Quick Lit: March '21

 

   Linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy and updating how my Lenten reads are going so far.

The Reckless Way of Love is a series of reflections on how we are called to love God and each other taken from the writings of Servant of God Dorothy Day, organized by Carolyn Kurtz,   I really appreciated how the book was laid out; with each section focused on a different aspect of the lived experience of loving as we are called to by Christ.  I again found myself marveling at Day's great commitment to live the Greatest Commandment and her honesty at how difficult the daily work of that can be.

The Quiet Companion by Mary Purcell is the story of St Peter Faber, one of the founding members of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).  I really enjoyed this biography where Purcell pulled from the letters to and from the saint, as well as his diary to tell the story of his life and the times when he lived. From his time at the University of Paris where he was roommates with St Francis Xavier,  to when they met St Ignacio Loyola and traveled with him to Rome to form the order and have it approved.  Later he was sent to Germany with the task of pushing back against the Reformation and finding common ground with Lutherns.  

Make My Life Simple by Rachel Balducci is a fun fast read filled with great advice to reduce the chaos and find pockets of peace in your day.  What I appreciated most about the book was the tone; Balducci offers a lot of suggestions from her experience as a mother of 6 but stresses the most important idea was for the reader to find what works for them since the comparison was the fastest way to lose your sense of peace.

Open book ~ Feb'21

 

Towers in the Mist by Elizabeth Goudge is a wonderful book of Oxford early in the reign of Elizabeth 1; when student Walter Scott was dreaming of going to sea for her, and could still attend lectures taught by Edmund Campion.  The story centers around a Canon of Christ College and his children. Through them over the course of a year, you see Oxford in all its seasons and all moods. Some romance, some adventure, and a lot of inspiration.

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver; is the story of Missie, who had managed to graduate high school without getting pregnant, and saving up enough for a car decides to head west.  Away from Kentucky and a life the feels not quite right. Along the way, she changes her name to Taylor and ends up in Arizona.   

You need to suspend your disbelief a few times, but overall this a beautifully written story of a place and those key people and decisions that help determine what sort of adult you want to be.

Freckles by Gene Stratton-Porter: is the story of Freckles a young orphan who has aged out of a Chicago orphanage and applies for a job with a logging crew.  He was tasked with guarding a forest of valuable trees until the crew can get there a year later.  Porter a naturalist, in this lovely coming-of-age story makes the woods come alive as Freckles finds his way to manhood charged with this great task. The ending is a saccharine, but well worth the read.

Please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Books.

What to read while waiting for your Bridgerton holds

   If you like me have learned of the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn because of the Netflix series; and are now surprised and a bit disappointed to find the books back-ordered and/or checked out.  Allow me to share some of my favorites of the genre while you wait for your holds to come in.

Georgette Heyer:  Any of you longtime readers know of my great appreciation of this author. Sometimes described as Austen lite: her understanding of the Regency comedy of manners is excellent and her romances lovely.  This post describes some of my favorites of hers's to which I would add Frederica and Sprig Muslin which I had yet to read.

Bree Wolf's Love Second Chance romances include wonderful conversations among a great cast of characters who continue to appear through the series.  The intimate scenes are consistently between married people and almost entirely behind the closed door; kissing and early foreplay are on the page.

Emma Leech's Rogues and Gentlemen series is another great series where you meet great people and enjoy watching over the course of the series they, their friends, and their family find love.  These books focus more on the romance of the time as well as the effects of war on those who fought in the Napoleonic Wars.   The intimate scenes are again mostly between married people but in a more open-door manner.

Erica Ridley's Duke of War series recounts a group of friends who have been to war and are now back.  These stories also focus on the battle scars these soldiers carried, (both internal and external) while they meet their lady loves. The humor of the Regency comedy of manners is the focus while there are some open door scenes as our couples achieve their 'happily ever after'. 

  Stepping slightly away from the Regency setting I want to also highlight a couple other authors.  Janette Oke writes wonderful clean romances of the Canadian West.  She has two series Love Come Softly, and When Calls the Heart, as well as many stand-alone novels, two of my favorites being A Bride for Donnigan and They Called Her Mrs. Doc.

