Friday, March 28, 2025

Movie Review: The Chosen: Last Supper

About the Movie:


The table is set.

The people of Israel welcome Jesus as king while his disciples anticipate his crowning. But—instead of confronting Rome—he turns the tables on the Jewish religious festival. Their power threatened, the country’s religious and political leaders will go to any length to ensure this Passover meal is Jesus’ last.

Shot in a beautiful cinematic format, The Chosen: Last Supper brings the most pivotal week in history to audiences in this special three-part theatrical release.

Buy tickets today to see The Chosen: Last Supper in theaters starting March 28!

Movie Trailer:



My Review:

I’ve watched some, but not all, of The Chosen series. Being very familiar with the Biblical narrative, I decided to watch The Chosen: Last Supper (episodes one and two) anyway. I quickly caught on to who each character was and enjoyed the portrayal of different disciples. In these episodes, the followers of Jesus held different levels of comprehension about Jesus and the future which I found interesting.

As usual, Jonathan Roumie, the actor who played Jesus, excelled in his role. He captured the kindness and care that I imagine Jesus had for those around him. As the movie progressed, there were moments of seriousness and humor, but underneath, a solemnness about the future events lurked. The writers and Roumie captured this so well.

One of the things I loved most about The Chosen: Last Supper was hearing the characters quoting from Scripture. For me, it hits different when I hear the words and see the earnestness portrayed visually. Absolutely beautiful.

The Chosen: Last Supper holds some visually intense moments. I would recommend episodes one and two for ages 13 and up.

Many thanks to Come And See Foundation for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

More about the Movie:

  • The Chosen is a groundbreaking historical drama based on the life of Jesus (Jonathan Roumie), seen through the eyes of those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Israel, the seven-season series shares an authentic and intimate look at Jesus’ revolutionary life and teachings.
  • The Chosen: Last Supper is releasing in theaters in 3 parts! Part One (episodes 1-2) releases on March 28; Part Two (episodes 3-5) releases on April 4; and Part Three (episodes 6-8) releases on April 11.




Giveaway:


One winner will receive a $10 Amazon giftcard. Limited to US only. Enter by leaving a comment on this blog that includes your full name and email address. Giveaway ends 03/31/25 at 11:59 pm, EST.

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Book Spotlight: Texas Divided by Sherry Shindelar

Texas Divided JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Texas Divided by Sherry Shindelar, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Texas Divided

Title: Texas Divided
Series:
Lone Star Redemption #2
Author:
Sherry Shindelar
Publisher:
Wild Heart Books
Release Date:
March 25, 2025
Genre:
Christian Historical Romance

He thought he was rescuing her from the Comanche. Now the Civil War soldier must prove he isn't the villain she thinks he is. 

Driven by the looming expectation of becoming a suffocatingly proper lady, Morning Fawn is determined to escape the confines of her uncle’s plantation and return to her adoptive Comanche tribe. But with each failed attempt, her hopes dwindle, and she wonders if she'll ever find her way back home or if that world is forever lost to her. 

Devon Reynolds, disillusioned by the price of affluence and the horrors of war, leaves his privileged life to join the Texas Rangers and later the cavalry. In the military service, he finds purpose . . . until he loses his wife during childbirth while he is away. In an attempt to redeem himself, he takes one last fateful mission to rescue Morning Fawn from the Comanche. But the results force him to question the righteousness of his actions and the cause he serves. 

When Devon returns to Texas as a Yankee spy, his path crosses with Morning Fawn once more. Determined to save her from the prison of her uncle's house and to recover Texas from the Confederacy, Devon is drawn to her fierce spirit and unwavering resolve. But can two wounded souls, each fighting their own battles, find solace and love amidst the chaos of war?  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Wild Heart Books | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub


More In This Series

Texas Forsaken


Excerpt


Morning Fawn’s head pounded. She had to get away. From the past. From everything.

Stumbling on a root, she bent down and yanked the deplorable shoes off of her feet. Ahead, Mr. Franklin’s chestnut Thoroughbred nibbled on grass, no owner in sight. She’d heard rumors it could beat any horse in the county.

