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Sunfire #3
Elizabeth
In a time of treachery and terror, loving the wrong man could be a deadly risk. Did she dare follow her heart?
When someone points an accusing finger and cries "Witch!" Elizabeth face a choice -- between a lie that could doom a friend, and the truth that would threaten her own life. The truth could also ruin wealthy Troy's love for Elizabeth and reveal her own attraction to a stranger -- a wild and ruthless boy who shares her fear and courage
When someone points an accusing finger and cries "Witch!" Elizabeth face a choice -- between a lie that could doom a friend, and the truth that would threaten her own life. The truth could also ruin wealthy Troy's love for Elizabeth and reveal her own attraction to a stranger -- a wild and ruthless boy who shares her fear and courage
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1984
2 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
About the author
Willo Davis Roberts
122 books136 followersWillo Davis Roberts was an American writer chiefly known for her mystery novels for children and young adults. She won Edgar Allan Poe awards in 1989, 1995, and 1997 for best juvenile and best young adult mysteries. Her books included The View from the Cherry Tree, Twisted Summer, Don't Hurt Laurie, Megan's Island, Baby-sitting is a Dangerous Job, Hostage, The Girl with Silver Eyes, The One Left Behind and Scared Stiff.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 26, 2008
(See my review of "Amanda" for my series overview.)
I actually didn't read this one during Sunfire Brain Takeover Mark One, and I'm kinda glad I didn't. I think my 13 year old self would have been bored. My 27 year old self was well enough entertained, but because I am a big giant quibbler, quibble I will.
But before I poke holes in it, I ought to mention the plot. Recently-orphaned Elizabeth Fallon, along with her brother and sister, is travelling to Saugus, Massachusetts to take up residence with relatives. The year is 1692. The setting is the next village over from Salem. The hair is big. But only on the cover. During the journey, their wagon is held up by a highwayman! And he looks kinda cute under that mask! And Elizabeth's heart goes pitter-pat! Wow, he must be an exciting man!
He's not, and that's probably the most disappointing thing about the story. Instead, Johnny Bradburn is just a very nice, determined, thoughtful guy with an agenda of his own that is... really kind of dull and confusing. See if you can figure out what's going on, because I totally didn't care to. Long -lost brother! That's all that's important! It would have been cooler if he was a little more devious and sinister, but instead he's just ...nice. Elizabeth is nice! Together, they are a force of niceness! Isn't that nice? I think they'll have a nice life and nice children, don't you? So the highwayman tease is a HUGE letdown, in other words.
Life in Saugus with the Puritans is hardly one big party for Elizabeth. She's not a Puritan herself, and although she's quiet, serious, and domestic enough not to rock the boat just by being herself, she's not totally prepared for the strictness of her uncle nor the force of the community's religious convictions. Elizabeth befriends both the minister's daughter, Dorothy Givens, and Nell Woodward, who is something of an outcast. Dorothy gets caught in a big pile of lies, and in order to deflect attention from her own naughtiness, she accuses Nell of witchcraft.
Thankfully, the main storyline is the struggle to prove Nell's innocence, rather than the resolution of Elizabeth's romantic conflicts. We all know she's going to pick nice Johnny over that pushy Troy Hutchins, so we're not at all surprised that Troy tells her to keep her mouth shut during Nell's witchcraft trial to save her own neck. You see, Elizabeth can prove that Dorothy is lying. But she's got to find the courage to speak up and defend an accused witch, and her moral struggle is the high point of the novel.
Willo Davis Roberts is another reliable Sunfire author. I have to give her due props for not actually setting the novel in Salem- that has been done to death, and how! Instead, there is a slow trickle of news from the witchcraft trials, an awful lot of hushed tension amongst the characters as they fear that the hysteria will spill over into Saugus, and the panic when it finally, inevitably does. Sunfires tend to shy away from any potentially controversial issues or to outright condemn anything that's less understandable to modern eyes, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that although there were some jabs taken at the Puritans, Elizabeth herself is depicted as being religious and a little superstitious. And although she recognized the mass hysteria of the Salem trials for what they were, she is scared of the old lady who makes love potions, and she seems to really believe in and be afraid of evil witches. It just made her seem like more of a product of the time. Very... nice!
