Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: Track of Courage (Call of the Wild, #1) by Susan May Warren

TRACK OF COURAGE

by Susan May Warren

January 5 - 16, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

CALL OF THE WILD 

A hijacked plane. A pursuing killer. And a K9's instinct to help them make it out alive.

Pop singer Keely Williams's search for her biological mother in Alaska has been painfully unsuccessful. Now she just wants to escape this wild frontier and never look back. But when her plane is hijacked, she's suddenly plunged into a race against not only an Alaskan blizzard but also a killer who's on her tail.

After a career-ending injury, ex-cop Dawson Mulligan has only one friend--Caspian, the stray dog he adopted. Dawson just wants to figure out how to get his life on track, but during a flight home to Copper Mountain, he spots a downed plane and stops to help. Except, when his not-a-rescue dog runs off into the woods and discovers the trail of a missing survivor, it's up to the former cop to stage a rescue.

But Dawson has no idea he's being pulled into a deadly pursuit, or that Caspian is more than he seems. There might be redemption and second chances waiting for both Dawson and Keely if they have the courage to face their wounded pasts and fight for their future.

Join master storyteller Susan May Warren for a propulsive ride through the Alaskan wilderness, where love might be the riskiest--and most rewarding--adventure of all.

Prepare to experience edge-of-your-seat action combined with heart-stirring romance and heroic K9 companions in this exhilarating romantic suspense that will thrill fans of Lynette Eason and Elizabeth Goddard.

Book Details:

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense Thriller
Published by: Revell
Publication Date: January 6, 2026
Number of Pages: 320 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780800746056 (ISBN10: 0800746058) Pbk
Series: Call of the Wild, #1
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | ChristianBook | Baker Book House

Read an excerpt from TRACK OF COURAGE:

 

 

Review:

5 stars!

The courage to make hard decisions has gotten her where she is and will determine her future. 

Track of Courage is the first novel in veteran author Susan May Warren's new Christian romantic suspense series, Call of the Wild, and is set deep in the wilds of the Alaskan bush. Mega-popstar Keely Williams, "Bliss" to her millions of devoted fans, has come to Copper Mountain, Alaska, to search for her birth mother while she recuperates from the surgery she had undergone to repair her vocal cords. But once faced with the reality of introducing herself to this stranger, Keely chickens out and decides to fly back home to New York City without revealing herself to the vibrant, confident woman she found or asking her all the questions she has about why she gave her up for adoption. However, once on the small bush plane to Anchorage, another passenger hijacks the plane, causing it to crash in the middle of nowhere. Surviving the crash, but with the attacker after her, Keely is forced to flee into the snowy, forested bush.

 

Flying overhead, Dawson Mulligan, an Anchorage police officer recuperating from an on-duty injury, and his pilot cousin, Moose, see the wreckage of the small plane and set down to investigate. When Dawson's rescue dog, Caspian, disappears into the snowy landscape, they separate with Dawson in pursuit. He runs across Keely, lost and hiding in the bush, and under fire from an unknown assailant. With the help of a local, they make it to Woodcrest, a community of artists and artisans, to hunker down as a massive blizzard hits.

 

Both main characters, Keely and Dawson, are working through past traumas, heartbreak, and physical challenges that may alter the futures they had planned for themselves. Both faced difficult decisions, and their similar circumstances drew them together. The generous and welcoming residents of Woodcrest, with their open, natural belief in God, offer the balm their two struggling souls need at just the right time. Their individual strengths and talents provide each with the means to give back for the hospitality and feel useful rather than a drain on the weather-besieged community. Keely and Dawson are attracted to each other from the start, and their light flirting and banter were a delight. They meshed so well, looking like the perfect couple if they could overcome their obstacles together.

 

The plot is well-paced and suspenseful as Keely's former fellow passenger is revealed to be a real and ongoing danger not only to herself but also to the Woodcrest community. As the weather worsens, everyone is trapped in place until the storms move on. The harsh conditions and remote setting pose their own dangers and significantly shape the plot's trajectory. As the suspense built and one twist after another appeared, there was no way I was going to put this book down before I knew how everything was going to turn out.

 

I recommend TRACK OF COURAGE to readers of Christian romantic suspense.

Author Bio:

Susan May Warren is the USA Today bestselling author of nearly 100 novels with more than 1.5 million books sold, including the Global Search and Rescue and Montana Rescue series. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT Medallion and numerous Readers' Choice Awards, Susan makes her home in Minnesota.

Catch Up With Susan May Warren:

SusanMayWarren.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads - @SusanMayWarren
BookBub - @SusanMayWarren
Instagram - @SusanMayWarren
X - @SusanMayWarren
Facebook - @SusanMayWarrenFiction
YouTube - @SusanMayWarrenFiction

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!

