I Recommend: Christian Historical Fiction Series

One genre I really love is historical Christian fiction. Especially series. I haven't read one in a long, long, time because of blogging and all the amazing YA books, romances, etc that I have found. I used to read a lot of these though, and I thought today I would share a few of my favorites, just in case anyone else maybe interested. But really, this ended up being me really trying to sell Janette Oke, haha!

Love Comes Softy series by Janette Oke (8 books)
These books are set in the pioneer west (with a very Little House kind of feel) and follow Clark and Marty Davis (and their children) as they struggle through all the challenges of that time period and environment. These are quick books and I read the whole series in maybe two weeks in high school. Oh, and a few of them are also made into movies now, as well. Definitely one of my favorite series across all genres.



The Canadian West Saga by Janette Oke (6 Books)
Another one of my all time favorite series. I read this in high school as well and the story still sticks with me. This one follows a woman named Elizabeth, who takes a teaching job in the Canadian frontier. A whole new world for her, considering she was raised in city-life on the East Coast. I read all of these books in just a few days. I devoured this story!

A Prairie Legacy by Janette Oke (4 Books)

ALMOST as good as Love Comes Softly. This series falls Marty and Clark's granddaughter, Virginia. I can see this appealing to YA fans because it's a coming-age-story for Virginia. Shes really trying to find out who she is and her place in the world and how she fits in with her family and her friends. 

Abram's Daughter series by Beverly Lewis

This one set off my love for Amish stories! This one follows for Amish sisters. Another coming-of-age type story for the YA fans. I don't want to give too much away though! All of the series definitely focus on a love story, which may also be appealing for the romance fans. I would honesty give all these series an overall five, for sure! 

Review: Brazen by Katherine Longshore

Brazen by Katherine Longshore
Series: Stand-Alone
Published by Viking
Format: Hardcover
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Tudors
Goodreads * B&N * TBD

Mary Howard has always lived in the shadow of her powerful family. But when she’s married off to Henry Fitzroy, King Henry VIII’s illegitimate son, she rockets into the Tudor court’s inner circle. Mary and “Fitz” join a tight clique of rebels who test the boundaries of court’s strict rules with their games, dares, and flirtations. The more Mary gets to know Fitz, the harder she falls for him, but is forbidden from seeing him alone. The rules of court were made to be pushed…but pushing them too far means certain death. Is true love worth dying for? 

This book was so good! I flew through it!

Here we have the the story of Mary Howard who finds herself married to Henry Fitzroy at the young age of fourteen. They barely even know each other and haven't even seen each other since they were (even younger) children. Even after the marriage ceremony, they barely come into contact with each other and Mary is left wondering what it's like to be in love and even what it is like to be kissed.

Eventually, however, these two do get to have various encounters. These meetings are very important in that they do get the opportunity to get to know each other and eventually, truly, fall in love.

I really liked Mary from the very beginning and I really wanted her to be happy. I had no prior knowledge of her or Fitz so I had no idea what to expect from their story. I was nervous, however, that Fitz would be too much like his father and that this wouldn't be much of the love story that I was hoping for Mary. Fortunately, I had nothing to worry about. Fitz was a great guy and totally sweet and loyal to Mary, just as she deserved.

So I totally love this period in history. I am enthralled by the Tudors, the Boelyns, the Howards, all of it. I completely at this story up and it was very satisfying. Longshore does a wonderful job in giving details of court-life and letting us feel as though we are right in the midst of it. We actually get to see a lot of the Henry/Anne drama which I enjoyed, but it didn't revolve around them, so if your tired of their story, you can still easily enjoy this one.

The length of this book worried me at first, but I like I said before, I flew through it. The story is broken up into pretty short and quick chapters that all tell a different scene and different days which keeps the pace going quickly and leaving no dull moments. Longshore also does a excellent job in helping the reader keep the many characters and events straight, which I appreciated.

