I'm moving this blog over to WordPress so that it will be in the same place as the homeschool website I created. However, since this domain was already taken, I've decided to rename and redesign Andrea's Book Nook.
I Shall Be Near to You
By: Erin Lindsay McCabe
Challenge: Monthly Motif
Published: 2014
# of pages: 320
Official description: An extraordinary novel about a strong-willed woman who disguises herself as a man in order to fight beside her husband in the Civil War, inspired by a real female soldier's letters home Rosetta doesn't want her new husband Jeremiah to enlist, but he joins up, hoping to make enough money that they'll be able to afford their own farm someday. Though she's always worked by her father’s side as the son he never had, now that Rosetta is a wife she's told her place is inside with the other women. But Rosetta decides her true place is with Jeremiah, no matter what that means, and to be with him she cuts off her hair, hems an old pair of his pants, and signs up as a Union soldier. Rosetta drills with the men, prepares herself for battle, and faces the tension as her husband comes to grips with having a fighting wife. Fearing discovery of her secret, Rosetta’s strong will clashes with Jeremiah’s as their marriage is tested by war. Inspired by over two hundred and fifty documented accounts of the women who fought in the Civil War while disguised as men, I Shall Be Near To You is the intimate story, in Rosetta’s powerful and gorgeous voice, of the drama of marriage, one woman’s amazing exploits, and the tender love story that can unfold when two partners face life’s challenges side by side.My opinion: Overall, this novel felt disjointed. There were times I couldn't follow the narrator's logic. Even at the end, when Rosetta makes her biggest decision, I didn't understand why since it completely disregarded her previous stance on the decision just a few pages earlier.
Under a Painted Sky
By: Stacey Lee
Published: 2015
# of pages: 384
Challenge: Monthly Motif, Full House
Official description: Missouri, 1849: Samantha dreams of moving back to New York to be a professional musician—not an easy thing if you’re a girl, and harder still if you’re Chinese. But a tragic accident dashes any hopes of fulfilling her dream, and instead, leaves her fearing for her life. With the help of a runaway slave named Annamae, Samantha flees town for the unknown frontier. But life on the Oregon Trail is unsafe for two girls, so they disguise themselves as Sammy and Andy, two boys headed for the California gold rush. Sammy and Andy forge a powerful bond as they each search for a link to their past, and struggle to avoid any unwanted attention. But when they cross paths with a band of cowboys, the light-hearted troupe turn out to be unexpected allies. With the law closing in on them and new setbacks coming each day, the girls quickly learn that there are not many places to hide on the open trail. This beautifully written debut is an exciting adventure and heart-wrenching survival tale. But above all else, it’s a story about perseverance and trust that will restore your faith in the power of friendship.My opinion: I just loved this book! It's a young adult and it isn't super realistic, but I absolutely loved the characters. The author is an amazing writer. I enjoyed the way she described what the characters were thinking as well as the settings. I also found it refreshing to read a young adult novel that is also a historical fiction that takes place during a time that is not written about so much.
The Winter People
By: Jennifer McMahon
Published: 2014
# of pages: 317
Challenge: R.I.P. XI
Official description:
West Hall, Vermont, has always been a town of strange disappearances and old legends. The most mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who, in 1908, was found dead in the field behind her house just months after the tragic death of her daughter, Gertie. Now, in present day, nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara's farmhouse with her mother, Alice, and her younger sister, Fawn. Alice has always insisted that they live off the grid, a decision that suddenly proves perilous when Ruthie wakes up one morning to find that Alice has vanished without a trace. Searching for clues, she is startled to find a copy of Sara Harrison Shea's diary hidden beneath the floorboards of her mother's bedroom. As Ruthie gets sucked deeper into the mystery of Sara's fate, she discovers that she's not the only person who's desperately looking for someone that they've lost. But she may be the only one who can stop history from repeating itself.My opinion: I was going to read The Night Sister by the same author, but it wasn't available at the library. The Winter People was, so I checked that out instead. I'm glad I did because this book was a suspenseful read for the R.I.P. Challenge! I was hooked the entire time. I'm not going to lie; I'm not sure I was happy with the ending. The pace at the end was a little rushed after all of the build up. I didn't quite follow why Ruthie's story ended the way it did. She made a decision that I didn't understand. Overall, this was a fun, suspenseful read that I'd recommend to lovers of suspense, ghost stories, etc.
The Eye of the World
By: Robert Jordan
Series: Wheel of Time
Published: 1990
# of pages: 814
Challenge: Ultimate Reading Challenge
Official description:
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.
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