Friday, August 8, 2025

Book: The Crier Stone by Lyndsey Lewellen

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!

About the Author

Lyndsey Lewellengrew 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

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Love’s True Measure by Lori DeJong

About the Book

Book: Love’s True Measure

Author: Lori DeJong

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: June 10, 2025

Shannon Trent has dedicated her life to ministering to teens, even as she hides secrets that haunt her past. Born into privilege, she’s built a simpler life away from the expectations of her influential family. She’s content on her own, believing that to open her heart would mean unearthing her deepest shame. But when her charming neighbor stirs feelings she’s never allowed herself to entertain, his lack of faith provides the perfect excuse to keep her distance.

Hunter Kavanaugh has spent years chasing his dream career. But when his mother’s sudden death leaves him the sole guardian of his teenage sister, his carefully curated world begins to crumble. Struggling with grief, anger at God, and the demands of his job, Hunter is surprised when Shannon’s unwavering faith begins to resonate with him—and her ability to connect with his sister draws him closer.

As Hunter and Shannon navigate their growing bond, unexpected challenges force them to confront their fears and priorities. Both must either choose to trust God’s plan is far greater than their own, or risk losing the love of a lifetime.

Click here to get your copy!

"Love’s True Measure" by Lori DeJong is the third book in this series. The themes in this book are forgiveness and anger and abandonment and grief. Christian principals are part of this story and this is a clean read. I suppose a reader could read this as a standalone by I recommend reading the books in order to understand each character as there are a lot of characters from the other books are also in this book. This is a story of love and forgiveness and redemption and faith. I enjoyed this book but at times it did make me feel sad because of the things that happened. I truly recommend the entire series.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

Lori DeJong (pronounced DeeYung) is an award-winning contemporary Christian romance author who enjoys penning stories full of grace and the redemptive power of God’s love that inspire others to hope regardless of circumstance, find joy in the moment, and grow in their faith.

Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Lori arrived in Texas in 2005 and dug those roots right in. She currently resides in beautiful Georgetown, north of Austin, with her husband of thirty-plus years. Other than their two fur-babies, their nest is empty, as their daughter graduated from college and settled in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area with her husband, and the sweetest grand-dog ever.

Lori loves to write about love and romance and all that fun stuff, with a firm foundation of faith. Clean but sassy, sparkly, and even goose-bumpy romance, with God in the middle and characters seeking and learning and changing, couldn’t be more heartwarming or spine-tingly.

Lori’s debut novel, “Love’s True Calling”, Book One of her True Calling Series, was the 2020 winner of the Scrivenings Press Novel Starts Contest, winner of the 2022 ACFW Genesis Award for Romance, 2023 Scrivenings Press Contemporary Book of the Year, and a doubl-finalist in the 2024 Selah Awards. “Love’s True Home” was released in 2024 and is a 2025 Selah Awards finalist.

More from Lori

As soon as Shannon Trent showed up in chapter one of my debut novel, Love’s True Calling, I knew she had a story. That there was something underneath all that joy and spunk that haunted her. That she felt she had to hide.

Although born to a life of privilege, she doesn’t want her name to be the measure of her worth. Determined to live a simpler life, she dials in to her faith, only wanting to be and do whatever God says she should be and do.

Hunter Kavanaugh, on the other hand, has overcome the instability of his teenage years to forge his own path. He’s made something of himself by his own grit and determination, and he measures his worth in terms of his success and the things it provides him.

When these two literally run into each other outside their building, his grumpy disposition, and obvious high-powered job, leave Shannon unimpressed. No matter how handsome he might be, she has no intention of getting to know this neighbor any better.

But God …

When these two meet up again, a friendship blossoms. Her heart threatens to take her somewhere she’s never been before, but his unbelief gives her the perfect reason to keep her emotional distance.

When God gave me this story concept, I was a little intimidated. Would I be able to convey the heart of a good man who didn’t have faith? Would I be able to flesh out a woman who had an abundance of faith yet still harbored shame from her past?

But as I started writing this story, I fell in love with these two and their journey to discover the true measure of their worth … and the true measure of love.

