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Visible & Invisible
Ashes: Visible & Invisible
Ashes: Visible and Invisible is a collection of short stories by ten Catholic Teen Books authors.
Finishing the Journey: When Liz's faith journey hits a roadblock, will an unexpected detour and chance encounter set her back on track?
Follow Me: A teen’s future was all set—before his tragic loss. But his best friend’s secret past just might save it.
Take Up Your Cross: Justin's religion is outlawed. When an unbeliever asks him about the meaning of life, what can he say?
A Big Ask: Could God be asking Paul to sacrifice a piece of himself for Lent—literally?
Lent Royal & Ancient: A modern American teen discovers what faith, life and love are like in seventeenth-century Scotland.
No Greater Love: 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.
A Very Jurassic Lent: When a risky Ash Wednesday mission to sterilize T. rex eggs goes wrong, fasting is the least of Joshua, Darryl, and Harry's worries.
Lucy and the Forsaken Path: A medieval girl stranded on a forsaken path confronts threats from without and turmoil from within.
Bread Alone: Struggling with loss, hunger, and temptation, Ethan finds himself walking in the steps of Jesus.
Prepare the Way: 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?
Finishing the Journey: When Liz's faith journey hits a roadblock, will an unexpected detour and chance encounter set her back on track?
Follow Me: A teen’s future was all set—before his tragic loss. But his best friend’s secret past just might save it.
Take Up Your Cross: Justin's religion is outlawed. When an unbeliever asks him about the meaning of life, what can he say?
A Big Ask: Could God be asking Paul to sacrifice a piece of himself for Lent—literally?
Lent Royal & Ancient: A modern American teen discovers what faith, life and love are like in seventeenth-century Scotland.
No Greater Love: 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.
A Very Jurassic Lent: When a risky Ash Wednesday mission to sterilize T. rex eggs goes wrong, fasting is the least of Joshua, Darryl, and Harry's worries.
Lucy and the Forsaken Path: A medieval girl stranded on a forsaken path confronts threats from without and turmoil from within.
Bread Alone: Struggling with loss, hunger, and temptation, Ethan finds himself walking in the steps of Jesus.
Prepare the Way: 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?
305 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2023
31 people want to read
About the author
Leslea Wahl
25 books148 followersLeslea lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and three children. Their own life of adventure includes traveling, skiing, and scuba diving. Leslea strives to write fiction that will inspire readers to use their own talents and gifts to glorify God.
The Perfect Blindside has received a 2016 First Place Catholic Press Association Book Award and a 2016 Illumination Book Awards silver medal.
An Unexpected Role has was awarded a 2017 Moonbeam Children's book Gold Medal.
The Perfect Blindside has received a 2016 First Place Catholic Press Association Book Award and a 2016 Illumination Book Awards silver medal.
An Unexpected Role has was awarded a 2017 Moonbeam Children's book Gold Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 20, 2022
This is the fourth anthology from the authors at the Catholic Teen Books collective. Each has been a great read. This Lenten volume is also, to be honest, my favourite of the four now. Normally, one of the things I love about reading anthologies, is discovering new authors. That was not the case this time. I have read books by all of the contributors. In fact, at the time of writing this review, I have over 100 reviews and articles from authors that are part of the CTB group. I knew I was in for some great reading when I picked up this collection. And I had some high expectations, based on the contributors and the previous three anthologies. And yet even with those high expectations, I was incredibly impressed with this collection and, to be honest, each story within it. Often when I read an anthology, there are a few great reads, some good reads, and some okay reads. That was not the case this time. Each story was a remarkable. I read the volume, reading 1 story a day. And then as soon as I finished, I used adaptive technology and listened to each of them.
In the foreword for Secrets, Visible & Invisible, the first anthology in this series, Mark Hart of Life Teen International states:
“We call Him Savior, Teacher, Wonder Worker, and Lord. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Bread of Life and the Light of the World. He is the Messiah, the Promised One, the Divine Physician…the Good Shepherd. Jesus Christ is all of these titles and an endless list of more. Yet, there is one title that I’ve rarely – if ever – heard used to describe Jesus of Nazareth, and I feel it is a glaringly myopic omission on our part. Almost never have I heard Jesus Christ described as “Master Storyteller,” though He most certainly was.”
Many of the contributors to this collections, in their own way, imitate Christ and are master storytellers in our own generation. I have a great deal of respect for the ten authors who contributed to this series. And a couple of them are among my all time favourite authors. And I read a couple hundred books a year. This is a collection of 10 faith filled stories by 10 great authors.
Contributors:
Leslea Wahl
Cynthia T. Toney
Marie Keiser
Carolyn Astfalk
Amanda Lauer
Ellen Gable
Corinna Turner
Antony B. Kolenc
T. M. Gaouette
Theresa Linden
In this collection we have one short story from each of the contributors. Some contain characters you can encounter in novels by the authors. Some are from books and series that have been around for a few years and others to recent releases or forthcoming works.
