The Lacemaker Book Review

SUMMARY:  It is the eve of a new age of freedom in the colonies.  But can a proper English lady dare hope for her own independence?
     Lady Elizabeth "Liberty" Lawson has nearly everything a lady of her position could want.  Daughter of the British lieutenant governor of the Virginia Colony and a darling of fine society in a rugged land, she is anticipating an advantageous marriage.  That her betrothed is a rake and love is lacking is of little consequence - or so she tells herself.
     Though her own life seems in order, colonial Williamsburg is a powder keg on the verge of exploding, and her fiance's cousin Noble Rynallt carries the flame of revolution in his heart.  Those with connections to the British nobility are suspected as spies, and Liberty soon finds herself left with a terrible choice.  Will she stay true to her English roots? Or side with Noble and the radical revolutionaries?

REVIEW:  Laura Frantz's latest novel transported me back to the beginning of our great nation and the difficulties that were faced by all citizens - both British and Colonial.  Liberty has to make a difficult decision - go with her father and wait for this uprising to end or support the locals she has grown up with in their pursuit of freedom.  I like how the author shows her reader Liberty's struggles and how she finds a way to support herself during this difficult time.  In doing so, she discovers a way serve her new country and show support for her fellow Colonists. 
     I like how Nobel Rynallt is a gentleman and a Patriot at all times. He helps protect Liberty when events turn ugly.  When standing for what he believes in comes at a great cost, Nobel doesn't hesitate.      As I read this story, I had envisioned some things I thought might happen with different characters and during certain events.  Ms. Frantz kept me on my toes and guessing as to how she would work things out.  I like that the story was not predictable but was engaging and kept my interest throughout.  This is a wonderful book that I highly recommend.

This book was provided by Revell for review without any compensation.

Laura Frantz Laura Frantz is a Christy Award finalist and the author of several books, including The Frontiersman's Daughter, Courting Morrow Little, The Colonel's Lady, The Mistress of Tall Acre, and the Ballantyne Legacy series.  She lives and writes in a log cabin in the heart of Kentucky.  Learn more at www.laurafrantz.net.

A Moonbow Night Book Review

SUMMARY:  In an uncertain time, she faces a choice that will change her life forever.
     After fleeing Virginia, Temperance Tucker and her family established an inn along the Shawnee River.  It's a welcome way station for settlers and frontiersmen traveling through the wild Cumberland region of Kentucke . . . men like Sion Morgan, a Virginia surveyor who arrives at the inn with his crew, looking for an experienced guide.
     Though he balks when Tempe is appointed to lead his team through the wilderness, it isn't long before Sion must admit that her abilities may outmatch his own.  But can the tenuous tie they are forming survive the dangers waiting just around the bend?
     With her signature sweeping style and ability to bring the distant past to vivid life, Laura Frantz beckons you to join her in a land of Indian ambushes, conflicting loyalties, and a tentative love that meanders like a cool mountain stream.

REVIEW:  Set during the Revolutionary War, this story takes place on the western side of the Cumberland Mountains, away from the fighting British and Patriot troops .  The danger that faces the settlers of this area are Indians determined to keep these newcomers off their land and out of their territories.  Ms. Frantz brings to life a part of American history most people have forgotten about: the gradual move west, across the mountains into areas only occupied by Native Americans and the major hardships they faced.
     Having read all but one of this author's novels, I kind of knew what to expect.  As I went through this book, though, I found myself having a more difficult time following the conversations between the characters.  Quite often I had to reread passages because I didn't understand what was being said, or pick up on the subtle nuances that were being communicated.  Also, she uses a lot of terms and names of items that are no longer in use.  To get a better understanding of the scene or circumstances, I would pulled out my dictionary, but some of the terms weren't there.
     All that said, this story was an attention grabber.  I kept wondering what would happen next, how Sion and Tempe would get out of difficult situations, and how things were going to end.  Temperance, or Tempe as she is often referred to, is one strong girl who doesn't know when to give up.  She kept up with the men without complaint and kept her wits about her during difficult times.
     Laura Frantz does not disappoint with this novel.

This book was provided by Revell for review without any compensation.

Laura Frantz is a Christy Award finalist and the author of several books, including The Frontiersman's Daughter, Courting Morrow Little, The Colonel's Lady, The Mistress of Tall Acre, and the Ballantyne Legacy series.  She lives and writes in a log cabin in the heart of Kentucky.  Learn more at www.laurafrantz.net.

