Soldier Surrenders is filled with action and drama and is perfect for ages fifteen and up. Peek’s novels are among the most worthy and inspiring I’ve ever read. I fervently recommend all her books and eagerly anticipate her new ones!

A Soldier Surrenders is available in paperback.

Book Review: Erin’s Ring

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Erin’s Ring by Laura H. Pearl is an unforgettably heartfelt and soul-stirring story of faith and love. It hooked me in the first chapter when 13-year-old Molly, new to the town of Dover, discovers an old Claddagh ring in the dirt around St. Mary’s Church. How did the ring get there? Whose ring is it?

Together with her new friend Theresa, who is struggling with a deep sorrow, Molly searches for answers by delving into the history of the town and the Irish immigrants, particularly the mill girls who worked long, hard hours for money to send home to their loved ones.

19-year-old Ann’s story begins in 1827, with her boarding a ship bound for America, with hopes of joining the mill girls. Resourceful and determined, she works hard, sends money and letters home, and clings to her Catholic faith. Meanwhile, a budding romance fills her with hopes and dreams for the future. The multilayered story is rich with Catholic traditions and Irish heritage.

Erin’s Ring is a splendid tale, with meaningful yet entertaining content, easily enjoyed by adults and teens alike. The pull to keep reading was irresistible; I was continually trying to squeeze reading time into my busy day. The plot always entices and is driven by the characters, their lives, loves, and sufferings. The young women of the past and present struggle with hardships as their lives are shaped by faith in God.

I’m thoroughly impressed with Pearl’s ability to create this beautiful tapestry of love, hope, and courage. She has such a talent for writing wholesome yet real stories. I’m also very in awe of the fact that she wrote Erin’s Ring in a matter of months. That can only be done with extreme dedication and a true passion for the story. Like Pearl’s debut novel (Finding Grace), Erin’s Ring is another keeper for my bookshelf to pass on to my daughters!

Erin’s Ring is available in paperback.

Newly Released: Erin’s Ring

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Just in time for Christmas, the latest novel by Catholic author Laura H. Pearl is now available! Perfect for readers 13 and up.


Erin’s Ring by Laura H. Pearl

What story might this ring tell, if only it could talk?

When thirteen-year-old Molly McCormick, who has recently moved from the Midwest to Dover, New Hampshire, finds an old Irish Claddagh ring poking up out of the dirt in a garden outside her local parish church, she is immediately intrigued. The ring’s inscription, “To Erin–Love, Michael”, fills her head with romantic possibilities. She teams up with her new friend, Theresa Grant, to uncover the story behind the lost ring. With the help of the head librarian at the public library, the two girls become immersed in the rich history of the Irish immigrants who came to Dover in droves during the 19th century, to escape famine and poverty in their homeland and make better lives for their children and grandchildren.

Molly and Theresa learn about the courage, tenacity, and deep faith that were the hallmarks of the Irish immigrants–people with names like Ann and Seamus, Cara and Finn, and of course, Erin and Michael. The young girls eagerly delve into old records tucked away in the dark corners of the library and learn how instrumental Dover’s Irish-Catholics were in getting the first Catholic church built in their New England town.

Molly and Theresa set out to discover the origins of the mysterious ring, but they unearth a story that is far stranger and infinitely more touching than anything they could have ever imagined.

Erin’s Ring is available in paperback.

Book Review: I Thirst

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I Thirst is a poetic, unique first novel by Gina Marinello-Sweeney.
The writing is fresh, lyrical, and literary. The novel is definitely more character-driven than plot-driven. Twenty-year-old Rebecca meets an interesting young man and they instantly connect. They share a love of writing and embark on a writing project together, through which a deep friendship grows.

While the story moves with it’s own flow, I found it a bit disjointed in places and somewhat random. As I read, I kept hoping for more story tension. Symbolic and poetic as it was, some parts were a tad too abstract for me. The story didn’t always hold my interest, particularly the play within the play.

This is just my honest opinion, and tastes differ. From the raving reviews I’ve seen, there are certainly others who love this book. You might be one of them! I suggest reading the first several pages in Amazon’s “Look Inside” the book feature to see if I Thirst draws you in.

Catholic readers will appreciate the Catholic aspects, which are tastefully included and not overdone.

Marinello-Sweeney has quite a way with words and is certainly a gifted writer. I enjoyed her use of the first person voice and the writing is lively, descriptive, and contains zany touches of humor. The author did an excellent job fully fleshing out the characters and making some of them off-beat and eccentric. I also enjoyed her depiction of the true passion of a writer. The author’s own passion shines through in I Thirst, and I’m sure we will be seeing more of her work in the future.

I Thirst is available in paperback.

A New YA Novel: “Finding Grace”

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CatholicFiction.com is pleased to spread the word about Finding Grace, a new Catholic novel for teen readers.

Learn more about Finding Grace, the themes, synopsis, and inspiration behind the novel by reading the author’s own words below.


Catholic author Laura Pearl writes:

I am a Catholic author who has just had my first novel (aimed at young adult readers) released in August by Bezalel Books, a Catholic publishing house. My book is called “Finding Grace,” and it is is set in a small town in the 1970′s. It is filled with Catholic characters and is a pro-family, pro-chastity, pro-life, coming of age love story. It promotes Catholic themes throughout, but with compassion and humor and without being too preachy.

Here is a short synopsis, which appears on the back cover of the book: At the age of thirteen, Grace Kelly (who has been saddled with the name of a world-renowned beauty, but is far from one herself) is inspired by an offhand comment from her father to become a saint. But coming of age and falling deeply in love for the first time in the early 1970′s–in the wake of the 60′s “sexual revolution” and the historic Roe v. Wade decision–presents true challenges for young people who are trying to live chastely. Grace realizes that without the help of God, the Blessed Mother, and all the saints in Heaven, navigating the thorny path to sainthood would be an almost insurmountable task.

I decided to write “Finding Grace” with my future grandchildren in mind (and then my first two–identical twin girls–were born while I was still in the process of writing it!), worried about the kind of books that will be targeted at them by the time they become teenage readers. I wanted to write something that would combat the damaging secular messages that bombard our young people daily–in books, on T.V., in movies, and even in school.

My book is available on Amazon.com in both paperback and Kindle form.

Thank you, Laura Pearl, for taking the time to write us about your novel. It sounds like a great idea for a Christmas gift!