What I wanted to be when I grew up . . .

By Kelly Bridgewater

What am I now?

A child of God. A wife. A mom. A writer. A student. An avid reader.

Yes, that is all true, but it isn't all what I wanted to be when I was a little girl.

In college, I earned a BS in English with a minor in Creative Writing. In graduate school, I earned a MA in Writing, which means I had to complete a creative thesis 132 pages long and defend it to graduate. That was a lot of work, and I really enjoyed upper education.

But . . .

would you believe this bookworm and avid writer actually wanted to be something else when I was little.

First, I wanted to be a teacher. 

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I actually had a huge chalkboard in our living room. (Don't ask me how we got it. I don't know.)  I made my neighborhood kids come over, and we would do math and english. I even made worksheets and sent them home with homework. We had recess and lunch too. I enjoyed watching them learn something new. I even assigned a book that we could all read. If I only had a copy, than I loaned out my copy for them to read. It took a long time before we could actually get together and discuss the book. Sometimes real school would start before we all finished the novel.

Second, I wanted to be an astronaut.

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I remember my Daddy sitting a blanket in our backyard. We would go out after dark and gaze into the night sky. I told my Daddy that I wanted to travel in outerspace and see different planets and stars. My Daddy looked somewhere for what subjects I needed to be good in in order to succeed as an astronaut. I needed to be good in Math and Science. Luckily for me, I attended a school system that had Magnet schools (kind of like an honor's program) for Math and Science. I have always made the honor rolls with practically straight A's, so I got accepted pretty quick. The math was upper level, and I had to study a lot in 6th and 7th grade to be successful. (As a writer, I still can go to the store today and do the total in my head without a calculator. I LOVE math as much as English.) Also, the science teachers at this school made science hands on and a lot of fun. I don't like science so much anymore.

What about you? What did you little version of yourself want to be when you grew up?

Joel C. Rosenberg: The Kremlin Conspiracy

By Kelly Bridgewater

Everything he learned to protect our president, he must use to take out theirs.

With an American president distracted by growing tensions in North Korea and Iran, an ominous new threat is emerging in Moscow. A czar is rising in the Kremlin, a Russian president feverishly consolidating power, silencing his opposition, and plotting a brazen and lightning-fast military strike that could rupture the NATO alliance and bring Washington and Moscow to the brink of nuclear war. But in his blind spot is the former U.S. Secret Service agent, Marcus Ryker, trained to protect but ready to kill to save his country.

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

I have read The Auschwitz Escape by Joel C. Rosenberg, so I was familiar with his writing and the style I expected to get when I picked up his newest release The Kermlin Conspiracy. Military thrillers and suspense are not something I usually gravitate toward unless it is Ronie Kendig. She really dives into her characters and their emotions that I have a hard time putting down Kendig's writings. As for Rosenberg, I know he has written a number of stories, which take place in the middle east, but I haven't gotten around to reading them.

I do enjoy how Rosenberg takes his plot ideas for the turmoil effecting our world today. In this story, he focuses on the issues coming out of Russia. This story could actually be true and based on real events. This element made me empathize with the characters more.

The plot for The Kermlin Conspiracy is different. The story is written in a parallel plot lines with two different characters. One character lives and grows in America while the opposite character grows in Russia. For the first seventy percent of the book, I am introduced and follow both characters as they persuade the fathers of the women they love. They both marry and advance in their careers until they reach the top. The climactic moment doesn't occur until about ninety-five percent into the book, and it was well-written with tons of meaning but, in my opinion, felt out of place for the story.

The problem I have with the plot is the ability to actually show me what the threat actually is. I know that Rosenberg is developing the plot to show the characters, but I don't understand what the threat is. It takes until seventy percent of the book to even see how the two characters finally meet and interact. The ending is left in a cliff hanger, which means a second book or a really bad ending for a first book. I still have no idea what the Kermlin Conspiracy was.  A little confused on this.

The characters are interesting, but I believe there is really nothing special about them for me to remember long after I have shut the book. No moment of redemption or transformation for either character. I really didn't care about them enough to feel bad or good at the end of the novel.

Overall, The Kermlin Conspiracy by Joel C. Rosenberg didn't thrill me like a Thriller should do. I felt bored and wanted to know why I was watching these two men lives as they advanced through the years.  The tension was downplayed A LOT. I wanted more action and suspense moving through the character's lives. I highly recommend Ronie Kendig if you're a fan of military suspense with tons of bullets flying. She'll keep you on the edge of your seat.

