Comfy Cozy Fall Reads

Comfy Cozy Fall Reads

by | Oct 6, 2023 | Book Nook

As the weather turns colder and the leaves start to fall, I always start craving a cozy fall read! Sometimes I just want to read about a small town, kind quirky people, and hear about harvest time and pumpkins. Sometimes I want something a little more sinister, a good mystery that will be just a tad spooky! The following are a few books that have scratched this itch for me this year and I hope they will give you that cozy fall feeling if you are craving that this year too!

Comfy Cozy Fall Reads Set in Modern Day

Pumpkin Everything by Beth Labonte

Sometimes you just need a heartwarming story that follows the same arch as every Hallmark movie you have ever watched- that’s what this book is. Amy Fox is traveling back to Autumnboro New Hampshire to help her grandpa after he has broken wrist- and so he can keep his house, Amy’s childhood home which her mother is only too eager to sell and be rid of. 

The problem is that Amy has become a somewhat famous horror fiction writer… and some, ok most, of the townspeople have made their way into her books in some way shape or form. A  fact which they are none too happy about. Then there is the fact that going home, means Amy will have to face her childhood sweetheart, someone she unfairly abandoned in their hour of need…how will she own up to facing him again? 

First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

This is a wonderfully atmospheric fall book, with a touch of magic to keep things whimsical and fun. Everyone in this small North Carolina town knows that the Waverley sisters each have something special about them. The Sisters of course know it too- they also know things tend to get a little weird right before the first frost of the year- and First Frost this year is set to arrive on Halloween…

Quiet Clair has found her life turning into a race she can’t keep up with as her candy business achieves national acclaim. Sydney is still desperate to escape her past, and wants yet another new beginning, even though her life is good now. Sydney’s daughter, Bay, has the gift of knowing where things belong and she knows this boy at school belongs with her- of course she should have never told him that…

As First Frost draws near the feelings these women experience intensifies. Then there is the matter of the stranger who appears in town, who could possibly provide some answers about their past; or could possibly ruin their lives as they know it.

Amber Waves of Grace by Jessica Berg

Corrie gave up her job as a journalist when her father suffered a brain injury in a horrific accident, and moved back to her family’s farm where she grew up. However coming home also means that Corrie has to face her old flame, and the secrets she has tried to leave behind. When her ex’s brother starts helping out at Corrie’s farm, Corrie starts to feel like her past is breathing down her neck. Then a young pregnant woman finds her way to Corrie’s farm the family takes her in, but could she be the link to the trouble that starts finding its way to Corrie’s farm? Will Corrie be able to hold it all together, or risk it falling apart and thereby lose everything? 

Comfy Cozy Historical Fiction for Fall

The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner

Let’s pause for just a moment and talk about the title of this book, The London Seance Society, that’s normally not a title I would go anywhere near because I don’t think the occult isn’t a play thing and I hate it when author’s try to make the occult into a play thing. However I really enjoyed Ms Penner’s first book, The Lost Apothecary, and decided to give this a try. This turned out to be much more of a historical fiction murder mystery (my favorite!) than a book of the occult. In the author’s note Ms Penner states that any instances of incantations being said were purely her creation, although the London Seance Society was shaped after The London Ghost Society which was formed and existed in England in the victorian era. Now onto why I like this book! 

Leena Wickes has always rolled her eyes at her little sister, Evie’s, talk about ghosts and the afterlife. Leena does not believe in anything she can’t prove with science. However When Evie is found murdered and the police don’t care to investigate further, Leena takes it upon herself to discover by any means necessary how Evie died. This leads Leen to apprentice under renowned medium Vaudline D’Allaire, a medium known for being able to provide answers to the loved ones of the deceased, and a Medium Evie had studied under before her murder.

