Category: Giveaway

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Someone To Lean On by Carrie Walker (Give.away)

6/12/2026

They’re seeking a peace they can’t seem to find. . .
Aged out of the foster care system and struggling to raise her young daughter, Lucia Roberts loses her only source of income. When she’s offered a position caring for a four-year-old foster child, Timothy, it feels like the answer to a prayer-except for one catch. She must work in the home of Jordan Nowak, Timothy’s overly vigilant foster father who scrutinizes her every move.
Jordan has built his life around one promise: protect a foster child until they can find a happily ever after. But while Jordan fights to keep Timmy safe, his own world spirals out of control. The music store he co-owns with his brother is on the brink of bankruptcy after months of mismanagement. Torn between protecting Timmy, saving the store, and guarding his heart, Jordan grasps for any possibility to fix it all.
Mason Hughes is in his final year of medical school, on rotation under a difficult neurologist, and doubting his call to be a doctor. As the walls between Lucia and Jordan soften, Timmy starts displaying puzzling symptoms. Soon Mason must choose whether he trusts his medical instincts enough to fight an ethical battle.
As three adults seek control in their lives, a young child with no guarantees teaches them to trust.

Genre: Romantic Women’s Fiction
Release Date: May 5, 2026

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Carrie

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
It was a combination of things. Firstly, the underscoring theme in this series is the impact of each human life. So I always envisioned, a story that showed in a small way how the baby from book one of the series, Emma’s Hero, was still touching lives years later. For this story, specifically, I really connected with Lucia as a foster teen in the second book and I see in her what I’ve seen in so many teens and adults. A good person, trying hard to do the right things, but being dealt a rough hand and struggling. So I really wanted to walk in her shoes, and watch her grow and find her happily ever after.

#2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
This book’s first draft took me a few months to draft, but then it sat in a drawer for quite some time. Being book 3 in a series, I wasn’t sure it would ever see the light of day. I am so thankful it is because I love this story! When I pulled it out for editing it took another month or so before I was ready to turn it over to my publisher.

#3. What drew you to write in this particular genre?
It’s my favorite genre to write. Karen Kingsbury’s stories were my first introduction to Christian Fiction, and I loved the way she wove romance with meaningful character arcs. So, when I ventured into writing, I wanted to write something similar.

#4. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
That even though sometimes life is hard, and things don’t go the way you would want, that God is always working in the mess. Also, follow the peace.

#5. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
I live in Michigan and have been married to my high school sweetheart for 25 years. We have seven children. We love to vacation, play board games, play pickleball and just hang out with the family. My husband and I also work as youth ministers for middle school and high school teens. We are blessed to have a number of friends that have been in our lives for years, and are like family.

More from Carrie

Where did you get the idea for “Someone to Lean On”

I’m asked this for every story, and this one I can definitely say the characters gave me no choice, I had to write it. When I envisioned this series, I always envisioned a three-book series where we would meet a “special” little boy in the first book and follow the lives he touched, and by the end of the series see the far-reaching effects of his life. When I finished writing “Right Before Their Eyes” we left Lucia as a pregnant foster teen. She’d found an amazing foster mom to support her, but what happened to her and her baby? In talking with social workers I learned so many foster teens age out and while there are some programs to help support them, they aren’t easy. So of course, Lucia’s story wasn’t over. And the story, as many of ours are, wasn’t all easy, but it also was filled with blessing. Many of her struggles, she gave to me (yeah… the characters talk to me lol, and many times just take over their stories), I didn’t have to dream them up. I’m sure many of us pray, read Scripture, and want to trust God. But then … life. Sometimes life sure makes those desires difficult to live out. And to watch this young woman grow through tough times, still have a heart, and eventually find the strength to step out in faith . . . I’m so glad she made me write this story I pray you enjoy Lucia and Jordan’s story, and also step back and reflect on the far reaching effect of each human life.

Carrie Walker

Winner of the 2025 Faith Hope and Love Reader’s Choice Award, Carrie Walker lives in Michigan with her husband and seven children. From her ten years serving as a high school youth minister, adventures around the globe, and raising a family, many stories have been knit within her heart. As an avid reader she pens what she loves to read, contemporary stories that bring hope to a hurting world. Weaving romance among story lines of characters in struggle, she aims to show God working in all situations. When she’s not playing board games with her husband, shuttling kids in the Walker bus or wishing for snow, Carrie can be found at the keyboard bringing those stories to life.

Carrie’s writing has been recognized in many contests. Her debut novel, Emma’s Hero, won the silver medal in the
Selah Awards, won the IAN Book of the Year for Christian Fiction, was a double finalist in the International Book Awards.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Carrie is giving away the grand prize of
a $40 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://gleam.io/pZs43/someone-to-lean-on-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, June 6 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, June 7 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 7
Guild Master, June 8 (Author Interview)
Inspired by Fiction, June 9
Fiction Book Lover, June 10 (Author Interview)
The Bookish Ledger, June 11 (Author Interview)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 12 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 13
Life on Chickadee Lane, June 14
Blossoms and Blessings, June 15 (Author Interview)
Stories By Gina, June 16 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 16
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, June 17 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, June 18
For Him and My Family, June 19

4 Comments

Movie Review - Just One More (Give.away)

6/12/2026

4 Comments

A deeply moving story that resonates across generations.

Just One More follows Jess, a recovering addict struggling with shame, doubt, and the weight of her past, whose life unexpectedly collides with Charles, a dying man praying that God would use him “just one more” time. As their stories intertwine, Jess begins to discover forgiveness, healing, and the hope to fight for a future beyond addiction.

This is an emotional, character-driven story about redemption, perseverance, and the life-changing impact one person can have on another.

At its heart, Just One More is about choosing hope one more time, even when life feels impossible. This is the kind of movie that stays with audiences long after the credits roll.

Stream Just One More now on Angel
and support stories that actually inspire.

WATCH

My Review

I just finished watching this film a little while ago, and wow! Just One More was impressive on several different levels. Sure, it features decent acting, good filming techniques, and a reasonable script, but there is a lot more to it than simply those surface things. It's a movie that I don't think I will soon forget.

The story of Jess, and also Charles, is by turns emotionally moving, heartbreaking, and full of hope. And sometimes those turns repeat themselves in a steps forward and steps backward way. However, I think THAT is what impressed me the most about Just One More. This film doesn't just depict a girl's journey from addiction to Jesus, it shows how messy and raw that journey can be.

Over the years I've watched a lot of Christian and faith-inspired movies/shows and often I am frustrated by how unrealistic they are as they show the come-to-Jesus moment as being the end with things flowing smoothly immediately after. But that just isn't real life and it especially isn't how recovery from addiction goes. Just One More doesn't make those empty promises. No, it shows the struggles and many choices made every day to hang onto hope, onto faith, and to stand against temptation. As someone who has not struggled with addiction, some of the scenes that really moved me in particular included Charles's willingness to pray for anyone who stopped by his yard and one that involved a character that was hurt by Jess's choices realizing that they needed to forgive her just as they had been forgiven by Jesus. To me, that message is equally as important as the one of each person, no matter their mistakes, having value in the eyes of God.

In the face of the opioid epidemic and other addictions running rampant, this film couldn't be more timely or relevant. So, watch the film yourself, and, if you have middle to older teens this movie is for them as well. Talk about it, this is the stuff kids are dealing with in school every day. But most importantly, be Charles. Be the one who will pray no matter what. Be the one used by God Just One More time....

Disclosure: Many thanks to Angel for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

$10 Amazon giftcard

(USA ONLY)

#JustOneMoreMovieMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

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Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Not Precisely Mr. Knightley by Carolyn Miller (Give.away)

6/8/2026

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Can the Matchmaker Find True Love?

Emma-Jane (EJ) Bennett and Jordan Knight are longtime best friends who codesigned the immensely successful dating app, Dream Match. Success starts to go to EJ’s head when she gets caught up in the famous and money-hungry social circles and starts dating the son of a TV mogul. But Jordan’s feelings have grown from friendship to more. He determines to protect her by exposing Eric Churchill for the two-timer he is, finally agreeing to attend a function with her at the Sydney Opera House. But his best intentions go awry when EJ is embarrassed and runs for the security of home, small-town roots, and The Silver Teapot Café, feeling like Jane Austen’s chastised Emma—only without her Mr. Knightley.

Don’t miss book 1 in The Silver Teapot series, Not Exactly Mr. Darcy

Genre: Romance/Contemporary/Christian Fiction
Release Date: May, 2026

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Is the boy next door her knight in shining armor?

Pride And Prejudice may be my favorite Jane Austen novel but Mr. Knightley is my favorite Jane Austen hero, thus I was pretty excited to discover that the next book in Carolyn Miller's contemporary Silver Teapot Series referred to him in the title. Not Precisely Mr. Knightley is as fun and eye-catching of a title as the first book in the series had and I love it.

One of the things that I really appreciated about Carolyn Miller's second book in her Silver Teapot Series was the authentic Australian feel. You can oftentimes tell when an author has been or lived in a place and when they've just read an article or two on the internet. Not Precisely Mr. Knightley has the flavor and feel of Australia and, as an American reader, I really enjoyed it.

I will confess that, just like the novel this book is loosely based on, I was not the biggest fan of EJ. She came across as intelligent but naive and very shallow. Jordan, however was great! His patience, forgiveness, faith, and honesty are precisely what she needs. Interestingly, despite my limited connection with the heroine, I didn't want to the book down. I was curious to see how EJ would hopefully grow and change with a little help from Jordan as well as the rest of the Bennett clan.

