Heather Manning's Blog, page 18
January 29, 2014
Music Thursday: Life's Too Short
How are you today?I hope well! I wanted to let you know that today I'll be seeing a stage production of Romeo and Juliet with my school today. That should be fun! Also, I was cast in a play at a local college. So, I have a lot to look forward to!Anyway, today I am sharing an awesome song with you. It is from Frozen but wasn't in it! Enjoy "Life's Too Short."
January 28, 2014
Bible Verse Wednesday: Don't Fear
So do not fear, for I am with you;do not be dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you;I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
Isaiah 41:10
January 26, 2014
Book Review Monday: Burning Sky
Hello, everyone!
This is my fourth Monday in a row with a book review. Woohoo!
Today I will be reviewing "Burning Sky" by Lori Benton. To start the post off, here is a blurb taken from the back of the book.
"Abducted by Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building a life with the People. At the boundary of her father’s property, Willa discovers a wounded Scotsman lying in her path. Feeling obliged to nurse his injuries, the two quickly find much has changed during her twelve-year absence—her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land.
When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky? And what about Neil MacGregor, the kind and loyal botanist who does not fit into in her plan for a solitary life, yet is now helping her revive her farm? In the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, strong feelings against “savages” abound in the nearby village of Shiloh, leaving Willa’s safety unsure.
Willa is a woman caught between two worlds. As tensions rise, challenging her shielded heart, the woman called Burning Sky must find a new courage--the courage to again risk embracing the blessings the Almighty wants to bestow. Is she brave enough to love again?"
My Thoughts:The Idea:I have not read a ton of books that deal with this time period, with the American frontier, but this made me want to read many more. I loved the whole concept of a white woman who was taken by Indians and now returned to her white world ten or so years later. This is Lori Benton's debut novel, and I assure you, it did not disappoint.The descriptions were beautiful and the plot heart-wrenching.
The Characters:Willa, known as Burning Sky by her Indian family, was a very strong character. She has gone through an immense amount of pain in her life and is still trying to stay strong. When she heads back to her white family after her entire Indian family dies, she finds an injured man alongside the road and takes him in.Neil is a Scottsman who works as a botanist. He is a very kind, godly man. I really admired him. He gets terrible headaches after being nearly scalped by an Indian, and he can no longer read or write. I really liked Neil.Another character I found worth mentioning was Joseph Tames-His-Horse. He was an Indian who was always in love with Willa, but extremely disappointing when she was adopted into his clan, making her his "sister." He was an amazing person.
The Plot:The plot was very strong. There was never really a dull moment. This was a fairly large chunk of reading, but I got it done in a normal amount of time. It held my interest and kept me guessing until the very end.
The Setting:The setting was great. Like I said before, I haven't read a lot about the American frontier, but I really enjoyed this. The descriptions were very vivid.
Overall:I loved reading this book! I cannot wait for more books by Lori Benton. I will add her to my watch list. :)
About the Author: Lori Benton was raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American and family history going back three hundred years. Her novels transport readers to the 18th century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history, creating a melting pot of characters drawn from both sides of a turbulent and shifting frontier, brought together in the bonds of God's transforming grace. When she isn’t writing, Lori enjoys exploring beautiful Oregon with her husband. - See more at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/author...
This is my fourth Monday in a row with a book review. Woohoo!
Today I will be reviewing "Burning Sky" by Lori Benton. To start the post off, here is a blurb taken from the back of the book.
"Abducted by Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building a life with the People. At the boundary of her father’s property, Willa discovers a wounded Scotsman lying in her path. Feeling obliged to nurse his injuries, the two quickly find much has changed during her twelve-year absence—her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land.
When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky? And what about Neil MacGregor, the kind and loyal botanist who does not fit into in her plan for a solitary life, yet is now helping her revive her farm? In the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, strong feelings against “savages” abound in the nearby village of Shiloh, leaving Willa’s safety unsure.
Willa is a woman caught between two worlds. As tensions rise, challenging her shielded heart, the woman called Burning Sky must find a new courage--the courage to again risk embracing the blessings the Almighty wants to bestow. Is she brave enough to love again?"
My Thoughts:The Idea:I have not read a ton of books that deal with this time period, with the American frontier, but this made me want to read many more. I loved the whole concept of a white woman who was taken by Indians and now returned to her white world ten or so years later. This is Lori Benton's debut novel, and I assure you, it did not disappoint.The descriptions were beautiful and the plot heart-wrenching.
