ANNE BRADSTREET

I was deeply thrilled with a book from Thomas Nelson, the book being ANNE BRADSTREET by D. B. Kellogg. It is a biography in the Christian Encounters series. Thomas Nelson offered many titles in the series, yet I chose the one about Anne Bradstreet because I am related distantly to her through marriage. Unlike dry biographies, this one read as smoothly as a novel. It includes an introduction, fourteen chapters, notes, and a selected bibliography, as well as words about the author. Anne Bradstreet’s poetry is touching and powerful; as the book states, she became “the first woman poet to be published in colonial America.” (The quote can be found on page xii, part of the introduction) In a nutshell, Anne Bradstreet was born in England, in 1612. At the age of eighteen, she arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, part of the New World. Her new lifestyle was nothing like she had been accustomed to; this land was untamed wilderness. Despite her fears and woes, Anne Bradstreet’s family and her strong faith in God conquered her misgivings. This is a biography of a strong Puritan woman who became a poet, shining in her belief that everything is created by God. I had never known much about Anne Bradstreet, other than the fact that she was a famous poet, so this book really opened my eyes to the woman, not just the poet.

Victorian Fair Interviews

Interviews are at 6pm on Thursday, July 29th, at the Erie Canal Village in Rome. There are many positions still open!

Victorian Leisure Fair - Hiring

The Victorian Leisure Fair is coming to Rome, NY for 6 weekends during this summer. If you would like to be a part of the action, the fair is still hiring, and is always open to volunteers. Email me at PrincessJaylia@aol.com for more information.

RESURRECTION IN MAY

RESURRECTION IN MAY by Lisa Samson, given by Thomas Nelson, was as exciting as depicted. The story involves Claudius Borne. He is a kind, elderly man who lives alone on his farm since the death of his devoted mother. While driving, he comes across May Seymour, who is drunk and in need of help. After bringing her back to his farm, they become friends, and parental feelings develop in him. May is a recent college graduate who has decided to travel to Rwanda, Africa. She stays with Claudius Borne for a while, and then embarks on her African journey. During her African adventures, genocide occurs. The UN asks her to return to America, yet she chooses to stay in her village. Shortly after, everyone in her village is killed. After being raped and cut, she is left for dead. May works to heal herself, and then gathers the bodies together, trying to pair up body parts, and lights it all on fire. She lives in this manner for a few months, and then is rescued by the UN. Back in America, May moves back in with Claudius. Beneath his love, she is able to heal and move on with her life. The book is touching and realistic; however, there is a lot of death concerning animals, something that bothered me. For example, Claudius shoots a turkey for Thanksgiving, and murders one of his chickens in order to make soup for May. It also seemed a little unrealistic May’s parents would willingly allow her to live for long periods with Claudius, essentially a stranger. Overall, though, the book is a thoughtful read.

Venom and Song

As an avid fantasy lover, I was thrilled to receive a copy of VENOM AND SONG by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper, from Thomas Nelson, ISBN 978-1-4003-15062. It is the second novel in the series entitled the Berinfell Prophecies. This young adult novel involves seven Elf Lords who must stop the Spider King, who wishes to kill them. Perhaps due to the fact that I have not read the first book, I found the beginning chapters to be very confusing. Many characters were introduced at once, and it was challenging to keep track of who had what special ability. The world was also difficult to imagine at times, and I wished for more details in order to form a more concrete image in my mind while reading. Once I managed to keep the characters straight in my head, the novel became exciting. Each character is fully realized. Dialogue is snappy and realistic. Before the novel begins, the authors have included a list of places and names, which helps, but it becomes tedious to constantly flip back and forth. The cover is shiny, complete with a castle, a giant red beam, and people riding on huge birds and insects. Certainly, this is the kind of cover that will attract young adults. The characters are also very relatable to today’s teenagers. Since there is such a wide variety, the reader will certainly be able to connect with at least one. Despite flaws, the heroes are wholesome, perfect for teens to root for!

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A Girl's Guide to Life

I was unsure of what to expect from A GIRL’S GUIDE TO LIFE by Katie Meier, from Thomas Nelson. The back of the novel, however, sums it up perfectly. The book shows teenage girls how they can be the best person they can be. There are three parts: Mind, Body, and Soul. Amongst those parts are chapters, which cover everything from self-esteem to family. The book also affords pop quizzes so that the reader is not only reading, but also participating, therefore making the chapters seem more relevant and alive. There are short blurbs in colored boxes that display common myths and the truth behind them, such as “Skipping meals will help me lose weight.” Every issue mentioned in the book is real, something that all girls go through and struggle with; the book will help them to see the light of facts and really consider what they are doing to their bodies. The purple print is catchy, so girls won’t shy away from the book thinking it’s “un-cool.” I had expected a little more religion, in the pages, however. Something that really upset me about the book occurred in the Religion chapter. The author discusses different religions – which was informative. The author then went on to say why Christianity is the best. Everyone has different beliefs, and for them, that belief is the best. By saying that Christianity is the best, the author was not allowing girls to decide for themselves, which should be a main focus of everyone’s life – deciding which religion is best for them and why. Overall, I would recommend this book to teen girls. It could really make a difference in someone’s life.