Celebrate Lit Presents: Routed to Heaven: How Near-Death Experiences, Afterlife Testimonies And Heavenly Insights Can Help You Live With Intention Author: Julie Bonn Blank

 

About the Book

Book: Routed to Heaven: How Near-Death Experiences, Afterlife Testimonies And Heavenly Insights Can Help You Live With Intention

Author: Julie Bonn Blank

Genre: NF (Memoir, Devo, Christian Living)

Release Date: February 21, 2026

Book PB Covers (12.878 x 9.25 in) – ROUTED PB 12.878 KDP

What happens when Heaven doesn’t just reveal itself—but sends you back with a mission?

In Routed to Heaven, Julie Bonn Blank shares the moments that changed everything: a sudden medical crisis, clinical death, and a breathtaking encounter with Jesus Himself. Standing in Heaven, overwhelmed by love and beauty beyond words, Julie received a message that would redirect the course of her life: “There is still so much work to be done.”

But this book is far more than one extraordinary near-death or afterlife experience.

Routed to Heaven weaves together over twenty additional powerful testimonies from people who briefly crossed into eternity—children healed after death, abuse survivors guided by the Holy Spirit, one person sent back to earth for a do-over, and believers who stood at Heaven’s gates and returned forever changed. These stories affirm what so many long for in uncertain times: Heaven is real. God is near. And our lives matter more than we realize.

What sets this book apart is its purpose.

Each testimony is paired with Julie’s honest, compassionate reflections that address the real-life obstacles keeping believers from living with eternal focus—fear, grief, trauma, unforgiveness, mental health struggles, waiting on God, spiritual warfare, and more. With wisdom shaped by personal suffering and years of ministry, Julie doesn’t just inspire—she equips.

At the heart of the book is what she calls the Heaven-Minded Mission Manifesto—a practical framework designed to help readers stop sleepwalking through life and begin living with bold Kingdom intention. Through prayer, worship, gratitude, belief, and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, readers are invited to move from survival to activated faith.

With thoughtful Pause & Ponder sections at the end of each chapter, Routed to Heaven becomes more than a book—it becomes a journey of awakening. For those who want to go deeper, the Companion Study Guide expands on these reflections with guided questions, scripture exploration, and practical exercises—making it ideal for personal growth, small groups, or church studies.

If you’ve ever wondered whether Heaven is real…

If you’ve questioned whether your life has greater purpose…

If you’re longing for hope, healing, or renewed fire for God…

This book—and its companion guide—are your invitation.

Heaven is watching. The time is short. And your mission matters.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Julie Bonn Blank is the Bestselling Amazon author of Routed to Heaven: How Near-Death Experiences, Afterlife Testimonies And Heavenly Insights Can Help You Live With Intention

and a fiction suspense series which highlights healing from human trafficking. She is a sought-after speaker, certified domestic violence advocate, near-death experience survivor, and founder of the advanced, faith-based interactive trauma recovery program Broken Souls Restored—a résumé she never planned on assembling, but the plot kept thickening and life hit “publish” anyway.

 

 

More from Julie

When Julie returned from visiting heaven in August of 2024, she received a list of three things (to apparently start a list of many more lol) and one of those was to gather the stories and write “Routed to Heaven.” She was shocked to discover that while she was exuberant about her heavenly trip and couldn’t wait to share more, many others had experienced visits over the years and became hesitant to talk about their journeys due to misbelief or even put-downs from other people. But the Lord had placed within her heart that not only was it her job to round them up and get them into paper format, but to build a community. And that community had a special role on earth as well as upcoming in Heaven. She began many conversations with, “Hey I went to Heaven and I hear you might have had an experience too.” Even then, sometimes people hesitated. She found cases of “Well, your heart actually stopped and I don’t think mine did so mine was just a vision” or “I barely remember any of mine …” Over time, she was honored to help over twenty people write their stories for their inclusion in “Routed to Heaven.” People now seek her out specifically at times to tell their stories and she also finds people with stories in some interesting places, including funerals and grocery stores. You just never know! But there are many more stories out there and she continues to gather them for book 2, as well as for other purposes.