The first half of the novel focuses on Mary and her friendship with Marge and Margaret, which was interesting, but I was really anticipating some Fitz scenes, which finally came in the second half. I liked all of the characters though and their little group of the three girls, Fitz, and Hal. We truly get to know all of these friends and its fun to read the scenes with all of them together.  My favorite part of the novel was watching Mary go from a young girl who thinks she is "just a Howard" to a young woman who knows that she is her own person and can't be defined by her parents, her title, or the king.

The only thing holding me back from giving Brazen a full five stars is that it didn't quite produce full emotions in me. There were scenes that should have had me crying, or at least choked up and really feeling but I didn't quite get to that point. I wasn't 100% invested in the love story or the characters like usually am with my five star books.

This book definitely satisfied my craving for some Tudor fiction and I will be eagerly awaiting some time to read Gilt and Tarnish. 

4.5 out of 5

Series Review: Luxe by Anna Godberson

Now that I've finished reading the Luxe series, all I want to do is binge watch all the seasons of Gossip Girl.

Oh my gosh, I had so much fun reading this series this summer. I didn't read them consecutively, I started Luxe in the middle of July and just finished Splendor that night, so early details are little bit hazy. This is definitely one of those series that I'd say I am going to "miss". I really grew attached to all these characters and it didn't help that, super weird as it may be, I pictured many of these characters as Gossip Girl characters. (Have I mentioned before I am obsessed with that show?)

If you've never seen the show, please feel free to skip over this bit:

Henry = Chuck Bass

Penelope = Georgina Sparks

Elizabeth = Serena van der Woodsen

Teddy = Nate Archibald

Carolina = Ivy Dickens

Diana =  Blair Waldorf

Sorry, Will Kellar did not come across as a Dan Humphrey for me. This was my Will Kellar:

You're welcome!!

Anways, so yes, this is such a fun series. These are the kinds of books you read just for the hell of it, because you need to something light and you need something that will let you escape for awhile. So much drama, scandal, money, parties, beautiful dresses, and decadence. Characters you love and characters you love to hate. It was enjoyable to watch (some of)  these people evolve over the course of a year(?) in 1900 New York City. 

We start off near the last quarter of 1899 when most of these people are 18-ish and the girls' worlds mostly revolve around finding the most suitable husband available. We end in the last quarter of 1900 and no one really ended up where they thought they'd be in the beginning. Some had happy endings and other not so much.  Honestly, this is a soap opera in book form with a historical setting. 

So, I think the whole series got wrapped up pretty well... but back to the point about "missing" these characters, I'd love to read more about them! In fact, I read the last page with my heart kind of hurting. I think there still could be so many possibilities. But then again, after too many books it would probably get boring. It's all okay though, I have a copy of Godberson's Bright Young Things sitting on my shelf waiting for me. :)

If you're looking for some scandalous, lavish reading to end your summer, or even take you into fall, you should check out this series. (If you haven't already, I mean these are pretty old books, comparably.)  

Book Review: A Death-Struck Year by Makiia Lucier

Title: A Death-Struck Year by Makiia Lucier
Series: Stand-Alone
Released: 3/4/2014
Source: Won
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 3/5

Summary from Goodreads:

A deadly pandemic, a budding romance, and the heartache of loss make for a stunning coming-of-age teen debut about the struggle to survive during the 1918 flu.

For Cleo Berry, the people dying of the Spanish Influenza in cities like New York and Philadelphia may as well be in another country--that's how far away they feel from the safety of Portland, Oregon. And then cases start being reported in the Pacific Northwest. Schools, churches, and theaters shut down. The entire city is thrust into survival mode--and into a panic. Headstrong and foolish, seventeen-year-old Cleo is determined to ride out the pandemic in the comfort of her own home, rather than in her quarantined boarding school dorms. But when the Red Cross pleads for volunteers, she can't ignore the call. As Cleo struggles to navigate the world around her, she is surprised by how much she finds herself caring about near-strangers. Strangers like Edmund, a handsome medical student and war vet. Strangers who could be gone tomorrow. And as the bodies begin to pile up, Cleo can't help but wonder: when will her own luck run out?

