Livvie's Song

Author: Sharlene MacLaren

Genre: Romance, life

Series: River of Hope series

Number in series: 1st

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 375

Time period: 1920's

Main characters: Livvie, Will

Exciting events: Many!

My overall opinion: Firstly, I was sent this advance copy of Livvie's Song for free. The publisher does not require me to review it postiviely, or even review it! But since I review most of the books I read, this one was definitely on the list, especially since I absolutely loved it! It was a really fun and special story. Also sweet, gently romantic, and very stirring. I'm hoping to be able to interview Sharlene MacLaren soon, here on Austenitis.

(Please click here to go to a special book blurb about Livvie's Song on Austenitis!)

Movie: Grand Canyon Trail

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Main characters: Roy Rogers, Trigger (the horse), Carol, Regan

Genre: Western

Primary actors: Roy Rogers

Length: Slightly over an hour

Time period: 1800's

Exciting events: Wait, there were things in there that weren't exciting? I don't think so. :)

Year it came out: 1948

My overall opinion: It was fun. :)

Kaydie

Author: Penny Zeller

Genre: Romance, life

Series: Montana Skies

Number in series: 2nd (McKenzie is the first one, and Hailee comes this fall)

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 318

Time period: 1800's

Main characters: Kaydie, Jonah, Cedric, Bethany Ethel

Exciting events: A birth and more

My overall opinion: Penny's writing style was delightful and this book was very fun! I definitely recommend that all of you buy or at the very least, read a copy. :)

Song: The Cliffs of Insanity

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type of music: Soundtrack

Composer: Mark Knopfler

From the movie: Princess Bride

Length: 3:20

My overall opinion: I love PB and the music is great too. :)

New Banner!

By Elegance of Fashion! Thanks for letting me use it, Elegance. :)

There, don't you love it?

Book Giveaway!

Yes, that's right! :) But not here. This one is on Reviews by Jane.

Jane is giving away multiple books, including Secrets of the Heart by Jillian Kent, Bathsheba by Jill Eileen Smith,

The Fire in Ember OR Under a Dessert Sky by DiAnn Mills.

You choose which giveaway to enter! So click here by May 13 to enter! :)

The Lost Stories of Louisa May Alcott

Author: Louisa May Alcott

Genre: Short stories, romance

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 162

Time period: 1800's

Main characters: Depends on the story

Exciting events: Also depends on the story

My overall opinion: I read somewhere on the book that these are the type of stories that "Jo March is described as writing." It's quite true. Some are tragedies, usual tragic love stories. You get the idea. They were... weird. But good. Some I enjoyed, some not. Overall, recommended, but not a must-read.

Great Expectations

Author: Charles Dickens

Genre: Life

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 380

Time period: 1800's

Main characters: Pip, Estella, Miss Havisham

Exciting events: Multiple ones!

My overall opinion: My favorite ever Dickens. :) It's got multiple surprises in it, a nice ending, and is interesting throughout.

The Blue Sword

Author: Robin McKinley

Genre: Adventure, fantasy

Series: Damar series

Number in series: 1st

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 241

Time period: Fantasy

Main characters: Harry, Corlath, others

Exciting events: Kidnapping, life in general! It's very exciting in Damar.

My overall opinion: It was very exciting and good! Highly recommended. :) I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to obtaining and reading the next ones!

Hershey: Milton S. Hershey's Extraordinary Life...

Author: Michael D'Antonio

Genre: Biography

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 7.5

Type: Non-fiction

Number of pages: 305 (including index)

Time period: Early 1900's

Main characters: Hershey himself

Exciting events: The beginnings of chocolate as we know it!

My overall opinion: It was good! Some of it was more interesting than other parts, but overall I learned about Milton Hershey and how the brand-name Hershey was begun. It was very informative. :)

PLEASE PRAY!!!!

Some of you may be familiar with an online friend of mine, Bria Crawford. Probably most of you have also heard about the tornadoes currently happening in the south-east. Well, Bria lives down there and her and her family's home was destructed by the tornado. Several other families were also impacted, losing homes. One family lost their dad. So please pray. Pray hard. They need it now. Also, for more details, you can go here. Thank you for praying!!

Song: The Opening Titles

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9.5

Type of music: Soundtrack

Composer: David Arnold

From the movie: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (my review)

Length: 1:07

My overall opinion: <3. I love this music, it's really really pretty.

Click here to see it on youtube. :)

Titanic Survivor

Author: Violet Jessop

Genre: Auto-biography

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Type: Biography

Number of pages: 225

Time period: 1912

Main characters: Violet

Exciting events: The sinking of the Titanic AND the Britannic

Passage from book: What to do next? Absently, I began tidying up, folding my nightgown, putting things in their place, when I saw Stanley at the door again, watching me. Then he almost shouted as he seized my arm, "My goodness, don't you realize that this ship will sink, that she has struck an iceberg, that you have to follow the rest upstairs as quickly as possible?"

My overall opinion: It was very exciting and interesting!

Sonnet to a Dead Contessa

Author: Gilbert Morris

Genre: Romance, mystery

Series: Lady Trent series

Number in series: 3rd (unfortunately, I didn't read the first two!)

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 305

Time period: 1800's

Main characters: Serafina, Dylan

Exciting events: Murders!

My overall opinion: It was good! I really enjoyed it. There were a few inappropriate things, where a woman made it look like a man had slept with her while he was drugged when he hadn't, but otherwise it was quite clean.

Song: Send Me a Song

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9

Singer: Celtic Woman, Lisa Kelly

Type of music: Celtic

Length: 4:23

Lyrics: Take the wave now and know that you're free // Turn your back on the land, face the sea // Face the wind now, so wild and so strong // When you think of me, wave to me and send me a song. (find the rest here)

My overall opinion: I love this song. It's peaceful and catchy at the same time. It'll run through your mind all day, but I think you'll enjoy it. :)

Click here to go to youtube and see the song sung. :)

The Nazi Officer's Wife

Author: Edith Beer

Genre: Auto-biography, life

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Biography

Number of pages: 305

Time period: Holocaust, WWII

Main characters: Edith

Exciting events: Many!!!!

My overall opinion: It was interesting and good! There are a few scenes that aren't really wholesome, but on the whole it was good.

The Official Movie Guide for Lord of the Rings

Author: Brian Sibley

Genre: movie companion

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Guide to movie

Movie: The Lord of the Rings trilogy

Movie based on: The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien

Number of pages: 118

My overall opinion: I was disappointed, I admit. I had been hoping for a book similar to my Narnia guides (which I LOVE), but it wasn't. There were some really nice pictures, and I recommend that die-hard LotR fans read it, but it wasn't what I had hoped for. Oh well. I would still like to read other guides for LotR.

Edge of the Wilderness

Author: Stephanie Grace Whitson

Genre: Life

Series: Dakota Moons

Number in series: 2nd

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 429, but mine was large print

Time period: 1800's

Main characters: Gen, Simon, Daniel

Exciting events: Death, Indian ministry, more!

My overall opinion: Good read! Recommended series. :)