Tag: history

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Book Review: Little Women

Little WomenJoining us today is Marli Renee from Books|Cuppas and Cause for Joy. Hope you enjoy her review!
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I am Meg. Earnest. Sincere. Serious. Loving the little things in this world, yet craving to leave them… “Tomorrow I shall put away my ‘fuss and feathers’ and be desperately good again.”

I am Jo. Passionate. Awkward. Always dreaming. “I want to do something splendid…something heroic or wonderful that won’t be forgotten after I’m dead. I don’t know what, but I’m on the watch for it and mean to astonish you all someday.”

I am Beth. Loving the simple, the pure. Hoping. Desiring only peace and joy. “’We’ve got Father and Mother, and each other,’ said Beth contentedly from her corner.”

I am Amy. Sweet and silly. Determined. Thrilled over lace, and frills. Reveling in the fact that “we’ll all grow up someday, we might as well know what we want.”, but striving with every excited ounce to always be a better person.

Devouring these pages to learn more about myself. Or maybe I have become myself through these pages? Only a handful of books have done as much to shape who I am – these courageous young sisters as beacons of maturity and true femininity, yet oh so relatable beacons. Hopes, dreams and daily dramas within the slow process of sanctification.

The March sisters were so grown-up when I first met them. And now I am among them. “If we are all alive ten years hence, let’s meet, and see how many of us have got our wishes, or how much nearer we are then than now.” It has been ten years. I re-read the book with different eyes. I realize how young the dear characters were, and how far I have to go. But how close I have come – plodding where their gentle steps led.

In a world of quick literature and cheap thrills, it is a joy to read something so careful. So pure. So real, as real women who loved the Lord and lived faithfully day after day. Little Women.

Don’t just let this book be a check on your list of things to read. Don’t just join in the throng of, ‘Oh, such a cute story!’. Let it mean something to you. Let the reality of life, the pain, the joy, the relationships, the partings, the death, the birth, the love and fire mean something. Feel. Grow with these
friends. Live with them. “for I am learning how to sail my ship.”

Author: Louisa May Alcott
Audience: All Ages
Genre: Classic
Pages: Around 500

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Book Review: Gideon’s Call

Tad, a small slave boy on a Carolinian island, is destined for a unique and impressive future. As the Civil War approaches the island, the white masters flee, but the slaves stay. The new community of freedmen is swiftly selected to host a government experiment to see if the freed slaves can become contributing members of society. Tad’s smarts and entrepreneurial initiative soon catch the attention of Edward Pierce, leader of the experiment. As the war progresses, both Tad and Pierce are in for many adventures. Can Pierce’s connections and Tad’s firsthand experience of the brutality of slavery win the freedman a chance for a fresh start and a brighter future?

The Civil War is one of my favorite periods of history, and I have researched it extensively. Mr. Leavell wrote about an element of the time period I never heard about before. That was enough to hook me! The story is well written and the characters are sympathetic and compelling. There is a bit of a love story between Tad and a girl from the same plantation, however this sub-plot remained a sub-plot and did not dominate the story. This is a good book about an important period of history.

Author: Peter Leavell
Audience: Adults
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 359
Publisher: Worthy Publishing

What are your favorite stories set during the Civil War?

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Book Review: El Dorado

Roll up your sleeves and get ready to dive into another adventure with Sir and Lady Blakeney! As promised, here is a review of a sequel to The Scarlet Pimpernel. Don’t ask me what a Spanish sounding title has to do with a story of the French Revolution. I haven’t figured it out yet. I tried looking up what “El Dorado” means the other day, but Google translate didn’t know. Any ideas? Anyway, here’s the review. The quote should should sound familiar. 😉

“Dear heart,” he murmured, “do not look on me with those dear, scared eyes of yours. If there is aught that puzzles you in what I said, try and trust me a little longer. Remember, I must save the Dauphin at all costs; mine honor is bound with his safety. What happens to me after that matters but little, yet I wish to live for your dear sake.”

Only one thing matters more to Sir Percy Blakeney than his wife, Marguerite. His honor. And his honor is bound to his newest mission. The French revolutionaries hold their young prince captive. The young Dauphin’s life is in danger, and Sir Percy (also known as the Scarlet Pimpernel) determines to rescue the lad. The mission is fraught with danger, especially now that Citizen Chauvelin knows the identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Marguerite’s love struck brother, Armand, isn’t helping matters either. Are the reckless adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel about come to end?

I haven’t read all of the sequels to The Scarlet Pimpernel, but this is one of my favorites out of the ones I have read. (I think I might say that about all of them, though.) Sir Percy Blakeney is doing crazy things to rescue people. What’s not to like? 😀 For anyone who hasn’t read The Scarlet Pimpernel, these books can be pretty heavy on the romance, but there’s nothing explicit, and Percy and Marguerite are married, so it’s not inappropriate either. If you’re not big on this period of history, don’t let that stop you from reading these books. I had the same reservations and The Scarlet Pimpernel won me over. Enjoy your reading!