Riveting and well-researched, A Death-Struck Year is based on the real-life pandemic considered the most devastating in recorded world history. Readers will be captured by the suspenseful storytelling and the lingering questions of: what would I do for a neighbor? At what risk to myself?

A good read for fans of historical fiction…

…And that is exactly what I am. As a nurse, I am fascinated by things like epidemics and how they affect society. I was also pleasantly surprised that our main character volunteers for the Red Cross and we got a little peak into the nursing and medical side of things. Those aspects are what made this book for me.

Let me just say though, the story does not give an excess of background information about the Spanish influenza and I found myself Google searching articles to answer my questions. (This is more from an “I-work-in-the-medical-field aspect and probably won’t affect most readers.)

I went into this story thinking there would be a lot more drama and chaos then what we actually got. It seemed to take the MC, Cleo, a little while to realize how terrible this situation actually was. And then we only get to see what she sees. Oh, and this was the one and only time that I didn’t like a romance. It really seemed pointless and took away from the story I was hoping to get. I wanted more disease related everything.

This was a very quick read. I sat down and read cover-to-cover in three hours. The prose was also well done. However, the story is in Cleo’s point-of-view and up until the point of her meeting Edmund I was thinking she was around fourteen (because of her “voice”.) It turns out she is seventeen (if I remember right?) and that took me back for a minute and I had to readjust the “Cleo” in my head.

I would recommend to fans of historical fiction or those interested in epidemics/diseases. I, personally, was hoping for something a little more intense and gripping. 

3 Stars

Book Review: City of Jasmine by Deanna Raybourn

Title: City of Jasmine by Deanna Raybourn
Series: Stand-Alone (as of now)
Released: February 25, 2014
Source: Library
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4/5

Summary from Goodreads:

Set against the lush, exotic European colonial outposts of the 1920s, New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn delivers the captivating tale of one woman who embarks upon a journey to see the world—and ends up finding intrigue, danger and a love beyond all reason. 

Famed aviatrix Evangeline Starke never expected to see her husband, adventurer Gabriel Starke, ever again. They had been a golden couple, enjoying a whirlwind courtship amid the backdrop of a glittering social set in prewar London until his sudden death with the sinking of the Lusitania. Five years later, beginning to embrace life again, Evie embarks upon a flight around the world, collecting fame and admirers along the way. In the midst of her triumphant tour, she is shocked to receive a mysterious—and recent—photograph of Gabriel, which brings her ambitious stunt to a screeching halt. 

With her eccentric aunt Dove in tow, Evie tracks the source of the photo to the ancient City of Jasmine, Damascus. There she discovers that nothing is as it seems. Danger lurks at every turn, and at stake is a priceless relic, an artifact once lost to time and so valuable that criminals will stop at nothing to acquire it—even murder. Leaving the jewelled city behind, Evie sets off across the punishing sands of the desert to unearth the truth of Gabriel's disappearance and retrieve a relic straight from the pages of history. 

Along the way, Evie must come to terms with the deception that parted her from Gabriel and the passion that will change her destiny forever...

This was my first novel by Deanna Raybourn and certainly will not be my last. This was such a fun, adventurous book!

We begin the story with aviatrix, Evie Starke, preparing to leave on the last part of her tour (with adorable Aunt Dove and her funny little parrot in tow). Her plans are interrupted, however, when a bit of evidence suggests that her dead husband may actually be alive and in Damascus. So off to Damascus they go!

I highly enjoyed Raybourn's descriptions of Damascus, the desert, and all the historical and cultural details that she throws in. The many eclectic and quirky characters also play a huge role in making this a very enjoyable story. 