Carolyn Miller has a good series going and I will definitely be here for the next Silver Teapot book. There are, after all, 4 Bennett sisters.... Anyway, Not Precisely Mr. Knightley was a good read, perfect for those who love a sweet contemporary romance with some fun rom-com overtones.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Not Precisely Mr. Knightley by Carolyn Miller a 4 Bark rating.

(I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

More from Carolyn

Do you know someone who has found love online?

I do. I have numbers of friends and even a family member who have found love and married thanks to dating apps and the like. This newer form of meeting people is something I’ve referenced in several of my books (including Only You Can Love Me), as several of my characters have used an app called Dream Match, a romance matchmaking app for Christian singles around the world. But when I first mentioned Dream Match years ago I didn’t realise at the time that I’d end up writing a story about how the inventor of Dream Match would finally meet her match.

And it seemed perfect to me that Jane Austen’s Emma Woodhouse, known for her matchmaking skills, should be reflected in a modern day context as being the ultimate matchmaker, EJ Bennett, who is responsible for helping hundreds of people find love online. Even if she doesn’t think she needs or wants love for herself.

Playing with Jane Austen’s characters and putting them in a modern setting is a lot of fun. So not only does Emma Woodhouse become EJ Bennett, but George Knightley becomes EJ’s best friend and app co-designer Jordan Knight, the straight shooter she needs. And Frank Churchill, the man Emma starts to fall for, becomes Eric Churchill, son of a TV mogul squillionaire.

The first book in The Silver Teapot series, Not Exactly Mr. Darcy, also played around with some of Austen’s settings, placing the story in a small town in Australia called Wattle Vale. I had fun further developing the Australian connections by setting other key scenes in iconic places like the Sydney Opera House and Bondi Beach, which naturally meant I had to visit for “research.”

So I hope readers enjoy this little taste of Australia, and all the fun references to Jane Austen’s Emma. Be sure to check out my website and follow me on social media for more Jane Austen inspiration and fun, and get ready to enjoy Not Precisely Mr. Knightley, a sweet and swoony best friends-to-more romance that shows the path to true love is never smooth – even for the professional matchmaker.

Happy reading!

Carolyn Miller

Carolyn Miller is an inspirational Regency and contemporary romance author who lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband, she has pastored a church for ten years and worked as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher.
A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Carolyn is giving away the grand prize of
a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and a print copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://gleam.io/doE7D/not-precisely-mr-knightley-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 28
Book Looks by Lisa, May 28
The Sacred Line, May 29
All-of-a-kind Mom, May 29
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 30
Pause for Tales, May 30
Life on Chickadee Lane, May 31
Stories By Gina, June 1 (Author Interview)
To Everything There Is A Season , June 1
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 2
Texas Book-aholic, June 3
For Him and My Family, June 4
Lyssa Loves Books, June 5
Wishful Endings, June 5
Fruitfully Planted, June 6
Happily Managing a Household of Boys , June 6
Cover Lover Book Review, June 7
Mrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie Reviews, June 7
Melissa’s Bookshelf , June 8
Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 8
Blossoms and Blessings, June 9
Holly’s Book Corner, June 10

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Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Operations Psalms From The Sea, Vol. IV by David Reid Brown (Give.away)

6/6/2026

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DID YOU KNOW? YOUR CHRISTIAN WALK HAS A LOT IN COMMON WITH THE LIFE OF A NAVY SAILOR!
Yes! It seems too hard to believe but it is true. Sailors experience hardship, trust, fatigue, worry, disappointment, joy–and so do you! A sailor’s life is filled with the common experiences you have every day of your Christian walk.
OPERATIONS is a compilation of over fifty devotional stories composed by DAVID REID BROWN while he served at sea. These stories present the life of sailors in a way that touches on topics that mirror your daily Christian walk. Each story concludes with a practical application section, relevant scripture, and prayer.
DAVID REID BROWN has first-hand knowledge in understanding the life of a Sailor because he lived it. As former Navy Chaplain, he also understands Biblical truth and how to identify spiritual principles and experiences that Christians and sailors share.
In this book, readers will be:

Surprised to learn the daily lives of Christians and Sailors are quite similar.
Inspired by sea stories that connect with Biblical truths.
Amazed by the selfless sacrifice of Sailors, Marines, and their families.

Still curious? Read this book and find out how God will meet your curiosity with a stronger faith in Him and a deeper admiration for the service of military members and their families.

Genre: Christian Devotional
Release Date: October, 2025

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with David

1. What was the inspiration behind this book?
First, thank you for allowing me to share my insights on your blog.
The inspiration behind Operations was the sailors and families with whom I had the privilege of serving as an active duty U.S. Navy Chaplain. My career in the Navy lasted over twenty-one years. During that time, I have been the “shepherd” of thousands of military members and their families, many whose devoted service went unrecognized. Operations was my way of telling them, “I SEE YOU!” Even though this book is the fourth volume in a series (“Psalms From the Sea”), it is the only one specifically dedicated to sailors and their families.

2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
Operations took about one year to write, from start to finish. However, I have had the book's title and outline since the summer of 2023.
The best way to describe my writing process is that of an accordion. It’s a bit asymmetric. Being a schoolteacher, my writing time is restricted to early mornings before classes start and weekends during the school year. Summer is my “sweet spot”, when I have the unobligated opportunity to write freely.

3. What new or interesting things did you learn while researching for this book?
So, most of the research for this book was front-loaded through my deployment experience right after the terrorist attacks on 9/11. The book chronicles my ministry aboard ship to fifteen hundred sailors and Marines from September 19, 2001, until April 20, 2002. In short, I lived the experiences (research) that went into writing this book. The one interesting thing I added to the book is that each chapter doesn’t have a number, but a name: I used the phonetic alphabet seafarers use to communicate at sea. For example, the first three chapters of the book are “ALPHA”, “BRAVO”, and “CHARLIE”.

4. Did you have a specific demographic in mind while writing this book?
As I mentioned earlier, the target audience was the sailors and families with whom I have served. However, the book is a Christian devotional, which means that anyone interested in a good faith story should be able to read and follow it with ease.

5. What do you hope your readers will remember after finishing this book?
I hope that readers will have a stronger relationship with God after reading this book and come away with a greater understanding of and appreciation for the devotion and tremendous sacrifice that military members and their families make to guard our freedoms and way of life.

More from David

Did you know? The art on the front cover of my book, OPERATIONS, was designed and created by one of my Ninth Grade Art Students. Yes, it’s true. I recognized that this young artist had the technical skill and artistic flair to create the unique cover art required for this book when he was just in the sixth grade!

FOR OVER TWENTY-ONE YEARS, I have had the distinct privilege of serving thousands of sailors, Marines, and their families across the nation, upon every major ocean, as well as overseas. I am most proud to have shared a common bond of service, sacrifice, and devotion. OPERATIONS is my patriotic tribute to them.

David Reid Brown

David Reid Brown is a retired Navy Chaplain and currently serves as a high school Government, Bible, and Art teacher at Grace Christian School in Mechanicsville, VA. He has authored nine books: Spirit Soundings: A Chaplain’s Journal of Life at Sea (three volumes), Lost Summer, and Psalms from The Sea (four volumes), and a book of poetry, Sophia’s Songs. These inspirational stories were born out of his global seafaring experiences, spanning twenty-one years of peace, war, and three overseas deployments as well as his service as a Christian educator.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate his tour, David is giving away the grand prize of
a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://gleam.io/UBDhA/psalms-from-the-sea-volume-iv-operations-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, May 29 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, May 30 (Author Interview)
Guild Master, May 31 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 31
Fiction Book Lover, June 1 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, June 2
The Bookish Ledger, June 3 (Author Interview)
Vicky Sluiter, June 4 (Author Interview)
For the Love of Literature, June 5 (Author Interview)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 6 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 7
Blossoms and Blessings, June 8 (Author Interview)
Stories By Gina, June 9 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, June 9
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, June 10 (Author Interview)
Books, Books, & More Books, June 11 (Author Interview)

3 Comments

Book Review - NKJV New Testament Tracing Edition (Give.away)

6/5/2026

6 Comments

Write God’s Word into your heart by tracing
Scripture verse-by-verse through the New Testament.

For years, scientists have connected handwriting with improved learning. Designed for a unique, devotional experience, the NKJV New Testament, Tracing Edition provides an opportunity to read and write through the beautiful gospel and promises of the New Testament from Matthew to Revelation. This special edition has lightly printed text allowing you to trace the words of Scripture easily. Wide margins and a clean, single-column typesetting complete the intentional design. Chapter headings are printed regularly for easy navigation, or you can engage more deeply using the included tracing themes and reading plans on love, hope, grace, comfort, peace, eternal life, anxiety, spiritual gifts, community, heaven, Holy Spirit, and faith.

Features include:
• Lightly printed text in a clean single-column typesetting
• Substantial 60gsm paper ideal for writing
• Topical reading plans included: love, hope, grace, comfort, peace, eternal life,
anxiety, spiritual gifts, community, heaven, Holy Spirit, and faith
• Wide outer margins for notes
• Chapter headings for easy navigation
• NKJV translation: Beautiful. Trustworthy. Today.
• Clear and readable 17-point type

Purchase your copy of the NKJV
New Testament, Tracing Edition, today!

Website

Amazon

My Review

Pretty and one of the most unique New Testaments I have seen....

