Colonial Maryland...

Historical fiction has been bringing the past to life for me.  I have been learning so much and loving it!  Well-written historical fiction share incredible insight into the language, dress, culture, and specifics about the setting.

Before author Roseanna White's second book was even published, I wanted to read it.  By reading her blog, I had a taste of her writing, research, and most of all, her passion.  In fact, I chose that (her second) book, Jewel of Persia for the on-line book club next year!

I happened to have won a copy of Roseanna's latest book from Colonial Quills upon its release date earlier this month.  I was thrilled to finally read one of her published books.

The funny thing is that it is a romance.

Typically, I don't mind romantic elements within a book, but tend to avoid romance novels.  Something that I noticed for myself is that sometimes I take away unrealistic expectations from some romance novels (and this includes Christian historical romance), so I tend to shy away from them.  Based on knowing Roseanna from her blog (and just recently from Facebook, too) I knew that Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland would be a solid work of art...a book full of historical facts hidden within...a highly developed, well-written book.

I was not disappointed!  I absolutely loved Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland.

Lark finds her betrothal, Emerson, of two years (shocking for the day) in a compromising situation.  Needing to get away, she flees to Annapolis, Maryland to stay with the family of her brother's friend-complete strangers-with intentions for staying for months.  Lark quickly becomes best of friends with the family, especially their daughter Sena.  Sena's circle of friends open Lark's eyes to all that she has taken for granted and been sheltered from in the past.  She begins to look deeper within to examine herself.

"Never in her life had Lark felt so utterly selfish.   She didn't even know with whom her father dealt in business, much less whether all his  transactions were fair.  She only had an academic knowledge of the less fortunate in Williamsburg, recognized only the poor who sold her goods.

Now everywhere she turned, she was faced with realities she had either ignored or been unaware of.  Slave auctions and outcasts, ostracized Tories and social rebels.

And where did she fit in all this?  Where did her problems with Emerson rank on this scale of desperation?" 

Emerson learns of Lark's location and goes to her and remains in Annapolis since she will not return to Williamsburg.  He attempts to win her heart by remaining in Annapolis and spending time with her...finally getting to know Lark.

Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland  is a great book.  It offers insight into colonial life in Annapolis when it was our country's capitol and how snow nearly destroyed our independence as a country.  (Read Roseanna's thoughts here.)  The reader meets some of our founding fathers, though they are not main characters and Tories, too.  All of this fabulous history is interwoven through a not-your-standard-romance. I definitely recommend it!

Roseanna is offering the Great Annapolis Giveaway with all sorts of colonial goodies.  Round one ends today.  There will be another chance to win in February, so be sure to check it out!  While you are there be sure to get a taste of colonial times and Roseanna's writing by exploring a bit!

Mine Is the Night, by Liz Curtis Higgs

WOW.

Liz Curtis Higgs has penned an incredible sequel to Here Burns My Candle (linked to my review).  Mine Is the Night did not disappoint me in any sort of way.  In fact, I enjoyed this tale of Elisabeth and Marjory even more than in the first book.

Here Burns My Candle begins this two book series interpretation of Ruth and Naomi, set in Scotland in the 1700's.  Elisabeth lost her husband, and vows to stay by Marjory.  After being wealthy and of the upper class, they are now poor...so poor.  Mine Is the Night takes them to a different town where they beg to stay with a distant cousin of Marjory's.

Marjory and Elisabeth do all they can to help their poor cousin Anne.  After having servants all of her life, Marjory serves her daughter-in-law and cousin.  The changes in Marjory are amazing.  I love this humbled character!  Elisabeth seeks employment as a seamstress, a trade she is well-skilled in, though her services are not needed for long.  Eventually she finds herself employed by a wealthy man.  Strangely enough, some affection seems to develop between them.  Society would never have them together, especially since she has committed treason.

Liz Curtis Higgs wrote an endearing tale of redemption and restoration for both Majory and Elisabeth because both women were able to humble themselves.   This book will certainly leave you wanting to read of Ruth and Boaz in the Old Testament to see how God worked in these actual people's lives.  Our God is truly a God of love.  He shows it repeatedly as he wishes to redeem each one of us...and restore us to himself.  God offers us a gift of mercy and grace-salvation through Jesus-and we just need to accept it.

While Here Burns My Candle was a dramatic and emotional story of sorrow, Mine Is the Night is also emotional and dramatic, but it is a tale of hope.  I may not always enjoy romance, but this is a book that I am thankful to own.  Though romantic, it is even more so honoring to God...including the romance.  Without including spoilers, I thought Marjory didn't quite think through her suggestion of Elisabeth presenting herself without a chaperon.  I would have liked that to be a bit differently written, but still was captured by it.

Mine Is the Night is the conclusion to this two-part series.  Having read the first one about a year ago, I was able to pick this up and dive right into the language.  It read very easy for me (unlike HBMC which took some getting used to).  I think you could read and enjoy this book independent of HBMC, but I wouldn't recommend it.  Though sorrowful, HBMC is well worth it!  I highly recommend Mine Is the Night, especially if you like historical fiction.