A thought sizzled through her. Freedom. She broke into a run, her skirt flapping against her legs. Pebbles dug into her stocking feet. No walls. No people. Escape. She yanked the lead rope from the rail and grabbed the reins.

The horse snorted as she latched on to the pommel, stuck a foot in the stirrup, and heaved herself onto the saddle.

“Miss Logan—” A man came around the corner.

Morning Fawn snapped the reins and pressed her calves to the horse’s side. The chestnut quickened from a trot to a lope past the weathered fence and down the hill. Horse hooves tore through dried grass and onto the packed-dirt road.

Wind whipped the hat from her head, and her hair unfurled as they galloped past stubby brown picked-over fields, empty of cotton. The blood red faded, along with the screams.

Someone yelled behind her in the distance.

No. She would not, could not stop. She’d never get free. If they caught her, they’d lock her up.

About the Author

Sherry Shindelar

Originally from Tennessee, Sherry Shindelar loves to take her readers into the past. A romantic at heart, she is an avid student of the Civil War and the Old West. She fell in love with writing when she was nine-years-old dreaming up stories while playing on her swing set. Decades later, she is living out her dream of writing stories from her heart and sharing them with the world. When she isn’t busy writing, she is an English professor, working to pass on her love of writing to her students. Sherry is an award-winning writer: 2023 ACFW Genesis finalist, 2021 & 2023 Maggie finalist, and 2022 Crown finalist. She currently resides in Minnesota with her husband of forty years. She has three grown children and three grandchildren

Connect with Sherry by visiting sherryshindelar.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card, a signed copy of Texas Divided, and two Texas blue bonnet woven coasters!

Texas Divided blog tour giveaway JustRead

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 24, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 31, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Book Spotlight: These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan

These Long Shadows JustRead Blog + Review Tour

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

These Long Shadows

Title: These Long Shadows
Series:
On Victory's Wings #3
Author:
Jennifer Mistmorgan
Publisher:
Independently Published
Release Date:
March 21, 2025
Genre:
Historical Romance WWII

How do they rebuild a marriage that wasn’t real in the first place? 

London, 1945: Two years ago, Jonty Ables married Katie Baines to save her and her unborn baby from shame. But now the war is all but over, the baby is gone and they must work out where their shaky marriage fits into lives irrevocably changed by war. 

Clinging to the memory of a time before all happiness evaporated, Katie works hard during the day as a seamstress. At night she comes home to a tiny terrace on a bomb-scarred street, crammed with her extended family and their problems. Years of estrangement sit between her and her recently demobilized husband. She’s not even sure she loves him, so why is she so crushed that he calls out another woman’s name in his sleep? 

Jonty is determined to honor the vows he made no matter how many ghosts now plague him, but with such separate lives his wife is more of a stranger than ever. When Katie’s friend goes missing, Jonty seizes the opportunity to help her find him just so they have a reason to talk. But the war casts long shadows over their efforts, and fighting for their future might just be the hardest battle of them all.  

If you love epic wartime romance with a dash of intrigue, you’ll love this second-chance, marriage-of-convenience love story.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | buy from the author | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub


More in This Series

 


Excerpt


Katie


"Of course he had changed. She had too. It had been almost two years since they'd buried the baby girl who had been their reason for marrying in the first place. Almost two years since that dreadful night when, numb in her grief, she'd screamed at him to leave and never come back.

Jonty moved first, shuffling to narrow the distance between them. His cheerful spirit used to fill his whole body, giving him the air of an irrepressible puppy. His slow steps now marked a stark contrast to the man she'd married. She didn't throw herself into his arms. She worried she might knock him over.

His eyes searched hers, so intense she glanced at the ground to avoid them.

"I'm glad you came, Katie-my-love." She hadn't heard that in two years. Her throat tightened. She stiffened, fighting against the swirl of feelings inside her gut. She didn't realize how much she'd missed the way he'd run the words together as though they were all part of her name. Like his love, the nickname hadn't grown from anywhere. It was the result of his decision and determination--like stating a fact.