Historical Quibbles: Really, just Elizabeth's hair on the cover. I don't think Puritans allowed their young women to use quite that much Aqua Net.
Verdict: Minus a star for the highwayman tease, minus another two for the lackluster romance plot, add one back in for the fun with witchcraft. This book is on the rare side, so do snap it up if you're a completist. It's a ... nice read!
I actually didn't read this one during Sunfire Brain Takeover Mark One, and I'm kinda glad I didn't. I think my 13 year old self would have been bored. My 27 year old self was well enough entertained, but because I am a big giant quibbler, quibble I will.
But before I poke holes in it, I ought to mention the plot. Recently-orphaned Elizabeth Fallon, along with her brother and sister, is travelling to Saugus, Massachusetts to take up residence with relatives. The year is 1692. The setting is the next village over from Salem. The hair is big. But only on the cover. During the journey, their wagon is held up by a highwayman! And he looks kinda cute under that mask! And Elizabeth's heart goes pitter-pat! Wow, he must be an exciting man!
He's not, and that's probably the most disappointing thing about the story. Instead, Johnny Bradburn is just a very nice, determined, thoughtful guy with an agenda of his own that is... really kind of dull and confusing. See if you can figure out what's going on, because I totally didn't care to. Long -lost brother! That's all that's important! It would have been cooler if he was a little more devious and sinister, but instead he's just ...nice. Elizabeth is nice! Together, they are a force of niceness! Isn't that nice? I think they'll have a nice life and nice children, don't you? So the highwayman tease is a HUGE letdown, in other words.
Life in Saugus with the Puritans is hardly one big party for Elizabeth. She's not a Puritan herself, and although she's quiet, serious, and domestic enough not to rock the boat just by being herself, she's not totally prepared for the strictness of her uncle nor the force of the community's religious convictions. Elizabeth befriends both the minister's daughter, Dorothy Givens, and Nell Woodward, who is something of an outcast. Dorothy gets caught in a big pile of lies, and in order to deflect attention from her own naughtiness, she accuses Nell of witchcraft.
Thankfully, the main storyline is the struggle to prove Nell's innocence, rather than the resolution of Elizabeth's romantic conflicts. We all know she's going to pick nice Johnny over that pushy Troy Hutchins, so we're not at all surprised that Troy tells her to keep her mouth shut during Nell's witchcraft trial to save her own neck. You see, Elizabeth can prove that Dorothy is lying. But she's got to find the courage to speak up and defend an accused witch, and her moral struggle is the high point of the novel.
Willo Davis Roberts is another reliable Sunfire author. I have to give her due props for not actually setting the novel in Salem- that has been done to death, and how! Instead, there is a slow trickle of news from the witchcraft trials, an awful lot of hushed tension amongst the characters as they fear that the hysteria will spill over into Saugus, and the panic when it finally, inevitably does. Sunfires tend to shy away from any potentially controversial issues or to outright condemn anything that's less understandable to modern eyes, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that although there were some jabs taken at the Puritans, Elizabeth herself is depicted as being religious and a little superstitious. And although she recognized the mass hysteria of the Salem trials for what they were, she is scared of the old lady who makes love potions, and she seems to really believe in and be afraid of evil witches. It just made her seem like more of a product of the time. Very... nice!
Historical Quibbles: Really, just Elizabeth's hair on the cover. I don't think Puritans allowed their young women to use quite that much Aqua Net.
Verdict: Minus a star for the highwayman tease, minus another two for the lackluster romance plot, add one back in for the fun with witchcraft. This book is on the rare side, so do snap it up if you're a completist. It's a ... nice read!