What Leena doesn’t plan on is getting pulled into a convoluted case when the London Seance Society calls Vaudline to their headquarters to help them investigate the death of its founding member, however Vaudline’s presence must be a secret- she has already fled the country once because her life was at stake- which this case put her in mortal danger? As Vaudline and Leena begin to parse out the situation they find more and more evidence that not everything is as it seems, and some unexpected ties to Evie….

This I Know by Eldonna Edwards

This is an atmospheric coming of age story of a young girl growing up in a small town, set in the 1960’s. Grace was born with The Knowing, as she calls it. She can still hear her twin brother who died at birth and he talks to her, urging her to have patience with those around her when they don’t understand Grace’s gift of the knowing. Grace knows things about people, especially when she has contact with them. She can sense when one of her sister’s is in danger and tries to warn them. However her father, the preacher of this small town, thinks Grace’s gift is from the devil and won’t stand for any talk about it. Over the years there are a few mysterious disappearances in this small town; girls go missing and are never seen again. The one poor neighbor girl stumbled back home one night so traumatized from something that she has never been able to speak since- could Grace use her gift to help discover what evil is lurking in their small town? 

The Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner

A standalone sequel to The Jane Austen Society, fans of her previous work will greatly enjoy this latest book by Natlie Jenner. Bloomsbury books is a rare bookstore that has always been run by men, and governed by the shop’s rules- 51 of them to be exact. When the shop’s manager falls ill and is forced to take a leave, the women are at last allowed some freedom; and of course once they get a taste of freedom they are reluctant to return to their former roles. Add to this hidden relationships, a secret hunt for a rare book, and a budding relationship all set in 1950s London- and you get a book that makes you want to curl up with your favorite mug of hot tea! 

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Sometimes you get a good book at the wrong time and sometimes you get the right book and at the perfectly right time—that’s what happened with this book! I love a good mystery and, of course, I love a time-setting from the past. I am a little bit of a wimp… I don’t want anything too scary but, that being said, I still want to get a little scared. This is the perfect scariness for me! Ten people are stranded on a stormy island and one by one they start turning up dead which can only mean one thing—the killer is among them! If you want a goose-bump-raising mystery try this one! 

Here’s to cozy fall nights, comfy throw pillows and good books- happy reading! 

 

Disclosure

Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!

 

Other Posts You May Enjoy: 

Comfy Cozy Small Town Reads for Fall

History Mysteries to Curl Up With This Fall

Fall Centerpiece and Vignette Ideas for 2023

 

Best of; Spies, Conspiracies and Traitors

Best of; Spies, Conspiracies and Traitors

by | Sep 15, 2023 | Book Nook

If you need an excuse to read a book about spies, traitors of the American Revolution and the American Civil War, consider this to be it! In this post I am sharing several fiction and non fiction titles that will not only teach you about the historical events, but will also keep your interest while you read them! 

Washington’s Spies by Alexander Rose

If this title sounds familiar it is probably because it was turned into a series on Netflix. The Series has a little more embellishment than the book does, but the book is still a very good read! If you are looking for more of an in depth look into the spy ring that helped America win her independence this is the book for you! This book will make your heart race as you feel the anxiety Abraham Woodhull felt as he spied for the American’s while aiding and boarding a British regular in his own home! 

George Washington’s Secret Six

by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger

This is a fast paced overview of how the first spy ring, the Culper Spy Ring, came to be and the impact it had on our budding country. The authors start by introducing each of the individuals associated with the spy ring. We hear about how the ring came into existence and the British plots that were overthrown, thanks to the knowledge gained by the spy ring. There is a great chance America would not have won the Revolution without the individuals in the spy ring. 

The First Conspiracy 

by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch

This is a little known passage from history, but an important one. It is the early years of the Revolutionary War, and America’s position in the war is shaky. As if things were not bad enough for the fledgling country, a plot is hatched to destroy America’s currency in a large-scale counterfeit operation.  America’s currency was already much weaker than Britain’s and an operation of this scale would destroy any chance of America gaining her independence—but can they catch all the culprits in time? 