Blog Stops

Stories By Gina, August 2 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, August 3 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, August 4

Artistic Nobody, August 5 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 6

Guild Master, August 7 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 8

Fiction Book Lover, August 9 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, August 10

Vicky Sluiter, August 11 (Author Interview)

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, August 11

Texas Book-aholic, August 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 12

For the Love of Literature, August 13 (Author Interview)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 14 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, August 15 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lori is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed 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/00adcf54274

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

The Puzzle Within by Gina Holder

About the Book

Book: The Puzzle Within

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: June 13, 2025

FBI agent Arizona Powers is haunted by nightmares—fragments of a childhood kidnapping no one believes ever happened. Still recovering from a nervous breakdown, she accepts a protection assignment for Bridgette Van Sloan, the strong-willed teenage daughter of a U.S. ambassador who’s been receiving threats signed: Enigma.

Nick Trueheart, a former escape artist known as “Nick of Time” turned diplomatic risk analyst, is grieving the loss of his beloved wife—and obsessed with finding her killer. When assigned to Bridgette’s security detail, his biggest concern isn’t the threats—it’s the unstable agent with a vendetta against kidnappers.

When Bridgette disappears from an escape room, Nick and Arizona become entangled in a high-stakes puzzlehunt and a race against time. They must confront their own failures and unravel the secrets hidden within themselves to rescue Bridgette … and survive a madman’s twisted game. Because one thing becomes clear: Enigma’s real target is much bigger — and far more personal.

Click here to get your copy!

"The Puzzle Within" by Gina Holder is a mystery where the heroes must solve a riddle to find the next clue. I had a hard time following the c lues until they were revealed in the story because I have never seen or heard of some of the puzzles used. The scenes are plenty and the book is well written and kept me turning the pages. The killer is after revenge. The gospel is clearly stated in this book especially on the subject of forgiveness. This is a great read for readers that like Christian suspense with some romance. This isn't the first book I have read by this author, and I have enjoyed every one I have read and will Definitely be reading more and so glad that this is just the first book in this series and that are more coming. The fact that I didn't figure out the clues myself didn't stop me from enjoying the book. I urge you to get a copy and read it for yourself.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

Gina Holder is an indie author and stay-at-home mom. She’s had an infatuation with books for as long as she can remember. She loves sharing uplifting messages from God’s Word and introducing readers to new and new-to-them authors on her blog. When she’s not writing, Gina enjoys playing the piano, cooking, reading, watching Hallmark mysteries, and solving “escape room” puzzles. She loves growing in her craft as an author. She published her debut novel in 2017. Gina lives in Wyoming with her husband and daughter.

More from Gina

The story of The Puzzle Within began four years ago with the seed of an idea based on my enjoyment of Escape Rooms. I imagined a villain that moved an escape room into the “real world” and an FBI agent with nightmares that no one could or would explain.

In 2023, I entered the first five chapters into Scrivening Press’s “NovelStarts” contest and won first place in the Mystery/Suspense category. In the last three months of 2023, I wrote the entire novel, then spent the next couple of months in editing mode. My beta readers gave me feedback, and I incorporated their thoughts. In June of 2024, I entered The Puzzle Within into Scrivening Press’s “GetPubbed” contest and won the grand prize, a publishing contract.

It’s been my dream since a young age to be a traditionally published author, but it’s God who gets all the glory. I write for Him and His glory, and it’s my prayer that The Puzzle Within will touch lives as well as entertain readers.

A large focus in The Puzzle Within are the riddles, puzzles, and ciphers Enigma leaves for Arizona and Nick in their pursuit of a kidnapped teenager and the truth behind Arizona’s nightmares.

This message below is coded in Caesar Cipher. To solve, take each letter and shift it by four letters, wrapping around from Z to A. So, A=D, B=E, C=F… and so on. (Traditionally, the Caesar Cipher shifts by thirteen letters, but I didn’t want to make it that difficult.)

Once you solve the code, leave a comment below with an emoji if you’ve figured it out—but no spoilers!

Somewhere in the story, a truth waits to be uncovered.
It’s simple. It’s powerful. It’s hidden.
Can you crack the code?

Ksh mw Ksh—erh xlex’w kssh irrsxl jsv qi.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 1

For Him and My Family, August 2

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 3

Texas Book-aholic, August 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 5

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 6

Cover Lover Book Review, August 6

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 7

Leslie’s Library Escape, August 8

Life, Love, Writing,, August 9

Bizwings Book Blog, August 10

Holly’s Book Corner, August 11

Pause for Tales, August 12

Just Your Average reviews, August 13

For the Love of Literature, August 14 (Author Interview)

Mornings at Character Cafe, August 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Gina is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of books 1 and 2 of the series, Handmade Mayhem and Home Baked Bribery!!

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/00adcf54265

Monday, August 4, 2025

The Bible Companion Book 2 Leviticus-Deuteronomy by Karen Westbrook Moderow

About the Book

Book: The Bible Companion Book 2 Leviticus-Deuteronomy

Author: Karen Westbrook Moderow

Genre: Bible Study/ Devotional

Release Date: May 5, 2024

Do you struggle to relate to God in the Old Testament?

The Bible Companion Book 2 can help. Its simple one-chapter-a-day format lets you engage with Scripture without the pressure of schedules, homework, or heavy reading loads. Short daily readings and thought-provoking questions help you recognize God’s faithfulness even in your most difficult journey.

Though filled with unfamiliar symbols and rituals, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy hold treasures—the great promises of God. They show us the lengths to which God goes to be in our daily lives. Hard-to-read passages come alive as we travel with Israel to the Promised Land and discover the same God who guided His people in ancient times guides us today. If you want to know what God is like and what matters to Him . . . if you question His love for you . . . if you wonder how believing God can change your life, these books of the Law will speak to you. For personal and group study.

Click here to get your copy!

"The Bible Companion Book 2 Leviticus-Deuteronomy" by Karen Westbrook Moderow is another excellent book in this series. I really recommend these books. The author has obviously studied this material and knows it. She shares charts and other Biblical scriptures. I think this would be a great way to learn about what the Bible says for someone just starting to read the Bible and always a review for all believers and someone searching to believe. I brought the audio version of this book, and I really enjoy having it read to me. There is a companion thought after each chapter which is really thoughtful questions and there is a suggested plan for a small group study. I want to get all the books that are in this series, which covers the entire Bible.

I really recommend that everyone gets this book and the rest of the series, I mean how can you go wrong study the Bible. I do want to stress that these books should enrich your study not replace reading The Bible as well.

I was given a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

KAREN WESTBROOK MODEROW is a Bible teacher and author who brings a storyteller’s perspective to Scripture. She holds master’s degrees in theology and creative writing and loves introducing others to Jesus through the stories told in God’s Word.

More from Karen

Breakfast with Leviticus

My father was a pastor and a man with lofty ambitions. He was known for setting goals others deemed impossible then achieving them. However, there was one that got the best of him. He determined our family would read the Bible through from cover to cover—together. On January first of each year, a morning ritual of Bible and Breakfast began. On cold days, Dad would entice us to the table with his version of a Hot Toddy. We’d sip on hot grapefruit juice and eat while one of us read the day’s Scripture out loud. We read Genesis… Exodus… then came Leviticus. No one had the nerve to say the book was boring and we didn’t understand it, but perhaps Dad felt the same. At some point we gave up. The next year, we’d start anew. Genesis… Exodus… then Leviticus. The next year, same thing. We started the day with images of bloody sacrifices exploding in our heads more mornings than I could count. We never made it past Leviticus.

We teased my father about this epic fail, but he took away something from this experience—the realization that most of us need a little help with some parts of the Bible. He started writing short daily devotionals to help people get through hard-to-understand passages. Years later, I took over where he left off. The Bible Companion series is the fruit of that “failed” venture.

Pastor Floyd’s Grapefruit Toddy

My dad’s version of a teetotaler’s “hot toddy” is easy, delicious, warming, and great for sore throats.

Squeeze juice from one half grapefruit into a mug.
Fill to the top with boiling water.
Sweeten with a half teaspoon of honey, if desired.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 29

Girls in White Dresses, July 30

Lots of Helpers, July 30

Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 31 (Author Interview)

Fiction Book Lover, August 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 2

Blossoms and Blessings, August 3 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 3

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 4

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, August 5 (Author Interview)

Older & Smarter?, August 6

Texas Book-aholic, August 7

Cover Lover Book Review, August 8

A Reader’s Brain , August 9 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 10

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 11 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving awawy the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a 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/00adcf54261

Sunday, August 3, 2025

How to Sell 1000 Books a Month by Susan U. Neal

About the Book

Book:

Genre: Book Marketing

Release Date: May 15, 2025

Do you dream of being a bestselling author?

Have you written a book but have no idea how to sell it?

Can you envision your message in the hands of thousands of readers?

Unlock the secrets to epic book sales with Susan Neal’s book How to Sell 1,000 Books a Month. Whether you’re a new writer or an experienced author looking to elevate your marketing tactics, this book offers a treasure of insights to significantly boost your sales and increase the effective outreach of your unique message.

Susan Neal, an award-winning author and seasoned marketer, condenses years of successful sales and marketing strategies into practical steps that can turn your book into an award-winning bestseller. Learn how to:

create a focused and polished manuscript
captivate and grow your audience
master the art of online marketing
leverage the power of social media to create a compelling author brand
discover the potential of keywords to increase your book’s visibility
use the influence of reviews and blogs to increase sales

This guide doesn’t just tell you what to do—it shows you how to do it, with detailed action plans tailored for both new and veteran authors. From building a robust marketing plan to planning a book launch to navigating the complexities of Amazon ads, Susan covers everything you need to know to reach—and surpass—your book sales goals.

Click here to get your copy!

"How to Sell 1000 a Month " by Susan U. Neal is a book that tells how to publish and sell a book. This author points out that authors should always keep their reason and purpose for writing in mind which for Christians (if you are a Christian) is to promote God's Kingdom and not to make money and become popular. There are also lists in the back of the book for more help. This book is more for nonfiction writers, but there are parts for fiction writers as well. The author talks about the professionalism of cover design, interior formatting, and editing and Facebook groups as well as branding and even the picture you use to promote your book. She gives lists of many areas that she covers. This author did not promote any generative AI. I believe this book would be helpful to future authors. Each chapter comes with steps to complete which the author calls action steps. I plan on keeping this book on my bookshelf for maybe using in the future. I started playing around with writing a novel many years with my granddaughters when they were grade school age and what I have written is still saved in my computer files if and when I decided to finish it. I like how the author has a summary of the main points after the chapters. This book is easy to read and not really textbook style at all.

I receive a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

Susan Neal is an award-winning, bestselling author and certified writer coach with an MBA and MHS. She empowers Christian authors to publish and market their God-given messages. She has authored nine healthy living books. As the CEO of the Christian Indie Publishing Association (CIPA), Christian Authors Network (CAN), Christian Indie Awards, and director of the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference, Susan’s leadership extends across multiple platforms.

More from Susan

Why I Wrote How to Sell 1,000 Books a Month
By Susan U. Neal, RN, MBA, MHS

When I first became an author, I had no idea how much marketing it would take to get my book into readers’ hands. Like many writers, I thought my job ended when I typed “The End.” But I quickly realized that if I truly wanted to reach people with the message God gave me, I needed to learn how to market that message effectively.

Over the years, I discovered what actually works. My book 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates has sold over 30,000 copies. In 2022, I reached a personal milestone: my overall Amazon author rank was 4,400. That placed me in the top 1 percent of all Amazon authors. As an award-winning, best-selling author and certified writer coach, I’ve gained a great deal of insight into what works—and what doesn’t—when it comes to book marketing. And I wanted to share those marketing secrets with you.

That’s why I wrote How to Sell 1,000 Books a Month. I want to equip Christian authors with the tools and strategies they need—not only to sell more books but to fulfill their divine calling. This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about spreading the message God gave you and watching Him multiply its impact.