​Polly Burgiss grew up on a  South Carolina Plantation.  She loved the land and playing with her two older brothers while her father worked tirelessly on building a railroad.  Polly's life changed when tragedy struck, Polly watched as her brother's were murdered and soon after, her father suffered a heart attack.  Polly's mother was left bereft, leaving Polly to be raised by her slave and mammy, Ona.  Polly soon took her education into her own hands and with the help of Ona's son, Ben and a friend in town, Flouride Calhoun, grew up into a capable woman.  Polly's life soon changes again as her mother dies and Polly is left to run the Plantation herself and war is on the horizon.  Polly soon chooses the only suitor who has shown interest, her neighbor, John Stone.  However; Polly has also been warned to stay away from John Stone by several people.  John's interest in Polly is for anything but love.  Polly takes on running the Plantation along with her trusted overseer and the slaves that she has grown up beside while John is at war.  Polly learns of the struggles of her slaves and the multiple betrayals that John has committed.  

The Earth Remains is an epic story following the life of Polly Burgiss before, during and after the Civil War.  This is a long story, but pulled me in immediately through Polly's strong point of view.  Polly's life is not easy and has continuous tragedy, but it does not overshadow the plight of her slaves.  Polly's father and overseer, Tom, were kind in their treatment of the slaves and Polly followed suit. This does not mean that any of the slaves' lives were easy and as Polly grows, she comes to recognize that kind treatment does not equal freedom.  I was continually amazed at Polly's resilience to bounce back after everything life threw at her.  The danger and suspense that John's secrets and actions created were carried throughout the second half of the story and eventually caused Polly to stand up for herself and her slaves.  I enjoyed that Ben, Ona, Cissy, Kate were fully developed characters that showed the point of view of slaves and the physical, emotional and mental toll slavery took on them. 


This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​In 1844, Reverend William Miller returned to his small town of Calvary, NY along the Vermont border. He has spent years studying various religious texts in order to find the date of the upcoming apocalypse.  According to Reverend Miller, that date is only months away on October 22nd. Reverend Miller whips the small town into a frenzy with the news.  A divide forms in Calvary between the believers and non-believers.  However, as a series of events from around the world seems to coincide with the breaking of the seals that Reverend Miller predicted would happen, more people are pulled to his side. Soon words spread of the upcoming apocalypse and people began to flock to Calvary.  One family of Calvary dealing with issues of their own, Henry Smith, decide that Miller's apocalyptic message is not for them and he would rather focus on his farm and his young son's health. However, even after the day in question passes with no changes, Miller's followers dig in harder to his message and decide that the non-believers are to blame and placing the Smith family in imminent danger. 

Clouds Without Water is based on the very real events of "The Great Disappointment" in 1844.  I love learning about history when I'm reading and this is history that is part of my state as well.  Followers of Miller not only went into mass hysteria led by the beliefs of one man, giving up their possessions, closing businesses and selling their land, but continued their beliefs long after creating the Seventh Day Adventists Church.  The story is very compelling to me as it shows how easily people will believe something and how quickly those beliefs can be turned into something dangerous. Reverend Miller's character was charismatic and off putting all at once.   The Smith family represented those who chose not to believe Miller even though they were ostracized by everyone they knew.  I related to Henry's fortitude and distrust of Miller's prophecy and was amazed at his calm as the event unfolded.  I was amazed at the Baptist church's view as a whole whose reasoning still resonates today: "They may be small, but their voices are not." I would have loved to know what happened to the Smith family after the Millerites came for them as well as the feelings of the Millerites as time passed with no prophecy fulfilled. 


This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​"Only the enslaved can fathom the price and the cost of freedom-life and death itself."

Born enslaved to the McKee family in Beaufort, South Carolina, Robert, soon dubbed Trouble, worked in the McKee household.  As a preteen Trouble lived up to his name and was sent to work on a Plantation after physically hurting a neighbor's son.  At the Plantation, Trouble earned the name Robert Smalls.  He also gained strength and perspective on being a slave in South Carolina.  When Robert returns from the Plantation, Mr. McKee finds him a job at a restaurant and then on a boat, The Planter.  Robert has a natural love for the water and is happy on the boat where he works his way up and is able to save some of his own money.  While Robert is working, he hears rumblings of the coming war.  Soon, the Planter is reassigned as a warship for the Confederate States of America and Robert is kept as the Planter's helmsman.  With some of the other enslaved crew, Robert makes a daring escape to the North on the Planter with 15 people, including his wife and children.  

