I realized that I have read a lot of historical fiction books this year- but I haven’t talked about all of them! Some were 5 star reads, some didn’t quite make that cut. Some of the titles were old, and some brand new; regardless I enjoyed all of them and wanted to share them with you so here is my end of summer historical fiction round up of 2021! Check them out and let me know what you think!
Hour of The Witch by Chris Bohjalian
I have read my fair share of novels about the Salem Witch Trials but this story reaches back even further in time to 1662 And tells the story of Mary Deerfield who is trying to divorce her abusive husband- in an era when divorce meant estrangement from one’s community. A woman trying for divorce is not to be believed easily and the tables quickly turn on Mary as her case for divorce turn into her needing to prove her innocence of not being a witch- a crime punishable by death. This story held my interest and was a compelling, if not overly cheerful read. If you are looking for well done historical fiction, based on North America’s first divorce case for domestic violence, with a serious tone then give this book a try!
My Name Is Mary Sutter by Robin Olivera
This is a book about 25 year old Mary Sutter, who desperately wants to become a surgeon. She has been applying, and getting rejected, from various medical colleges, when the civil war breaks out. This is a great opportunity for Mary, the chance to insert herself into the medical field when there is such a desperate need for doctors that she won’t be turned down- or will she? Mary has to fight her own battles while the civil war rages. Mary must persevere through much pain and heartbreak to achieve her dreams- will she be able to withstand everything coming her way?
Caroline by Sarah Miller
If you were a fan of the Little House on The Prairie books as a child you will like this one. If you were like me, and never quite got into the Little House books when you were you- you still might like this book. I sure did! Caroline is the retelling of the Little House on The Prairie told from the Mama’s (Caroline’s) point of view. I have always thought that the people who traveled out west were very strong people to be able to leave behind everything they ever knew and brave the frontier in an effort to make a better life for themselves. Caroline depicts the struggles that these people faced by retelling the events from Little House not the Prairie from an adult point of view. So good!!
That Churchill Woman by Stephanie Barron
Jenny Churchill was not a woman who conformed to societies’ norms. We hear so much about her son, Winston Churchill, but what about the woman who gave birth to him? It is never easy to be an American who marries into High Society in England, especially at the turn of the 19th century. Oh the games Jenny had to play in order to have her cake and eat it too… I was hesitant to pick up this book as Jenny was known for her philandering ways, however the book did not go into any great detail in any of her escapades; instead Stephanie Barron portrays the tough road Jenny Churchill had to pave in order to give her sons a bright future.
The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton
This is Ms Cleeton’s latest novel, about the Cuban War for Independence in the 1890s and Spanish American War, shortly thereafter. This story rotates between Evangelina Cisneros,the daughter of a revolutionary who is imprisoned and mistreated by the Spanish, who possesses a face that could become the poster child for America’s intervention in Cuba, some might even call her the most beautiful girl in Cuba… Then there is Grace Harrington, who desperately wants to be a reporter in an era when women were not taken seriously as journalists, and who is walking a tightrope between the two warring newspaper companies in New York City. Lastly we meet Marina Perez, who gave up everything her wealthy family had to offer to marry her childhood friend and love of a lower class, together they throw everything they have, including their lives, into fighting for the cause of Cuba’s independence from Spain. The stories of these 3 women intertwine during the course of life changing events. This story is based on the true story of Evangelina Cisneros, who was declared the most beautiful woman in Cuba by newspapers in the US during the Spanish-Cuban war in the 1890s.
The Gown by Jennifer Robson
This story alternates between 3 women about the making of Queen Elizabeth’s wedding gown. It is just after World War 2 and life is still very hard in England. Life is dark and dreary and there just seems like there is no bright spot…until the wedding announcement is made that Princess Elizabeth is getting married! Ann Hughes and Miriam Dassin(a Jewish survivor from France) are head embroiderers for one of England’s most prestigious fashion houses- will they get to be a part of history being made?
Fast forward to the present day and Heather is a young woman just starting her career when her grandmother dies, leaving more mysteries and links to the past than Heather ever expected. These 3 women’s stories intertwine in unexpected ways weaving a vibrant tale of hidden hardships, unexpected friendships, and resilience.
If you are in the market for a book to read I hope you will find this list helpful! Remember you can follow me on Pinterest by tapping the Pinterest link on this website and then tapping the follow button on the profile page of my Pinterest- that way you can easily keep track of all the books I talk about and refer back to them in the future!
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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV
I love going to thrift shops, flea markets, and yard sales. I enjoy seeing things from previous eras, things that were owned by others—relics from other lives. When I see an item from a bygone era, I always wonder what all it has seen. It is so strange to me that in many cases these inanimate objects will spend more time on this earth than I. Is this item in its original condition? Has it been remade into something new?
I love thrifting but I can’t say I always come up with a winner. Often I’ll find a few little things that I had my eyes open for, but rarely do I find a really nice piece for a price that I’m willing to pay, that I can just bring home and plop down in its spot. No. What usually happens is I find something that seems like it’s in good condition, but is … a little ugly. It might be painted an ugly color, or have a stain so thick you can’t even tell what kind of wood it is. In such cases I have to look at the pieces with an imaginative eye. What would it look like if I painted it? What if I refinished it or switched out the hardware?
This happened with a little end table that I received from a relative. The end table was skinny, which was what I needed for the room I had in mind. It had collapsible leaves that could turn into a card table if extra space was needed; but this little end table had one drawback—it was homely. It had the kind of thick lacquered stain that was popular in the ‘80s; its hardware was dated and tarnished, and I just did not harbor very high hopes that this end table would be anything besides homely. Still, I figured, it would do until something else came along.
My husband and I brought it home and I started thinking about ways I could improve its looks. I could paint it, but what color? I like most of my furniture to be neutral but I just couldn’t picture this table in black, white or gray. Suddenly, I got an idea! I would paint it the same color as my front door—a deep teal-hued navy! I liked the idea even more when I found a beautiful cream and gray drawer-pull for the drawer on the front of the end table. I went to work, sanding, wiping, painting and reinstalling hardware. Finally it was finished. I stepped back and looked at it and I couldn’t believe it—I loved it!
I still have that end table and it’s one of the favorite pieces in my house. I still can’t believe what a coat of paint did for it! I am so happy with it. Thinking over its transformation made me think of what God does for us. He takes us, if we allow Him to, and sets to work on us. He sands our rough spots, removes old traits that don’t reflect well on Him or His kingdom, He swaps out old habits for new ones, and over the course of a lifetime, He turns us into something more beautiful than we ever could have imagined. Sometimes He does have to strip us down to the barebones before He can begin His work. Sometimes.
Overtime He remakes each of us into a new creation if we allow Him. He watches as we transform from something ugly into something beautiful right before His eyes. How He must feel when He looks back at a life once doomed and headed for total depravity and destruction who yielded their life to Him and allowed Him to work His divine magic into something beautiful! It must be very gratifying to see us as we transform into the person He created us to be. How awesome it is that He can make all things new, even us!
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A few years ago I didn’t even know what a charcuterie board was or how to create a charcuterie board—now they are one of my favorite things! Why? Because I love meat and I love cheese and these are the foods a charcuterie board is made of!
My husband and I try to get together on a somewhat regular basis for a game night with a small group of friends. One of our favorite things we do now is to have a picnic style/charcuterie tray dinner. All of us bring different meats, cheeses, and bread or crackers as the base for our charcuterie tray as well as veggies, jams, spreads, pickles, and fruit.
Another way I have been using the charcuterie tray idea is on vacation. Lunch is so easy when all you have to do is pull out several different meats, cheeses and a cheese-cutting board! It is easy to pack and easy for everyone to access. You can then simply make yourself as many little mini sandwiches as you want! I don’t have to worry about one sandwich not being enough and then someone being hungry because we did not bring anything else.
To me the best part of a charcuterie board is the meat and cheese but you can also make a charcuterie board more healthy by going heavy on the fruit and vegetables!
My favorite ingredients for a charcuterie board are:
Base:
· Baguette
· Crackers (I like the Triscuit-like crackers—salt and pepper flavor!)
· Multi Grain Crackers
Meat:
· Turkey (I love smoked turkey breast. It is very versatile.)
· Pepperoni or hard salami
· Ham
Cheese:
· Pepper jack. (It spices things up!)
· Cheddar
· Havarti
· Goat cheese
· Brie
Veggies:
· Sugar snap peas
· Carrots
· Mini bell peppers
Fruit:
· Grapes
· Apples (These can be a little tricky since they brown quickly.)
· Berries (Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries—you can’t go wrong!)
· Baguettes, turkey, Havarti cheese, black raspberry jam
· Crackers, pepperoni, cheddar, bell pepper
· Crackers, ham, Brie cheese
· Crackers, turkey, pepper jack cheese, artichoke spread
Other Ingredient Ideas:
· Pears
· Roasted red peppers
· Sun-dried tomatoes
· Spicy mustard
· Olives
· Any flavor of jam
· Broccoli florets
What To Consider When Setting Up Your Charcuterie Tray
The great thing about charcuterie trays is they can fit your tastes no matter what! However, if you want a few guidelines to follow here they are:
· Include at least the options of your main items (bread, meat, and cheese).
· Include a variety of flavors: a sweeter option, a spicy option, and classic option.
· Don’t get too fancy with all your options, try for at least two safe choices you know people will like, then go for one more daring option.
· Add a little pizzazz to your board by having a sweet and a savory spread option available!
Favorite Tools
· A large tray to corral everything on
· Little knife spreaders
· Small bowls for dip
· A cheese slicer (The cheese slicer is what is most important to me—it is what takes all the work out of it! I take it with me because it feels easiest to me, but you can also get a handheld cheese slicer too.)
If you are looking for some ideas of how to switch things up for your Labor Day plans, I hope this will inspire you!