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Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: Trapped and Tested (DeeLo Myer Cat Rescue Mystery, #2) by Sharon Marchisello

 

Trapped and Tested

A DeeLo Myer Cat Rescue Mystery

by

Sharon Marchisello

About Trapped and Tested

 

Trapped and Tested
A DeeLo Myer Cat Rescue Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in the Series
Setting – Georgia
Publisher: Level Best Books
Publication Date: December 16, 2025
274 Pages
Paperback ISBN: 979-8-89820-057-2 / Digital ISBN: 979-8-89820-058-9

When DeeLo’s niece, Demi Myer, tries to find her father on an ancestry site, she meets Kwintone, a half-brother with a few secrets. After getting a speeding ticket, Kwintone is assigned to community service in the Pecan Point Humane Society’s Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return program—trapping cats with DeeLo on the new Oakwood Studios lot. The disinterested trainee leaves abruptly on his first night, and later DeeLo finds his car abandoned beside the road, phone on the seat.

Where is Kwintone, and is he connected to the stabbing of the CEO of Neuroscience Laboratories—a medical research facility that tests its products on cats?

DeeLo is still determined to change the county’s animal ordinance to support TNVR, but is the newcomer candidate she backs for the open commissioner slot involved in a murder?

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About Sharon Marchisello

 

Sharon Marchisello is the author of the DeeLo Myer Cat Rescue Mystery series, which began with Trap, Neuter, Die. She is a long-time volunteer and cat foster for the Fayette Humane Society (FHS) with a Master’s in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California. She also published three mysteries with Sunbury Press—Going Home (2014), Secrets of the Galapagos (2019), and Murder at Leisure Dreams - Galapagos (2025). Sharon has written short stories, a nonfiction book about personal finance, training manuals, screenplays, a blog, and book reviews. She is an active member of Sisters in Crime, the Atlanta Writers Club, and the Hometown Novel Writers Association. Retired from a 27-year career with Delta Air Lines, she now lives in Peachtree City, Georgia, and serves on the board of directors for the Friends of the Peachtree City Library.

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Tour Participants

January 12- Jody's Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

January 12- Guatemala Paula Loves to Read - SPOTLIGHT

January 13 – Christy's Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT

January 14 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 15 – Sarah Can't Stop Reading Books – REVIEW

January 16 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 17 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 17 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

January 18 - Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

January 19 – Sarandipity's – SPOTLIGHT

January 19 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT

January 20 – Salty Inspirations – AUTHOR GUEST POST

January 20 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

January 21 – Sneaky the Library Cat's Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

January 22 – The Editing Pen – SPOTLIGHT

January 23 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW

January 24 – Reading Is My SuperPower – SPOTLIGHT

January 24 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

January 25 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

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Virtual Book Tour & Cover Reveal - Marie Conner, A Leading Lady: Her Life and Civic Leadership in a Bygone Era by Elle Mott

 

Marie Conner, A Leading Lady:

Her Life and Civic Leadership in a Bygone Era
by

Elle Mott

COMING IN MARCH!

About Marie Conner, A Leading Lady

 Marie was born a girl.

 That was only her first mistake, according to her father.

In an era when daughters and wives are not supposed to be concerned with matters outside the home, Marie is determined to prove him wrong. To do this, she must break down barriers placed on women in society, overcome difficulties that befall her, surpass hardships from the Great Depression, and then face an inevitable relocation.

Marie steps into her community and into the hearts of many people to give her time and help with their needs. She wants nothing in return other than her father's acceptance as a worthy woman and yet, she gains much in return, even if it is not her father's praise. This is Marie’s story—of a rise from her girlhood angsts to become a leading lady—and much more. 

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COVER REVEAL

 

About Elle Mott

Elle Mott writes creative nonfiction. This is her third book. She is the author of “Out of Chaos: A Memoir” and “People Helping People.” Her other writing pieces have been featured in literary journals, news magazines, and anthologies. She has a background working in libraries, both at the college level and, for more than ten years, at the public library in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. While library work is her livelihood, writing is her passion. Elle grew up in Oregon and now makes her home in the suburbs of northern Kentucky with two cats and several pet birds.

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Book Review: The Stranger Diaries (Harbinger Kaur, #1) by Elly Griffiths

The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Unusual multi-narrator thriller and detective story.

The Stranger Diaries is the first book in award-winning mystery author Elly Griffiths' Harbinger Kaur series, and while Detective Sergeant Kaur is the series' protagonist, the main viewpoint in this initial story is that of Clare Cassidy, who is eventually identified as the catalyst for the subsequent murders. Harbinger Kaur doesn't enter the story until much later and feels more like a supportive or secondary character at first.

Clare Cassidy started life over after her divorce and had been teaching English at a school in Sussex, which her fifteen-year-old daughter also attends. When Clare's best friend, Ella, another popular English teacher on the faculty, is murdered, DS Harbinger Kaur is assigned to the case. A literary clue left at the scene of Ella's death seems to link the murder to a horror story that Clare uses in her curriculum, "The Stranger" by R.M. Holland, an author who used to live in the home that now houses the school, and the manner of Ella's death appears to mirror one from the story. Later, when Clare turns to her journal to record these events, her feelings, and experiences, she discovers someone else has left her a message inside.

