Naomi Stephens: The Burning of Rosemont Abbey

By Kelly Bridgewater

1956: In the quiet village of Wilbeth Green, the smoldering ruins of Rosemont Abbey set the residents' tongues wagging, and everyone is quick to accuse troublemaker Paul Everly of being the arsonist. Paul has vanished without a trace, leaving only his twin sister, Louisa, certain of his innocence. Fueling her conviction is an inexplicable connection--she felt her twin's death an hour before the abbey went up in flames.

Knowing no one will believe her, Louisa embarks on her own investigation, challenging the skepticism of her neighbors and the disdain of her aunt and uncle. Even Inspector Malcolm Sinclair, once Paul's closest friend, is torn between his duty and a lingering loyalty to Paul and warns Louisa to abandon her pursuit. But Louisa is determined to solve a murder no one else believes was committed, even if it means unraveling secrets that could shake Wilbeth Green to its core.

Award-winning author Naomi Stephens presents a gripping whodunnit--reminiscent of the beloved Agatha Christie tales--of love and redemption set in a quaint British village.

 

My Thoughts:

The Burning of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi Stephens crafts a world of historical mystery during the 1950's. While I really wanted to like this story, I had a hard time enjoying it. The plot does not move forward at all. The characters were really never in danger. While the mystery had the potential to be a bigger, mysterious idea, it did not turn out that way. A number of cozy mysteries have the heroine trying to solve the mystery. This time the concept was no different. But I honestly did not care what happened to her. Yes, it is her twin brother that is being thrown on the chopping block, but it felt weird. The setting and time period of the novel had nothing unique about it that made me believe I was in 1950. I honestly kept thinking I was in the Victorian era. Her aunt and uncle were in charge of her. Her money. Her dating life. When I think of 1950's, I think of sock hops, school dances, beginning of rock and roll, and classic cars. A couple of times, Stephens did mention musicians, but music was such a HUGE part of the 1950's world, but it did not affect the heroine at all. Why did she not hang out with her friends at the local malt shop and talk over the clues of the case with a trusted friend there. She did some sleuthing, but not enough for my taste. Overall, The Burning of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi Stephens was dated in 1956, but I had a really hard time buying. The plot was not that interesting, and I wanted more from the main heroine. Not a book that I could recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of The Burning of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi Stephens from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Purchase The Burning of Rosemont Abbey

2 Corinthians 4: 6 – 13

By Kelly Bridgewater

pixabay

⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”^[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

¹³ It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”^[b] Since we have that same spirit of^[c] faith, we also believe and therefore speak,

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+4%3A+6+-13&version=NIV 

Robin Jones Gunn: Tea with Elephants

By Kelly Bridgewater

Ever since they met as teenagers volunteering at a conference center in Costa Rica 20 years ago, Fern Espinoza and Lily Graden have shared a close friendship, even though they live in different states. They can hardly believe it when their teen dream of traveling to Africa together becomes a reality. It's the trip of a lifetime--but life sure isn't what they thought it would be back when they were young.

Along with their suitcases, each woman brings along emotional baggage that weighs heavily on them. Yet the people they meet and the places they experience have the power to change their hearts--but only if they surrender to the lessons God wants to teach them in this unexpected land of emerald tea fields, graceful giraffes, and rambunctious elephants.

Pack your bags and get ready for adventure as Robin Jones Gunn invites you on a safari of the heart in this vulnerable exploration of how to move forward in faith even when the future is uncertain.

 

My Thoughts:

Tea with Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn reminded me a lot of her Sisterchicks series. I have loved Gunn's writing since I picked up True Friends with Christy and Katie back in high School. Now almost an empty-nester myself, there is a lot of changes coming to my life soon. It is nice to see Gunn create characters who are teenagers and handling that part of their life, then she moves into young adults, then adults, then late thirties adults. With Tea with Elephants, I enjoyed the concept and the characters, but the story really did not capture my attention. It read more like Fern's opinions on her trip. A journal entry of every day. Her thoughts. Her actions. Her descriptions. Once in a while, Gunn would thrown something to move the plot along, but I wanted more in-depth. Sometimes we had discussions between Lily and Fern, but since they were good friends, it took them a long time to allow their own walls to come down and be honest with each other. I found that odd. If they had been such good friends for a long time. Why didn't they share their woes on the plane to Africa or as soon as they entered their first cabin. Why keep it hidden from each other? Gunn does a wonderful job at describing the setting. If readers are interested in Africa, this might help hold the thirst at bay. For me, I have no desire to visit Africa, so it did not seem like a place I wanted to visit. Overall, Tea with Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn is a good friendship story, but the story lacked the movement of what I wanted to see when two friends are spending time on the side of the world.

I received a complimentary copy of Tea with Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Purchase Tea with Elephants

Election Woes

By Kelly Bridgewater

I know I have said this before, but please vote for a better president than Joe Biden.

