Here Burns My Candle Book Review.

Title: Here Burns My Candle.
Author: Liz Curtis Higgs.
Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Redemption.
Plot: Bonny Prince Charlie has gathered the wild Highlanders of Scotland in an attempt to retake his father's throne, which is, by rights, his. Swept up in all the commotion is the capital city of Edinburgh, into which Charlie and his men ride one September day in 1745. The Dowager Lady Marjory Kerr dislikes and distrusts the Highlanders as she goes about her day, hiding her gold under her floorboards and her guilt in her heart. Marjory's greatest fear is that her sons, Lord Donald Kerr and Andrew, will take it into their heads to join the Gentlemen Volunteers and set out to do battle with the bonny prince. Elisabeth Kerr, Donald's wife, is a Highlander by birth and a Lowlander by marriage, and "Lady Elisabeth Kerr is a keeper of secrets." She spends her days trying to win her mother-in-law's affection and barricading her heart against the rumors concerning her husband and the widows of Edinburgh.
As the plot unfolds, one by one, everyone's secrets are revealed. Elisabeth's hidden loyalties to the bonny prince become known, giving her some relief and allowing her to sport the flower favored by her prince. When her beloved brother Simon arrives in the city with the prince's army, Elisabeth learns of her mother's current situation and why her brother left home in the first place, causing her to add guilt to her already heavy burden resting on her young shoulders. Her world spins seemingly out of control when Simon is tragically killed; donning black, Elisabeth realizes that she has lost her faith in her peoples' long worshipped nameless and very distance god. Stranded, she begins to search for someone to guide her but that someone won't be her husband who is harboring a dark secret of his own.
When Marjory's worst fear is confirmed by the enlistment of both her sons, without her permission, the three Kerr women {Janet, Andrew's wife, doesn't really play a major role in the story} are forced to band together and strengthen each other against the perils that they encounter during the hard, cold winter that follows. But when tragedy strikes the Kerr household beyond what they had expected and hoped wouldn't happen, Marjory and Elisabeth both must reach for strength beyond their own in order to cope with the trials ahead.
Likes/Dislikes: While this book was well written, with amusing and enlightening quotes heading each chapter and wonderful Scottish phrases thrown in here and there, and the characters were all well drawn, I couldn't fall in love with it, much as I wanted to. Donald's character was the primary cause for this; I already knew from having read the sequel before this one that his was a disreputable reputation, I was still disgusted with further details of it. There is also one scene in which it is quite plain what Elisabeth and her husband are about to do; I really, really could care less about what a husband and wife very much in love with each other do when they have only an hour left together before he leaves with the army. Nothing graphic is "shown" however, for which I am thankful. Another thing I was rather disappointed with was that while this book takes place in a historical setting, it doesn't really give any details on the history other than three battles mentioned in which Charlie fights and his ultimate defeat. It was more of a fictional drama set in a historical time period. If you would like to read the first chapter for free, click on the following link: http://thestorybeginnings.blogspot.com/2010/03/here-burns-my-candle-chapter-1.html
Rating: PG-16 and up. I do not recommend this book for children or impressionable teenagers.
Date Report Written: April 29, 2011.

I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher; the opinions expressed in the above review are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

Excerpt from Glory, Passion, and Principle.

She could feel the muscles in her body tighten. Bounding up the stairs, she ran for Rebecca, but saw Rebecca running for her. Her heart sank even more. This could only mean they were approaching from the back, too. Noise suddenly rose up all around them, confirming what she already knew: she and her family were surrounded.
Quickly lighting candles in every room, Sybil and Rebecca ran noisily throughout the house, waking their four younger brothers and sisters. They shoved weapons and candles into their hands, yanking them out of their beds. They dropped the younger ones in front of windows and bid the older ones to pace, guns held high, as they had rehearsed. Sybil ran to her post. As she watched, the men seemed to slow and then stop, looking at the windows. Their noises died down. They now seemed unsure.
Sybil raised her musket with a shaking hand and leaned it against her shoulder as her father had taught her. She squatted, aimed the rifle to the sky, and held her breath. She squeezed the trigger. The shot crackled with a deafening noise, and the kick knocked her back to the floor. She scrambled to her knees and looked out the window. The men were running.
Records indicate that Sybil had in fact spotted Ichobod Prosser, a notorious Tory who had come after her father in hopes of the reward, and his men. Prosser's band of armed Tories, estimated at some fifty men strong, had planned to abduct the colonel, torture him, bring him back, collect the reward, and watch as he was put to death. After seeing the many windows light up in the colonel's house and the figures marching in almost every window, they had second thoughts. Years later, when they learned that it was in fact Sybil and her siblings, they confessed to be "ignorant of how they had been foiled by clever girls."
~ Excerpt from Glory, Passion, and Principle: The Story of Eight Remarkable Women at the Core of the American Revolution by Melissa Lukeman Bohrer.