I come from a generation that used pencil and paper as well as smartphones and ereaders. As a result, I know that loss of connection when the digital age took over. Since it is one of my preferred translations, I snagged a copy of the NKJV New Testament Tracing Edition to help regain that connection with Scripture. The whole idea of writing what I am reading without the need to switch back and forth between Bible and notebook intrigued me. The layout and construction of the New Testament Tracing Edition makes it so easy to read and write at the same time – there's even a tiny amount of room in the margins if a person wants to jot down some notes. The New Testament itself is very well constructed, indeed. I have the grey one, so it has lovely fabric hard covers with gold accents. I found the open spine a little odd at first, but when I was able to flop the pages open to any place I wanted and the pages lay flat, well, I figured out just why they chose that design option. The interior is pretty high quality as well, with thicker than usual paper and light grey text on the pages. The font used surprised me at how easy it was to follow along. It is large, very readable, and has some nice elements of both print and handwriting to it. To avoid anything lasting happening to the pages, I did choose to use a graphite pencil for my tracing. The paper handled it quite well and using that pencil made me feel better while writing in and on a Bible. The science behind this rather unique New Testament is quite fascinating and, though I am just starting out, I have found myself more in tune with what I am reading as I go along. Anyway, the NKJV New Testament Tracing Edition is a high-quality, well-made book that brings the second half of the Bible to life in a new and different way....

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives the NKJV New Testament Tracing Edition a 4.5 Bark rating.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Bibles/HCCP for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

$10 Amazon giftcard AND
1 copy of the NKJV New Testament, Tracing Edition (Gray version)

Giveaway winners must be US residents who have not
won via another blogger’s giveaway for this campaign.

#NewTestamentTracingMIN #TraceTheWord #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

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Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - All That Glows by Lauren Smyth (Give.away)

6/1/2026

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The apocalypse didn’t take everyone. It just took us.
Ever since the rain turned green, Kyrie’s world has been bathed in glowing dust. She packs it into old mascara tubes and sells it as makeup alongside dried cacti, threadbare blankets, and long-expired canned food. There’s not much else to do when everyone outside Kyrie’s small town in the Mojave Desert died from the plague-bearing rain ten years ago.
Everyone—except the man in the rubber mask.
He’s on the dangerous side of the fence, huffing infected air like it’s nothing, babbling to Kyrie about college and umbrellas and yogurt and everything else that disappeared the day it rained. He doesn’t seem to know that the world ended, and he has no explanation for how he survived the apocalypse. But Kyrie doesn’t believe in ghosts.
She can’t trust him, but he’s right about one thing: Towns without secrets aren’t surrounded by chain-link fences. And chain-link fences won’t keep out the plague forever.

Genre: YA Dystopian Science Fiction
Release Date: May 12, 2026

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Is the truth beyond the fence...or behind it?

It's no secret that I love books from the publisher Enclave. They've introduced me to new authors and genres that I might not have otherwise given a chance. I haven't disliked any of their titles that I've read so far. Lauren Smyth's previous book, Warsafe, was one of those introductions so it was an automatic Must Read on my TBR list when I spotted All That Glows.

All That Glows more than lived up to my expectations. It's a fast-paced post apocalyptic tale with the fascinating setting of the Mojave Desert. Lauren Smyth delivered more of her trademark gritty but clean action that is sure to appeal to teen readers as well as this 30-something adult. More than just action, though, are her flawed characters. I know that phrase is overused these days but I love how Lauren Smyth keeps her characters feeling real to the reader. These characters make reckless decisions, they make mistakes, but they learn from this and grow as a result. Kinda like real teens and new adults.

I also loved Kyrie's voice in All That Glows. Her first-person turns of phrase, observations, and raw honesty were perfect for the post-apocalyptic setting and genre. Lauren Smyth captured her protagonist in a way that was a delight to read and made it feel like Kyrie was telling her story directly to the reader.

All That Glows was the perfect title for this book and I can tell you that I was intrigued from the front cover to the last page. It's good edge-of-your-seat stuff and I couldn't put it down. I wound up finishing it in almost one sitting. Anyway, highly recommend this book to teens and even adult readers who want a good post-apocalyptic escape....

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives All That Glows by Lauren Smyth a 5 Bark rating.

(I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

More from Lauren

You’d think the apocalypse already happened in Mojave, CA.

Toxic dust could invade your lungs and kill you. Owls burrowed in the ground for lack of trees. Bobcats mated and had their kittens on neighborhood roofs, and every so often, a jet screamed overhead with a thunderclap in its wake.

I arrived in the middle of the night, and when I woke up, I was in a world different from any I had ever known. As a military kid, I had eaten fresh Belgian waffles, stood drenched in Ohio rain, and fallen asleep to Las Vegas lights. But I had never seen a place so unearthly, or so tantalizingly mysterious, as Edwards Air Force Base. I stood at the window and goggled at the scenery for a while. And then I began to make it my own.

One of the first things Edwards AFB taught me was how to write. That was a byproduct of my decision, at a mature eight years old, to become a detective.

My friends and I climbed into a ditch and found a broken arrow, half the feathers ripped away, the point still intact. An assassination attempt, of course. Old golf balls buried in the dirt—secret messages to a dangerous enemy. The allure of jets overhead, of opaque military acronyms, of drab camouflage and deadly temperatures and rumors of drug lords and cowboys and sand sharks wandering the desert, gave wings to our imaginations.

The first story I wrote was a collection of “clues” we’d gathered, an attempt to frame them all into a narrative that explained how the base was going to be attacked and how we—well-prepared with our military IDs and iPods—would save everyone. I started writing in a notebook with a hot pink cover, and a hundred more notebooks kept up the thread. The story wasn’t yet a book. But it was my first attempt at weaving a story greater than anything I had experienced.

Fourteen years have passed. All That Glows is my fifth book. It’s based on everything that came before it—most importantly, on Mojave and Edwards AFB and all the time I spent trying to tease out the desert’s mystery. It captures what I felt when I was there: small, under the broad desert sky and the huge airplanes; large, compared to the tarantulas that scuttled past my boots in the dust; melancholy, when I thought of how far away the rest of the world was; determined and thrilled, as I dove into the adventure I was living and the ones I hadn’t lived yet.

In All That Glows, you’ll poke your finger on cacti needles and get your shoes tangled in grabby creosote. You’ll experience the blazing daytime heat, the tumbleweeds, the bland architecture, and the rest of Edwards AFB’s unusual scenery, all set in fictional towns. You’ll count the desert stars and shiver in the cold twilight wind. You’ll have a mystery of your own to solve, and if you can stick it out to the end, you’ll have befriended a dry-humored, scrappy cast of characters.
Here’s the first line from one of those old notebooks: “When can we go outside, Mom?”

And here’s the first paragraph of All That Glows: “On the night the world ended, raindrops stained our roof tiles green. I was the first to notice when I went outside to dump the dishwater.”

A lot has changed, but the sense of adventure Mojave taught me hasn’t. If anything, since then, the mystery from back then has only heightened. Maybe the golf balls weren’t a secret message, but maybe a new kind of missile was tested while I was there. Maybe the broken arrow was just a kid playing in his backyard, but maybe one of those jets flew faster than sound seven times over.

I won’t ever know. I only have my memories. But I can imagine the battles and the sacrifice and the bravery. And so, if you’ll join me for this expedition, I’ll show you what my mind’s eye saw when I looked out across the desert.

Lauren Smyth

Lauren Smyth is an economics journalist at World News Group. Since signing her first publishing contract at age thirteen, she has written five young adult novels, coded two narrative video games, and started a blog enjoyed by readers and writers around the world. When she’s not in the broadcast studio, you’ll find her crafting episodes of her Grammar Minute writing podcast or training for her next trail run.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Lauren is giving away the grand prize of
a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://gleam.io/bueoY/all-that-glows-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

The Lofty Pages, May 26
Simple Harvest Reads, May 27 (Author Interview)
Blossoms and Blessings, May 28 (Spotlight)
Stories By Gina, May 29 (Spotlight)
Inspired by fiction, May 29
Artistic Nobody, May 30 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 31 (Spotlight)
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, June 1 (Spotlight)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 1
Guild Master, June 2 (Author Interview)
Books, Books, & More Books, June 3 (Spotlight)
Texas Book-aholic, June 4
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 5 (Spotlight)
Books Less Travelled, June 6 (Spotlight)
Fiction Book Lover, June 7 (Author Interview)
The Bookish Ledger, June 8 (Author Interview)

7 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Blaze Of Honor by D.M. Griffin (Give.away)

5/30/2026

3 Comments

A BLAZE OF HONOR WOULD EITHER CONSUME
HIM OR ILLUMINATE THE PATH TO LOVE!

Joram couldn’t pinpoint the burning conviction in his heart, the reason honoring his father felt like the only path to a life that pleased God. He remembered the unheard prayers of a five-year-old whose mother betrayed the sanctity of family and knew well the bitterness in his father’s heart. Whatever the reason, Joram, a man of few words, lived an obedient life. He adopted his father’s wishes and desires as if they were born from his own heart, and with that came his father’s simmering bitterness and ingrained distrust of women.
Driven by a desire for Joram to achieve more than a shepherd’s humble existence, his father pressured him to excel academically, tirelessly seeking the approval of powerful figures. Joram’s life took a dramatic turn when he captured the attention of Parthia’s notorious bandit leaders.
Caught in a dizzying storm of politics and family vendettas, Joram reluctantly accepts a fake marriage, meant to bring a young woman to Jerusalem so she could marry another man. Knowing how his father felt about women, a view he adopted as his own, Joram wasn’t prepared for the transformation that would take place once he began playing the role of a husband for all the wrong reasons.

The treacherous journey, marked by near-death experiences, culminated with them arriving in Jerusalem amidst the vibrant Feast of Weeks. With his knowledge of God ringing hollow as a mere religious duty, Joram divorced his wife and surrendered her to another man, determined to honor his word. But when he stumbles upon the truth and feels the burning intensity of the Holy Spirit descend in a blaze of honor that illuminates far more than he could have ever imagined, Joram has to decide if he is willing to walk the path of love.