He has raised the cost of living, house costs, gas / energy costs, taxes, grocery costs, etc . . . where the average American can not keep up.

All working for less than $20 an hour.

Do NOT say go to college and get a degree.
I have a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree, and I do NOT earn $20 an hour.

But this is the best job that I could find. Pension plan. Retirement plan. Paid sick and vacation time. Time off during Christmas to New Years. Don’t have to work weekends except in June.

Most jobs around me are offering less than $15 an hour, and they want you to sell your soul to the company.

No more 9 – 5 with weekends off.

No more pension plans.

No reasonable health care costs. If I added my family to my work’s health care, it would cost me $700 a month. That is almost one entire paycheck. I can’t live off the same amount for the other half.

Older Boomers have it made. Yes, I know this does not apply to everyone. But still.

They have houses paid in full that they paid $15,000.

They worked for 40 plus years at one company that gave them a very NICE pension to retire with.

Now their houses are worth at least half a million.

They want our generation to purchase these houses at 15 times or more of their actual value when we make next to nothing.

I have heard it said that we are in a Great Depression, but most young kids don’t realize it because they make payments and have credit cards. It will catch up with them one day.

Should not be drinking NASTY Starbucks.

Not going out to eat.

Or having a eight bedroom house when they are just married with granite countertops and a brand new car in the driveway.

You have to save and slowly build what you have. Just like my grandparents did.

Luckily, no debt except the house, which is ONE year away from being paid off. Thank GOD!!!

We need to remove the 99 percent of the people in the White House and start over.

Stop allowing old people that are wealthy taking away our futures.

We need men and women who represent the hurt that we are feeling as a look over generation. Even though, they want us to fund Urkaine’s war and give out small amount of money to the illegal immigrants that need to GO HOME!!!!!!

What about you? Feeling the squeeze and depression that you have nothing? Then prove it!

Vote for someone else better in office this November.

Kara Swanson: Ignite

By Kelly Bridgewater

About the Book

Book: Ignite

Author: Kara Swanson

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: August 20, 2024

Can Mara survive in a world where the fire in her veins is worth killing for?
 
In a frozen wasteland suffocating beneath a dying sun, Mara is a young phoenix raised by her father to explode at his command. He’s the only one who can help her control her fire, and Mara desperately follows his orders to protect their phoenix family from relentless human hunters.

Her sheltered existence is shattered when her family mysteriously vanishes, thrusting Mara into a perilous quest to find them. Along the way, she unravels a devastating truth: her people may not be the innocent victims she's been taught to believe.

When she comes face-to-face with the kindhearted Eli, she begins to wonder if the humans aren’t the monsters she's always feared. What if the greatest danger doesn’t lie in the icy world outside—but in the truth of who Mara really is?

Fire and ice collide in this thrilling tale of a phoenix girl born with the power of a dying sun.

 

My Thoughts:

Ignite by Kara Swanson is an original, unpredictable tale of phoenixes. As the story starts, there is really nothing happening. Swanson sets up the setting and allowing Mara, the heroine, to show her storyworld. But of course, she has to do something that shoves her out of her comfort zone. She goes an adventure to find her true self and discover what her family actually is. After the first twenty percent of the novel, the story becomes interesting, and I wanted to see Mara succeed. Once Mara hits the climactic moment, it started to remind me of Satan and his followers and how they choose to leave such a beautiful place because of his pride. Not an exact re-telling just some hints of the familiar story. The fight is pretty detailed near the end of the story. Swanson does leave readers in a cliff-hanger that will leave the readers wanting to know if there is going to be a second book. Overall, Ignite by Kara Swanson is a unquie tale of discovery. Discovery of oneself's true identity. Discover of family. Discover of the lies and truths the characters live in. Plenty of action after the first twenty percent. I hope there is going to be a second book.

I received a complimentary copy of Ignite by Kara Swanson from Enclave Publishing through CelebrateLite Tours, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Ignite

About the Author

Kara Swanson writes stories about fairy tales and fiery souls. She spent her childhood a little like a Lost Girl, running barefoot through lush green jungles which inspired her award-winning Peter Pan retellings, Dust and Shadow.

She is also the cofounder of the Author Conservatory (authorconservatory.com) where she has the honor of teaching young writers to craft sustainable author careers.

You’ll find Kara with her toes in California sand as a SoCal resident, belting Broadway show tunes on weekend drives to Disneyland with her delightfully nerdy husband, or chatting about magic and mayhem on Instagram.

More from Kara

This story is one that has lived a hundred lives, a little like the phoenix it’s about —dozens of iterations and nearly eight years discovering Mara’s story. In this icy world beneath a dying sun, I was able to craft a story of a young phoenix girl who was more terrified of her own fire than the dangers of the frozen wasteland outside her underground hideaway. Who has been convinced by the father she loves that her flame is only capable of pain and damage — until suddenly, he disappears. And for the first time, she ventures out of her hideaway to discover that the frozen world outside is actually dying for her flame. And that the parts of herself that she has feared and run from…that there may be beauty, even there. That she can choose to rise from the ash of a world that doesn’t understand her, and use the fire in her veins to bring warmth and healing.

I hope you enjoy the adventure!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 27

By the Book , September 27

Texas Book-aholic, September 28

Live.Love.Read., September 29

Inspired by Fiction, September 30

The Lofty Pages, September 30

Hannahbandanarama, October 1

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 1

Faery Tales Are Real, October 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 3

Min Reads and Reviews, October 3

Wishful Endings, October 4

Book Zone Reviews, October 5

Simple Harvest Reads, October 5 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 6

Where Faith and Books Meet, October 7

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 8

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, October 8

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, October 9

Blogging With Carol, October 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kara is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card and a copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5450/

Reviewing vs. Purchasing Books

By Kelly Bridgewater

If you read my last post, I talked about how paperback books are not really being offered for reviewers anymore.

When I started reviewing books in 2014, there were not that many book reviewers doing book reviews on personal blogs and transferring them to Amazon, Goodreads, Christianbook, etc . . .

pinterest

Since then, everyone who reads a book has a blog and reviews books. Book publishing companies love this. Authors love this. Review sites love this.

But as a reviewer, it is hard to make a difference or have your review stand out when everyone who can read has an opinion. Whether good or bad.

Since the publishing companies are pushing to go completely e-books through Netgalley, I wonder if it is better to just pre-order the books through Baker Book House, which offers 40% the Bethany House and Revell books and FREE shipping.

If I do this, then if I am rushed or busy with life, I won’t feel obligated to write a review.

Not that I don’t like to help out authors. I have done TONS in the past 10.5 years.

But I enjoyed getting compensated with a physical book for my time. Then if I wanted to keep the book, it went on my shelf. If not, then I donated it to our church library or pass it along to friends who I know would like it.

What about you? Review books or just purchase them. What benefits the authors more? This is the whole reason I reviewed anyways.

Michelle Shocklee: All We Thought We Knew

 By Kelly Bridgewater

She was so sure she knew her family’s story . . . Now she wonders if she was wrong about all of it.

1969. When Mattie Taylor’s twin brother was killed in Vietnam, she lost her best friend and the only person who really understood her. Now, news that her mother is dying sends Mattie back home, despite blaming her father for Mark’s death. Mama’s last wish is that Mattie would read some old letters stored in a trunk, from people Mattie doesn’t even know. Mama insists they hold the answers Mattie is looking for.

1942. Ava Delaney is picking up the pieces of her life following her husband’s death at Pearl Harbor. Living with her mother-in-law on a secluded farm in Tennessee is far different than the life Ava imagined when she married only a few short months ago. Desperate to get out of the house, Ava seeks work at a nearby military base, where she soon discovers the American government is housing Germans who they have classified as enemy aliens. As Ava works to process legal documents for the military, she crosses paths with Gunther Schneider, a German who is helping care for wounded soldiers. Ava questions why a man as gentle and kind as Gunther should be forced to live in the internment camp, and as they become friends, her sense of the injustice grows . . . as do her feelings for him. Faced with the possibility of losing Gunther, Ava must choose whether loving someone deemed the enemy is a risk worth taking, even if it means being ostracized by all those around her.

In the midst of pain and loss two women must come face-to-face with their own assumptions about what they thought they knew about themselves and others. What they discover will lead to a far greater appreciation of their own legacies and the love of those dearest to them.

 

My Thoughts:

All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee combines the world of World War II and the Vietnam war. This is definitely a unique and different perspective. I have not read many stories about the Vietnam war. My uncles do not like to talk about it, so I know they do not want to share the horrors that they had to endure. I know this was the Hippie era where there were many protests across America and college campus. But other than that, I really did not know much about this time period. I would have liked to see more of a justification for Mattie not wanting her brother and friend, Nash, to join the Marines to go fight in Vietnam. It was covered, but slightly. I wanted a little more depth to this aspect of the novel. This is a timeslip novel, so there is two time periods that depend on each other in order to solve the mystery by the end of the story. A little bit of romance in both periods. A horse farm as the setting and a camp in other. Shocklee does a wonderful job at bringing the settings to my imagination. Overall, All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee ventures into the Vietnam War Era and ties a thread to the World War II era. From heroic characters to characters with doubts, Shocklee invites readers into a world of questioning why readers believe what they believe. It is okay to dive deeper to cement pre-conceived ideas.

I received a complimentary copy of All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee from  Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase All We Thought We Knew