Thursday, July 31, 2025

The Crier Stone by Lyndsey Lewellen (The Chaos Grid Book 2)

About the Book

Book: The Crier Stone ( A Sequel to The Chaos Grid)

Author: Lyndsey Lewellen

Genre: YA Sci-fi

Release Date: July 8, 2025

Brave the Plex. Unleash the stone. Embrace your destiny.

Freshly freed from an earth-dwelling monster, Juniper Conway is stuck with a promise she never intended to make. But if rescuing Plex City from a deadly nano drug is what she vowed, it’s what she’ll do.

Miles of wasteland stretch between Juniper and the domed city. In the Texas Outer Grid, following a tribe of whalers seems to be her best bet at surviving the chaotic storms. But when the nomadic tribes prove just as dangerous as the Grid itself, Juniper realizes her streak of bad luck is far from over.

Only her shipping crew friends can help her through the waste and into the Plex. When the crier stone guiding her mission only shows her fragmented steps, Juniper will need more than the stone around her neck and a halfhearted promise to make it out alive.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

Book two of this series is nothing short of awesome. This is a wild story, with tons of action, the right amount of romance, and all types of plot surprises. I hope the author is planning stories with the other characters, such as Nova. I wouldn't read this book without reading the first book in the series, simply because you would miss out on too much and regret it. I didn't want to put this down. It's a fantastic scale for dystopian fiction. I'd rate it right up there with Hunger Games, Maze Runner, some of The 100, and a bit of old Disney romance. Faith isn't left out, the people of the Plex were facinating and I look forward to more from this author.

5 Stars

About the Author

Lyndsey Lewellen grew up on a healthy dose of comic books, punk music, and sci-fi. She infuses all three loves into novels written for young adults. Inside her “what if” worlds, her characters take risks, grow, and fight for what matters. When she’s not writing or whittling down her endless TBR, she designs novel covers and paints on shoes. She lives on a small Texas farm with her best friend/husband, five children, and what some might call a zoo of animals (especially after meeting the peacocks).

More from Lyndsey

Justice. Mercy. Grace.

Teen girls in my youth group hear these words often. Maybe that’s because the simplest words are sometimes the hardest to define—and even harder to live out. So, we talk about them a lot. In fact, we go over their meanings so often that when our church’s youth pastor asked the main group to define grace one Wednesday night, girl after girl turned to look at me sitting in the back. They knew the answer. I was proud.

But knowing that justice is getting what you deserve, mercy is not getting what you deserve, and grace is getting what you don’t deserve is only half the battle. The real challenge? Learning when—and how—to apply them.

In The Crier Stone, the conclusion to The Chaos Grid duology, Juniper Conway comes face to face with God’s mercy in direct conflict with her sense of justice. We love it when He relents in His wrath toward us. But what happens when He stays His hand against our enemies?

The people of Juniper’s futuristic Texas experience justice daily for the sins of the past. In their attempt to fix the climate, their ancestors instead turned the world into a wasteland. Now, the last remnants of civilization hide away in domed cities, clinging to their technology like a drug—willing to sacrifice anything for the next upgrade. The government forbids advanced tech outside the domes, trapping its people inside their artificial paradise.

But a life of confinement and convenience is hardly the justice Juniper wants for those who orphaned her. And when visions confirm God’s call for her to save the worst of the domed cities from destruction, she rages at His mercy. Of all the people He could choose to show kindness to her enemies, why would He choose her?

If she had His power, she would do things differently.

At its heart, Juniper’s struggle is one of trust. Is God just in showing mercy to those who don’t deserve it? Would she see His choices differently if she knew everything He did? We may not always understand why God allows suffering on this side of eternity. In Juniper’s world, deadly nano-drugs run rampant, corrupt mega-corporations kill without consequence, and inhumane tech enhancement labs push the boundaries of morality for the next upgrade. Yet, God’s mercy does not mean He has abandoned justice.

Paul says in Acts 17:30-31:

“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

It was at the cross that justice, mercy, and grace met—a breathtaking harmony orchestrated by a sovereign God.

Juniper’s journey is filled with trials, betrayals, and impossible choices as she is forced to confront the full weight of justice, mercy, and grace. Will she step into her destiny and save the domed city, or let it all burn?

Find out in the thrilling conclusion to this wild Texas dystopian duology.

—Lyndsey

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 26

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, July 27 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, July 28

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, July 29

Simple Harvest Reads, July 30 (Spotlight)

Blogging With Carol, July 31

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 1

Guild Master, August 2 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, August 3

Pens Pages & Pulses, August 4

A Reader’s Brain , August 5 (Author Interview)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 6 (Author Interview)

CeCe Reads and Sings, August 6

Fiction Book Lover, August 7 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 8 (Spotlight)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 8

Giveaway

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

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54259

Sunday, July 27, 2025

Maranatha, The Victory Battle (The Victory Series Book 3)

About the Book

Book: Maranatha, The Victory Battle (The Victory Series Book 3)

Author: Blossom Turner

Genre: Christian Suspense on Spiritual Warfare

Release Date: July 22, 2025

What if the greatest battle you’ll ever fight is the one you cannot see?