I received a complimentary copy of Joel C. Rosenberg's The Kermlin Conspiracy from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

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Goodreads Author Page

Amazon: 

Susan Anne Mason: A Most Noble Heir

By Kelly Bridgewater

When stable hand Nolan Price learns from his dying mother that he is actually the son of the Earl of Stainsby, his plans for a future with kitchen maid Hannah Burnham are shattered. Once he is officially acknowledged as the earl's heir, Nolan will be forbidden to marry beneath his station.

Unwilling to give up the girl he loves, he devises a plan to elope--believing that once their marriage is sanctioned by God, Lord Stainsby will be forced to accept their union. However, as Nolan struggles to learn the ways of the aristocracy, he finds himself caught between pleasing Hannah and living up to his father's demanding expectations.

At every turn, forces work to keep the couple apart, and a solution to remain together seems further and further away. With Nolan's new life pulling him irrevocably away from the woman he loves, it seems only a miracle will bring them back together.

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

I enjoy the Courage to Dream series by Susan Anne Mason, and I was excited when I heard that Mason had created another novel, A Most Noble Heir. With a historical romance, I expected a historical setting filled with life in the past and characters who interact with each other in that time period. With A Most Noble Heir, I was taken back to the late nineteenth century and enjoyed my time with these characters.

The writing jumped from the pages. Mason does a great job at using Deep Point of View and allowing me to really experience the movement and internal thoughts of each individual character. Mason does a great job at creating the setting and allowing me to really see the setting. I could imagine the two mansions and adore all the marvelous settings.

The heroine and hero are different than most wealthy heroine and heroes in stories. Nolan doesn't find out he's an heir to a great fortune until the beginning of the book or around his twenty-first birthday. Nolan is an admirable character who actually makes me swoon a couple of times at the strong love he has for Hannah, and his willingness to give away all his new found fortune in order to be with Hannah, a kitchen maid. Hannah is a strong woman who loves Nolan and gives him the chance to decide if he really wants to give up everything for her. Both characters have a deep faith in God, and they don't change their faith in God for anything.

The plot was different. I have read a number of stories where the characters discover they have money, but they have a hard time adjusting to this new found life. In The Most Noble Heir, Nolan does everything with the plan to keep Hannah as his wife. No matter the cost. The plot moved quickly and kept my attention riveted to the story. I really enjoyed the story and can't wait to see what else Mason creates.

Overall, A Most Noble Heir by Susan Anne Mason is a delightful unique story with amazing characters and a wonderful setting for a romance story. Fans of Mason's other works or Lorna Seilstad works will enjoy this novel.

I received a complimentary copy of A Most Noble Heir by Susan Anne Mason from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Reading Goals for 2017

By Kelly Bridgewater

As a follower of my blog, you know that I read TONS of books. It is hard work reading and reviewing one book per week for this blog. Then have to keep track of what books I am actually reading, and then turn them into the publishing companies alongside Amazon and Goodreads. Plus, if I'm on street teams, and I am a lot, I have to share my reviews on their Facebook pages too.

How do I do it?

I seriously don't know.

I homeschool my nine year old, and I am working on losing weight, so I walk over six miles every day. When my other two boys come home from school, we work on their homework, band practice, Awana books and verses, family devotions, and work around our property. It takes a lot of time. I guess this is why I read really fast. I can finish a book in a day. Usually the best time for me to read is an hour before bed. The house is quiet, and I can fly through the story.

But . . .

for 2018, I would like to read less. Yes, I know that means a lot less reviews. I still plan to do at least one a week, with a writing advice or some Biblical inspiration for the week, but I don't want to overwhelm myself.

I NEED TO FOCUS ON MY WRITING.

Did I say that loud enough?

I always claim to want to be a published writer, but if I keep reading and reviewing without writing, that dream will never become a reality. I would like to write my World War II spy series and see if I'm good enough or does God want me to write for His eyes only.

I want my Daddy who always believed in me to smile down from heaven at me. I want him to see my first and many more published novels. I don't want to waste this burning desire that God has placed in me to go to waste.

How about you? What do you plan to do with your reading goals? Are you planning to read more? Read less?

Tracie Peterson: In Places Hidden

By Kelly Bridgewater

On her way to San Francisco to find her brother, Caleb, who went missing three months ago, Camriann Coulter meets Judith and Kenzie, who both have their own mysteries to solve in the booming West Coast city. The women decide to help each other, including rooming together and working at Kenzie's cousin's chocolate factory.

Camri's search for her brother, an attorney, leads her deep into the political corruption of the city--and into the acquaintance of Patrick Murdock, a handsome Irishman who was saved from a false murder charge by Caleb. Patrick challenges all of Camri's privileged beliefs, but he knows more about what happened to her brother than anyone else. Together, they move closer to the truth behind Caleb's disappearance. But as the stakes rise and threats loom, will Patrick be able to protect Camri from the dangers he knows lie in the hidden places of the city?

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

In Places Hidden by Tracie Peterson is my second book I have read by Peterson. I do enjoy her ability to write a story rich in history with enjoyable characters. Historical romance is my second genre of choice. I know a good historical romance will be filled with likeable characters and a different time period than today.

Peterson's writing was clear and concise. I can see why she has written so many books. While some of her books don't interest me, I was interested in this San Francisco story because it takes place in the beginning of the twentieth century. Her setting in the house and around the town of San Francisco filled my imagination. I had no problem imagining her setting and watching the characters roam through the story.

The romance between Camrianne Coulter and Patrick appeared to be very fast for my taste. They were moving along in the story, trying to solve where the missing brother is and then about eight-five percent into the story, Peterson throws in the sparks for a budding romance. It just didn't fit with the tone of the story up to that moment. It appeared to come out of nowhere. Then they were on the way to the altar.

The plot has been seen before too. I have read a number of stories that have shady parts of town where they take someone illegally away and forced them into slave labor or worse. It is a popular story in historical or contemporary stories. The return of Caleb is also unrealistic too. I think the part should have handled better. It felt cheap.

While these elements bothered me, I really enjoyed the story, and it was enjoyable. I liked spending time with Patrick and Camrianne. I really can't wait to see Judith and Kenzie's story, which I assume will be the next two books in the series. In Places Hidden was a good attempt at a twentieth century historical cozy mystery.

Fans of Peterson's other novels and fans of historical novels or cozy mysteries might enjoy this book.

Overall, In Places Hidden by Tracie Peterson is a captivating twentieth century historical mystery. While the plot may have been done a number of times, I really enjoyed spending time with the characters and the plot.

I received a complimentary copy of In Places Hidden by Tracie Peterson, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Michelle Griep: The Innkeeper's Daughter

By Kelly Bridgewater

Dover, England, 1808: Officer Alexander Moore goes undercover as a gambling gentleman to expose a high-stakes plot against the king—and he’s a master of disguise, for Johanna Langley believes him to be quite the rogue. . .until she can no longer fight against his unrelenting charm.

All Johanna wants is to keep the family inn afloat, but when the rent and the hearth payment are due at the same time, where will she find the extra funds? If she doesn’t come up with the money, there will be nowhere to go other than the workhouse—where she’ll be separated from her ailing mother and ten-year-old brother.

Alex desperately wants to help Johanna, especially when she confides in him, but his mission—finding and bringing to justice a traitor to the crown—must come first, or they could all end up dead.

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

What is better than a historical suspense or historical mystery? In my humble opinion, I think just plain suspense. I adore historical romance and mysteries, so what is better than combining the two elements. With The Innkeeper's Daughter by Michelle Griep, this is my second introduction to her writing. The first book I read was 12 Days at Bleakly Manor. Another mystery with history woven inside. With a historical mystery, I am prepared for a historical time period and a mystery that is solved differently than a contemporary mystery.

Griep's writing is clear and concise. I had no problem imaging the inn that Johanna has to live in and work in. The point of view of the story was told from Johanna's and Alex's perspective. I had no problem disguising from each character as they shared their tale of woe. There was no head hopping or moving around from one character to another in the same paragraph.

Johanna is a survivor. No matter what happened in her home, she was determined to keep her family's inn. Even working in a horrible place that she escaped a long time ago because of the violence brought onto her. But she knew she needed to save her family's home. Johanna does learn to trust God with her circumstances after some hard lessons. While Alex on the other hand is a lying from the first page I met him. But as the story progresses, he falls in love with Johanna and changes his perspective on his goals for the future.

The romance didn't fit right. Alex fell in love with Johanna just because of watching her work in the taproom and her relationship with her family, but I don't think his reasons for helping her and falling in love with her were realistic. It just felt wrong to me.

The mystery was nicely held together. I enjoyed how Griep created a story inside a story and kept me guessing until I solved it. I'm good at solving mysteries, so I don't blame Griep for writing a mystery I solved pretty quickly. The mystery was non-stopped and kept me glued to the page. I really enjoyed the ending of the novel.

Overall, The Innkeeper's Daughter by Michelle Griep is a wonderful written setting with vibrant characters who fall in love too quickly for no reason, but the mystery imprisoning the characters brings the excitement to the plot.

I received a complimentary copy of The Innkeeper's Daughter by Michelle Griep from Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars