The battle between vicious spirits and strong-willed queens that started in the award-winning The Queen of Blood and continued in the powerful The Reluctant Queen comes to a stunning conclusion in The Queen of Sorrow, the final volume of Sarah Beth Durst’s Queens of Renthia trilogy. Queen Daleina has yearned to bring peace and prosperity to her beloved forest home—a hope that seemed doomed when neighboring forces invaded Aratay. Now, with the powerful Queen Naelin ruling by her side, Daleina believes that her dream of ushering in a new era can be realized, even in a land plagued by malevolent nature spirits who thirst for the end of human life. And then Naelin’s children are kidnapped by spirits. Nothing is more important to her than her family, and Naelin would rather watch the world burn than see her children harmed. Blaming the defeated Queen Merecot of Semo for the kidnapping, Naelin is ready to start a war—and has the power to do it. But Merecot has grander plans than a bloody battle with her southern neighbors. Taking the children is merely one step in a plot to change the future of all Renthia, either by ending the threat of spirits once and for all . . . or plunging the world into chaos.

Many Catholics are unaware of our holy traditions on and powerful devotions to the Sorrows of Mary. Based on Scripture and the lives of the Saints, this little book will open eyes and hearts to the Sorrows of Our Lady.

Set in the magical world of Renthia, The Queen of Blood is Sarah Beth Durst’s ambitious entry into adult epic fantasy. With the danger of Peter Brett’s The Warded Man, heart of Naomi Novik’s Uprooted, and lyricism of Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind, this is the first chapter in a series destined to be a classic. Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . . But the spirits that reside within this land want to rid it of all humans. One woman stands between these malevolent spirits and the end of humankind: the queen. She alone has the magical power to prevent the spirits from destroying every man, woman, and child. But queens are still just human, and no matter how strong or good, the threat of danger always looms. With the position so precarious, young women are chosen to train as heirs. Daleina, a seemingly quiet academy student, is under no illusions as to her claim to the throne, but simply wants to right the wrongs that have befallen the land. Ven, a disgraced champion, has spent his exile secretly fighting against the growing number of spirit attacks. Joining forces, these daring partners embark on a treacherous quest to find the source of the spirits’ restlessness—a journey that will test their courage and trust, and force them to stand against both enemies and friends to save their land . . . before it’s bathed in blood.

Grow closer to Jesus through His Sorrowful Mother. Discover the depths of her sorrow, the strength of love she has in her Son, and let her lead you closer to Him, especially in Hs Passion and Crucifixion. Our Lady of Sorrows: A Catholic Meditation & Prayer Journal includes: The Seven Sorrows of Mary, Meditations on each sorrow and journaling space, Actionable items that you can do to understand each sorrow better and grow closer to Mary & Jesus, The Novena of Our Lady of Sorrows Let her lead you to Him. Click on the author's name for more Catholic prayer journals written by her. The ebook version of this book is available at catholicmommyblogs.com, along with free Catholic printables.

Are Catholics given a bad rap when it comes to their knowledge of the Bible? We may not carry Bibles clutched in our hands, but years of repetition and discipline allow us to store our Bible in our own thoughts, memorized prayers, and beautiful traditions. With hesitation we may join a Bible Study, reluctantly opening the door marked "unfamiliar," but upon entering we will indeed find ourselves among the "familiar." Studying the Bible in its context helps us place our memorized stories into the timeline of Christ and explores the numerous New Testament verses that were revealed through Old Testament prophecies. The Seven Sorrows of Mary is a daily prayer that was handed down to us from Saint Bridget. Using these sorrows as our template, we find them in the New Testament writings and then trace them to Old Testament prophecies and accountings. You will be amazed at what Mary teaches us as we delve into the Word of God to uncover the clues to her mysterious sorrows. On the surface, Mary's sorrows may seem like an exercise in remembering our Lord's sacrifice, but Mary teaches us so much more through her perfect humility and unwavering faith. Our study will reveal the history and purpose of the sorrows and how we can use these teachings to aid in our daily struggles, more deeply root our position with Christ, and enhance our own Catholic tradition.

Devotion to Our Lady's Seven Sorrows has its roots deep in Sacred Scripture, Catholic tradition, and the revelations of Jesus and his Blessed Mother to St. Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373). The Blessed Mother not only suffered interiorly throughout her Son's life on earth, but after he ascended into heaven, as well. The devotion to her Seven Sorrows is directed toward seven poignant moments in the lives of Jesus and Mary. Here are some of those moments in poetry.