gricebj – Courtney Grice

October 1, 2021September 18, 2021

Sorrento Girl by Dawn Klinge

My September read for the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge was Sorrento Girl by Dawn Klinge.

Sorrento Girl takes us to Seattle, Washington, in the 1930s with a young woman named Ann Brooks. Ann is one of several young ladies who live in the Sorrento hotel while attending Seattle College. In the midst of the depression, many female teachers are losing their jobs if they’re married in order for the schools to save money. Ann longs to be a teacher, but when she finds herself attracted to Paul Lewis, she wonders how she’ll be able to make it work. Will she be able to pursue a teaching career.

What I Liked About It
I’m not very familiar with Seattle, but the history Mrs. Klinge brings through in her writing is really interesting. Ann has a good relationship with her friends, and they’re supportive of one another.

My Favorite Characters
Ann Brooks: Ann is someone who cares about people. Her care and concern for others are contagious and seem to rub off on those she’s around.

Rose Francis: Known to Ann as Aunt Rose, she was the motherly figure in Ann’s life. Rose encouraged Ann despite some setbacks in her own life and continued to be that gentle nudge to keep Ann going in the direction her heart led.

Would I Read This Book Again?
Probably. There are a lot of interesting aspects of the area and timeframe nestled within the pages of this book. It was a fun read and a fairly quick one. If you enjoy the Depression era, I would recommend you read this book.

September 18, 2021September 18, 2021

Tabitha by Vikki Kestell

For my August read in Crystal Caudill’s Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge, I chose to read the book Tabitha by Vikki Kestell.

Tabitha is a mix of memories of the character combined with her current situations just before and during World War I. She tells her story to allow readers to understand how she came into her situation and also to be a beacon of hope for other women within the story.

What I liked about the book
I have seen some books that give the back story to you in a way that makes you want to set the book aside. However, this one, incorporates another character named Rose into it early on as a means of someone to converse with. By Rose being there, it allows enough breaks to see just how Tabitha’s storytelling is affecting someone else. It really helps to understand Tabitha’s history and how so much rides upon it.

Favorite Characters
Tabitha Hale: Though reluctant at first to share her story, she pours it out in a way that will help so many to understand that with God’s help, you can rise from even the darkest pit. Her determination to reach her goal despite setbacks was nice to see.

Mason Carpenter: Though I didn’t mention him above, Mason is a great addition to the story. He doesn’t see Tabitha as she sees herself. He sees her for who she is when he knows her. His giving heart allows the reader to love him.

Would I read this book again?
Yes, this is another I have read before. It shows so much healing on Tabitha’s part, and the beauty of new beginnings. If you enjoy the World War I era and would like a glimpse into nursing during that time, I recommend you read this book.

September 18, 2021September 18, 2021

A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden

My July read for Crystal Caudill’s Unlocking the Past Challenge was A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden.

In A Dangerous Legacy, Lucy Drake is a telegraph operator for the Associated Press in New York. She and her brother, Nick, have been involved in a family dispute their entire lives, and they have had enough. It’s not until Lucy befriends a supervisor of the Reuters’ office, Sir Colin Beckwith, that they begin to make some progress.

However, when Colin befriends the opposite side of the dispute in exchange for a significant amount of money, Lucy doubts where his true loyalties lie. Will they be able to mend their differences and stop the family dispute once and for all?

What I liked most
Mrs. Camden blends history with mystery to keep her novels running. She kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the book. The characters were well written. There were twists and turns throughout which made it that much more fun to read.

My Favorite Characters
Lucy Drake: I liked her strong sense of self-confidence. There were times when it wavered, which showed her vulnerable side. She wasn’t afraid to stand up for what she believed and fought hard for what she viewed as important.

Colin Beckwith: He’s really a likable fellow from the beginning, even though Lucy doesn’t want to see him as such. He cares about what’s going on with her and allows her to see more than others have about him in order to gain her trust.

Would I read it again?
Yes, I would. In fact, this was the second time I’ve read it. The fast pace is so much fun. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the Gilded Age time period.

July 13, 2021

Banking on Love by Crystal Caudill

I finished reading Alice’s Journey West: Finding Her Way before the month of May ended. Knowing I only had a few days between time periods to continue Crystal Caudill’s Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge, I decided I would read her novella Banking on Love.

I have been a subscriber of her blog since January which is how I was able to receive her novella. She has offered it as a welcome gift in the past for new subscribers, so if you’re interested in it, please feel free to visit her blog and sign up for her mailing list.

Why I liked the book
This was a short story, so it was easy to read in a short amount of time. I easily finished it in a few twenty to thirty-minute reading segments.

Eunice’s desire to help her brother, out of trouble quickly led her into trouble of her own. Crystal does an excellent job of showing the strained relationship of the siblings while also showing the desire Irvin has to protect his sister. I was drawn into the story quickly as I was able to not only read it but also felt like I was watching it unfold.

Favorite Characters

Eunice was definitely a favorite. It was fun to see her no-nonsense personality quickly moved to compliance in order to help her brother.

Eunice’s future husband, Arnold, was also a favorite of mine. Even though he was on the other side of the situation, they understood each other enough to communicate without words, and he was able to see his mission to completion without causing her harm.

This was such a fun piece to read. If you’d like to read her novella, you may download a copy at https://bookhip.com/RGLTQF after signing up for her newsletter.

One of the most rewarding parts of this journey is contacting authors. So far, those I have reached out to have been very helpful in allowing me to use their book cover photos. Crystal has been a wonderful encouragment. I’m excited to be able to invite you to her title reveal party of her new book and series.

Join Crystal for her Debut Novel’s Title Reveal

“You’re invited to a TITLE REVEAL PARTY!!!!
Crystal Caudill invites you to come party with her on her website and discover the titles of her debut series and novel. Come and stay as long as you like to pick up your free goody bag, play two fun title games, and enter to win a book from Crystal’s book giveaway pile. Don’t want to stay, but just want to know the titles? Come and you’ll find the link to her official titles without the fuss of a game to figure it out. Party runs from July 13th to July 20th (11:59 pm EST).
www.CrystalCaudill.com/TitleRevealParty”