Vivienne Rivard is a successful lacemaker in Paris, with clients among the aristocracy. Until the French revolution forces her to flee for her life. She manages to escape to America where through tragic circumstances, becomes the fill-in caretaker for young Henry, who she suspects may be Louis Charles, the young king.
This was a captivating story. I loved all of the history. I would say it’s more American history than French history. It had plenty of intrigue, danger, complicated interpersonal relationships with numerous characters. I had no idea there had been a town named Asylum where people from the upper classes of French society came to be safe from the revolutionaries.
A bit of a love triangle. Vivienne had a complicated parentage, resulting in some complicated relationship issues she had to deal with. She suffered tragedy, betrayal, and loss, but also found love and support in places she didn’t expect. Lots of human interest and intrigue plus romance.
The subject matter piqued my curiosity and made me want to search for more books about the people who lived through the French revolution.
An entertaining read about a historical time period I should read more about.
Drop your recommendations for fiction set during the French Revolution below, please!
I met Carrie Walker several years ago, and we became writing friends. I’m so excited for Carrie’s debut novel, Emma’s Hero, to make its way into the world and into reader’s hands.
About the Book
After a year of loss and bad choices distance Emma Reynolds from her lifelong beliefs, she finds herself pregnant and alone at a twenty-week ultrasound, hearing the words “incompatible with life.” When her son, Theo, survives birth, she fights to give him the best care possible. As each day passes, Emma’s love for Theo grows-along with her fear of losing him. She can’t understand why God allows her son to suffer.
Seventeen-year-old blogger, Mason Hughes, feels lonely and worthless after his father left their family years ago. When he ignores his mother’s push to “contribute to society,” she volunteers him to help Emma each week. Wishing he’d applied for any other job, Mason has no choice but to grocery shop and practice his rusty social skills with a mother and son he doesn’t know.
Paramedic Ben Sullivan has earned himself the title of “most eligible” bachelor among his friends as they continually set him up on blind dates. While he’d love to avoid the uncomfortable events, his heart can’t help but seek the one thing missing in his life-a marriage like his parents have. If only he could find the woman himself.
As Theo’s tiny life connects them to each other, their loneliness breaks under the love of community, and they will never be the same.
DJS: Emma’s Hero has a great deal of heart. Tell us a little bit about why you felt compelled to write this story.
CW: I’ve always believed every life has a purpose, so I shouldn’t be surprised the first story compelling me to write a novel would center around that idea. My husband and I served as high school youth ministers for ten years, and one of the young women who went through our ministry later gave birth to a baby with the same condition as Theo, the infant in Emma’s Hero. When I visited the young woman and her baby daughter in the hospital, I imagined every life her daughter had touched, and the seeds for Emma’s Hero were planted.
DJS: What was the most surprising thing you learned about yourself as you went through the process of writing Emma’s Hero?
CW: That I really liked writing! Writing book was always one of those “oh I’ll write a book someday” type things, and I’d always had teachers tell me to write growing up, but I never had a seed of a story. When the idea for Emma’s Hero finally took root, I decided it was time. As I went through the process, I realized I had stumbled across something that I loved doing.
DJS: Just from the topic, it’s easy to see that this one can be a real tear jerker. And there are so many layers! Just the idea of the story tugs at my heart. What parts of Emma’s story always make you cry?
CW: There are some scenes where Emma fears for Theo’s life. As a mom, those always get to me, but another scene that provokes a different sort of tears is near the end of the book, the first time Mason starts to see things in his life differently. DJS: Heart touching moments for sure!
DJS: The writing journey is a long learning process. Often, after we finally reach the finish line of a project, we look back and think we could have done things a different way. If you could rewind and go back to before you started writing Emma’s hero, what would you do differently?
CW: I’d let myself torture the characters sooner. I would’ve avoided so many rewrites. Tension makes for page turning and torture makes for tension. DJS: Hahaha! Spoken like a true novelist.
DJS: What do you want readers to take away from Emma’s story? CW: I hope readers are left thinking about the far-reaching effect of each human life, reflecting on the many graces that come from helping others. Also, if they are in a place like Emma and Mason where they feel alone, they come to realize it won’t always be that way. DJS: What a beautiful message.
Bonus fun question, just because I know Carrie loves to read. (We are always talking books.)
DJS: Does your love for books run in the family?
CW: For the most part, yes. My two youngest daughters are book worms. We recently took part in a Bingo for Books at their school, and the pile they brought home might last a week 🙂
Two of my older daughters read right along with me. One reads so fast I can’t let her start a book before me or she’ll spoil the story! They also help me brainstorm my novels (including reading early chapters and naming characters). My boys aren’t as in love with reading, however my oldest son is currently reading a Charles Martin book and I just got an all-caps text mid-day at school about a plot twist (perhaps he’s hooked?).
DJS: It’s wonderful when we can pass along the love of reading to our children.Thanks so much for visiting with me, Carrie!
Emma’s Hero is available for pre-order on Amazon here. The book releases April 5th.
Carrie Walker is an award-winning author who lives in Michigan with her husband and seven children. As an avid reader, she pens what she loves to read, stories that bring hope to a hurting world. Besides writing, Carrie enjoys time with family, board games, and counting the days ’til Christmas.
I’m also a writer and a reader of inspirational fiction. (Although I read general market fiction and well and read widely.)
I found this nonfiction book utterly fascinating and liked hearing about the history, the first precursors to novels, how the different influences of societal ideas, religious ideas, and literature have all impacted each other. The first chapter may be a little slow for some readers, but it picked up after that, and because I found the subject interesting it kept me listening. I got the audiobook and felt the narration was well done.
As like many people in the Christian community, I’ve been examining my faith traditions, and books of this sort are helpful when trying to understand how we got to where we are today. I have always enjoyed reading history and trying to puzzle out how different events shaped society.
I would describe this book as somewhat scholarly but accessible. If you like history or are curious about how today’s attitudes and beliefs systems came into being, or if you are interested in learning about and exploring the culture’s effect on literature and vice versa, you might enjoy this book.
I was particularly fascinated by the origin of the novel as story, how the form was influenced, and how the current structure and format of today’s novels came into being.
I stumbled across it in the library as a bonus borrow. I also found the full audiobook on the author’s Youtube channel and put the link below.
Listening to this novel was a pleasure.
Julia returns to England after receiving a letter from her Uncle Robert, but before she arrives at her uncle’s castle, she encounters an injured man and assists him. As it turns out this is Nick, her distant cousin and her uncle’s heir. When she arrives at her uncle’s, he is less than welcoming.
Julia’s path has been difficult. If adults in her life had made better choices when Julia was a child, things would’ve gone better for her, yet she never feels sorry for herself. But don’t think she’s a goody-two-shoes or saccharine. She has backbone. She’a also very practical, a girl with a cool head on her shoulders. As you can probably gather, I liked this character!
The writing is excellently executed. There’s romance, family issues, a mystery, and all the things to keep me eager to find out about Julia’s future.
I don’t read a ton of books in this particular type of setting, but I will definitely read the rest of the books in the series, and any others by Kasey Stockton.
Ancient Castle with Hidden Passages
Mystery
Strong Female Lead Character
Romance!
Wonderful Supporting Characters
Great Plot
A Clean Read
Historical
This one feels like a comfort read that I might return to. I like it very much.
Go check out this FULL audiobook on Youtube. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Stopped by the library the other day after my doctor’s appointment. I’ve been sick for so long.
I had to go to the doctor’s three days in a row, for three injections! Ouch. I needed to walk off that last one, so my son took me to the local library, where I found some old friends (books!) to comfort me.
And some books with characters I haven’t met yet. (That I remember, anyway.)
Have you read Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen or Sons of Blackbird Mountain?
I’m a sucker for any book that features sewing, dressmaking, or lace making.
Look at this adorable seed library. What a clever re-purposing of a card catalog!