(If you ever visit Net's Book Nook to see what titles I've been reading and listening to, you will see that recently I have been reading almost no books except the Bible.  I have just been too tired!  However, MItN kept me up LATE several times because I could not put it down....so good...definitely read it for yourself!  I couldn't believe how quickly I finished it, especially since I remember it taking me a couple weeks to complete HBMC.)

I sincerely thank WaterBrook Press for providing me a review copy!  (If you are interested in Blogging for Books, you can, too!)

A Proper Pursuit, by Lynn Austin

The Refiner's Fire series by Lynn Austin was an incredible account of the Civil War with each book written from three different perspectives (wealthy slaveholder, northern abolitionist, and slave).  That was my introduction to Lynn Austin, and I have enjoyed several of her books since then.

  

I took the opportunity to review A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austin.  I had never read anything about the World's Fair Exposition, but this book gave some solid insight to the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago.  Imaginative Violet uses the opportunity of visiting her aunts and grandmother in Chicago to see the Exposition, but really she wants to search for her mother whom she thought was dead for years.

A Proper Pursuit is very much what the title suggests...Violet is a love interest to several young men, all from different walks of life and all with different dreams.  Her father, aunts, and grandmother all have their own opinions and agenda on who she should or should not marry, and she finds it to be a bit of a struggle to know what is best.  Should she marry a regular fellow who grew up much like her, or a very wealthy young man who seems to be in love with a servant girl (who would be his mistress).  Then there is the option of the young man who loves God with all of his heart, but would he ever have time for his family?  Though he is not a real consideration, only relates to Violet in the way that she really likes, but all indications show that he is not to be trusted.

If this was just a love story, I would not have enjoyed it.  Violet is rather immature at times, and makes some poor choices.  Violet may have been fully prepared for her social life at her school for etiquette, but Madame Beauchamps did not teach her a thing about real life, and Violet knew it!  Really the rich history in A Proper Pursuit makes it very enjoyable.  Learning about D.L. Moody, the World Fair, the rich vs. poor plight (neither seem too good to me!), and women's suffragettes.  

If you don't mind romance and enjoy history, this is a great book for you!

Thank you,  Bethany House for providing this book for review purposes.

Emily of Deep Valley

I think this book did it for me.  Really.  I knew I really liked the books I have read by Maud Hart Lovelace.  So far I have read Betsy-Tacy, Betsy, Tacy and Tib, Heaven to Betsy, Betsy in Spite of Herself, Carney's House Party, and Winona's Pony Cart.  (Links are to my reviews.)  I just finished Emily of Deep Valley.  I have to say, I think Maud Hart Lovelace has stolen my heart!  I just love her writing.

Emily Webster is just finishing high school and longs to go to college.  She lives with her grandfather and is fully committed to staying with him to care for him.  She sees all of her friends off to college and is left alone and lonely.  Depression sinks in.  Emily fights it.  She  thinks about others-especially the Syrians.  She reaches out first to the Syrian children creating a Boys Club (that a girl is welcome to be part of), and then by teaching the Syrian women English!  Wow...remember this was in the early 1900's!

Not only is Emily amazing in her love toward the Syrians of Deep Valley, but she also had a deep love and respect for her grandfather, as well as others of his generation.  She sacrificially cares for him.  At first it is hard for her, but then it becomes her joy.

Emily starts a book club as another way to keep her mind engaged and fight the depression.  Friendships grow and her depression lifts.

There is also some subtle history withing Emily of Deep Valley.  I learned that Memorial Day was once Decoration Day-a truly patriotic day.  Emily's grandfather and his friends who fought in the Civil War marched in the Decoration Day parade and visited the local school.  His generation was respected and honored, as they should be!  Emily's home is also called the Hull House of Deep Valley.  Jane Adams had invited the poor and lonely into her home to help them, and Jane did the same.

Emily has a deep crush on a bit of an obnoxious fellow.  Slowly she realizes that his character is lacking, especially when compared to her friend Cab and the new teacher.  Cab helps Emily get to know some of the Ancients-those from the class of 1910, who graduated just two years before her..

I have actually had a really hard time articulating why I love this book so much.  I don't feel that I'm giving this book review justice because I was so emotionally involved.  Overall, the sensitivity and compassion that Emily has is amazing.  The character of Emily is so well developed, and I relate to her on so many levels.  This is why I "am" Emily Webster according to the Betsy-Tacy quiz.  (I wasn't surprised that Emily was followed by Tacy.)

