WWW Wednesdays - October 29, 2014

Should Be Reading hosts this weekly update on what we're reading, what we recently finished reading, and what's next. 

I am behind on reading/commenting this week, but I will get to it, I promise!

• What are you currently reading?  I kept working on Song of Redemption by Lynn Austin, and Robin: Lady of Legend by R.M. ArceJaeger.  And I just started Prelude for a Lord by Camille Elliott.

    

• What did you recently finish reading?  I finished A Lady's Honor by Laurie Alice Eakes and A Lady At Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd, (Read my thoughts about these books HERE and HERE.) 

   

• What do you think you'll read next?  Still waiting for me is Night of a Thousand Stars by Deanna Raybourn.  This is the longest I have ever waited to get going on a new book of hers. I am ashamed. I have a new non-fiction book to review - Look and Live by Matt Papa.  And it just occurred to me that this is the first October in several years that I have not made a point of reading something suitably spooky - Dracula by Bram Stoker is one of my favorites, and being a Deanna Raybourn fan, I also really enjoyed her vampire novel, The Dead Travel Fast. I might add one of those to my to-read-soon list, despite the stack already being rather high!

   

   

What are you reading? Anyone can join in this link-up by answering these three questions. Visit Should Be Reading for this week's link-up.

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads - A Lady at Willowgrove Hall

A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd -  Isn't the cover beautiful? The images on the first two novels in this series were gorgeous as well. The stories within the pages are lovely as well.  Although this is a series, each one stands alone. The main characters in this one are Cecily Faire, a blacksmith's daughter; and Nathaniel Stanton, the steward of Willowgrove Hall. Both of them have secrets in their past, and the theme of the story is honesty and overcoming past mistakes or shame.

As a sixteen-year-old, Cecily attempts to elope with the heir to the estate her father is employed on. Her father catches her and immediately packs her off to a girls school (Rosemere, which was featured in the second novel of the series) and cuts off all contact to her twin sister. Cecily receives a good education, but no one knows her background or why she was at the school, and she hopes to keep it that way, especially when she receives the position of companion to Mrs Trent, the widow that owns Willowgrove Hall. Nathaniel's secret is that he is the illegitimate son of the late Mr Trent. He was raised as the son of the steward, and Mr Trent had provided an inheritance for him, but Mrs Trent is bitter and continues to take out her unhappiness on Nathaniel. Cecily and Nathaniel connect immediately upon her arrival at the estate, but both wish to keep their secrets hidden, and a relationship seems impossible. But Cecily genuinely likes her stern employer, and in her effort to comfort Mrs Trent when she suffers illness and seems near death, she learns some of the secrets of Willowgrove Hall and finds herself needing to be honest about who she really is as well. Will she have the courage to tell Nathaniel the truth, and if he knows of her shameful past, will he still be interested in her?

By the same author: The Headmistress of Rosemere and The Heiress of Winterwood

(Book #46 in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge)

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Teaser Tuesdays: October 28, 2014

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

Gone also were the long hours playing her violin...

She checked herself. She hadn't played since the day her brother broke her fingers.

~Prelude for a Lord by Camille Elliot, page 4

"Then you really are Robin Hood," John Little exclaimed, still incredulous.

"I am indeed. I believe this is where you crave my pardon?"

~Robin: Lady of Legend by R.M. ArceJaeger

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Scripture and a Snapshot: October 25, 2014

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

~John 8:12~

 I  hope this picture of a lighthouse in Canada, my home country, is a reminder to pray for Canadians. Pray for the families who lost loved ones in the tragedies that took place in Ottawa and Quebec this past week. Praise God for those who courageously and compassionately offered their help and defended others.

Scripture and a Snapshot is hosted by A Glimpse of Our Life.

The Weekend Brew is hosted by My Freshly Brewed Life.

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

The "Summer's Flying By" Reading Challenge, Mini-Challenge #8 and Update

Time for another update on The "Summer's Flying By" Reading Challenge! We took on Mini-Challenge #1:

S-U-M-M-E-R

S - (A) Stand At Sinai by Hope Auer (finished)

U - Understanding the Times by Ken Ham (finished)

M - Michal by Jill Eileen Smith (finished)

M - (The) Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene (Kennady's - finished)

E - (The) Eight by Katherine Neville (finished)

R - Robin: Lady of Legend by R.M. ArceJaeger (still working on this! It's not that I don't like it - it's just not a priority)

And Mini-Challenge #4 was to read a book with the word "Summer" in the title. I started reading a book called Waiting for Summer's Return by Kim Vogel Sawyer. The reference to summer in that title is actually the lead character's name! I set the book aside because I got wrapped up in reading other things, so I still haven't finished it.