They had several choices for a blind date with a book.
I picked a blind date with a book for my son, since he was the one who brought me. (Can you guess what book this is?)
He made the comment, “To make you happy, all I have to do is take you where the books are.”
That is accurate!
A stop at the library makes any day a little better.
(This was the book inside the wrapping. Did you guess it?)
This multiple POV story skips across time, following the lives of two families. In 1911, Jean works at the singer sewing machine factory. Tensions increase and a strike is about to take place due to the working conditions. Winding bobbins at the factory is part of her job, and she encloses a secret message in the last machine she works on.
Over a hundred years later, the sewing machine ends up with Fred, the message from Jean intact but hidden. Fred discovers the message, along with notebooks containing notes from seamstresses about the sewing work they do for different people.
As I read, it was easy to suspend belief. It had distinctive characters I enjoyed reading about, coupled with family secrets and mysteries kept me turning pages. The characters all had what felt like real struggles, loves, and losses. In this novel, two families’ lives are intertwined, which I found intriguing. I finished in one sitting! I loved the puzzle and had to keep reading to see how everything fit together.The ending came full circle, concluding with a satisfying ending.
Full of fascinating historical tidbits about the Singer sewing machine company and a strike about work conditions in the early 1900s.
Since it’s October, my thoughts turned to scary reads.
The scariest book I ever read was the classic The Night of the Hunter by Davis Grubb and originally published in 1953. This National Book Finalist is a southern gothic, set in rural West Virginia during the Great Depression. Ten-year-old John holds a secret his father, Ben Harper, trusts him with before the blue men (police) take Ben away. Ben has stolen $10,000 and murdered two people in the commission of his crime, but where is the money? Only John knows.
Harry Powell (Preacher) shows up, gaining the trust of Willa, John’s mother. In these difficult times, he seems a person Wlla can trust, but John has an instant dislike and fear of Preacher.
I first read this book when I was in my early teens. This is one that definitely gives you the shivers. I never forgot the key elements of the story. It’s atmospheric and immersive. I never saw the movie, although the movie firmly placed the love/hate tattoo that Preacher had into our culture. It has a fairy tale (Grimm’s) quality. It’s dark and gritty.
Did you know that this novel was based on an actual serial killer?
I didn’t.
I don’t write thrillers, but because this book stuck in my mind and made such an impact on me, it’s one of the stories I tried to dissect, asking myself why did this particular story resonate so deeply? What made it so successful and memorable? I decided if I figured those things out, I could probably learn some lessons that would apply to any type of novel or story writing.
Conflict and Mystery
The mystery was immediately established and the characters were put in imminent danger.
Danger
I think one of the main things that captured me were the vulnerable characters. I was immediately sympathetic, and the danger involving children gave me something to worry about that wouldn’t let me go. I was invested.
Easy to Understand, Yet Complicated Characters
There are clear motivations for almost every character that appears on the page. The author understands his characters intimately. These are complicated people. Weak or vulnerable characters are also strong. The characters are complicated. Willa, who should be protecting her children, is easily overcome and doesn’t fight back. The story has many contrasts, and Preacher’s hate/love tattoo is brilliant.
There’s a rich and detailed setting. The strong imagery and visuals encapsulate the theme and conflict. I’ve heard it said that description slows down a story, but this is how to use description to build tension. It’s not what you tell, but how you tell it.
Universal Theme that is Scary
The possibility of the corruption of religion. Greed. Strength in weakness.
I’m sure there are many other writing lessons that could be drawn from this classic novel (and subsequent movie). People a lot smarter than I am have written about this Gothic thriller!
(I was listening to this read, so hope I am quoting correctly, but doesn’t this just get you in the heart?) “Lord save little children! Because with every child ever born of woman’s womb there is a time of running through a shadowed place, an alley with no doors, and a hunter whose footsteps ring brightly along the bricks behind them.
With every child, rich or poor, however favored, however warm and safe the nursery, there is this time of echoing and vast aloneness, when there is no one to come nor to hear. And dry leaves scurrying past along a street become the rustle of dread and the ticking of the old house is the cocking of the hunter’s gun. For even when the older ones love and care and are troubled for the small ones, there is little they can do as they look into the grave with stricken eyes that are windows to this affrighted nursery province beyond all succor all comforting. To Rachael, the most dreadful and moving thing of all, was the humbling grace with which these small ones accept their lot. Lord save little children!”
Oh, this novel was super cute. Funny and sweet. A great contemporary. A light read. Lots of miscommunication and misunderstandings. Humorous. A sweet love story.
One of the characters was a bit over eager with the EpiPen but I found that amusing.
Cute Fun Characters Snappy Dialogue Lots of Sitcom Moments Sweet Romance
At times the fact that they never met face-to-face though they were living in the same house stretched believability a bit, but it was such a fun ride, I was happy to go along with it. Just a really fun read. Grab this one if you’re looking for something light. The heroine did have to make some life-changing decisions, so there were a few serious moments and character growth. Recommended.
Stephanie Daniels is the author of the Christian YA historical novel, The Uncertainty of Fire, the first book in her Uncertain Riches series. She’s currently working on Book Two, a tale featuring several of the characters readers met in the first book. (and which I’ve gotten to read tidbits!)
She’s mentioned to me before that she wrote her novel with her nieces in mind, because they couldn’t find the type of books they wanted to read. Isn’t that a great reason to write a book?
About the Facebook group, Stephanie says: Before I took over, the posts in the group were book promos by author members and spam. It’s my desire to see it become an active community focused on book discussions that help authors of Christian YA/Teen fiction connect with readers. Author Amber Lambda has joined me in these duties and we’re working on some reading challenges and possible author spotlights. We want readers to have a place to share about the great Christian YA book they just finished reading.
Authors may share about their books, but we also want to cultivate an atmosphere where authors promote YA books besides their own as well. Anyone who loves reading Christian YA books, writes Christian YA books, reviews or promotes Christian YA books, or seeks Christian YA books for others is welcome!
While I was talking with Stephanie, she admitted a weakness for Hot Apple Cider and a nice, crackling fire. Sounds like a perfect matching for a good book, don’t you think?
When I asked what type of reader she was, a turtle or hare. Stephanie said she’s a turtle, unlike me who tears through books.
I say, whether you are a turtle or hare, a booklover is a booklover.
Olawu is the Historical debut novel by author P.J Leigh.
Olawu’s greatest dream is to become a healer like her father. Even though such a thing as allowing a woman to practice medicine is not allowed in her village, her father secretly encourages her, sharing his medical knowledge. Her father has different views than the other men in the village, or the women for that matter. Medical training must be done in secret.
In spite of the societal pressures and demands she encounters, Olawu never forgets her value. Her father instilled in her a true understanding of her worth and made it possible for her to draw boundaries and retain her sense of self in the face of those who saw her as “only a woman“, devoid of agency.
The story flows naturally, following Olawu as she matures into young womanhood while navigating a series of devastating circumstances beginning with personal tragedy.
The setting is a conglomeration of African cultures and history, which works for the purpose of the book, but is not a rendering of a specific African culture.
An empowering story exploring timeless topics of retaining self value amidst oppression.
Encouragement for girls and women of all ages.
Though not graphic, contains some sensitive subject matter
War
Oppression of Women
Violence Against Women
Offstage Assault
Violence
Fighting
War
I caught one use of mild profanity.
Olawu is a beautiful and empowering story about the battle and struggle for respect, not just love. Love isn’t love without respect and equality.
There’s a list of terms and names in the front of the book, but I didn’t really find those necessary to follow the story. It’s well written
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Message
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing Quality
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Relatable, Complex Characters
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Complicated Relationships
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Character Who Grow
The story captured me from the first sentence. I finished this book in two days. Readers who like stories about strong women or historical fiction may enjoy this book.
Donna Jo Stone 