The Traitor’s Wife

by Allison Pataki

Who was Peggy Shippen and what was she really about? We know she became a traitor’s wife but how did this vivacious young Tory become the wife of a rebel officer, and then the wife of a traitor? Was it true love? A covert mission to undermine the budding republic, or merely a quest for wealth? 

In a Traitor’s Wife, we see the early life of Ms Peggy Shippen unfold as told through the eyes of her personal maid. Clara is orphaned and destitute, with only one reference to help her provide for herself, luckily she land’s the job as personal lady’s maid The Peggy Shippen, the somewhat notorious daughter of one of Philadelphia’s most well known Tory families. What Clara learns over the course of her time serving Peggy Shippen, may be just the thing the rebels need to help them gain the upper hand in this war they are fighting– but will Clara be able to play her part when the time comes?

Time Enough for Drums

by Ann Rinaldi

So far this book still ranks as my very favorite. This is a story of 15 year old Jemmima, during the American Revolution. She is a staunch Whig, and she can’t believe that her father would employ John, a Tory, as her tutor . . . until she begins to put the pieces together that John may not be exactly what she thought and may, in fact, be a spy. . . .  Ann Rinaldi weaves together all of my favorite classic elements in this book: revolutionary war history, spies, romance, and tough decisions which makes for a very intriguing read.

355 the Women of Washington’s Spy Ring

By Kit Sergeant

This book follows 3 women who played a part in spying in the American Revolution. All 3 of the women portrayed in this book were actual people. They lived and did the things (at least to a certain extent) told in the book. While I really enjoyed this story, there were a few things I would like to mention:1) the book is called 355, yet none of the characters in this book quite fit what we know about the actual lady agent known as 355 in the Culper Spy Ring of New York. That doesn’t mean that these women didn’t do great things for the American revolution. Neither does it mean that none of them could have been agent 355. To this day, the identity of agent 355 still remains a mystery, but none of these women quite seem to fit the bill so if you are picking this book in order to learn specifically about agent 355 you may be a little disappointed. 2) The book came to a rather abrupt ending. I respect and value when an author stays as true to the real history as possible, and as real life doesn’t have neat little endings tied up in bows, neither does this story. The story in this book was good. I felt that the characters did come to life for me by sticking closely to the history that is known about these women the author did well, but I would say this is more of a portrayal of events told, well, than a story with a plot. Read it and judge for yourselves- I’d probably say this is a 4 star rating as far as the story goes, but 5 star if you are reading to learn the history!

Rebel Spy

by Veronica Rossi

I couldn’t put this book down!! This book definitely had the most compelling plot that kept me on the edge of my seat through the whole book! Soo good! While this book also discusses the event that agent 355 is supposed to have had a hand in, the rest of this story is highly fictionalized. This makes for a very engaging read, but not quite as great of a history lesson. If you are reading this to learn about the events 355 played in the revolution read it, absorb the events, but be prepared for the fact that someone like this woman likely did not exist. However, if you are just looking for very compelling and entertaining historical fiction read it and enjoy every minute of it!

 

Behind Rebel Lines

by Seymour Reit

Emma Edmonds was a real woman, who had a love of adventure, good skills with a gun, and knack for disguise and blending into her surroundings. Canadian born Emma decided to run away from the only home she had ever known and to fight for the Union- truly it had not been much of a home to Emma. She disguises herself as a man and signs up. Her disguise works- until she is wounded, but instead of being sent home, Emma is offered the position of spy. She jumps at the chance. Read this book for a true spy story that gets your heart pounding! 

The Secrets of Mary Bowser

by Lois Leveen

This is not a new book but I read it this summer and really enjoyed it! There’s nothing particularly summer-y about this book- it would make a great start for your fall reading! The Secrets of Mary Bowser is based off the true events in the life of Mary Bowser, the daughter of an enslaved father and a free mother, who was able to gain an education and a woman who helped in the underground railroad, and who acted as a spy for the Union during the civil war- in President Jefferson Davis’s own home! This book kept my attention for its entirety!