Mini-Challenge #5 was titled "Have We Met?" and was designed to introduce yourself to a new author. We were encouraged to grab a book by an author we'd never read and settle in. I chose the book She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell, since she was an author that had been on my to-read list for awhile, but was new to me.

In Mini-Challenge #7, we were to read a book where the title or the cover photo makes you think of summer somehow. I read the book Making Waves by Lorna Seilstad. The cover featured a young lady in fashionable 1890s vacationing attire, with a beach and sailboats on a lake in the background.

Circumstances caused the final Mini-Challenge #8 to be delayed until this week, but here it is! "Down Memory Lane" - Read a favorite book from your childhood, and if possible, read it with your children! I know exactly which one I want to read too. The Cuckoo Clock by Mrs Molesworth. I've read it with Kennady before, and I know she's got other books she's working on right now, so probably I will read it by myself, but I will enjoy it!


The Wrap-up will be next week! It's turned out to be quite nice to extend at least one aspect of summer for a bit longer. 

Here is the list of titles we are currently reading, or have finished since starting the challenge:

Kennady's Books

The Hunger Games (finished)

The Fellowship of the Ring

The Mysterious Letter (finished)

The Happy Valley Mystery

The Secret of the Old Clock (finished)
Catching Fire (finished)
Mockingjay (finished)
A Crazy Tale (finished)
Treasure Island

Kym's Books

A Stand At Sinai (finished)

Michal (finished)

The Eight (finished)

The Toll-Gate (finished)

Understanding the Times (finished)

Loyal In Love (finished)
Lady of Quality (finished)
Tried and True (finished)
Robin: Lady of Legend
Waiting for Summer's Return
Making Waves (finished)
Beauvallet (finished)
Song of Redemption
She Walks in Beauty (finished)
The Brickmaker's Bride (finished)
Out of the Storm (finished)
A Lady's Honor (finished)
A Lady at Willowgrove Hall

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads - A Lady's Honor

A Lady's Honor by Laurie Alice Eakes - I was lucky enough to win this book, and it was a delight to read! The action starts in the first page, with Elizabeth Trelawney fleeing London and a forced marriage to a man she fears. When her carriage is stopped by her spurned fiance's men, a stranger comes to her rescue, claiming he was sent by her brother. Soon she realizes that Rowan Curnow is not a complete stranger - but he's not quite a gentleman either, and she struggles with whether or not to trust him, even as she is losing her heart to him. 

Rowan and Elizabeth reach her home in Cornwall, where she believes she will be safe, but there are dangers lurking there as well. Her childhood friend has been murdered, and there are threats against her and one of her family members. The smugglers are involved somehow, but out of fear and loyalty, no one is talking. Rowan knows he cannot court Elizabeth, much as he wants to, but he is determined to keep her safe and find out where the danger lies.

Elizabeth is spoiled and selfish, and can't trust that any man wants her for anything but her money. She can't comprehend unconditional love, and yet she continues to be drawn to Rowan, and eventually must decide whether she will do what she thinks is expected of her in order to remain safe in her childhood home, or to take risky steps of faith to believe in real love and protect those she cares about.

Lovely combination of Regency and Gothic novel elements with a bit of a mystery and intrigue. 

(Book #45 in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge)

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

WWW Wednesdays: October 22, 2014

Should Be Reading hosts this weekly update on what we're reading, what we recently finished reading, and what's next. 

I had this ready to go earlier today and must have been interrupted, because I never posted it! Well, it's still Wednesday for a little bit longer, so I can sneak in under the wire.

• What are you currently reading?  I have been enjoying A Lady's Honor by Laurie Alice Eakes almost to the exclusion of the others I was working on. But I am still reading Song of Redemption by Lynn Austin, and Robin: Lady of Legend by R.M. ArceJaeger.  

    

• What did you recently finish reading?  I finished The Brickmaker's Bride by Judith Miller, and She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell  last week, but was slow in getting a review written for either of them. (Read my thoughts about these books HERE and HERE.) 

