"A Noble Masquerade," by Kristi Ann Hunter

"A Noble Masquerade," by Kristi Ann Hunter

Lady Miranda Hawthorne acts every inch the lady, but inside she longs to be bold and carefree. Approaching spinsterhood in the eyes of society, she pours her innermost feelings out not in a diary but in letters to her brother's old school friend, the Duke of Marshington. Since she's never actually met the man she has no intention of ever sending the letters and is mortified when her brother's mysterious new valet, Marlow, mistakenly mails one of the letters to the unsuspecting duke.

Shockingly, this breach of etiquette results in a reply from the duke that soon leads to a lively correspondence. Insecurity about her previous lack of suitors soon becomes confusion as Miranda finds herself equally intrigued by Marlow, a man she has come to depend upon but whose behavior grows more suspicious by the day. As the secret goings-on at her family's estate come to light, one thing is certain: Miranda's heart is far from all that's at risk for the Hawthornes and those they love.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It was fast paced, with many twists and turns along the way.  It doesn't take a genius to figure out who is who and what is what; but the path you follow to figure it all out is a fun one.

I enjoy that period of time and all the time you are wanting Miranda to find true love, as she is not you normal high bred lady of the times.  "Marlow's" character is perfect as well and he makes the book fun as well.  This is the first book (there is an e-book) in the Hawthorne House series.  I am looking forward to reading the others, as there are still plenty of tales to tell with the other members of the family.

Stars out of 5 : 4.5  My kind of book with plenty happening and a great love story mixed in.  Well worth the read; a good book to read in a couple of afternoons.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"The Photograph," by Beverly Lewis

"The Photograph," by Beverly Lewis

He studied the picture more closely, finding it curious that the young woman looked so boldly into the camera while wearing a white prayer Kapp shaped like a heart--the characteristic head covering for the Lancaster County Old Order Amish. 
Why would a devout girl have her picture taken?

When her sister Lily disappears only months after their widowed mother's passing, Eva Esch fears she has been wooed away from the People. Yet Lily's disappearance isn't Eva's only concern: She and her sisters must relocate once their older brother takes over the family farmhouse. Then Jed Stutzman, an Amish buggy maker from Ohio, shows up in Eden Valley with a photo of a Plain young woman. Eva feels powerfully drawn to the charming stranger--but the woman in the forbidden photograph is no stranger at all. . . .

If you are a Beverly Lewis fan, you will love this book.  It's in her typical style and an easy read.  You won't be shocked at the ending, and it is a book that invites you into the lives of the Amish.  I thought it was interesting that Eva has her own candy store at home.  She was a lovely leading character.

This book is not part of a series, but could easily be turned into a series.

Stars out of 5 : 4 I am all "Amished-out" at the moment, having just come back from vacation in Lancaster county.  However it was nice to read about places that I had heard of and even visited.  It's another solid book by Beverly and well worth the read.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"Olive Kitteridge," by Elizabeth Stout

"Olive Kitteridge," by Elizabeth Stout

At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town of Crosby, Maine, and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance; a former student who has lost the will to live; Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and her husband, Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.

As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life–sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition–its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires.

This is our October selection for our book club.  I had neither heard nor read this book before and I found it very interesting.  It basically 13 short stories in which Olive has some sort of role in; sometimes a large role, sometimes just a "walk-on" part.

It's a very complex book with many layers.  Sort of reminds me of an onion.  I enjoyed Olive, and loved her total honesty of a situation.   You could actually relate to some or all of these stories.  The only negative thing all these stories never actually had an ending.  I was told in the HBO series of this book, the stories did have an ending?

Stars out of 5 : 4  I would love to see the TV series now, as I still have questions.  It was well worth the read though and I would definitely recommend you reading the book.

The Memory Weaver," by Jane Kirkpatrick

The Memory Weaver," by Jane Kirkpatrick

Eliza Spalding Warren was just a child when she was taken hostage by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre in 1847. Now a mother of two, Eliza faces a new kind of dislocation; her impulsive husband wants to make a new start in another territory, which will mean leaving her beloved home and her mother's grave--and returning to the land of her captivity.

Haunted by memories and hounded by struggle, Eliza longs to know how her mother dealt with the trauma of their ordeal. As she searches the pages of her mother's diary, Eliza is stunned to find that her own recollections tell only part of the story.

Based on true events, The Memory Weaver is New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick's latest literary journey into the past, where threads of western landscapes, family, and faith weave a tapestry of hope inside every pioneering woman's heart. Get swept up in this emotional story of the memories that entangle us and the healing that awaits us when we bravely unravel the threads of the past.

I am a fan of Jane Kirkpatrick's work and was so looking forward to reading this book.  I found it a bit slow going though.  Going back and forward between Eliza and her mother's diaries was not helpful.  I will say though by the last quarter of the book the pace picked up and I had to know what happened next.