"Hello, Jonty."

She tried her best to smile but wasn't sure if she managed it. She'd conceived possible things to say last night as she'd lain awake next to her younger sister.

Practiced them under her breath as they'd trooped through the rubble to get from their home in Hackney to King's Cross. But none of them came to her dry mouth now.

About the Author

Jennifer Mistmorgan

Australian author Jennifer Mistmorgan sometimes feels like she was born in the wrong era. So she writes romantic historical fiction set in the 1940s, against the backdrop of WWII and its aftermath. She infuses her sweet romances with wartime drama, gentle faith and a dash of intrigue. She lives in Canberra with her family and a wonky-eared West Highland terrier.

Connect with Jennifer by visiting jennifermistmorgan.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card (US$)!

(5) additional winners will each receive an ebook bundle of all 3 books in the "On Victory's Wings" series!

These Long Shadows blog tour giveaway JustRead

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 25, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 1, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Open internationally. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Book Review: A Jane Austen Year

About the Book:




This beautifully illustrated book charts the life of one of the world’s most beloved authors through the letters, objects, and manuscripts that shaped her life.


Published in partnership with the curators of Jane Austen’s House, the enchanting Hampshire cottage where Jane Austen’s genius flourished that now attracts thousands of visitors every year.

Arranged over the course of a calendar year, from snowy scenes in January to festive recipes in December, specially commissioned photography of Austen’s home and possessions are brought together with extracts from her books, reproductions of her letters, and stories of her life throughout the seasons. Highlights include the first time Austen read a published copy of Pride and Prejudice to an enraptured audience in her drawing room, affectionate letters to her sister Cassandra reproduced in full and an exquisite miniature portrait of Tom Lefroy, the man she nearly married.

Read this book for a unique and intimate insight into Austen’s world. Dip into it as you will, or visit each month, and enjoy a full year of Austen—her life, works and letters, people and objects she knew, and of course her idyllic, inspiring home.


My Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed reading A Jane Austen Year, curated by The Jane Austen House Museum. Years ago, I read a biography of Jane Austen, so I was somewhat familiar with her life events, family, and writing. However, A Jane Austen Year took what I knew, plus other things I didn’t know, and brought it to life with full-color photos and an interesting narrative. Unlike a traditional biography, the narrative was not chronological. Rather, the book used a monthly format in which each month covered things that happened or might have been used during that month. I especially liked the inclusion of recipes, traditions, and novel excerpts. The variety of topics worked well and was delightful to read.

A Jane Austen Year would make a lovely gift for any Jane Austen fan. It certainly made me want to go pick up an Austen novel. Five stars!




Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Curator Bio:

Jane Austen’s House is the inspiring Hampshire cottage where the beloved author lived for the last eight years of her life. It houses an unparalleled collection of Austen treasures. Highlights include Jane’s jewelry, letters, first editions of her novels, and the table at which she wrote her much loved novels. Visitors can step back in time to 1816 and follow in Austen’s footsteps as they explore the rooms where she lived and wrote. It has been open to the public as a museum since 1949 and is an international center for Jane Austen studies.





Saturday, March 22, 2025

Book Review: Kate Landry Has a Plan by Rebekah Millet

About the Book:




Forty-year-old Kate Landry's carefully planned life has become as messy as the powdered sugar on her famous beignets. Juggling the responsibilities of running her café, raising her teenage niece, and the emotional baggage from her breakup, Kate finds her world once again turned upside down when her first-ever crush, Micah Guidry, returns to town as the hunky local librarian.

As Kate struggles to implement her plans to expand her café amid the New Orleans Mardi Gras madness and the meddling of her conniving ex-fiancé, Micah becomes the unwitting hero of her misadventures, stirring up feelings she thought she'd long buried. How can falling in love in the Big Easy be this hard?

Rebekah Millet spins a delightful tale, set against the vibrant backdrop of New Orleans, proving that sometimes the messiest of situations can lead to the sweetest outcomes.