   

• What do you think you'll read next? I thought it would be Night of a Thousand Stars by Deanna Raybourn, and I've been so looking forward to it. But, the library has prompted me to change my mind a little, because two books I'd had on my wait list just arrived for me, and since others are on the wait list after me, I think I'll need to read them first and save the book I own to read later. The two new ones are A Lady At Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd and Prelude for a Lord by Camille Elliott.

   

What are you reading? Anyone can join in this link-up by answering these three questions. Visit Should Be Reading for this week's link-up.

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads - She Walks in Beauty

She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell - I was first drawn to this book by the gorgeous cover, and the description drew me in as well. Clara Carter is a young society debutante in 1890s New York, and her aunt and father have made their expectations clear - she is to win a proposal of marriage from the  city's most eligible bachelor, the DeVries heir. They also make clear that the way to do that is to learn all the correct manners and social graces, and to achieve the look that is most fashionable and desirable. Clara struggles to learn dances and how to make conversation on only polite topics (none of which are of any interest to her); and is in constant discomfort because of the corset she is made to wear day and night (her aunt believes it's imperative that Clara achieve an eighteen-inch or smaller waist in order to win the desired proposal). Clara would far rather be reading poetry or studying sciences, but she feels she has no choice but to do as her family demands. To make matters worse, her best friend is also after the same man, and with the same pressure from her family to succeed. The gossip columns are cruel, and as Clara goes through the season she finds herself more drawn to the younger DeVries brother who might just like her for who she is rather than for the caricature of a woman that her aunt and society are making of her. When she finds out some of the secrets her family and friends have hidden from society, she needs to make a decision about whether she can follow her heart and conscience, no matter the consequences.

It turns out that eating disorders, unrealistic expectations on young woman to look like some impossible ideal, and relentless society gossip and media attention are nothing new. The wealthiest society families around the turn of the century were the celebrities of their day, and this story highlights some of the hardest aspects of that society life. I felt that the story had a very dark undertone - Clara had little freedom to be herself even before her aunt launched her into society. Her family life had been cold and lonely since her mother's death, and she received almost no affection from her aunt or father. She had few friends, and once her governess was sent away she really had no advocate either. It was difficult to read about a life with so little joy, and so little to look forward to, and under crushing pressure to look and act a certain way.  Clara's agonies over the restrictive corset she was made to wear were a sobering reminder of the sometimes terrible price women paid to have the "perfect figure". It's easy for us to romanticize a time period like this because we see pictures of the stunning dresses and the genteel society, but the damage women were required to do their bodies to fit into those dresses, and the shallowness and deceit of society are not often mentioned. I found myself silently urging Clara (and Harry, the younger brother of the man she was expected to marry) to flaunt the unrealistic expectations and restrictions of family and society that would clearly never bring them happiness and fulfillment.

A very good book, one I'd recommend, and it does have a happy ending - but not exactly a feel-good beach read!

(Book #44 in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge)

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads - The Brickmaker's Bride

The Brickmaker's Bride by Judith Miller - It was the unusual setting of this historical novel that first drew my interest. It takes place in the newly established state of West Virginia, shortly after the Civil War. Irish immigrant Ewan McKay and his uncle Hugh purchase a brickmaking business from a widow and her daughter, Laura Woodfield. Hugh holds the purse strings for the business but isn't inclined to do much of the work, but expects Ewan to build up the business. Ewan puts in long thankless hours and does his best to re-hire good workers, manage the brickmaking operation, and negotiate contracts in order to make the business profitable - his motivation being Uncle Hugh's elusive promise to make him a full partner and bring his younger sisters over from Ireland when the business is profitable enough. Laura grew up helping her father with the business so she and her mother are more than willing to help Ewan as much as possible. While spending time working together, Ewan and Laura cannot escape the relationship growing between them, but there are definite obstacles to overcome. To start with, Laura is being courted by the Woodfield family lawyer, a man with the wealth and social connections that Ewan knows he can't compete with. Laura also has a secret that she fears will make her an undesirable wife for Ewan. And to complicate matters further, Uncle Hugh makes some poor business decisions that put the entire brickmaking business at risk, and if they lose the business, Ewan fears he will have no chance to win Laura at all.

I loved the characters and setting of this novel. The connection between Ewan and Laura is obvious right from the start, and I couldn't help but cheer Ewan on in his determination to make the business an honest success in spite of his uncle's poor decisions. Although Laura had agreed to allow the lawyer to court her, it was out of a resignation that she had to take what she could get, and I didn't like him at all, which kept me wondering until Laura's secret was revealed - what it was that made her think the ambitious lawyer was the only man likely to accept her. Compulsive gambler Uncle Hugh and his demanding and critical wife Maggie were a constant thorn in the side for Ewan, but they also provided quite a bit of humor throughout the story.