Contents:
Finishing The Journey - Leslea Wahl
Follow Me - Cynthia T. Toney
Take Up Your Cross - Marie Keiser
A Big Ask - Carolyn Astfalk
Lent Royal And Ancient - Amanda Lauer
No Greater Love - Ellen Gable
A Very Jurassic Lent - Corinna Turner
Lucy And The Forsaken Path - Antony B. Kolenc
Bread Alone - T. M. Gaouette
Prepare The Way - Theresa Linden
As previously mentioned this is a great collection of short stories. I really could not pick a favorite or least favorite. Each story is very well written. And I thoroughly enjoyed them all. And here is a summary of each story.
For fans of any of the authors in this collection, you need to pick this book up to read their contribution. For readers who love remarkable stories, this collection is for you also. And if you want some great reads that are clean Catholic fiction this is the book for you. This anthology is Amazing!
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2022 Catholic Reading Plan!
In the foreword for Secrets, Visible & Invisible, the first anthology in this series, Mark Hart of Life Teen International states:
“We call Him Savior, Teacher, Wonder Worker, and Lord. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Bread of Life and the Light of the World. He is the Messiah, the Promised One, the Divine Physician…the Good Shepherd. Jesus Christ is all of these titles and an endless list of more. Yet, there is one title that I’ve rarely – if ever – heard used to describe Jesus of Nazareth, and I feel it is a glaringly myopic omission on our part. Almost never have I heard Jesus Christ described as “Master Storyteller,” though He most certainly was.”
Many of the contributors to this collections, in their own way, imitate Christ and are master storytellers in our own generation. I have a great deal of respect for the ten authors who contributed to this series. And a couple of them are among my all time favourite authors. And I read a couple hundred books a year. This is a collection of 10 faith filled stories by 10 great authors.
Contributors:
Leslea Wahl
Cynthia T. Toney
Marie Keiser
Carolyn Astfalk
Amanda Lauer
Ellen Gable
Corinna Turner
Antony B. Kolenc
T. M. Gaouette
Theresa Linden
In this collection we have one short story from each of the contributors. Some contain characters you can encounter in novels by the authors. Some are from books and series that have been around for a few years and others to recent releases or forthcoming works.
Contents:
Finishing The Journey - Leslea Wahl
Follow Me - Cynthia T. Toney
Take Up Your Cross - Marie Keiser
A Big Ask - Carolyn Astfalk
Lent Royal And Ancient - Amanda Lauer
No Greater Love - Ellen Gable
A Very Jurassic Lent - Corinna Turner
Lucy And The Forsaken Path - Antony B. Kolenc
Bread Alone - T. M. Gaouette
Prepare The Way - Theresa Linden
As previously mentioned this is a great collection of short stories. I really could not pick a favorite or least favorite. Each story is very well written. And I thoroughly enjoyed them all. And here is a summary of each story.
For fans of any of the authors in this collection, you need to pick this book up to read their contribution. For readers who love remarkable stories, this collection is for you also. And if you want some great reads that are clean Catholic fiction this is the book for you. This anthology is Amazing!
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2022 Catholic Reading Plan!
January 16, 2023
This book is the fourth installment in Catholic Teen Books' Visible & Invisible series and, I must say, my favorite yet. The stories, written by 10 different authors (including myself), center around the theme of Lent. Each story is unique, set in various time periods from the time of Christ to the distant future, and offer a message that will stay with you long after you've finished the book. This would be the ideal book to read during Lent or to put in an Easter basket for a reader in your life from middle school through adult.
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January 28, 2023There are few Lenten resources designed specifically for teens, and Ashes is a welcome addition! Rather than making Lent about more to-do lists (though specific disciplines can be helpful), these fictional stories set in various times, places, and genres, help readers focus on the relationships that are at the heart of the Gospel. They highlight sacrificial love, from simple gestures to heroic actions, that reflect the sacrifice of our Savior at the culmination of the Lenten season.
Ashes offers examples of Lent-in-action, so to speak, and I'm happy to have been part of this unique collection.
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Participating in a themed-anthology with nine other authors is an exercise in trust and cooperation. When you set out, you really don't know what you'll end up with. What if someone writes a dud? What if the stories aren't cohesive?
Reading through the stories as a collection, I was awed to see how the Holy Spirit worked through a varied group of authors whose common denominator is their Catholic faith. Each author, through characters borne of their imagination, conveyed, in part, the profound sacrifice that is at the heart of Lent. Teenage characters grapple with sacrifice and mortality, exploring the natural fears, selfishness, reluctance, and regret that we all experience.
It's my hope that this collection will be a blessing to teens, in particular, helping them to make the most of the annual opportunity the Church gives us to draw closer to Chris through His Passion.
Ashes offers examples of Lent-in-action, so to speak, and I'm happy to have been part of this unique collection.
