What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week

The Devil's Paintbox by Victoria McKernan -- YA Historical Fiction
Set in 1865, this book is part prairie survival story, part Oregon Trail story and part settling of the Pacific Northwest and all quality historical fiction. Teenagers Aiden and Maddie Lynch are the only survivors of their once numerous family. Their parents tried hard to escape famine in Ireland only to meet more difficulties in America. Now Aiden and Maddie have barely survived a difficult winter and are near death themselves. They make the aquaintance of one Jefferson J. Jackson, a wagon guide on the Oregon Trail looking for recruits to work in a logging camp out west in Seattle. He allows the two teens to join the wagon train west and Aiden will work off their debt in the logging camps. The trail is long and difficult and not without danger and some people are more friendly than others. Friendly Maddie becomes friendly with the young doctor, Carlos Perez and tries to help him escape his demons and discover what it takes to become a doctor. Aiden befriends some Nez Perce Indians along the way and learns to appreciate them and their way of life. The traveles soon discover first hand how dangerous western travel is and how tragedy can occur in a single instant and the prospect of a better life doesn't seem so exciting. When smallpox, the devil's paintbox, threatens Aiden's Indian friends, he must rediscover his heart, come to grips with his emotions and decide whether to help his friends. This is a long and serious book and not for younger readers. The author does not hold back from the harsh realities of life in the 19th century. The writing is rich and detailed and the story is gritty and gripping. This is a wonderful coming-of-age story that should not be missed by teens and adults!

Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith -- YA Historical Fiction

Ida Mae Jones has always dreamed of flying, but in 1940s Louisiana girls don't fly, especially not "colored" girls like Ida Mae. Ida Mae is expected to stay home and work on the family's strawberry farm and do her part to help the war effort while men like her brother are off fighting in World War II. Ida Mae continues to dream of flying and is frustrated and feeling helpless until her little brother shows her a newspaper clipping of lady pilots called WASP (Women's Air Force Service Pilots) and changes her life forever. Ida Mae wants to be a WASP though her mother doesn't approve. Ida Mae also knows that she won't be accepted if it's known that she's "colored" and she must make the difficult decision to "pass" as white in order to accomplish her dreams. This is a wonderful story about a young woman facing double discrimination and her inner struggle to have a meaningful life and stay true to herself. The first person naration is particular effective in internalizing Ida Mae's struggle with her identity and the reader experiences all of her emotions in this thrilling story. This is a must read for older kids, teens and adults.

Catch of the Season by Regina Scott -- Regency Romance   

Allison Munroe has been looking forward to her debut season her whole life and now her sister is happily married to a country Squire, it's her turn to make her come out. Finally, she thinks her family will take her seriously instead of treating her like a child and she tries to curb her forthright nature and be the proper young lady that gentlemen expect her to be. Before the season even starts she catches the eye of a rich Marquis who desires to make her his bride, unbeknownst to her. When her childhood tormenter shows up in London with his brother, now her sister's husband, Allison can't stop thinking about how handsome he has become and how fun and exciting he is compared to the Marquis. Unfortunately, Allison's mother detests Geoffrey and adores the Marquis. Geoffrey is banished from London after nearly ruining Allison's come out and he is determined to win her heart and hand in marriage. When Allison returns home after the Season with the Marquis, Geoffrey becomes more determined than ever to marry Allison and engages in a rivalry with the Marquis. Allison must figure out whom she loves and take control of her own life. The story is very drawn out and I missed actually seeing Allison's Season. After her come out ball, the story moves forward and we only hear about what happened during the Season. The Marquis starts off rather bland but once in the country, his character changes and develops and I liked him better. I thought Geoffrey acted like a spoiled brat and as much as we were told Allison was forthright and original, she spent much of the novel dithering and whining about how cruel her mother was and her character was never really developed. This seems to be a follow up to (a) previous novel(s) which I have not read. I think I would have liked the story better if I had known the characters more. This isn't a good stand-alone book.

Minerva: Six Sisters 1 by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance
Rev. Charles Armitage, a country vicar, loves nothing more than hunting and hounds but alas for him, more mundane problems face him when a series of poor farming techniques and bad harvests, a wife who continually seeks "treatments" for her "spasms" combined with his excess of spending to create financial difficulties. The Reverend realizes he can send his daughters to London to marry and chooses his eldest, Minerva, to visit a distant relative for her come-out. Prim, proper Minerva takes an instant dislike to London manners while on a trip to a nearby village with her Papa. She is insulted by so-called ladies and literally runs into a fashionable gentleman, Lord Sylvester Comfrey. When Miranda arrives in London, she discovers her elderly chaperone, Lady Godolphin, is also on the hunt for a husband (#4) or at the very least a gentleman to warm her bed. Miranda runs afoul of London Society with her moralizing, preachy manners and verges on the edge of social ruin. Lord Sylvester takes her under his wing to ensure her success, little dreaming of the results. Meanwhile, Minerva's next youngest sister Annabelle attracts her own suitor whom her family does not approve and her normally indulgent Papa must take a stand. This is a true comedy of manners romance novel with many hilarous encounters between Minerva and Lord Sylvester and risque malapropisms from Minerva's chaperone. I loved this novel right up until the last few chapters when Minerva makes a decision that is totally out of character and the author goes a little too far in describing what happens. I think I will enjoy this series best of all the Chesney series' I have read so far!

The Taming of Annabelle: Six Sisters 2 by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance
Annabelle Armitage, the beautiful and spoiled younger sister of Minerva, is intensely jealous of her sister's success. She feels certain that Minerva has martyred herself on the altar of marriage and that Lord Sylvester can not possibly love Minerva but surely could love Annabelle instead. During a house party given by Lord Sylvester's parents Annabelle embarrasses herself and learns how much Sylvester and Minerva care for each other, however, she is determined to make her sister jealous and eventually land Sylvester for herself. Peter, the Marquess of Brabington, returns from the wars a hero and in ill health. He allows his feelings for Annabelle to overcome his better judgement and proposes to Annabelle. Heady with triumph, Annabelle insists on marrying Peter on the same day as Minerva, but her plan to trump Minerva backfires and very nearly ends her marriage before it even really begins. Helped along by Rev. Armitage and the squire, Peter tries to teach Annabelle a lesson in love and happiness but a wicked rake is courting Annabelle and his wicked schemes may prevent Annabelle from growing up and achieving the happiness she's always dreamed of. I didn't like this book as well as most of Chesney's others. Annabelle is very young and acts like a typical bratty teenager. I dislike stories about marital misunderstandings to begin with and I couldn't really come to like Annabelle or care about her very much. There are some amusing moments involving Annabelle's father trying to protect his daughter which prevent the book from being a complete dud. 

Deirdre and Desire: Six Sisters 3 by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance
With his two eldest daughters married and off to Paris to join the peace celebrations, Rev. Armitage has become excessivly vain and is in need of funds again to buy more hounds for his famous kennel. What better way to raise money than to marry off a beautiful daughter? This time, the vicar decides on an arranged marriage for his middle daughter Deirdre to Lord Harry Desire (yes, Chesney actually called her hero Desire) who needs to marry in order to inherit his uncle's fortune. Unfortunately for her papa, Deidre is a hopeless romantic who refuses to marry without love! Deirdre is known as the clever one in the family and she is certain she will know when she's in love and that her infatuation with her father's enemy Guy Wentwater is love and what she feels for Lord Harry is not. Deiredre thinks Lord Harry is lazy and not very bright though he has a knack of knowing exactly what she has been planning and a way of rescuing her that produces wanton feelings! Deirdre must learn to grow up as she falls in love, gets her heart broken and falls in love again while old enemies threaten to ruin her family. I didn't like Deirdre much better than Annabelle. Though she believed she was clever and had a reputation for being a bluestocking, she was just a silly, naive teenager like her sister and her adventures didn't really interest me much. Lord Harry was far more interesting and there was a story that should have been developed more. I did like knowing what happened to Minerva and Annabelle though and they and their husbands make cameo appearances. There are a few funny moments involving secondary characters but overall, this book was fairly boring. The next sister Daphne is mentioned quite a lot in this story as being vain and there are hints at her story to come.