Overall I loved the book, and once I got started, I was completely hooked. A minor detail that I couldn't help but wonder about all the way through was why Ewan and Hugh had different surnames, when it was mentioned that Ewan's father was brother to Hugh. I was also a little surprised at the reaction of the lawyer when Laura finally turned him down and chose Ewan instead. (I don't think that's a spoiler - it's obvious from the book's title that Laura will wind up with Ewan!) The lawyer's jealousy and possessiveness led me to expect something different when Laura's decision was made, but I won't spoil that!

From the publisher:
In the clay-rich hills of the newly founded state of West Virginia, two families tentatively come together to rebuild a war-torn brickmaking business.

Ewan McKay has immigrated to West Virginia with his aunt and uncle, promising to trade his skills in the clay business for financial help. Uncle Hugh purchases a brickmaking operating from a Civil war widow and her daughter, and it's Ewan's job to get the company up and running again.

Ewan seeks help from Laura, the former owner's daughter, and he quickly feels a connection with her, but she's being courted by another man -- a lawyer with far more social clout and money than Ewan. Resolving that he'll make the brickworks enough of a success that he can become a partner in the business and be able to afford to bring his sisters over from Ireland, Ewan pours all his energy into the new job.

But when Hugh signs a bad business deal, all Ewan's hard work is put in jeopardy. As his hopes for the future crumble, Laura reveals something surprising. Can she help him save the brickworks, and will Ewan finally get a shot at winning her heart?


Visit the Baker Publishing Group for info on where to buy.

(Book #43 in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge)

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Teaser Tuesdays: October 21, 2014

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

She said she wanted to talk to him, and she'd smiled at him.

And he was a fool to care so much about either from her.

~A Lady's Honor by Laurie Alice Eakes, page 91

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Scripture and a Snapshot: October 18, 2014 - Weekend Reflections

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

~Matthew 6:26-33~

Scripture and a Snapshot is hosted by A Glimpse of Our Life.

The Weekend Brew is hosted by My Freshly Brewed Life.

This post is linked at Weekend Reflections.

Reflection = An image given back by a reflecting surface

Post a photo taken by you that contains a visual reflection (water, glass, metal, eyes, etc - be creative! Reflections can be found almost anywhere!) and link up at the Weekend Reflections blog from Friday 11am through midnight Sunday each weekend. Comment on other Weekend Reflections participant's blogs.

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

WWW Wednesdays: October 15, 2014

Should Be Reading hosts this weekly update on what we're reading, what we recently finished reading, and what's next. 

• What are you currently reading?  Still reading Song of Redemption by Lynn Austin, and Robin: Lady of Legend by R.M. ArceJaeger.  Just yesterday I started A Lady's Honor by Laurie Alice Eakes - I think I will really like that one!

     

• What did you recently finish reading?  I finished The Brickmaker's Bride by Judith Miller, and She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell. Reviews on my blog are coming soon! 

   

• What do you think you'll read next?   Night of a Thousand Stars by Deanna Raybourn is next up!

What are you reading? Anyone can join in this link-up by answering these three questions. Visit Should Be Reading for this week's link-up.

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Teaser Tuesdays: October 14, 2014

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

I noticed after I chose these teasers that they are somewhat related. In the first, Aunt is responding cold-heartedly to her brother's claim on the family's carriage in case he needs to respond to a medical need (he is a doctor). To Aunt, nothing - nothing! - is as important as making the right appearance in society. In the second teaser, Margaret is ramping up a disagreement by claiming to feel faint - while yelling! - but Hugh is not buying it. Actually, Margaret is also obsessed with how society sees and accepts her at the cost of almost everything else. Despite the selfishness of these two ladies, these scenes both made me laugh when I read them.

"There are such things as emergencies."
"And anyone who expects you to attend them under such circumstances between the hours of four and six o'clock must be told to die some other day."
Aunt walked out the door.

~She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell, page 73


"Did you hear me, Hugh? I said I feel faint!"
Hugh tugged on the end of his mustache and pierced her with a stern look. "Anyone who has enough breath to shout isn't about to faint, Margaret."
The Brickmaker's Bride by Judith Miller, page 286

©2008-2014 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/