I really enjoyed the character Clare Cassidy and could relate to some of her reactions, as well as to her unawareness of some of her daughter's activities. While she wasn't a fan of Georgie's older boyfriend, he did initially come across as a sensitive and charming young man who was prepared to wait for Georgie to mature and grow into their relationship, so she held her tongue and hoped their liaison would die a natural death without her interference.

I was not a fan of DS Kaur at first; she was somewhat harsh and sarcastic, and so blatantly critical of everything Clare (whom I did like) did. I was glad that her partner recognized her biases and did his best to balance their opinions. I eventually warmed up to her.

I liked the English school setting and the drama and gossip that circulated among the faculty. Still, everyone seemed so accepting of Rick and Ella's fling, which wasn't quite the secret Clare thought it was. The culprit remained a complete surprise to me right up to the reveal.

I recommend THE STRANGER DIARIES to mystery readers.

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Book Blitz - Inside USAID: An Odyssey of Foreign Assistance by Clifford Brown

Inside USAID

An Odyssey of Foreign Assistance

by

Clifford Brown

Current Events / Politics

Publisher: MindStir Media

Publication Date: September 26, 2025

Page count: 336 pages

SYNOPSIS:

This book gives needed context for the current controversy about the US foreign aid agency, USAID. One evaluation described it as "an eye-opening, sharply insightful, and often humorous look into the inner workings of USAID and the broader world of US foreign assistance. Blending memoir, policy analysis, and rich storytelling, the book delivers a compelling behind-the-scenes portrait of what it means to work in international development, from the surreal bureaucracy to the life-threatening assignments abroad."

Inside USAID is an insider's view of some of the sillier aspects of government bureaucracy, revealing the adventurous, often risky life of diplomatic staff posted in third-world countries as well as some of the waste in the system. It also takes readers through some fascinating and dangerous events in the author's own twenty-seven-year career with USAID, peeling the curtain on nearly three decades of diplomatic service across seven countries, sharing war-zone experiences, absurd government acronyms, failed aid attempts, and moments of genuine impact.

The stories balance critical reflection with a deep appreciation for the ideals behind U.S. foreign aid. The book is both a tribute to the unsung heroes of development work and a critique of the system's inefficiencies, political intrusions, and sudden dismantling. It contextualizes the countries historically, politically, and economically, off ering readers a nuanced understanding of how aid shapes (and sometimes fails) entire nations. The book also is both a eulogy and a call to action for rebuilding what the author sees as one of the U.S.'s most effective foreign policy tools.

Witty, wise, and often sobering, Inside USAID is a must-read for policymakers, development professionals, historians, and anyone who wants to understand the real stories behind America's global influence through foreign aid.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Clifford Brown is a retired Senior U.S. Foreign Service Officer who served for 27 years with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), including roles as Mission Director, Deputy Mission Director, and Regional Legal Advisor. His work took him to postings in Kenya, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Guinea, Peru, and Washington, DC, with regional responsibilities spanning numerous additional USAID missions.

Before joining USAID, Brown practiced commercial law for eleven years in Los Angeles as a partner at Ervin, Cohen & Jessup in Beverly Hills, California. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Whitman College, where he was also a Thomas Watson Fellow, spending a year conducting independent research in Latin America. He earned his Juris Doctor from UCLA School of Law, where he served as Managing Editor of the UCLA Law Review.

Brown is the author of Dilettante: Tales of How a Small-Town Boy Became a Diplomat Managing U.S. Foreign Assistance (2021), a collection of stories tracing his path from early work on farms, railroads, and tugboats in Eastern Washington to a career in international law and diplomacy. He is retired in Maryland.

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Book Blitz: Borderland by T.A. Barnes

Borderland

by

T.A. Barnes

Literary Thriller

Publication Date: December 6, 2025

Page count: 460 pages

Hope is born where love defies hatred.

In a land torn by suspicion and violence, two young people from opposing worlds discover a love powerful enough to defy everything around them.

BORDERLAND is a sweeping sociopolitical thriller about devotion under fire, cultural conflict, and the courage it takes to love when love is forbidden. As tensions rise and families and communities close ranks, the couple’s relationship becomes dangerous—not only to themselves, but to everyone who stands in the path of their hearts.

Blending emotional tenderness with creeping suspense, this beautifully written novel explores what happens when human connection dares to cross the lines of fear and tradition.

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About the Author

T.A. Barnes is a former American journalist and author of six novels.

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Book Blitz: The Brain That Breeds All Villainy by Peter Heavenheld

The Brain That Breeds All Villainy

by

Peter Heavenheld

Speculative fiction

Publisher: Heavenheld

Publication Date: December 5, 2025

Page count. 156 pages

SYNOPSIS:

IZON is a company poised for world domination. Its AI and robots can replace any human worker, any government. Just two things stand in the way of its CEO. A female programmer out to avenge his greed. And the People’s Republic of China.