Disclosure

Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!

 

Other Posts You May Enjoy: 

 

History Mysteries to Curl Up With This Fall

3 Exciting Historical Fiction Reads about the Female Spies of the American Revolution

Comfy Cozy Small Town Reads for Fall

 

End Of Summer Round Up 2023

End Of Summer Round Up 2023

by | Aug 24, 2023 | Book Nook

So even though we technically have until the third week in September before summer is officially over, we have reached the end of summer as we traditionally think of it. Looking back over my reading this summer I am pleased with my reading. I hit upon several 5 star reads (check out my post 5 star reads of 2023), but there were a few that while good, weren’t quite 5 star reads, and several other books that I have read since then. So here is my end of summer round up for 2023 of some of the books that I slipped in around the edges!

 

River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer

 

I saw this one was one of the most anticipated books of 2023 and since I’m always down for a good historical fiction title I couldn’t wait to read it! This is the story of a woman named Rachel, an enslaved person living on a plantation in Barbados in 1834. In this year all enslaved people are emancipated- except not really. They are all to serve 6 more years as indentured servants to pay for their freedom, meaning that nothing will change. For Rachel, who has had every child born to her ripped away and sold into slavery elsewhere, this is the last straw and she decides to run.

 

But what to do with her new freedom? What does freedom mean to her? What does freedom mean at all? Rachel decides freedom means finding her beloved children and she sets off to find them, a journey filled with heartbreak, and joy, and a journey that takes her into the depths of the Caribbean jungles, and to the door of white people who could return her back into slavery.

 

 

The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen

 

This is not a new book but I read it this summer and really enjoyed it! There’s nothing particularly summer-y about this book- it would make a great start for your fall reading! The Secrets of Mary Bowser is based off the true events in the life of Mary Bowser, the daughter of an enslaved father and a free mother, who was able to gain an education and a woman who helped in the underground railroad, and who acted as a spy for the Union during the civil war- in President Jerrerson Davis’s own home! This book kept my attention for its entirety!

 

 

Brave the Wild River by Melissa L. Sevigny

 

This book is a new release and is the true story of two women botanists who were the first to woman botanists to make it down the Colorado river in the Grand Canyon, collecting samples as they went. Though this book reads as more of a history book than affliction (it is based on fact, and is only fleshed out with the facts we have from these women’s writings) it is still a very good read, full of unexpected setbacks, and dangerous turns that happened along the way!

 

 

Midnight at Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webb

 

This is not a new title, and not historical fiction but this was a delicious summer read, set in the south. Anna Kate’s grandmother has just passed away and has left Anna Kate her cafe- Blackbird Cafe. Anna Kate plans only to stay to finish out the busy summer season so she can return to Boston to finish becoming a doctor; something she promised her dying mother she would do several years earlier.

 

Natalie has returned to her parents home and is trying to carve out a path of her own for herself and her daughter after her husband’s death. This is a heartwarming book about loss, love, and forgiveness- filled with vivid descriptions of pies cooling in the kitchen and small town life in the American south. I loved this book!

 

 

The Glass Ocean

 

As 3 passengers set out on the Lusitania there is a lot more going on beneath the surface for 3 of the passengers. Caroline can’t figure out why her husband seems so distant. Robert knows his father doesn’t want him to come home, but is going anyway, and Tess is done with her life as a con artist. She has one last heist to pull off and then she will be free from this life of crime for forever, but the stakes are higher this time than they have been before and – isn’t sure she can go through with this one last deal…

 

It’s modern day New York and Sarah Blake had runaway success with her first book but is now scrambling to try to come up with a story for her second book, something she desperately needs to do to provide for her ailing mother. When She opens a box from her great grandfather that has been kept locked for all her life she thinks she has discovered just the fodder for her next story. She travels to England to try to learn more about her family’s past and ends up having to gain the trust of a handsome, but reticent politician who is recovering from a scandal of his own…

 

This book was a page turner that will suck you right in as it tells you some of the hidden past around the circumstance of World War 1, but readers should be warned there are a few instances of harsh language.

