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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EEEP! Suspense and K-9 protection? What more could you want? How about it written by an author with lots of experience with fast-paced, exciting Christian romantic suspense novels under her belt? Listen in while Terri Reed and I chat about her latest Love Inspired Suspense novel.

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Author of dozens of books,many of which are published by Love Inspired, Terri Reed knows how to deliver everything readers of romantic suspense love in a good book. And, as a dog trainer herself (she has an agility dog--an Aussie!!!), she knows what she's doing when she writes about dogs and their training. In fact, a quick look at Amazon showed around half of her books with dogs on the cover. Don't know about you, but I love me a good dog in a book.

And... for those who love to see characters again, she has a Christmas sequel coming out this fall.

Trained to Protect by Terri Reed

Protecting a witness could be a deadly mission for this K-9 team.

K-9 officer Tarren McGregor never imagined that a cartel would find its way to Texas’s South Padre Island—or target his best friend’s sister. But when Julia Hamilton witnesses and prevents the kidnapping of a teen girl, Tarren knows that trouble is soon to follow. Because Julia didn’t just protect the girl—she saw the abductor’s face. Now she’s marked for murder, and it’s up to Tarren and his K-9 partner to keep Julia safe from the human traffickers in pursuit…even if it means putting themselves in the line of fire.

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

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

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Carrie Walker brings us back to the characters we met in Emma's Hero with Right Before Their Eyes and again tackles some really difficult topics. Listen in to learn why this series is one of my most anticipated reads!

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The Faith Endures series is really focused on Mason... but it shows him in the light of others and his interactions with them. So we see more than just his personal story. I really love that about them and am eager to have them all so I can binge read them! EEEP!

Right Before Their Eyes by Carrie Walker

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?

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

Don't miss our first interview with Carrie HERE. And don't miss it on Kindle Unlimited!

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Book two in the Jaguar Oracles series is out and wow! Things are getting intense in Texas! Listen in to see what adventures away in this next exciting installment

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I seriously love the premise of this series. How often do we forget "our name" (our identity) in Christ and need a wakeup call! And is it just me or did we start this environmental mess in Eden? I mean, we didn't have to fight nature until then, right? Animals had to pay the price for Adam's and Eve's disobedience too.

Wow.

The Way Back to Eden by Kurt Mahler

A Mystical Journey to Restore the Natural Order as Hope Guides the Way

In the lush wilderness of the Rio Grande Valley, a centuries-old prophecy is about to be fulfilled. The jaguars, once the revered rulers of the animal kingdom, have vanished-until a brave jaguar named Oracle begins a journey to summon the scattered tribes and restore their rightful place.

A captivating quest and an unforgettable journey home.

His quest intersects with young Paco and his extraordinary animal companions-a wise horse named Plod, a storytelling toad called Bog, and a clever raccoon named Patch-as they navigate the mystical landscapes of the Texas-Mexico borderlands and Brazos River bottomlands, a quest that weaves through ancient forests, mysterious towers, and sacred sanctuaries.

Guided by ancient wisdom and the enduring loyalty of his animal friends, Oracle's epic journey leads him through a world on the brink of upheaval and filled with human drama as he discovers clues to the missing jaguarundi tribe and seeks to unite the warring animal factions.

The fate of the Valley rests on Oracle recovering lost memories and rediscovering the original harmony between man and beast. From vast Texan ranches to ancient palm forests and from well-ordered zoos to untamed wilderness, The Way Back to Eden weaves together a rich tapestry of cultures, legends, and the immutable power of the natural world.

Blending elements of magical realism, environmental advocacy, and pulse-pounding adventure, this sweeping tale transports readers into a vibrant, unforgettable world where Oracle's quest is to preserve the ancient balance and the interconnectedness of all living things.

The Way Back to Eden, a deeply satisfying and thought-provoking fantasy epic, is the second installment in the six-volume Jaguar Oracle series. Discover the magic that awaits where ancient wildlife sanctuaries hold secrets, where ghosts and tree house hermits guide lost souls home, and where the path back to Eden might just be hidden in plain sight.

Follow the trail. Find the tree. Change the world.

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

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I've always been a huge fan of children's fiction, and these new chapter books featuring a dog who thinks he's a knight fighting dragons in search of "the orb of power" and other adventures is exactly the kind of thing kids love! Listen in to hear about the exciting Kickstarter coming up.

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If singing, dancing vegetables (fruits, really) aren't your kids' thing, then perhaps dogs storming the "castle," battling "dragons," and on a quest for the "orb of power" are!

Christian children's books are hard to come by as they are, but chapter books? This father-daughter duo have done a fabulous job of creating an exciting series that kids will love for years to come.

Dog Knights & The Orb of Power by E. B. North

Lancelot is a dog of adventure! His favorite quest is fetching the king’s magical Orb of Power.

Strangely, at his new home, the other dogs call it “a ball!” They’re happy napping on the patio or chewing sticks while Lance does all the hard questing.

But alas! When a sneaky dragon steals the Orb, Lance faces a bigger challenge than he's ever faced. He can’t take down the monster alone, but the other dogs are convinced it’s just “a cat”—which is hardly the same thing!

Can he awaken the knightly courage of his new friends, Aki "the always-hungry" and Mia "the ever-lazy", or will the dragon escape with the treasure?

This fearless canine is determined to save the day and prove that even the smallest mutt can be a true knight.

Dog Knights is a new series of clean, funny chapter books for early readers aged 7-10 featuring Lancelot, a dog with a big imagination who sees himself as a noble knight. It's a playful introduction to fantasy elements, while showing kids how imagination can inspire living for higher purpose. Perfect for early readers who love humor, adventure, animals, and a dash of magic. (And parents who want wholesome stories and positive values.)

Learn more about Brandon on his WEBSITE and follow him on GoodReads and BookBub.

For more information about Dog Knights, click HERE.

Don't miss the Kickstarter! It'll be live on February 28th. Click HERE for more.

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Okay, Old West outlaws are a staple in Western fiction but... a reluctant outlaw? A French reluctant outlaw? Listen in to see why I was determined to read this book the minute I read the synopsis!

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Kylee Woodley's new Outlaw Hearts series promises to be a fresh take on a familiar genre. We had a great time chatting about the books' settings, the history of the time, and more!

The Bandit's Redemption by KyLee Woodley

A holdup gone wrong, a reluctant outlaw, and the captive she’s sworn to guard.

Life in the American West hasn't been easy for French refugee Lorraine Durand. She has precious few connections and longs to return to her native land. So when the man who rescued her from a Parisian uprising following the Franco-Prussian War persuades her to help him with a deadly holdup, she reluctantly agrees. Despite his promises otherwise, the gang kidnaps a man, forcing Lorraine to grapple with the fallout of her choices even as she is drawn to the captive she's meant to guard.

Jesse Alexander must survive. If not for himself, then for the troubled sister he left behind in Los Angeles. At the mercy of his captors, he carefully works to earn Lorraine’s trust, hoping he can easily subdue her when the time comes. But as they navigate the treacherous wilderness and he searches for his opportunity to escape, he realizes there may be more to her than he first believed.

With danger lurking at every turn, they must decide whether to trust each other enough to plan a combined escape or risk falling prey to the gang’s devious schemes.

Learn more about KyLee Woodley on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

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