Trouble the Water is an amazing story of freedom, hope and persistence based on the life of the real Robert Smalls. The writing brings the reader right into the action, beginning the story with Robert's escape to freedom and then bringing us back to his birth at the McKee's.  Most of all, the writing reflects the emotional toll of all of the characters.  From Robert and his mother being enslaved, to Mr. & Mrs. McKee being the slave holder as well as one the McKee's children, Liza Beth and one the neighbor's children, Peter Rhett, the complex emotional journeys of the characters were shown in different ways, often with profound results.  I was amazed at how events in Robert's life set him up to be a powerful freedom seeker; Robert's mother, Lydia was an amazing source of strength, Robert had an affinity for learning and amazingly had positive relationships with his  enslavers.  It was clear that Robert was passionate about his local community and after the Civil War he became the United States Representative, moving back into the home where he was born a slave, fighting for rights of African Americans and even allowing Mrs. McKee to move back into the home with him in her later life. The understanding and change of mindset and growth for all of these characters was tremendous, especially during such a volatile time in American history.  I love stories where I get to learn about history and was very happy to learn about this true American hero, Robert Small and his accomplishments and courageous acts.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​The Montrose family, including sisters Catherine, Lydia and Emmaline, are leaving their Boston home in 1821 and moving to the small town of New Oldbury due to a scandal.  Their father is already at Willow Hall, meant to be the family's summer home, beginning a milling business.  Lydia is sad to leave her home, but after some strange events in her life, she is eager to start afresh in New Oldbury.  Lydia finds solace in being able to tend to her own herb garden and spends time with their neighbor, John Barrett.  However, there seems to be spirits lurking in Willow Hall that call to Lydia and her younger sister Emmaline.  While Catherine is busy trying to find a husband, Lydia's power is growing and the spirit of an ancestor hung at the Salem Witch is trying to help her.  After a series of tragedies rocks the Montrose family, Lydia must decide to use her powers to pull everyone back together or seek revenge and risk another scandal. 

The Witch of Willow Hall is an atmospheric historic gothic story of a young woman finding herself.  From the start when Lydia shares a memory of a boy next door, I wanted to figure out the mystery of her abilities.  The writing creates a mysterious air around all of New Oldbury and Willow Hall itself.  It's clear that something has happened there and that spirits still remain.  While most of the story focuses on Catherine and Lydia's strained relationship, it gives a basis for Lydia's emotions and intent when she learns to harness her power. I found Catherine's character to be really interesting and wanted to know more about what drove her actions and decisions.  It was really interesting to see what decisions the family made. Lydia's abilities didn't seem like they were the main focus of the story amidst all of the family drama; however everything seemed to come together in the end.  

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

Sawyer Hayes needs to finish his PhD thesis after a year's absence from mourning the death of his sister.  His hope lies in proving that his grandmother's old films are original Oscar Micheaux's.  The last living link to the film is 110 year old Honoree Dalcour. Sawyer needs to interview her for his thesis, but Sawyer will have to prove his worth in her eyes in order to hear about Honoree's life among the legends of 1920's Chicago. 


Wild Women and the Blues drops into jazz age Chicago, specifically Bronzeville representing the African American experience during this time period.  Honoree's story is one of loss, heartbreak, and danger, but also one of hope and the promise of freedom. We are introduced to Sawyer first, however most of the story is from Honoree's point of view with several intermittent chapters that bring the point of view back to the present. I was completely wrapped up in Honoree's point of view from her youth.  Her personality is rough and crude, but she knows what she wants and gets it done.  The writing brought alive the Dreamland Cafe with glittering costumes, rowdy customers and free flowing bootleg whiskey.  Honoree definitely lived a wild life as a dancer who cavorted with Louis Armstrong, Oscar Micheaux and Capone's gang. The mystery that ran through Honoree's story was enticing, her secrets run deep and were teased out slowly. ​

William Durant returns to Eagle's Nest, one of his Adirondack Great Camps in 1931, after losing all of his land.  William is there to talk to Harold Hochschild, the current owner of Eagle's Nest who is writing a history of the area.  Simultaneously, William's sister, Ella Durant visits her longtime friend, Poultney Bigelow who is a journalist for Harpers.  Poultney talks Ella into telling her side of the family story.  The siblings recount their versions of the family's properties after their father's death and their time spent in the Adirondacks. 

The Night is Done is the third book in the Durant Family Saga.  I have only read this one and didn't feel like I missed anything.  I was also lucky enough to read this while in the Adirondacks looking over some of Durant's former land, which gave me a great sense of perspective and place.  William's story begins with glory, riches and dreams before turning south.  Ella's story begins with a ruined reputation, going after her brother for money and land before finding her place.  The Durant's story in this book is one of their downfall, showing the effects of greed and mistrust.  I enjoyed reading about Durant's construction of some of these iconic Great Camps.  It is obvious that Durant took great care in the building and design of each of his camps and valued the land and nature that they were built on.  With that, Durant isn't exactly a likeable character, his constant need for bigger and better eventually concretes his downfall.  His interactions with Ella and refusing to give her any land to the point of a lawsuit over inheritance sets the siblings up for a public display of tearing one another apart.  Ella is also not the most likable, making a series of questionable decisions and fighting over land that she doesn't necessarily want or need. The Durant's are characterized through their pride, greed and stubbornness.  The story is obviously well researched and gives an insight into the family that opened up the Adirondacks as a resort for the wealthy. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

When 15 year old Forrestina Bradley runs away from her Missouri home in 1906, she dreams of becoming a circus aerialist. She joins up with the Ringling Brothers and soon begins training on the tightrope. Forrestina loves her circus life and the freedom it offers her.  However, after a bad fall and a worse marriage, Forrestina finds her way into the carnival world where she runs a rat game.  Now known after her fiery hair color, Red settles on the banks of the White River in Arkansas with a new husband, a dance hall and a moonshine operation.  After another bad divorce, Red settles in town becoming a local legend providing entertainment for kids and families.  

As soon as Forrestina's character burst onto the page, I knew her story would be entertaining. Forrestina's story is told through her point of view as an older woman with a newspaper reporter, Betty gathering her stories in 1972. From her perspective as an older woman, Red had the opportunity to reflect on her whole life and choices, the good and the bad.  Red's exuberance, love of life and precocious nature shone through from the very beginning and was evident throughout her life's story, even when things weren't going well.  Red's story is a lesson in being a good person, following your heart and living the life you choose.  I was pleased to learn that White River Red was a real person and while her story was fictionalized, her larger than life personality and contributions were all real.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

In the Summer of 1975, 24 year old Mo Lumen left his home in Virginia for a job at Bryant College in Rhode Island.  Mo's parents are both dead, he has a developmental disability that has left him with the intellect of an eleven year old and  his brother is being adopted by a foster family that has exiled him.  A family friend set up Mo with the landscaping position to make sure he would be well taken care of.  Mo sets off on his journey with an open mind, but without completely understanding the events that led to his departure.  Once he gets to Bryant College, Mo finds solace in his job outdoors, he finds friends among his colleagues and housemates.  However, soon after Mo's arrival, a series of missing girls and young women found murdered set the campus on alert.  Mo is aware of the killings, but much more focused on the Red Sox games.  FBI Chief Investigator Francis Palmer has just come off tracking Ted Bundy when he is altered to the string of murders in Rhode Island. Palmer's investigation places him directly in the path of Mo, but something seems off.  


A Disturbing Nature is a slow burning historical mystery.  The writing is detailed, but not boring, I didn't lose interest at any point within the story.  Carefully crafted hints are dropped throughout the narrative. With shorter chapters that alternate between Mo and Palmer, the pace of the story is kept up and details are divulged in slivers, a bit at a time.  Through the viewpoints of Mo and Palmer there is an intense character development and understanding.  I was pulled into Mo's narrative by his gentle nature and keen observations of the world around him.  As Mo's story unfolded, the sense of place and time intensified as Mo became aware of his father's racism, the school that said he wouldn't progress any further and the children and adults that belittled him.  Despite Mo's limitations, his ability to overcome and appreciate what he has is apparent.  Palmer's point of view took me a little more time to get into as he moved from the Ted Bundy case to the Pastoral Predator in Rhode Island.  I do wish Mo and Palmer's stories would have connected a little earlier as this is when the suspense really picked up.  The ending has several twists, turns and surprises and left me wanting more.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​Secret Service Agents Merritt and Argent are tasked by President Grant to retrieve his goddaughter, Mary Warner from her farm in Kentucky and bring her to Washington D.C. This seems like an easy task after their recent bust of a counterfeiting ring in Cincinnati. However, once Merritt and Argent arrive at that Warner farm, they find a young woman trying to keep the farm afloat after the death of the rest of her family.  Mary Warner is still reeling in grief.  Her actions and mannerisms don't reflect those of a young woman at the time.  She is very hesitant to leave her homestead and travel by train.  Mary is also very good at undermining any of Merritt and Argents' rules.  What should be an easy three-day train journey soon turns into a multi-week adventure as Mary's behavior challenges them and the Agents are pulled back into the counterfeiting trial.


With each chapter representing one day in Mary Warner's journey from Kentucky to Washington, One April After the War, provides a highly detailed account of Mary, Merritt and Argent's adventure.  Mary's circumstance and personality pulled me in from the beginning as Merritt and Warner arrived at her home to find everything out of the ordinary.  I liked that Mary challenged the Agents, showed her independence and demanded what she needed for her comfort while traveling. I was intrigued by her family's situation and the methods that Mary was using to cope with her grief as well as run the farm.  This book only covers half the journey and leads to interesting developments in the relationship between Mary, Merritt and Argent.  It seems like the Agents begin to figure out that Mary is a strong, independent, young women only to increasingly treat her like a prisoner.  The mystery of why Mary is being shipped halfway across the country to meet with the President becomes secondary to the mystery of why someone is out to get Agents Merritt and Argent at the end of the book.  With that, I'd love to finish Mary's adventure in the second book where she will hopefully make it to Washington D.C.


This book was received for free in return for an honest review.