 

 

Lady of the Eternal City by Kate Quinn

 

Kate Quinn wrote several books before the Alice Network hit the best seller lists. Lady of the Eternal City is one of her earlier works but it is just as gripping as her latest books have been! Against the backdrop of the Roman Empire circa AD 130 we see the story of an empire at its apex, and the cut throat nature of being a member of the imperial household. Told from the point of view of 4 revolving characters you will be pulled into ancient times. Sabina, empress of Rome is hiding a deadly secret from her dearest friend and her husband. Annia, niece of the Emperor, doesn’t know her world is a lie. Vix doesn’t know his son’s secret. Antinous just wants to love, and be loved- what does he have to do to earn the love of his step father?

 

Readers should be warned there are a few instances of harsh language in this title also.

 

 

Disclosure

Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!

If you are looking for just a few more books to savor the last bits of summer I hope these titles help to inspire your reading life and serve to lengthen out your summer- even if just a little bit!

 

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

 

End of Summer Historical Fiction Round 2021
Books to Finish Up Your Summer with in 2022
Books I Have Been Enjoying This Fall

5 Star Historical Summer Reads of 2023

5 Star Historical Summer Reads of 2023

by | Jul 29, 2023 | Book Nook

Summer isn’t over yet—it’s not!! We still have some summer left to savor and if you are looking for a few more titles that have a summer feel, that are hard to put down, then you have come to the right place! 

The following are a list of historical fiction titles that I think make for five star summer reading. It should be noted that my main criteria for what makes a five-star read is how well it holds my interest. All of these titles captivated me from beginning to end and I hope that they will do the same for you! 

 

We Came Here to Shine by Susie Orman Schnall

Take a step back in time into New York City as the city hosts the 1939 World’s Fair. We meet Max, a student journalist who instead of getting the summer working for the New York Times, is stuck covering the fair—something she is less than excited about. Furthermore, she find that as the only woman journalist, she is expected to do administrative work instead of the journalism she so desperately desires. She can’t help but try to take the situation into her own hands and try to bend the rules a bit….

 

Vivi is an actress who just got demoted from starring in a lead role in Hollywood, to being transported back to New York where she is from, to star as the lead swimmer in the synchronized swimming show. But Vivi has secrets that could ruin everything if they are found out. She has a brother-in-law she must stay away from at all costs—what will happen if he finds out she is the lead in the swimming exhibit at the World’s Fair? 

 

As these two women meet and become friends, they find that they may have skills that can help each other—if they are willing to humble themselves enough to take the other’s advice.

 

Daughters of Nantucket by Julie Gerstenblatt

Take a step even further back in time in the history of Nantucket and find yourself deposited on Nantucket’s shores when it was still a thriving whaling community. Eliza is the wealthy wife of a whaling campaign—or at least she is doing her best to look the part of a wealthy whaling wife.  Her husband’s last voyage returned home without much to show for his years at sea and his return is delayed this time by causes that he won’t disclose to Eliza. Suddenly Eliza finds herself wondering if she would have been better off marrying her old beau who has made a reappearance in her life.

 

Maria is the curator of the athenaeum.  She longs to preserve the history of this island, and from places around the world, but the fire that breaks out on the island of Nantucket threatens everything she holds dear.

 

Lastly, but not least, we meet Meg. Meg is a free woman of color, about to give birth, and trying to move their store to the main street of Nantucket—but they have an uphill battle in front of them. When Meg goes into labor on the night of the fire, she wonders if she will lose her firefighter husband, her baby, and their store all in one night. 

 

The Cuban Heiress by Channel Cleeton

This is Ms. Cleeton’s newest work of historical fiction: Elaina is onboard a luxury cruise liner heading from New York to Cuba—and she is pretending to be a dead woman. She must get to Cuba before someone else does—her very life depends on it. 

