Review: Red Shadows at Saugatuck (Haunted Shores Mysteries #4) by Randy Overbeck @OverbeckRandy

Red Shadows at Saugatuck

Haunted Shores Mysteries #4

by Randy Overbeck

Published: July 23, 2025

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Ghosts, Paranormal

Blurb:

Darrell Henshaw hoped he was past it all. After all, no ghosts had visited him for years. Instead, he learns his five-year-old-son, Leo, has inherited his “gift.”
Now, they both can see ghosts.
Upon his parents’ insistence, Darrell drives his young family 800 miles to celebrate his aunt Gertrude’s 80th birthday. But, once they arrive in the resort town of Saugatuck, Michigan, their participation gets derailed by the spirit of a Native teen who went missing weeks earlier. When he and Leo inquire about the girl, the locals dismiss their concerns—"Those girls run away all the time.” Still, as questions pile up and threats grow, Darrell senses they may have stumbled onto something far worse and even more evil than one missing teen.
Can Darrell continue to pursue justice for the girl if it places his wife and son in danger?

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My Review:

Darrell Henshaw, his wife Erin, and son Leo are driving to the town of Saugatuck, Michigan, to celebrate his aunt Gertrude’s 80th birthday. Along the way, they make a couple of stops, and each time they see posters of missing native teenage girls.

Leo is worried about the missing girls and wants to help them, especially one girl named Sheila. Leo believes the girl is real or alive, but what he doesn’t know is that he is only seeing her ghost. Leo has inherited his dad's ability to see ghosts and spirits.

Five-year-old Leo, like any other child his age, keeps disappearing on his parents, scaring them half to death. He sees Sheila and follows her; he wants to help her, but she keeps vanishing. Leo’s disappearances keep his parents on edge with fear as they search for him everywhere.

Darrell wants to help the girls, too, but his involvement could put his family in danger. The deeper Darrell gets into the case of the missing girls, the more perilous it becomes for his family. However, what options does a man have? Can he uncover the truth about what happened to the girls while keeping his family safe?

I truly enjoyed reading Red Shadows at Saugatuck. I would love to see Red Shadows at Saugatuck adapted into a TV show, since I enjoy watching family shows like Little House on the Prairie and The Waltons—shows with kids. Not only that, but I also love a good mystery.

Red Shadows at Saugatuck kept me hanging on every word as I raced to the end with Darrell and Leo, trying to help Sheila. The mystery and suspense kept the story engaging, not to mention the numerous twists that kept popping up.

I can’t wait to read more in the Haunted Shores Mysteries Series and discover what mystery awaits. I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Red Shadows at Saugatuck today!

Check out all the books the Haunted Shores Mysteries Series I’ve read

Scarlet at Crystal River #3

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Amazon

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Red Shadows at Saugatuck #4

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Amazon

BookBub

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Review: Claiming a Braver Jules (Timeline Retreats #3) by Daisy Landish @daisy_landish

Claiming a Braver Jules

Timeline Retreats #3

by Daisy Landish

Published: July 23, 2025

Publisher: Beaches and Trails Publishing

Genre: Sweet Romantic Comedy, Short Stories, Time Travel Romance, Romance, Romantic Comedy

Blurb:

She never got picked. Until now.

Jules has always played it safe—at work, in relationships, and with her dreams. When she’s passed over for yet another promotion, she’s offered a one-week stay in a timeline where she made bolder choices.

Suddenly she’s CEO, engaged to a man she once thought was out of her league, and living in a sleek high-rise instead of her cozy rental. It’s everything she thought she wanted… so why does it feel like she’s performing someone else’s life?

Her fiancé, Nate, is charming, steady, and surprisingly sweet—but he’s in love with a version of Jules who no longer exists. As cracks form in her perfect timeline, Jules must decide if the success she craved is worth the distance from the people and passions she left behind.

Because sometimes bravery doesn’t mean chasing the biggest title.
Sometimes, it means choosing yourself.

A clean, heartfelt romantic comedy about second chances, quiet confidence, and falling for the life you didn’t expect.

Visit Daisy's website to find out about upcoming releases or to join her newsletter at daisylandishromance dot com.

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My Review:

I'm thoroughly enjoying the captivating stories in Daisy Landish's Timeline Retreats. The unique characters are fascinating, and I'm learning so much from their journeys. These stories follow individuals who are chosen to travel to alternate timelines, where they get to experience a week as a different version of themselves. This allows them to explore how their lives could have unfolded if they had made different choices.

One particularly engaging story is Claiming a Braver Jules, which follows Jules as she decides to take a chance on a better life. In her new timeline, Jules is the boss and is engaged, but she's had to make some sacrifices from her previous life. This thought-provoking tale kept me hooked from start to finish, and I can't wait to read more stories in the Timeline Retreats series.

If you're looking for an engaging and captivating read, be sure to check out Claiming a Braver Jules and the rest of the Timeline Retreats collection.

Check out all the books in the Timeline Retreats Series I’ve read

Borrowing a Better Mara #1

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Amazon

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Becoming a Bolder Lana #2

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Amazon

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Claiming a Braver Jules #3

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Amazon

BookBub

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Book Tour: Rising From The Roots by Jasmine Farrell @jfarrellwrites @RABTBookTours

Poetry. LGBTQ. Personal Growth.

Date Published: June 24, 2025

Rising From the Roots is a collection of poems that invites readers into a world of deep introspection and emotional exploration. Through heartfelt lines, and a transparent flow, Farrell examines the labyrinth of identity, love, and personal evolution. Each poem resonates with raw honesty, encouraging readers to reflect on their own experiences and emotions.

 

Interview with Jasmine Farrell

How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?

Publishing my first book, My Quintessence gave me the confidence to take myself seriously as a writer. Before that, writing was this thing I did to release and sometimes share. But putting a book out into the world shifted things for me. I now had to think about audience, about clarity, about how vulnerability can become a bridge. It made me more intentional, but also freed me to experiment more because I knew I had a voice worth sharing. The voice worth sharing part took me awhile to believe but I do now.

What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?

It was so simple as I answer this. When I was in the second grade, my teacher, Steve had a student poetry night. We wrote poems, he compiled them and made a book for us and our families to share. I wrote a poem about getting up in the middle of the night to sneak some snacks that I had no business eating in my belly. The giggles and laughter as I read it made me realized the power language had. It can bring us to tears, make us laugh, educate us and woo us into mushy romance. Words, when they’re honest, can move us. They can heal. They can affirm. I didn’t know it back then but that moment lit a fire in me.

What one thing would you give up to become a better writer?

There are still some scraps of fear that I need to scoop out of the metaphorical jar. Fear of not being understood. I will be...I am understood...but the people I am trying to reach! I think shedding that fear...ALL of it, or at least, not letting it steer will opens up some depth in my writing as far as my short stories are concerned.

Tell us a little about yourself? Perhaps something not many people know?

I’m a sucker for the late 90’s-early 2000’s sitcoms like The Jamie Foxx Show, The Parkers, Will and Grace and The Game. I also like, All About Eve, Carmen Jones, The Glass Menagerie (1950).

If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?

I would have shared my work sooner. Still, I believe everything unfolded as it was meant to.

What is the biggest surprise that you experienced after becoming a writer?

How much community comes with it. The connections I’ve made with readers, with other writers, with people who see themselves in my work, have been some of the most beautiful surprises. It reminds me that vulnerability isn’t weakness. It’s an invitation.

Could you tell us a bit about your most recent book and why it is a must-read?

Rising From the Roots is one of my most personal and intentional collections yet. It’s a journey through identity, queerness, grief, church trauma, and ultimately, liberation. There are pieces in there that were written during a time when I was deconstructing a lot: spiritually, emotionally, and even creatively. It felt like I was digging into my own roots unearthing pain, yes, but also rediscovering joy, self-love, and inner strength.

What makes this book a must-read, in my eyes, is how raw and honest it is. I didn’t hold back. I let the messiness in: the parts of healing that are nonlinear, the beauty of queer self-discovery that comes later in life and the ache of unspoken grief. If you’ve ever felt unseen, uncertain, or like you were blooming too late, this book is a “must-read”

I wanted to create something that could offer support and strength to folks navigating similar journeys. Especially those in the LGBTQ+ community who have experienced spiritual or familial disconnection. These poems speak to reclaiming yourself, daring to flourish even when the soil you grew from wasn’t nurturing. A few arch readers have told me it feels like reading someone’s diary, like being invited into moments of truth and softness. That means everything to me. I hope these pages feel like a safe space: affirming, vulnerable, and real.

About the Author

Jasmine Farrell is a New York-based poet and author known for her candid and emotionally resonant work that explores themes of identity, love, and personal growth. With eight poetry projects to her name, including Rising From the Roots, Orange September, and Long Live Phoenixes, it’s safe to say, poetry is Farrell’s first love. Her writing often reflects her journey of self-discovery and resilience, addressing topics such as grief, empowerment, and the complexities of relationships. In addition to her poetry, Farrell made her debut as a novelist with Sloppy (2022), a work that delves into LGBTQ+ experiences and personal transformation.

Farrell's work resonates with readers seeking authenticity and connection, offering a blend of vulnerability and strength that encourages introspection and healing. Through her writing, she continues to inspire and uplift individuals navigating their own paths toward self-acceptance and understanding.

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Book Tour + #Giveaway: Bolo the Brave by Jim Jones @RABTBookTours

Kids Western Adventure

Date Published: 04-17-2025

Publisher: Speaking Volumes

 

 

You can learn a lot from a dog . . .

 

Meet Charlie Spears, a 10-year-old boy living on the High Plains of Texas in the late 1800s. Charlie lives with his Grandpa Will, who runs a chuckwagon, feeding all the adventurous folks traveling West in wagon trains. After losing his parents to illness, Charlie is often lonely and longs for a true friend. One day, by a stroke of luck and a big wag of a tail, Charlie meets a funny-looking dog named Bolo, who is also looking for a friend. Together, they embark on a journey where Charlie learns important life lessons.

 

In the first story: Bolo the Brave, Charlie discovers the meaning of courage and how to face challenges when a friend is in danger.

 

In the second story: True Friend, Charlie gains valuable insight—not to judge people by their limitations, but rather by their actions and character.

 

In the third story: Outcast, Charlie and his friends learn the importance of getting to know someone instead of passing judgment based on their appearance.

 

Together, Charlie and Bolo make new friends, confront dangers, and grow through valuable life lessons. As the story reminds us, you can learn a lot from a dog. 

 

Interview with Jim Jones

What is your favorite part of the book?

It’s kind of hard for me to pick out a favorite part because there are three different stories. Some of my favorite parts though are when Charlie and Bolo are interacting around every day things like getting fed, getting his belly scratched and regular “dog stuff” like that. Those are some of the best parts of having a dog.

Does your book have a lesson? Moral?

Yes, each of the three stories has lessons, sometimes a couple at once. I really took our phrase, “you can learn a lot from a dog” to heart.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

Some are related to real people, or in the case of Bolo, a real dog. Grandpa Will has a bit of me in him since I’m a proud grandpa myself.

Of all the characters you have created, which is your favorite and why?

I like all of the characters a lot but my favorite is definitely Bolo, the dog. I had a dog named Colter who had a crooked nose and was pretty goofy but he was SUPER loyal and affectionate and that’s who the Bolo character is based on (which makes our “current dog”, Ruby, VERY jealous!)

What character in your book are you least likely to get along with?

The character, Jed, who first appeared in the second story, True Friend, would be the one I would be least likely to get along with. The important thing though is that by the end of that story, Jed had learned some valuable lessons and had changed his attitude and behavior. I think by the time he appears in the third story, Outcast, I would get along just fine with him.

What would the main character in your book have to say about you?

Since Bolo the dog is the main character in the stories, I’m pretty sure he would say that as long as I feed him, give him snacks and rub his belly, I’m a good guy.

Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?

I would say that I’m building a body of work in that Bolo, Charlie and Grandpa Will are on a journey, both literal and figurative. The stories follow their adventures and track what they are discovering. They also feature characters who first appeared in one book and subsequently are still a part of the story. 

About the Author

Jim Jones is a native Texan who lives in Rio Rancho, NM. In addition to being a Western novelist, he is also an award-winning Western singer/songwriter (International Western Music Association 2014 Male Performer of the Year; IWMA Song of the Year Award, 2019; Western Writers of America Spur Award, 2013, 2017 & 2021 for Western Song of the Year) who performs at festivals, coffeehouses and other venues throughout the West. Rustler's Moon, Jim's first novel, was a finalist in two categories for the 2009 New Mexico Book Awards, Best Historical Fiction and Best First Book. His novel, Colorado Moon, 2011, is the second in the Jared Delaney Series and it won the Western Music Association's 2011 Award for Outstanding Western Book. The third book in the series, Waning Moon, was published in 2013 and was also a New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards Finalist for Best Historical Fiction. The Big Empty, a spinoff series, was published in 2016 by Five Star Publishing and it, too, was a NM/AZ Book Awards Finalist in the Best Historical Fiction category. The second book in the spinoff series, The Lights of Cimarron, was published by Five Star in early 2019. The fourth book in the Jared Delaney Series, Halo Moon, was released in November, 2022 and won the 2023 AZ/NM Book Award for the Best in Adventure category. Jim creates gripping Old West characters about whom readers in the 21st century can care deeply. They struggle with tough economic times and corrupt government officials...wait, that's going on right now! Guess what, it was happening then, too. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Jim is a proud member of both the Western Writers of America and the Western Music Association. Although he writes about cattle rustling, Jim has never rustled cattle.

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Release Blitz + #Giveaway: Daemones ex Machina by Russell Anders @RABTBookTours

Cyberpunk/Urban Fantasy Fiction

Release Date: July 23rd, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

If you make a deal with the Devil, don’t forget to read the fine print. 

Three operatives find themselves on the run after a corporate sabotage job goes awry. Now, their predatory employer, a heavyweight weapons-tech firm, wants its elite A-team dead at all costs.  Jon is a smooth-talking charmer. Friedrich is a hacker prodigy. And Guion is the ice-cold tactician who keeps them all in line.

Backs against the wall, the men strike separate infernal pacts to stay alive. They vanish into the urban badlands of New York’s Five Hives, vowing to lie low and figure out why they’ve become targets. Meanwhile, Jon suspects there’s an insidious evil possessing his friends, and he wonders if they all got more than they bargained for. 

Amid an escalating war between local gangs and the firm’s private shock troops, the fugitives uncover a conspiracy that threatens to destroy everyone they know and love. But can they stop the destruction before their inner demons seize control?

About the Author

 At the age of four, Russell Anders started telling stories, often interrupting his mother during bedtime reading to ask, “Then what happened?” She always answered, “You tell me,” and his imagination conjured fantastical tales of dragons and dinosaurs.

He gravitated toward a career as a technical writer and writing coach for software companies. He also briefly served as a columnist for Dragon Magazine. One of his favorite hobbies includes tabletop role playing, especially as the game master. And yes, he's as cruel to the characters in his games as he is to the characters in his books; his players love him for it. 

Russel lives with the constant canine companionship of whip-smart but goofy Sigurd, an English Mastiff (the best breed ever).     

Daemones ex Machina is his debut novel.

 

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