Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Fatal Invitation by S.F. Baumgartner

Book: Fatal Invitation

Author: S.F. Baumgartner

Genre: Crime Thriller

Vanished women. A rising body count. A detective who won’t quit.

Detective Kylie “KC” Cassidy thought Major Crimes would be her big break. Instead, she’s chasing the brutal murders of young women—and the trail keeps circling back to Assistant State Attorney Gavin Watkins and his elusive ally, Kozlov.

Each lead vanishes before her eyes, every step forward dragging her deeper into danger. And when Kozlov’s men come after her, KC must rely on her instincts, and on the few people she can trust, to survive long enough to expose the truth.

But when KC gets too close to the truth, she becomes the target. Will KC survive the trap and bring down the predators or become their next victim?

If you like the relentless pursuit of justice in Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series, the sharp investigative instincts of Lisa Gardner’s D.D. Warren, then you’ll be captivated by Fatal Invitation, a gripping, fast-paced crime thriller.

Click here to get your copy!

S.F. Baumgartner crafts fast-paced Christian suspense thrillers, weaving tales of complex characters, secretive operatives, and relentless agents. Her gripping storytelling has earned acclaim, with Living Secrets and Forgotten Secret—Books 1 & 2 of her Mirror Estate series—named Top Picks in the thriller & suspense categories, respectively, at Killer Nashville, and Tangled Secrets—Book 3 of Mirror Estate series—won couple of awards in the Christian Indie Awards and the Incipere Awards. When she’s not plotting her next twist, she’s binge-watching crime TV shows, like NCIS or playing with her cats. Fans of James Patterson’s style, especially those who appreciate short, punchy chapters, will find much to love in her work.

More from S.F.

A New Adventure Begins: Introducing the Detective Kylie Cassidy Series

I’m thrilled to announce that Fatal Invitation, the first full-length novel in the Detective Kylie Cassidy series, is here!

If you’re new to Detective Kylie “KC” Cassidy, I recommend starting with Christmas Murders to get acquainted with this compelling character. And here’s a treat: there’s a free story called Orlando Prime – Origins available under the Freebie tab on my website at sfbaumgartner.com. This story introduces you to the elite crime-fighting unit and the team members who work alongside KC. Both KC and Orlando Prime take center stage in Fatal Invitation.

Writing this book has been an absolute blast! Unlike my Mirror Estate series, the Detective Kylie Cassidy series features self-contained stories in each book—think of it like your favorite TV crime drama where each episode (or book) solves a complete case. While there may occasionally be an overarching storyline, you can jump in at any point and enjoy the mystery. And as always, my books are clean reads.

Since this is a spin-off of the Mirror Estate series, longtime readers will enjoy spotting familiar faces. A few beloved characters get mentioned, and some may even guest-star in future books!

I truly hope you’ll fall in love with this new series as much as I’ve loved creating it.

Happy Reading!

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 20
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 20
Bizwings Blog, January 21
Leslie’s Library Escape, January 22
Fiction Book Lover, January 23 (Author Interview)
Books Less Travelled, January 23
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 24
Texas Book-aholic, January 25
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 26
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 27
For Him and My Family, January 28
Blogging With Carol, January 29
Betti Mace, January 30
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, January 31
Simple Harvest Reads, February 1 (Author Interview)
Guild Master, February 2 (Author Interview)

To celebrate her tour, S.F. is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and an eBook 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://gleam.io/EvrUy/fatal-invitation-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Monday, January 26, 2026

JustRead Tours Blog Tour: Across the Lake: Traveling with Jesus Around the Sea of Galilee by Barbara M. Britton

Across the Lake JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Across the Lake: Traveling with Jesus Around the Sea of Galilee by Barbara M. Britton, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Title: Across the Lake: Traveling with Jesus Around the Sea of Galilee
Author: Barbara M. Britton
Publisher: Scrivenings Press
Release Date: January 6, 2026
Genre: Biblical Fiction Devotional

Discover the life changing power of Jesus in six short stories from the Gospel of Mark. The miracles of Jesus will leap from the page in a Biblical Fiction story, author reflection, and relatable study.

Travel with Jesus as he calms a storm, heals a desperate woman, raises a dead daughter to life, sends His disciples on a minimalist mission, feeds thousands on a hillside, and shows compassion to a persistent mother.

A perfect study for your small group, personal or family devotions, or even a book club. If you know Jesus, fall in love with Him all over again.

If you haven’t experienced Jesus’s power and love, jump in His boat and engage with the Creator and Savior of the world.

Devotionals are a daily part of my life. Across the Lake: Traveling with Jesus Around the Sea of Galilee by Barbara M. Britton is the most recent Devotional that I have discovered.

I found this Devotional to be very deep and can really challenge the reader to take their time to really read the story. The Author recounts the Gospel of Mark, focusing on certain books, and especially the Sea of Galilee. The stories are Biblical Fiction although they also speak about real life struggles for Women and many of them are from Personal Experiences of the Author. The 6 chapters of the Devotional are divided into 5 days of stories with 1 Day being Author Reflections. The Discussion Questions after the Author Reflections in each chapter, are "deep thinking" questions and the reader will probably want to take the time to reflect on their own life before answering. I think this is a WONDERFUL Individual Study, although it would make a GREAT Group study also. I HIGHLY recommend this Devotional to anyone who needs encouragement through the Storms of Life. AMAZING Devotional!

Barbara M. Britton is an author of Christian Fiction who loves to bring little-known Bible stories to light. She has taught the Bible in church and schools for thirty years. Barbara has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. You can find out more about Barbara and her books on her website barbarambritton.com.

(1) winner will receive an Across the Lake book box which includes a paperback copy of Across the Lake: Traveling with Jesus Around the Sea of Galilee, a Hebrews 12:2 Scripture Rock, a necklace with cross and GRACE tag, a print copy of the Shelter in the Night devotional by LoRee Peery, a Philippians 4:13 notebook, and a $20 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 26, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 2, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

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Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Flames of Faith by Marguerite Martin Gray

Book: Flames of Faith

Author: Marguerite Martin Gray

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction

Release Date: February, 2025

1870 Switzerland. One year. A mountain of ideas. And a menacing railroad forging the barrier between dreams and reality.

Claire Pennington formulates a bold plan to avoid the pressure of yet another London season. Her parents grant her one year in Switzerland, yet afterward she must return to England and find a suitor. Armed with a notebook and gumption, she determines to make the mountain town of Thun a tourist destination for all classes of society. However, she does not count on an equally determined railroad engineer set on leaving Thun in the dust.

The rugged mountain terrain grants Englishman Lucas Stanley the opportunity to launch his engineering career. The railroad is the answer to modern travel—expedient, efficient, and competitive, yet conquering the section of track from Thun to Interlaken is harder than he originally thought, especially with opposition from a fiery female. Claire confronts him at every turn, using her enthusiasm and people skills to flame local zeal for change and progress in another direction.

Opposing proposals collide as Claire, Lucas, and the citizens of the quaint Swiss town face an avalanche of decisions and compromises sparked by flames of faith—and perhaps love.

Discover romance and faith in 1870 Switzerland through this standalone novel from the Elements of Hope series where fire, air, water, and earth meet elements of the heart.

Click here to get your copy!

Marguerite Martin Gray is an award-winning author of a dozen novels and novellas. She enjoys the study of history, especially when combined with fiction. An avid traveler and reader, she teaches French and Spanish online. She currently lives in North Louisiana with her husband and rescue pets. Her two adult children and two grandsons keep her young and up-to-date.

More from Marguerite

I am a tourist at heart and always have been since I was a child growing up in England as a preteen. A castle, a map, a manor house, a museum, a mystery, a myth in any country or state. Flames of Faith was sparked by a recent train ride from Interlaken to Thun, Switzerland where an old turreted castle rose above the lake and village. A perfect setting for a novel. It spurred thoughts of who visited this area as well as how and when since the terrain made it dangerous and tricky to just visit on a whim on a Sunday afternoon.

Have you heard of Thomas Cook (1850s and onward) and his famous travels all over Europe with tourists by horse, carriage, boat, foot, and finally train? He paved the way for the middle-class citizen to see gorgeous venues like Switzerland and the Alps. What an adventure to have been on one of his early tours! A Slow Train to Switzerland by Diccon Bewes cemented what I wanted to express in this novel.

Meet Claire Pennington, my heroine, who encompasses the traits of tourist in all the good senses. She wants everyone to have the opportunity to travel the continent and world as she does. Her bold dream inspires others to possibly regard seeing new sites as a way to refresh and revitalize their own lives.

Hop on board and discover romance and faith in 1870 Switzerland. Be a tourist without leaving your home.

Simple Harvest Reads, January 21 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 22
Texas Book-aholic, January 23
Artistic Nobody, January 24 (Author Interview)
Lily’s Corner, January 25
Life on Chickadee Lane, January 25
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 26
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 27
Guild Master, January 28 (Author Interview)
Pause for Tales, January 28
For Him and My Family, January 29
Devoted Steps, January 30
Fiction Book Lover, January 31 (Author Interview)
Books You Can Feel Good About, February 1
Holly’s Book Corner, February 2
Cover Lover Book Review, February 3

To celebrate her tour, Marguerite is giving away the grand prize of a $25 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://gleam.io/sMCBM/flames-of-faith-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Sunday, January 25, 2026

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Increase Your Bloom Ability: Devotions for Unleashing Your Most Flourishing Self by Cheri Strange

Book: Increase Your Bloom Ability: Devotions for Unleashing Your Most Flourishing Self

Author: Cheri Strange

Genre: Christian Living / Devotional for Women / Prayer Books

Release Date: May 7, 2025

ARE YOU READY TO BLOOM?

Do you feel stuck in your spiritual growth, unsure if God can truly bring beauty and purpose to your life? You’re not alone. Cheri Strange knows the ache of feeling spiritually barren, but she’s discovered the secret to living a profoundly fruitful life—and she’s ready to share it with you.

In Increase Your Bloom Ability, Cheri blends biblical truth with practical encouragement to help you:

Embrace God’s call to flourish, even in hard seasons
Stay rooted in Christ to live abundantly
Trust God’s plan to cultivate spiritual fruit in you
Take simple steps to grow your faith and accelerate your bloom

Your life was meant to thrive. Step into the vibrant, fruit life Gd created you for—starting today.

Click here to get your copy!

Devotionals are a part of my daily life and I strive to change them once a month. Increase Your Bloom Ability: Devotions for Unleashing Your Most Flourishing Self by Cheri Strange is the latest Devotional that I have used.

I have to start with how BEAUTIFUL and ASTONISHING this Devotional is. I can honestly say it is probably the prettiest Devotional I have ever used.

The focus of this Devotional is to Encourage Women to strengthen their relationship with Christ. Women get so busy with Life and Family that their own Spiritual Growth stalls. The author shows us through the Scripture that we can still "Bloom" and reach the Fruitful and Purpose Filled Life that God has intended for us. The Devotional has 40 days and each day is Filled with Stories, Scriptures, Prayers and Encouragement. I really LOVE the Layout and all the colorful pages. I was very encouraged by the Daily Readings. I intend on going through this Devotional again as it that encouraging. I HIGHLY recommend this book for Individual or even Small Group study. GREAT Devotional!

Cheri Strange is an award-winning author, speaker, and digital creator. She is passionate about helping women grow spiritually and flourish in their faith. With a Ph.D. and twenty years of ministry experience, she shares practical wisdom and biblical truth that meets women right where they are. Through her books, resources, YouVersion Bible plans, and digital art, Cheri inspires thousands to desire more of God in everyday life. She and her husband, Chad, live in Houston, Texas, with their eight children, and one bonus son.

More from Cheri

Have you ever wondered why, even as devoted followers of Jesus, your spiritual growth sometimes feels stalled? Why the abundant, fruit-filled life God promises can feel just out of reach? I’ve asked these questions of my own heart—and what I discovered in Scripture inspired me to write Increase Your Bloom Ability.

The Bible makes it clear: spiritual fruitfulness isn’t reserved for the gifted or the theologically trained—it’s for every believer (John 15:8). Yet many of us feel stuck, questioning whether we’re doing enough or if real growth is even possible. I dug into Scripture to uncover truths that can help unlock a life that truly bears fruit.

This devotional is the culmination of years of teaching, study, and personal reflection. I wanted to create something that equips you to experience more of God’s promises for your life. Inspired by Andrew Peterson’s words in Adorning the Dark, where he describes his ministry as “telling the truth as beautifully as he can,” I sought to do the same in this book.

I illustrated Increase Your Bloom Ability myself, filling it with over 200 pages of floral artwork—an offering of beauty alongside truth. My hope is that these pages will speak to your soul and draw you into a more vibrant, fruitful walk with Jesus.

My mission is simple: to help you experience a life of profound spiritual growth, one that blooms and flourishes as God intended. Through Scripture, reflection, and the visual beauty of this devotional, I pray you are encouraged, equipped, and inspired to embrace your calling and take intentional steps toward greater fruitfulness.