Katherine is onboard with her fiancé—but he mustn’t find out who she really is. When Katherine starts to befriend a handsome passenger also on board, she finds her guard starting to slip—what will happen if this stranger uncovers her true identity and realizes what she is also about? Keeping this stranger at arm’s length becomes even harder when she needs someone to help her dispose of a dead body…

 

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

This was a delightful little foray into a world of young adult historical fiction fantasy. Slightly outside of my normal reading zone, this story still has many elements of historical fiction to it, and doesn’t get too fantastical! 

Seventeen year old Alosa, daughter of the most powerful pirate in the world, has been captured. Well, actually she has allowed herself to be captured—she is on a secret mission. There are three pieces of an ancient map that will lead to treasure beyond imagination and Alosa has reason to believe one of the pieces is aboard this ship. Alosa must act the part of a prisoner while she endeavors to search the ship. However, this simple mission starts to get complicated as Alosa starts to develop a connection with her captor and the first mate of the ship, Riden. Will he discover her secret as to why she isn’t more worried about her current predicament? And will her feelings make it hard for Alosa to complete her mission? 

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry

It is World War II and sisters Flora and Hazel are being evacuated to the English countryside during operation Pied Piper. To comfort her five year old sister, 14 year old Hazel invents the world of Whisper Wood for her sister. Whisper Wood is a world all their own, a safe place for them to retreat to during these scary and unknown times. They tell no one of this magical world they have discovered in Whisper Wood. They are enjoying life in the country with the family they are stationed with when disaster strikes and Flora disappears. 

Twenty years later Hazel still hasn’t forgiven herself for her sister’s disappearance. She is still in contact with the private investigator trying to locate her lost sister—Hazel refuses to believe that Flora is actually gone, despite the body that was found which appears to have been her Flora. Then one day while working her job in a rare book store, Hazel comes across an original manuscript—one to a book called Whisper Wood. Hope is reignited in Hazel and renews her efforts to find her sister. Along the way Hazel learns that sometimes to find peace means pursuing our hopes, and other times coming to peace means letting go.

Disclosure

Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!

 

Other Posts You May Enjoy: 

 

5 Star Summer Reads of 2021

End of Summer Historical Fiction Round 2021

Books to Finish Up Your Summer with in 2022

 

Books to Read if You Are Visiting Virginia this Summer

Books to Read if You Are Visiting Virginia this Summer

by | Jun 21, 2023 | Book Nook

There is something magical about getting to celebrate Independence Day from the back lawn of the man who penned the Declaration of Independence. This is how I was fortunate enough to spend many an Independence Day growing up. My parents, cousins and I would travel down to Virginia to spend the days surrounding July 4th at my Aunt and Uncle’s home. 

 

Every July 4th Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson’s retreat home, would hold a bi 4th of July celebration! There were different artisans such as; blacksmiths, weavers, spinners, gunsmiths, and basket makers. There was a sword swallower, and a slack rope walker. You could take a paid tour of the house, or you could wander the grounds for a small admittance fee. It was a blast! 

 

Naturally though, I always enjoyed when I was able to line up some reading to coincide with these visits! If you are planning a visit to Virginia this year, or just wish to visit vicariously, here are some titles to pair with your travels! 

 

America’s First Daughter

If you go to Poplar Forest, Jefferson’s vacation home, then you will get to see where it was that Jefferson and his family fled in hot pursuit by the British During the American Revolution. America’s First Daughter is about Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph, Thomas Jefferson’s Daughter. Here was a book about the revolution, a closer glimpse into Jefferson’s personal life, told through the lens of Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter. 