Genre: Biblical Fiction
Release Date: May 12, 2026

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with D.M.

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
This book was inspired by the scene in Acts when Peter is delivering a sermon to the crowd after the tongues of fire appeared over the disciples’ heads. I had been reading through that section of scripture when I began wondering what it might have been like for the people in the crowd. Usually, when I read through that passage, my focus had been on the disciples, not the crowd. The more I thought about it, how the people were from different areas, the more inspired I became.

#2. What drew you to write in this particular genre?
I have always enjoyed Biblical Fiction for the simple fact that it brings some of the best parts of Scripture to life. In ways unique to the genre, it takes the imagination and keeps it within the boundaries of inspired text, drawing out spiritual nuances that one might not linger on when reading through the Bible. It also adds historical details that emphasize the cultural differences we might not pick up on unless studying the Bible in depth. I like thinking of the people as three-dimensional, with emotions and feelings we can relate to while also remaining within the sacred boundaries of God’s Word.

#3. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
One of the takeaways I hope readers have after journeying with Joram in Blaze of Honor is that God’s grace is so all-encompassing that He can weave our mistakes into His overall plan for our future. Honoring Him is as much about trust as it is about duty. There is a delicate balance between both religious obligations and walking in the Spirit.

#4. How did you name your characters?
It was fun naming Joram because I did something a little different with his character. I posted a profile about him on Facebook’s Biblical Fiction Aficionados page (a great community for those who enjoy the genre). I got some interesting feedback on the name choices I originally selected. I found out one of them was a main character in Game of Thrones, so I went back to the drawing board and tried again. Joram came out the winner by a landslide.

#5. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
I have been writing all my life, but publishing for a decade. I am a wife of many years and a mother of three adult kids. My two grandchildren are in the toddler stages, which is so much fun. Currently, I have no pets. Though I miss my beloved beagle, who was a big part of our lives for fourteen years. (I really need to put more dogs into my stories)

More from D.M.

My inspiration for writing Blaze of Honor came from a simple lyric in a song. “Be careful, little eyes, what you see.” I had the idea of writing the Spirit Ignited Series rattling around in my head for five years. During my regular Bible reading plan, inspiration sucked me into the scene in Acts 2 when Peter preaches to a crowd on the day of Pentecost. I found myself wondering about the people described as coming from all over the empire. I wondered what had brought them there, and what they had heard. How could I not be fascinated when the church grew exponentially that day? So, the idea for Spirit Ignited grew. I wanted to write four novels about four men who had been in the crowd that day.

As excited as I was to begin writing those stories, other books crept into the queue before I fully developed the characters for Spirit Ignited. I was excited when the first ideas came back to me after five long years of waiting for these men to speak up and inspire me. What was even more challenging was that the stories were begging to be written in first-person from a single perspective. That was a daunting task since I had only written dual-perspective stories up until that point. And, truth be told, first-person isn’t my favorite.

But I obliged and found myself completely captivated by these men. Surprisingly enough, I did not write Blaze of Honor first. Though it is the first to be released in the series, it was the third book I wrote in the Spirit Ignited series.

After hearing the song lyric, I started to wonder about how parents, most specifically troubled marriages, affected children. Joram, a shy character, finally found his voice in my head, and together, we explored a life of unintended scars and how they shape a boy as he becomes a man.

The story’s themes of redemption, forgiveness, and grace underscore the main takeaway: honoring God through loving others. I yearn for readers to grasp this central truth, to feel the depth in the main character’s plight. The narrative delves into the heart of devotion, exploring how easily the concept of honoring God can become contorted in the labyrinth of the mind. After completing the first draft, the realization that this story, with its raw vulnerability, could only be told in the intimate voice of the first person hit me.

I truly hope readers will get as much out of it as I did when I wrote it. Stories that transform as well as entertain are my favorite kind of stories.

D.M. Griffin

D.M. (Demi) Griffin is the author of several novels and has won multiple literary awards. Her novels in The Encounter Series won various Independent Author awards in the category of Religious Fiction.
She writes Christian Fantasy, Biblical, and Historical Fiction. She currently resides in Northern California with her husband of over thirty years. She truly believes that a book that sits on a shelf unread is like a planted seed that never blossoms. Nothing delights her more than sharing a story.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, D.M. is giving away the grand prize of
a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://gleam.io/1iGOX/blaze-of-honor-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, May 19 (Author Interview)
Lots of Helpers, May 20
Artistic Nobody, May 21 (Author Interview)
Guild Master, May 22 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, May 23
Fiction Book Lover, May 24 (Author Interview)
The Bookish Ledger, May 25 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 25
Vicky Sluiter, May 26 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 27
For the Love of Literature, May 28 (Author Interview)
Leslie’s Library Escape, May 29
Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 30 (Author Interview)
Blossoms and Blessings, May 31 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 31
Stories By Gina, June 1 (Author Interview)

3 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Hadley The Hippo Is What She Eats by Kayla E. Green (Give.away)

5/29/2026

5 Comments

Hadley the Hippo is hungry, and she won’t rest until she finds something to eat. But as she walks through her jungle home, she finds that the snacks in the jungle have an odd effect on her-they change her color! Still, Hadley munch, munch, munches her way through the greens, blue, purples, oranges, reds, and yellows of the jungle, hoping to finally satisfy the rumbling in her tummy. Along the way, she finds that it really does matter what you consume.

Genre: Children’s Illustrated Book
Release Date: February 10, 2026

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Kayla

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
God has called me to create and share stories as a means of both worship and testimony, and, sometimes, inspiration strikes me seemingly out of nowhere. However, Hadley the Hippo’s story was first planted as a seed within my heart through the lessons on consumption found in 1 John 2:16. After my first appearance on the 5-Minute Parenting Podcast, the seed was watered as I talked more about the concept of “we are what we eat.” Then, when my little girl was born, I lovingly called her my “hungry hippo.” I wanted to write books that she could enjoy sooner rather than later, and the first draft of Hadley the Hippo is What She Eats was soon after written!

#2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
Once I started to write down Hadley the Hippo’s story, it only took a couple of hours for me to have a draft I was happy with. But, with querying, professional editing, and illustrating, it took well over a year for the book to be “finished.”

#3. How did you name your characters?
I wanted the hippo to have an “H” name.” I played around with a few and then gave my husband three options. He voted for Hadley, and the name stuck. 😊

#4. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
When I’m not writing or reading, I can be found with my family either singing loudly and off-key to K-LOVE Radio or Ms. Rachel with my little. I can easily get lost in the library and any bookstore if not carefully supervised, and one of my favorite dates I have been on with my husband included browsing bookshelves. I love pink and sparkles and daydreaming about being a unicorn. Fittingly, my Young Adult debut fantasy novel is titled The Goodness of Unicorns. I have more books for teens, tweens, and children planned for the future.

#5. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind. Then you be able to test and approve
what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” –Romans 12:2

More from Kayla

I wrote Hadley the Hippo is What She Eats to provide a fun story to engage small learners. Through the hippo’s journey through the jungle where her color changes based on what she eats, pre-K and primary students can learn about both fruits and colors. But, what’s more, the back of the book contains a note to parents/teachers with activities to discuss the importance of consumption—what we listen to on the radio, watch on TV and online, and read impacts our minds and hearts. Approaching this lesson in an age-appropriate way is important for providing a foundational framework for discernment later in life.

As a former elementary school librarian and classroom teacher turned full-time mother, I know firsthand how play and learning go hand in hand. This principle applies to foundational skills for understanding biblical teachings, character development, math, literacy, and, well, a lot of things! Playing games with your learners can help reinforce that learning is fun–not only is there a game involved, but your learner will get to spend time with YOU!

As a part of the book tour, I’m so excited to share 3 learning games with you! These games are designed with minimal materials but maximum fun. PLUS, they can be modified for various age groups. Find these 3 learning games to play with littles at home here in this online slideshow:

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGL0GUW9TM/zHX6mL4Sp2gt06-apfjdMA/view?utm_content=DAGL0GUW9TM&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h3c4b129030

Kayla E. Green

Kayla E. Green is an award-winning author and poet who writes to remind others—and herself—that light always prevails over darkness. When she isn’t writing, reading, or spending time with her family, she loves singing loudly and off-key to KLove Radio and pretending she’s a unicorn. Fittingly, her YA debut fantasy novel is titled The Goodness of Unicorns.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Kayla is giving away the grand prize of
a copy of the book, the companion coloring book, a special cookie
mix from Story Crumbs inspired by Hadley, and a $20 Amazon gift card!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://gleam.io/efZJQ/hadley-the-hippo-is-what-she-eats-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 19
Simple Harvest Reads, May 20 (Author Interview)
The Bookish Ledger, May 21 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, May 21
Guild Master, May 22 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, May 23
Fiction Book Lover, May 24 (Author Interview)
History, Hope & Happily Ever After, May 25 (Author Interview)
For the Love of Literature, May 26 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, May 27
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, May 28 (Author Interview)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 29 (Author Interview)
Mrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie Reviews, May 29
Blossoms and Blessings, May 30 (Author Interview)
Vicky Sluiter, May 31
Artistic Nobody, June 1

5 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Frogman Puck Origins: The Rising Tides by Joel Chanaca (Give.away)

5/28/2026

5 Comments

Frogman Puck Origins: The Rising Tides
The Legends Awaken: A Hero’s Dream Quest

Embark on an exhilarating journey beneath the waves—where dreams awaken, faith is tested, and a new kind of hero begins to rise.
Frogman Puck Origins introduces readers to Puck, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary dream: to explore the hidden world beneath the surface. What begins as curiosity about mysterious scuba gear in a neighbor’s shed becomes a life-changing adventure—one that carries him from the dreamlike stillness of lily pad ponds into the awe-inspiring reality of deep underwater exploration.
As Puck learns to scuba dive, he uncovers hidden strengths, long-buried secrets, and a mission far greater than he ever imagined. With each descent, the boundary between dream and destiny blurs, drawing him into a world of courage, stewardship, teamwork, and biblical truth.
Told through a unique blend of immersive prose and cinematic illustrations, the story visually mirrors Puck’s growth—shifting from the hazy wonder of childhood imagination to vivid, hyper-realistic underwater missions that place readers right beside him.

