Good Friday

By Kelly Bridgewater

"Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him. And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, 'Prophesy! Who is the one who struck you?' And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him." Luke 22: 63-65

"Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate." Luke 23: 9-11

"There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  . . And they divided His garments and cast lost. And the people stood looking on. 

But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, 'He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.' The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine and saying, 'If you are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.'

And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." Luke 23: 32- 38

"Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, 'Father, into Your hands I commit my Spirit.' Having said this, He breathed His last." Luke 23: 44-46

What a horrible scene! What a blessing this will turn into. I hope you remember all the pain and torture our Lord and Savior endured so we could be with him.

Scripture came from the Journal the Word Bible NKJV.

Sarah E. Ladd: The Governess of Penwythe Hall

By Kelly Bridgewater

Cornwall was in her blood, and Delia feared she’d never escape its hold.

Cornwall, England, 1811

Blamed for her husband’s death, Cordelia Greythorne fled Cornwall and accepted a governess position to begin a new life. Years later her employer’s unexpected death and his last request to watch over his five children force her to reevaluate. She can’t abandon the children now that they’ve lost both parents, but their new guardian lives at the timeworn Penwythe Hall . . . back on the Cornish coast she tries desperately to forget.

Jac Trethewey is determined to revive Penwythe Hall’s once-flourishing apple orchards, and he’ll stop at nothing to see his struggling estate profitable again. He hasn’t heard from his brother in years, so when his nieces, nephews, and their governess arrive unannounced at Penwythe Hall, he battles both grief of this brother’s death and bewilderment over this sudden responsibility. Jac’s priorities shift as the children take up residence in the ancient halls, but their secretive governess—and the mystery shrouding her past—proves to be a disruption to his carefully laid plans.

Rich with family secrets, lingering danger, and the captivating allure of new love, this first book in the Cornwall Novels series introduces us to the Twethewey family and their search for peace, justice, and love on the Cornish coast.

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Sarah E. Ladd does it again. With her newest tale, The Governess of Penwythe Hall, Ladd created a story filled with intrigue, mystery, and Regency charm. Right from the beginning, I was wrapped up in Cordelia's world and wanted to know more. The romance took a while to develop, which is completely realistic to me, and I loved that aspect. I enjoyed the plot. I kept wanting to know more about the heroine's past, even though Ladd wouldn't come right out and tell us. Don't worry. Ladd does explain everything before the ending. The novel moved at a good pace and kept me engrossed in the plot. Overall, The Governess of Penwythe Hall by Sarah E. Ladd is a delightful Regency novel with a hint of a mystery twisted around the characters. I enjoyed spending time with the characters and want more from Ladd. 

I received a complimentary copy of Sarah E. Ladd's The Governess of Penwythe Hall from Thomas 

Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

About the Author:

From Amazon

Sarah E. Ladd has always loved the Regency period -- the clothes, the music, the literature and the art. A college trip to England and Scotland confirmed her interest in the time period and gave her idea of what life would've looked like in era. It wasn't until 2010 that Ladd began writing seriously. Shortly after, Ladd released the first book in the Whispers on the Moors series. Book one of the series, The Heiress of Winterwood, was the recipient of the 2011 ACFW Genesis Award for historical romance. (Taken from Amazon.)

Reading Matters

By Kelly Bridgewater

I know.

We have all heard that reading matters. Even have been forced to read since we learned to read when we were little. Time set aside at school to read. Most bookworms like me, I'm sure, looked forward to that time in the school sessions stuck between Science (Yuck!) and Health (Yuck!).

But reading also takes us places.

Sometimes in Fantasy, we learn and explore new creations. How many of us have been to Narnia, Middle Earth, or Hogwarts through the author's creation? I love being able to suspend reality and explore something I have no knowledge of.

What about traveling to an unfamiliar and foreign country?

I have been to England, Ireland, Poland, Germany, and Israel just through reading. I love seeing and visiting England in the past. It sparks my imagination and deepens my cravings to visit these places in real life.

Reading also teaches us more about the past.

From Goodreads

Being a huge World War II buff, I love learning about the heroes of that time period. Since I wasn't around during that time, I enjoy learning about different aspect of the war. From the concentration camps to the Battle of Britain.

I have read Biblical fiction that made the characters of the Bible appear more realistic and admire them more than the information I learn from reading the Bible.

I love reading suspense novels, so I love learning about how the police works and seeing the inside world of their loves.

One of my biggest argument for reading fiction is I can learn more about a certain topic versus reading the thousands of non-fiction topics written out there.

For instance, our Sunday school class did a lesson on forgiveness, and I can't tell you anything the class taught me, but I recommended reading Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke to learn about forgiveness. Easier to digest.

What about you? What does reading fiction do to you?

Rachel Hauck: The Memory House

By Kelly Bridgewater

Embracing the future means remembering the past . . . 

When Beck Holiday lost her father in the North Tower on 9/11, she also lost her memories of him. 
Eighteen years later, she’s a tough New York City cop burdened with a damaging secret, suspended for misconduct, and struggling to get her life in order. Meanwhile a mysterious letter arrives informing her she’s inherited a house along Florida’s northern coast, and what she discovers there will change her life forever. Matters of the heart only become more complicated when she runs into handsome Bruno Endicott, a driven sports agent who fondly recalls the connection they shared as teenagers. But Beck doesn’t remember that either.

Decades earlier, widow Everleigh Applegate lives a steady, uneventful life with her widowed mother after a tornado ripped through Waco, Texas, and destroyed her new, young married life. When she runs into old high school friend Don Callahan, she begins to yearn for change. Yet no matter how much she longs to love again, she is hindered by a secret she can never share.

Fifty years separate the women but through the power of love and miracle of faith, they each find healing in a beautiful Victorian known affectionately as The Memory House.  

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

Rachel Hauck's The Memory House is a unique time-slip novel featuring a couple from the 1960's and the present. Time-slip novels have become a popular genre novel lately. Hauck has written a number of them. The Memory House is a wonderful story that captured my attention from the first chapter and kept me spellbound as I flipped through the different characters story. Hauck made both heroines lose their memories in some form and had me glued to the pages to find out what happened that made them lose their memory. Of the two heroes, I enjoyed watching Don Callahan try to win Everleigh's affection. It was sweet and romantic. The writing was topnotch and Hauck proves why she is at the top of her game when it comes to writing time-slip novels. I believe fans of Hauck's other stories would enjoy this novel. If you enjoy Lauren K. Denton or Heidi Chivarallio, then this might be the story for you. 

I received a complimentary copy of The Memory House by Rachel Hauck from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase The Memory House

About the Author:

From Amazon

Rachel Hauck is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author.

She is a Christy Award Winner and a double RITA finalist. Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times Book Club. She is also the recipient of RT's Career Achievement Award.

A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, and a former sorority girl, Rachel and her husband live in central Florida. She is a huge Buckeyes football fan.

Visit her at www.rachelhauck.com or www.facebook.com/rachelhauck (Taken from Amazon.)

Why Review

By Kelly Bridgewater

I have had people ask me why I write book reviews.

I tell them it is a wonderful way to spread noise about a good book. Or even warn others about a bad book that I haven't enjoyed.

Reviews help an author. If you enjoy a book by a certain author, making noise for the author helps them to keep being wanted by the publishing companies.

Publishing companies only want to publish books that are a good return on their investment, so they will be more willing to offer additional contracts to authors who actually make a scene on the writing community. I know that sounds funny. Money. It drives everyone. But the publishing companies have electric bills too, pay their employees, and pay their authors, so if an author doesn't bring in the money then they sometimes cut the cord after the author has honored their commitment.

The main reason I review is the share my love of books. I love being able to toot an author's horn and share good books with people. I have lead many people to  my blog, so they can see my recommendations for a number of books. Sometimes these people mention that they have found a different book they can't wait to read.

Yeah.

My book blog reviews have worked.

If I can help anyone find a book to read, then I have done my job.

What about you? What is your reason for writing reviews?