Halloween

 By Kelly Bridgewater

Halloween.

Another year has slipped by. Where has the time gone?

I adore fall.

I love the bright colors on the tree.

I love the crisp air.

I love sitting by a fire, roasting marshmallows.

I even adore taking my boys trick-or-treating, but they are too big to do that now. We just hit the stores on November 1^st and purchase the 50% off candy.

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Much better that way anyways.

I didn’t have to stay out late and roam the city.

Just had to hit the stores in time to get the good candy. I store some of the candy to put in their stockings for Christmas and use it for Christmas baking.

What a way to use all the candy?

I sure don’t need it. Our family has went to a healthier diet a long time ago, so we have eliminated most sugars and fats anyway, but of course, you have to make an exception during the holidays.

Halloween is a holiday, so it doesn’t count.

What about you? Do you stockpile candy after Halloween? Or am I the only one that does this?

Patricia Raybon: All That Is Secret

 By Kelly Bridgewater

From award-winning author Patricia Raybon comes a compelling new historical mystery series, a riveting puzzle confronting the hidden secrets of class, race, family, and love.

Can an amateur detective solve the cold-case mystery of her lost father's murder?

In the winter of 1923, Professor Annalee Spain―a poor, prim but clever Black theologian--a fan of Sherlock Holmes--leaves her overworked teaching job in Chicago to return home to solve the murder of her estranged father. But in Colorado's dangerous winter of 1923, when the Klan rules the state, will she find answers for crimes before becoming a victim, too?

With her daring spirit and her literary hero Sherlock Holmes as inspiration, Annalee launches her hunt for clues, attracting two surprising allies: Eddie, a relentless young orphan boy searching for his missing father, and Jack, a handsome young pastor who loves nightclub dancing and rides in his sporty car, awakening Annalee's heart to the surprising highs and lows of romantic love.

With their help, Annalee follows clues that land her among Denver's powerful elite. But when their sleuthing unravels sinister motives and deep lies, Annalee could confront all that is secret that others will kill to hide

 

My Thoughts:

All That is Secret by Patricia Raybon is a thrilling chase through historical political strife as the hunt for justice as dead bodies pack up. The plot touches on the historical racism of the time. Not in a horrifying way, but a realistic punch to what occurred during the time. The story does feature the Ku Klux Klan, but it is realistic part of America’s dark past. As a reader, I felt like I was watching the story unfolded in the important moments of history. It rang true to my amateur mind. Annalee was a brave, educated woman who loves Sherlock Holmes with a heart for the downtrodden. Holmes is a huge love of mine. I enjoyed suspense stories, so throw in a little history, and the author grabs my attention. Rayborn definitely does this. A little bit of romance. Not overwhelming at all. On the other hand, there is one issue that I had with the plot. Internal dialogue. There are numerous incidents in the story where Rayborn would stop the action by freezing the characters so that Annalee could think through things. Sometimes her thoughts would go on for pages. A little too much for my taste. I wanted to know what was happening on around her. Overall, All That is Secret by Patricia Raybon is a historical mystery with touches of reality. I’m interested in reading book two since there will be more stories featuring Annalee.

I received a complimentary copy of All That is Secret by Patricia Raybon from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

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About the Author: 

A writer of faith by day and mystery by night, Patricia Raybon is an award-winning Colorado author, essayist and novelist whose top-rated books explore the daring intersection of faith and race.

Her first fiction -- an historical detective series, All That Is Secret, set in 1923 in Colorado's Klan era -- is set to release Oct. 5, 2021, from Tyndale House.

"Readers will be hooked from the first line of this page-turning mystery...Captivating." (Julie Cantrell) "A good mystery." (Rhys Bowen) "Fast-paced and intriguing." (Manuel Ramos) "Engrossing and thrilling....This intrepid sleuth would give Sherlock Holmes a run for his money." (Sophfronia Scott).

For a deep dive into Patricia's compelling world of faith and fiction, connect with her daring and insightful books--and receive a free download of her "Busy Person's Guide to Hearing God" -- at patriciaraybon.com

Image and Notes about the Author taken from Goodreads.com

Daddy: Six Years Later

 By Kelly Bridgewater

Yesterday, would have been my Daddy’s 73^rd birthday.

But he is in heaven, so I can’t make him his carrot cake or a German Chocolate cake, which were my Daddy’s favorite cake.

This year time of the year, I look forward to the elements of fall, but there is a bite to it because I remember my Daddy who was so important to me and that he is not here anymore to celebrate with.

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On Halloween 2015, he took his last breathe and scared all three of his children. I am the middle child and miss him terribly.

So the lesson learned: Treasure the ones still in your life. Make moments that matter. Never know when it might be the last time that you can touch them. Tell them you love them. Give them a hug or whisper a word of encouragement.

It might be hard to shop for them now and make moments in your busy lives to contact them and visit them, but trust me, when they aren’t an option anymore, you will miss those moments.

I used to spend a two to three hours every Saturday just talking to my Daddy on the phone. Now, I don’t even remember what his voice sounds like. It makes me sad.

I can’t wait to get to heaven. Hopefully, God will allow us to reunite with the ones we lost. I want to see my Daddy again and wrap him in a big hug.

Have you ever lost anyone close to you? 

Patti Callahan: Once Upon a Wardrobe

 By Kelly Bridgewater

From Patti Callahan, the bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis, comes another enchanting story that pulls back the curtain on the early life of C. S. Lewis.

“Where did Narnia come from?”

The answer will change everything.

Megs Devonshire is brilliant with numbers and equations, on a scholarship at Oxford, and dreams of solving the greatest mysteries of physics.

She prefers the dependability of facts—except for one: the younger brother she loves with all her heart doesn’t have long to live. When George becomes captivated by a brand-new book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and begs her to find out where Narnia came from, there’s no way she can refuse.

Despite her timidity about approaching the famous author, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with the Oxford don and his own brother, imploring them for answers. What she receives instead are more stories . . . stories of Jack Lewis’s life, which she takes home to George.

Why won’t Mr. Lewis just tell her plainly what George wants to know? The answer will reveal to Meg many truths that science and math cannot, and the gift she thought she was giving to her brother—the story behind Narnia—turns out to be his gift to her, instead: hope.

 

My Thoughts:

I am a huge fan of C. S. Lewis. I love reading his biographies and learning about his creative process. I love learning about how important imagination is to him. It is important to me too, so I really love reading about his life. I have read so many books by him and about him. I wrote three essays in college using his stories, letters, biographies, and autobiographies to craft these essays. I read Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan, and I loved learning more about Joy Davidman, so I could not wait to read this next novel that dives into Lewis’ world again. The cover to this novel draws me in, and I really could not wait to dive into this story. Being familiar with many of Lewis’s biographies, I really knew what the story was going to be about. The story is basically a split-time novel. We have the present day story where Meg is visiting Lewis and his brother, Warnie, then flipping back to telling the past stories to George. While the writing was good, I felt like I was in England, which I have never been, and enjoyed that the story takes place during the winter in England. As an avid reader of Lewis’ life, I knew pretty much all of the stories that Meg told George. Nothing new there. Not that I did not mind this. It might be a great way to introduce new readers to Lewis life. Another thing that bothered me was that Callahan really did not explain the real answer to the change in Meg and George’s life at the end of the story. It was hinted out, but never told out right what it was. Also, the last chapter was very confusing. I did not really know whose perspective the chapter was in. Overall Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan is a good introduction to fans of Lewis’ Narnia series but really not much else about his life. I think a physical copy is still needed in my library.

I received a complimentary copy of Once upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan from Harper Muse Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

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Personal Pronouns

 By Kelly Bridgewater

Something has been bothering me lately.

Personal Pronouns.

He/His/Him

She/Her/Hers

They/Them/They

Ze/Hir/Zirs

The last one I have never heard of until recently.

It means: “Could be actually a man, a woman, both, neither, or something else entirely.” https://www.mypronouns.org/ze-hir

According to the LGBT Resource Center, “Using someone’s correct pronouns is an important way of affirming someone’s identity and is a fundamental step in being an ally.” https://lgbtqia.ucdavis.edu/guide-pronouns-allies

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My question: Why is this necessary?

Are we honestly in the day and age where Americans do not know their gender? Maybe Biology needs to be taught to these brainwashed people.

I am a woman who loves cars, loud 80’s, heavy metal, and rock/alternative music, Hockey, will never wear a dress, and doesn’t wear make-up rarely ever. I don’t mind getting dirty.

I despise Hallmark and Contemporary romance novels.

I hate spa days.

I hate sitting around and just talking with others.

I enjoy war movies and tons of actions movies

But does that make me confused about my gender?

Of course not!

I know I am a woman. Look at my body. Pretty obvious.

I’m a nice person to everyone. I respect everyone. No matter the color of their skin or their proclaimed gender.

But don’t you dare try to offend these people or you are in trouble.

BUT YOU ARE OFFENDING ME!!!

That is not important anymore.

Only what offends them.

Our country has gone away from its moral compass.

My grandparents would have smacked me if I would have said something like this young generation is and trying to push onto others who see different from them.

Another term is transphobia.

This is a term that their community has created for anyone who disagrees with their viewpoint.

It is a not a correct vernacular term at all.

Just because I disagree with your sin does not make me afraid of you.

Sin is sin. No matter how many rainbows you cover it with.

 

Don’t comment if you are going to be mean!!!!

My blog. My personal opinion.

I know I am not the only one. This is a popular viewpoint. We are just doing not being vocal and rude about it like they are. 

Brian Andrews: Dark Intercept

 By Kelly Bridgewater

When dark forces rise, are faith and firepower enough?

On the eve of his medical retirement, Navy SEAL Jedidiah Johnson receives a frantic call from his estranged childhood best friend David Yarnell. David's daughter has been kidnapped off the streets of Nashville in broad daylight. The police have no suspects and no leads. The only clue: the body of a dead priest left behind at the scene. With the clock ticking, David is growing desperate, as is his wife, Rachel . . . Jed's first love.

Despite his painful history with David and Rachel, Jed agrees to help. But he's spent his career as a door-kicking Navy SEAL, not an investigator. His presence immediately draws unwanted attention, creates friction with the local police, and triggers a mysterious attempt on his life. Just when he thinks things can't get worse, it starts to happen again--the voices in his head, the nightmares, the visions. Dark memories and strange abilities, things he believed he'd left behind when he fled Nashville for the Navy at eighteen, begin to resurface.

Jed realizes that to save the missing girl, he must take a leap of faith and embrace the gifts he's denied for all these years. To foil this dark intercept, he'll need more than just his years as a SEAL operator, because he has no choice now but to take up arms and join the battle in the unseen spiritual warfare raging all around him. And there is far more at stake than just a missing girl: the world is not the place he thought it was--and he is not alone. 

 

My Thoughts:

Dark Intercept by Brian Andrews is a huge hit in my book. I had a really hard time putting the novel down. Tons of actions. Tons of darkness. Tons of running. Tons of shooting. Kidnapping. Mystical, Spiritual Elements. This novel kept my attention and did not let go. At first, when it started in the Middle East, I sighed in defeat because so many spy or military novels start over there. I did not want to read another one of these novels. But once you move past the first couple of chapters, it really takes off. A lot of unknowns, which kept me begging for the authors to tell me. I sat and devoured the novel. It was fabulously written. Since this was labeled as book #one, I really hope there are more novels. I can't wait to put this novel on my keeper shelf. I highly recommend this novel to fans of high octane action with the twist of spiritual warfare.

I received a complimentary copy of Dark Intercept by Brian Andrews from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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About the Author:

Brian Andrews is a US Navy veteran, Park Leadership Fellow, and former submarine officer with a psychology degree from Vanderbilt and a masters in business from Cornell University. He is the author of three critically acclaimed high-tech thrillers: Reset, The Infiltration Game, and The Calypso Directive, and co-authors the Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon best-selling TIER ONE thriller series with Jeffrey Wilson. (Taken from Goodreads.)

20th Wedding Anniversary

 By Kelly Bridgewater

 This past week was my husband and I’s 20^th Wedding Anniversary.

 Marriage is extremely tough.

 It is hard meddling two lives together.

 Especially when one is a pack rat and a hoarder and enjoys being messy all the time.

 The other one likes to be clean and see the floors and counters in the kitchen.

 So majority of the time, this is what are arguments consist of. I’m tired of looking at all his things piled around the house. He’s tired of me whining about all his junk. He calls me a nag.

BUT . . .

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Where it really matters, we completely agree.

We both raised out boys in the church. God. First.

Education is important. They have to know what happened in the past. Reading. Writing. How things work or they won’t be successful in life.

We both agree that debt and credit cards are dumb. If we can’t pay cash for it, then we don’t buy it. We have engrained this in all our boys head too.

While we have survived tons of struggles, we know there is no end in sight. 

This marriage is until Death Do You Part.

I love you, honey!!!!

Even if you messes drive me crazy.

Here to 20 more!

How long have you been married? So many people give up on marriage when the going gets tough, but we both agreed early on that the D word is not allowed to be said in our marriage no matter how mad we become at each other.

Which happens a lot.

Happy 20^th Anniversary!

David James Warren: Blood From a Stone

 By Kelly Bridgewater

He fled the future with blood on his hands. Now, he’ll do anything to stop a killer.

Tragedy has yet again taken from Detective Rembrandt Stone everything he loves. Now, he has one last chance to get things right and stop a killer he’s been hunting across four timelines. Instead, he gets tangled in a petty crime that just might cost him his once chance at justice.

With two murders to stop, and thirty-eight lives still in the balance, Rembrandt must play his hand against time just right if he wants to win his future. Play it wrong and his life will stay shattered beyond repair.

What sacrifices will he have to make to come home to his wife and daughter?

The stakes have never been higher in the heart-wrenching, edge-of-your-seat fifth story of theTrue Lies of Rembrandt Stone.

My Thoughts:

Blood from a Stone by David James Warren for the fifth time allows readers to time travel with Rembrandt to the past as he tries to fix the future back to the way it was. Of course, more problems arise. After having failed four times, he hopes and prays that the fifth time is the charm. Again with the knowledge of past events, he tries to stop the crimes before they occur, but it does not end up correct and a domino effect of errors start occurring. After reading all five novels at this time, I really can’t wait to see how Warren ties up this series. Does everything go back to the way it was? Does Rembrandt learn to accept life the way it is? The plot continues to showcase danger and the hunt for the Jackson Five killer. I do enjoy the amount of action that is crafted in the novel. I do enjoy that Warren has Rembrandt try really hard to win his wife’s Eve affections. Overall, Blood from a Stone is another thrilling installment, and I can’t wait to get my hand on the final book and see how this series ends.

I received a complimentary copy of Blood from a Stone by David James Warren from Sunrise Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Irene Hannon: Labyrinth of Lies

 By Kelly Bridgewater

When the daughter of a high-profile businessman disappears from an exclusive girls' boarding school, police detective Cate Reilly is tapped for an undercover assignment. It doesn't take her long to realize that beneath the veneer of polish and wealth, things are not as they seem at Ivy Hill Academy. But the biggest surprise of all? The only man she ever loved is also working at the school.

Zeke Sloan has never forgotten Cate, but now isn't the best time for their paths to cross again. When their two seemingly disparate agendas begin to intertwine--and startling connections emerge among the players--the danger escalates significantly. But who is the mastermind behind the elaborate ruse? And how far will they go to protect their house of cards?

Queen of romantic suspense Irene Hannon invites you to scale the heights of human folly and plumb the depths of the human heart in this second gripping book in the Triple Threat series.

 

My Thoughts:

Labyrinth of Lies by Irene Hannon is classified as a romantic suspense novel. My favorite part of the novel was the unique setting. It reminded me a lot of the movie, Never Been Kissed by Drew Barrymore, which I love. However, this time, the hero and heroine have a past that was never really resolved. Because of this, the tension fizzles on the page. The setting of an all-girl school was different. However, the Mexican drug mystery element is a little overdone, in my opinion. Once a reader has read this type of story, usually they have read them all. There is not much difference in the plots. Similarly, the romance takes over the mystery element. The mystery is still there, but it seems to take a backseat to the suspense, which is what I read these type of stories for. Overall, Labyrinth of Lies really did not capture my attention. I was pretty bored reading it and kept calculating in my head how many more pages I had left to go until it was finished. If the reader enjoys 70 percent romance and 30 percent suspense, this story might be right up their alley.  

I received a complimentary copy of Labyrinth of Lies by Irene Hannon from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

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Loneliness

 By Kelly Bridgewater

Covid-19 ruined everything for everyone in 2020.

Nobody could do anything.

Hopefully, at this date, we are done with this, and the world has gone back to normal.

Even though so many people in the world lived in fear of a disease that had a 99 percent survival rate, I did not. I did not wear a mask anywhere.

 I choose to not shop at stores that masks were a requirement. The Amish enjoyed our business.

Our garden was a lot bigger. We canned vegetables. We purchased more chickens. Even bought a cow for the first time. We didn’t rely completely on the grocery store chains to take care of us. Our boys learned how to gut a deer and cow. Then process the food. They helped me can the vegetables that we grew from seeds. The boys learned how to bake bread. The boys learned how to actually eat what was in the house. If something sounded good from a restaurant, our middle son even learned how to make it from scratch.

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But my biggest issue with the government telling us what we can and can not do is the amount of people that can deal with the loneliness that they have been forced into. It is hard for retired people and elderly to begin with. Now the government does not want anyone to go visit them. How awful!

Tons of younger adults are committing suicide because they can’t handle not being social and around others. As for me, it really has not changed much in my life. I enjoy being alone with my immediate family, for the most part. Of course, there are days, I really prefer not to be with my family, but who does not feel that way at times.

I pray that the world has moved on from the fear of Covid-19 and hope that stupid Biden and Harris are not trying to destroy our country just because they can.

How did you handle Covid-19? Was it more stressful? Or did you enjoy ALL the extra time with your family?