Eliza Knight's Sutherland Legacy is set in Scotland during the time of Edward II and Robert the Bruce. Lords, Ladies, and Clansman fight and fall in love along the border and in the Highlands of Scotland.  These are also open door romances where the intimate scenes are somewhat described on the page. 

Any favorites of yours I missed?

Open Book ~ September '20

 

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is on its surface a murder mystery and below the surface a wonderful coming of age story and a beautiful look at the marshlands of the North Carolina.  After being left by every member of her family Kya finds a way to survive and along the way become an expert on the local flora and fauna. She also finds love for both wonderful and devastating results.  

The End of the Affair by Graham Greene tells the story of Maurice Bendrix, a novel writer who fell in love with the wife of another man.  Reflecting back on the affair a couple years after it had ended Maurice is still undecided whether he wants closure, revenge, or to reunite with Sarah.  The story told from different viewpoints is an interesting look at how we care for others and find faith in the world.

American Duchess by Karen Harper is a novel based on the life of Consuelo, nee Vanderbilt.  Strongarmed by her mother into a marriage to the Duke of Malborough  (cousin of Winston Churchill); the book tells the story of how she grew in maturity, took control of her life, found love, and ultimately made peace with her mom.  Struggled with the last third of the book where I think the author tried to cover a lot of time quickly; I overall enjoyed the story and am glad to have learned more about this interesting woman and the times in which she lived.

Charity Girl by Georgette Heyer is the story of Viscount Desford and the adventures which ensue when he picks up Cherry Steane who has run away from her aunt and is on her way to London to ask for her grandfather's help.  This one of Heyer's later books and a plot I think she explores better in Sprig Muslin, but that being said the dialogues in this book are wonderful particularly those between Des and his father and brother.

   

Please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Book!

Quick Lit August'20

Linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy and sharing some Quick Lit!

Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, is a lovely story of time and place as an American actress, French perfumer maker, and British journalist meet and become friends in Canne.  The process of designing and developing a perfume and the role that the flowers and herbs of Provence play adds interesting practicality to the fun of a Royal Wedding.  

A Well-Behaved Woman is a historical fiction novel based on the life of Alva Vanderbilt tells a fascinating story of the late 19th century when old families and new families with money challenged for prominence.  The author Therese Anne Fowler does a wonderful job of taking us into this world as Alva matures and decides for herself which rules to observe and which need rethinking in a changing world.  

Another fun historical fiction novel based on the life of a real person; Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict begins on Clementine's wedding day as she reflects on her courtship with Winston Churchill and continues to follow their lives together up to and including the London Blitz.  While very repetitive in places; overall an interesting read and has peaked my curiosity to learn more about Lady Clementine.

Far from the Maddening Crowd by Thomas Hardy is the story of Gabriel Oaks and Bathsheba, the small village they separately each come to live in.  A lovely story of the successes and failures of the farmer class of England in the eighteenth century.  A quiet classic with wonderful dialogue and interactions amongst the townspeople.

Open Book ~ July'20

A Man called Ove by Fredrik Backman is a charming story of a curmudgeon's opinions and how he adjusts to changes in his neighborhood.  Backman through flashbacks and current misadventures tells a wonderful story of the measure of a man and when you realize long held grudges no longer matter.

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams tells the story of Lily Dane and her friend Budgie of New York, Smith and summers in Rhode Island.  Alternating between 1931 and 38; you see these young women grow into adulthood and how the sin of omission can do as much harm as an actual lie.  I found Lily to be a bit too gullible but the writing pulled me in and kept me interested.  Explicit in places so would definitely pre-read if considering for a older teen.

Summer at Tiffany is a memoir by Majorie Hart of the summer of 1945 when she and a college friend became the first girls ever to work as pages at Tiffany's.  Coming from Iowa to New York to work for the summer the author recounts their adventures at Tiffany's, throughout the city, and particularly in Time Square on VJ Day.  A fun, fast read ~ just right for a summer afternoon.