Perfect for fans of discovery, mystery, faith-based adventure, and clean action storytelling, Frogman Puck Origins: The Rising Tides is the beginning of an illustrated hero’s journey where imagination meets purpose—and the depths hold more than secrets.

Genre: Christian Sci-Fi / Action & Adventure (Teen & Young Adult)
Release Date: September, 2025

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Joel

1. What was the inspiration for this book?
The inspiration came from a combination of family encouragement and a need I saw in the world. My parents pushed me to try writing fiction, and I realized there was a lack of clean, safe, epic action-adventure stories that families could trust.
I wanted to create a Christian action-adventure universe with superheroes designed for a purpose, grounded in Biblical truth. These stories give young readers, both boys and girls, a chance to dive into imagination, character development, teamwork, and problem-solving, while glorifying God.
The world needed better heroes, ones who were not born perfect but grew into their design through study, discipline, and courage. Frogman Puck was born from that idea, a character whose growth mirrors the journey readers can experience themselves.

2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
Frogman Puck Origins took several years to complete. From the initial concept to the finished manuscript, the process involved writing, revising, and integrating illustrations alongside the text.
Because the series is fully illustrated with cinematic, page-by-page visual storytelling, pacing, and emotional beats require careful attention. I wanted every scene to feel immersive, almost like stepping into a movie. For reluctant readers, the visuals help maintain momentum while the narrative layers in faith-based themes, adventure, and problem-solving.

3. What drew you to write in this particular genre?
I was drawn to Christian action-adventure and faith-based sci-fi because it allows me to combine epic storytelling with Biblical worldview fiction.
Adventure, artifact hunts, superheroes, and underwater missions give readers excitement. Embedding moral decision-making, discipline, leadership, and teamwork gives the story lasting value.
I also wanted to reach both the well-read and reluctant readers. Many kids and teens struggle to engage with traditional novels. Having illustrations alongside the text, a flowing narrative, and cinematic action creates a unique experience that engages imagination while teaching principles of design, purpose, and faith.

4. Do you have a favorite character(s) in this book?
Puck is the character I connect with most. His journey mirrors my own: learning, growing, applying discipline, and following the design God has laid out for him.
The other characters are also meaningful. Strong men, strong women, and teenagers, each with their own roles, problem-solving skills, and unique personalities, balance the story. Sometimes the boys do not have the upper hand. Sometimes humor or clever thinking comes from unexpected places. That dynamic makes the world feel real, relatable, and fun.

5. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
I hope readers will walk away with a sense of purpose, courage, and the understanding that they are designed by God for a reason.
I also want families to enjoy reading together. These stories provide safe, clean, epic adventures, layered with faith-based lessons about truth, integrity, teamwork, and stewardship.
Ultimately, I want readers to see that mistakes happen, consequences matter, and following God’s design leads to real growth and transformation, whether in the story or in their own lives.

6. How did you name your characters?
Character names are a combination of real-life inspiration, historical meaning, and symbolism. Many main characters are based on people I have known or worked with, while others reflect spiritual traits or narrative themes.
For example, Team TIDES represents teamwork, integrity, dedication, excellence, and service. RIPTIDE, their opposition, reflects selfish ambition, instability, and deception. Other names echo Biblical symbolism or design traits. The naming process itself often hides subtle layers for observant readers to discover.

7. Tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up active, curious, and adventurous. SCUBA diving, surfing, Christian martial arts, camping, boating, fishing, and hunting were all part of my childhood. I also struggled as a reluctant reader. That experience shaped the way I write, providing action and visuals that draw readers in while layering faith-based lessons and deeper meaning.
I serve as a game warden, which informs the realism and ethical foundations in the Frogman Puck series. Every mission, artifact recovery, or environmental stewardship story draws from real-world experience, observation, and design inspired by creation.
I am passionate about storytelling that is both exciting and formative, offering epic adventure for readers of all ages while honoring God’s truth.

8. What one piece of advice would you like to give readers?
Dive in.
These books are designed to be more than entertainment. They are an experience, faith-based, action-packed, cinematic, and layered with Biblical truth. Explore the story, notice the details, reflect on the lessons, and enjoy the adventure.
Both well-read and reluctant readers will find something new with each reading. Like a SCUBA dive or artifact hunt, the more you look beneath the surface, the more treasures you will discover.

More from Joel

When I set out to write Frogman Puck Origins, I wanted to bring something genuinely new to readers, both those who read constantly and those who sometimes struggle to stay engaged. I envisioned an all-new, fully illustrated novel featuring clean, epic superheroes, told in a way that feels fresh, immersive, and meaningful.

Most superhero stories begin with accidents, mistakes, or powers gained by touching a mysterious artifact. In the world of Frogman Puck, the heroes’ origins are different. Their abilities are forged through purpose, hard work, teamwork, faith, and ingenious design. The story begins with the roots of child-like memories and grows into something much larger, showing how character is built long before power is ever used.

At its heart, Frogman Puck Origins is designed to do two things at once. It invites older readers back to the wonder, curiosity, and imagination of their youth, while encouraging younger readers to dream big, work hard, and plant good seeds that will grow into strong character. It is a story about becoming, not just becoming powerful, but becoming grounded, courageous, and faithful.

The series taps into riddles, adventure, super abilities, and deep friendships, all presented in a format unlike anything else currently on the market. Readers can expect wall-crawling, SCUBA diving, flying, underwater tunnels, octopods, secret labs, personally designed base headquarters, and fierce battles between darkness and light. Every element is layered to reward curiosity and keep pages turning.

Frogman Puck Origins is only the beginning. As the series continues, the world expands, the stakes rise, and the heroes are tested in ways that challenge not only their strength but their values and faith. It is a story built to entertain, inspire, and stay with readers long after the final page.

The Frogman Puck Series is a cinematic, faith-based adventure that grows in depth and intensity with each installment. Origins begins as a dream-driven journey into underwater exploration, where curiosity, mentorship, and imagination awaken a young hero’s calling. Resurgent accelerates into a full-scale action narrative, introducing advanced symbiotic technology, global stakes, and a coordinated enemy operating in the shadows. Reckoning brings the story to its most complex and consequential phase, revealing hidden systems beneath the surface of the world itself and challenging the heroes to confront truth, deception, and sacrifice on a global scale. Across all three books, the series blends illustrated storytelling, clean action, and biblical themes to explore stewardship, courage, faith, and what it means to answer a call—one step, one mission, and one choice at a time.

God Bless, Joel Chanaca

Joel Chanaca

Joel Chanaca is a four-time Global Book Awards–winning author whose stories blend adventure, heart, humor, and faith. His work has been recognized across multiple categories, including Humor and Heart, Children’s Books, and Teen & Young Adult Action & Adventure—celebrating storytelling that inspires without compromising imagination or excitement. Alongside his writing career, Joel serves as a game warden with over twenty-six years of experience in wildlife law enforcement and public safety. His lifelong connection to the outdoors—shaped by years of camping, fishing, canoeing, scuba diving, and animal care—deeply informs the authenticity and spirit of his stories.

Joel is the creator of the Frogman Puck illustrated novel series, a cinematic, faith-based adventure world designed to engage
reluctant readers, families, and young adults alike. The series pairs full narrative storytelling with rich illustrations to reawaken
wonder, visual imagination, and purpose-driven heroism. In 2025, Joel also released a newly illustrated edition of Patches the Cat
Is a Thief, bringing fresh life to the award-winning story that first captured readers’ hearts. Whether crafting lighthearted animal tales
or epic underwater adventures, Joel’s work consistently reflects themes of character, stewardship, courage, friendship, and hope.

“The elements of design are all around us. If we pause long enough
to look, we can see how God has made a place for us. Beyond
the wonders of the earth, His plan reaches into eternity.”

Your honest review helps independent, faith-driven stories continue to grow. Thank you for being part of the journey.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate his tour, Joel is giving away the grand prize of
a $50 Amazon gift card and an autographed copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://gleam.io/c1Hae/frogman-puck-origins-the-rising-tides-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 15 (Author Interview)
Books Less Travelled, May 16 (Author Interview)
History, Hope & Happily Ever After, May 17 (Author Interview)
Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, May 18 (Author Interview)
The Lofty Pages, May 19
Simple Harvest Reads, May 20 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, May 21 (Author Interview)
Guild Master, May 22 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, May 22
Fiction Book Lover, May 23 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 24
The Bookish Ledger, May 25 (Author Interview)
Vicky Sluiter, May 26 (Author Interview)
For the Love of Literature, May 27 (Author Interview)
Blogging With Carol, May 27
Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 28 (Author Interview)

5 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Stronger Than The Storm by Deena Adams (Give.away)

5/13/2026

10 Comments

A runaway teen. A wife’s devastating secret.
A family’s reckoning.

Since surviving a rocky season in her marriage nineteen years earlier, Beth Holbrook has prayed and worked toward maintaining a solid marital commitment, raising godly children, and leading a thriving parenting ministry. On the cusp of realizing her publication dream and expanding her influence nationwide, her daughter, Leesa, runs away without a word.
Having recently turned eighteen and graduated from high school, Leesa is livid with her parents for not allowing her to attend a beach party, especially when the only guy who has ever shown interest in her will be there. When her best friend suggests they escape their parents’ strict rules and move to Myrtle Beach together, she makes a spontaneous decision to leave town. A mere six weeks later she returns home with shocking news that affects not only her future, but her family’s.
While grappling with a volatile blend of failure and anger, Beth’s identity as a pastor’s wife, mom, and respected parenting coach disintegrates. Amid mounting conflict in her marriage, continued criticism from her mother, and strained relationships with her children, Beth confesses a long-held secret, shattering her already splintered family.

As a hurricane bears down on the Holbrook’s house, the storm raging within the walls threatens to rip apart the fragile stitches holding their family together. When Beth’s solid foundation crumbles, will her family survive intact? Or is her contrition too little, too late?

Genre: Christian Women’s Fiction
Release Date: April 28, 2026

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Deena

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
A really hard season twenty years ago when our nineteen-year-old daughter ran off with a word and returned home pregnant. I’m a firm believer that when we’re vulnerable and share our struggles with others, God can bring good from our mess. My desire for Stronger than the Storm is that the story will encourage those going through tough times and will give them hope.

#2. What drew you to write in this particular genre?
I’ve always gravitated to family drama movies, television shows, and books, especially those based on or inspired by true stories, so writing those types of novels was an easy decision.
As a pastor’s wife, God has given me countless opportunities over the years to talk with women who struggle with marriage problems, deal with rebellious children, or face other painful circumstances, so writing stories that address those tough topics and offer hope in Christ is my passion.

#3. Do you have favorite character(s) in this book?
Aside from my three point-of-view characters—Beth, Kevin, and Leesa, one of my favorites is Jackson Donohue. He’s Leesa’s childhood friend, who becomes much more to her later in the book. He’s the kind of guy every woman deserves to have by their side.
I also love Beth’s best friend, Teresa, because she’s loosely based on my best friend, also named Teresa, who stood by me through many challenging times. Everyone needs a Teresa in their life.

#4. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
Oh, there are so many things I want readers to grasp through the really difficult situations every Stronger than the Storm character must overcome. But I guess the main takeaway I hope for readers is that the Holbrook family’s faith journey inspires them to cling to the Lord no matter what they’re facing and to know that transparency and vulnerability are a path to healing.

#5. If you could change one thing in your life, past or present, what would it be?
I would’ve surrendered to Christ’s Lordship much sooner and spent more quality time with my children when they were still at home. I have way too many regrets.

More from Deena

Crafting a novel from authentic life experiences is a challenging task, but it’s one I sensed God’s call to undertake. If the Lord can encourage those facing heartbreaking situations through my struggles as the mother of a prodigal twenty years ago, I’m all in.

Growing up, I tried my hardest to please my parents and teachers, but I always felt I didn’t measure up. As a Type A person, I’m sure that mindset was my doing, not theirs.

Fast forward to my season as a young mom, and my insecurities ramped up even more. When I became a Christian in my late twenties, I already had three small children and longed to be the world’s best mother and do everything right. I saw my kids’ mistakes as an indictment of my parenting abilities, leading me to believe myself a failure and to try harder to succeed.

With that attitude, you can imagine how I reacted when our teenage daughter ran away from home and returned pregnant—especially since my husband is the pastor of our church. Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty.

The emotional upheaval I endured while watching our child make one poor decision after another revealed my many shortcomings. Among the important lessons God taught me was what a shallow person I’d been and how much I wanted others’ respect and for them to find me acceptable—no, exceptional. Sadly, I was at a place in life where other people’s opinions seemed to carry more weight than my children’s feelings, but I was blind to my faults.

As I walked through the deep valley with a prodigal, God, in His great mercy, opened my eyes and showed me the truth about myself.

My journey of healing and restoration with our daughter was the catalyst for my debut novel, Stronger than the Storm. I pray that the challenging themes I address will uplift those going through extreme difficulty and that the embedded truths inspire hope in Jesus.

In my book, the Holbrook’s crisis begins as ours did, with a teen runaway getting pregnant by a guy she barely knew. I incorporated some factual events from our lives and drew many of the characters’ raw emotions from personal history. Although I gave Beth Holbrook, the mother in the story, a few of my personality traits, including the passion to be a supermom and failing miserably, the bulk of this family’s journey is fictional.

My experience as an adult daughter inspired the revelation of a long-kept secret in the latter part of the book. To avoid spoilers, I’ll simply state that nothing prepares anyone for such devastating news.

Yet, amid turmoil and unexpected adversity, God is still on the throne and has a perfect plan for our good and His glory. When we surrender everything to Him, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus through life’s storms, we can gain true peace and cling to the truth that God is stronger than anything we face.

In Stronger than the Storm, the Holbrook family must come to this understanding as well. As you read the book, I trust that this family’s journey, and mine, will provide you with encouragement and hope.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good
of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:28 (NLT)

Deena Adams

As a Jesus girl for more than thirty years, Deena Adams understands how important hope is to daily life, which fuels her passion to inspire others through hope-filled fiction based on true to life stories.
She is a Certified Mental Health Coach, a multi-award-winning author, an active ACFW member, founder of the Marathon online writers group, and a six-year ACFW Virginia board member.
Deena lives with her husband near the coast in beautiful Virginia. When she’s not writing, reading, or serving in her church, you’ll find her hanging out with family and friends, playing board games, and doting on her seven grandchildren.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Deena is giving away the grand prize of
a $50 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://gleam.io/dYgBP/stronger-than-the-storm-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, May 7 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, May 8 (Author Interview)
Fruitfully Planted, May 8
Guild Master, May 9 (Author Interview)
Inspired by Fiction, May 10
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 11
Fiction Book Lover, May 12 (Author Interview)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 13 (Author Interview)
Blossoms and Blessings, May 14 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, May 15
Stories By Gina, May 16 (Author Interview)
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, May 17 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys , May 17
Books, Books, & More Books, May 18 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, May 19
Blogging With Carol, May 20

10 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Best Seller by Christina Rost (Give.away)

5/9/2026

4 Comments

When crime fiction novelist Kelly Landon agrees to write a memoir for an eccentric, elderly gentleman, her quiet life turns upside-down.

Unbeknownst to her, the memoir is peppered with clues leading to a rare collection of stolen jewels from World War II. After the memoir makes the best-seller list, Kelly finds herself in the crosshairs of a decades-old vendetta.

Now, instead of enjoying her rise to literary fame, she’s thrust into the dangerous world of treasure hunting.

While Kelly struggles to win the game of cat-and-mouse, a secret family legacy is unearthed, forcing her to choose between trusting her charming literary agent or her vigilant bodyguard to keep her safe.

As the three of them become entangled in a web of deceit, it’s a race to see who’s the villain, who’s the hero, and who holds all the pieces to solve the mystery of the best seller.

Genre: Romantic Suspense/Mystery
Release Date: August 6, 2024

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Christina

#1. I love a good who-dun-it. So, when I set to write about treasure hunting I know I didn’t want it to just be a journey, but a mystery my readers would enjoy unraveling.

#2. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
I hope they take away two things. A sense of hope and belief in redemption and that good does conquer evil. And I wish my readers would take away an interest in history, one of my favorite subjects. I’ve been asked if there was such thing as the children’s books mentioned in Best Seller, and while I did make them up the concept came from real events that happened during WW2 such as the book burning in the German city squares. I hope that any of the books I write spurs the reader to question, research, and expand their learning.

#3. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.
This book was the first book I pitched to agents, so that was kind of exciting. However, I was a novice and every time I sat down with an agent I had hard time articulating what the story was actually about—writer nerves. I ended up writing my pitch in my phone notes and reading it from there. Oh, and the pitch was really long, more like a synopsis. Every agent I met with suggested making it shorter. It took several drafts to finally find my elevator pitch. The tagline on the back of the book is the shortest version of that pitch, so every time I read it, it makes me smile remembering those first-time writer jitters!

#4. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
5 things about me:
I married my high school sweetheart, my first kiss and my first true love. My husband has been my never-ending support in all my creative endeavors.
I love watching stories come to life on stage. If I could attend a different play every month, I would. And the smaller the theatre the better.
I could sit in a coffee shop for hours talking with my close friends, and at times I often do. There’s something about a coffee shop atmosphere that just feels cozy and calls you to relax and converse. Seasonal drinks are my favorite to order!
A perfect day out for me would be browsing antiques, finding a deal on an old, tattered book, lunch at a tearoom and of course writing in a coffee shop until dark.
And finally, I use too many emojis when I text. I sometimes forget when I’m sending a “serious or professional” text that maybe I should refrain, and well … what can I do? The emojis have already been sent. 😊

#5. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
Psalm 121 is one of my go-to passages in times of uncertainty or sorrow. I lived several years in the Pacific Northwest, and the mountain views were amazing. You can’t help but be in awe of them. However, in order to enjoy the view, you need to look up!
This passage starts off with,

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Then finishes the with

The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in …

These words are a reminder to lift my head and seek the Lord in all circumstances, and that He alone has the power to guide me and keep me safe.

More from Christina

There is a certain in-between place where creatives tend to linger — a space where reality meets imagination and stories quietly begin. It’s where we observe the world as it is, then wonder how it might unfold just a little differently. That space is where my writing lives, and it’s where Best Seller was born.

Before novels, though, there was coffee. My very first “real” job as a teen was working as a barista, and I loved it. I wasn’t just making drinks — I was mixing flavors and letting my imagination wander between orders. There’s something comforting about coffee, something that invites reflection and creativity. Looking back, it makes perfect sense that it found its way into my stories.

