Review: A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austin

Book Cover and Synopsis:

The World's Fair - Chicago, 1893.

It seems a perfect backdrop for what Violet Hayes longs to experience: a little mystery, a little romance.

To be honest, it is more than a little mystery. She schemed her way to Chicago to discover the mother she barely remembered. As for romance well, with the help of her grandmother and three great aunts, that is coming along nicely as well perhaps too well. Each of her relatives including her saintly grandmother seems to have a separate agenda for her.

In the course of a summer, Violet's world will open wide before her eyes. But in the wake of discovery, she must find a way to determine which path and which man will ultimately be the right lifetime choice for her.

My Thoughts:
This novel is jam packed with all sorts of great stuff! Interesting people, engaging circumstances, and an awesome historical setting (Chicago, 1893). The leading lady, Violet, is amusing and has a very vivid personality; she is spunkier than the average 19th century lady, but this is what makes her--and the story--so much fun.

It's quite interesting to wander around historic Chicago with Violet as she goes on various outings. Feeding the poor in the slums of town, marching in a women's suffrage rally, and even having tea with the city's socialites, Violet experiences all this and more, guided by her grandmother and three great aunts who each wish to involve Violet in their personal agendas.

I enjoyed observing Violet's interactions with all four of her prospective suitors. Each man is completely different, and it's interesting and often humorous to see Violet's reactions to them. I particularly enjoyed Violet's relationship with Silas, unconventional though he is. All the evidence points to him being a thief, someone she should have no contact with, yet she finds him oddly compelling and harbors no fear of him. In fact, Silas's "underworld" connections actually come in handy as Violet attempts to search out information on her long-lost mother.

Ferris Wheel at the World's Fair - Chicago 1893

The 1893 World's Fair is quite a wonder, and the author excels at bringing the setting to life in vivid color. Violet has the opportunity to visit the fair several times, and each time a different aspect of it is presented. I was completely charmed by the first Ferris Wheel, and the other various exhibits are also intriguing and give a compelling look at the social issues and "modern" inventions of the late 19th century.

There are so many different layers and aspects to the plot that a review can hardly do it justice while refraining from spoilers; it's truly amazing how much content is covered in the course of the story. Even though there's a fairly large amount of characters, each one is very fleshed out and "real", with lots of depth and detail to their personality. I quite enjoyed the story, and even though the end was satisfying, I still find myself wishing there were a sequel. If you're looking for a great historical read, I would highly recommend this one!

My Rating: 5 stars

Review: Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Life in Sweden seems like an endless winter for three sisters after their mother's death and father's suicide. Elin feels the weight of responsibility for her sisters' welfare, and when circumstances become unbearable, she writes to her relatives in Chicago, pleading for help.

Joining sixteen million other immigrants who left their homelands for America between 1890 and 1920, Elin, Kirsten, and Sofia begin the long, difficult journey. Enduring the ocean voyage in steerage and detention on Ellis Island, their story is America's story. And in a journey fraught with hardships, each woman will come to understand her secret longings and the meaning of home.

My Thoughts:
I'm so glad I picked this one up; going in I had no idea how much I would enjoy it. The three sisters (Elin, Kirsten, and Sofia) are very close and have a deep love for one another, yet each one holds secrets they're afraid or too ashamed to share. These secrets ultimately lead them to leave their homeland behind in search of a new life in America. 

The point of view continually changes, going back and forth between the sisters. While all three sisters have a unique role and different ways of looking at things, Sophia is the one that stands out in my mind. Initially she greatly aggravated me with her pessimistic attitude, but once the sisters reached Ellis Island I was delighted to see an extreme change in Sophia's behavior, to the point that I found myself anticipating the chapters told from her perspective. She turned out to have a very good head on her shoulders, and the romance between her and the German immigrant she meets is simply beautiful. I never would've thought I'd enjoy a romance between two people who can't speak the same language, but I think it's actually one of the best I've ever read. It's very touching, and the way they used their Bibles to communicate was just *awesome*, there's no other word to describe it.

As I read, I felt as if I was going through the immigration process right along with the sisters. If I didn't know better, I'd think the author had actually gone through the process herself to be able to convey such details and vivid imagery. Something that really struck me was the hope all of the immigrants had for their futures in America, they looked upon our nation with such awe, so full of optimistic expectations. It's simply amazing to realize the depth of emotion, the hope these people had for their new lives in our country, and the hardships they endured just to get here.

Most of what I've mentioned happens in the first third of the book, as I don't want to give spoilers for the later parts of the story. Suffice it to say that the three sisters go through unexpected ups and downs, but as they learn to trust God in both the good times and bad, they find freedom from the haunting secrets in their past. The story tackles some tough subjects, but it's handled very well, leaving you with an impression of the difficult scenarios without giving too many details. This story of the three sisters' journey and search for a new beginning in life is truly amazing....I very much enjoyed it. Highly, highly recommended!

My Rating: 5 stars

Review: Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin

Yikes! I'm afraid I've been somewhat remiss in posting reviews lately. I fear things won't get less busy until after Christmas, so this may be my last post of the year. If it is, be assured that I'll be back next year with plenty more reviews! ;) And now, on to Wonderland Creek....

My rating: 4 stars

When book-lover Alice Ripley was let go from her library job, she never would've guessed she was about to be pulled into an adventure of novel proportions!

Up to this point Alice has lead a safe but mostly boring life, keeping her nose in a book most of the time. When her boyfriend dumps her and she loses her job, Alice feels a need to get away and ponder the direction of her life. Hitching a ride with her Aunt and Uncle, they drop her off in the little mountain town of Acorn, Kentucky, with a promise to return for her in two weeks.

Alice has been corresponding with the librarian in Acorn; after hearing of the mountain people's desperate need for books Alice started a book-drive and has collected 5 boxes full. This roadtrip offers her the chance to deliver the books in person, and while she's there she plans to volunteer at the library for the two weeks until her Aunt and Uncle return for her. There's no time to write and ask if this is okay, but Alice assumes it will be. After all, Alice is bringing 5 boxes of donated books; she will be openly welcomed, right? Amusingly, Alice is shocked to find things in Kentucky are not at all what she expected, and that's where this story really takes off.

Wonderland Creek was really a unique read for me, the story isn't like anything I've read before. The amount of things packed into this story is amazing: mystery, intrigue, attempted shootings, faked deaths, a 60 year old feud between two mountain clans, romance, packhorse librarians!, and the list goes on and on, but if I said anything else it would be too spoiler-ish.

Initially I had a smidge of trouble really latching on to the story, but eventually I got sucked in and really wanted to see what would happen next, and how things would end up. This is definitely a unique and well-done story, and you know, I think it has something for just about everyone! Check it out, I think you'll be happy!

One more thing I want to say:

Back cover art of Wonderland Creek.

The cover art on this book is simply gorgeous! Sometimes I'd just stare at it before I started reading, and I could just about imagine walking down that dirt road with the dreamy clouds hanging above. The back is just as stunning, showing Alice on a white horse (Belle), again done in that sort of dreamy coloring. Absolutely marvelous!

My rating: 4 stars 

(I received this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, a positive review was not required.)