The story itself of Eliza is very interesting and I find that time period fascinating.  I also found the author's notes and acknowledgments to be extremely helpful in explaining things; so they are a must read.  It was also interesting when Jane pointed out in those notes, that Eliza probably suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  You don't think that people back in those days would suffer from it would you?  That made me reflect on what and why Eliza did the things she did.

Stars out of 5 : 4  Despite the fact the story was slow going I loved the subject matter.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"The Chaperone," by Laura Moriarty

"The Chaperone," by Laura Moriarty

New York Times bestseller, The Chaperone is a captivating novel about the woman who chaperoned an irreverent Louise Brooks to New York City in the 1920s and the summer that would change them both.

Only a few years before becoming a famous silent-film star and an icon of her generation, a fifteen-year-old Louise Brooks leaves Wichita, Kansas, to study with the prestigious Denishawn School of Dancing in New York. Much to her annoyance, she is accompanied by a thirty-six-year-old chaperone, who is neither mother nor friend. Cora Carlisle, a complicated but traditional woman with her own reasons for making the trip, has no idea what she’s in for. Young Louise, already stunningly beautiful and sporting her famous black bob with blunt bangs, is known for her arrogance and her lack of respect for convention. Ultimately, the five weeks they spend together will transform their lives forever.

For Cora, the city holds the promise of discovery that might answer the question at the core of her being, and even as she does her best to watch over Louise in this strange and bustling place she embarks on a mission of her own. And while what she finds isn’t what she anticipated, she is liberated in a way she could not have imagined. Over the course of Cora’s relationship with Louise, her eyes are opened to the promise of the twentieth century and a new understanding of the possibilities for being fully alive.

This is our book club choice for September.  I was under the impression it was more about the silent film star Louise Brooks, but the book actually focuses more on Cora Carlisle, who was Louise's chaperone one summer in the 1920's.  It's a book of both fact and fiction, and is full of historical references throughout.

I have to say some of the things that happened took my breath away and I know I said to myself:

"Well I didn't see that coming!"

Cora's life was certainly full of surprises and it was a joy to see her "grow" throughout the book.  Going from a straight laced, prim and proper lady, to a woman whose mind was open to living life and seeing things from other people's point's of view.  However all through her life she could never let go of making sure people only saw her as that prim and proper lady.

Stars out of 5 : 5 A great read that you will not want to put down.  What happens throughout parts of the book made you go "WHAT??"  It also makes you think about how relationships change throughout the years.  This is a book that you should read, very interesting.  A great book club choice.

"The Potter's Lady," by Judith Miller

"The Potter's Lady," by Judith Miller

In the beautiful rolling hills of West Virginia, Rose McKay seeks a measure of success--in business and in love.

When Rose McKay convinces her brother, Ewan, to invest in a pottery business, she's determined to assist him in making the endeavor a success. A recent graduate of the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, she believes she can design pieces that will sell well. Rose also reconnects with Joshua Harkness, who oversees his own family's pottery works and promises to help her.

Rylan Campbell has never liked change, but the new owners of the pottery seem to be decent folks. He just wishes Rose wouldn't insist on changing the way they do things. Then McKay Pottery begins to lose business to the Harkness company, and Rylan suspects Joshua may be secretly taking advantage of Rose.

When Franklin Hotels announces a design contest, it could be the opportunity McKay Pottery needs to achieve recognition and clients. Rose and Rylan work together to create something magnificent. With Joshua's company as their main rival, can Rylan convince Rose her trust in Joshua may spell ruin for them all?

This is the second book in the "Refined By Love," series.  I reviewed the first book, "The Brickmaker's Bride," here.  For some reason I thought this would be a very "light" book with not much to keep my attention, but I was proved totally wrong.  There is more to this book than meets the eye.  It has a "deeper" side to it and due to strange things that keep happening you need to know what will happen next.

Although this book is part of a series, it is an excellent stand alone book also; meaning you don't have to read the first one to enjoy the second one.  A lot of the characters from the first book appear in the second though, so it wouldn't hurt to read the first one. You will not be surprised at the ending, but a good book all the same.

Stars out of 5 : 4 A very easy read and one that kept my attention.  Well worth reading and it will fill a couple of afternoons for you.  

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"Through Waters Deep," by Sarah Sundin

"Through Waters Deep," by Sarah Sundin

It is 1941 and America teeters on the brink of war. Handsome and outgoing naval officer Ensign Jim Avery escorts British convoys across the North Atlantic in a brand-new destroyer, the USS Atwood. On shore, Jim encounters Mary Stirling, a childhood friend who is now an astute and beautiful Boston Navy Yard secretary.

When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is discovered, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges--and dangers--await them.

This is one of those books that will fill in a few hours if you fancy a light read.  It's a pleasant book that has a bit of romance and intrigue in it.  

I will say I am not a huge fan of war books and felt this was a little light on details.  I didn't know about the convoys that escorted freight ships via Iceland, so that was something new I learned.  I will say though it took me a while to figure out "who dun it!"

Stars out of 5 : 3 I will not remember this book next month.  It is the first in a new series by Sarah called "Waves of Freedom."

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".