Caffeine & Romance: July 2009

G.R.I.T.S.

The Light Across the River by Stephanie Reed

The Sequel to Across the Wide River...

Back Cover:

Why couldn't Father see how wrong it was to keep quiet? It seemed so simple to Johnny. If only people could know how horrible slavery was! If only they knew the great risks men took to be free!

It's 1837 and the Rankin home continues to be a beacon of freedom along the Underground Railroad. Johnny, the seventh of the thirteen of the Rankin Children, is eager to help his family in the fight for freedom, but his father and older brother, Lowry, tell him he's to young to keep a secret as important as the Underground Railroad. Johnny knows he should keep his mouth shut, but he cares so much about what his family does that he can't keep quiet.

Finally, Johnny is called upon to help a woman escape to Freedom. Will Eliza reach the North, Or has Johnny let the wrong secret out at the wrong time? This Intense and intriguing sequel to Across the Wide River offers another glimpse into a dark period in America's past, and profiles the courageous and godly people who helped bring slavery to an end.

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS?

This was a great sequel to Ms.Reed's Across the wide River!! You get to revisit the Rankin Family and home. And have another adventure cross the river. Instead of focusing on Lowry, this one focusing on his younger brother Johnny, who at the beginning of the story is about 12 years old. And he is quite big for his breeches! Not only does he want to help with the U.R. he is also in love with his brother's girl...So all around this was not a good time for Johnny....but of the course of the 3 years, that the book covers, Johnny does some growing!!!!

One night, a Lady cross' the river, with her Baby boy wrapped up in her Petticoat. And that's when Eliza's 'adventure' begins...she's whisked up north, and for 3 years she saves her money to go back and get the rest of her family, and usher them to the same freedom that she and her husband enjoy. And that's when Johnny's U.R. experience begins!!!

It was a great book, and I loved learning about this part of the American History...Personally my favorite part of History is the War between the States...so I'm into anything that happens around that time period!!!!

Labels: Stephanie Reed 2 comments |

Across the Wide River

G.R.I.T.S.

This Month's CFRB Tour is...

Across the Wide River by: Stephanie Reed

Back Cover:

Lowry Rankin knows all to well the cost of freedom;after all, his family's red brick home is the first stop on the Underground Railroad north of the Ohio River.

He's seen friends beaten for the color of their skin. He's watched simple farmers make a difference. He's even risked his own life transporting escaped slaves to the next "station". But will Lowry be able to conquer his greatest fear when he's called to speak out?

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS?

As you can tell from the back, Across the Wide River, is about a boy who grows up around slavery, and wants to take a stand like his father has. But does he have what it takes to take the desire to the next level? And will he be able to support the woman he loves while doing it?

At the beginning of this story, Lowry is only 10 years old...but as the years go by, and he starts to 'find' himself...Lowry realizes that he has a call to be a preacher, but when he gets gravely ill one night at school, he starts to second guess himself, and his call.

Across the Wide River, shows you a different side to slavery...and 'inside' look from a child so to speak. Seeing how Lowry was friends with a slave boy, and saw him beat up just because of the color of his skin, and not being able to do anything about...Being moved from his home of Kentucky to Ohio, and learning that just because you switch states, you don't necessarily leave behind you problems. Stephanie Reed did a fantastic job in telling this story! And I can't wait to read the next book!!!

Check out these other member blogs this week for more
info.

Labels: CFRB TOURS, Stephanie Reed 0 comments |

Happy 4th of July ('09)

G.R.I.T.S.

Sorry this was put out late!!! :)

Independence Day in the U.S., is an annual holiday commemorating the formal adoption by the Continental Congress of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia. Although the signing of the Declaration was not completed until August, the Fourth of July holiday has been accepted as the official anniversary of U.S. independence and is celebrated in all states and territories of the U.S.

The holiday was first observed in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776, at which time the Declaration of Independence was read aloud, city bells rang, and bands played. It was not declared a legal holiday, however, until 1941. The Fourth is traditionally celebrated publicly with parades and pageants, patriotic speeches, and organized firing of guns and cannons and displays of fireworks; early in the 20th century public concern for a "safe and sane" holiday resulted in restrictions on general use of fireworks. Family picnics and outings are a feature of private Fourth of July celebrations.
An article from Funk & Wagnalls® New Encyclopedia. ©

Labels: Holiday Legends 0 comments |

The Blue Enchantress

G.R.I.T.S.

