Poinsettia Girl is based on the story of Agata de la Pieta, an orphan musician of the Ospedale de la Pieta.
Ten-year-old Agata’s world is shaken at the sudden death of her mother. Left only with her egregious father, a working musician in Venice, her ailing grandmother sends her to the well-known orphanage, hidden from everything she’s ever known.
Agata auditions for the conservatory style music school where music is both salvation and spectacle. Hidden behind ornate metal grates, adorned with poinsettias in their hair, the singers are veiled in mystery, their ethereal music drawing noble audiences, including gilded young men who see them as treasures-not only for their sound but as coveted marriage prizes.
Just as she reaches the height of her musical journey, a marriage proposal from someone outside the audience tempts her with the promise of a new life-a return to the old neighborhood she’s longed for and a home she barely remembers.
Torn between the music that has defined her and the hope of belonging to a family, Agata must confront the most profound question of her life: is her purpose rooted in the music that shaped her, or in the love that might free her?
Excerpt 5:
Some might have considered her earlier days slightly more illustrious than her current stage. She had once been a contralto, something special and different for composers to write for and crowds to be awed by. She pictured herself standing at the front of the balcony behind the metal cutout, remembering what it felt like to be seen. She ran her hands over her hips, feeling the smoothness of the deep red skirt over her narrow hips, and then moved them up to touch the heavy drape of her lace collar, forcing her shoulders back.
Her thick raven hair was brushed back in a woven bun, and the poinsettia behind her ear was striking in contrast. And now, she was a spry (well, she thought so) sixty-two-year-old, young enough that her widened hips still moved nimbly, and old enough that when her gray hair was unwound from its head covering, she could find not one of her former black strands left. She was known as the old woman in the hall, called by the name Discrete, which meant separate. That little skip flipped in her heart like it did occasionally, and she moved her hand from her gray hair to her chest.
I just pushmyself on some days. I can take it easier tomorrow.
Portrait by Valentina Photography at Macardi Images
Author Bio:
Jennifer Wizbowski spent her childhood days lost among the spines of her favorite books. Inspired by the daffodil fields of Wordsworth and the babbling brooks of Shakespeare, she earned her bachelor’s in English literature, a minor in music, and a secondary teaching credential, then wrote freelance for local business journals, taught in classrooms, and authored a Teen and Tween column for a parent magazine—all while raising her family.
As those years ended, she knew it was the right time to pursue her lifelong aspiration of bringing her own books to life. She now devotes herself to illuminating everyday women’s stories often lost in the shadows of history, revealing how they became heroines of their own time and place.
Fracturing Time (Stealing Time Series, Book 4)—A Time Travel Thriller Packed with Suspense and Nonstop Action
A hurricane is brewing, a deadly plague is spreading, and time isn’t what we think it is.
Ronnie Andrews knows he’s here. Jeffrey Brennan, the ex-boyfriend who has haunted her past, is lurking somewhere in the Puerto Rican hospital, waiting for his moment to strike. As bubonic plague fears sweep the island, the hospital descends into chaos—staff flee, Homeland Security locks down the facility, and a bioterror threat escalates. But Ronnie fears something even worse: that Jeffrey will use this moment of turmoil to send her hurtling through time once again.
The damage to her brain from previous time-travel events is already severe—one more jump could destroy her. But Jeffrey needs Ronnie and Mike gone before they expose his time travel device to the government.
Meanwhile, Mike—barely clinging to consciousness after a devastating mudslide crash—is about to be put into a medically induced coma. But he knows one thing: if he falls asleep, he may never wake up again. With time slipping through their fingers, can Ronnie and Mike stop Jeffrey before it’s too late?
Fracturing Time is the adrenaline-pumping fourth book in the Stealing Time series, packed with high-stakes suspense, time travel twists, and heart-pounding action.
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2025
Format: Kindle
Now that I’ve read this book, the conclusion to all of the time travel and craziness with a bad ex-boyfriend, and more has come to tuition. I love that Ronniw finds true love, and Jeffrey will rot behind bars for life. The horrors of time travel, and splintering off shoots to start a new, and separate, timeline, what makes one truly fractured, the list is endless. Reality changes in the blink of an eye. Don’t miss this novel.
Hello Mary, Congratulations! Your book Her Alibi has been awarded the GOLD medal in the category Family Relationships at the Global Book Awards. In the coming days, we’ll send you details on how to get hold of your digital certificate and medal, but just wanted to pass on the good news first. Announcing this year’s award winners!
Congratulations to all the following authors on winning the following awards. To view all medal winners, please visit our Global Book Awards Winners Page
The awards are grouped by category (or genre) and divided into Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Award Finalists. To help you find the categories you are interested in, use the drop-down list box near the top left – or simply use the “search” option to find any book title, author, or category.