Matthew 27:35-66 through 28:1-9. KJV

"And they crucified Him, and parted His garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted My garments among them, and upon My vesture did they cast lots.
And sitting down they watched Him there;
And set up over His head His accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Then were there two thieves crucified with Him, on the right hand, and another on the left.
And they that passed by reviled Him, wagging their heads.
And saying, Thou that destoryest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save Thyself. If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
Likewise also the chief priests mocking Him, with the scribes and elders, said,
He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.
He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God.
The thieves also, which were crucified with Him, cast the same in His teeth.
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?
Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This Man calleth for Elias.
And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave Him to drink.
The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save Him.
Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
And came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto Him:
Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children.
When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:
He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.
And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.
Now the next day, that followed the day of preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night, and steal Him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.
Chapter 28
In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
His countenance was like lightening, and his raiment white as snow:
And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you.
And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples word.
And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying All hail. And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him."

 
Note: the capitalization of He, Him, etc. in reference to our Lord is my own, not the Bible which I took the passage from.

The Lone Wolf Book Review.

Title: The Lone Wolf.
Author: Louis Joseph Vance.
Genre: Action/Adventure, Turn-of-the-Century, Drama, Redemptive, Espionage, Romance, Classic.
Plot: A little known inn called Troyon's in 1893, one cold wet night, becomes the home of a five year old boy who is quite obviously English but beyond that, nothing is ever known about his origins. The owners of the inn, Madame and Papa Troyon, take the boy in and Madame immediately puts him to work. The boy rapidly grows up, under the name of Marcel {"which wasn't his name,"} and spends his nights wandering all over Paris and his days in school and when out of school dodging the servants, Madame's fists, and learning everything he could. He learned how to sneak about without making any sound, he learned to read and eventually learned to read English before he could speak it, and how to defend himself. By the age of fifteen he was quite the fighter and practiced petty thief. One day he crosses one of the inn's frequent {and eccentric} patrons; an Irishman by the name of Bourke who turns out to be a thief himself and whisks Marcel off with him to America where he teaches him the finer details of their common trade, illegal though it be. When they left, Marcel forsook the name of Marcel and became known to the world as Michael Lanyard.
One of the many lessons Bourke drilled into Lanyard was to never let a woman into his life. "To let love into your life you must open a door no mortal hand can close. And God only knows what'll follow in." These lessons stay with Lanyard and serve him well when he returns to Paris in 1910, around the age of twenty-two, with Scotland Yard and possibly British government agents tailing him. By chance, Lanyard finds himself at Troyon's which, he is astonished to find, has changed owners and vastly improved since last he was there. Lanyard has supper in the dining room where he spots Roddy, a Scotland Yard agent; a Frenchman with a nasty reputation with which Lanyard is familiar by the name of Comte Remy de Morbihan who is seated nearby with two Americans: an elderly man and a rather pretty young woman. Lanyard and Roddy both listen to the interesting conversation of the other three, during which Lanyard learns to his concern that his secret double-identity is known or suspected by the authorities.
But this is only the beginning of a very busy short span of time in which Lanyard quickly comes to the conclusion that he must flee Paris for his life. However, when the mysterious and quite obviously troubled American girl, Luchia Bannon, falls in with him, intent on getting out of Paris also, Lanyard is inspired by her purity to turn his life around and give up thieving for good. Lanyard opens his heart to love, unaware if he can withstand what follows in and survive the blow.
Likes/Dislikes: A very well written, delightfully well written if I may so, action adventure complete with a dashing hero, a car chase and a gun fight, all in 1910 Paris, France! The vocabulary and descriptions were wonderful and painted the picture so well without getting the reader sidetracked with unnecessary details. Lanyard does say "damn" a few times but I didn't find this objectable. The end leaves us still unaware of Lanyard's origins; perhaps these are explained in the sequel? J

Rating: PG-10 and up for the reading level. Highly recommended!
Date Report Written: April 22, 2011.