While this book starts off happily enough, readers should be aware that Martha did not lead an overly joyous life. There were happy times, but oh so many hard times too. This book accurately portrays the struggles of the day in the new nation as well as Martha’s personal struggles too. A turbulent childhood at times spent fleeing the British, gave way to a fairly happy adolescent spent abroad in Paris as a diplomat’s daughter, then giving way to a marriage colored by abuse. As a woman in the 18th and early 19th century Martha was no stranger to commonplace domestic violence, the loss of children, as well as financial struggles. This book offers a realistic peek into the life that was Martha Jefferson’s. If you are visiting either Poplar Forest, or Monticello this summer this is a must read! 

America’s First Daughter

 

Wolf By the Ears by Ann Rinaldi

Wolf by the Ears is perhaps Rinaldi’s best known work. This is a story of Harriet Hemings, one of Thomas Jefferson’s slaves, long supposed to have been one of the children between Jefferson and his slave, Sally Hemings. Harriet wrestles with the desire to know whether she is really a daughter of this man, a man who is opposed to slavery in theory, but who feels that “Slavery in America is like taking a wolf by the ears, you can neither hold it, nor safely let it go.” One thing young Harriet knows though, is that her skin is light, very light—light enough that she could pass for white. If she was offered this chance of freedom would she take it? To take it would mean a life of freedom, but it would also mean turning her back on her heritage and her culture, not to mention never seeing her family again. Could she take this leap? Should she? 

 

Wolf By the Ears by Ann Rinaldi

 

Or Give Me Death by Ann Rinaldi 

We think of Patrick Henry as a man who cried the immortal words, “Give me liberty, or give me death!” Henry wasn’t just a statesman and lawyer; he was a father with a family and a wife who was slowly losing her mind, just as our country was trying to gain its independence. Told from the eyes of his young daughter, Anne, we see what home life was like for this man, as he tried against the current of the time to care for his wife at home, while also being a public figure, championing the cause of liberty. 

Or Give Me Death by Ann Rinaldi 

 

In My Father’s House by Ann Rinaldi

If you are traveling to Virginia this summer, save time to visit Appomattox courthouse, where the south formally surrendered to the north, concluding the Civil War. For a reading companion, pick up In My Father’s House by Ann Rinaldi. Meet young Oscie Mason, the step daughter of Wilmer McLean, on whose property the Civil War started and, after moving many miles away, the War concluded- the treaty being signed in his parlor! 

 

Even if you are staying close to home this summer, I hope you might take this opportunity to check out one of these titles. Summer is a great time to take time to remember the history that built this nation.

In My Father’s House by Ann Rinaldi

Disclosure

Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!

 

Other Posts You May Enjoy: 

Author Spotlight: Books by Ann Rinaldi

Author Spotlight: Susan Meisner

End of Summer Historical Fiction Round 2021

 

Gettysburg Visitor’s Guide and Books pairing 

by | Jun 2, 2023 | Book Nook

I’ve decided to sprinkle in a few posts that are a little different this summer. It’s summer so I hope you get to do some sort of travel. Living in Pennsylvania, one of our favorite places to visit year after year is Gettysburg! Gettysburg is a little historical town which had the unfortunate job of hosting the bloodiest battle of the Civil War and was the turning point of the Civil War. Since my family and I have traveled there most years, we have amassed our favorite things to do and places to go while there and, of course, I have several books I would recommend reading to get more out of your visit—and to enjoy even if you are not able to visit Gettysburg! 

The Battlefield

You can drive, you can take a bus tour, or you can hire a guide to drive you around the battlefield in your car for a personalized experience. One of our favorite ways to experience the battlefield is to bike it! There is something about being out in the open air that allows you to take in the battlefield and what it would feel like to be marching across it, that you just cannot appreciate the same way from a car. 

Reading Companion: Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

Museums

The Visitor Center

Roughly 10 years ago they redid the Visitor Center and wow—is it nice! The museum inside the Visitor Center takes you through the Civil War chronologically. While this isn’t imperative if you are trying to see as much of Gettysburg as possible (I would block at least a half day for this), it is a great refresher if you are rusty on your Civil War history. 

Also found inside the Visitor Center is the Gettysburg Diorama—a large painting going all the way around a circular room. A narrator and spotlight explain the parts of the battle depicted in the painting. Again, a great overview of the battle. 

Seminary Ridge Museum

This just recently opened but I am so glad that it did! The old seminary, located on top of a hill known as Seminary Ridge, was used as a lookout point for the battle of Gettysburg. The cupola on top of the seminary gives you a panoramic view of Gettysburg. If you decide to see the museum (which focuses mostly on the history of the seminary and the part it played in the battle of Gettysburg). I highly recommend paying the extra for the cupola tour. You will be able to see and hear about the troop movements. I had been to Gettysburg so many times, but never had as clear of an understanding regarding the actual battlefield logistics as I did after taking this tour.

Museum of Gettysburg

Located on Baltimore Street, my dad and I were poking into the little shops and stores, taking in the bullet holes stills found in the bricks of the houses in Gettysburg, when we happened upon this little museum, which looked more like a house than a museum. What a hidden gem! This museum has artifacts such as a mummy’s head, Adolf Hitler’s foot stool, Marilyn Monroe’s undergarments, an object’s from the Kennedy assassination. At this time, only donations are required to enter this museum so don’t miss it!

Reading Companion: Killing Kennedy by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard

The Horse Soldier

This is a privately owned antique store, which sells antiques such as Civil War uniforms, guns and bayonets from the Civil War, as well all the other detritus from war that you might imagine. Go visit some of the other museums—then come to this one and see the price tag for all the objects you grumbled about having to pay to see—it will put things in perspective! 

Human Interest

Gettysburg Aftermath Night Walking Tour by Grave Digger Tours

If you go to Gettysburg you will see just about every shop on Baltimore Street (one of the main thoroughfares) have nightly ghost tours which you can go on to hear the ghostly history of Gettysburg. I am not a ghost tour person. But I am a huge fan of the aftermath tour! Take a tour of Gettysburg in the evening and hear about how the residents of Gettysburg coped after war left thousands of dead men and horses on their land. Many people moved away due to the stench. Learn what one widow with ten children did to save her family after all the dead left on her property ruined her well’s drinking water…. 

Reading Companion: The Last Full Measure by Ann Rinaldi 

The Jennie Wade House

As bloody as the battle of Gettysburg was, only one civilian was killed during the battle—young Jennie Wade. For a human interest angle take this tour! Though called the Jennie Wade house, this house is in fact Jennie Wade’s sister’s house, who Jennie was staying with for a few days, as her sister had just had a baby. See what life was like for those who had war come to their homes.

Reading Companion: The Slopes of War, a Novel of Gettysburg, by N. A. Perez 

Ten Pin Alley and the Tillie Pierce House

Ten Pin Alley, like a bowling alley, and the Tillie Pierce house are again another great human interest angle to explore if you are visiting Gettysburg. See how young Tillie Pierce survived as a young girl during the battle of Gettysburg. 

Reading Companion: Two Girls of Gettysburg, by Lisa Klein

Other Things to See

Evergreen Cemetery

If you come to Gettysburg, you can’t leave without making a quick stop by Evergreen Cemetery and taking a moment to stand under the arches where Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address. 

Eisenhower’s Estate

Located just off of the battlefield is the Eisenhower estate where you can take a tour of this president’s home! 

Dining

There is no shortage of good places to eat in Gettysburg! While we don’t typically eat out a ton when we come to Gettysburg, a few places we really enjoy and have heard other rave about are: 

O’Rourke’s 

Pub-style food, reasonably priced and very tasty. 

Appalachian Brewing Company 

This brewery has great burgers too! 

Coffee 82

Located on main drag to where many of these shops are located, get your morning started off with a great cup of coffee with some innovative flavor options.

There is no shortage of things to see and do in Gettysburg. We haven’t seen it all! As I’m sure is evidenced by this post, I highly encourage you to add a trip to Gettysburg to your bucket list. If you cannot come now, make sure to visit at some point in the future! 

 

Disclosure

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