Seth has three weeks to save his sister.  Just hack into the government and voila. All saved. No biggie.  Ahem.  Listen in and see what his sister's fate is if Seth fails!

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In a world with cameras everywhere, Jeremiah Friedli takes it to new levels in this sci-fi... well, he doesn't call it a thriller, but it sure feels like it might be one to me. If you liked Amanda G. Stevens' Haven Seekers series, I think this will be right up your alley.  

Core Deception by Jeremiah Friedli

 In a world where the government’s CORE systems see and track everyone, seventeen-year-old hacker Seth Alvarez is determined to save his sister from being placed in a reeducation facility. Armed with a cryptic letter, Seth embarks on a search for the valuable incognito devices—cyber master keys that can set his sister free.

But with only three weeks remaining, he finds himself wedged between two powerful forces who will stop at nothing to get the devices first.

Learn more about Jeremiah on his WEBSITE and follow him on GoodReads.

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Christian chapter books for early readers are hard to find. Listen in and learn why Allie Slocum added subtle lessons about parts of speech in hers!

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 Where were these books when I was homeschooling young elementary kids?  The stories look like heaps of fun, and a lesson or two along that way?  Yes, please!

 Joseph O'Tooley and the Escape of Herb the Verb by Allie Slocum

Every kid struggles with humility from time to time. Joseph (Joey) O'Tooley is no different. He is Peter's (Peter O'Tooley, Bugged and Bullied, Vol. 4 in the Character Club Series) younger brother. Mrs. Dish's new puppet, a firefighter called Herb the Verb, has been locked away! See if you can solve the escape room clues before Joey and his classmates.

You might just learn about verbs and something about humility along the way. Great read-aloud for teachers. Built-in glossary, discussion questions and teaching materials included. More at www.characterclubonline.com

Learn more about Allie and the Character Club on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

 You can view Allie's YouTube HERE.

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 I love American homefront stories from WWII. Make them epistolary novels and, well, that makes them just about perfect. Listen in to learn more about Caitlin Miller's Our Yellow Tape Letters.

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 When Caitlin Miller said she was inspired by Amy Lynn Green's Things We Didn't Say AND that Green endorsed the novel, well... I knew this book would be excellent! 

I've already started reading it, and so far it doesn't disappoint.  

Our Yellow Tape Letters by Caitlin Miller

 Just days away from Germany's surrender, Lucy Skyes never expects to receive the same telegram that thousands of families across the world have since the start of World War Two: a notice of her brother's death in the service of his country. While reeling from the shock of losing her best friend, Lucy receives a letter from someone who knew her brother and can tell her two things she desperately wants to know: What her brother's life was like in the army and who is responsible for his death. Jeremiah Sparrow wakes up in an army hospital, unable to remember what put him there, why he can't hear anything, or who he lost. When memories resurface of a plane crash, a parachute, and a friend, Jeremiah harbors deep guilt and secrets. Jeremiah sends a letter of his own to Lucy—and his words open a door that may cost him more than he realizes. Everyone has secrets to unearth and stories to tell. War, loss, and letters—they are a lot like yellow tape: Once you cross that line, there is no going back. And sometimes, what you find on the other side looks nothing like you imagined it to.

Learn more about Caitlin on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

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I'm so excited about the On Victory's Wings series by Jennifer Mistmorgan. We had a blast chatting and you won't want to miss out on the a mini brainstorming session we had.

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World War II had no end of amazing stories of heroism--in battle and on the home front. Sometimes it's a noble heart doing what might have been done at any time and in any situation but is made even more impressive by the difficult circumstances. This series touches them all and more.  I think the These Long Shadows may be my favorite, but... I have to read them all to be sure! 

 These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan

How do they rebuild a marriage that wasn’t real in the first place? If you love epic wartime romance with a dash of intrigue, you’ll love this second-chance, marriage-of-convenience love story.

London, 1945: Two years ago, Jonty Ables married Katie Baines to save her and her unborn baby from shame. But now the war is all but over, the baby is gone and they must work out where their shaky marriage fits into lives irrevocably changed by war.

Clinging to the memory of a time before all happiness evaporated, Katie works hard during the day as a seamstress. At night she comes home to a tiny terrace on a bomb-scarred street, crammed with her extended family and their problems. Years of estrangement sit between her and her recently demobilised husband. She’s not even sure she loves him. So why is she so crushed that he calls out another woman’s name in his sleep?

Jonty is determined to honor the vows he made no matter how many ghosts plague him. But with such separate lives, his wife is more of a stranger than ever. When Katie’s friend goes missing, Jonty seizes the opportunity to help her find him just so they have reason to talk. But the war casts long shadows over their efforts, and fighting for their future might just be the hardest battle of them all.

Book 3 of the On Victory's Wings series, These Long Shadows, is easily read as a standalone novel.

Learn more about Jennifer on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

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 When I read that Kelli Galyean's novel explores an unwanted abortion and the fallout that follows, I knew I had to read it.  Listen in to discover the twist that cemented that decision.

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 Abortion is such a difficult topic to begin with, but when it's forced on you by parents looking out for their political ambitions... things get a whole new level of painful and complicated.

Add to that the grief, the need for Jesus, and the need for forgiveness from many sides, and Kelli has a book I don't think readers will want to miss.

How Can It Be? by Kelli Galyean

 As a college student, Mia Browning shared a carefree weekend with drummer Ryan Blackstone. Soon after, Mia learned she was pregnant, a fact her politically-ambitious parents would not allow to stay true. A forced abortion left her broken and alone.

Ten years later, Mia has found healing and embraced a new life in Christ. Mia arrives at church one Sunday, to find that the new worship minister is none other than the blue-eyed drummer of her past.

Seeing Ryan again after all these years is complicated. Serving at the youth camp means they are often thrown together, creating an unexpected friendship. Growing closer seems inevitable, but will they both have the courage to let go of the past and move forward into something deeper?

For those days when life feels complicated, here is a book that invites readers to remember the truest thing about all of us: that we are loved by God and saved by His grace. This book is a warm hug, a lighthearted laugh, and an invitation into joy!

Learn more about Kelli on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads.

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Cheri Swalwell has a fabulous series, the Redemption of Green Pines, is finally complete. Listen in to learn more about the entire series and specifically what you'll find in this award-winning conclusion. 

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 I love that Swalwell has brought the series "full circle" with this series. It's such a great way to wind it up. 

I also love the idea that we might get more from this world. EEEP.

But what I love most about Cheri and her writing is her deep love for Jesus and His people and how it shows in every word she speaks and the words she writes.  

Redemption Full Circle by Cheri Swalwell

Families stick together. That’s what families do.

In the touching conclusion to the heartwarming “Redemption of Green Pines” series, Shawn and Annie have recently moved to Green Pines to be closer to his sister, Holly and her husband, Jace. New community. New job. New church. Shawn feels optimistic about the open doors God has given their family, even if the new position of superintendent feels a little out of his league. As Shawn embraces his new adventure, little does he know he will soon be called upon to save not only family and friends, but also those in the school he has promised to protect. In the aftermath, Shawn is confronted with emotions he has long buried, threatening his marriage and newly-formed relationships. Will he allow God to help him heal or will everything he loves and has worked for his whole life be destroyed from one senseless act?

Redemption Full Circle takes you on a powerful journey of redemption, forgiveness, and grace. If you’ve been captivated by the “Redemption of Green Pines” series, this final installment promises an unforgettable conclusion. If you enjoy reading faith-based stories in wholesome small towns where God turned messes into miracles, then get your copy and escape into the story today!

Learn more about Cheri on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

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I love it when authors get ideas and go into new directions with their writing because of it. For Antony Kolenc, his middle-grade/YA medieval mysteries are followed by a supernatural thriller exploring what would happen if they managed to have Jesus' blood and cloned Him today. Listen in to learn about what Antony did with the chilling possibilities of trying to play God in this technologically advanced age.

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 With AI taking over nearly everything (tried to write in Word lately? It keeps wanting to "help me." No thanks!), and medical advances that while AMAZING (using a person's own stem cells to reverse Type 1 Diabetes, yes, please!) also lead us closer and closer to the unthinkable, the stuff we thought of as only crazy Sci-Fi back when we were kids is becoming a reality.  Kolenc explores the idea by looking at it through the lens of trying to clone Jesus.  I mean, if it's wrong to try to clone God incarnate, is it right to clone His creation?  OR... are those two very different things?  And if one is okay and the other isn't, how long would it be before the "okay" slipped down a slope into the heretical?

Don't miss the final book (for now) in the Harwood Mysteries, The Devil's Ransom.

Incarnate by Antony Barone Kolenc

 October, 2007. Joshua Christiansen thinks he's just an ordinary teen, ready to graduate high school and infatuated with his best friend Rachel...until Agent Samson shows up and tells him who he really is. Now, while dodging ruthless zealots and evading government plots, he must test the limits of his mind and body as he seeks the truth about himself.

Was he truly cloned from the blood of a Eucharistic miracle? Does he really have the power to trigger the End of Days? Or will he be killed, captured, or brainwashed by one of the many people who want to use him for their own ends before he can learn the truth?

Learn more about Antony Barone Kolenc on his WEBSITE and follow him on GoodReads and BookBub.

For his first interview about the Harwood Mysteries go HERE.

For his most recent interview about the Harwood Mysteries, go HERE.

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I don't know about you, but I love a good fairy tale... throw in a few twists and turns and an unlikely romantic lead, and you've got me hooked. Listen in and see why I'm eager to read the whole Crown of Promise series and especially, Hold Her Close.

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 Expectations, disappointments, out of character behavior, threats to the kingdom.  What doesn't Hold Her Close have in store for us?  

Hanna Currie has a fabulous story here to wrap up her series.  I sense a theme in her books. The first more contemporary royal series, now a medieval fantasy sort of royal story... and then her contemporary YA mission story--young people telling the world about the King of Kings.  Currie has a strong tie to all things royal, no?

Hold Her Close by Hannah Currie

 Firstborn of King Lior and heir to the throne of Raedonleith, Lady Rose has always known what was expected of her—marry a prince, bear a child, continue the royal line. None of that involved confirmation weeks before her wedding that she’s barren. Nor her betrothed deserting her at the news. Through years of pain, bleeding and loss, her faith has kept her strong but this last blow strikes deep into her spirit. Rose knew she was broken. Now the rest of Raedonleith will too. More comfortable amid books than battles, Prince Nicholas of Belairisia is as surprised as anyone when he claims Lady Rose’s hand for himself upon first meeting. In front of every noble in Raedonleith. But neither does he regret it. Though it’s impulsive and out of character for the studious prince, there’s something in Rose’s fragile beauty that captivates Nicholas. She’s the treasure he’s searched his whole life to find. Armed with patience and hope, Nicholas determines to wait as long as it takes to prove his devotion. But when an attempt on Rose’s life forces King Lior’s hand, the two are thrust into a marriage neither of them are prepared for, and a journey through enemy territory which may end the relationship before it’s barely begun.

Learn more about Hannah on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

Get her free stories from White Crown Publishing HERE.

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 What happens when you add apocalyptic elements to a dystopian world and splash a bit of sci-fi in it?  Exodus 2065.  Listen in as I chat with author Zach Samo about his exciting genre mashup!

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 While I am not an expert on spec-fic, I've never quite heard of anything like this, especially in Christian Fiction, which I find refreshing. 

I also loved that Zack has created a lot of YouTube content around his book so you can find out more about Adamu and Eva as they work to survive in this new, crazy world.  

Exodus 2065 by Zack Samo

This is the story of the end of the humanity chapter on Earth, and the beginning of an uncertain dawn for the human race. It began with the great quake of 2045 that decimated Los Angeles, and culminated with the massive asteroid, DMN 669, that impacted Earth twenty years later in 2065. As the Earth shifts its orbit closer to the sun from the asteroid impact, the great faults all around the planet open up. As the temperatures rise, strange and massive red-skinned demonic creatures start coming out of the depths of earth to finish off what's left of humanity after the asteroid impact.

As the last of the mega spaceships known as Noah's Arks take off to the newly discovered planet from of the surface of the mega cube city, New L.A., Adamu and his companion Eva face a grim future as they decide to stay behind on Earth. They might be the only sliver of hope humanity has left on Earth as they escape the great city on their motorcycle and the hellish red demons in pursuit.

Learn more about Zack on his YouTube and follow him on GoodReads.

Watch the movie HERE.

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One of the best things about historical fiction is when authors show parts that we might not know as much about. Listen in as I chat with Tara Johnson about the Irish slaves sent to the Americas and the abolitionists who tried to put a stop to slavery altogether!

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 Too few books show the full scope of the ugly slave trade in the 18th and 19th centuries, but Tara Johnson has kicked off an excellent series featuring slavers and abolitionists, slaves and freemen, and the God Whose love should break all chains and set all captives free--physically and spiritually.  

To Speak His Name  by Tara Johnson

Avalina is a woman trapped in silence. Stolen from her home in Ireland and sold as a slave to a Barbados plantation owner, the trauma of her past has left her mute, wrapped in a prison of loneliness and isolation amid an island of beauty. Though she longs to be free from the cruelty of her overseer, her heart yearns for a greater freedom…something just beyond her grasp. Josiah Holland has been born into a South Carolina slave-holding family but all it takes is one trip to the island of Barbados to open his eyes to the ugly cruelty that abounds beyond the confines of his plantation. With the aid of fiery abolitionist Benjamin McGee, Josiah forges a new future, fighting the very ideals he was once a part of. When Avalina and Josiah’s lives entwine, will their spark engulf them in destruction, or ignite a revolution?

Learn more about Tara on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

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