A Flight of Arrows Book Review

Pathfinders Series

Book Two

SUMMARY:  Hearts are divided.  Loyalties will be tested.  The fates of two families hang in the balance.
     Twenty years ago, during the devastating fall of Fort William Henry in 1757, a young Redcoat named Reginald Aubrey stole a newborn boy - the lighter-skinned of Oneida twins - and raised him as his own.
      No one connected to Reginald escaped unscathed from this crime.  Not his adopted daughter Anna.  Not Stone Thrower, the Native American father determined to get his son back.  Not Two Hawks, William's twin brother separated since birth, living in the shadow of his absence and hoping to build a future with Anna.  Nor Lydia, who longs for Reginald to be free from his self-imposed emotional prison and embrace God's forgiveness - and her love.
     Now William, whose identity has been shattered after discovering the truth of his birth, hides in the ranks of an increasingly aggressive British army.  The Redcoats prepare to attack frontier New York, and the Continentals, aided by Two Hawks and the Oneida warriors, rally to defend it.  As the Revolutionary War penetrates the Mohawk Valley, two families separated by culture but united by love and faith must find a way to reclaim the son marching toward them in the ranks of their enemies.

REVIEW:  Lori Benton does it again and knocks the ball out of the park with this novel.  Having read all her other novels except for Book One in this series, The Wood's Edge, she carries on her distinct style and, with it, her readers.  The research she puts into each one comes out as you read about the battles, locations, lifestyles of both Native Americans and colonialists and the mindset of times.  I felt like I was right there beside the characters and could feel the depth of hurt, love, anger and other emotions each one went through.  There were times I was so caught up in the story that I had a hard time adjusting when I had to set my book down.  This is a novel you will want to read.
     This is the second book in this series.  I did not have the opportunity to read the first one.  The author did a great job explaining the first novel as she went along so that I did not feel I missed anything.  Some time in the future, I hope to read the first just to fill in the gaps and have a complete understanding of the events.
    This is one author that you need to keep on your radar.

This book was provided by Waterbrook Multnomah and Blogging for Books 

for review without compensation.

 Lori Benton was raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, where she was surrounded by three hundred years of American history.  Now her novels transport readers to the eighteenth century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of our nation's history.  She is the multiple award-winning author of numerous books including Burning Sky, The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn, and The Wood's Edge (Book one in the Pathfinders series).  Lori makes her home in Oregon.

The Creole Princess Book Review

 Gulf Coast Chronicles

Book Two

SUMMARY:  Torn between loyalties to family and flag, one young woman is about to discover that her most important allegiance is to her heart.

     It is 1776, and all along the eastern seaboard the American struggle for independence rages.  But in the British-held southern port of Mobile, Alabama, the conflict brewing is much quieter - though no less deadly.

     Lyse Lanier may be largely French in heritage, but she spends most of her time in the company of the ebullient daughter of the British commander of Mobile.  When a charming young Spanish merchant docks in town, Lyse is immediately struck by his easy wit and flair for the dramatic.  But is he truly who he makes himself out to be?  Spies abound, and Spain has yet to choose a side in the American conflict.  Is Lyse simply an easy mark for Rafael Gonzalez to exploit?  Or are his overtures of love as genuine as Spanish gold?

     With spectacular detail that brings the cultural gumbo of the Colonial Gulf Coast alive, Beth White invites you to step into a world of intrigue and espionage from a little-known slice of the American Revolutionary War.

REVIEW:  Even though I grew up in North Mississippi (in the same city as the author :-) ), it never occurred to me that fighting during the Revolutionary War could have occurred at the forts and land holdings of the British along the Gulf Coast.  Beth White's characters not only bring this conflict to life but also the issue of slavery and the difficulties people of mixed blood and heritage had.  

     Lyse is a probably one of my favorite heroines.  She is caught in between many worlds.  Her mother was of mixed blood (African and white) and her father is French. Her family carries on with some of the French traditions in a predominately British city.  Her faith follows that of the Huguenots in a largely Anglican and Catholic population.  Members of her mother's family are slaves while she is free.  She was poor due to her father's bad choices but was well-educated and well-read due to her wealthy grandfather and his vast library and was best friends with the fort commander's daughter.
     The story had many different pieces going on all at the same time but all flowed together seamlessly.  Sometimes it was a little difficult switching gears when the characters and storyline changed but I quickly caught up. The hardships faced by those who were forced to pick sides during this struggle is evident but they help make this story.  Faced with the challenging decision where they may be arrested or killed, the characters make the choice and stand by their beliefs.  Something every interesting was the idea that Spain, a neutral country during this conflict, may have been spying on the British and helping the American cause.
     This is a fabulous novel that is worth the time to read.  The author's efforts researching volumes of material shows in the details but is not overwhelming.  Plus, you learn some fascinating and intriguing history.  Bonus!!

This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.

Beth White is the award-winning author of The Pelican Bride.  A native Mississippian, she teaches music at an inner-city high school in historic Mobile, Alabama.  Her novels have won the American Christian Fiction Writers' Carol Award, the RT Book Club Reviewers' Choice Award, and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award.  Learn more at www.bethwhite.net.