Books with author Melody Carlson

It’s pretty humiliating to admit, but I’ve never flown in a plane before today. So wouldn’t you think that I’d be feeling pretty jazzed right now? Instead I keep grabbing onto these armrests as I ask myself why on earth I ever agreed to come on this frightening trip.…Affectionately teased as a “country bumpkin,” nineteen year-old Maddie has never been one to explore new territory. Her first trip outside of the country with her Aunt Sid and Sid’s godson, Ryan, promises an exhilarating adventure. Northern Ireland is more captivating than she even imagined–and Ryan is offering plenty of intrigue himself. As Aunt Sid researches peace camps, Maddie and Ryan explore Ireland’s rich landscape. During the journey, Maddie begins to discover more about what she wants from life, while developing a deeper friendship with her irresistible traveling companion.When Maddie and Ryan dig for the truth about the IRA car bomb that killed Ryan’s father years ago, questions about the past accumulate. Unable to let go of growing suspicions in this mysterious country, Maddie finds herself on a dangerous journey, a journey that will lead her to the greatest discovery of all.

Madison Chase’s holiday break is drawing to a close and she’s eager to leave the gray Washington winter and join her Aunt Sid on a warm vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Maddie is pleasantly surprised when her good friend Ryan McIntire shows up to enjoy the trip with them, and she looks forward to spending time with him. But when Ryan runs into his high school crush, the beautiful Shelby Wagner, Maddie’s jealousy threatens to spoil their sun-drenched days. Unsure of her relationship with Ryan, Maddie distracts herself by befriending a local girl, Francesca Tarrago, who is both intelligent and hardworking but lives in deep poverty. As Maddie does what she can to help Francesca, she discovers a secret that Shelby has been keeping from all of them. Can Maddie put aside her conflicted feelings and love Shelby enough to help her? This third book in the Notes from a Spinning Planet series invites young women to the romantic beaches of Mexico to explore a love deeper than simple affection and the meaning of true sacrifice.

Chloe, Josh Miller's younger sister, is a free spirit with funky clothes and dramatic hair. She struggles with her own identity, classmates, parents, boys, and -- her biggest question -- whether or not God is for real. But this unconventional high school freshman definitely doesn't hold back when she meets Him in a big, personal way. Refusing to change her image to fit into the "stereotypical Christian preppy mold," Chloe expresses God's love and grace through the girl band she forms, Redemption. In her development as a musician and performer, tender-hearted Chloe will learn tough lessons about following God, her heart, and her dreams.

Redemption has made it to the bestseller chart, but what Chloe and the girls need most is some downtime to sift through the usual high school stress with grades, friends, guys, and the prom. Chloe struggles to recover from a serious crush on the band leader of Iron Cross. Then, just as an unexpected romance catches Redemption by surprise, Caitlin O'Conner - whose relationship with Josh is taking on a new dimension - joins the tour as their chaperone. Chloe's wild ride only speeds up, and this one-of-a-kind musician faces the fact that life may never be normal again.Monday, June 13 prepare my heart for the storm / keep me safe, keep me warm / heap those bags, around my heart / build that wall, before it starts / pile them up, and pile them high / keep me safe, keep me dry / before the waves come rushing in / Lord, please, make me strong again Chloe, Allie, and Laura split their time between “normal” high school life—going to classes, attending prom—and touring as Redemption, a rising new Christian band. When Allie’s mom needs to bow out of their summer tour, Caitlin O’Conner fills in as chaperone. And a good thing, too. Caitlin is the perfect person to have around as Chloe’s feelings for the handsome lead singer of Iron Cross continue to grow. Amid a grueling concert schedule, Chloe realizes that attraction is a powerful and even dangerous force. But when death hits close to home, Chloe’s heart is slammed by another emotion: guilt. In good times and bad, with blessing and temptation, and especially when things spin out of control, trusting God is the challenge. ’Cause there comes a time when we all have to face the music. Story Behind the BookChloe and her band, Redemption, are being given amazing opportunities, but with it comes the responsibility of serving God wholeheartedly. In this book, perhaps more than the others in the Diary series, Chloe begins to grasp what sort of ministry (not just a music career) that God is calling her to. As an author, I travel a similar road. I am constantly weighing my "art/craft" against what God is pressing on my heart to write, while striving to be authentic and uncompromising.

If your vision asked you to risk your life to save others, would you have the courage?When Samantha McGregor tells her friend Detective Ebony Hamilton of her disturbing visions of a brutal murder at a high school, Ebony asks her to go undercover to help identify the shooter before it’s too late. The stakes are raised when Ebony discovers that the potential crime may be connected to a larger terrorism threat! Meanwhile, Samantha realizes that her mother’s new boyfriend is a little too good to be true. Her unsettling visions, combined with Ebony’s investigation of Steven’s past, reveal him to be more interested in her mother’s money than her heart. To make matters worse, Samantha has been having visions of an unknown boy who is mercilessly being bullied by his peers. Who is this teen? Can she help him? This fourth and final installment in The Secret Life of Samantha McGregor series brings Samantha her biggest challenges yet, as she works against the clock to stop a mass murder, help a troubled youth, and save her mother from making a terrible mistake!

From bestselling author Melody Carlson comes a series about four friends determined to change their lives … and their world: Morgan, Amy, Carlie, and Emily—The Girls of Harbor View. Each of the eight ebooks in this complete collection contains unique stories about the girls, their friendship and faith, and their desires to make their lives and their world a better place. Girl Power: The four friends meet and band together against some local bullies. In doing so, they decide to work together to transform and rejuvenate the trailer park where they live—only to have their work destroyed. Mystery Bus: The girls’ trailer park renovations are rewarded when the landlord gives them an old, abandoned bus to fix up and use as a clubhouse—where they discover old albums, journals, and secrets someone left behind. Rescue Chelsea: When Carlie invites a new girl to join the club, no one seems safe from the backstabbing, betrayal, and hurt. The girls must somehow rescue their friendships before the group is destroyed forever. Take Charge: When vandals wreck the local park, the authorities threaten to turn it into a parking lot. The girls take action to save it, but a powerful woman with unknown intentions may ruin everything. Raising Faith: Morgan trusts God to provide her ski trip funds and works hard to earn the needed money. But when everything blocks her efforts, from her school activities to her grandmother’s life-threatening heart attack, it’s a test of faith against the odds. Run Away: As the ski trip nears, Emily’s mom flees her abusive ex-husband and whisks Emily away to somewhere unknown. The girls fear for their friend as Emily struggles with hard lessons in forgiveness. Ski Trip: The girls finally hit the slopes, but events take a downturn when some of them go completely boy crazy. Carlie, however, won’t have anything to do with the boys—or her flirtatious friends. Instead, she gets obsessed with snowboarding, and only after a dangerous accident do the girls discover what really matters in relationships. Secret Admirer: Valentine’s Day approaches, and along with it the school dance. Amy has a secret admirer leaving her notes, and she mistakenly sets her heart on the wrong boy. When her crush becomes public, Amy is devastated and humiliated. Her world falls apart, until she concocts a plan to transform the day.

Beautiful sixteen year old Simi Fremont thinks she's found her dream job and the solution to her family's financial challenges. But the modeling agency she discovered online is not what it seems. Suddenly she is plunged into the dark world of human trafficking and her only friends are captive teens just as helpless as her. Can her faith survive this dangerous world?

Zoey’s pretty sure her life is over when her wannaba-rockstar mother uproots her from from their home in Seattle and deposits her in Nowheresville, Oregon to live with her whackadoodle grandparents. Things start to look up, though, when she reconnects with Louisa, the girl from across the street. Maybe, just maybe, Louisa won’t mind that Zoey’s always been a bit of a misfit.Louisa’s ex-BFF, however, doesn’t seem too happy to welcome Zoey to the neighborhood. And when they all end up at church camp together, it isn't just a matter of whether or not Zoey can fit in…it becomes a firsthand lesson in what it really means to “love your enemy.”

Big Apple. Bigger Problems. The success of the Forrester sisters’ On the Runway TV show lands them a hot ticket to Fashion Week in New York City. Paige is determined to garner the attention of New York’s top designers, but her newfound fame threatens to go to her head. Erin wants to help promote the work of some eco-minded designers, but struggles to be taken seriously. Can Paige keep her prima donna behavior in check? Will Erin’s involvement hurt the people she’s really trying to help? Success in the big city comes with even bigger challenges, and as the pressure grows, so does the drama.

Heather's curiosity in Wicca brings new confidence and reassurance but alienates her from others. Even so, this enchanting path seems harmless, even helpful.But when terrifying things begin to happen that Heather can't explain, it becomes clear that she has less control over her world than ever before.The eleventh book in the teen fiction series TrueColors, this book discusses spiritual warfare, tragedy, anger, and more.

An icy road. A car crash. A family changed forever. Hannah Josephson had always been the perfect daughter. Kiera couldn't live up to her before, and she certainly can't now that her older sister has died in a car accident. But the image she carried resentfully of Hannah is challenged when she finds her dead sister's diary and begins to read. Apparently Hannah's final year wasn't as perfect as everyone thought. Caught in a pattern of blaming each other, the Josephson family is falling apart. Their father has left, their mother is mixing opiates and alcohol, little sister Maddie has been shipped off to spend the whole summer with their grandmother, and Kiera feels utterly alone with her grief and anger. A summer job helping at a park in a poor section of town provides a friend and a purpose. But it's Hannah's diary that fills her thoughts. For the first time in years, she feels close to the sister she's lost. But can the knowledge she gleans about her possibly help her patch back together the family that seems determined to implode?

All Elise wants is to have her first kiss before she turns sixteen. Is that so bad? But when a friend's poor advice and the powers of electronic technology combine, Elise heads down a dangerous road. She is accused of "sexting" and gets kicked out of school. But is she really the one to blame?This powerful and realistic story from beloved author Melody Carlson shows teen girls the impact of their choices when it comes to respecting themselves and their integrity. Honest and relevant, Never Been Kissed will make girls laugh, cry . . . and think.