Word for 2021

 By Kelly Bridgewater

If you read my post for last week, I shared my thoughts on the verse for 2021.

I have went with Matthew 10: 19.

These words were really digging into my heart.

My Word, or should I say Words, will be:

God’s Timing

 

I need to learn this. I need to trust God. He has a plan for my life.

Writing.

Family.

Whatever it may be.

Wherever it may be. 

There are more moments of doubt and anger.

My husband and I don’t understand why we are where we are in this time in our life.

He has a passion for the music industry, but works in a school bus garage.

I have a passion for writing, but work in the Financial Aid department of an university.

Not that our jobs are horrible. They pay the bills.

But this is not where our passions lie.

I’ll keep praying for God’s Timing in my life.

Move us where you want us to be, God.

Allow us to do what we need to do with our lives.

Amen.

 

Anyone else have this issue? Or is it just me?

Abigail Wilson: The Vanishing at Loxby Manor

 By Kelly Bridgewater

Disappearances, strange activities in the night, and secret organizations abound in this mysterious Regency romance.

Haunted by the assault she’s kept hidden over the past four years, Charity Halliwell finally has a chance to return home to the quaint village she left more than five years before and the happy life she wants so badly to reclaim. All she needs is good conversation with her old friend and an opportunity to find a governess position, and she can leave the fear and guilt behind. But the family who agrees to her yearlong visit turns out to be a far cry from the one she thought she knew, particularly when her friend disappears and the one man she made certain would not be at the house is forced to return. How can she possibly heal and claim her independence when day in, day out she must face the only gentleman who ever held a piece of her heart?

Piers Cavanagh was branded a coward when he failed to show up for a duel he arranged. He had his reasons, of course, but disclosing them would hurt far more than continuing life as an outcast. And worse, with the mysterious departure of his sister, the strange nightly occurrences in the ruins of an old abbey, and the uncomfortable whispers of a secret organization, Piers must overcome his aversion to society and work with the last person he ever thought he would get the chance to speak to again—the girl whose heart he had no choice but to break. 

My Thoughts:

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson is an enticing mystery of a missing person and a scandal that rocks a wealthy family. I really enjoy mysteries and historical romances, but not many people do justice to the combination genre. Most historical mysteries writer usually lean more toward the romance and the historical side, forgetting that they were supposed to include a mystery in the story too. But not Wilson. She does a wonderful job at crafting a plot that focuses on the mystery element and allows the history to shine through the background, setting, and the characters. While the 180 degree transformation of the characters is important to the plot, in Wilson’s novels, the characters did a 360 degree turned and returned to where they were when the story began. They had a little break in their relationship, but they came back and realized the importance of each other in their lives. While this didn’t make or break the romance, it does seem a little too predictable for me. As for the plot, it was nicely handled and well-developed. I enjoyed the mystery and kept flipping through the screens on my Kindle, wanting to know who did the crime and where the missing girl went. Overall, The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson will be on my forever shelf with her other three novels. I’m really curious on what she will compose next.

I received a complimentary copy of The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Matthew 10: 19

 By Kelly Bridgewater

 ¹⁹ But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;” (Biblegateway.com  NKJV Version)

For years, I have struggled with the aspect of writing. Since my Daddy passed away in 2015, every time I open the computer to type a story idea, Satan comes along and whispers in my ear that I don’t know what I’m doing. I pray for him to leave, and I ask God to give me the words that he wants me to write. Story ideas still keep coming, but I don’t feel confident enough to write those stories.

But I want to write stories. I want to see my name on a published book. Even if I only write one novel in my entire life that becomes published. I have a hard time believing that God would give me the desire to write with story ideas that never really go away, but sometimes, okay to be honest, a lot of times, I believe God sprinkled in the desire and story ideas, but he forgot to give me the talent to write a story.

This verse states that God will give me the words when he will allow me to write what he wants me to write. I don’t know if it will be in 2021. But I need to muddle over these words and remember and pray that someday these stories will be written for God and just how they want them to appear.

Here’s to a wonderful 2021 with no masks, no social distancing, and no Covid. I pray we move on. Last week, I prayed for our country.

I pray that I’m either content with the idea of not writing or go forward with writing my stories. 

Cathy Gohlke: Night Bird Calling

 By Kelly Bridgewater

From award-winning author Cathy Gohlke, whose novels have been called "haunting" (Library Journal on Saving Amelie) and "page-turning" (Francine Rivers on Secrets She Kept), comes a historical fiction story of courage and transformation set in rural Appalachia on the eve of WWII.

When Lilliana Swope's beloved mother dies, Lilliana gathers her last ounce of courage and flees her abusive husband for the home of her only living relative in the foothills of No Creek, North Carolina. Though Hyacinth Belvidere hasn't seen Lilliana since she was five, she offers her cherished great-niece a safe harbor. Their joyful reunion inspires plans to revive Aunt Hyacinth's estate and open a public library where everyone is welcome, no matter the color of their skin.

Slowly Lilliana finds revival and friendship in No Creek--with precocious eleven-year-old Celia Percy, with kindhearted Reverend Jesse Willard, and with Ruby Lynne Wishon, a young woman whose secrets could destroy both them and the town. When the plans for the library also incite the wrath of the Klan, the dangers of Lilliana's past and present threaten to topple her before she's learned to stand.

With war brewing for the nation and for her newfound community, Lilliana must overcome a hard truth voiced by her young friend Celia: Wishing comes easy. Change don't. 