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, September 4 (Author Interview)

Girls in White Dresses, September 4

Artistic Nobody, September 5 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, September 6 (Author Interview)

Fiction Book Lover, September 7 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 8

The Bookish Ledger, September 9 (Author Interview)

Vicky Sluiter, September 10 (Author Interview)

For the Love of Literature, September 11 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 12

Tell Tale Book Reviews, September 13 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, September 14 (Author Interview)

Stories By Gina, September 15 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 16

Cover Lover Book Review, September 17

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Julie is giving away five books by Julie Bonn Blank and a Starbucks Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/6H1bQ/routed-to-heaven-celebration-tour-giveaway

A Stunning Betrayal by Terence J Davis

 A violent home invasion in Beverly Hills leaves a man dead and draws the FBI into Emily and Ben Miller’s past. Agent McBride, upon seeing their camp tattoos, enlists their help in identifying a notorious Nazi camp commander. As Emily recounts the terror of Auschwitz and the daring escape that saved her life, buried secrets resurface, igniting a deadly chain of events.
On an icy highway to Switzerland, Emily’s family flees the Nazis, believing they’ve escaped—until a brutal betrayal delivers them into the hands of the enemy. Years later, just as she begins to trust the life she’s built, shocking FBI evidence rips open old wounds and exposes a devastating truth. As past and present collide, a deadly hunt begins—leading from a violent confrontation outside a bar to a brutal kidnapping that puts everything on the line. With enemies closing in, the FBI launches a daring raid, but not everyone will make it out alive. And in a final moment of reckoning, Emily comes face-to-face with the man who destroyed her world, holding the power to deliver the ultimate justice. 

 Amazon 

 

My Review

 There is a lot going on in this quick read, it starts and with a home invasion, and ends with Justice.
This story begins in Los Angles, but we flash back to what happened to these characters during WWII, and the evil that spread across Europe.
Unfortunately, we are shown how that same hate is still with us in the present day.
This is a love story, and for Ben itstarts way back in Auschwitz, and stays right to the end of this read.
This for me was a different WWII story, but it was a real reminder of what we need to not forget, complete disregard for human life.
I really enjoyed this and will be looking for more by this author!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher BooksGoSocial, and was not required to give a positive review.

 

 

Celebrate Lit Presents: Drandar and the Quest for Redemption (Book 2) Author: Terrie Hellard-Brown

 

About the Book

Book: Drandar and the Quest for Redemption (Book 2)

Author: Terrie Hellard-Brown

Genre: Middle School Fantasy Chapter Book

Release Date: June 15, 2026

What do you do with an enemy who tried to destroy you?

Drandar didn’t expect to find the answer in a dungeon.

Seaton the knight betrayed the king, hunted Drandar, and lost. Now he’s locked up and miserable — and somehow, Drandar can’t stop thinking about him. When Drandar was ready to give up, Seraphina and the fairy believed in him anyway. Maybe Seaton needs the same thing.

The king has a different idea. He’s sending both of them on a quest to find the kingdom’s greatest treasure. Together. Whether they like it or not.

The problem? Drandar isn’t sure he trusts Seaton. And the quest is harder than either of them expected.

Drandar and the Quest for Redemption is a story about second chances, unlikely friendships, and discovering that the greatest treasure isn’t always what you went looking for.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Terrie Hellard-Brown is an award-winning author, speaker, and missionary with over thirty years of experience as a teacher and homeschool mom. That time at the classroom and kitchen table convinced her of something she writes into every story: every child’s journey matters, and no one is too far gone for redemption.

Terrie works with families — especially mixed-needs families (those raising both neurodivergent and neurotypical children) — to disciple their kids and build a peace-filled home culture. She hosts two podcasts focused on equipping parents to raise the next generation to follow Christ with their whole hearts.

She holds a BA in sociology and psychology, an MA in education, and is currently pursuing her DMin.

More from Terrie

Forgiveness, redemption, purpose, trust, truth – these are so important for children to grasp early. Those are the motivation and foundation behind the Drandar the Dragon series.

Drandar and the Quest for Redemption is the second book in the Drandar the Dragon series of chapter books. It picks up where book one ended, but it also can stand alone on its own as long as readers begin with the understanding that Drandar is a knight in a Medieval, fantasy kingdom.

I began writing these stories for my daughter who is autistic because I saw such potential in her and God’s blessing in her life, yet I watched her struggle with doubt and fear. (She is also the illustrator for the series which is exciting for both of us).

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, September 3 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 3

Texas Book-aholic, September 4

Vicky Sluiter, September 5

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 6

Mrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie Reviews, September 7

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 8

Fiction Book Lover, September 9 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 10

The Bookish Ledger, September 11 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Pilgrim, September 11

Artistic Nobody, September 12

Guild Master, September 13

Books, Books, & More Books, September 14 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, September 15

Blogging With Carol, September 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Terrie is giving away the grand prize of a $50 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/hFZiv/drandar-and-the-quest-for-redemption-celebration-tour

Sisters of the Midnight Sun by Fiona Valpy

 

 

2001: Overwhelmed by grief in the wake of losing her twin sister, Ruby Reid has come to the north of Scotland to escape. Her new job as companion to Hanna Kristiansen, an elderly woman living on a rugged homestead in the wild and remote Shetland Islands, offers plenty of challenges and a welcome distraction from the devastating choice Ruby has to make.

