Freedom’s Ring by Heidi Chiavaroli
I was drawn in by the lovely cover and then I discovered two of them! The one on the far right might be a comp that was passed over for the final cover on the left. I’d love to hear more about that from Heidi as cover art is an ongoing fascination for me. And as a historical lover, I’m all about that lovely period dress – you can even spy the beautiful ribbon embroidery on the skirt. This novel has a dual-timeline set during the American Revolution and the Boston of today. It gives an eye-opening account of both contemporary and historical issues with a nicely sewn genealogical thread within. Congrats on the compelling debut, Heidi!
Many Sparrows by Lori Benton
I’m a fan of Lori’s novels and just about sigh with delight over the cover for her newest historical every time I look at it. Waterbrook creates stunning cover art, many like paintings. Lori is a wonderful researcher and her prose is beautiful and deep. She knowns her Native American history so well and incorporates that into all of her novels. I endorsed her first award-winning novel Burning Sky. She’s also an incredible artist and photographer as well!
Former People by Douglas Smith
To say I’m a Russian devotee is an understatement. Once upon a time I turned 21 in Russian, saw the Bolshoi ballet perform Swan Lake, and ate a very un-sugary Russian birthday cake:). Recently, after watching almost 50 episodes of Seyit & Sura, one of the most well done historical dramas I’ve ever been caught up in, I was drawn back to the Russia I find most fascinating under the last Tsar. I so hope to return to Russia one day and see again the palaces and historic sites that I saw back then. This non-fiction work is so interesting yet heartrending, full of accounts of what happened to the Russian aristocrats who fled Russia or perished along with Tsar Nicholas and his family.
Perhaps the better question is … what are YOU reading? And what do you like about it?
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I want to read Freedom’s Ring so badly. I keep looking at it on my amazon wishlist and debate buying it. But alas, I go to the eye doctor in two weeks, and I need to save money for that. So no, full price, book purchases for me at the moment.
I’ve been slowly reading Simon Sebag Montefiore’s The Romanovs for several months. It’s quite good. I highly recommend it.
I’m off work today, and going to get a haircut in about three hours, so I’ve been scrolling through my kindle trying to decide what novel to start. So far, I’ve not decided.
I so understand budgeting and books. Another thing is shelf space. That’s a big thing these e-readers have in their favor. And that Kindle shelf of mine looks so pretty 🙂 on my iPad. Trouble is, I always prefer a hard copy! You’re own Romanov reading sounds fascinating. I can only read a little at a time on Russia before bed usually. What a wonderful author name! Memorable. Have a good haircut. I’m debating doing that soon myself:) Bless you, my friend.
Looks like we’ve been enjoying some of the same books! 🙂 I just finished Many Sparrows last night and loved it! Such a beautiful story. Before that, I also read Heidi’s debut, Freedom’s Ring. I look forward to reading more of hers too. Gotta love historical fiction!! 🙂
Truly, nothing quite like historicals for escaping into the past and learning something too! This is my test post, Savanna, trying to capture that journal image like you showed me. So pleased it worked! THANK YOU for being such a wonderful instructor! And happy reading!
I noticed the image! 🙂 Great job! And you were easy to teach. 🙂
Have a blessed day, my friend!
You, too, dear Savanna!
As usual, I have about three books going at one time: Democracy by Condoleezza Rice, One in a Million by Priscilla Shirer, and The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith. I blew through Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster over the last couple of days. I had heard of it but never read it. I think young Judy Abbott would have gotten along famously with Anne Shirley.
Impressive list, Lisa! That’s the beauty of sharing these. I always get ideas and am sure others who read this do too. I’m doing a Shirer study (Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed) right now and it’s so good. Am going to look up these others, all but Goldsmith, one of my literary heroes from my college studies of that era. He is so fun to quote in books. And I’m peppering this Scottish novel of mine with plenty of them. Happy reading!
Two books I liked recently (1) A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner and (2) A Touch of Stardust by Kate Alcott.
(1) Marigolds also used a dual-timeline of the September 1911 New York Triangle Shirtwaist Fire and the September 2001 terrorist attacks on the twin towers in New York with a common thread of a scarf. The things I found myself criticizing about her characters and their motivations made so much more sense at the end of the story and it picked up speed with some plot twists when tying it all together in the end. It was a powerful “love conquers” with a hint of etherial faith. (though I was still wanting to find descriptions in words that made me go awe like you do – like your lake winking its blue eye, etc.)
(2) Stardust told a story of the making of Gone with the Wind from the viewpoint of a budding writer in Hollywood privy to being on the set itself. I wanted to believe what she wrote was true, so I didn’t do a lot of back research. And, because I have worked for some pretty influential people (like her Carole Lombard), I knew how easy it would have been for the fictional main character to make quick friends with Ms. Lombard and the Mr., a criticism others had of the book. It wasn’t a full resolve at the end in the sense of a fairy tale, but I could see her build a true love between characters. Plus, I read a bio of the author and felt she very well could have had first-hand information via her husband of these particular people.
Dear Susan/KC, Love this look at your bookshelf! Meissner has been a favorite author of mine ever since I read The Shape of Mercy. Such hard history but she does those dual timelines so well. And I’ll intrigued about anything GWTW related! You have a wonderful way with words and would make a fine reviewer if you aren’t that already. Thanks for this glimpse of both books. There are quite a few lurkers here who don’t comment but who I know will enjoy your posting as much as I do. Happy reading!