Call It Courage

Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I haven't read Call It Courage, a juvenile Newbery Medal winner, in many a moon. A friend had returned it to the library and she left a note about how much she had enjoyed reading it as a child. So to refresh my memory - I reread it myself. This particular copy included the preserved original, beautiful blue and white illustrations.

Mafatu, 15 year old son of a Polynesian island chief, has had great loss in his life. His mother died when he was only three. Both had been at sea in their small canoe when a great storm flung them into the shark infested water. Barely alive, both had been washed to a nearby island. Only Mafatu survived - but was left with nightmares and a fear of the water so great that it impairs his daily life. At last, tired of the talk and judgment in the eyes of his people, Mafatu decides to strike out and confront his fear of the ocean - with only his friends, Uri, his pup,in the canoe and Kivi, his pet albatross, in the air. In the coming days, Mafatu's courage is tested over and over again and although he feels very small and alone in the world, he rises to meet the many challenges. With each hurdle crossed, Mafatu becomes more self assured and confident.

Anyone that is bullied or has a fear confronting an issue, juvenile or adult alike, would be advised to read this simple but rich story of historical fiction published originally in 1940. And in its simplicity, lies part of the charm...

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The Dressmaker

The Dressmaker: A Novel by Kate Alcott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A friend of mine suggested the Dressmaker to me - she knows of my interest in anything Titanic - and I'm so glad she did so. I could not put this book down. At one point to my horror I looked at the clock and the digital display showed 2:30am. Morning was to come all too soon. Reluctantly I closed the cover until the next evening!

The Dressmaker tells of the other side of the Titanic story - what happens after. True events and historical hearings are set within the fictional story of a young maid named Tess, eager to escape her life of servitude in France, who is thrilled to find gainful employment with Lady Duff Gordon - a world renowned designer of women's clothing. As they ship out on the Titanic, Tess is ready for her new life in America and hopes to learn more dressmaking skills from her new mentor. Within four days of studying the wealthy, learning of Lady Duff Gordon's eccentric ways, and meeting two new men that will change her life, the doomed Titanic meets its well-known ending at the iceberg. With so few lifeboats, the wealthy, including Lady Duff Gordon and her husband, Cosmo, jump into one and Tess is fortunate to barely make it into another - clinging to two young lads whose father begged her to save. When the Carpathian finds the survivors and hauls them aboard, stories start to circulate of half empty lifeboats, survivors of the sinking but not gathered in the boats, of bribes/payoffs to the sailors, and men who cast themselves into the boats, foregoing the women and children. Once the rumors hit New York and Washington, DC they can no longer be hushed and the world has to come to terms with the inescapable moral aspects and coverups of the Titanic tragedy.

As I scorned those who lied, I ask myself what I would do in such a situation - I could only hope to act with honor and dignity, but none will know until confronted.

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Cowboy Christmas

Cowboy Christmas by Mary Connealy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Annette Talbot is a missionary back East with a voice like a songbird. When the low-life thieving Leveques take over the troupe, Annette is on the verge of being forced to singing bawdy songs and wearing clothing not fit for a lady. So Annette makes a run for her father's ranch in Wyoming - but it's been six years since she's even talked with her father. The Leveques know a money making scheme when they see one and off to Wyoming they follow - Claude Leveque wants his songbird and a card-dealing, gambling shack to boot.

Connealy's writing is a hoot, only two excerpts of many that make me giggle...

His beloved mother used guilt like she was pulling a Colt revolver. And the woman had become the fastest draw in Wyoming.

..."Ma was wounded and she's still very fragile and ailing. She needs peace and quiet.' Ruby Walker came charging out of some room upstairs. A door slammed hard and her feet thudded on the floor. She came down the stairs with the delicate finesse of a stampeding herd of longhorns skidded to a halt right beside beside Annette. Guard dog number two had arrived. And not looked wounded at all.


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The Sugar Queen

27 year old Josey Cirrini of North Carolina loves her sweets and candy so much that she made a secret compartment in her closet - what a great idea I think to myself! My kids can't snoop and steal my stash of yummies! But Josey hides candy because it's the only pleasure she gets: her mother is terribly overbearing and rude and Josey has no friends or significant other - her job is to take care of her mother. In other words, Josey's life is going nowhere fast - until one day she opens the closet door and there sits Miss Della Lee Baker eating her candy and reading her books. Miss Della has decided to hide out for awhile and coach Josey on getting back into the game of life and romance, slowly but surely! In her quest, Miss Della is going to let a lot of cats out of the bag - especially about Josey's domineering mother and beloved,late father!! Such a funny, magical story with a happy ending - I promise!

The Road to Grace

The Road to Grace by Richard Paul Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book three in the Walk series, this is another keeper. Alan is back on the road again, walking out his demons, from South Dakota, through Iowa, and ending as far as St. Louis, Missouri - over halfway to his destination of Key West, FL. Along the way he meets the most interesting people, but to his surprise and dread, his mother-in-law Pamela appears and follows him through several towns, disappearing and reappearing. Just when Alan believes he has left her behind for good, Pamela appears, looking worse than ever until finally she collapses on the shoulder of the road. When Alan revives her with food and water, she tells him a convincing story he has never heard and ends by asking for grace. Can Alan forgive the woman who deserted his late wife when she was only a child? The next person Alan meets is the elderly man who finds him on the side of the road, dropped by another severe vertigo attack. The man, Mr. Leszek, immediately takes him to the hospital, but waits and offers him hospitality until Alan recovers. Again, Alan learns a valuable lesson in the art of compassion and forgiveness. So the story goes - as the books draws to a close, Alan is on the road to St. Louis and again is attacked by severe dizziness, and wakes up in the hospital - finding the cause to his vertigo.

