I was only familiar with Harriet Beecher Stowe as being the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin. I had no idea of her history or her family's legacy. This book is a fictionalized account of an historical incident involving the Beecher family: an adultery trial involving their brother, a preacher.
It was a fascinating book from the family point-of-view, with issues of loyalty, trust, betrayal and forgiveness. While the premise is Henry Beecher's trial,…
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Added by Holly on January 31, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I thought the premise was interesting (a husband writing his wife a letter every week for 39 years). I didn't love his previous book, The Christmas Jars, although I loved the idea it created. So I didn't hold out much hope for this book.
It was a quick read and I loved how the story wasn't told through the letters but because of the letters. The letters enhance the story and bring forth important…
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Added by Holly on January 26, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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I liked this, although I didn't enjoy it as much as I have the other Sandra Dallas books I've read. The 1933 Natchez, Mississippi setting is, from a historical aspect, fascinating. Having never been to Natchez, and having had minimal southern exposure, I enjoyed the history lesson more than the plot. The glimpse into southern history and society is entertaining and downright funny at times. The author captures the essence of the class and race…
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Added by Holly on January 24, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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It was ok. I was somewhat disappointed, as I had enjoyed The Gazebo. Other than the lack of graphic scenes, there's nothing in this that distinguishes this from a paperback romance novel.
It's a very light, easy read. Fairly predictable and you don't connect with the characters much. I preferred her novel, The Gazebo. I thought that was a much better…
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Added by Holly on January 23, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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I loved the book. I wasn't sure what to expect of it, but I was pleasantly surprised. The book shares the story of a close-knit group of devout, Orthodox Jews in Memphis and what happens when a free-spirited, yet still Orthodox, outsider moves in. I loved the collective voice of the narrator: she wasn't one particular woman, she was all of them "we". I found myself saddened at the treatment Batsheva received at the hands of some of these women. Their…
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Added by Holly on January 22, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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This is one of my favorite Austen books. This is her earliest written book, and probably the least polished.
It's funny and light-hearted at times, but it's also serious when it comes to the subject of marriage. There are laugh-out loud moments and there are moments where you get so angry at particular characters that you wish you could wring some necks! There are also moments in this book when Jane Austen is downright snarky. Her satire is sharp…
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Added by Holly on January 20, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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I had a difficult time getting into this book. It's taken me forever to finish it. I'm a fast reader and this isn't a fast book! I read Edith Wharton in college and enjoyed her immensely, I just didn't enjoy this one as much. The story is lively and interesting: Lily Bart is a woman to whom many of us can relate. She is a poor girl with expensive taste who is still accepted into the monied New York society. She wants a husband, but because of her poor…
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Added by Holly on January 19, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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I really enjoyed this book as I've always been fascinated with the Amish way of life. I liked the insights into the society: the courtship rituals; the close-knit community; the devotion to family and faith. The complete acceptance of secrecy was surprising. I am curious as to how true it is to the time and people.
The author's prose is simple and concise, but not at all awkward. She says what needs to be said with the same clear succinctness…
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Added by Holly on January 16, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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I enjoyed this as much or more than the other Elm Creek Quilts books. This one is set in the past, and tells the life of Dorothea who was good friends with Sylvia's Great Aunt Gerda. It goes into detail about how quilts were used to help runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad. Historically there are disagreements as to whether or not this really happened, but the novel is honestly believable. From a historical aspect, it was fascinating.…
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Added by Holly on January 13, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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Well, I read it. I needed a break from all the quilting novels that seemed to come my way, and I love a good vampire story. The reviews called it "gripping" and "suspenseful." I'd call it over-rated. I liked it, although I didn't LOVE it and I'm not jumping on the I-love-Edward-bandwagon any time soon. (My favorite vampire is, and always will be, Angel. I have all 5 seasons on DVD, most of the books, and a life-size cardboard cutout of David Boreanaz…
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Added by Holly on January 4, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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It was ok. It's definitely a teen book, but I was more fascinated by the history. The author made a great attempt at historical accuracy, and it was interesting to see Venice through the eyes of a 14 year old girl in 1592, especially the class differences. Nobles vs. citizens and the poor: girls weren't educated, only one girl in a family normally married, only one son in a family married, the father's absolute ability to decide the fate of his…
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Added by Holly on January 4, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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Like the other Elm Quilt books, this one is heartwarming and easy to read. The same characters entertain you in this book, just as they do in the previous ones. At the end of the book, two quilters will go their separate ways, but their leaving is a natural progression to the ongoing saga and the personalities of the women.
The story is the same throughout the book, but each chapter is the same basic story told from the viewpoint of different…
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Added by Holly on January 4, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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This is the second in the Elm Creek Quilters series and it was delightful. I love how the author has pieced these women's lives together the same way a quilt is pieced and created. This particular book explores the relationships between mothers and daughters in a very real, very thought-provoking way. It is as engaging and intricate as the quilt patterns it imitates.
I've been on a quilting kick lately, I suppose! And, I've reserved the remaining…
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Added by Holly on January 4, 2008 at 3:00pm —
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I liked it. The book continues the story of Sylvia, this time as she tries to locate her mother's quilts. As the quilts were sold off by her sister, this involves internet research and travel.
Her mother's story is interspersed with Sylvia's quest, which is nice, but the reader learns Eleanor's story, Sylvia doesn't. I wish the author had worked it so that Sylvia learned her mother's history, because that knowledge is something she…
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Added by Holly on January 4, 2008 at 3:00pm —
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Like all the other Elm Quilt books, I enjoyed this one too. I didn't like it as much as the others I've read though. It was a bit of a slower read, but the history of how quilts were used during the Underground Railroad is fascinating. I have read other books that talk about the use of quilts during the Underground Railroad, and while there is a lot of discussion as to whether or not this is true, the author is very clear that this book is her…
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Added by Holly on January 4, 2008 at 2:00pm —
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I liked it. It was a sweet, yet predictable novel. I'm a sucker for a love story and this one was sweet. It's not a stand-out novel and its storyline is familiar, but it was entertaining and a light, easy read.
The story spans 50 years and America, Italy Paris, and England.
Any story that includes Michelangelo's David is always interesting to…
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Added by Holly on January 3, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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I loved it. It was heartwarming, funny and inspirational. Helen and Carl Doss are truly wonderful people who adopt 12 children, most of whom are of mixed race, and they do this in the 40s and 50s when it was unheard of for white people to adopt children of different races.
Helen writes about how they came to adopt each child and shares funny anecdotes about the children that are simply delightful. The love that this couple has for these children…
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Added by Holly on January 3, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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I liked it. It's the third in the Elm Creek Quilt series. This one was about 5 different women, instead of the original Elm Creek Quilters, but it's still originates and ends at quilt camp. These 5 women agree to complete a challenge quilt together, but before they can start their own patches, they need to resolve the personal issues that plague them.
Entertaining and heartwarming. An easy read.
Chiaverini is a great storyteller and…
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Added by Holly on January 3, 2008 at 4:00pm —
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I enjoyed it. Sandra Dallas does a great job of capturing the feeling of family relationships. It's written in the form of letters from one sister to another, during the Civil War.
The insights into the lives of those left behind when soldiers went to war was fascinating. But, what I loved most was the details about quilting and the history of some quilt patterns. A good, easy…
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Added by Holly on January 3, 2008 at 2:00pm —
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I loved this book. It was an easy read: only a couple of hours. I loved the quilting aspect and how the lives of these two women became so intertwined.
The author is a terrific storyteller and she shares a delightful tale of friendship, family life and secrets and forgiveness.
The women in this story weave their lives together, much as a quilt is brought together in pieces. It's a terrific…
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Added by Holly on January 3, 2008 at 2:00pm —
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