Psalm 62 KJV.

"Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from Him cometh my salvation.

He only is my rock and my salvation; H is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.

How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? Ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.

They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.

He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defence; I shall not be moved.

In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us.

Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are althogether lighter than vanity.

Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

Also unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work."

Tower Challenge!

Having been inspired {as well as enchanted and thoroughly entertained!} by Disney's 50th animated film Tangled, I have a challenge for you all! And no, it's not a giveaway. ;)

Okay, first things first: the info. Let's backtrack a moment; I am a writer, always have been {though I didn't realize it until I was about thirteen :P} and always will be. We can get into my whole lifelong love affair with books, dead authors, and my writing policies later. For now, all you need to know is that I write. And you'd better enjoy writing to some degree also because this challenge is all about writing {more or less}. Now, the deal is this: write in fifty words or more {the minimal is 50 words} what your life would be like/what you would do if you *drum roll please* lived in a tower. :D

There, aren't I a genus?

Okay, okay, details. Using your imagination, picture to yourself {in as positive a manner as you are capable of please} what your life would be like if you lived in a tower your whole life and what you would do every day to while away the hours. Think about it, really think about it: what does your tower look like? How'd you get there? Does anyone live with you? Do you read/bake/paint/sing/practice the Force/etc. to while away the hours or do you just sit there and daydream about escaping the tower someday? Are you content with your situation or do you long for something else? Do you ever actually get to go outside? What happens if a terrible storm blows through and rips the roof off your tower? What would you do? Perhaps you've been out battling trolls/goblins/orcs/vampires/werewolves/nasty thugs and are only in your tower for a short time to recover and let things settle down a little?

Once you've got a general, naturally very rough idea of your tower experience figured out, grab some paper {or the nearest computer} and start writing! Don't worry too much about spelling and grammar while you're writing the first draft of your story, you can polish most of that up later before posting about it.

Now, the rules. What's a challenge without rules my dears? All right, that's enough; get back over here and listen to them, I promise I won't bite. ;) Rule 1: the minimal word count for your story is fifty {50} words but if you can and will go over that then go for it!!! :D Rule 2: in order to qualify and participate in this challenge you have to do the following: post a link back to this post at your blog/Facebook/Twitter {if you have it} pages and any other writing/book/movie sites where dwell people who might like to participate in this challenge with you, please leave your name and acceptance of the challenge in a comment to this post, and tell five {5} to ten {10} people about it {and do remind them to mention who told them about this challenge in their comments please}, and you have to be a follower of this blog {if you're not already a follower, feel free to scroll down and become one right now! :)}.

This is a free challenge and anyone is welcome to join in on the fun! :) Guys as well as girls are both warmly welcomed {it certainly would be interesting to find out what a guy would do if locked in a tower ;)}. The deadline {quick, get ready to mark your calenders!} is June 18th, 2011 to give you all plenty of time to think of something simple to write. You can join in on the fun at any time between now and June 17th; when you've finished writing your story {the majority of which MUST take place in a tower located somewhere in the Solar System}, you can either post it to your blog {sending me a link to it when you have done so please} or post it to your Facebook account as a note {also sending me a link please}, I don't have a Twitter account so I have no idea if one can even post a story to it so if Twitter is your only social network or if you have none of the above but would still like to participate, I suggest that either you contact a friend of yours with a blog/Facebook account or me and get them/I to post your story in your name for you.

At this point in time, I haven't decided if there will be prizes for anyone or not {I kinda tend to have bad ideas for prizes anyway} but I'll update you on that score later.

Okay, ready? Get set. Go start writing!!!! :)