But this story of light piercing through the darkness didn’t begin with the birth of a baby boy under a shining star in the city of Bethlehem. From creation to the incarnation to the coming eternal city, Scripture speaks of Jesus’s life-giving presence and light in a dark world.During this Advent season, we celebrate that the hopes and fears of all the years were answered in Jesus, the everlasting light. This five-week Advent experience features daily Scripture reading that traces this theme throughout the Bible, preparing our hearts to encounter Christmas Day in a fresh way. It is also filled with thoughtful extras designed to help you engage this season as people of light, from daily reflection prompts to recipes, crafts, classic Christmas hymns, and more. Join us for Advent 2021 as we celebrate and contemplate The Everlasting Light.

    Adelaide has lived her entire life cursed with a birthmark that makes people shy away. When an invitation to the Elder Prince’s ball falls in her lap, she knows attending would only cause people to shun her more. A fairy godmother feels her pain and offers her a pair of glass slippers that not only transform her ragged dress to an elegant gown, but also removes the mark that covers her face. However, Adelaide soon learns that the beautiful slippers can steal away more than just her birthmark, leaving her cursed in a far worse way. This retelling of the classic Cinderella story will resound with readers of young adult fiction who love paranormal fantasy, fairy tales, and a splash of romance.

    Prince Alistair isn’t an ordinary dragon. He’s a shifter afflicted by a curse, unable to become human again until he finds his true love. When a mortal king’s adventurers trespass in Alistair’s territory to steal a rare flower, the prince decides to steal a valuable prize of his own. (Author's Note: This is a magical retelling of the beloved tale written for an adult audience. Reader discretion is advised.)

    But that's hardly the most upsetting news. She's being dismissed from the home she's served at since she was a child, and shipped off to become the newly hired parlor maid for a place she's never heard of. And when she sees the run-down, isolated house, she instantly knows why:There's something wrong with Rosewood Manor.Staffed with only three other servants, all gripped by icy silence and inexplicable bruises, and inhabited by a young master who is as cold as the place itself, the house is shrouded in neglect and thick with fear. Her questions are met with hushed whispers, and she soon finds herself alone in the empty halls, left to tidy and clean rooms no one visits.As the feeling of being watched grows, she begins to realize there is something else in the house with them--some creature that stalks the frozen halls and claws at her door. A creature that seems intent on harming her.When a fire leaves Anne trapped in the manor with its Master, she finally demands to know why. But as she forces the truth about what haunts the grounds from Lord Grey, she learns secrets she isn't prepared for. The creature is very real, and she's the only one who can help him stop it. Now, Anne must either risk her life for the young man she's grown to admire, or abandon her post while she still can.

     Cursed with a hideous form, the mysterious La Bête never leaves his enchanted castle. No matter: his riches are as endless as the steady stream of women willing to serve him. Those women say his appetites are as monstrous as his visage. I may be young and innocent, but I am also practical. Five chests of gold for one year of servitude seems fair. Especially when my family is desperate for money. When La Bête needs a new woman and offers for one of my father’s daughters, my family accepts his terms. I am the willing sacrifice. But La Bête is unlike any man I’ve ever known. And I am about to learn what it means to love a beast. Fausta Borja’s Beauty and the Beast is a steamy gothic romance novel based on the classic fairy tale.

    By all accounts, they saved Disneyland from certain destruction. Why then did their mentor leave one last puzzle for them to decipher? The Keepers must solve a puzzle of the past, or be crushed under an evil that makes the Overtakers seem like gentle souls.

    Moving to her grandma’s quiet town of Cody, Wyoming, Tayla finds some normalcy with her quirky green activist friend, Chel, who spends no time converting her to vegetarianism. A few weeks into her new school, Tayla catches the eye of Kyle Harrington—the high school quarterback and resident millionaire—who can seduce any girl with his charismatic charm, including Tayla. But Kyle is anything but what he seems.Walking through City Park, Tayla is unaware that an ancient curse has her in its crosshairs. The silver moonlight illuminates the path to her van, sprinkling shadows like evil twinkling eyes. Tayla’s skin prickles, and she turns. Something—or someone—is watching her.A powerful werewolf steps from the shadows. An iridescent blue cord shoots from him and slams into her stomach, dissolving instantly. Pain wracks her body, and she tries to scramble to safety, but his silver eyes freeze her in place as the curse binds them together. The cord settles deep inside her body, coiling with dread around her heart. Dismayed by the prospect of a werewolf for a shadow, Tayla fears for the safety of her friends and family. How will she keep the werewolf’s insatiable hunger in check? Her plans for a vegetarian lifestyle quickly dwindle away, and Tayla wrestles to fit her frazzled life back together—piece by piece. But what she didn’t expect was her attraction to the werewolf or the power of the full moon. Will Tayla be strong enough to survive the Curse of the Beast? Or will it consume her like so many before? Find out in the first installment of this unique retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

    During this highly dangerous time, Isabella Sevens is travelling with her father to the British stronghold Fort William Henry.In the forest, Wusamequin, the young and handsome medicine man, looks to avenge the death of his wife and child at the hands of British soldiers. When Wusamequin spots Isabella and her father, he alerts his warriors to capture them. But Wusamequin is quite taken with how bravely Isabella battles. He orders the warriors to spare her and her father, and they are dragged back to their village. However, many members of the Mohican tribe still want them to be killed. In a desperate plea to Wusamequin, Isabella vows to stay as his hostage if he lets her father go.Holder's colonial "captured-by-Indians" romance is an homage to "Last of the Mohicans" and a retelling of "Beauty and the Beast".

    One is seen as a Beast, the other a Beauty. Both long for something more—to be seen, to be known, to be loved for more than what is on the outside. When Léa is faced with the prospect of an arranged marriage or see her father imprisoned, it is a sacrifice she is willing to make. However, when she finds that the rumored beast is nothing more than a gentle and kind man, she is faced with another decision. Can her heart respond to his love even when she has had no power of decision in her life's story?Audric gave up on finding love long ago, so when his mother tells him she has made a match for him, he cannot help but be skeptical of her plans. The rumors he's heard about himself since childhood have even him convinced he's a beast and not worthy of the love of a woman. Should hope be rekindled or squashed entirely? Set in early 18th century France and based on the classic versions of the timeless fairy tale, with a hint of the beloved childhood favorite, this retelling explores the depths of what true love looks like and the lengths one is willing to go in its defense.

     There is a pale, penetrating loneliness etched into the walls of this forgotten place. A kind of loneliness made living... is this what it feels like to be a ghost, alone in some kind of half world? Taking shelter from a storm, Rose accidentally strays into a deserted fairy realm, and finds herself trapped there with only a mysterious talking beast for company. Although initially reluctant to befriend her strange companion, Rose quickly finds herself growing closer to him. She names him Thorn, and as the castle blossoms into a place of beauty, so too does their friendship. But something else lurks within the walls, a dark force that will stop at nothing to be free once more... If Rose is to survive and lift the curse placed upon the castle, she will have to face her fears and conquer the nightmares that have haunted her since childhood, as well as confront the terrifying creature that stalks the shadows in the night. A passionate retelling of a classic tale, fairy tale fantasy meets Gothic. Will have you sobbing and laughing, and truly believing in the power of true love.

    Forced to live in the forest, their only hope of becoming human again is an annual ceremony.Going into the forest is forbidden, but Selene doesn't always follow the rules. After befriending a beast, she knows very well that they're just like everyone else on the inside.Selene uses her powers as a witch to do everything she can to free the beasts from their fate, but the curse isn't easy to break, and no matter what she tries, it might not be enough.

    Lee presents a dark twist on a classic fairy-tale that asks the question: what if the beauty was the mortal enemy of the beast? Raised in fear of her power. Sold and betrayed by her lover. Allyn escaped the hunters once before. As a witch, she risks capture every day. Now, she lives in the slums of the opulent kingdom of Elastria, where the Winter Winds are brutal, and force everyone into their homes for the entire season. When one of her best friends receives an invitation to the end of season Winter Ball, Allyn would rather sulk about her boyfriend leaving her instead of partying at the most exclusive club in the kingdom. A chance encounter with the crown prince of Elastria sparks hope for a brighter future, one where she might find true love. All hopes are dashed when she's tricked by her ex-boyfriend and turned in for the bounty on her head. Now, a prisoner in an eerie castle where the servants are...peculiar, the walls whisper, and the prince's mysterious twin brother struggles with the decision to keep or kill the witch he's hunted and once lost, Allyn struggles with the desire to tame the beast within the prince, or escape to freedom. The curse of the castle is strong. But, the magic hiding inside Allyn might be more powerful than she or the prince realized. Discover an enchanted world of witches and a cursed prince in this steamy modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast Praise for Academia of the Beast: "Wow, I think is the best interpretation of Beauty and the Beast I have ever read." Kristin, Amazon Reviewer "Since I am no longer a child and have not been for many years I am all for adult stories of my favorite ones. Both times the show has been on I have watched it so when I run across versions I grab them. This one intrigued me the most so far." Denise Van Plew- Top Amazon Reviewer "Forget what you've known about the beauty and the beast, this story takes a twist, a great one,and makes it into a much better version. Magic, fairies, wolves, ghosts,and witches, what more could you ask for? How about a woman dead set on making it through the whole ordeal?" Katie Perry Rogers Scroll up and buy a copy today! **WARNING: Contains explicit adult situations and dark imagery not suitable for children**

    Long, filthy, and dangerously sharp. They’re the first thing Bella sees after what’s been the worst day of her life. If Bella were the quintessential Beauty—gorgeous, kindhearted, and self-sacrificing—she might have a chance at transforming this monster into a man, but she’s never been the toad-kissing kind. Obsessed with landing a wealthy nobleman and escaping her humdrum life, Bella will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Which is precisely what landed her here, at the mercy of the Beast.In this imaginative retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Bella's sense of entitlement strains both her family's finances and patience. As punishment for her selfishness, she's sent into the Beast's service where she must choose whether to follow the path she's always dreamed of—or risk it all for something even greater.

    The kingdom needs an heir and Princess Charmaine is quite aware that the job rests solely upon her shoulders. When her elder sister dies, Charmaine has to take her place at the ball designed to find her a husband. With a hundred men to choose between and her wedding planned, all she has to do is pick one. But love can sometimes be found in the most unlikely of places and at the most inconvenient of times. Cynder knows about the impending war between the people of magic and those of his masters, but working as an underpaid servant in the palace kitchens leaves him with little power to do anything about it. On one hand, he's a staunch supporter of equal rights for his own kind, but he can't deny the attraction he feels for the daughter of the king and queen he works for. When the two meet, sparks fly and not just the magical kind... Charm is the first in the Reverse Fairytale series by USA Today bestselling author J.A.Armitage. Take everything you think you know about fairytales and turn it on its head.

     Thread and Spool: Cursed with the ability to weave thread into gold, Brie has learned to trust no one. Her parents keep her around so they can gamble their money away and now her boyfriend's only staying because he's got a collection of game systems to grow. When Brie grabs the attention of Stilt, the new guy in town, it changes everything. Brie is a Legend—a character in a fairytale—and she belongs in a realm of magic called Fable. But when she crosses over to the new world with Stilt, she soon learns that the cruel ruler of the realm has taken an interest in her ability-and it could cost Brie her life. Stilt promises that he can help her escape, but in return, he asks for something that she might not be able to give. Can Brie put her trust in Stilt or will she die at the hands of greed? Wolves and Paths: Sometimes there's more to the fairy tales than you think... Red has only ever known a life under her oppressive grandmother's thumb and she's struggled all her life to break her fear of rebellion. But when her boyfriend, Tate, wants to take her to Disney World (forbidden by her grandmother) she can't help but break the rules. But maybe her grandmother was right to warn her against the place, because the park is a gateway to another dimension: Fable, where fairy tales are real and things go bump in the night. And now her grandmother has been taken captive by an evil magician named Alric. Red turns out to be the central character in a very scary story, a tale she will have no choice but to act out in order to save her grandmother. Worse, Alric is determined to rule Fable by making all the famous fairy tales fall—and Red is his first target. Red, along with Tate, must venture into almost certain death and learn to break the chains of her fear. But on her journey, Red will learn that even the most famous fairy tales are not always what they seem... Frogs and Princes: Candice hates being the rich girl in town and the fact that the most irritating guy in school, Shorty, has a huge crush on her. That, and she can hear frogs talking, something she's always had to hide. But when a frog begs her to save him from dissection, she steps in, starting a chain of events that land her and Shorty in Fable, a world where the fairy tales are real. It turns out she's a princess, and the frog she rescued is meant to be her prince. But he's far from a happily ever after. He's a huge jerk, and if she doesn't free him from his curse and agree to be his bride, her kingdom will turn dark and fall into the hands of the most powerful dark wizard in Fable. Candice must face her identity and make an impossible decision. It also turns out Shorty's got secrets of his own, secrets which might destroy them all. These are the first three books in what will be a seven-book young adult fairy tale retelling series. A new volume releases each month on the 15th. All seven books will be available by November 15, 2016. Books will include retellings of Rumpelstiltskin, Little Red Riding Hood, The Frog King, Rapunzel, Snow White and more.