Again srry for this going out late....It was supposed to go out last Saturday!!! Sorry Again!! But please enjoy!!

#2 in MaryLu's Newest Series!

Now The Blue Enchantress, doesn't come out till, August 2009! But you can have a sneak peek, if you go to the interview with MaryLu that was on sunday, there is a link, so that you can read the first page of the novel.

Book Description!

Betrayed by the man she longed to marry, Hope Westcott finds herself on an island in the Caribbean being auctioned off as a slave to the highest bidder. Raised in an unloving home and after enduring a difficult childhood, Hope's search for love and self-worth have led her down a very dangerous path. All she ever wanted was to find true love and to some day open an orphanage where she could raise children with all the love she never experienced
as a child. But how can a woman with a sordid past ever hope to run an orphanage, let alone attract the love of an honorable man? Determined to overcome the shame of his mother's past, Nathaniel Mason worked for many years to build his own fleet of merchant ships in an effort to finally acquire the respect of Charles Towne society. Ignoring the call of God on his life to become a preacher, he forges ahead with his plans for success at a distant port in the Caribbean, when he sees a young lady he knows from Charles Towne being sold as a slave. In an effort to save Hope, he is forced to sell one of his two ships, only to discover that her predicament was caused by her own bad behavior. Angry and determined to rid himself of her as soon as possible, Nathaniel embarks on a journey that will change the course of his life.

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Also, Here's the cover for the 3rd one in the series...The Raven Saint! Coming Janurary 2010!!! And if it's anything like The Red Siren, and how the description of The Blue Enchantress are...it's gonna be great too!!!! so look for it in Janurary!

Labels: Author of the Week, Mary Lu Tyndall, New Releases 0 comments |

~The Red Siren~

G.R.I.T.S.

Sorry About this going out late...I had it scheduled to go out last friday....but it was messed up!!! Sorry again!

#1 in MaryLu's Newest Series!!!

The Red Siren!

Book description:

Lady Faith Westcott has turned her back on God and on man. Having witnessed the hypocrisy in the Church of England, her older sister's abuse at the hand of her husband, and her own mother's untimely death in childbirth, Faith has determined never to marry and to gain enough wealth so she and her two sisters will never have to depend on man or God again. To that end, though a lady by day, she becomes a pirate by night and begins her sordid career off Portsmouth when she attacks and plunders a merchant ship commanded by the young Dajon Waite. Humiliated at being defeated by a pirate and a woman no less, Dajon returns home without cargo and ship, and his father expels him from the family merchant business. After a brief sojourn into debased society, Dajon rejoins the Royal Navy, where he finds comfort in the strict rules and redemption through his service to others. Three years later, he is sent to the frontier outpost of Charles Town, South Carolina to deal with the pirate problem. There, he connects with his mentor and old friend, Admiral Westcott, who has just arrived with his three daughters. Much to Dajon's utter dismay, Admiral Westcott, who is being called away to Spain, asks Dajon to be temporary guardian of his three lovely daughters. One of the ladies seems familiar to him, a striking redhead who immediately sends his heart thumping. Faith recognizes Captain Waite as the buffoon whose ship she plundered off Portsmouth. Yet, he appears no longer the fool, but instead a tall, handsome and commanding naval officer. Despite her immediate attraction to him, she labels him the enemy, but sparks are guaranteed to fly during the next few months when independent, headstrong and rebellious Faith falls in love with God-fearing honorable, rule-following Dajon-especially when Faith continues her pirating off the Carolina coast while her father is away. Will Dajon catch her? And what will this man of honor and duty do when he does?

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHST?

I won this book, on MaryLu's Blog, awhile back, and once I got it, and started reading, I COULDN"T PUT IT DOWN! It was a great book...Faith, is an interesting Character!! A Lady by day, and a Pirate by night! Talk about a great Character! At the begining of the book, Faith steals, Captain Waite's ship, while he was on his way back to port...Little did she know that their paths would later cross again!

Captain Waite's life has been turned upside down ever since The Lady Pirate stole his father's ship...It was his last chance to redeem himself with his father...and when he had to report it being stollen by a pirate...he was 'thrown' out of the family. So he enlisted in the Navy...and was sent to America to catch the pirates...and on his own mission to catch the lady Pirate that has caused him so much pain!!!!

A Great book, and I can't wait to read the Blue Enchantress, and the The Raven Saint....a series about sisters! It's going to be great!!!!