My Thoughts:


Kate Landry Has a Plan by Rebekah Millet hosts an adorable cover for the feel-good story inside. As I read this contemporary romance, I loved the influential and unique setting. New Orleans culture saturated everything: the food, the characters’ experiences, and the plot events. Millet wrote of The Big Easy in a way that only one who has lived there can.

I appreciated the balance of humor, depth, and romance in Kate Landry Has a Plan. I grinned often, especially when I identified with Kate’s calamities, and these light moments balanced out the family drama, the control issues, and the stress Kate experienced. Then, time and again, the romantic scenes took me by surprise. I’d read along, enjoying the gentle romance, until an unexpected, swoony moment with Kate and Micah would plop on to the page. All in all, the novel’s structure felt well-rounded and satisfying.

Kate Landry Has a Plan lands as the second book in the Beignets for Two series by Rebekah Millet. I enjoyed seeing Julia from book one, but this novel can stand alone without reading the first book (Julia Monroe Begins Again). I recommend this novel for readers who enjoy inspirational romances with swoony moments and just-enough depth. Four stars!




Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Author Bio:

Rebekah Millet is a Selah Award, Cascade Award, and ACFW First Impressions Award–winning author of southern inspirational romance novels. A New Orleans native, she grew up on beignets and café au lait, and loves infusing her colorful culture into her stories. Her husband is an answer to prayer, who puts up with her rearranging furniture and being a serial plant killer. Her two sons keep her laughing and share in her love of desserts. Visit her at http://www.rebekahmillet.com/.



Thursday, March 20, 2025

Book Spotlight: The Stranger at the Door by Henry O. Arnold

The Stranger at the Door JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Stranger at the Door by Henry O. Arnold, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

The Stranger at the Door

Title: The Stranger at the Door
Series: The Urban Chronicles #2
Author: Henry O. Arnold
Publisher:
Mountain Brook Ink
Release Date:
March 5, 2025
Genre:
Christian Thriller

When a beat-up van screeches to a stop in front of The Mercy Seat church late one night and a young woman leaps out in an effort to escape her captors, Maxwell Crane and his family jump to her rescue. But is this desperate girl the innocent victim she appears to be? 

The family’s act of kindness leads to dire consequences. When the young woman and the Crane sisters are abducted by members of a ruthless cartel out for revenge, Maxwell is yanked into yet another harsh reality of life in Hell’s Canyon. 

There are no good options. All strategies for rescue could exact a terrible price. Still haunted by the tragedy he caused the last time he took justice into his own hands, Maxwell can only cast his broken soul upon the mercy of God. He would rush into the gates of hell to save his daughters, but will he get there in time?  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub


More In This Series

The Mercy Seat


Excerpt (Character of Maxwell Crane)


Maxwell had been thrown into a dark pit, one he had dug himself, one pregnant with emptiness, one so deep he felt it impossible to climb out. He was lost yet still present in the immediate world. He could recognize faces around him and acknowledge when they spoke, but he could not speak. He could not think of any coherent words to offer in response. He could only discern the sound of panic in other voices, the sound of grief in those around him, the sound of his own guttural drone.

In truth, it was his daughters that were truly lost. But how? They had been right there, right in front of him, within arm’s reach, within his grasp, and yet his hands and fingers could not gain purchase. He envisioned the girls reaching toward him, but he could not take hold of an arm, a shoulder, anything, and pull them to safety.

About the Author

Henry O. Arnold

Mr. Arnold's career as an actor/author spans over five decades with multiple stage and film credits. He has recorded over one hundred audiobooks and is the author of the Urban Chronicles suspense series and the multi-volume biblical/historical fiction series entitled The Song of Prophets and Kings (available in all formats wherever books are sold). When not writing, he can be found hiking on a trail somewhere in the world. He and his lovely wife Kay have two beautiful daughters, married to two handsome men, with three above-average grandchildren.

Connect with Mr. Arnold by visiting henryoarnold.com to follow him on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a print copy of The Stranger at the Door & $20 Amazon Gift Card!

The Stranger at the Door blog tour giveaway JustRead Tours

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 17, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 24, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours