Heidi Chiavorli: The Tea Chest

By Kelly Bridgewater

Boston, 1773
Emma Malcolm's father is staunchly loyal to the crown, but Emma's heart belongs to Noah Winslow, a lowly printer's assistant and Patriot. But her father has promised her hand to Samuel Clarke, a rapacious and sadistic man. As his fianc�e, she would have to give up Noah and the friends who have become like family to her--as well as the beliefs she has come to embrace.

After Emma is drawn into the treasonous Boston Tea Party, Samuel blackmails her with evidence that condemns each participant, including Noah. Emma realizes she must do whatever it takes to protect those she loves, even if it means giving up the life she desires and becoming Samuel's wife.

Present Day
Lieutenant Hayley Ashworth is determined to be the first woman inducted into the elite Navy SEALs. But before her dream can be realized, she must return to Boston in order to put the abuse and neglect of her childhood behind her. When an unexpected encounter with the man she once loved leads to the discovery of a tea chest and the document hidden within, she wonders if perhaps true strength and freedom are buried deeper than she first realized.

Two women, separated by centuries, must find the strength to fight for love and freedom. . . and discover a heritage of courage and faith.  

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

With The Tea Chest, Heidi Chiavorli dives into an important moment in American history and brought it to life for readers. I really liked learning more about the Boston Tea Party and seeing the struggles from the character's perspective. This is why I enjoy diving into historical fiction because I always learn more from the story than a texbook. Even though I enjoyed the historical time line, there is also a contemporary timeline trying to solve the mystery of what happened with the historical timeline. Both characters are brave and have the time to show that and believe they are brave through their actions. Both characters transform by the end of the story. Overall, The Tea Chest is a delightful read. Chiavorli really did her research. I highly recommend this story for fans of American history. Maybe even pass it on to younger readers who are bored with history. Maybe they won't find history so boring anymore.

I received a complimentary copy of The Tea Chest by Heidi Chiavorli through Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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BabyBoomers Were Lucky

By Kelly Bridgewater

My husband and I have talked about this a number of times, so I thought I would share something that has been on my heart for a while.

My generation, the kids who graduated in the late 90's and early twenty-first century, are failing. No jobs want to us a living wage. Most companies barely pay anything over $10 an hour. But we are the generation with no Social Security. It won't be there when we reach our retirement age at 68. But we don't make enough money to put away for retirement. Companies don't even offer any type of retirement anymore. Let alone pension plans to help us when we have worked for their companies for years. No more loyalty to stay working for them.

It is hard to pay for $4 for a pound of hamburger. $6 for a pound of bacon. Cheese is $4 a pound. A gallon of milk is $2-3. A gallon of gas is anywhere from $2 - $4. Whatever the stupid people in charge of gas thinks to charge for the day. It changes daily.

Don't forget the electric, water, gas bills, cell phone, cable. Outrageous.

Even when we go to purchase a house, the mortgage companies screw us with a PMI payment of 10 - 15 percent of the cost of the house every month if we can't come up with 20% of a down payment.

Luckily, my husband and I have no debt and realized that if we don't have cash for it, we don't buy it. 

We luckily saved enough money to have 20% as a down payment when we purchased our home.

But bills and money are still tight. We can pay all our bills in full every month, but the money isn't really there for anything else.

I titled this blog post with Babyboomers are lucky because they have social security. They have companies that gave them huge pensions. They are retired and sitting pretty. I have a couple of family members who are traveling the entire time since they retired. They have lots of money. There houses are paid off. They drive newer cars.

My generation will work forever and have nothing to show for it.

This sucks.

James R. Hannibal: Chasing the White Lion

By Kelly Bridgewater

Young CIA officer Talia Inger has reconciled with the man who assassinated her father, but that doesn't mean she wants him hovering over her every move and unearthing the painful past she's trying to put behind her. Still, she'll need him--and the help of his star grifter, Valkyrie--if she hopes to infiltrate the Jungle, the first ever crowdsourced crime syndicate, to rescue a group of kidnapped refugee children.

But as Talia and her elite team of thieves con their way into the heart of the Jungle, inching ever closer to syndicate boss the White Lion, she'll run right up against the ragged edge of her family's dark past. In this game of cat and mouse, it's win . . . or die. And in times like that, it's always good to have someone watching your back.

Former tactical deception officer and stealth pilot James Hannibal takes you deep undercover into the criminal underworld where everyone has an angle and no one escapes unscathed.

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Suspense is a great way to spend a couple of hours. With James R. Hannibal's second novel in the Talia Inger's series, Chasing the White Lion, Hannibal definitely delivers. With fast chasing across the globe to hunt for missing children, Talia and her troop of misfits sweep up the mischief and mayhem. With th first novel, The Gryphon Heist, I really loved how he crafted together the least likely bunch of criminals to create a family who seeks for justice. Hannibal throws in a little bit of spiritual lesson too for the fans of redemptive stories, but nothing to preachy. Only one litte scene. But boy, does it make an impact. The final climactic moment in the last twenty percent of the novel has a Hunger Games feel to it. A chase through mazes against some of the worst criminals in the market. Overall, Chasing the White Lion is a memorizing addition to the series, and I honestly can't wait to see what tasks Hannibal allows Talia to venture into next.

I received a complimentary copy of Chasing the White Lion by James R. Hannibal from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Morgan Busse: Cry of the Raven

By Kelly Bridgewater

Lady Selene Ravenwood has come into her full power as a dreamwalker just as the war with the Dominia Empire begins. Working with the other Great Houses, Selene and Damien use their gifts to secure the borders and save those devastated by the war. But conflict, betrayal, and hatred begin to spread between the Great Houses, destroying their unity as the empire burns a path across their lands. At the same time, Damien Maris starts to lose his ability to raise the waters, leaving the lands vulnerable to the empire's attacks.

The only one who can unite the houses and restore her husband's power is Selene Ravenwood. But it will require that she open her heart to those who have hurt her and let go of her past, despite the one who hunts her and will do anything to stop her power.

Will Selene survive? Or is she destined to fall like the dreamwalkers before her?

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

The thing I love the most is the cover of Cry of the Raven. It reminds me so much of a Tolkien cover. That is what I thought of the first time I saw this cover almost six months ago. Cry of the Raven is the huge climactic moment in the three book series. Lots of tension and fighting. Learning to know what is worth fighting for. Learning to trust and love others. This story was wonderfully written with enough fantasy to capture the imagination. It is nice that all three are now published because I think I should go back and read them all one after another to grasp the complete storyline. That is usually my issue when it comes to fantasy. If they aren't all available at the same time, then, as a reader, I forgot certain elements of the past stories when I return to the stories. Not that there is really anything to do about this. I know with the publishing schedules; it is hard for a publishing company to publish all three at once. Overall, Cry of the Raven is truly unique story that reminded me a lot of Tolkien's mythology. If readers enjoy Tolkien, then they might want to try Busse's stories.

I received a complimentary copy of Cry of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Safe Novels

By Kelly Bridgewater

I rejoice when any author I have followed on Facebook earns the right to become published. It is a lot of hard work. Either producing a publishable manuscript or doing all the market work to have the book reach the hands of an agent or editor who finds the book worthy of publication.

I'm proud to say they have reached the stars. Congratulations!

I surely can't do that.

 At least, not yet. (Lord, willing.)

But . . .

I have noticed lately that a number of authors have been published with safe stories.

What is a safe story do you ask?

I believe it is a story that checks off all the elements of a certain genre. It is well-written with all the senses involved. Deep Point of View is invoked. The story begins with friends who hate each other or a dead body. Then the romance story follows with love you and then hate you moments before beginning with the end where the couple realizes their growing feelings and declare their undying love to the predictable happily-ever-after. In the romantic suspense or mystery novel, the story begins with a dead body or a suspenseful element then the police officers or reporters talk to suspects, follow clues, and end with a climactic moment where the heroine or hero is captured by the bad guy hence revealing the bad guy and the motive.

While I have read TONS of novels that feature this plot movement, I want something different. Something that strikes it out of the park with a different element or a twist to the novel that has me studying the novel with post-its in hands. The last suspense novel that shocked me was The Knight by Steven James. I did not guess the killer, and when I finished the novel, I stepped back going "No Way. No Way. How was that guy the villain?" I actually went back and studied the clues and found them. James did a good job at covering them that I didn't even notice them. Still my favorite suspense novel.

Some books lately have been written so safe that fans of that genre enjoy and devour these books because they are safe, but they have been boring me. Already read that. Knew exactly what the end of the story would be. Totally predictable and not original.

What about you? Have you found any "safe novels?" Don't list any titles because I really don't want to offend anyone but are there some "safe novels" you found?

Shannon McNear: The Blue Cloak

 By Kelly Bridgewater

Fiction Based on Strange, But True, History

True, riveting stories of American criminal activity are explored through a unique stories of historical romantic suspense. Collect them all and be inspired by the hope that always finds its way even in the darkest of times.

Based on real events beginning in 1797 — Rachel Taylor lives a rather mundane existence at the way station her family runs along the Wilderness Road in Tennessee. She attends her friend’s wedding only to watch it dissolve in horror has the groom, Wiley Harpe, and his cousin become murderers on the run, who drag their families along. Declaring a “war on all humanity,” the Harpes won’t be stopped, and Ben Langford is on their trail to see if his own cousin was one of their latest victims. How many will die before peace can return to the frontier?

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I have really enjoyed most of the books in this series by Barbour. I have never read anything by Shannon McNear, but I have enjoyed this series, so I picked it up. The novel is different, yet wonderful. It fits right into the vein of stories that Barbour is publishing. I enjoyed the writing. McNear is a fabulous writing. She showed the horrors surrounding this story, but in a safe way. No real horror on the pages, but I did shake my head a number of times at the pain Sally had to be feeling. Their is romance between Ben and Rachel, but it isn't overwhelming to the story. It felt just right for this time period and the length of the story. Overall, The Blue Cloak is a delightful story showing the historical crimes and bringing the to life for the readers. I'm glad I read this novel.

I received a complimentary copy of The Blue Cloak by Shannon McNear from Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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About the Author:

Shannon has been writing one thing or another since third grade and finished her first novel at age fifteen—but waited more than thirty years for her first book contract. In the meantime, she graduated from high school, attended college, met and married her husband, birthed nine children, lost one, taught five to drive, revised that first story innumerable times, and completed six others.

Her first published novella, Defending Truth, in A Pioneer Christmas Collection (Barbour, 2013 & 2015), was a 2014 RITA® nominee. She writes regularly for Colonial Quills, is a member of ACFW and RWA, and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

Transplanted to North Dakota after more than two decades in Charleston, South Carolina, she loves losing herself in local history. When this homeschooling mom isn't sewing, researching, or leaking story from her fingertips, she enjoys being outdoors, basking in the beauty of the northern prairies. (Taken from Goodreads.)

Connilyn Cossette: Like Flames in the Night

By Kelly Bridgewater

Strong-willed Tirzah wants to join her people in driving the enemy from the land of Israel and undergoes training for a secret mission inside the stronghold of Shechem. But soon after she has infiltrated the ruthless Aramean commander's kitchen, she makes a reckless decision that puts her and her allies in grave danger.

Fresh off the battlefield, Liyam returns home to discover his beloved daughter is dead. After his vow to hunt down her killer leads to months of fruitless pursuit, his last hope is in a family connection that comes with strings attached. Strings that force him to pose as a mercenary and rescue an infuriating woman who refuses to leave her mission uncompleted.

When an opportunity to pave a path to a Hebrew victory arises, can Tirzah convince Liyam to fight alongside her in the refuge city of her birth? Or will Liyam's thirst for vengeance outweigh his duty to his people, his God, and the woman he's come to love?

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Connilyn Cossette is a master at her research. I can't imagine taking a few verses from the Bible and crafting four complete stories out of them.Cossette has done a fabulous job with her Cities of Refuge series. I adore the cover for her fourth and final novel, Like Flames in the Night. It is breathtaking. Tirzah finally gets to have her say in the story. She is a tomboy who puts her life on the line for her family. She is brave and finds love too. The story captured my attention in the beginning and the end, but the middle dragged A LOT. I had a hard time staying focused. My mind kept drifting to other things. Not what I like to happen when reading a book. While I enjoyed the other three, this addition didn't quite feel as exciting to me. Fans of Cossette, Angela Hunt, and Mesu Andrews might totally disagree with me and that is okay. Overall, I can't imagine the type of research Cossette does to create a believable story for her readers, but the plot dragged a lot of me in the middle.

I received a complimentary copy of Like Flames in the Night by Connilyn Cossette from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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