 

My Thoughts:

Night Bird Calling by Cathy Gohlke is a story about racism in the south during the early 1940's. The story is heart-wrenching and thought provoking. With realistic hurt and shame, the story hit on harsh realities of the past. The plot kept moving forward and kept my attention. I had a hard time putting the novel down. While I have read Gohlke's World War II novels, this story is definitely something completely different. It is set in American soil and features basically the same time period; however, it deals with a completely different evil than Hitler. It deals with race and the KKK. While this story touches on issues that the media wants their audience to believe is still around, it is a timely story even if it takes place almost eighty years ago. I felt bad for Lilliana Grace. I really enjoyed the curiosity of Celia Percy. She loves books and solving mysteries. Because of her curiosity, it can get her in trouble and good things happen too. She was  my favorite character in the novel. Overall, Night Bird Calling was an enticing read, filled with lessons readers should ponder and think about for a while.

I received a complimentary copy of Night Bird Calling by Cathy Gohlke by Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Prayer for America

 By Kelly Bridgewater

 Lord,

I pray for America. With the transition of a new president and his administration, I fear for our American future. I fear for my boys’ future. I fear for everything that America stands for. I fear for the Freedom that we have and take for granted, moving away.

So many of these young students have been lead to believe a lie and they have bought this lie hook, line, and sinker. I see it every day even at the university I work at. They are allowing students to be taught history wrong. They are being taught Ethical Behavior wrong. No wonder this young generation believes all the lies that are being shoved down their throats. They don’t stand for anything. They believe everyone should be loved no matter what evil they have allowed themselves to believe.

I pray for America. I don’t want to become a socialist country. I don’t want to lose my ability to worship God. I don’t want to lose the ability to own my home. I don’t want someone to tell what I can and can not do.

I can’t believe anyone believes that Biden and Harris are capable people for our government. Our country really needs to start spreading the truth to this generation. We need to help them see that their choices are not the right ones. Our country is on the fast march to destruction. Other countries can see that Biden and Harris are horrible choices for our country.

America is about to fall. I pray that I am wrong.

Help me to be a light to this destructive country.

Amen. 

Melanie Dickerson: Court of Swans

By Kelly Bridgewater

 From New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson comes a reimagining of the Wild Swans—the first book in a new series of fairy-tale retellings set in medieval England!

Delia lives a quiet life as the daughter of an earl in late 14th-century England, but that peace is shattered when her seven brothers are betrayed by their father and falsely arrested. Meanwhile, with the Peasants’ Revolt threatening the peace of the kingdom, the king is executing anyone who had anything to do with the uprising. Delia is terrified her brothers will be next, the youngest of whom is only ten years old.

Delia infiltrates the palace as a lady-in-waiting for the new queen so she can be near her brothers in the Tower of London and help them escape. When she runs into Sir Henry, the guard captain who arrested her brothers, she hates him—until she discovers he has been secretly carrying food to her brothers in their prison cell. 

Trapped into obeying the orders of his king, Sir Henry is the oldest son of an earl whose estate has been seized by the king and his treacherous advisers. His first mission as captain was to arrest seven brothers for treason, but he had no idea that the brothers were so young or that their sister would be so feisty and beautiful.

In a court where everyone is eager to backstab anyone else to get what they want, how will Henry right this wrong and help Delia and her brothers—especially when Delia hates him? And how will he keep them both from losing their heads to this execution-prone king?

 

My Thoughts:

I have read all of Melanie Dickerson's stories, and I was glad to finally see her branch out from her Haggenheim series. It has been long, and started to sound a little repetive. While I enjoy Dickerson's style of writing, I was glad to see something a little different. Dickerson does not disappoint. I really liked how she crafted the story. I couldn't imagine having seven brothers and have them all accused of treason against the King. There was one issue that did bother me, and it was the beginning of the novel. I didn't understand why we were at a wedding, then jumped three years, then jumped six months. I would have preferred to start the novel with the capturing of her brothers, and then allowing us to see the hatred of her step-mother as the story moved along. I wondered why the step-mother did not go after Delia as she traveled to where the brothers were being held captured. Even though the story did have its quirks, I still was enthralled with the writing and the story. I can't wait to see what story Dickerson will show readers next.

I received a complimentary copy of Court of Swans by Melanie Dickerson from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Lynette Eason: Active Duty

 By Kelly Bridgewater

As a former field surgeon in Afghanistan, Heather Fontaine is used to life-or-death situations. She just didn't expect them to follow her home. When she returns from a party to find that someone has broken into her house--and threatened her friends--she assumes it is the stalker who has been following her and creeping her out. She hopes to find safety and peace of mind by leaving the city and hiding out in a small town. But trouble has followed her even there.

Luckily, a stalker isn't the only one watching Heather. Travis Walker has been secretly watching out for her for weeks. As owner of his own security agency, it's what he does. Together, Travis and Heather must figure out who wants her dead--and why--before it's too late.

Bestselling and award-winning author Lynette Eason will have you looking over your shoulder as you dive into this fast-paced, suspense-filled story about losing control and finding something even better.

 

My Thoughts:

Active Defense is fast flipping story told from Heather's perspective. Lynette Eason does a wonderful job at bringing these active soldiers to life as they bring home their trouble from the tours in Afghanistan. I enjoy a novel that features a run for their lives and a hunt for justice and a serial killer. Eason does a fabulous job at crafting a story that captures my attention and does not let go.  Active Defense is the third book in this series, and Eason will not let her readers down. She does exactly what is expected. Sometimes I even found the story a little repetive and predictable. Overall, Eason did a wonderful job at crafting a story that features the thrills and the characters that fans of romantic suspense will enjoy.

I received a complimentary copy of Active Defense by Lynette Eason, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3.75 out of 4 stars

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