Tima Chelovekova lands her dream job with IZON, the hottest AI and robotics startup in Silicon Valley. But IZON CEO Jase Vestiger doesn't just want to get fabulously rich. He wants Tima’s invention to take over rival tech companies, replace humans with IZON services, corner governments - and run the world. This puts them on a collision course in a whirl of mega-corporations, AI prompts and Chinese hackers. Their conflict spans from Vienna to California, from superyachts to prison cells, from the peaks of technology to the deepest ethical questions. A striking tale of the AI age, a truly 21st century masterpiece of speculative fiction.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 

Peter Heavenheld is a neo-classical playwright and poet. A childhood in Australia, Fiji, Hungary and Japan made him desirous early on to understand the cultures and stories of the world - especially through the medium of theatre. Since then, his plays have been produced all over the world.

His most recent tragedy, Cleo's Stratos, received rave reviews during its season at the Cracked Actors Theatre in Melbourne, Australia, in November 2023. A Greek-Australian migrant family's journey through lockdowns, it was cleverly intertwined with the Greek myth of the sun-god, Helios. Peter's tragicomedy, Life, Rehearsed, enjoyed sell-out performances during a production by the MIDAS Theatre, Moscow's main English-speaking theatre. British actor Jonathan Salway starred as an actor living a bigamous double life, until his lies unravel - and he finds redemption. True Words from False Teeth, a Monty Pythonesque sketch revue, ran successfully at the University of Western Australia in Perth. 

He has also had public reading performances of numerous other plays, such as Saga Australis - The Macquariad (a historical drama about Australia's most influential colonial-era governor) and Freedom Born from Torture's Fires (a harrowing true story of Soviet spy chief and mass murderer, Lavrentiy Beria). Peter's poem Concerto for Auctioneer’s Mallet was a June Shenfield Poetry Award prize winner in Canberra, Australia, in 2021. Peter published a collection of his verse tragedies, Altar of the Muses, in 2010. 

Peter lives in Tokyo, Japan. When not writing, he enjoys driving his classic Aston Martin, experiencing Tokyo's galleries and museums, and listening to Baroque music. Indeed, he claims he can only write when inspired by the music of Antonio Vivaldi. The Brain that Breeds all Villainy is his first published novel.

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Book Blitz - By Dawn: The 13th House by Martha Wickham

BY DAWN

The 13th House

by

Martha Wickham

Horror / Paranormal

Publication Date: November 22, 2025

Page count: 64 pages

SYNOPSIS:

Nine Tales. Nine Secrets. All Before Dawn.

In the shadow of Bloomstone Manor, a dilapidated estate hauntingly known as "Lily Lane", the veil between the living and the dead is impossibly thin. This collection of nine paranormal mystery stories explores inheritances, dark family legacies, and spectral demands, all bound by the Manor's enduring, dark influence.

On Halloween, meet the three students who dare to knock on the door of "The 13th House"—a black, unnumbered prison that holds the sinister secrets of the past. Their trick-or-treating leads them to a terrifying collection of artifacts: a bent spoon, a rusted key, and a doll's eye. Every artifact is a clue left by a child who vanished, whispering pleas for help from beyond the grave. The teens must solve the mystery and free the spirits before the night's magic fades, or they might become the next secret the old house keeps.

Every house has a debt. Every ghost has a tether. Uncover the restless spirits and broken promises that demand attention and resolution. When the clock strikes dawn, the secrets settle back into the dust and the lilies—and it may be too late.

Only $0.99 on

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AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER

Wide Release on February 25, 2026, at the following retailers

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ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

Night of the Spirits

Anthony pushed through the thick brush that had swallowed the old path. His friends told him the house was hidden somewhere ahead, rumored to be haunted. When he finally saw it, the place looked half-demolished, with climbing walls that had paint curling and peeling. Yet every window was perfectly intact.

He opened the front door. Stale, cold air rushed out, thick with dust. His footsteps echoed through the empty living room.As he moved down the hallway, the front door suddenly slammed. He spun around and ran back, and in that moment, he was sure he heard a whisper: Sam.The door wouldn’t budge. He was trapped. He tried the windows too none of them opened.

Again, the whisper came, louder this time. Sam.

“Who’s Sam? I’m not Sam!” he shouted.

A hiss answered him, followed by footsteps upstairs. Heart pounding, he raced up the stairs. 

At the top, he stopped and listened. The footsteps were clear, moving steadily into an empty room. He followed them.

Moonlight spilt across the floor through a bare window. The invisible footsteps crossed the room and came to a stop at the closet. Inside, there was only a small box containing a single book. The spirits wanted him to find it; maybe it would explain everything.

He lifted the book. It was an old, battered ledger. Inside, a name was written: Samuel. He began to read.I made a promise to the spirits trapped here. One of them is buried downstairs. I swore I would help free them with my rituals. I study the occult, and they own a golden statue worth a fortune. It must be used in the ritual. If I hide it now, I can return for it later. No one alive will see me take it.

Anthony reached deeper into the box and pulled out a loose page, a torn sheet from another book. It carried a chant and the instructions for a ritual to free spirits.A freezing gust swept through the room. Then a booming voice declared:“Complete the ritual by dawn, or be trapped here forever!”

“What am I supposed to do?” he asked the spirit.

Once again, he heard footsteps descending the stairs and followed them. Near the kitchen, the basement door creaked open. He cautiously stepped down the dark basement steps and saw the cloud-like spirit hovering over a crypt in the floor, where it looked like a ritual had been started over someone’s grave. Candles and matches were scattered nearby.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 

Martha Wickham has a knack for finding the ghosts hidden in the dust. A lifelong student of the arcane and the artistic, Martha has an Associate's Degree and professional writing credentials, but she honed her skills in the thrilling shadows of screenwriting and horror. Martha lives for the secrets that only come out "By Dawn". You can discover more of her work, including her newest audiobooks, at your favorite retailer.

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Book Review: Pintsized Pioneers at Play: Homemade Frontier Fun and Danger by Preston Lewis & Harriet Kocher Lewis

Pintsized Pioneers at Play: Homemade Frontier Fun and Danger by Preston Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A fresh and fascinating vision of pioneer life.

Pintsized Pioneers at Play: Homemade Fun and Danger by Preston Lewis and Harriet Kocher Lewis is a fun but eye-opening, memory-jogging journey into the past of the American West. Full of lively vignettes drawn from personal diaries, memoirs, and newspaper accounts of daily life as pioneers expanded their reach into the unsettled areas of the country, readers will get a real feel for what it was like to grow up in that earlier place and time. Lewis and Lewis have perfectly combined their respective knowledge, skills, and pasts to produce a fascinating nonfictional vision of this aspect of children’s lives.

If you’ve read the previous book about children on the frontier, Pintsized Pioneers, you’ll already be aware of how much responsibility for the success of their families lay on the shoulders of even some of the youngest children. Money was hard-won, and almost everyone lived “off the beaten path,” so running to the store for toys was not an option. First, there weren’t stores on every corner, certainly not malls, and few had any amount of disposable income. Making do with what you had was key. Playtime came after chores, or as part of them, and school was as much a social event as it was educational (something we all realized when COVID isolated so many youngsters from their peers).

While our ancestors led a more basic, structured life, they also enjoyed a freedom unheard of in today’s society. Children roamed far from home in remote locations under rugged conditions, all unsupervised: a glorious opportunity, but, at times, things happened. Children were lost, injured, or worse. The newspaper reports of lost and missing children and various mishaps occurring in the small towns were a reminder of this. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed the accounts of childhood activities, straight from the mouths of those recalling their youth. I loved that there were names and places associated with each precious memory, and that some of those stories came from well-known figures, such as Eliza Donner, a survivor of the tragic Donner Party expedition.

The narrative is compelling and easy to read, one of those books you start and look up an hour or so later without realizing how much time has actually passed. Also, if you’re interested in early childhood development, be sure to read the introduction to understand how children mature and how their awareness of the ramifications of their actions changes. It might be a sobering realization of how lucky any of these children are to have survived, or of how vigilant their parents had to be while physically making a life for the entire family.

I recommend PINTSIZED PIONEERS AT PLAY to readers, young or old, of tales of the Old West.

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Book Review: Secrets of the Deep by James Churchill

SECRETS OF THE DEEP by James Churchill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An unusual underwater tale of mystery and horror involving a long-lost WWII German U-boat.

Markos and Jem, two divers on what appears to be a research or recovery vessel, unexpectedly find a long-lost WWII German U-boat, one that seems to have been hidden for 80 years and guarded from discovery by the sea itself. Inside is the captain and its original crew; time seems to have stopped for them, waiting to hand off the responsibility they’ve so faithfully executed all this time.

In Secrets of the Deep by James Churchill, the sea is a timeless, all-powerful, and sentient entity, protective and in charge of what occurs in the plot. It guides and informs the actions of the two main characters, Dr. Markos Leonides and his diving partner, Jem Taner, from the moment Markos makes his initial dive in the Aegean, where U-527 waits. In the story, the sea recognizes Markos as the one to decide what must be done: safeguard a secret older than mankind’s written history, or release it into the world, altering everything known about life.

We know little about the main characters prior to the dive; they’ve obviously worked together in the past, as they have an ongoing disagreement about something that happened on a previous dive and seem to have developed camaraderie. Jem is Turkish, but we don’t even know Markos’s full name or that he has earned the prefix of Dr. until much later in the story. His identity is initially confusing because his name is presented using a non-English alphabet. But we do know that they are both affected, changed by their experiences underwater, and they believe this to be true, especially for Markos, who is the one most connected to the consciousness of the sea.

