Christmas Bells by Jennifer Chiaverini

In 1860, the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow family celebrated Christmas at Craigie House, their home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The publication of Longfellow’s classic Revolutionary War poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride,” was less than a month hence, and the country’s grave political unrest weighed heavily on his mind. Yet with his beloved wife, Fanny, and their five adored children at his side, the delights of the season prevailed.

In present-day Boston, a dedicated teacher in the Watertown public school system is stunned by somber holiday tidings. Sophia’s music program has been sacrificed to budget cuts, and she worries not only about her impending unemployment but also about the consequences to her underprivileged students. At the church where she volunteers as music director, Sophia tries to forget her cares as she leads the children’s choir in rehearsal for a Christmas Eve concert. Inspired to honor a local artist, Sophia has chosen a carol set to a poem by Longfellow, moved by the glorious words he penned one Christmas Day long ago, even as he suffered great loss.

Christmas Bells chronicles the events of 1863, when the peace and contentment of Longfellow’s family circle was suddenly, tragically broken, cutting even deeper than the privations of wartime. Through the pain of profound loss and hardship, Longfellow’s patriotism never failed, nor did the power of his language. “Christmas Bells,” the poem he wrote that holiday, lives on, spoken as verse and sung as a hymn. 

Jennifer Chiaverini’s resonant and heartfelt novel for the season reminds us why we must continue to hear glad tidings, even as we are tested by strife. Reading Christmas Bells evokes the resplendent joy of a chorus of voices raised in reverent song.

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published October 27th 2015 by Dutton

ISBN

 

0525955240 (ISBN13: 9780525955245)

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Indelible Ink by Matt Betts

Something lurks inside Deena Riordan. She never once questioned her life in the criminal underworld as the star of Mr. Marsh’s illegal empire and his youngest assassin. Her ruthless demeanor and dark magical powers have kept her at the top of the heap for years. But one day she pushes the sorcery too far and something snaps. Only then does Deena realize she’s always been a puppet of that dark power with no true will of her own.

Now, in order to get out of the crime business for good, she needs to save her sister from Marsh’s angry clutches. It won’t be easy. She’ll have to make her way through friends turned foes, dodge determined federal agents, and stay out of a particularly stubborn fellow hitman’s sights. Worst of all, Deena will have to wrestle with the darkness inside to keep it from swallowing her up again.

What Are They Saying About Indelible Ink

“Dark, imaginative, and thrilling, Indelible Ink is part urban fantasy, part crime novel, and completely enthralling. A first-rate adventure from the ever-reliable pen of Matt Betts.” —Tim Waggoner, author of Dream Stalkers

“Women assassins, guns, black magic and government conspiracy; what’s not to love about Matt Betts’ latest novel, Indelible Ink? Grab a copy now, before the powers that be decide you can’t be trusted with the truth.”—Tom Barlow, I’ll Meet You Yesterday

“Matt Betts doesn’t seem to know all writers get put into a box. He ignores genres and boundaries and simply writes what his imagination wants. His stories are what make reading fun.”—Greg Hall, Everyone Hates a Hero

“This urban fantasy has a strong female slant that I enjoyed, and the quirky character of FEI Agent Pel is one of my favorites. Betts’ use of the ‘ink’ and monstrous power it holds is intriguing and quite unlike anything I had read before. Deena is one tough fighter that I wouldn’t want to come across in a dark alley, or in a Starbucks either, for that matter. In case of impending apocalypse, I want her on my side.”  —Mercedes M. Yardley, author of Nameless

“A thrilling, clever, and quick paced fantasy!”—Ellen Ann, NY Times Bestselling Author

“Mysterious powers and perpetual mayhem rip through this secret world where guns are bad, but something worse can lurk beneath the skin.”—Nayad Monroe, Editor Not Our Kind

“Betts’s horror caper has its charms, including the portrayal of Deena’s changing mind-set as she grows younger and then older again, and a sniper whose hallucinations of his mother, mentor, and childhood teddy bear constantly berate and insult him.”

Paperback, 232 pagesPublished July 2015 (first published June 29th 2015)ISBN13:    9781935738749Language: English

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