Please feel free to share the news with others on social media or by email.Congratulations once more, The Global Book Awards Team. https://www.globalbookawards.com
A journey of faith and reflection for Advent Look around. The hustle and bustle of the Christmas season is in full swing. Dazzling lights, brightly wrapped gifts, a full schedule of family gatherings, and Christmas parties to attend. Underneath the hubbub of the holidays lies a humble beginning that is so oftentimes lost in the chaos. Our days are filled with anticipating, but in the mayhem are we missing the true anticipation of Advent? Take a moment. Find a quiet spot and reflect on the true heart of this season: the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ. With inspiration from scripture, and humble observations from best-selling author C.S. McDonald, Season of Anticipating offers a reminder of God’s grace, hope, and expectations in this beautiful and wondrous season of anticipating…Advent.
Season of Anticipating, An Advent Devotional will provide:
A daily Bible verse.
A peaceful, thought-provoking observation.
Gentle reflections.
A guide to help you to choose joy and rejuvenate faith during Advent, and all year long.
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2025
Format: Kindle
This has been the perfect devotional leading up to Christmas. Each day resonated with me deeply. Thank you, Cindy. I hope others find this book has helped them as well.
Stay safe and may youall have warmth from the cold, coolness from the heat, food for the hungry, clothes for those with none, shelter for all, and peace and tranquility.
Growing up as a foster child, Emma Starling had never had a home of her own. She longs for a sense of continuity and connection with something real. On a whim, she purchases a house in a small town, a house whose family doesn’t seem to value their long history. Maybe she’ll have a home of her own, after all.
Approaching twenty years in the military, Morgan Waverly wonders if he should take retirement. Enlisted at seventeen, he’ll have to time explore possibilities. He’s unsure, until a letter arrives.
Sentimental is an understatement for sure. This short story packs a lot in less than 100 pages. Heart strings are tugged upon. Past Christmas and holiday memories both good and bad. One single letter touched countless souls and brought more love into environments devoid of love, and those filled with. A great love story.
A city move was supposed to be a fresh start—until strange symbols, missing recipes, and whispers of a secret guild pull Ivy Meadows into a mystery that begins inside an old church‑turned‑restaurant.
With courage, curiosity, and quiet faith, Ivy must uncover secrets hidden beneath Seattle’s end‑of‑summer, rain‑soaked streets—before time runs out.
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2025
Format: Kindle
This is the perfect book to help all young readers advance their minds trying to figure out what each clue found or spoken of meant. Danger awaits, but never anyone hurt, and the clues do piece together. The length is right for older children ages eight to eleven.
When Lady Eleanor Fellwood gave birth to a badly deformed baby, she insisted that the child be adopted as far away as possible. However, that proved difficult to accomplish, and so, in return for payment, Sabina Carter, an impoverished widow living locally, agreed to raise the little boy as a foundling. The child’s father, Lord Charles Fellwood of Hartford Manor, warned Sabina that the matter must be treated in the strictest confidence or her family would be evicted from their home. As far as Lady Eleanor was concerned, the child was being cared for miles away.
All was well for several years until fate took a hand and, against his parents’ wishes, Robert Fellwood, the heir to the Hartford Estate, married Sabina’s daughter, Annie. Robert arranged for his mother-in-law, Sabina, and her family to reside in the Lodge House, situated at the end of the Manor House driveway. A house that Lady Eleanor passed regularly, and it was not long before she spotted Danny’s dark curls among the Carter redheads. As she looked into the child’s eyes and noted his disabilities, she recognised her son.
Now, at seven years old, Danny has had numerous operations to correct his disabilities and is a happy, healthy child. However, his presence is a source of constant anguish for his birth mother as, day after day, she watches him play in the garden. Her husband, Charles, and son, Robert, are aghast when she announces that she wants him back! An impossible situation for all concerned, and a rift develops between Robert and Annie as he struggles to find a solution to suit everyone.
Over the years, Lady Eleanor has steadfastly refused to acknowledge her daughter-in-law, for she disapproves of Annie’s lower-class origins. When a freak accident forces the two women to spend time together, they inevitably find themselves drawn into conversation, and before long, the years of pent-up resentment and family secrets surface as home truths are aired.
Will the two women be rescued from their precarious situation unscathed? And, if so, will the family survive the scandal that is about to be unleashed?
Excerpt One
Betsey
A week or so later, on a Sunday morning, Adam crawled out of bed earlier than usual and told Barney to get his coat on.
“Why, Dad, where are we going?”
“It’s time you went out to work, lad. We need the money, and you’ve had more than enough schooling. I’m told the miller’s looking for a boy, so we’ll see if he’ll take you on.”
“Oh, Adam, could we not leave it just a little longer? Mr Billery says Barney’s doing well at school, and I’d like him to stay as long as possible. I’m sure it will help him get a better job in the long run. Perhaps I could take in more washing to earn a bit more money.”
“No, he’s ten years old, and it’s high time he earned his keep. Anyway, from what I can see, you can’t cope with the washing you do now, and I never see any money from it. Come on, lad, get a move on, or someone else will get there before us.” He fixed his wife with a firm stare, and seeing her husband was determined, Ellen dared not say more.
Betsey was dismayed but knew better than to voice her opinions. When her dad was drunk and violent, Barney was often her only protector, and she was distraught to think he would no longer be there.
Saying no more, Barney got his coat on and hugged his mother, Betsey, and Norman. He held on to his little sister the longest.
“If I get the job, I’ll come back to see you on my day off, Betsey, but you know where the mill is, don’t you, so if you need me, you know where to come.” He looked at her knowingly, to see if she understood.
Holding back her tears, she nodded and returned his embrace.
Adam was pleased when he and Barney seemed to have arrived at just the right time at the mill. Jasper was looking hot and bothered as he loaded the sacks of flour onto the cart, and he stopped and wiped his brow as he saw the boy and his father approaching. Adam had known the miller all his life.
“Hello, Jasper, I hear you’re looking for a lad. Would you consider young Barney here? He’s strong and intelligent; you’d get a decent day’s work out of him.”
“Aye, I am, Adam, he’s a bit skinny, though. I shouldn’t think he’s got a lot of strength.”
“Well, times are hard, you know, Jasper, but with a bit more food, he’ll soon fill out. He’s strong and wiry, and he knows he’ll feel the buckle end of my belt if he doesn’t come up to scratch.”
The miller surveyed the young boy.
“What do you think, lad; do you want to come and work for me?”
“Aye, sir, if my dad says I have to, then I promise I’ll work hard.”
“All right then, see if you can hoist that half sack of flour onto the cart, and then take the horse and cart around the yard.”
Ignoring the sack of flour, Barney went first to the horse, stroked the old mare’s nose, and spoke kindly to her. He then lifted the sack and, with considerable difficulty, managed to get it onto the cart. Saying nothing, he calmly patted the horse again and climbed onto the cart. He clicked his tongue and told the horse to move on, taking the cart carefully around the yard.
Though Barney did not know it, his father was both surprised and impressed, standing with a wide smile on his face as he admired his son’s actions.
“There, what do you think of that, Jasper? The boy’s a natural with the old horse; you can see he’d be an asset to any business.”
The miller took off his cap and scratched his slightly balding head. “Aye, I must confess he made a fine job of that. All right then, lad, I’ll give you a month’s trial. You can sleep in the loft above the barn, and come into the house for your meals. I can’t afford to pay him much, mind.”
“Aw, come on, man, we all know you’re one of the richest men in the village; don’t be mean.”
However, the miller stood his ground, but eventually, the two men agreed on a wage that Adam insisted would be paid directly to him. He ruffled his son’s hair and wished him luck as he walked home whistling, pleased with his morning’s work.
As Barney watched his father amble off, he felt sad, not for himself, but for his family, whom he knew would miss him, particularly Betsey. His mother, too, would miss his help in chopping firewood and doing all the jobs around the house that his father should have taken care of, but never did. He was startled out of his thoughts by the miller.
“Come on then, lad, there’s work to be done. No use standing there daydreaming. ‘Twill be no holiday living here, but if you give me a good day’s work, I’ll see to it that you have a full belly, and it looks like that doesn’t happen often.”
All books in The Hartford Manor Series are available to read on #KindleUnlimited, and print copies can be ordered from any bookshop.
Author Bio:
Marcia Clayton writes historical fiction with a sprinkling of romance and mystery in a heartwarming family saga that spans the Regency period through Victorian times.
As a child, Marcia often had to amuse herself as her siblings were several years older than her, and her arrival was something of a shock to her middle-aged parents. Her favourite pastimes were writing stories and reading, and she adored the Enid Blyton books, particularly The Famous Five and The Adventure Series. These books established her love of literature, which has remained with her to this day.
A farmer’s daughter, Marcia, was born in North Devon and is proud to be a Devon Maid. Over the years, she has been employed in various occupations, primarily to work around raising her three sons, Stuart, Paul, and David. She has worked in banking and nursing and, for many years, was the School Transport Manager for the local authority. Now retired, Marcia spends a lot of her time writing historical fiction but also enjoys gardening, researching her family history, and walking in the lovely Devon countryside with Bryan, her husband of fifty-three years.
Marcia has written seven books in the historical family saga, The Hartford Manor Series. You can also read her free short story, Amelia, a spin-off tale from the first book, The Mazzard Tree. Amelia, a little orphan girl of 4, is abandoned in Victorian London with her brothers, Joseph and Matthew. To find out what happens to her, download the story here: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/amelia-free-download/
In addition to writing books, Marcia writes blogs about a variety of subjects and a monthly newsletter, which she shares with her readers. If you would like to join Marcia’s mailing list, please subscribe to her website, The Devon Maid Book Corner: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/
Life on Molly is a travel and lifestyle blog. I am a normal girl with many passions. I am an explorer of new places, a learner of new languages, creator of my ambitions, blogger, and a good pal. This blog is my little corner of the world where I am able to share my adventures with you and inspire you to live a life full of purpose.
When Angels Fly 