The Personal History of Rachel DuPree by Ann Weisgarber is a fictional but well researched look at the experience of the black homesteader.  Rachel is a cook working in a boarding house in Chicago when the owner's son a Calvary soldier about to retire from the Negro troop comes home for a visit.  By the end of the visit in exchange for her claim to 160 acres; Isaac DuPree agrees to marry her.  The book is a wonderful glimpse of life at the turn of the 20th Century first in Chicago and then the Badlands

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park tells in an alternating way the daily life of a young Sudanese boy in 1985 and a young Sudanese girl in 2008.  As I read further in this very well written YA book I borrowed from my oldest; I learned that Salva's story of being one of the 'lost boys' of Sudan escaping the war and living first in refugee camps and later coming to the US is true told to the author.  Nye's story is a composite of the many children of Sudan he is now trying to help.  A lovely book which has proven to be the source of some good conversations with my 12 year old about the world and giving back.

For more Open Books please head over to Carolyn's!

Open Book ~ June'20

Cotillion by Georgette Heyer is another fun Regency comedy of manners.  Kitty is being pressured into marriage by her guardian and appeals to a long-time friend to become betrothed to buy some time.  Freddy agrees reluctantly but then takes her to London and in every way behave in such a way to become one of my favorite Heyer Heroes  As I've come to expect from this author the supporting cast is wonderful and adds to the general confusion and very much to my enjoyment.






Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell is the story of young love between two hurting teens.  They meet on the school bus when Eleanor moves to town and slowly come to care for each other.  Told in alternating perspectives the story is angsty and sweet in that way that good YA can without ever minimizing the serious problems they were facing.  Given the serious issues discussed and blatant examples of bullying would not recommend for young teens.












Rilla of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery is the last of the Anne of Green Gables series (book 8).  Told from the perspective of Anne's youngest daughter Rilla who at 15 is ready for her first dance and other delights. The story beginning in 1914 tells the story of WW1 as experienced in a little town on the coast of P.E.I. Wonderful characters 'do their bit' and serve from the Homefront, but the next four years are the carefree growing into womanhood she had imagined.  Written for young girls the description of the battles are not at all gory but Montgomery does convey the emotions of waiting for the latest papers.  While those who have read the series better appreciate the cameo's by the minor characters the book can be read as a stand-alone.

News of the World by Paulette Jiles is the story of Captain Jefferson Kidd who has lived through 3 wars and fought in 2. It is now 1870 and he makes his living traveling around north Texas reading the news from various newspapers aloud in towns along the way.  He is now as a favor to another former officer returning young girl, stolen by the Choctaw Indians four years earlier,  to her aunt and uncle near San Antonio.  I liked this quiet, sometimes slow moving story of breaking down communication barriers and forming relationships in this time place. Jiles descriptions of the Texas landscape are wonderful.











Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is the story of two girls in Nazi Occupied Denmark that I borrowed from my 12 year old after she read it with her class.  Annemarie is 10 years old and so is her best friend Ellen; and the book tells the story of how Annemarie's family comes to help and hide Ellen.  While clearly written for middle schoolers I really enjoyed the narrative and it peaked my curiosity enough to spend a couple of days researching the Danish Resistance.

My thanks to Carolyn for hosting this link-up!

Please click over for more Open Book!

First Rosary books ~ A Review

  A couple months ago Holy Hero's very graciously send me a set of My First Rosary books and I wanted to very much take time this month (Mary's month) to share what a blessing they have been.

 

     Really well made with sturdy full-color pages I'm sure that they will hold up well through lots of use.  Intended for my 7 year; in fact my older kids very much enjoy having a turn with them during our family rosary to read the description of the mystery we are praying and they are leading.  The bead illustration also helps with keeping count with the decade being prayed.

 And in one on one time with my 7 year we can read them as if they were bible story books, where she can both learn the events of Jesus and Mary's life and begin to learn which events constitute the different mysteries of the Rosary.  Another great feature for both during our family rosary and when Caitlin explores on her own is that all the prayers of the Rosary are listed in the back of each book.

We were sent a set of the  Little Catholic First Rosary books in return for my honest review and I am so glad to add these resources to the prayer life of my kids.

Open Book ~ May'20

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner which will be released later this month is a lovely story about a village in England where the author Jane Austen lived for a while, and what a small group of townspeople did to preserve her legacy.  I found this book slow to get going but ultimately wonderful with developed characters and amusing dialogue.  The book also speaks to Austen's appeal across the generations.

Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt tells the story of the Civil War from the perspective of a 10 year old; youngest son in a family living in Southern Illinois.  A quietly moving YA story (based on the experience of the author's grandfather) where a young boy comes of age practically because his older brothers leave and the work of the farm remains and emotionally as the stresses and worries of war continue over the years.

Loving My Actual Life by Alexandra Kuykendall, is a practical, funny look at the little changes that can make a big difference.  Based on a 9 month experiment where the author seeking to enjoy more of her everyday life rather than racing through, changed a few things each month to sort-out in her world what made a difference.  I enjoyed the journal format and emphasis on trial and error, as well as the author's approach being that of offering suggestions what worked in her married, four kids life. I also appreciated how Kuykendall shared how her faith effected her decisions but don't feel that this would be offensive or off-putting to non-Christians.


Please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Book

Open Book ~ April '20

As I have for the last few years I chose to give-up fiction for Lent again and found a few treasures.

Live Big ~ Love Bigger by Kathryn Whitaker is a wonderful tell it like it is memoir. Whitaker shares about her faith journey and how in the early days of her marriage she and her husband set about creating a home culture based in service and seeking God's will. She is honest about mistakes made and how the premature birth of her youngest son rocked her world.  It is a wonderful visit with a Catholic mom of many where she shares what she has learned along way in the hope of making your journey a bit better; best enjoyed with a glass of Dr Pepper perhaps.

Holy Women by Pope Benedict is lovely little book based on a series of talks Pope Benedict gave in 2010-11.  The seventeen women profiled was a nice balance of saints I knew and others I was 'meeting' for the first time.  Each chapter is part biography and part reflection of the saints contribution to Church history; and I felt like I learned from each one.

Holy Women was a late addition to my Lenten plans when I decided to join an online book club, but it paired beautifully with a book I was already planning on reading.

Accidental Theologians by Elizabeth Dreyer is a fascinating look at the four women named Doctors of the Church.  Dreyer does a wonderful job of sharing each women's faith journey and their understanding of matters of faith, both as it applied in their time and in ours. Dreyer also explores how the definition of scholarly theology used to determine eligibility to be considered worthy of the title was broaden to include those who given the customs of the times would never be given the opportunity to attend university but whose contributions have profoundly added to our understanding of theology.

Please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Book!

Open Book ~ March'20

Marilla of Avonlea by Sarah McCoy is a wonderful look at Marilla Cuthbert's backstory. McCoy takes on the daunting task of telling the romance of Marilla and John Blythe; and does it well.  We also see how her and Rachel's friendship grew and developed; as well as an interesting subplot about lives of former slaves who sought freedom in Canada by way of the Underground Railroad.  While McCoy does not have Montgomery's skill at describing landscape I found her conversation and character development to be solid and very much in the Montgomery tradition.

Then for fun. I reread Anne of Avonlea, just to remind myself of details of Anne's life as she passed from girlhood to adulthood and found it to be every bit as wonderful as I remember.

Wives of War by Soraya Lane tells the story of three British nurses serving in France in the days and weeks after the invasion at Normandy.  While in places the writing was more about telling than showing I truly enjoyed the story's focus on the character's friendship, how they supported each other through the stresses of long hours, and poor conditions.  While there are definitely romance storylines the emphasis of the book is the important role nursing played in caring for the wounded and how they leaned on each other while doing this important work.

Please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Book.

Open Book ~ Feb'20

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles is the story of Count Alexander Rostov who in 1922 was placed on 'house arrest' in the Hotel Metropolis.  The book tells the story of the next forty years of his life and the changing tides in Moscow.  While a bit slow to start as the author is world-building; it is the most lovely story of community and unexpectedly a life well lived.

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain is based on the life of Beryl Markham an English child raised in Kenya early in the twentieth century.  A real life trail blazer who broke barriers, first becoming a top horse trainer and later a pilot.  While choppy in places I really enjoyed the author's take on this fascinating time and place; including people familiar to anyone who has read or seen 'Out of Africa'.  

Please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Book!