In Best Seller, my main character Kelly Landon is a crime fiction writer with a carefully guarded heart. She’s shy, introverted, and far more comfortable with quiet moments than crowded rooms. Her love of seasonal coffee blends mirrors her inner world — thoughtful, layered, and hopeful beneath the surface. But Kelly’s heart is fragile, and without being anchored in God’s love and truth, it can be easily swayed by the promise of earthly acceptance.

Enter Declan — her outgoing literary agent with unassuming Irish charm and a way with words. Can you blame Kelly for daydreaming? For wondering if love might be possible after all?

To celebrate Best Seller, I created the Writer Girl Latte, inspired by my barista days and Kelly’s story. Cozy, creative, sweet, and just a little indulgent — because sometimes the best stories begin with a warm cup and a willing heart.

So, pour yourself something warm, settle in, and step into the mystery of Best Seller — it’s only the beginning.

And remember, Love is a Mystery!

-Christina

Christina Rost

Christina Rost is an award-winning author, mother to three amazing children, and is married to her high school sweetheart. While she currently resides in Oklahoma City, she’s lived all over the US, a few years in the UK, and loves to travel. When she isn’t spending time with her family or writing you’ll find her chatting over coffee and perusing antique stores for tattered books.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Christina is giving away the grand prize of
a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://gleam.io/V74x6/best-seller-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, April 29
Stories By Gina, April 30 (Author Interview)
Simple Harvest Reads, May 1 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, May 1
Pause for Tales, May 2
Artistic Nobody, May 3 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 4
Guild Master, May 5 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, May 6
Fiction Book Lover, May 7 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, May 8
Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 9 (Author Interview)
Lily’s Corner, May 10
Blossoms and Blessings, May 11 (Author Interview)
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, May 12 (Author Interview)
Holly’s Book Corner, May 12

4 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Resurrection Rest by Courtney Lyman (Give.away)

5/1/2026

5 Comments

Gerard Truman frantically arrived at Holliday Hotel in need of a place to stay that was near the clinic in Willow Creek. His sister, Stacie, was ill and the prognosis didn’t look good. Carol Holliday immediately welcomed Gerard and placed him in the room she called Resurrection Rest. Dr. Eva Livingston was an intelligent, driven doctor. Direct, serious, and lacking compassion, she was not known for her bedside manner. Seeing no hope for Stacie, she urges Gerard to say his good-byes and remove his sister from life-support. As she battles Gerard, Eva is forced to take a look at herself and reevaluate how she is faring as a doctor. His faith shakes her and even as she is frustrated by his determination, she finds herself drawn to him as well. But it will take a miracle for this arrogant doctor to change.

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance
Release Date: April 18, 2018

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Courtney

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
The Holliday Hotel series is set at a bed-and-breakfast where each room is themed after a different holiday. Resurrection Rest is the third book in the series and is set at Easter. Immediately the thought that came to mind was that the story needed to tell the readers about the hope found in the resurrection of Jesus, but it needed to be in a contemporary setting. Knowing a few people who experienced medical miracles where they, in some ways, went from life to death, helped me to shape the rest of the story.

#2. What drew you to write in this particular genre?
I love reading any type of Christian romances, so it was easy to pick that one to write in. The stories that God has given me have all tended to be in the contemporary portion of that genre.

#3. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
I hope that they will take away that our hope is in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and that believing in Him is the way of salvation. Also, I hope that they will see that God still does miracles today.

#4. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
I have been married to my husband, Joel, for 25 years. We have three children together who are heading towards adulthood. Our oldest is finishing her final year of college, our middle just started college, and our youngest started high school this year. We also have two cats – Chase who is our chunky ginger cat, and Selena who is our little, snuggly gray cat. We are blessed to live near both of our parents and my grandparents which has allowed our kids to be surrounded by family.

#5. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
After teaching for almost a decade, I was led to go back to being a stay-at-home mom, but feel like I am in a season of waiting for what comes next. This has made this verse important to me right now:

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your
heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
Psalm 27:14

More from Courtney

Easter is my favorite holiday because it celebrates the hope, restoration, and new life that Christians have in Jesus. It remembers Jesus’s death as the sacrifice that saved us, but also the power of the resurrection which gives us the hope of eternal life with Him. I can’t think of a better message to share with others.

When I began to write the Holliday Hotel series, I wanted to show how God is visible in all of the celebrations that we observe, and Resurrection Rest holds a special place as a celebration of God’s salvation for all people.

In today’s world, it can feel like God doesn’t still work miracles as medical treatments and professionals can get the credit for healing, but I have had the pleasure of witnessing several times where the doctors said one thing, but God intervened. A beloved grandmother figure who was so badly ill with sepsis that the doctors said that the family needed to say their good-byes only to have her not only survive, but thrive. A family friend who was hit by a drunk driver who should not have survived the night, or come out of the coma, or be able to move and speak, but defied the odds. My mother who was in a car accident that broke her neck and should have left her paralyzed, but didn’t. God is still active and working. His power has not diminished!

Resurrection Rest shows that God’s power is still at work in the world today and that His salvation is for everyone. I hope that you enjoy this Easter story of hope and love, and then come back to visit Holliday Hotel to celebrate other holidays through the year!

Courtney Lyman

Courtney Lyman lives in Tucson, Arizona with her husband, their three children, and two cats. She is the author of the KW Consulting series, the Holliday Hotel series, as well as several Christmas novellas. She stays busy with her family’s activities, her ministries at church, and in whatever time is left, knitting, singing, and playing games.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Courtney is giving away the grand prize of
a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a paperback copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://gleam.io/Y6AMa/resurrection-rest-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Stories By Gina, April 24 (Author Interview)
Simple Harvest Reads, April 25 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, April 26 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 27
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 28
Fiction Book Lover, April 29 (Author Interview)
The Bookish Ledger, April 30 (Author Interview)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 1 (Author Interview)
Pause for Tales, May 1
Texas Book-aholic, May 2
Blossoms and Blessings, May 3 (Author Interview)
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, May 4 (Author Interview)
Holly’s Book Corner, May 4
Books, Books, & More Books, May 5 (Author Interview)
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 6 (Author Interview)
Guild Master, May 7

5 Comments

Just Read Blog Tour - The Girl Upstairs by Jessica R. Patch (Give.away)

4/30/2026

8 Comments

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Girl Upstairs by Jessica R. Patch,
hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

"Jessica R. Patch weaves a dark, twisty tapestry that’s both unsettling and unexpectedly hopeful. Masterful." –New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan

She bought this house to save her marriage. Unearthing its secrets might just claim her life.

Gwen McDaniel’s life is broken. But she knows the perfect place to fix it. Cold Harbor, Maine, an idyllic small town with views of Acadia National Park, is where she used to vacation with her parents as a child. Here, she and Steven can start over, renovating their cliff-side fixer-upper while patching up their marriage. Soon, everything will be better.

Except from the moment they arrive, Gwen sees and hears things, and it’s more than just the drafts and shadows that are part of any old house. Steven downplays her fears, warning her not to fixate on problems as she has in the past. But Gwen spent years as a homicide detective, and her instincts don’t lie. Something happened here. Proof comes when she rips up the attic’s carpet to discover a chilling message carved into the wood underneath.

As Gwen delves into the history of the house and the Cold Harbor community, she begins to piece the fragments together. And gradually, a terrifying picture emerges: A missing girl. A house of horrors. And a dark, decades-old nightmare that is more haunting than Gwen ever imagined…

Also Available

My Review

Will the keys to the house unlock evil or hope....

Over the years I've read quite a few of Jessica R. Patch's novels, but, I've become quite partial to her more recent thrillers. They are edgy, psychological, eerie, and will keep you up at night. The Girl Upstairs was no exception....

Like The Other Sister, The Girl Upstairs keeps you on glued to the page and unable to function as a normal human being. There are no ifs, ands, or buts, you simply HAVE to know what happens next! And there are serious twists and turns in this story. I will admit that I did guess one of the major plot threads very early on, but, oh, that did not change the emotional upheaval one iota when it was finally revealed.

Jessica R. Patch has really gotten to stretch her wings with her longer books, in particular these psychological thrillers. They are dark and gritty but are still clean reads with an indirect faith element. I'm a big fan of getting to read the genre – with all of its chills and thrills – without the unwanted content often found in secular fiction. On the reverse side, I also appreciate getting to delve much deeper in the main character's thoughts and emotions minus extended sermons. That balance can be difficult but it is definitely struck in The Girl Upstairs.

Jessica R. Patch has a winner with this chillingly thought provoking book and I can't wait to read more....

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The Girl Upstairs by Jessica R. Patch a 4.5 Bark rating.

