Book Review: A Whisper of Peace
Description:
Ostracized by her tribe because of her white father, Lizzie Dawson lives alone in the mountains of Alaska, practicing the ways of her people even as she resides in the small cabin her father built for her mother. She dreams of reconciling with her grandparents to fulfill her mother’s dying request, but she has not yet found a way to bridge the gap that separate her from her tribe.
Clay Selby has always wanted to be like his father, a missionary who holds a great love for the native people and has brought many to God. Clay and his stepsister, Vivian, arrive in Alaska to set up a church and school among the Athbascan people. Clay is totally focused on this goal…until he meets a young, independent Indian woman with the most striking blue eyes he’s ever seen. But Lizzie is clearly not part of the tribe, and befriending her might have dire consequences for his mission. Will Clay be forced to choose between his desire to minister to the natives and the quiet nudging of his heart?
My Review:
For anyone who enjoys a western romance, you’ll love Kim Vogel Sawyer’s A Whisper of Peace. It just happens to be set in Alaska.
The Alaskan tribal history and settlement history provide a rich backdrop for this story of prejudice and misconceptions. Lizzie, caught between two societies, neither of which accept her because of her mixed blood, is a realistic character. She yearns to belong, a core force among every one of us. Though her skin is a different shade, she discovers that what truly matters goes beyond what can be seen.
Part “My Fair Lady,” part “Love Comes Softly,” this book has a lot to offer. An effortless read with a beautiful setting, I recommend this for anyone looking for an escape to a simpler time and place. Though the times are simple, the society remains very much the same.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. And this is my honest review. Honestly.
Read MoreBook Review: Rose of Winslow Street
Description:
The last thing Libby Sawyer and her father expected upon their return from their summer home was to find strangers inhabiting a house that had been in their family for decades. Widower Michael Dobrescu brought his family from Romania to the town of Colden, Massachusetts with a singular purpose: to claim the house willed to him long ago. Since neither party has any intention of giving up their claim, a fierce legal battle ensues between the two families.
When important documents go missing from the house, Libby suspects Michael is the culprit. Determined to discover the truth behind the stolen papers, Libby investigates, only to find more layers of mystery surrounding Michael and his family. Despite their rivalry, Libby finds herself developing feelings for this man with the mysterious past.
As a decision about the house looms in the courts, Libby must weigh the risks of choosing to remain loyal to her family or give her heart to a man whose intentions and affections are less than certain.
My Review
After my experience with the last Elizabeth Camden book, I knew I’d need to set aside an afternoon for this — once you pick it up, it is hard to put down. The Rose of Winslow Street certainly held up to that expectation!
While the beginning was a tad slow and the hero, Michael, a bit gruff at first, Camden turns everything on its head as she slowly reveals a web of secrets and twists you might not expect.
The Guilded Era is more and more popular, but I have yet to stumble upon a story as fresh and original as this. Camden creates a truly unique story that CBA hasn’t seen before (to my knowledge!). This book is a pure joy to read. There are flaws in every character and yet a fire and passion behind every page.
I couldn’t sing enough praise for Camden’s first book, but I dare say this one is even better. Prepare for some intrigue, laughter and romance. The Rose of Winslow Street does not disappoint.
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book by Bethany House publishers in exchange for my honest review.
Read MoreBook Review: A Necessary Deception
Description:
When young widow Lady Lydia Gale helps a French prisoner obtain parole, she never dreamed he would turn up in her parlor. But just as the London Season is getting under way, there he is, along with a few other questionable personages. While she should be focused on helping her headstrong younger sister prepare for her entré into London society, Lady Gale finds herself preoccupied with the mysterious Frenchman. Is he a spy or a suitor? Can she trust him? Or is she putting her family in danger?
My Review:
How wistful and romantic to be swept into this tale and time period. After reading mostly World War II era novels, this was a lovely break. It stretched my limited knowledge of French vocabulary, which caused me to stumble a time or two, but I still overall really enjoyed this book.
Laurie Alice Eakes has a beautiful storytelling style and her words flow with ease. Her characters were all genuine and memorable, as were the conflicts and twists.
Lydia’s devotion to her family and her conviction resonated with me and kept me wanting to read on. There were also very sweet moments and a lovely romance. I enjoy Regency tales and this was not a disappointment.
Disclosure – I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Read MoreBook Review: December 1941
Description:
December 1941 traces, day-by-day, the most important 31 days in the history of America’s participation in WWII, which snuffed out the lives of millions and changed history forever.
From December 1, 1941, until the morning of December 7, 1941, America was at peace and—with the exception of the stubborn and persistent high unemployment of the Great Depression—was a relatively happy country. By the afternoon of the December 7 attack on Pearl Harbor, America was a radically changed country, forever. Its isolationist impulses evaporated, and both major political parties became more or less internationalist. The month also introduced food and gas rationing, Victory Gardens, scrap drives, a military draft, and the conversion of Detroit into an “arsenal of democracy.” From the moment of America’s entry into World War II, people of all kinds, but mostly women looking for work, flooded into the city. Instant apartment buildings sprang up, as did eating and drinking salons, all to the advantage of the massive increase in spending generated by the federal government.
