REVIEW of 2016 Hope and Life Press Book Releases

Last year we had many interesting book releases at Hope and Life Press in both paperback and ebook editions, all in the English language, a number of which became quite popular with both our regular readership and the academic and general public. We commenced 2016 with the release of the Kindle edition of Sonnets From the Spirit, an illustrated book of biblical poetry by the award-winning British Catholic theologian Christopher Villiers. Described as "theology in verse . . . [by a] rising young star," Sonnets became popular with the British public, in particular the Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox readership.

Sonnets From the Spirit, The Storm: A Time of Mercy, Choices and Hope; The Jeweler's Polish, and Help for Suffering Humanity: Mary, Help of Christians were first formal publications in book form for their respective authors, all of whom have been kept busy throughout the year with interviews, book signings, newspaper/magazine features, and radio appearances.

Before the US general elections, we then released the first book in our line of Christian leadership and politics The Cajun Storm: God's Servant First, namely the second book by Louisiana Catholic business thought leader James Toups. Described as "a moving testimony about the power of faith, personal responsibility, human resilience, individual and community dedication," a "reading source for sociology classes in college," and "a must read for public servants," The Cajun Storm resonated and continues to resonate with both those who were affected and felt abandoned by the federal government after the devastating flood in Louisiana, USA, in 2016 and readers interested in the applied intersection of effective Christian leadership, Catholic Social Doctrine, and politics at the local, state, and federal levels.
Lastly, for Christmas, we released the second book in our fiction and Melitensia lines, the supernatural fantasy The Beast, the Prophets and the Victory by Iowa Catholic novelist Marie Ann Dean. Set across three continents and with characters ranging from the real to the fantastical, The Beast is the sequel to Dean's first novel and it is proving quite popular with the traditional Catholic, younger-aged, and Maltese readerships.

We hope that you have enjoyed our book releases for 2016 and encourage you to consider looking through them if you have not done so already. We are pleased to announce that in 2017, we shall be presenting you with many exciting new books and other works from authors both established and new, and hope that you will stay with us as we continue to grow our ever-expanding line of publications and subject topics. Thank you for being part of our erudite and generous readership.

Marcelle Bartolo-Abela, founder and director of Hope & Life Press.