Mara has faced the unthinkable—abuse, betrayal, and loss—but nothing can prepare her for the final battle ahead. As demons scheme in the shadows and angels stand guard, she must confront her deepest fears. With her marriage hanging by a thread, an abandoned child thrust into her arms, and a relentless enemy determined to destroy all she holds dear, Mara must decide: will she trust in God’s sovereignty, or will fear consume her?

As darkness closes in, her faith is tested like never before. The forces of evil will stop at nothing to break her spirit. But Mara clings to one truth—God’s love is greater, His power stronger, and prayer can change everything. Yet, in her final days, with her life at risk, will she find the courage to stand victorious?

A breathtaking conclusion to The Victory Series, Maranatha: The Victory Battle is a heart-pounding Christian suspense novel that will challenge, inspire, and awaken you to the unseen war raging around us all. Your prayer life will never be the same.

“A powerful, faith-filled thriller in the vein of Frank Peretti. Turner delivers an unforgettable journey of spiritual warfare, redemption, and unshakable faith.” — Creston Mapes, Bestselling Author

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

This is the third and final book in the series. You must read this series in order; it is not a standalone. Book three picks up where book two ended in a new and seamless installment. If you're like me, you will want to be re-reading this entire series soon. Turner has crafted a masterpiece with this series, and even more so with this third book. I have laughed and cried, and been so deeply thankful for another author to cover spiritual warfare in a book series again. It's a topic that's too often skipped. I think Turner surpassed Perettie in areas, and I'm profoundly grateful for this series. Every Christian should read this series, because we all need reminders and challenges to our thinking. Mara's story will linger long past the last pages of this book. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would.

About the Author

Blossom Turner is an award-winning author, multiple-time Canadian Word Guild Awards recipient, and ACFW Carol Award finalist who began her writing career later in life. An adventurer at heart, she enjoys skydiving, gardening, and singing for fun. She has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul and other anthologies, worked as a newspaper columnist on health and fitness, and ultimately found her true passion in writing fiction with purpose. Her latest series, The Victory Series, brings to life spiritual warfare, weaving love, deep relationships, and hope into every page. She is also the author of the award-winning historical romance series The Shenandoah Brides, featuring five sisters and their love stories. Blossom and her husband, David, have two grown children and live in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, with their Shepherd/Bernese dog, Lacey. Learn more at blossomturner.com.

More from Blossom

Have you ever felt like something, or someone is watching you? Have you ever experienced darkness in a fully lit room? Or wondered if a malevolent force was working against you?

We all love stories on angels and God’s love and protection, but we also have an enemy… a living, breathing adversary who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Ephesians 6:12 says: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (NKJV)

This series—The Victory Series—found me. My genre is historical romance. I was building a following, won some awards, and loved what I was doing. But as I finished up my last series, the Holy Spirit made it very clear that Mara would be my next project. From my own experiences of childhood abuse and my marriage under fire, I added enough fiction to protect real-life people and created a story that reveals the unseen spiritual world hard at work—both benevolent and malevolent forces.

We do not fight alone. In this third and final book of this series, Mara comes face-to-face with evil attacks on her children and on the very life force within her. She must choose whether to remain faithful to the end or give in to the narrative the enemy of her soul whispers to her and to us all: God does not love you or care what you are going through—He never has.

Mara’s birth to death story unfolds in a unique, riveting, and page-turning experience that will alert you to events taking place in the unseen spiritual realm.

You will be entertained, (nothing wrong with that) but you will also come away with a greater appreciation for prayer, for Christ, and for His work on the cross. You may even view the trials of life in a new encouraging way. The battle is real—but the One by our side is victorious.

Blog Stops

The Lofty Pages, July 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 25

Devoted Steps, July 26

Fiction Book Lover, July 27 (Guest Review from Lily)

Blogging With Carol, July 27

Where Crisis and Christ Collide, July 28

Simple Harvest Reads, July 29 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 30

For Him and My Family, July 31

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 1

Blossoms and Blessings, August 2 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 2

Artistic Nobody, August 3 (Author Interview)

Leslie’s Library Escape, August 4

Texas Book-aholic, August 5

Stories By Gina, August 6 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Blossom is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54257

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Capturing You by Robin Patchen (Wright Heroes of Maine#6)

About the Book

Book: Capturing You

Author: Robin Patchen

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release Date: June 24, 2025

In a town shrouded by secrets, a photographer and the reclusive heir of the Ballentine fortune join forces to unravel a deadly conspiracy.

Brooklynn Wright must win a photography contest to save her gallery, and the perfect sunrise shot at a remote inlet north of town is her best hope. But when she witnesses a smuggling operation at a hidden dock and is chased by armed men, her dreams of artistic glory become a nightmare flight for survival. Rescued by a mysterious stranger, Brooklynn is forced to take refuge with him in an abandoned mansion the townspeople claim is cursed—afraid to trust her grumpy protector but with no other choice.

Billionaire Forbes Ballentine returned to Shadow Cove for answers, not distractions. Haunted by the unsolved murder of his family twenty years ago, he’s spent his life in the shadows, hunting for the truth. He believes the network Brooklynn stumbled upon is tied to his family’s deaths, but protecting the cheerful photographer means jeopardizing the investigation he’s been chasing for decades. Especially when her presence stirs feelings he’s not prepared to face.

As Brooklynn and Forbes grow closer, so do the network’s ruthless enforcers. With everyone in town hiding something, they must navigate lies, betrayal, and deadly truths. When the network closes in, they’ll have to trust each other completely—or lose everything.

Dive into this gripping romantic suspense full of mystery, secrets, and danger, where two broken souls must uncover the truth while battling the enemies outside—and the wounds within.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

This author is one of my favorites, and I loved this book so much! I’m a photographer, so I'm excited anytime there’s a good story with a photography aspect. This story didn’t disappoint. It's part of a series but holds up well on its own. It has a few twists and turns, and I like that a lot. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series. Faith isn't left out, and the story is quite gripping.

5 Stars

About the Author

Robin Patchen is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Coventry Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. Working in marketing, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball and chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while homeschooling her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving that most of her life revolves around the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Visit robinpatchen.com/subscribe to receive a free book and stay informed about Robin’s latest projects.

More from Robin

A Mansion on the Maine Coast: The Perfect Setting for Capturing You

There’s something about old mansions that gets my imagination racing. Maybe it’s the grandeur, or the hint that secrets hide behind their towering windows. Or maybe it’s knowing that, once upon a time, entire lives were lived there.

When I first envisioned Capturing You, I knew the story needed a setting as breathtaking—and as mysterious—as the characters themselves. So I plucked inspiration from my visits to the coast of New Hampshire. I can’t help but admire the stunning mansions overlooking the Atlantic between Hampton Beach—a touristy strip filled with arcades and restaurants—and Rye, a quiet coastal community. I love to imagine the lives lived inside those walls and the histories written into their very foundations.

Naturally, when it came time to write Brooklynn and Forbes’s story, I borrowed from those daydreams.

In Capturing You, the eighteenth-century cliffside mansion functions as more than just a setting. It’s a character in its own right. Crumbling a bit with age, it stands guard over a small, secluded cove on the coast of Maine. The old home is a place of secret hiding places, bittersweet memories, and…because, you know, it’s a Robin Patchen novel…more than its share of danger. The Ballentine Mansion is the perfect backdrop for a story about a photographer who accidentally stumbles onto something she shouldn’t have seen—and a brooding recluse determined to keep her safe.

In the story, I hope you hear the waves pounding against the rocky shore, smell the salt in the air, and feel the ancient wood floors creaking beneath your feet. I hope you’ll find wonder in the whimsical spaces created by the original architect. And I hope you’ll experience nostalgia in a home that hasn’t had a family fill its halls with laughter in a generation.

Step right into that world with me—a world of danger and romance, courage and redemption, all wrapped up in a mansion that’s seen more than its share of joy and heartache. And maybe a little healing too.

I can’t wait for you to explore all its secrets with Brooklynn and Forbes.

Capturing You is available now. Immerse yourself in a fascinating mansion—and a suspenseful romance that’ll keep you reading all night long.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 1

Pens Pages & Pulses, July 1

For Him and My Family, July 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 4

Texas Book-aholic, July 5

Stories By Gina, July 6 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, July 6

Book Looks by Lisa, July 7

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 8

Blogging with Carol, July 9

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 10

Life on Chickadee Lane, July 11

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, July 12

Holly’s Book Corner, July 13

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, July 13

Pause for Tales, July 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robin is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of Protecting You!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54253

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Following the Clues by Dana Mentink (Security Hounds Investigations Book Four)

About the Book

Book: Following the Clues (Security Hounds Investigations Book Four)

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Release date: May 27, 2024

A search-and-rescue mission
reveals a lethal secret.

After K-9 handler Kara Wolfe witnesses her childhood friend Beau O’Connor survive a targeted hit-and-run, she’s shocked to learn his mother’s missing. And Beau, who can no longer recognize familiar faces after an earlier attack, can’t shake the feeling these terrifying incidents are somehow connected. With the tracking skills of her blind bloodhound, Kara will help Beau locate his mother—but someone will do anything to sabotage their search. With the culprit on their trail, can they uncover a sinister plot…before their rescue mission turns into a fight for survival?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

This is a suspense story, but somehow, it's soft and sweet too. I love the dogs, of course! Millie and Phil are out being walked by Kara when a van goes wild. Eeeek! Then this van is tied to hitting an old pal of hers, but he doesn't remember her? Wait what? Did he lose his memory? What will face blindness do to Beau? I really liked this story. It's a perfect fit for the series. I find it to also be a good standalone story. I really enjoyed the clues, mystery, and soft faith flowing through the book. I look forward to this author's books. This one is a top favorite among her books. I'd recommend this lovely tale and this series.

5 Stars

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and a Holt Medallion winner. She is the author of over fifty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Revell and Poisoned Pen Press.