The sea compels them and their vessel into an area of water believed to be unlucky or cursed, and definitely to be avoided by those who spend their lives on the water, where they learn the extent of what they’ve been tasked with. The author’s descriptions of the underwater sequences are vivid, evocative, and so eerie that I got goosebumps.

While we don’t have a wooden Nazi chest as teased in the blurb, there are shadowy, suspicious outsiders waiting for Markos and Jem when they return to land. They decide to trust the first one to approach them at their hotel room, an Israeli woman claiming to represent UNESCO, who convinces them that the two men they suspect of watching them have bad intentions. However, they soon return to the safety of the sea for the rest of the story.

So, while this wasn’t the story I expected, I did enjoy it. Rather than an Indiana Jones-like “beat the Nazis” plot, it was much more surreal and original with horror vibes. The main characters remain relative strangers to the reader throughout the book, with their actions alone shaping their development, and I was somewhat okay with that. What they are confronting remains as much a mystery as well, and this aspect of not knowing may perhaps reflect the true nature of the characters’ own understanding. However, the landside agents seem to know what they’re seeking. I felt off-balance and in the dark through most of the story, and I thought this was how the characters probably felt, too. I’d absolutely read more by this author and, in particular, about these two characters.

I recommend SECRETS OF THE DEEP to readers of underwater adventure and horror stories involving the sea.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.


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Book Tour & Giveaway: Treacherous Hack (Mike Stoneman, #7) by Kevin Chapman

Treacherous Hack

A Mike Stoneman Thriller

by

Kevin Chapman

Mystery / Thriller / Police procedural

Publisher: First Legacy Publishing

Publication Date: January 4, 2026

Page count: 326 pages

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:

From the award-winning Mike Stoneman Thriller series comes Book #7 — a gripping crime thriller set in the heart of a frozen New York City.

When electronics store owner Lou Palazzo is gunned down at a snowy Manhattan intersection, NYPD homicide detectives Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson catch a case that’s anything but ordinary. Back at Lou’s shop, two Chinese nationals linked to a powerful Shanghai cybercrime ring are dead. The only clue? A missing laptop computer, possibly containing something Lou was willing to die to protect.

Meanwhile, NYU student Ryan Gelb is panicking. His hacked laptop held the stolen university data — data he quietly gave to his Uncle Lou. Now Lou is dead, and whoever killed him is coming for the file. . . and for Ryan.

Caught between international cybercriminals, New York mobsters, and the police, Ryan is desperate to recover the file and avoid being expelled — or worse, executed.

As Mike and Jason untangle a web of secrets, lies, and digital deception, they're met with stonewalling from all sides: NYU won’t talk, witnesses are hiding the truth, and even their closest allies are keeping dangerous secrets.

With the body count rising and a deadly showdown looming, the race is on to solve the mystery, recover the missing file, and avoid turning Lower Manhattan into a bloodbath.

Perfect for fans of Michael Connelly, John Sandford, and David Baldacci, this high-stakes police procedural mixes hard-boiled action, cybercrime intrigue, and unforgettable characters in a page-turning thriller you won’t be able to put down.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kevin G. Chapman is, by day, a buttoned-down corporate labor & employment lawyer who works for a major US media company. He frequently speaks at Continuing Legal Education seminars, has taught legal writing to law students, and is the past chairperson of the Labor & Employment division of the global Association of Corporate Counsel. When the workday is done, however, Kevin lives a much more exciting fictional life of crime and romance as the author of the award-winning Mike Stoneman Thriller series and other novels and short stories. When not busy writing, he enjoys playing tournament poker and cheering on his beloved New York Mets.

The awards are still coming in for Kevin’s six-book (so far) Mike Stoneman Thriller series. This series of police procedurals includes the WINNER of the 2021 Kindle Book Award (Book #3, Lethal Voyage) and the WINNER of the CLUE Award for best police procedural of the year (book #4, Fatal Infraction). Find all the Mike Stoneman Thrillers at your favorite local bookstore. If they don’t have it – ask them to get it, or contact Kevin directly at his website to order copies.

Kevin’s two stand-alone mysteries have also garnered major awards. Dead Winner (2022) was named best Suspense/mystery of the year (CLUE Award best-in-category), while The Other Murder (2023) was the GRAND PRIZE WINNER of the CLUE Award (best suspense/mystery all categories) and a NEIA Book of the Year Finalist. Kevin also has several short stories and one novella, all of which are available on his website for free. Grab the prequel to the Mike Stoneman series, Fool Me Twice, for free: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086Z8GRCJ or at Kevin’s website: https://www.KevinGChapman.com.

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Children's Book Review: You Don't See What I See by Ashley Sadrnoori

You Don't See What I See by Ashley Sadrnoori
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lovely children’s picture book encouraging kindness and the acceptance of differences and variety.

You Don’t See What I See by Ashley Sadrnoori is a lovely new children’s picture book full of cool-colored illustrations, rhymes, animals, insects, and the concepts of kindness, grace, acceptance, and the beauty of diversity. Told from the viewpoints of a frog, fish, snail, rabbit, bear, and fox, my boys would have loved this gentle and encouraging tale when they were growing up.

When the frog bemoans his bumpy skin and long, sticky tongue, a passing fish points out his beautiful, shiny coloration and his tongue’s usefulness. When a snail becomes depressed over his slow pace and heavy shell, a wise rabbit expounds on how wonderful it is for him always to have his warm, cozy home nearby. Finally, when a bear is sad that people find his large size and hairy appearance scary, a fox exclaims over the advantages the bear’s claws and thick fur grant him in his forest home. The illustration of the smiling, happier bear is adorable and my absolute favorite in the entire book. The story concludes with the animals all looking into the river, using the water as a mirror to reflect their images back to them, considering new viewpoints, and realizing that a few kind words from another could change their feelings and attitudes.

The story is a gentle one, with some rhyming repetition that children will readily pick up on. The illustrations use a cool color palette that is both relaxing and eye-catching. This picture book would be perfect for bedtime, when you want to share a calming story to help prepare for sleep. Still, it would be an excellent choice for the classroom or after-school sharing as well.

I recommend YOU DON’T SEE WHAT I SEE to young listeners at home, school, or after-school programs.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through RABT Book Tours and PR.

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Audiobook Review: Trailridge (Guy Hogan Mystery, #1) by Kevin Wolf

Trailridge by Kevin Wolf
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Suspense, action, betrayal, and murder!

Trailridge, the first novel in Kevin Wolf's Guy Hogan Mystery series, is a suspenseful, action-filled tale of betrayal and murder. Guy Hogan, a recent widower, is living a quiet life in Colorado near Rocky Mountain National Park, occupying his time flyfishing, guiding the occasional tourist to optimal fishing spots, and teaching some the finer points of the sport.

One day, while in pursuit of a prize catch, he is surprised by the appearance of a young woman on the opposite bank of the river, apparently in search of an emergency spot to relieve herself. As he starts to make himself known, she screams and points at something in the water out of Guy's line of sight: the body of a dead man floating face-first in the water. After notifying law enforcement, Guy finds that some details of Willa Stanford's story about her presence in Colorado don't add up, and he is later surprised to see her at a bar in town with another woman who has strikingly similar physical features.

In the meantime, there has been a spate of bull elk found butchered, their antlers removed, in the national park. Guy had discovered carcasses during his hikes, and while his ranger friends had a good idea who was behind the slaughter, the complexity and breadth of the current activities hinted at something much more organized than the usual suspects were capable of. On the day following his discovery of the dead man, Hogan finds himself the target of an unseen sniper, and he decides to dig deeper into both cases.

Guy Hogan is an engaging older man with grown children, and he is a very sympathetic main character. Still grieving the recent loss of his wife, Jenny, to cancer a scant ten months earlier, he is slowly rebuilding his life without her. He most enjoys spending time in the national park, indulging his passion for fly fishing. He's kept himself active, which is helpful when the bad guys come after him. He's like a Timex watch, "Takes a licking and keeps on ticking."

Willow Stanford, her latest alias, is shocked but not surprised when she discovers her mother is involved in the death of the man she found in the river or in the highly lucrative and illegal elk antler smuggling operation; there's a lot of money at stake. Not only that, but her mother's late husband, a candidate for political office and an environmental supporter, stood in the way of her latest caper.

The action is fast-paced from the start, but even that kicks up a notch or more with an exciting and dangerous car chase sequence along Trailridge Road, the highest paved road in the U.S., and a breakneck flight on foot down the side of a mountain away from men with guns in the midst of a coming storm. While readers are clued in to the identities of the perpetrators, the suspense lies in whether Guy and Willow can escape and stop the men from doing more harm to the wildlife and beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park.

This audiobook edition is narrated by Greg O'Donahue, who delivers a fluid, flawless performance with a distinctive range of voices for the different characters. I believed the vocal pattern and intonation he developed for Hogan to sound like those of an older man, whether in pain, on the run from his pursuers, or finally relaxing beside his favorite fishing hole. I noted no unusual pronunciations, and the audiobook's production quality was excellent.

I recommend TRAILRIDGE to those who enjoy action-packed mysteries set in the great outdoors, flyfishing, and Colorado.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a provided copy through RABT Book Tours and PR.

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Book Review: Murder Under Redwood Moon (Murder, Tea, & Crystals Trilogy, #1) by Sherri L. Dodd

Murder Under Redwood Moon by Sherri L. Dodd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Magical and suspenseful!

