Archive | March 2018

Oney: My Escape From Slavery by Diana Rubino and Piper Huguley

Mar4

All Men Are Free

Oney: My Escape From Slavery by Diana Rubino and Piper Huguley is an epic historical novel that blends fact and fiction into a marvellous tale.

At its heart is the question of slavery. It is appalling to the modern reader that this vile trade ever existed. Slaves were not seen as people but commodities. Some were treated well, others not but a palace is as much of a prison as a shack if you are not free.

Oney was a forward thinking young woman who wanted not only her freedom. “I’ve had enough of bein’ property. I wanna own my own body.” She wanted an education too. She was a very brave young woman.

The novel surrounds the plight of women. Even those who thought they were free, were actually subject to the will of their husbands.

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Crown Of Beauty by Cecily Wolfe

Mar3

The Road To Truth

Crown Of Beauty by Cecily Wolfe is a fabulous Christian historical romance. It is the second book in the Cliff Walk Courtship series but can be read as a stand-alone. I enjoyed continuing the story from book one. This novel focuses on one of the sisters.

Crown Of Beauty is an absorbing read for anyone interested in a read that combines up and downstairs relationships. I found it very reminiscent of Downton Abbey with the relationship there of Lady Mary and her maid Anna. There were confidences and an openness that few ever have.

The novel deals with truth and lies. Even if we lie by omission, it will surely catch up with us one day. Our lives must be based on truth, no matter how hard it is to face.

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Throne Of Grace by Cecily Wolfe

Mar2

Teamwork To First Steps

Throne Of Grace by Cecily Wolfe is a marvellous Christian historical romance. It is the first book in the Cliff Walk Courtships series and I absolutely loved it.

Set in 1893 the world is changing. People are still obsessed with class. Each class makes judgments and has prejudices against the other classes but we should never judge. The state of our heart is more important than the state of our clothes.

Fortunately God looks at our heart. He has love for everyone. No one is more or less worthy. “She never felt she was less in the eyes of God because she had so little.”

Some characters are “obsessed with appearances and money.” Money brings choice but was never meant to sit on a throne.

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The Inaugural Meeting Of The Fairvale Ladies Book Club by Sophie Green

Mar1

Life, Death And Everything In Between

The Inaugural Meeting Of The Fairvale Ladies Book Club by Sophie Green is a wonderful historical novel about life, death and everything in between.

Set from 1978-1981, I hesitated to use the term ‘historical’ but realised there are many years separating then and now and the world is quite a different place. Each new year recaps the important events, setting the scene for the reader with the references that follow. This wonderful book is a snapshot in time.

The novel takes place in the Northern Territory, Australia. It is an unforgiving landscape. Life can be hard and isolating.

The book follows a group of women as they band together to share their love of books (many of which I had heard of and some I had read). They form so much more than just a book club. They offer a lifeline for each other. From various continents and of different ages and life experiences, these women become a group of friends. They share life’s ups and downs – births, deaths, divorces, new loves, old loves, jobs, children – the list goes on.

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