The Characters:Willa, known as Burning Sky by her Indian family, was a very strong character. She has gone through an immense amount of pain in her life and is still trying to stay strong. When she heads back to her white family after her entire Indian family dies, she finds an injured man alongside the road and takes him in.Neil is a Scottsman who works as a botanist. He is a very kind, godly man. I really admired him. He gets terrible headaches after being nearly scalped by an Indian, and he can no longer read or write. I really liked Neil.Another character I found worth mentioning was Joseph Tames-His-Horse. He was an Indian who was always in love with Willa, but extremely disappointing when she was adopted into his clan, making her his "sister." He was an amazing person.
The Plot:The plot was very strong. There was never really a dull moment. This was a fairly large chunk of reading, but I got it done in a normal amount of time. It held my interest and kept me guessing until the very end.
The Setting:The setting was great. Like I said before, I haven't read a lot about the American frontier, but I really enjoyed this. The descriptions were very vivid.
Overall:I loved reading this book! I cannot wait for more books by Lori Benton. I will add her to my watch list. :)
About the Author: Lori Benton was raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American and family history going back three hundred years. Her novels transport readers to the 18th century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history, creating a melting pot of characters drawn from both sides of a turbulent and shifting frontier, brought together in the bonds of God's transforming grace. When she isn’t writing, Lori enjoys exploring beautiful Oregon with her husband. - See more at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/author...
January 25, 2014
Bible Verse Sunday: We Will Serve the Lord
"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”Joshua 24:15
January 23, 2014
Writing Friday: Two Interviews
Hello!
First of all, as I am writing this on Thursday night, Swept to Sea is on the Bestseller List for the 9th day at number 75. I am so excited and can't thank you enough.
For today, I am going to share two interviews with you.
First of all, to find out a secret about me no one else knows, visit the "What's Beyond Forks?" blog by clicking here.
Now, to see the top five things on my bucket list, visit this blog.
Enjoy! If you have time, leave a comment on those sites, please. :) I would love to chat with you!
First of all, as I am writing this on Thursday night, Swept to Sea is on the Bestseller List for the 9th day at number 75. I am so excited and can't thank you enough.
For today, I am going to share two interviews with you.
First of all, to find out a secret about me no one else knows, visit the "What's Beyond Forks?" blog by clicking here.
Now, to see the top five things on my bucket list, visit this blog.
Enjoy! If you have time, leave a comment on those sites, please. :) I would love to chat with you!
Music Thursday: Gimme Gimme
Sutton Foster. Need I say more?
January 21, 2014
Bible Verse Wednesday: Do Not Be Afraid
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent."Acts 18:9
Broadway Tuesday: Woman
Hello! I really love the musical The Pirate Queen. It really is awesome, and it has two of my favorites: Hadley Frasier and Stephanie J. Block.
January 19, 2014
Book Review Monday: The Unlikely Debut of Ellie Sweet
Last week, you read my review of The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet by Stephanie Morrill.I recently finished reading its sequel, The Unlikely Debut of Ellie Sweet.
I'll go straight to the review.
Here's a little bit about the book:
"For once, Ellie Sweet has it all together. Her hair now curls instead of fuzzes, she’s tamed the former bad-boy, Chase Cervantes (she has, right?), and her debut novel will hit shelves in less than a year. Even her ex-friends are leaving her alone. Well, except for Palmer Davis, but it can’t be helped that he works at her grandmother’s nursing home.
Life should feel perfect. And yet, it’s not that easy. Ellie’s editor loves her, but the rest of the publishing biz? Not so much. And they’re not shy about sharing their distrust over Ellie’s unlikely debut.
Ellie has always been able to escape reality in the pages of her novel, but with the stress of major edits and rocky relationships, her words dry up. In fiction, everything always comes together, but in real life, it seems to Ellie that hard work isn’t always enough, the people you love can’t always be trusted, and the dream-come-true of publishing her book could be the biggest mistake she’s made yet."
My Thoughts:The Idea:I absolutely love the idea of this novel. It is the sequel to the first Ellie Sweet novel by Stephanie Morrill, and it definitely did not disappoint. Ellie has a boyfriend, Chase, and her debut novel is about to come out. Her life is perfect, right?But things keep going wrong. After she goes through a series of stressful events, she experiences a bout of writer's block and worries if she is doing the right thing by publishing her book.The Characters:The characters are extraordinary. I completely, one hundred-percent can identify with Ellie. We were both published at the same age, and she honestly acts just like me. I could understand everything she was going through. Chase is the "reformed" bad-boy, who is struggling with issues of his own. He finally got the girl he had been wanting for years, and yet their relationship struggles.Palmer is still as dashing as ever, and is working in a nursing home over the summer--the same one that Ellie's grandma is in. He has stopped chasing every girl he sees, and has changed a lot as a person as he goes through some family struggles. I admired Palmer in this book. The Plot:The plot was excellent. I could not put the down, and got it finished in a very short amount of time. I loved every twist and turn. It seemed very much like real life. The Setting:The setting was great for the story. I enjoyed how the struggles of life in high school applied to Ellie and doubled the issues she faced. Overall:Overall, I really enjoyed the second Ellie Sweet novel!I'm not sure if there is a third book planned to round it out into a trilogy, but I really hope there is. I loved the characters to death. I definitely recommend this book!
About the Author:Stephanie Morrill lives in Overland Park, Kansas with her husband and two kids. Her only talents are reading, writing, and drinking coffee, so career options were somewhat limited. Fortunately she discovered a passion for young adult novels and has been writing them ever since.
Stephanie is the author of The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series and The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet. She enjoys encouraging and teaching teen writers on her blog, GoTeenWriters.
I'll go straight to the review.
Here's a little bit about the book:
"For once, Ellie Sweet has it all together. Her hair now curls instead of fuzzes, she’s tamed the former bad-boy, Chase Cervantes (she has, right?), and her debut novel will hit shelves in less than a year. Even her ex-friends are leaving her alone. Well, except for Palmer Davis, but it can’t be helped that he works at her grandmother’s nursing home.
Life should feel perfect. And yet, it’s not that easy. Ellie’s editor loves her, but the rest of the publishing biz? Not so much. And they’re not shy about sharing their distrust over Ellie’s unlikely debut.
Ellie has always been able to escape reality in the pages of her novel, but with the stress of major edits and rocky relationships, her words dry up. In fiction, everything always comes together, but in real life, it seems to Ellie that hard work isn’t always enough, the people you love can’t always be trusted, and the dream-come-true of publishing her book could be the biggest mistake she’s made yet."
My Thoughts:The Idea:I absolutely love the idea of this novel. It is the sequel to the first Ellie Sweet novel by Stephanie Morrill, and it definitely did not disappoint. Ellie has a boyfriend, Chase, and her debut novel is about to come out. Her life is perfect, right?But things keep going wrong. After she goes through a series of stressful events, she experiences a bout of writer's block and worries if she is doing the right thing by publishing her book.The Characters:The characters are extraordinary. I completely, one hundred-percent can identify with Ellie. We were both published at the same age, and she honestly acts just like me. I could understand everything she was going through. Chase is the "reformed" bad-boy, who is struggling with issues of his own. He finally got the girl he had been wanting for years, and yet their relationship struggles.Palmer is still as dashing as ever, and is working in a nursing home over the summer--the same one that Ellie's grandma is in. He has stopped chasing every girl he sees, and has changed a lot as a person as he goes through some family struggles. I admired Palmer in this book. The Plot:The plot was excellent. I could not put the down, and got it finished in a very short amount of time. I loved every twist and turn. It seemed very much like real life. The Setting:The setting was great for the story. I enjoyed how the struggles of life in high school applied to Ellie and doubled the issues she faced. Overall:Overall, I really enjoyed the second Ellie Sweet novel!I'm not sure if there is a third book planned to round it out into a trilogy, but I really hope there is. I loved the characters to death. I definitely recommend this book!
About the Author:Stephanie Morrill lives in Overland Park, Kansas with her husband and two kids. Her only talents are reading, writing, and drinking coffee, so career options were somewhat limited. Fortunately she discovered a passion for young adult novels and has been writing them ever since.
Stephanie is the author of The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series and The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet. She enjoys encouraging and teaching teen writers on her blog, GoTeenWriters.
January 18, 2014
Bible Verse Sunday: Never Stop
Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.Acts 5:42