Murder Under Redwood Moon is the first novel in author Sherri L. Dodd's cozy paranormal mystery trilogy, Murder, Tea, and Crystals, and is an exciting introduction to the magical and suspenseful story of Arista Kelly, a young witch just coming into her powers – powers passed down in her family from generation to generation and coveted by a close family member.

After the loss of her parents as a child, Arista was taken in by her father's aunt, Bethie, and taught about herbs, crystals, nature, spells, and natural magic to prepare her for the day when her own powers would manifest. She grew up in the quiet mountain town of Boulder Creek, with lifelong friends who still reside nearby. But when one of her friends from middle school disappears and is later found murdered, and then other young women Arista knows are also targeted, she and her aunt protect themselves the best way Bethie knows. Still, Arista may have attracted a serial killer's attention.

Arista, the main character, is a positive personality, always looking on the bright side and giving people the benefit of the doubt. From the start, you know she is about to come face to face with the dark side of humanity, including that which resides within her own flesh and blood.

From its unnerving opening, a literal parent's nightmare, the suspense builds. But while maintaining this tension, the author must handle the heavy lifting of creating the world in which these characters exist, and the complex, multi-layered plot unfolds. Dodd quickly populates a small town and Arista's past and current relationships, and that is a lot of information to take in. But along with vivid, living, breathing imagery, I think she pulls it off and gives readers a solid sense of the place and the people who live there. But even as the world-building unfolds, the plot moves briskly, and I found myself really engaging with Arista and the story, staying up late to reach the exciting resolution.

I recommend MURDER UNDER REDWOOD MOON to readers of paranormal cozy mysteries.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through WOW! Women On Writing Book Tours.

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Children's Audiobook Review: Vernon Poche and the Ghosts of New Orleans by Paul Siefken; narrated by Hamilton Clancy

Vernon Poche & the Ghosts of New Orleans: A Novel by Paul Siefken
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The resilience and rich history of New Orleans are revealed through the exciting post-Katrina adventures of two spunky young residents.

Vernon Poche and the Ghosts of New Orleans is a unique and exciting story of two middle-grade explorers in the aftermath of Katrina. Both Vernon and Alisha are lifelong residents of the city and are facing relocation as the adults in their lives look elsewhere for their futures, believing New Orleans is incapable of recovering from the damage of the epic hurricane. Strangers before a chance meeting in the French Quarter, Vernon and Alisha join forces to hunt for rumored treasure with the help and hints of the city's more permanent and ghostly residents.

The stories of both children are anguishing as they mourn their separate circumstances. Vernon's mother died from cancer some time before the storm, and he frequently visits her gravesite in town. He doesn't want to abandon her and her final resting place by moving with his father to another state. Alisha, who was visiting her grandparents outside the city when the storm struck, was separated from her mother when she was evacuated to Houston during the devastation. Her mother was about to realize her dream of being the featured chef at one of the city's iconic restaurants when the storm hit.

Life takes an unexpected turn when Vernon meets the mysterious Marie Laveau and her companion, the unusual stray dog, Tonti, while visiting his mother's grave, while his father works downtown to restore necessary services. Following Marie's cryptic instructions and against his father's wishes and the warnings of the National Guardsmen patrolling the area, Vernon bikes his way around town with Tonti in a box on his handlebars, where he meets the ghosts of some of New Orleans most notable former residents and, eventually, Alisha, who is scoping out the damage and hoping to talk to the restaurant owner to secure her mother's job. The ghostly residents share the rich and varied history of their unique city with the kids and encourage them to discover New Orleans' true treasures as the clock ticks down to Vernon's father's final departure for their new home out of state.

The story is easy to follow and addictive to listen to. It was easy to get wrapped up in Vernon and Alisha's stories and want to know what was going to happen next. The author's portrayal of their adventures is enhanced by their personal struggles and worries, creating relatable characters for young readers or listeners. At times, the attitudes regarding the Confederate history of the area felt a little heavy-handed, such as when Alisha shuns Vernon for having had an ancestor who fought on that side during the war. However, this creates an excellent opportunity for parents and children to discuss the past and present realities.

The audiobook edition is narrated by Hamilton Clancy, who gives each character a unique voice. He captured the differences in age, gender, and nationality so well that I often completely forgot this was one person performing them all. It was just as easy to believe I was listening to a famous gospel singer as it was to an 18th-century pirate. While the narration's pace was adjustable, the default setting made it easy to understand and provided ample opportunities to pause as needed, without having to adjust the stopping point later.

While, as a parent, I have reservations about a book that features children disobeying their parents, it does offer an opportunity to discuss this aspect of the story with my own. However, the disobedience advances the plot, and even Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys were known for taking similar liberties. Still, the dangerous chances Vernon embraces should be addressed. Other than that, the story is unique, mysterious, and ultimately happy.

I recommend the audiobook edition of VERNON POCHE AND THE GHOSTS OF NEW ORLEANS to upper elementary and middle-grade-age listeners.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through AudiobookReviewer.com.


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