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I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
I have seen the saying, “Love is how happy your dog gets when you get home,” and I am inclined to agree with this saying. I love my dog, and I think she loves us too. Actually though, I think she would love anyone who fed her.
Our dog is a Red Lab named Rosie. Greeting me with enthusiasm is not the only thing she does with great excitement. To Rosie, all of life is one big adventure. A tennis ball? “Woohoo!” To her this is an exciting event! She wildly runs in search of the tennis ball, finds it and brings it to me. I throw it and she gets to retrieve it. What fun! In Rosie’s world, life just doesn’t get better than this . . . well, possibly breakfast and dinner—but it’s close!
There are many times in the course of the day that she gets all wound up. She looks at me with her big mouth open in a smile and every time I take a step, she takes a little leap. She just can’t control herself. I could understand this excitement if we were getting ready to go for a walk or a car ride, but we’re not! Often times, I am a wet blanket and tell Rosie there is nothing to be excited about. Nothing. She usually doesn’t believe me and stays excited for a little bit until, true to my word, nothing exciting happens and she decides to take a nap—just a short say two hours or so?
I was thinking about this and it seems that much of the time we do the exact inverse of how Rosie is in her excitement for life when it comes to our faith. Here we are with direct access to the Creator of the Universe any time we want and we barely take time to speak to Him in prayer. We get to go to church and worship and sing praise to the One who sent His Son to die for us and we act like it is a chore. In short, we act like there is no Good News, and nothing to be excited about when in fact there is everything to be excited about!
Now I am not suggesting that we run around our whole lives on some superficial high—that’s not realistic—but I am suggesting that we need to realize the magnitude of what Jesus did for us when He willingly laid down His life for us. My Pastor stated a while ago that we have had the best news ever delivered to us and we act like its bad news. We are afraid to tell people about our faith for the backlash that could occur. We act like Jesus dying on the cross for us and saving us from eternal damnation wasn’t a big deal. We act like there is nothing to be excited about. But there is!
Because of Jesus’s death on the cross you, me, and anyone who chooses to believe does not have to suffer eternally. Through the Holy Spirit we have a helper and an intercessor. Because of who God is we always have a friend to talk to, to cry to, and to be excited with throughout all of life’s ups and downs. We have every reason to be excited, so maybe we should act like it. Maybe we need to be like Rosie and instead of bemoaning how different everything could be, we need to approach the little things in life like the adventure they are. Maybe we need to approach life more with the unbridled joy with which Rosie approaches life.
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I have long held the belief that time is but an illusion. Time is not reality, it is merely what gives shape to our reality.
I’m not sure when exactly this idea came to me, I think it was in whichever grade that we learned about Einstein’s theory of relativity, and the idea of time bending. I’m not much up on the science of today to know what the current thought is regarding Einstein’s theory, but I do know it shaped my own theory on time—that time is but an illusion.
We act like all time is equal but is that really true? Is the same hour spent in total frustration trying to figure out where a math error occurred in your checkbook equal to an hour that flies by while laughing and sharing a good meal with friends and family? If our perception equals reality and we perceive an hour spent with loved ones as shorter than an hour spent in frustration, is it really the same thing?
At the beginning of this year my “word” for the year, if you will, or rather my focus was on enough. Not plenty, but enough. Enough of what is needed—the contentment that comes with enough without the scarcity of falling short, while needs are still being met. Enough for what is needed without the gluttonous feeling of too much. Like Goldilocks and the three bears, not too little, not too much, but just the right amount. Just enough. And so I told myself there would be enough time this year for the things that are most important.
This time of year, when summer is quickly sliding into fall, and schools are starting, the sunlight shifts, is when I am always tempted to say, “There just isn’t enough time!” There are always more things I want to do each summer; more hikes to take, more activities to do, more days reading in the sun. I want more! There isn’t enough time to enjoy everything the season has to offer.
Intellectually, we know that there will always be more things we want to do. We know we won’t get to everything, but that doesn’t stop us from still trying to do everything. In the past I have told myself this; I’ve reminded myself to let the unrealistic expectations float on by and, while that has helped some, I still have always found myself partially panicked thinking there just isn’t enough!
This year though I am telling myself that there is enough. There is enough time to do the things that are truly important. There is enough time to slow down and immerse myself in the moment before I look back and think, “That was fun, why didn’t I enjoy it more?”
There is time enough to slow down the moments that mean the most to us, to drink the moment in, and to make time bend and stretch for us until we have breathed in the moment and can thus release it to the ether to live on in our memories. Then the next time we are stuck at a task we despise, we can recall this memory to give us a light reprieve and allow ourselves to be immersed in the reliving of this memory once again—allowing time to stretch and bend for us once more. There is just enough time in each of these moments for us to capture them and store them away in our soul so that we will not be robbed of the moments that we want to last forever. Through our memories we can recall and relive these moments over and over again, stretching that moment on and on. If time is but an illusion, then reality is that we will keep things stored within our hearts forever and that moment will never really fade away.
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