----------
Participating in a themed-anthology with nine other authors is an exercise in trust and cooperation. When you set out, you really don't know what you'll end up with. What if someone writes a dud? What if the stories aren't cohesive?
Reading through the stories as a collection, I was awed to see how the Holy Spirit worked through a varied group of authors whose common denominator is their Catholic faith. Each author, through characters borne of their imagination, conveyed, in part, the profound sacrifice that is at the heart of Lent. Teenage characters grapple with sacrifice and mortality, exploring the natural fears, selfishness, reluctance, and regret that we all experience.
It's my hope that this collection will be a blessing to teens, in particular, helping them to make the most of the annual opportunity the Church gives us to draw closer to Chris through His Passion.
May 17, 2023
I am honored to be one of the contributing authors to this collection. Each story is a blessing for teens anytime of year, but especially during their Lenten journey.
December 1, 2023
Well-written story collection! Recommended!
February 9, 2023
I didn't know what to expect from these Lenten stories, but I was delighted by what I read. Each story was about a teen in very different stages in life, periods, and even worlds, but they all had one thing in common, the Catholic faith. It was interesting how I was relating to so many of these characters, and it made me think a lot about myself and my own Lenten journeys.
One of the things I loved about Ashes: Visible and Invisible is the different lessons and experiences each character had during their Lenten journey. Each story talked about a different part of lent, and I loved it! Like I did, any teen reading this will see that there is more to Lent than just fasting and sacrifices, even though that is a part of it; there is also a lot of love and mercy, and it was beautiful to see!
Some of my favorite short stories in this book are Follow Me, Take Up Your Cross, and A Very Jurassic Lent. Follow Me was a wonderfully written short story about a guy who wanted to become a priest, but then after the death of a family member, he is not so sure anymore. This story is part of a series by Cynthia T. Toney that I want to read now. I loved how self-sacrifice was shown lovingly and how a different angle of lent was shown. Take Up Your Cross had the best message for me: "God doesn't ask us to do anything He didn't already do Himself." This was the first thing I read by Marie C. Keiser, and I am excited to read more. A Very Jurassic Lent is about, not surprisingly, dinosaurs. I didn't expect to like this short story as much as I did, but first, Corinna Turner is a fantastic writer, and second, there was a great love of the Eucharist throughout the whole that made me want to go to adoration. Besides the great messages all 10 of these stories sent, they were also very enjoyable and absorbing.
Ashes: Visible and Invisible was another great addition to the Catholic Teen Books Anthologies Series! I am always so excited to see what these incredible authors put together. I recommend this book to all teens (especially now, with Lent starting this month)!
(As a side note, I love the cover)!
Special thanks to T. M. Gaouette for sending me a complimentary copy of Ashes: Visible and Invisible for my unbiased review!
Things to Mention: There’s a car accident. One damn. In one of the stories it is insinuated that Catholics are being hunted down and taken. There is a slight description of changing a baby’s diaper and being able to tell the baby’s gender. Some people are chased by dinosaurs. A kiss with no details.
Come check out more clean books at: acatholicgirlreads.com
One of the things I loved about Ashes: Visible and Invisible is the different lessons and experiences each character had during their Lenten journey. Each story talked about a different part of lent, and I loved it! Like I did, any teen reading this will see that there is more to Lent than just fasting and sacrifices, even though that is a part of it; there is also a lot of love and mercy, and it was beautiful to see!
Some of my favorite short stories in this book are Follow Me, Take Up Your Cross, and A Very Jurassic Lent. Follow Me was a wonderfully written short story about a guy who wanted to become a priest, but then after the death of a family member, he is not so sure anymore. This story is part of a series by Cynthia T. Toney that I want to read now. I loved how self-sacrifice was shown lovingly and how a different angle of lent was shown. Take Up Your Cross had the best message for me: "God doesn't ask us to do anything He didn't already do Himself." This was the first thing I read by Marie C. Keiser, and I am excited to read more. A Very Jurassic Lent is about, not surprisingly, dinosaurs. I didn't expect to like this short story as much as I did, but first, Corinna Turner is a fantastic writer, and second, there was a great love of the Eucharist throughout the whole that made me want to go to adoration. Besides the great messages all 10 of these stories sent, they were also very enjoyable and absorbing.
Ashes: Visible and Invisible was another great addition to the Catholic Teen Books Anthologies Series! I am always so excited to see what these incredible authors put together. I recommend this book to all teens (especially now, with Lent starting this month)!
(As a side note, I love the cover)!
Special thanks to T. M. Gaouette for sending me a complimentary copy of Ashes: Visible and Invisible for my unbiased review!
Things to Mention: There’s a car accident. One damn. In one of the stories it is insinuated that Catholics are being hunted down and taken. There is a slight description of changing a baby’s diaper and being able to tell the baby’s gender. Some people are chased by dinosaurs. A kiss with no details.
Come check out more clean books at: acatholicgirlreads.com
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews