Thursday, September 25, 2025

"Detecting Concealed Evidence" by Dana Mentink

About the Book

Book: Detecting Concealed Evidence (Security Hounds Investigations Book 5)

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Release Date: August 6, 2025

A panicked call sends detective Chase Wolfe and his search-and-rescue bloodhound, Tank, racing right into the path of his neighbor—who’s just barely escaped an abduction. But Pilar Alonso has no idea who’s after her or why. Now she must rely on Chase to keep her safe while they work together to track down the unknown assailants targeting her. Only, their investigation reveals layers of a much more sinister agenda, and danger is rapidly closing in. Drawn into a web of deceit, can they untangle the mystery…before they’re permanently silenced?

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book. This is the 5th book in the Security Hounds Investigations series. It wouldn't be too confusing to read just this one or to read the series out of order, although you would get mild spoilers in who each sibling ends up with (but you pretty much know that the main characters for the book are going to end up together anyway) I still would recommend reading them in order. I found the book to be well written and it kept me wanting to read more. There was a nice biblical faith thread through the book. I liked the characters--the people and the dogs. I look forward to getting Beth and her dog, Arthur, in the last book of the series.

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.

More from Dana

Those bloodhounds are galloping on through this Security Hounds series, aren’t they? Here in book #5, we have Chase and the unbelievably chill Tank. They couldn’t be more opposite. Tank is the kind of dog who only leaves his sunny napping spot when there’s an urgent need to do so. Chase is an energetic, unrestrained, human who gets caught up in the life of the reserved Pilar, a cello player who is simply trying to earn a few extra dollars when her delivery van is forced off the road and she’s kidnapped. That’s only the beginning of the adventure. I hope you will enjoy Tank, who falls deeply in love with Pilar’s cello music, and Pilar and Chase, who definitely got off on the wrong foot when they first met. And what is the object the killer is desperate to get his hands on? Hope you enjoy the ride!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 23

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 23

The Avid Reader, September 24

Devoted To Hope, September 24

She Lives To Read, September 25

Blossoms and Blessings, September 25

Betti Mace, September 26

Texas Book-aholic, September 27

Labor Not in Vain , September 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 29

Holly’s Book Corner, September 29

Bizwings Blog, September 30

Life on Chickadee Lane, October 1

Pause for Tales, October 1

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 2

For Him and My Family, October 3

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, October 3

Blogging With Carol, October 4

Simple Harvest Reads, October 5 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Lights in a Dark World, October 5

EmpowerMoms, October 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away 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.

https://sweepwidget.com/c/92607-ugsyewij

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

"How to Kill a Giant" by Carol Schlorff -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: How to Kill a Giant

Author: Carol Schlorff

Genre: Middle Grade

Release Date: June 10, 2023

He lost his courage. Will meeting a real superhero help him find it?

An awful summer … Thirteen-year-old Hugo is miserable. His move to a small Pennsylvania town has brought him nothing but trouble. Ignored by his new classmates and a favorite target for the school bullies, Hugo lets fear rule his life. It’s going to be a long summer.

An unexpected twist … Hugo meets siblings Julia and Stefan, who are just as unhappy as he is. After finding a mysterious old Bible, all three are magically transported to ancient Israel, where they meet the young shepherd David, who suspects they’re spies. The trio finds themselves caught up in a strange world where danger lurks on every side.

A terrifying adventure … As Hugo and his friends navigate the perils of this weird and frightening land, Hugo must face his greatest fear—that he’s a coward. His only hope of survival is to learn the secret of David’s bravery, but will he do so in time to face his biggest test? Find out in this thrilling tale of courage, friendship, and faith.

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1. Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)?

I’m definitely a plotter. Before I start writing a book, I must first create an outline. I need to know where I’m going before I begin. To aid this process, I use the general beat sheets from the book, Save the Cat! Write a Novel, because I’ve found they offer a helpful roadmap. That said, my outline isn’t something I can’t change once I start writing. Quite the opposite. As I progress through the story, I often come up with new ideas and plot twists that alter the direction I was heading.

So, to summarize, yes, I need an outline to get started, but I may or may not follow it too closely as I progress through the book. And if I get stuck anywhere, the outline helps me get back on track.

2. What is your favorite part about writing?

I love the creative process of imagining characters and getting into their heads. But most of all, I love the challenge and the privilege of communicating spiritual truth through my writing, whether in my novels or on my blog about the Christian life (bibleandsoul.com). I write because I have a message to share: the message about a loving God who has done everything necessary so that we, sinful human beings, can be reconciled to him. If my readers grow closer to God through my writing, then I will have considered it a success.

3. What is your writing space like?

I write in my bedroom, which is quite small but big enough to fit my bed, a wardrobe, a dresser, some narrow cabinets, and, most importantly (when it comes to writing), my desk with my laptop. To the right of my desk is a floor-to-ceiling window that offers a fifth-floor view of the trees and dirt road below, where everyone walks their dogs. (No, that view doesn’t distract me—no more than anything else, anyway).

4. How long does it usually take you to write a book?

My first book, How to Kill a Giant, took five years from conception to publication. Part of that time was also spent learning more about the craft of writing. My second book, How to Make a Miracle, which will be released in February 2026, took about three and a half years to write and edit. I’ve been working on my third book, How to Mess up Christmas, for nearly a year and a half, and I’m about 80 percent done. I hope to complete the first draft in another month or two. As you can see, I’m gradually becoming faster, but I’m far from reaching my goal of writing a book each year.

5. Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters?

I partly based Hugo, the protagonist of How to Kill a Giant, on my high school experience. Like him, my family suddenly moved, and I was thrown into a new school where I didn’t know anyone. For me, it was more traumatic than for Hugo because I moved to a different country—from France, where my parents worked as missionaries, to the U.S. I wasn’t bullied anywhere near as much as Hugo was, but I shared some of the same feelings he experienced, especially a complete loss of confidence and difficulty overcoming fear.

About the Author

Carol’s passion is to write exciting stories that encourage, inspire, and boost the reader’s faith, possibly because she has always felt like an outsider. She was born in North Africa to American parents and grew up in France. At age 15, her family’s abrupt move to Philadelphia resulted in a rough transition to American life.

After graduating from Penn State, Carol joined the Army in search of adventure. She was stationed in exotic—for her—locations like California, Arizona, and Texas.

Since then, Carol has lived in Cracow, Poland, where she teaches English and organizes language camps. She also writes a blog on faith-related topics.

Carol enjoys caring for her cat, Tabasco, watching a good murder mystery, and getting nervous while watching NFL games.

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, September 17 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 18

Artistic Nobody, September 19 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 20

Guild Master, September 21 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 22

Fiction Book Lover, September 23 (Author Interview)

The Mommies Reviews , September 23

Blossoms and Blessings, September 24 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, September 25

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 26

Stories By Gina, September 27 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 28

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, September 29 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, September 29

A Reader’s Brain , September 30 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carol is giving away 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.

https://sweepwidget.com/c/92781-arnfst2q

Click here to get your copy!

Saturday, September 20, 2025

"Right Before Their Eyes" by Carrie Walker -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: Right Before Their Eyes

Author: Carrie Walker

Genre: Romantic Women’s Fiction

Release Date: February 5, 2025

Sometimes the love you need most looks different than you imagined.

Clare Martin thought nothing of agreeing to live with her dementia-ridden grandmother when her parents left on mission. Balancing that with her job as a social worker and the expectations of her career-driven boyfriend proved doable—until Grandma started a house fire.

Mason Hughes has loved Clare for years, but the time was never right to tell her and now she’s dating someone else, fixing Mason firmly in the friend zone. He’s working to be a pediatric neurologist, a dream inspired by a special boy with a terminal brain condition, and must choose a medical school. Finances are so tight he’s forced to consider a program across the country, a troubling fact he’s kept secret.

Lucia Roberts, a seventeen-year-old on Clare’s caseload, loses her foster home and is placed in an unwelcoming group home. At every turn she’s met with rejection and becomes desperate for any proof she has value—enough to make choices that could affect the rest of her life.

When Grandma Dottie and Lucia’s paths take a dangerous turn, Clare frantically tries to save them. As their lives knit together, will they find the love that’s right before their eyes?

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1. Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)?
Definitely a hybrid. I have to be able to envision where the characters start in the story
(established back stories and current struggles for each character) the opening scene for each
character and the apex point they all need to get to before I can write a word. I’ll even loosely
plot an idea of how the story could get to that point, but I am very open to letting the characters
change that . . . as long as they can still get me to that planned apex point.

2. What is your favorite part about writing?
When my characters surprise me. Entire plot points have changed based on something
unplanned a character did and that’s so fun. Once I had a character just show up on the front
porch and get written into the story.

3 What is your writing space like?
I am a mom of seven so my writing space is very portable lol I have a lot of small desks around
the house so I can float from room to room—wherever I can find some quiet. I also have a lap
desk that I take with me in the car for times I’m waiting for kids to get out of practice or
meetings.

4. Where do you get your ideas for your books?
I always say “Who needs creativity, just take notes.” And its so true. My story ideas, many
characters, sometimes even plot points come from things i witness in everyday life and take
note of.

5. What is your work schedule/routine when you write?
During the school year, I try to get any drafting done because I usually have solid chunks of time
during the day when the kids are at school where I can hear the voices in my head :) Editing is
more for summer and when I have less quiet time because that is a task I’m able to do in smaller
bits of time and am not thrown off by distractions as easily.

About the Author

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 IAN Book of the Year for Christian Fiction, was a double finalist in the International Book Awards, placed in the ACFW Crown Award, Monroe Walton Center for the Arts Award, and won the 2020 ACFW First Impressions Contest.

More from Carrie

When I was writing “Emma’s Hero” I had a few readers that took an early peek at it, before it was completed. More than once, I was informed “This is not the only book, right?” And so, this story was a reality in my mind, before it was even thought of. This book just was. And the characters helped tell the story. Mason grew a lot in Emma’s Hero, but he has a lot more growing to do, especially in the realm of relationships, communication and figuring out how to live this newfound faith. Grandma Dottie is a character inspired by a combination of both my grandmothers, and there is a story she tells to Mason almost halfway through the story that is a true story borrowed from my own grandparents That’s all I’m telling you, you’ll have to find it. But I just love that a part of their love story made it into mine.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 11

Stories By Gina, September 12 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy , September 13

Simple Harvest Reads, September 14 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, September 15 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, September 15

Guild Master, September 16 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 17

Fiction Book Lover, September 18 (Author Interview)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, September 19 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, September 20 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 21

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, September 22 (Author Interview)

A Reader’s Brain , September 23 (Author Interview)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 24 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Pilgrim, September 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carrie is giving away the grand prize of a $40 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/00adcf54296

Thursday, September 11, 2025

"It’s a Good Day to Be a Teacher: 52 Devotions to Equip and Encourage Educators" by Gretchen Huesmann

About the Book

Book: It’s a Good Day to Be a Teacher: 52 Devotions to Equip and Encourage Educators

Author: Gretchen Huesmann

Genre: Devotional

Release Date: Febuary 25, 2025

Refresh and Refocus Your Teaching Heart

Today’s educators face unprecedented challenges in and out of the classroom. Teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and special education teams need more than a few words of encouragement and a pat on the back.

Divided into four terms—fall, winter, spring, and summer—It’s a Good Day to Be a Teacher targets the trials and joys educators encounter year-round. The weekly devotions provide:

Spiritual insights and inspiration
Courage to continue the calling
Practical steps for application
Additional suggestions for deeper study

Teachers who use the tools of God’s Word and prayer will be encouraged and empowered as they witness God at work in their students, classrooms, and schools. This book helps educators teach from a place of purpose and peace and provides hope and strength to teach another day.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

This is the perfect devotional for teachers. It has 52 devotions that are divided into four sections: Fall term, Winter term, Spring term, and Summer term. So you can do one devotion a week for the whole year. Each devotion starts with a Bible passage to read, followed by the devotional. Then there is a written out prayer for you to pray as well as a section to on how to "live the lesson" and "extra credit". I found the book to be encouraging.

About the Author

Gretchen Huesmann comes from a long line of educators, including both parents and grandparents. Her three-decade teaching career, in private and public schools, spanned seven states. Today, Gretchen enjoys mentoring and encouraging educators, ministry workers, and women’s groups. She is also a tutor and substitute teacher. An award-winning author, Gretchen is a member of Word Weavers International and serves as president of the Pensacola chapter. Her e-book, Teachers’ Prayer Companion: Prayer Guides for Education Teams, can be found at GretchenHuesmann.com. Gretchen and her pastor husband have raised four children, three of whom are teachers. Their empty nest sits near the gulf shores of north-west Florida.

More from Gretchen

Before I wrote the devotional for teachers, the focus of my writing had been for children. As a semiretired teacher and empty-nester, I’d hoped to fulfill my dream of writing picture books by investing in webinars, workshops, and resources to hone my craft. Then I was called back into teaching.

Three years and a pandemic separated my time in the classroom. The discrepancies in children’s abilities and behaviors appalled me. I experienced firsthand the added pressures I’d heard from colleagues. Three of my adult children, also teachers, shared similar struggles. Now I faced those challenges, too, so I sought the Bible for help and support.

Looking back over my teaching career, spanning more than thirty years in and out of the classroom, I discovered God was with me through every challenge. I wrote out a few of my experiences and applied Bible verses to those scenarios, uncovering valuable lessons.

As I compiled the devotions, common subjects emerged, such as staff relationships, pupil concerns, and dealing with parents. Yet, when I organized the book, I felt uneasy emphasizing the negative issues. Laying out three quarters of the printed devotions on my dining table, I prayed over the topics and asked God to reveal the structure that would attract and encourage educators. The answer was revealed as I recognized a progression through the school year, thus determining the structure of the book: Fall Term, Winter Term, Spring Term, and Summer Term. Each section includes relevant topics for the school year, including the all-important recovery during the summer season.

I hope teachers, administrators, and special educators will be not only encouraged by the devotions geared especially for them but also empowered to teach another day.

Blog Stops

Its Mama Safe, September 4

Barb Howe, September 4

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 5

Simple Harvest Reads, September 6 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 7

Texas Book-aholic, September 8

She Lives To Read, September 9

Artistic Nobody, September 10 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, September 10

Blossoms and Blessings, September 11

Guild Master, September 12 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, September 13

Fiction Book Lover, September 14 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 15

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 16

For the Love of Literature, September 17 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Gretchen is giving away 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/00adcf54291

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

"Resolution Room" by Courtney Lyman -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: Resolution Room

Author: Courtney Lyman

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Release Date: January 15, 2016

Carol loved celebrating holidays, so when she had the opportunity she opened a bed-and-breakfast where each room focused on a different one. Her early guests included Willa Newman and her roommates who came to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Carol’s handyman, Owen Coburn, was instantly attracted to Willa, but soon found himself in the “friend zone”. Several years later, as Willa sees her friends find love, she makes a New Year’s resolution that next year she won’t be alone. Seeing his opportunity, Owen invents a friend for Willa to meet, hoping that eventually she would see that the friend was really him. Will his lie tear them apart or will Willa see past his disguise and recognize the man who loves her?

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1. Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)?
I am definitely a pantser. I’ll have a rough idea of what will happen from months or years
of daydreaming, but my stories can still surprise me once I get them out on paper. I love
not knowing exactly what’s going to happen.

2. What is your favorite part about writing?
My favorite part about writing is seeing God take me down paths I didn’t expect, speak to
me through my characters, and hopefully speak to others when they read my books.

3. What is your least favorite part about writing?
Marketing. I’m terrible at hyping myself. It feels so awkward. I have people who have
known me for years and only recently learned I’m an author – that’s how bad I am at it.
My husband very lovingly says that I’m a good writer and a terrible marketer.

4. When did you become a writer?
My youth leader’s wife became a dear friend of mine. and we would often share the
books we were reading. One day she suggested that we write our own books. I took the
suggestion and started writing, not really expecting it to go anywhere. One day, I had my
sister look over what I had written, but I told her to stop at a certain place. It seemed to
take her forever, so I went to see where she was only to find that she had passed the
place where I had told her to stop. When I mentioned it, she said, “I couldn’t stop! It was
too good!” That made me think that maybe I could actually write a book that people
would enjoy reading, and so I kept going.

5. Where do you get your ideas for your books?
I often have random thoughts that cross my mind. and they can develop into stories. The
Holliday Hotel series came from wondering what it would be like to own a bed-and-
breakfast that had room names instead of numbers and the rooms were decorated for the
theme. I thought that I might like that until I remembered that I’m not a morning person
and would hate waking up early to prepare breakfast for the guests. I could create a
character who loved being an early bird and serving her guests though! Since I love
holidays, I thought it would be interesting to create rooms for different holidays and come
up with stories that went with the holidays. New Years would be about a resolution,
Valentines about what God’s love looks like, and so on. It was so much fun to connect a
story to each holiday!

About the Author

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.

More from Courtney

Hello, Readers! I’ve dreamed of many businesses that I thought would be fun to own – things like a food truck, a book store, and a bed-and-breakfast were considered. I loved the idea of decorating and planning the theme of a b-and-b, but since I’m not a morning person, the whole preparing breakfast part seemed less exciting. Thankfully, as an author, I can put my imagination to work and experience being an inn owner in my books.

As someone who loves to decorate for the different seasons and holidays throughout the year, I wondered what it would be like to have a b-and-b where each room had a different holiday theme. Enter Carol Holliday and the Holliday Hotel. Carol was born on Christmas and dearly loves all holidays. When her husband unexpectedly dies, she decides to pursue her dream and open the Holliday Hotel which would not only have holiday themed rooms, but would offer celebrations throughout the year for her hometown to enjoy.

In Resolution Room, I wanted to explore the tendency we have to push our timelines and agendas ahead of God’s timing. By making a resolution to not be single by the following New Year’s Eve, Willa makes her desires and timing the focus of the year. How often do I do the same thing? I say I want God’s will, but I push ahead with what I want even when He is saying ‘no’ or ‘wait’.

I hope you fall in love with Holliday Hotel as much as I did and that you come back to visit for the other holidays! See how God’s love is very different from worldly love in Sweetheart Suite. Celebrate the power of the resurrection in Resurrection Rest. Explore the peace of reconciliation in Mama’s Morning Room. Embrace God’s fatherly love for us in Daddy’s Den. Freedom in Christ and forgiveness are the themes of Independence Hall while God’s power over darkness takes the stage in Harvest Hollow. Gratitude and its relationship to love is the focus of Pilgrim Passage. Finally, celebrate Christmas with a second chance romance in Christmas Chamber.

Thank you so much for visiting me! God bless and happy reading!

Courtney Lyman