(I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

Jessica R. Patch

Jessica R. Patch is a New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than thirty novels. Known for her pulse-pounding plots, emotionally charged characters, and signature twists, Jessica’s stories explore themes of justice, resilience, and the unshakable power of hope. Whether weaving inspirational stories of danger edged with romance or crafting chilling thrillers that probe the shadows of the human heart, Jessica delivers fiction that thrills while shining light in the darkest places. She makes her home in Northwest Mississippi, where she enjoys life with her family, a good cup of tea, and dreaming up her next edge-of-your-seat story usually over tacos and queso. You’re invited to join the Patched In community at her website: jessicarpatch.com and receive a FREE short thriller, Nobody Has to Know.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

(2) winners will each receive a signed copy of The Other Sister
and a $10 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight April 27, 2026 and will last through 11:59
PM EST on May 4, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours
to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only for the print copy. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

8 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Hannah's Quest by Jodie Wolfe (Give.away)

4/28/2026

5 Comments

Hannah Moore escapes the overbearing grip of her relatives and forges her own way in Shippensburg, PA, far away from their clutches. Despite Hannah’s sheer determination, she finds life on her own daunting as she loses job after job. Unsure where she fits in, Hannah wonders if she’ll ever be good enough. She feels as if God has forsaken her and questions if she will ever find a place to belong. The last thing she needs is an ignorant shop keeper constantly questioning her abilities and standing in her way. Hannah will take almost any position available so as not to return to the place of her upbringing.
Luke Weiser has one goal in mind—finding a way to save his grandmother and restore her health. Only trouble is, she has other ideas about what is best for her. Gran longs to see Luke’s return to faith in the Lord, but he blames God for his grandmother’s sickness and the tragic events of his childhood. After the death of his mother, followed by his father’s abandonment, Luke refuses to trust his heart to anyone, and certainly not a wife. When Hannah keeps popping up in the hardware shop where he works, Luke is forced to think twice about his convictions.
Can two bruised hearts follow their personal quests and discover healing in the process?

Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: July 13, 2025

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Jodie

1. What was the inspiration for this book?
Hannah’s Quest and the entire series have a common theme of prodigals. I didn’t originally intend for it to be the inspiration, but then God brought about a prodigal child in our own lives three years ago. It’s a path we’re still walking on.

2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure it was about six months from start to finish.

3. What drew you to write in this particular genre?
I came to really enjoy and appreciate the historical genre as a child reading the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I also wanted to include love stories in my writing, since God wrote the best love story of all time.

4. Do you have favorite character(s) in this book?
My favorite, is probably my hero’s grandmother, Anna Burkholder.

5. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
Where do I begin? My husband and I will be married 39 years come December. Even after all this time, he’s my best friend. Someone I love to spend time with each day. We have two sons in their 30s and seven grandchildren. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see any of them very often. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, walking, and knitting.

One interesting tidbit about me…I didn’t love history in school because I wasn’t good at memorizing dates for a test. But once I started researching stories throughout history, I fell in love with it. Whenever possible, I try to weave some of those throughout my stories. I’m especially enjoying the research for my upcoming book, Sarah’s Search.

More from Jodie

It’s been such a joy to set a series in the town where I graduated from college almost 40 years ago. I’m so thankful my husband suggested it, as it’s been a lot of fun digging into the history of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, and the surrounding area during the 19th century. Before this series, all my other books had settings in the Mid-west—Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas.

When I started writing the first book, Abigail’s Pursuit, quite a number of years ago, I never intended to create a series about prodigals, let alone experience the pain of it in my life… but God knew what the future held. While each of the books in this Time to Come Home Series revolves around the common theme of a prodigal, each of the tales is a stand-alone. My prayer is for those who have children who have wandered away, or perhaps were once prodigals themselves, or even others who enjoy Christian historical romance with strong spiritual themes—that each of these groups find encouragement through reading this series.

Hannah’s Quest was exciting to write as I incorporated information about one of the oldest continually run hardware stores in PA that is still operating to this day, even though it’s changed names various times through the years. I hope you’ll enjoy stepping back in time to a small town in south-central PA where faith and family are celebrated.

Jodie Wolfe

JODIE WOLFE loves writing historical fiction after years as a homeschooling mom. She creates novels where hope and quirky meet. Jodie is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and Faith, Hope, & Love Christian Writers (FHLCW). She’s been a semi-finalist and finalist in various writing contests. Jodie enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, knitting, and walking.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Jodie is giving away the grand prize of a Kindle!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://gleam.io/NokHu/hannahs-quest-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Pause for Tales, April 18
Stories By Gina, April 19 (Author Interview)
Simple Harvest Reads, April 20 (Author Interview)
Fruitfully Planted, April 20
Artistic Nobody, April 21 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 22
Guild Master, April 23 (Author Interview)
Fiction Book Lover, April 24 (Author Interview)
Vicky Sluiter, April 25 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, April 26
For the Love of Literature, April 27 (Author Interview)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 28 (Author Interview)
Holly’s Book Corner, April 28
Blossoms and Blessings, April 29 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, April 30
The Bookish Ledger, May 1 (Author Interview)

5 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Lady Wynwood's Spies 1-3 by Camille Elliot (Give.away)

4/27/2026

5 Comments

Pride and Prejudice meets Mission: Impossible in this Christian Regency Suspense with slow-burn romance and a touch of the supernatural.
Recovered from her harrowing marriage, Lady Wynwood’s peace shatters as a nefarious secret society linked to her past emerges. She seeks the aid of Mr. Sol Drydale, an old friend with ties to a shadowy arm of the government.
They gather a circle of trusted individuals with unique skills:

A botanist with deadly aim with a bow and arrows
An unconventionally trained female medic and chemist in a field dominated by men
A cat burglar who also happens to be a viscount’s son
A spy searching for answers to the mysterious death of his brother
An ex-soldier haunted by regret and self-loathing
A human lie detector desperately protecting lies of her own
The most covert phantom agent working for the Crown
All led by a nobleman keeping dangerous secrets (who feels like he’s wrangling cats)

To protect their loved ones, they must race to stop a treasonous brotherhood, whose dark secrets could enable Napoleon to win the war.
Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer
An ex-spy and a spinster botanist must find a murderer—with ties to both their families—whose uncanny alchemy could turn the tides against the war with Napoleon.
Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 2: Berserker
The team searches for their missing comrade before a crazed murderer finds him first.
Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 3: Aggressor
When French spies land on British soil to steal the ingredient for a powerful alchemical potion, Lady Wynwood’s team falls under attack from the toxins they unleash.

Genre: Christian Regency Romantic Suspense
Release Date: April 23, 2024

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Can the Archer help the Berserker & the Aggressor?

I actually read the first of the Lady Wynwood's Spies books, Archer, a few years ago so I was excited to get my hands on this boxed set with Archer and the next 2 stories in this serial series. Since it has been awhile and many stories in between, I did choose to re-read book 1 before diving into Berserker and Aggressor. I'm glad that I did so as these stories do have some resolution at the end of each one but they are so interconnected that you need to read them in perfect order.

Lady Wynwood's Spies is different from pretty much all other Regency fiction that I've read. It has all of the parties and polite manners and witty dialogue that one associates with the genre but Camille Elliot (Camy Tang) has also packed a lot of danger, intrigue, and even a supernatural element within its pages.

From Lady Wynwood herself to the twins, to Sol and the rest of the eclectic team, Camille Elliot's characters are varied and interesting – and all of them have secrets they wish to keep hidden. I particularly found myself caught up in Phoebe's story as she tries to navigate the wounds that only family can inflict all while searching for botanical answers to a mysterious substance wreaking havoc on London.

If you want to embark on a Regency era tale of adventure and intrigue that spans the poorest London streets to the most glittering parties of the elite, this boxed set is a great way to start. Personally, I enjoyed the first 3 Lady Wynwood's Spies novels from Camille Elliot and, since they end on a cliffhanger, I can't wait to read more in the serial-style series....

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Lady Wynwood's Spies 1-3 by Camille Elliot a 4 Bark rating....

(I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

More from Camille

What inspired me to write the Lady Wynwood’s Spies series:

While I love Regency Romances and Jane Austen’s books, I also really love action movies. When plotting the rest of the series, especially in light of Sol’s clandestine job for the Crown, I realized that I really wanted to do a mash-up of Mission: Impossible in the Regency era.

So I created Sol’s team of agents, some who used to work for the Foreign Office as spies and some who are civilians with unusual skill sets. And, of course, there will be lots of romance for each of the team members, as well as lots of action and suspense.

What exactly is an epic-length serial novel?

Originally I had written The Spinster’s Christmas, a Christian Regency Romantic Suspense, as a stand-alone novel, and I had planned more stand-alone novels with Lady Wynwood and Sol as minor characters in each of them. However, as I began planning the series past that first Christmas book, I realized the storyline was becoming longer and more complex.
I fought it for a while because it would have been a really long series—I even tried writing the next book as a stand-alone novel, but I wrote almost 90,000 words and I hadn’t even gotten to the 25% mark in the book!

So I decided to structure the series like a Japanese light novel series, in which each book has a complete story arc, but there is an underlying story arc that runs through each of the volumes and isn’t resolved until the end.

This is similar to the serial novels being published in the U.S., but those tend to be smaller installments of around 20,000 words, while each of the volumes in my series is around 100,000 words.

I have already plotted the entire series and it will be 12 volumes, plus 3 prequel novels (The Spinster’s Christmas, The Gentleman Thief, and Lissa and the Spy). At the moment, I’m writing volume 10.

I hope you enjoy my latest Regency series!

Camy Tang (Camille Elliot)

Camy writes Christian Contemporary Romantic Suspense as USA Today bestselling author Camy Tang and Christian Regency Romantic Suspense as USA Today bestselling author Camille Elliot. She grew up in Hawaii but now lives in California, where she knits antique knitting patterns and is learning Japanese.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Camille is giving away the grand prize of a Special Edition Paperback of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volume 1: Archer and a Regency-style ribbon bookmark!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

https://gleam.io/oUeZj/lady-wynwoods-spies-volumes-1-3-box-set-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Stream Just One More now on Angel
and support stories that actually inspire.

Write God’s Word into your heart by tracing
Scripture verse-by-verse through the New Testament.

Purchase your copy of the NKJV
New Testament, Tracing Edition, today!

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind. Then you be able to test and approve
what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” –Romans 12:2

“The elements of design are all around us. If we pause long enough
to look, we can see how God has made a place for us. Beyond
the wonders of the earth, His plan reaches into eternity.”

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good
of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:28 (NLT)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in …

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your
heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
Psalm 27:14