Friday, January 30, 2026

The Sentinel By MaryLu Tyndall

The Sentinel
by MaryLu Tyndall
Publisher: Ransom Press
Series: Legend of the King's Ring
ISBN: 979-8989604654

I'll be honest and say it's been an age since I've ready a book by MaryLu Tyndall, and I'll also say that it's a crying shame! To say I was obsessed with her stories is putting it mildly. So, after reading the first book in her new series, I was questioning my sanity! Why hadn't I been keeping up with her stories? Needless to say, I binged 5 of her books in a row! That includes the ebook ARC I was sent for review.

Summary:

Two worlds. One destiny. A love that defies the tides of time.

Modern-day treasure hunter Desi Starr has spent her life searching for lost shipwrecks—and for meaning in a life scarred by tragedy. But when she discovers an ancient ring in the depths of the Caribbean, she is thrust back in time—into a world of cannon fire, treachery, and the arms of Captain Caleb Hyde, a privateer haunted by his past and hunted by his enemies.

Caleb has fought for his crew, his ship, and his soul, but nothing prepared him for the mysterious woman who appears from the sea like a living dream. Caught between two timelines and hunted by enemies in both, Desi and Caleb must protect the Ring of Solomon, a relic of unspeakable power, from falling into evil hands.

Past and present collide in a powerful battle between light and darkness as Desi, torn between two worlds, faces an impossible choice. Yet both she and Caleb must learn to trust God’s plan to protect a love that shouldn’t exist—and a Ring that could change the course of history forever.

My Review:

What a thoroughly fun story! Reading this series has reminded me how much I a) love MaryLu's books and b) how enjoyable pirate stories are.

The Sentinel was a time travel story which I wasn't expecting (I don't read book summaries)! Desi is doing a dive when she finds King Solomon's ring and travels back through time to 1718! Imagine showing up there in scuba gear.

On the flip side, imagine being the captain of a ship when a woman appears on said ship dressed the way Desi was. Captain Caleb Hyde and his crew were beyond freaked out to say the least. hahahaha

I loved Desi and her commitment to her sister... a sister whose health is precarious. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, her time spent with Caleb draws her to his time, which is away from her sister. Talk about conflict of the heart!

Caleb on the other hand struggles with everything the ring represents to him and his family! He needs to destroy it, but there's also a lot of power in that ring. Both of them have to keep the ring of out of the wrong hands in both timelines and it's fascinating when their worlds collide. 

Needless to say, I couldn't get enough of the faith element in the story. It's always so strong in the author's books and I couldn't appreciate it more.

About the Author:

Award winning and best-selling author, MaryLu Tyndall dreamt of pirates and sea-faring adventures during her childhood days on Florida's Coast. After obtaining a degree in Math and working as software engineer for 15 years, she decided to test the waters as a writer. With now more than thirty books published, she makes no excuses for the deeply spiritual themes embedded within her romantic adventures. As a follower of Christ, her stories often reflect her own journey and walk with God. Her hope is that readers will not only be entertained but will be brought closer to the Creator who loves them beyond measure. In a culture that accepts the occult, wizards, zombies, and vampires without batting an eye, MaryLu hopes to show the awesome present and powerful acts of God in a dying world. MaryLu makes her home with her husband, six children, four grandkids, and several cats on the California coast, where her imagination still surges with the sea.

Thursday, January 29, 2026

Forged in Firra By C.B. Sharp + GIVE AWAY

Forged in Firra JustRead Blog + Review Tour

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Forged in Firra by C.B. Sharp, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! I'm so excited to start a new fantasy series! Thanks to JustRead and the author for my digital copy! Please be sure to read the guest post from the author!

About the Book

Forged in Firra

Title: Forged in Firra
Series: The Oriel Odyssey #1
Author: C. B. Sharp
Publisher: Independently Published 
Release Date:
January 22, 2026 
Genre: YA Christian Fantasy

Three will be born of pure intent,  

One of bravery, one of compassion, and one of faith.   

Wield the sword to slay the kings,   

And destroy the bloodless wraith.  

The immortal Ancients have positioned themselves as creators, worthy of worship and rule. As a result, they have morphed into beasts, keeping Clay Borns divided and dependent upon them. After their parents are captured, and they are left for dead, the Oriel siblings learn of their fate: free Tirra Nova from the Ancients’ oppressive regime and restore divine order to their world. Forced to trust their former enemies and seek the aid of a stardust maiden, the Oriels must rely on their wits and faith to fulfill a seemingly impossible mission.

PURCHASE LINKS: GoodreadsAmazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub


Guest Post

1. What was your process of adding faith and elements of what faith looks like
into your characters and the world you created?

It was important to me that Forged in Firra, at its heart, turned readers toward God, yet it was also not my intention to alienate anyone. I hope that readers of any conviction can walk away from my novel feeling inspired to follow a path of righteousness and persevere through hardship. As someone who came into faith later in life, I also know the importance of subtly and gently directing readers toward a higher power. I hope to strengthen the faith of believers and ignite curiosity in those still searching.

As mentioned, I was not raised in the Christian faith, and it was not until my thirties that I consciously accepted Jesus into my heart, receiving my baptism approximately three years ago. Yet, I inherently knew and loved God all along; I simply lacked the proper name and context. I wrote about my characters experiencing something similar. They live in a world of lies, where the Creator is never acknowledged, and they must discover through an internal faith who He is and what it means to be His child.

Their process of discovery mirrors my own, and I believe it offers a unique and compelling perspective from someone who was not raised in the Word. The Oriel siblings are on a path of wading through lies in search of the truth, much like our own world often tries to disguise and distort the most powerful truths of all.

In the world of Tirra Nova, the Ancients have positioned themselves as creators, demanding worship from the Clay Borns (humans), and as a result, have mutated into animalistic beasts. I think it is important for us all to consider who and what we give our reverence to and remember that only God is truly worthy of worship. We also live in a time where self-worship is very prevalent, and the Ancients provide a cautionary tale about what happens when we glorify ourselves over God.

The Oriel siblings’ ultimate destiny is to restore divine order to their world. In the process, each of them, Brion, Caitlin, and Fallon, forge their own unique relationship with their Maker. They all have their own self-doubts and individual challenges and must learn to lean on Him or success on their quest cannot be achieved. Forged in Firra, while certainly appreciated by adults, is aimed at young adults, and it is my hope that my words can help guide young people toward seeking God in times of darkness and confusion.

About the Author

Cara Sharp

C. B. Sharp has been writing magical tales since she was a child, dreaming up imaginary worlds. She has a degree in Elementary Education and taught elementary school in remote northern Canada. After her northern adventures, she founded a successful tutoring company. In addition to teaching and writing, she also enjoys visual art, graphic design, movie marathons, cooking, and quality time with her loving fiancé and quirky cat, Munch.

Connect with the author by visiting cbsharpwrites.mailerpage.io to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.


Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each receive a print copy of Forged in Firra and a $20 Amazon gift card!

Forged in Firra blog tour giveaway JustRead Tours

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 27, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 3, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN 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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Creative Commons License
Woven by Words by Mimi B is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.