Book Description from Back Cover:
During New York City's Gilded Age...The GAME is played amid banquets and balls. The PRIZE is a lifetime of wealth and privilege. The RULES will test friendships and the desires of a young woman's heart. Clara Carter is the social season's brightest star... but at what cost?
My Thoughts:
This story is about a young woman who is forced to debut in New York City's elite society in the hopes of landing the most eligible bachelor. Clara Carter is at the mercy of her Aunt who is so beholden to the rituals of the age. It doesn't matter that Clara may have dreams of her own that don't involve marrying the heir to the richest family in New York City. It doesn't matter that the corsets she is forced to wear are so tight, she can barely eat or sit or even breath. It doesn't matter that Clara has to compete with her best friend for the same man. It doesn't matter that Clara doesn't love the chosen mark, the heir, but rather is falling in love with someone else. The only thing that matters to Aunt and Clara's father is that she shine and dazzle and make sure the wealthiest bachelor proposes marriage before the debut season is over. Clara, being the dutiful young woman she has always been, abides by all these oppressive rules Aunt crams down her throat. But it costs her a great deal.
I really enjoyed this story. It was my first Siri Mitchell book read. I wanted so badly to free Clara; to tell her to just leave and be her own person. And for heaven's sake, take off that cursed corset!!! Who invented those crazy things??? Siri Mitchell wrote Clara's story well and really focused on her throughout the entire book. Sometimes in reading a story, you connect with multiple characters because their stories are important as well. Clara put up with so much burden, she deserved her own spotlight. I was very enlightened about the rituals surrounding debuting in society. It always looks so glamorous in movies and on TV.
My absolute favorite part of the book was the last three pages! I promise you, this is a book worth reading and it will grab you all the way until the end. I look forward to reading some more books by Siri Mitchell.
Book Description from GoodReads
Two Hearts. One Hope. Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter's daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for her---a bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill. When Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to understand emotions she's never felt before and wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose's life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.
My Thoughts
I read this book because I won it a while back in a book giveaway on a fellow book blogger's site. I wish for the life of me I could remember which one. I apologize for that. It is an autographed copy too.
This book is dubbed as Teen Fiction. I think it could be enjoyed by teens as well as adults who enjoy historical fiction.
If you enjoy stories of Lords and Ladies and Dukes and Earls and Maids-in-Waiting, then you will enjoy this book by Melanie Dickerson. There is even your token bad guy. Except he takes on the word evil in its fullest form, which makes the suspense in this book a little bit more intense. This was a delightful, easy read encouraging destiny and stepping in to your destiny.
Book Description from back of Audio CD box
"We understand what we want to understand" ~ Leaving a life of privilege to strike out on her own, Lauren Durough breaks with her family's expectations and takes a part-time job from eighty-three-year-old librarian Abigail Boyles. The mysterious employer asks Lauren to transcribe the journal entries of her ancestor Mercy Hayworth, a victim of the Salem witch trials.
Immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. As the fervor around the witch accusations increases, Mercy becomes trapped, unable to fight the overwhelming influence of snap judgments and superstitions. Lauren realizes that the secrets of Mercy's story extend beyond the pages of her diary, living on in the mysterious, embittered Abigail.
The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to the truth, will Lauren find her self playing the helpless defendant or the misguided judge?
Can she break free from her own perceptions and see who she really is?
My Thoughts
After listening to this book on CD, I came to the conclusion that I probably would not have enjoyed it as much had I read the hard copy rather than listened to the audio. I say that to first of all point out, the narrator of this book was EXCELLENT! Her name is Tavia Gilbert in case you were wondering. She read the emotions of each character so well, you could almost hear them talking or thinking themselves. The book is a little heavy and so reading the hard copy may not have drawn me in as well.
As for the story, I thought Susan expertly entwined three different people's stories seamlessly. As Lauren read through Mercy's diary entries about what happened to her village and her friends and her father and herself during the Salem witch trials, not only did she become connected to Mercy, but so did I as the third-party reader. I found myself wanting to do some actual research on the trials myself to learn more about what happened during that time in history. Even though I knew Mercy was a fictional character, I was hoping to see her name in the Google searches I conducted. Abigail's story was a mystery till almost the end. I felt her regrets for her.
I'm not one to normally get teary-eyed when I read a book. A movie...sometimes. A book...hardly ever. This book brought the tears a number of times. I was engrossed on my commutes to work as I listened. I took away from this book a few things...always be true to who you are, don't let fear drive you, always have faith, among others.
For those thinking about reading this book. It's not a light-hearted novel, but it is a very interesting and mysterious novel. It will be a good read, but be prepared for some heavier topics like fear and death and regrets. In the end, there is hope.