It takes (what felt like) quite a while to get to Evie and Gabriel together, but once they do it is worth the wait. I loved the interaction between these two and their scenes together were my favorite. I decided to label this historical fiction though, rather than historical romance, because I felt like any romance really took a backseat to a primarily adventure story. I love my romance, and I really don't non-love-story books, but I didn't miss it here. This book still really worked for me.

There is also a prequel novella called Whispers of Jasmine which I highly recommend if you enjoy City of Jasmine. It is my strong suggestion that you read the prequel AFTER the main novel. It gives a lot of mystery information away. The prequel really adds to the romance between Evie and Gabriel, however, if you read it second.

4 STARS

A very enjoyable book with a beautiful setting.

Book Review: The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani

Title: The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani
Series: Stand-Alone
Finished on: December 12, 2012
Released: April 3rd 2012 by Harper
Source: Public Library E-Book
Rating: 5/5

Summary from Goodreads:

The majestic and haunting beauty of the Italian Alps is the setting of the first meeting of Enza, a practical beauty, and Ciro, a strapping mountain boy, who meet as teenagers, despite growing up in villages just a few miles apart. At the turn of the last century, when Ciro catches the local priest in a scandal, he is banished from his village and sent to hide in America as an apprentice to a shoemaker in Little Italy. Without explanation, he leaves a bereft Enza behind. Soon, Enza's family faces disaster and she, too, is forced to go to America with her father to secure their future.

Unbeknownst to one another, they both build fledgling lives in America, Ciro masters shoemaking and Enza takes a factory job in Hoboken until fate intervenes and reunites them. But it is too late: Ciro has volunteered to serve in World War I and Enza, determined to forge a life without him, begins her impressive career as a seamstress at the Metropolitan Opera House that will sweep her into the glamorous salons of Manhattan and into the life of the international singing sensation, Enrico Caruso.

From the stately mansions of Carnegie Hill, to the cobblestone streets of Little Italy, over the perilous cliffs of northern Italy, to the white-capped lakes of northern Minnesota, these star-crossed lovers meet and separate, until, finally, the power of their love changes both of their lives forever.

Lush and evocative, told in tantalizing detail and enriched with lovable, unforgettable characters, The Shoemaker's Wife is a portrait of the times, the places and the people who defined the immigrant experience, claiming their portion of the American dream with ambition and resolve, cutting it to fit their needs like the finest Italian silk.

This riveting historical epic of love and family, war and loss, risk and destiny is the novel Adriana Trigiani was born to write, one inspired by her own family history and the love of tradition that has propelled her body of bestselling novels to international acclaim. Like Lucia, Lucia, The Shoemaker's Wife defines an era with clarity and splendor, with operatic scope and a vivid cast of characters who will live on in the imaginations of readers for years to come.

Reader's who enjoy historical fiction and cute love stories will eat The Shoemaker's Wife right up. Trigiani is an extremely skilled writer who did an absolutely fantastic job at writing the descriptions of her settings. Every small detail is included whether it be in Italy, New York City, or Minnesota. The reader has no problem feeling like they are right there with Enza and Ciro. Learning so many small historical details was very enjoyable. I was fascinated by this book.

The romance portion wasn't quite as perfect. In fact, there was actually a point where I wasn't rooting for Ciro and Enza to be together.  There were moments when it just didn't seem like Ciro was good enough for Enza and I didn't feel like he truly loved her. All in all, the romance wasn't as breathtaking and sweeping as I was hoping for, but satisfying enough. The Shoemaker's Wife does a much better job at being a grand historical novel then a epic love story.

This was my first novel by Adriana Trigiani and I will be looking into her other works very soon. This was a very special book that deserves to be read with an open mind so I'm keeping this review short so other reader's can experience this beautiful storytelling on their own. Oh, and as far as language and content go: this is a very clean romance. There may be a few stronger words thrown in here and there but it was rare. So that being said, I'd recommend The Shoemaker's Wife to any who enjoys historical fiction, Italian settings, learning about New York life in the 20's and 30's, and immigrant life.