Which Betsy-Tacy character are you? Your Result: Emily Webster Shy and quiet, uncomfortable with the boy-girl bantering that comes so easy for others, Emily is kind-hearted and dignified yet prone to melancholy. She is intellectual and knows the value in serving others, such as the children in Little Syria, and knows how to �muster her wits� in order to conquer her bouts of depression and sadness. Although at first boys don�t see her as the type of girl they�d take on a date, soon they see Emily as a �stunner� who is more interesting to talk to than most girls! Emily ends up with someone who doesn�t care what she was like in high school but who understands her and loves her for who she is!
Tacy Kelly
Irma Biscay
Betsy Ray
Tib Muller
Julia Ray
Carney Sibley
Winona Root
Which Betsy-Tacy character are you? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

I can't say enough about this book from beginning to end.  Not only did Maud Hart Lovelace write about issues such as depression and racism in the year 1950, but she did it well.  I think everything she wrote about in 1950 is still applicable today.  Just like the forward to Carney's House Party/Winona's Pony Cart, the forward to this book read like I was talking to my best friend about another deeply loved friend-Emily.  The notes in the back of the book, "About Emily of Deep Valley" helped the reader to understand that the story of Emily Webster was very similar to the story of Maud Hart Lovelace's friend Marguerite Marsh.  Much is shared about Marguerite's life.  However, she died two weeks after giving birth to a son, in 1925.  Unlike the other books that MHL wrote, she was not able to seek out the real-life friend to help with some of the details of the story.  After reading the notes in the back of the book, it's apparent that Marguerite Marsh was a young lady of compassion who earned my respect.

I can't recommend this book enough, especially if your personality is anything like mine!  Thank you so much to Harper Perennial for providing this book for review purposes.  I also want to let readers know that Library Hospital has the Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge every year in October!  This year when it's closer to the challenge I will have a giveaway for a couple of MHL books to encourage you to participate!

Lucy Maud and the Cavendish Cat

I will not be sharing Anne of Green Gables to my daughter for quite some time.  Though I love the books, they will wait until she is ready for them.  As I have been participating in the L.M. Montgomery Reading Challenge for the second time, I personally enjoy these books, and suspect that M (now age 4) will be curious about these books that I read.  I sure hope so!

With that said, there are still ways to introduce a younger child to Lucy Maud Montgomery!  When I bought Lucy Maud and the Cavendish Cat I skipped the details that Amazon had included (where it was very affordable).  When Reading to Know wrote a review for Lucy Maud and the Cavendish Cat, I didn't read too carefully--because I wanted to read it for myself.  (I do this you know.  I skim reviews so that I can be surprised).  Boy, was I surprised when my own copy came!  Lucy Maud and the Cavendish Cat is a picture book!!!!

Lucy Maud and the Cavendish Cat tells the tale of Maud's cat, Daffy, and how he came to be and stayed with Maud.  I liked how the author, Lynn Manuel, used Maud's own journals (she wrote faithfully as an outlet) for the details of the book.   I thought the illustrations were well done, with an impressionist feel to them.  The illustrations just seem very appropriate for a book about Lucy Maud Montgomery!   I suspect all fans of LMM will enjoy this book, though it may not be a book that all children love.  (Though it's about a cat and Maud, there are no children in it, so some children may not relate as well to this book as to others.  My daughter didn't dislike it, but she didn't beg or more either.)

I enjoyed reading this book by myself, but I especially delighted in sharing it with my daughter.

This will be my last post for the 2011 reading challenge!  This year I listened to Anne of Green Gables on CD and watched the movie.  I also read Anne of Ingleside.   Last year I read Anne of Windy Poplars and Anne's House of Dreams.  (All linked to my reviews.)

The Healer's Apprentice

I had heard some good things about The Healer's Apprentice, so when it was offered as a review by Zonderkidz, I said yes.

I enjoy learning of other time periods through fiction.  Whether it is a book about Anne, Betsy, or a book by well-known (to some) authors like Francine Rivers, Lynn Austin, or Grace Livingston Hill, these contain nuggets of history that I appreciate.

The Healer's Apprentice offered a lot of details of lower and upper class living in 1382 in Lower Saxony.  I also liked learning about the role of the healer-a woman (at least in this case) that worked in the castle to offer medical help to those in the community.

Rose is a wood cutter's daughter who has just begun working at the castle as the healer's apprentice.  Lord Hamlin is injured and comes for help from the healer and meets Rose.  They strike a friendship, though Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a princess he has never met.  Though they care for one another, Lord Hamlin's brother, Lord Rupert, is engaged by the beauty of Rose.  Rose convinces herself that Rupert is the one for her, despite his questionable history.  But Rose does live happily ever after.

Though I had read several reviews, I must have skimmed the description (as I often do since I like surprises).  I did not realize this was a romance!  The romance is strong in this book.  It is a Christian novel, and the target audience is teens.  The writing in this book was solid.  However, I would not recommend a young teen read this book (at least this conservative woman will say that).  Even though there are few kisses in the book, and most are on the hand, I still felt the descriptive emotional and physical responses to the touch or kiss were a bit much for a younger person to read.  Like most romances, even Christian romance novels, I felt that the actions by the characters lead to unrealistic expectations by the reader in a real relationship.  I think this is book should have been marketed for adults, not teens.  But then again, I don't typically read teen romance, so this may be perfectly acceptable and innocent.  I do know that adults who like historical romances will enjoy The Healer's Apprentice.  I did enjoy it.  I just needed to share my concerns in my review.

One thing I definitely enjoy finding out is that author, Melanie Dickerson wrote this book in an attempt to make a more realistic fairy-tale.   I think she accomplished that!
Thank you, Zonderkidz, for providing this book for review purposes.