A story of offering and accepting grace and forgiveness - as Alan says in his journal: The abundance of this grace is only limited by ourselves, as we cannot receive that which we are not willing to accept-be it for ourselves or others..that not to extend forgiveness is to burn the bridge that we ourselves must cross...

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The Cove

The Cove by Ron Rash

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Such a beautiful, quiet, haunting book....of wrongdoings, bittersweet love, fear and judgment, brave heroes and shameful cowards, and life-changing secrets.

Set in the mountains and coves of North Carolina, the main character, lovely, lonely Laurel Shelton, is thought to be a witch by the superstitious people of Mars Hill - her birthmark proves it according to them. Laurel lives in a backwoods cove, so deep that the sun only dapples it occasionally, with her war hero brother Hank. While walking through the cove and listening to birdsong, she comes across a young man playing a silver flute. Laurel stays hidden, visiting him almost daily, but never revealing herself until the day she finds him, unresponsive, stung by yellow jackets. Somehow she manages to help him home to her cabin where she enlists Hank's help. Going through the young man's dirty, threadbare clothing that needs washed, Laurel discovers a note - her foundling's name is Walter: he is mute and trying to get to New York. As Walter heals slowly and begins to help her brother on the land, Laurel begins to finally dream, feeling her life is about to change for the good.

An amazing piece of work - being of the mountains myself, the descriptions of the cove and birdsong Ron Rash weaves into the story are almost ethereal in their beauty. Highly recommended and I believe I will check out Rash's earlier novel, Serena...



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Lone Wolf

Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As with all Jodi Picoult books, there is always a huge debatable topic covered and this novel deals with a family's heart-rending decision for their father - continue life as a comatose patient or allow death by removing life-support.

Luke Warren, the well-known Wolf Whisperer, and his daughter Cara has been involved in a terrible accident, leaving him in a coma and machine dependent and Cara, injured. Cara, who has lived with her father and his wolf-pack predominately since her parents divorced years ago waits upon a miracle. But, Cara has an older brother, Edward, that left home years ago, who feels that his Dad would not want him to extend his life as is. Ready for battle, both Cara and Edward will find that there are no winners with either decision..

Interesting facts about wolves and their packs are woven into the storyline, but there were times when I questioned Luke's sanity as when he left his young family for a year to disappear off the map and live with the wolves..

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A Most Unsuitable Match

A Most Unsuitable Match by Stephanie Grace Whitson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's 1869 and eighteen-year-old Fannie Rousseau has just lost her mother - and her father, just three years earlier. Fannie's small, privileged world has come crashing down on her until she discovers that she has an aunt, possibly living out west, that she has never met. Bravely hopping a steamboat with her beloved Hannah, up the Missouri, Fannie sets off in hopes of meeting her mother's twin sister, Edie. Along the way a quiet, young man named Samuel Beck and his friend Lamar extend their help, especially after Hannah dies in the steamboat accident and they continue the journey out west. Fannie finds that Sam has a secret of his own, for he has been trying to find his younger sister who ran away from their abusive father. The trip, rough arrangements, and unusual, hard events force Fannie to grow up and strengthen her faith. Will the end result and secrets unwrapped be worth the trip and trouble? As Fannie says, "I guess it's time I grew into the life I've been handed."


I really enjoy works of historical fiction and love learning about our country, especially when America was in its infancy. Wrapped around a good plot of fiction makes for good reading.

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Love Blooms in Winter

Love Blooms in Winter by Lori Copeland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Lori Copeland's latest release, the plot is set in the dead of winter in a tiny prairie town of Dwadlo, North Dakota - where the Chicago & North Western railroad steams through. Mae Wilkey, is the postmistress who also helps Hal Murphy in his general store and watches over her younger brother, Jeremy and elderly snuff-chewing neighbor, Pauline, who has a few lucid moments now and then. In Mae's quest to find a relative of Pauline's, she comes across a single piece of paper with the name Tom Curtis. Could Tom be the family, come visit and be Pauline's caretaker instead of Mae? When Tom finally arrives, racking his brain over this long lost aunt, it's because he can combine the trip with railroad business. Out of compassion he goes along with the nephew/relation idea. As he tries to wind things up in Dwadlo, events happen, including a train wreck, that cause him to stay put and eventually Tom begins to fall for the petite postmistress and the funny characters who live in and out of town.



Note: I get a kick out of the quirky characters that Copeland creates. Hal,Lil, and Pauline especially gave me many belly laughs.

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Barton Hollow (Unplugged)

Barton Hollow (Unplugged): The Civil Wars performs "Barton Hollow," the eponymous single from Grammy-winning album, on VH1 Unplugged.


Love this group..

Love on the Line

Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Miss Georgie Gail is a modern, independent, young woman. She has her own job, her own home, and it's only the early 1900s. Georgie is a switchboard operator in a small town in Texas and she loves her job and birdwatching. That's why she's sorely vexed when they send a male troubleshooter named Luke Palmer from the ST&T Co to keep an eye on her. If she only knew that Luke's real name was Lucious Landrum and his real job is working as a hard-nosed, gun-toting Texas Ranger. Luke/Lucious is on the lookout for train robber Frank Comer - a man who has a reputation for giving back to the poor and being kind to children and women. Can the Texas Ranger chase down Frank and his gang, all the while working as a undercover phone repairman and falling for the feisty Miss Gail?

Deeanne Gist is known for her sweet, wholesome, historical romance novels and some of her characters and settings are based on real people and real places. What I love about her is the way her characters play off each other and once I start reading - the giggles and laughs uncontrollably pop out!

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