Author: Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Audience: Tweens and Up
Genre: Classic Adventure
Pages: 341
Publisher: My copy is from Dover Publications

What are your expectations for this sequel to The Scarlet Pimpernel? Do you think it can live up to the first book?

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Book Review: Prisoners of the Sea

Today’s book review is written for us by “Maiden-in-Waiting”, a friend of mine and one of my blog readers. Some of you may have read her comments or noticed her name in the “Guess a Quote” posts. This is the first guest post (not counting author interviews) for this blog! Hope you enjoy.

“You are right, mother,” said Madeline in a low voice. “We are in a horrible strait; disaster
seems to threaten us in whichever direction we turn; but let us do anything, rather than
commit ourselves into the power of the dreadful sea.”

This vividly compelling novel defines the term “being in an agony of suspense.” Masterfully written, Prisoners of the Sea unfolds during the intolerant rule of France’s Catholic King Louis XIV, who renounces the Edict of Nantes and bans Protestantism.

Abandoned to drown by the cowardly crew of their sinking ship, a small company of the now illegal Huguenots are thrown upon the mercies of the sea, their own ingenuity and the arms of their God. When the regal and gracious Madame de Langres, and her lovely and spirited daughter Madeline, the bold and chivalrous gentleman Balliot, and the incorrigible but resourceful sailor Jack Winters find refuge on the mysterious shores of an unknown island, they hardly suspect the perils that lie ahead. Midnight kidnappings, abandoned mansions, covetous pirates, agonizing miscommunications, a blossoming romance, and an ancient mystery swirl into a tapestry of unyielding tension and suspense, forcing us to wait until the last chapter for an astonishing conclusion!

Author: Florence M. Kinsley
Audience: Teen to Adult
Genre: Classic/Historical Fiction
Pages: 394, of pure enjoyment
Publisher: Lamplighter Rare Collector’s series

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Book Review: Flight Into Spring

Even though Sally Day had just consented to become his wife, Charles left for the North the next day.

At sixteen years old, Sally Day Hammon, a vivacious and incorrigible southern-belle, marries Charles Horne, a stoic and quite Yankee soldier from Connecticut. When she moves to New England with her husband, Sally Day finds that her new life is much different from her old life. Her free-spirited ways clash with the more repressed Northern lifestyle. Can Sally Day adjust to her new family and new surroundings?

This was a fun read with a slightly frivolous feel. It was interesting enough to keep me reading, but I was unsatisfied with the main character, Sally Day. She doesn’t fill the Biblical role of submissive help-meet very well! That said, it’s a clean read with some interesting historical elements. If you can borrow it, I’d say go ahead and read it. If you’re looking for a book to buy, I recommend spending your money elsewhere .

Author: Bianca Bradbury
Audience: Tween–Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 184
Publisher: Bethlehem Books

Have you read Flight Into Spring? If so, what did you think? Are there any other post Civil War books you recommend?

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Book Review: Gabriel’s Horses

When Pa shows me something, I take note. Pa’s the best horseman in Kentucky, and I aim to follow in his path.

Horses and horse racing are Gabriel’s life. He is the son of a freedman and a slave woman, making him a slave. He enjoys jockeying for his master and learning about horses from his father. He is happy until war sends his world spinning. His father leaves and a new horse trainer with harsh training methods arrives. To top things off, Confederate soldiers begin stealing horses. Gabriel must make sense of his new life while trying to protect the horses he loves.

This is the first book in the Racing to Freedom Trilogy. I read the trilogy several years ago. My library purchased the second book in the trilogy. After reading that book, I begged the librarians to buy the first and third book to add to their collection. They did and I enjoyed all three books. The story is fast paced and provides an unusual look at a popular period of history.

Author: Alison Hart
Audience: Middle Grade–Tween
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 160
Publisher: Peachtree Publishers

What are your favorite historical horse stories?

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Book Review: The Scarlet Pimpernel

“The Scarlet Pimpernel, Mademoiselle,” he said at last “is the name of a humble English wayside flower; but it is also the name chosen to hide the identity of the best and bravest man in all the world, so that he may better succeed in accomplishing the noble task he has set himself to do.”

While the French Revolution rages across the channel, the people of England are buzzing about a new hero. No one knows the true identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel, but all admire him. Lady Blakeney is no exception. Her husband, however, is a far cry from this dashing subject of legend. Foppish and dull, Sir Percy is a leader of fashion, but of little else. When her brother’s life is in danger, Lady Blakeney is forced to make a difficult choice. Will her decision bring both the men she loves to the guillotine?

I hope all of you have already read The Scarlet Pimpernel because you’ve been missing out if you haven’t. This is my absolute favorite classic. It is also the easiest to read classic I’ve discovered. The beginning is a bit confusing the first time through, but stick with it and you’ll find it well worth your while. In case you can’t tell, I highly recommend it. 😉

Author: Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Audience: All Ages
Genre: Classic Adventure
Pages: 273
Publisher: Dalmatian Press (and many others)
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What is your favorite scene from this book? What other French Revolution stories have you enjoyed?

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