My Review:
I began this book back in November and was working my way through it (studying and absorbing each word) as the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor came about.
Here is some of what I wrote on that day:
On December 1st, 1941, America was still in the remnants of the Great Depression but things were starting to look up. Newspaper headlines were flooded with war news from across the world, but the Americans firmly stood in isolation aside from the Lend-Lease program and FDR’s other subtle programs that diverted resources to the British, who now stood nearly alone against the Nazi force.
Americans called the war across the seas as “the emergency.”
In 1941, Americans flocked to theatres to escape the trying times. Families dressed in their Sunday best to attend a movie. Movie tickets cost 10 cents. Sergeant York, The Maltese Falcon, A Yank in the RAF, Dive Bomber and Dumbo were released in 1941, along with the first tastes of film noir, Citizen Kane. On the radio, Bob Hope made millions laugh and Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller entertained with their big bands. Everyone smoked cigarettes everywhere. Football and baseball were the sports of choice and on their way to becoming national pastimes.
German U-boats had sunk an unarmed American freighter and Hitler even ordered U-boats to fire directly on American ships. But no one at the time really believed America would be going to war.
As I went through the rest of the book, I was amazed by the level of detail and the context that December 1941 provides. I’m a history nut and research addict to start with, so this book appealed to me on a variety of levels.
That said, it was a bit lengthy and tedious at times. I wished for more of a “storyline,” but that is the novelist in me. For the real-world feel of what happened in those 30 days that changed the world, December 1941 is a gem.
Highly recommended for anyone who wants to study America and its reaction to Pearl Harbor and the war in general.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson’s Book Sneeze program in exchange for my honest review.
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Review: A Sound Among the Trees
Description:
For 150 years, Holly Oak, a spacious Southern home, has stood the test of time and wills in historic Fredericksburg with Civil War scars to prove it. Marielle Bishop marries into the family with multi-generational ties to the home, leaving behind her independence and her love of Arizona’s deserts to move to Holly Oak to become a wife and stepmother. But it isn’t long before Marielle is led to believe that the house she just settled into brings trouble and misfortune to all the women who live there. Local folklore has it that Susannah Page, a Yankee spy who housed Union soldiers, haunts Holly Oak because she’s longing for pardon. When Susannah’s great-granddaughter Adelaide McClane tells her that the house is “stuck” because of it’s tumultuous past, Marielle is determined to get past the rumors and uncover the secrets that are buried within its walls. With Adelaide’s richly peppered superstitions and deep family roots at stake, Marielle must carve her new life out carefully as she sorts out the truth and makes peace with the sacrifices she has made for love.
My Review:
After having reviewed Meissner’s Lady in Waiting and The Shape of Mercy, I was thrilled to get another chance to read her writing. Meissner has a true gift of transporting you into the story and wrapping you into the character’s worlds.
That said, I was a little disappointed with A Sound Among the Trees. It was harder for me to get into and care about the characters, except for Susannah’s story. As a history writer, I knew the historical plot would interest me a little more than the contemporary (it’s just how I’m wired) but I wished the whole book was through Susannah’s perspective.
The details of the life at Holly Oak fascinated me and I loved the way Civil War history mixed with the story of these women. By the end, I was truly delighted and I loved spending time in Meissner’s phenomenal writing. Though the beginning half didn’t connect with me as quickly as her other novels, this is still a unique tale that will appeal to many readers.
Recommended!
Disclosure: I was provided a copy of this book by Waterbrook-Multnomah’s Blogging for Books program in exchange for my honest review.
Read MoreThrough the eyes of animals: perspective and effect
“…a horse’s life is maybe even more important than a man’s, ’cause a horse hasn’t got no evil in him except any that’s put there by men…”
- War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
After seeing War Horse in a pre-screening and blogging about it, I’ve been thrilled to watch the responses of others who have gone to see “War Horse” or who have read the book, which is sitting high on the Kindle Bestseller list (even though the book was published back in the 80s.)
What is it about this story that is so gripping?
What is it that has touched so many people?
What is it that keeps people from even going to see it?
The animals. Seeing the war through the eyes of a horse, taken from his serene country home to enter the torrent of slaughter and death in the Great War battlefields.
I have friends who can watch violent movies without flinching. Human-on-human violence is almost overdone that we’re immune to it (cue the Hunger Games reference). But at the thought of going to see “War Horse,” they balk and say, “I couldn’t handle watching that…”
Think Old Yeller. Where the Red Fern Grows. Bambi. These movies all deeply touch their viewers. And for most people, watching them once is more than enough.
As a long-time animal lover, horse owner and advocate, these movies and books all deeply touch me as well. What touches me more is the bringing to light of issues that the public largely ignores. Animal abuse and abandonment, shown even through snips and scenes of this powerful movie, are even more real today than they were in 1914.
War Horse has earned some award nominations and mixed reviews but still ranked well among box offices. But if telling these stories by focusing on these animals is “too hard” for some viewers, does it accomplish it’s goal?
Have you seen War Horse yet? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments, please!
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