1940: Hanna’s quiet life on the fjords of northern Norway is overturned when her hometown is attacked and her country falls into the hands of Nazi occupiers. But the Norwegians are a people as resilient as the ancient bedrock of their land. With her twin sister Hanna becomes involved in the resistance movement, fighting to end the war that has taken so much from her. She’s sent to Scotland for training, where she falls for a charismatic member of the shadowy special forces supporting Norway’s fight for freedom. Though she's torn between staying and going, Hanna must return to her homeland, leaving her new love behind, and face the dangerous underground work that lies ahead.

As Hanna shares her story, Ruby begins to navigate the path of her grief. Hanna in turn finds comfort in discovering that confiding in her younger friend is helping them both heal. Ruby also learns that, like the beautiful untamed land of Hanna’s rural croft, there is strength to be found in fragility, as well as hope for new life, in the wildness of an island at the end of the world.

Amazon 

 

About The Author

 

Fiona is an acclaimed number 1 bestselling author, whose books have been translated into more than thirty different languages worldwide.

She draws inspiration from the stories of strong women, especially during the years of World War II. Her meticulous historical research enriches her writing with an evocative sense of time and place.

She spent seven years living in France, having moved there from the UK in 2007, before returning to live in Scotland. Her love for both of these countries, their people and their histories, has found its way into the books she’s written.

Fiona says, "To be the first to hear about my NEW releases, please visit my website at www.fionavalpy.com and subscribe to the mailing list. I promise not to share your e-mail and I'll only contact you when there's news about my books."

 

My Review

 

A beautifully written dual time read, from the horrors of living in Norway in WWII, to 2002 Shetland Islands, Scotland.
We are given a women whom has recently lost her twin and need to get away, she has agreed to be a care taker, what she doesn't expect is the vibrant elderly women she finds. I can't and don't want to put myself in Hanna's shoes, but in the end as they struggle for a relationship, she does share with Ruby.
A read that lingers with you long after the last page is turned.
We are offered some current danger, past horrors, life changing decisions, and the prospect of some romance.
In the end, I didn't want this read to conclude.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Ballantine, and was not required to give a positive review. 

 

Daughters of the Wreckage by Stefanie Koens

 

Shortly before Christmas in 2018, Tess McCarthy, after years as a hard-working English teacher who never did anything out of the ordinary, flies to Western Australia's remote Abrolhos Islands. She is in search of answers--both to the infamous Batavia shipwreck and her personal family crises.

In 1628, Saskia, an orphaned young Dutchwoman, boards Batavia with relatives, bound for a new and potentially dangerous life in the East Indies--only for her world to first collide with Aris Jansz, the ship's taciturn under surgeon.

Tess, Saskia, and Aris--their lives linked by secrets that span generations--carry the baggage of past losses and the uncertainty of their futures. And, in the most unlikely circumstances, they may find qualities that echo through centuries: faith, acceptance, and love.

Amazon 

 

About The Author

 

Anthea Syrokou is an author who grew up and resides in Sydney, Australia.

Anthea's love for writing was planted at a young age when she studied Greek mythology. Her love for literature continued well into her teenage years when she enjoyed reading novels by many of the great English writers.

Her new novel, Curiosity Spares the Butterfly, is a coming-of-age literary tale in the upmarket fiction/mystery genres, and was just released on the 2nd March, 2026.

Anthea has a BA degree, majoring in psychology and industrial relations, and a diploma in counselling. She also studied Greek literature at university and has worked in direct marketing, and insurance and investments.

When she isn’t writing or reading, Anthea enjoys travelling, yoga, spending time with her family, and escaping to the vineyards. A quiet house with some jazz playing in the background, surrounded by a few lit scented candles is her idea of relaxation. Even though Anthea dreams about hosting the “perfect” dinner party, she is more likely to be found at a cosy, candlelit restaurant. She lives with her husband and their two sons, and enjoys regular visits from the neighbour's cat.

 

My Review

 

This is such at times sad story, you will wonder what makes some people tick, Evil!
Tess McCarthy recently lost her Dad, and she ends up going to western Australia’s Abrolhos Islands. Her Dad had been doing research on the shipwreck of the Batavia in 1628, and more specifically, her Mom's ancestor Aris Jansz.
While we discover a lot of facts, and a lot disturbing happenings, this is 2018, and a dual time read. We are with Tess and Drew at archaeology dig, and piece together a lot of the distant past.
You will be page turning for answers, and the author did a get job of weaving this read.
I enjoyed that the author gave us more than even Tess was privy to, and be sure to read the author's notes!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.

Our Mother's Secret: Totally unputdownable and heartbreaking women's fiction packed with family secrets by Alison Ragsdale

 

 

When my sister tells me time is running out for her life-saving transplant, tears roll down my cheeks. But she isn’t crying, she’s staring at our mother, who says words that will change my life forever. ‘It’s time for me to tell you the truth…’

I can barely breathe as my mother tells us there is a possibility that the father we adored might not be our birth father. Before I can process the secret she has kept from us, she takes my hand firmly in hers. ‘You have to find him Mairi, the other man. He is our last chance to save your sister.’

When I tell my husband Tom what my mother has asked me to do, I can see the pain on his face. All he wants is for me to rest and protect the precious life inside of me, the baby we hoped for all these years. How can I put my own happiness ahead of saving my sister’s life?

But finding the man my mother loved all those years ago is only the beginning. Because my sister is also hiding something, and it will change everything I thought I knew about our family. Am I truly prepared for what I will discover when I unravel the secrets of those I love the most? And will I be ready to make the most impossible choice of all?

Amazon

 

About The Author

 

Alison Ragsdale writes contemporary women’s fiction novels set in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, her homeland. They are emotionally charged stories about family, love, loss, forgiveness, and finding new ways to happiness despite life's toughest challenges. 

Ragsdale's novels are heart-wrenching tales of family dynamics and relationships, inspired by the extraordinary in the every-day. For more information, previews of upcoming books, and signings, sign up for the Highlanders Club newsletter.

A former marketing executive, originally from Edinburgh, Alison now lives near Washington D.C. with her husband and dogs. She was educated in England and holds an MBA from Leicester University. 

 

My Review

A read that kept me page turning, and wondering what was going to happen next.
A set of twins with one having health issues. Can one of the sister's help the other?
One sister is finally pregnant, will she be able to help? Can she donate?
Questions, and a times very hard on relationships, there are some very long held secrets.
Was I surprised when some of these secrets get answered? Oh yes, never expected half of what happens here.
There are some happy moments here, and some very sad ones.
I loved the epilogue!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bookouture, and was not required to give a positive review.  

A Heart to Cherish (From the Heart Amish Series) by Amy Clipston

 

With a love built on faith, no dream is impossible...

Jeannie Graber is grateful for her life in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania. Her job in the family fabric shop allows her to contribute and also to set aside a little nest egg for the future. Still, she can't help wishing for a bit more. So when the idea comes to her to remodel a storeroom into a sewing studio where she can give lessons, she sets out to prove that she is a capable woman and no longer the flighty girl no one takes seriously. But she'll need help getting her dream off the ground.

Matthew Fisher works in his brother's construction business, but he has dreams of his own. He's good with a hammer and nails, but he's even better with drafting tools. When Jeannie Graber, whom he's loved from afar for years, asks him to design and build her business space, he understands that Gott has given him a gift: a chance to prove himself to his brother and, more importantly, to Jeannie.

But when a beloved elderly woman disappears from the community, Jeannie and Matthew are determined to bring her home safely. As they work side by side, faith and friendship blossom into something deeper. But will old insecurities keep them apart, or will they finally trust Gott―and each other―with their hearts?

Amazon 

 

About The Author

 Amy Clipston is an award-winning and bestselling author and has been writing for as long as she can remember. Her fiction writing “career” began in elementary school when she and a close friend wrote and shared silly stories. She has a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan University and is a member of the Authors Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Romance Writers of America. Amy works full-time for the City of Charlotte, North Carolina, and lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, mother, and six spoiled rotten cats.Amy loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at AmyClipston.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmyClipstonBooks, and on Instagram at @Amy_Clipston.

 

My Review

 This was such a great story to get lost in, and we are given a lot in this read!
A book that offers some sweet romance, along with some danger that the two main characters meet head on.
Jeannie Graber wants to spread her wings, but lack confidence, Matthew Fisher wants to become a leader in his brother's construction business, and a budding romance between them, maybe?
There is also a missing elderly woman, a dear friend! I loved how these two take it personally to find her, and they sure go about it in a big way. My mind kept thinking will she be alive, are we going to find her?
Along with this mystery and danger, Jeannie may have another admirer, and Matt is hesitant to step on shoes, so to say.
Can these two forge a permanent relationship? Grow in their careers? Find their friend?
Answers come, but I wanted to stay here!
I received this book through #Net Galley and the Publisher #Guideposts, and was not required to give a positive review.