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Book Things Thursday

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January 1, 2026

And 2025 is a wrap! Also wrapped up my reading for the year. Who else loves to read? I know, I know. Some folks love it like I do … others, not so much. I get it. My husband is truly the love of my life, but he doesn’t share my obsession. And we’re both okay with that. Well, mostly. When my latest book published, he looked at me like, do I really have to read another one? (Insert tiny whine.) But it’s okay. Other than the sitting down and actually reading a book portion, he stayed uber supportive throughout my emotional ups and downs with the writing process. But I digress …

This week, I wanted to highlight a genre I don’t normally read, but these books are soooooo good, I wanted to recommend them to anyone listening.

A bit of backstory here. I purchased books 1-3 of And They Found Dragons for Christmas 2024, for my ten-year -old granddaughter. She loved them so much, she asked for Books 4-6, entitled The Dragons Among Us. After I purchased and send them, I got curious and borrowed Books 1-3 from her. I’M LOVING THEM! Really wish I’d known about them sooner. Trying to think of a way to entice my non-reading grandsons–not that they are illiterate–just not too interested in reading for pleasure. To be perfectly honest, their current stance is NO WAY.

Here’s a synopsis of the first three books:

“It is said a child will lead them. But lead them where?

Jack is just 12, born on an Ark orbiting Earth among 169 survivors of a global apocalypse who eagerly await the planet’s restoration so they can return to the surface. With supplies dangerously low, the time for waiting is over. Humanity must return now or die among the stars.

Unfortunately there is a problem. A big one. Dragons have inexplicably risen from Earth’s ashes. Worse, they emit a global toxin deadly to all over the age of puberty. After much debate, the Ark’s leaders realize that humanity’s only hope is to send teams of specially trained children to hunt and eliminate the dragon queen.

But Jack is frail and deemed unworthy for the dangerous mission.

So begins a tale leads readers, young and old alike, on a journey with Jack, the child who will lead them all in the most unlikely of ways. A journey to an Earth they could not have imagined. An Earth where humanity’s fear takes physical form as dragons that can only be defeated through a love that casts out all fear.”

And here’s part of the review I left on GoodReads:

“Christian fantasy at its best. Unusual premise. Stellar plotting which, even as an adult, I found unpredictable and appealing. Relatable characters. And, of course, dragons. Upbeat and positive tone. Infused with hope. Highly recommend to young adult readers.”

That concludes this week. Stay tuned. During the month of January, my plan is to recognize my favorite reads from 2025. Already it’s looking like a lot of romance, suspense, and mysteries made the list, along with the books that supplimented my Bible studies.

Hugs and happy reading!

Mary Pat

Victoria Romance Writer Publishes Fourth Book

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Victoria Advocate, July 11th, 2025

At a book signing

When Mary Pat Johns was a young girl, she told her mama she was going be a famous author. On Wednesday when her latest book hit No. 5 on Amazon’s new releases in the contemporary Christian fiction category, she lived up to her childhood dream.

“I told her I wanted to be a famous author; that was my way of telling her I was serious about this,” Johns said. “I’ve always known I wanted to write, ever since I was a little girl,” Johns said.

Her passion for writing started with an affinity for reading, and it led her to pursue an English degree. For 20 years, Johns worked as a school teacher and raised her family. While her priorities shifted over time, she never forgot about her dream of being an author.

“My husband told me one time, ‘Why don’t you just wait until the house is a little bit more quiet,’” Johns said.

So, she waited until her kids grew up, graduated high school and set out on their own adventures. The house wasn’t quiet by the time her children were in their early 20s. Her daughter lived a year in Costa Rica and her son went into the military.

“My son was deployed to Afghanistan and when he came back, he had mild PTSD, but it changed him,” Johns said. “I wanted him to have a strong, healthy place for him to heal. That’s really how the first book in the Valiant series was born.”

Johns started writing her first book, Countin’ on Jesse, in 2016 at the age of 60. She felt compelled to share the story of young vets who return home and are reacclimating to their communities. The book wasn’t finalized and published until 2023.

“I knew in this stage of life that if I wanted to publish a book, I had to get busy,” Johns said.

Johns has written a column for the Victoria Advocate, short stories and devotionals for Chicken Soup for the Soul. Since her first book, the contemporary romance author has published three other books: Lovin’ on Red, Glitter and the Grouch and her newest book, Waitin’ on Paige, which was released last Tuesday, July 1.

The Valiant book series follows a group of friends, primarily three main male heroes, who had been in high school together. Two of the men went off to war and one stayed home and went to the police academy. The stories are set in Valiant, Texas, and some readers might catch the resemblance between the fictional city and Victoria.

Her newest book follows police officer Tavo Morales and his reconnection with his high school sweetheart, Paige Muñoz.

“My faith is important to me,” Johns said. “My books have a strong Christian thread through them.”

Her target audience is romance readers and women over 20. Behind her books is a dedicated base of readers who have followed along with the book series.

“It’s every author’s dream to have this, and it takes a lifetime to build a reader base,” Johns said.

Johns is currently working on the first of draft of a Christmas novella series and has a proposal in the works with her publisher about a romantic suspense book series. Readers can find her books online at Amazon.

“The love stories just drive me,” Johns said. “I love to tell stories that are fun and interesting.”

You can find me on:

FB link: https://www.facebook.com/marypatjohnsauthor/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/marypatjohnsauthor/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-pat-johns

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/marypatjohnspin/_saved/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/43636180.Mary_Pat_Johns

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mary-Pat-Johns/author/B0CGMM11F7

Short link to Amazon/Romance in Valiant series https://bit.ly/4hhJvLj

Book Things Thursday

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Looking for an out-of-the-ordinary summer read? Love romantic suspense with an exotic setting? Frame of Reference is a great choice!

Summary and book review of Frame of Reference, author Amber Gabriel

By Mary Pat Johns

Love the cover!

Summary: One down, two to go.

The prima ballerina with the Grand Kyiv Ballet, Iryna is excited for her American tour—and the chance to reconnect with the brown-eyed American she hasn’t seen since childhood. Her trip is just beginning when tragedy strikes, resulting in a close friend’s mysterious death and a fear that she might be next.

Rick Carter wasn’t looking to fall in love, but the moment he laid eyes on his sister’s childhood friend all grown up, he fell hard. Their courtship, however, is haunted by unsettling threats and near-misses. Is someone hunting him and Iryna? And if so why?

As their newfound love deepens, so does the danger surrounding them. To survive they’ll need all their wits but also their faith.

My review: I enjoyed this romantic suspense novel! The world of ballet provided a lovely setting for the story, and the international intrigue added to the suspense. The chemistry between Rick and Iryna was both sweet and realistic, and the spiritual thread was woven through with a deft hand. A salvation message unfolded in a natural way. Looking forward to more from this author.

Cool Summer Reads

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Book Spotlight and reviews, Mary Pat Johns

See book reviews below

Looking for some cool summer reads? Lynn Blackburn’s new series is great! Gossamer Falls Hits all the right notes, and best of all…there’s one more installment on the way!

Blurb and review for Never Fall Again:

Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. As the artist-in-residence, and with her pottery prized by The Haven’s guests, Landry is finally ready to settle in permanently. She wants to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home to grow up in and hires former Marine Callum Shaw to handle the construction.

Cal grew up in Gossamer Falls and always knew he would someday join his family’s business. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. Landry is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. Landry has a daughter and a past. Cal has been down that road before and barely survived when the woman he loved left, taking her two sons with her. He can’t bear to lose like that again.

Before construction on the house can begin, Landry’s pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. It soon becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger–but because of whom? But, after losing one relationship, he is hesitant to try again.

My take: I enjoyed reading the first book of Lynn Blackburn’s new series. Her tilt toward romance while keeping the plot suspenseful is always a winner. Looking forward to the next installment.

Break My Fall, Blurb and review:

Dr. Meredith Quinn always planned to return to Gossamer Falls to practice dentistry. Now that she’s back home, she’s made it a point to offer clinics to children and adults in nearby underserved areas. Unfortunately, those same areas are known to harbor drug traffickers, and Police Chief Grayson Ward suspects that local law enforcement is looking the other way.

After too many losses, Grayson has closed off his heart. But when Meredith enters his life, his walls crumble, and he’s left exposed and vulnerable. To keep her alive, he must keep her close, but that makes it impossible for him to retreat and rebuild. Will she be the one who finally helps him emerge from isolation? Or will this force of nature leave him shattered?

My take: One reason I love this author’s writing is that she gets the balance right between romance and suspense. The danger is there and ongoing throughout the story, but my internal compass always searches for true north–as in, is the romance the major story or is it a mere add in. Frankly, when the suspense has me gasping on every page, it’s not a relaxing read.

That said, I loved Gray and Meredith’s saga. Sweet. Swoon worthy. Tremendous fun. And the plot had enough twists to make a pretzel proud. The vibrant faith element made it feel like home. Keep writing, Ms Blackburn. Your books are a joy to read!

DownFall is a novella. Short, but oh, so sweet!

Blurb and review:

All Cassie Quinn has ever wanted is to run her own restaurant. She left home to pursue her dream, but circumstances beyond her control destroyed it, and she returned to Gossamer Falls to regroup. When she’s given an offer she can’t refuse–to fill in as chef at a fine dining restaurant for the social elite–she jumps at the chance to restore her reputation.

But when the kitchen is destroyed, it becomes clear that Cassie is in danger. She’s forced to accept the help of her ex-boyfriend, Officer Donovan Bledsoe, to find the culprit and secure her safety. Donovan’s primary mission is to keep her safe. His secondary mission is to win her back.

My take: This was the perfect minor character novella. Truly enjoyed this short extension to Blackburn’s Gossamer Falls series. Donovan and Cassie’s story was marvelous. I only wish it had been longer. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

As you can see, these romantic suspense reads are inspirational and fun…absolutely perfect for the summer break! More later, MP