February 11, 2016
*Rereading my way through the Sunfire series, in publication order*
Elizabeth has come to live with her Puritan aunt and uncle in Saugus, MA in 1692 after the death of her parents. Unlike the typical Sunfire heroine, Elizabeth is neither spirited or rebellious. She's quiet, dutiful, and fiercely loyal. She cheerfully cleans and attends church. She easily makes friends in the new town--the playful Dorothy, who is working her way through the young men of Saugus, and Nell, recently arrived from Barbados. When Dorothy is caught out late with an unsuitable boy, she pushes blame by claiming she was bewitched into doing it. To make matters worse, Dorothy points the finger at Nell, who is already singled out as being different because she wears bright dresses and swims. Honest Elizabeth is torn between her two friends and must learn when to tell the truth and when to stay quiet.
There is a romance in here, but it's almost overshadowed by the quiet story of loyalty and friendship. Elizabeth is initially paired with Troy, the son of a prosperous farmer. Although she feels warmly towards Troy, she's a little taken aback at the way plans for their betrothal and marriage unfold, without her say-so, plans that don't include her beloved younger sister, who she'd like to live with her. Besides, her affection lies with Johnny, a roaming sailor with a heart of gold, who is looking for his young brother taken as an indentured servant. Whereas in other Sunfire books, the heroine is drawn to the boy who shares her independent spirit, Elizabeth is drawn to the one who shares her sense of strong family values. An admirable break from the traditional Sunfire characterizations.
Elizabeth has come to live with her Puritan aunt and uncle in Saugus, MA in 1692 after the death of her parents. Unlike the typical Sunfire heroine, Elizabeth is neither spirited or rebellious. She's quiet, dutiful, and fiercely loyal. She cheerfully cleans and attends church. She easily makes friends in the new town--the playful Dorothy, who is working her way through the young men of Saugus, and Nell, recently arrived from Barbados. When Dorothy is caught out late with an unsuitable boy, she pushes blame by claiming she was bewitched into doing it. To make matters worse, Dorothy points the finger at Nell, who is already singled out as being different because she wears bright dresses and swims. Honest Elizabeth is torn between her two friends and must learn when to tell the truth and when to stay quiet.
There is a romance in here, but it's almost overshadowed by the quiet story of loyalty and friendship. Elizabeth is initially paired with Troy, the son of a prosperous farmer. Although she feels warmly towards Troy, she's a little taken aback at the way plans for their betrothal and marriage unfold, without her say-so, plans that don't include her beloved younger sister, who she'd like to live with her. Besides, her affection lies with Johnny, a roaming sailor with a heart of gold, who is looking for his young brother taken as an indentured servant. Whereas in other Sunfire books, the heroine is drawn to the boy who shares her independent spirit, Elizabeth is drawn to the one who shares her sense of strong family values. An admirable break from the traditional Sunfire characterizations.
August 17, 2015
THE WITCH HUNT!!!
March 28, 2020
Edit: 3-28-20
What does one do when they are self-quarantined due to a global pandemic? They read! I was going to try to reread all the Sunfire books earlier in the year, but sort of stopped because there was other stuff to do. Now there is nothing to do. So, I read this book.
You can read my original review below if you wish. This is only the second time I've read this book, and the last read was a whooping nine years ago. I was still in college then. I cringed reading the original review, because I sound more like a middle school tween than a college student.
I think I enjoyed this book more the second time around as an older adult. It's really a slow burn type of book, with fear and trepidation leading up to a rather strong third act. It also doesn't go unnoticed to me that the panic the townsfolk on the outskirts of Salem toward the fear of witches is not too far off from our current fears of the coronavirus. That could be why I enjoyed it more.
The characters are a weak part of the story. If reading this for the first time, it won't take you long to figure out which suitor Elizabeth will pick in the end, nor which friend is truly her friend. Most of the characters are rather one note. Elizabeth has very little character traits; she's very much a blank slate. She's a nice, quiet, and vain girl. I honestly couldn't stand her the first few chapters because she kept talking about men looking at her because she was pretty. She also was obsessed with the thought of Troy (suitor 1) courting her before she even met him, which was grating.
The other characters weren't much better. John (suitor 2 and the highwayman) and Troy are both dull as sawdust. Neither have any form of arc and the romance is practically non-existent. I was rather grateful in the end that it was though, because I was much more interested in the drama of the witch trials when they reached their peak. Other characters were useless as well. Elizabeth's brother Mark is nothing more than a plot device. This is a large step down from other Sunfire Romances like Susannah where the sibling characters play a major roll.
The main disappointment for me is the character of Uncle Harvard and the conclusion. This section is going toward some light spoilers but it will just be in this paragraph. Uncle Harvard is set up to be an antagonist throughout a majority of the book. Elizabeth does little to hide her disdain for the man who let THREE ORPHAN CHILDREN into HIS home. And maybe some of the choices he made toward Mark weren't ideal. But it is his home. They are living off his charity. It also becomes clear throughout the book that Mark is FINE. (and to clarify, I do not condone him sending Mark away in the manner he did, but I think this is more of an author/plot problem rather than character.) And, he becomes a boss character at the end, standing up for Elizabeth and her true friend. And what does Elizabeth plan to do to repay him? She's going to run off and get married with a guy her family hasn't even met. Harvard has to be an adult and public figure in a strict Puritan town that's talking about witches and his own niece is going to run off to another state and elope. Poor man will probably be run out of town because of her after the events of the book.
To wrap this up, I'd still rate this book 3 stars. The characters and, to a larger degree, the romance, drag this book down two stars. The pacing of the plot, the drama, and the third act make this book a worthy read. I would recommend hunting it down, but only after finding some of the other Sunfires first.
Original Review (circa 2011)
I liked it, but there are a lot of things I would change if I could. I can't help but think it might have been a lot more exciting if it were actually set in Salem, and not a neighboring town. Like, we could have felt that raw fear of more people accused, rather than here about it second-hand from some minor/major characters.
Lacking that, it would have been better if Elizabeth was accused and not her friend. Sure the bit about her choosing whether to obey her family and boyfriend between following her heart and saying something was exciting, but that all didn't happen till about 70 or so pages left of the book.
Anyway, it was a good book. It just had so much potential. I mean, going into it, you think "A Sunfire about the Salem Witch trials! That must be one of the best Sunfire's around!" Then, you pay $10+ for it on Amazon just to get a so called "Good" copy, and it comes it the mail and it's really "Acceptable" and your like 'oh well'. Then you read it and suddenly your wishing it was one of the shorter Sunfires so the action will happen faster.
Anyway, if you can get a good deal on it, go ahead and get it, but save it as one of the later-longer Sunfires you get if your trying to get a collection together.
What does one do when they are self-quarantined due to a global pandemic? They read! I was going to try to reread all the Sunfire books earlier in the year, but sort of stopped because there was other stuff to do. Now there is nothing to do. So, I read this book.
You can read my original review below if you wish. This is only the second time I've read this book, and the last read was a whooping nine years ago. I was still in college then. I cringed reading the original review, because I sound more like a middle school tween than a college student.
I think I enjoyed this book more the second time around as an older adult. It's really a slow burn type of book, with fear and trepidation leading up to a rather strong third act. It also doesn't go unnoticed to me that the panic the townsfolk on the outskirts of Salem toward the fear of witches is not too far off from our current fears of the coronavirus. That could be why I enjoyed it more.
The characters are a weak part of the story. If reading this for the first time, it won't take you long to figure out which suitor Elizabeth will pick in the end, nor which friend is truly her friend. Most of the characters are rather one note. Elizabeth has very little character traits; she's very much a blank slate. She's a nice, quiet, and vain girl. I honestly couldn't stand her the first few chapters because she kept talking about men looking at her because she was pretty. She also was obsessed with the thought of Troy (suitor 1) courting her before she even met him, which was grating.
The other characters weren't much better. John (suitor 2 and the highwayman) and Troy are both dull as sawdust. Neither have any form of arc and the romance is practically non-existent. I was rather grateful in the end that it was though, because I was much more interested in the drama of the witch trials when they reached their peak. Other characters were useless as well. Elizabeth's brother Mark is nothing more than a plot device. This is a large step down from other Sunfire Romances like Susannah where the sibling characters play a major roll.
The main disappointment for me is the character of Uncle Harvard and the conclusion. This section is going toward some light spoilers but it will just be in this paragraph. Uncle Harvard is set up to be an antagonist throughout a majority of the book. Elizabeth does little to hide her disdain for the man who let THREE ORPHAN CHILDREN into HIS home. And maybe some of the choices he made toward Mark weren't ideal. But it is his home. They are living off his charity. It also becomes clear throughout the book that Mark is FINE. (and to clarify, I do not condone him sending Mark away in the manner he did, but I think this is more of an author/plot problem rather than character.) And, he becomes a boss character at the end, standing up for Elizabeth and her true friend. And what does Elizabeth plan to do to repay him? She's going to run off and get married with a guy her family hasn't even met. Harvard has to be an adult and public figure in a strict Puritan town that's talking about witches and his own niece is going to run off to another state and elope. Poor man will probably be run out of town because of her after the events of the book.
To wrap this up, I'd still rate this book 3 stars. The characters and, to a larger degree, the romance, drag this book down two stars. The pacing of the plot, the drama, and the third act make this book a worthy read. I would recommend hunting it down, but only after finding some of the other Sunfires first.
Original Review (circa 2011)
I liked it, but there are a lot of things I would change if I could. I can't help but think it might have been a lot more exciting if it were actually set in Salem, and not a neighboring town. Like, we could have felt that raw fear of more people accused, rather than here about it second-hand from some minor/major characters.
Lacking that, it would have been better if Elizabeth was accused and not her friend. Sure the bit about her choosing whether to obey her family and boyfriend between following her heart and saying something was exciting, but that all didn't happen till about 70 or so pages left of the book.
Anyway, it was a good book. It just had so much potential. I mean, going into it, you think "A Sunfire about the Salem Witch trials! That must be one of the best Sunfire's around!" Then, you pay $10+ for it on Amazon just to get a so called "Good" copy, and it comes it the mail and it's really "Acceptable" and your like 'oh well'. Then you read it and suddenly your wishing it was one of the shorter Sunfires so the action will happen faster.
Anyway, if you can get a good deal on it, go ahead and get it, but save it as one of the later-longer Sunfires you get if your trying to get a collection together.
November 3, 2009
About 15 years ago, I could not get enough of the Sunfire series. I think I read every single book that I could get my hands on at the local library. I never got a chance to read Elizabeth though. A friend recently told me that she had it, so she let me borrow it.
Perhaps the Sunfire books lose something when you are over the age of 16. They all follow the same basic plotline. Girl is torn between 2 potential suitors and has to make a choice. One of the suitors is usually the stable type, while the other is more adventurous and radical. The novels are always set against the backdrop of some significant historical event or time period in American history.
Elizabeth is set in Massachusetts in the 1600s in the midst of the Salem witch trials. Although Elizabeth does not live in Salem, but rather in a nearby village, there is great concern among the villagers that the hysteria of the witch trials in Salem will bleed over into their village. Elizabeth has recently moved to the village with her brother and sister to live with her aunt and uncle following the death of their father. She quickly makes friends with a girl named Dorothy and is courted by Troy, who is the most eligible man in town. (Of course, these Sunfire girls nearly always capture the attention of the most eligible man in town.) She also meets Nell, who lives with her extremely poor grandmother, and Johnny, a former shipman searching for his brother who was sold into indentured servitude.
The story comes to a head when Nell is accused of being a witch. Elizabeth must decide between standing up for Nell and remaining quiet so as to prevent herself from also being accused of witchcraft. All the while, trying to choose between Troy and Johnny, of course.
Regardless of the juvenile quality of the writing, I actually enjoyed this book. One thing I always did appreciate about this series is that I did learn a lot about history from reading them, although I'm sure they aren't 100% historically accurate. Plus, they are very clean. In this particular book, Elizabeth doesn't even kiss her man of choice until the very end!
Perhaps the Sunfire books lose something when you are over the age of 16. They all follow the same basic plotline. Girl is torn between 2 potential suitors and has to make a choice. One of the suitors is usually the stable type, while the other is more adventurous and radical. The novels are always set against the backdrop of some significant historical event or time period in American history.
Elizabeth is set in Massachusetts in the 1600s in the midst of the Salem witch trials. Although Elizabeth does not live in Salem, but rather in a nearby village, there is great concern among the villagers that the hysteria of the witch trials in Salem will bleed over into their village. Elizabeth has recently moved to the village with her brother and sister to live with her aunt and uncle following the death of their father. She quickly makes friends with a girl named Dorothy and is courted by Troy, who is the most eligible man in town. (Of course, these Sunfire girls nearly always capture the attention of the most eligible man in town.) She also meets Nell, who lives with her extremely poor grandmother, and Johnny, a former shipman searching for his brother who was sold into indentured servitude.
The story comes to a head when Nell is accused of being a witch. Elizabeth must decide between standing up for Nell and remaining quiet so as to prevent herself from also being accused of witchcraft. All the while, trying to choose between Troy and Johnny, of course.
Regardless of the juvenile quality of the writing, I actually enjoyed this book. One thing I always did appreciate about this series is that I did learn a lot about history from reading them, although I'm sure they aren't 100% historically accurate. Plus, they are very clean. In this particular book, Elizabeth doesn't even kiss her man of choice until the very end!
June 2, 2016
This is one in a series of young adult historical romance books. In this case Elizabeth lives in the time of the Salem Witch Trials. Her parents are dead and she and her younger sister and brother go to live with an Uncle and Aunt.
Unfortunately the Uncle is extremely strict and it's not long before Mark is in big trouble.
A guy named Tony is seen as a prospective husband for 16-year-old Elizabeth, but there's another guy, a highwayman, who she is also interested in. Major problems break out when a supposed friend of hers tries for an easy way out of some trouble she's in and this sets off an entire Salem-like witch trial, a trial that could end in the hanging of Elizabeth and another girl friend of hers.
It's an interesting and well done book from a historical angle, showing how regular individuals were affected by the ultra-strictness of the Puritans of the time and the terror of the Salem witch trials with all the suspicion and hatred that that caused. Definitely worth reading.
Unfortunately the Uncle is extremely strict and it's not long before Mark is in big trouble.
A guy named Tony is seen as a prospective husband for 16-year-old Elizabeth, but there's another guy, a highwayman, who she is also interested in. Major problems break out when a supposed friend of hers tries for an easy way out of some trouble she's in and this sets off an entire Salem-like witch trial, a trial that could end in the hanging of Elizabeth and another girl friend of hers.
It's an interesting and well done book from a historical angle, showing how regular individuals were affected by the ultra-strictness of the Puritans of the time and the terror of the Salem witch trials with all the suspicion and hatred that that caused. Definitely worth reading.
April 11, 2011
I loved this book soooo much when I was a teenager. It was oh so romantic to my 14 year old self. I want to read it again, now that I am an adult (but it would probably be stupid now). The Sunfire Romance novels were what got me hooked on reading! Every book is basically the same formula, historical fiction with one girl who can't decided between two loves, a good boy and a bad boy. Looking back, I guess they were silly, but I loved them. Especially this one, it was my favorite! This one is about the Salem Witch trials, I feel 14 again just thinking about it! :)
February 8, 2024
I honestly think that the story would have been more enjoyable if it didn’t have the conflicting romantic interests (which is of course the theme of the series). Especially considering how neither man was really involved in the climax, and therefore we got to see Elizabeth’s true self outside of the context of romance. In the end she jumped to a decision that was perhaps premature, considering how the dramatic circumstances have only just been resolved (and even then not entirely).
December 31, 2008
Was Elizabeth suspected as a witch? I don't remember. Drats! But as soon as I saw the cover, I knew this is one of the books in the Sunfire series that I read. Why are the covers to these books seared into my memory?
And why does it seem like only white gals made it into the Sunfire series? Were no young women of color having romances in any of the historical periods covered by Sunfire?
And why does it seem like only white gals made it into the Sunfire series? Were no young women of color having romances in any of the historical periods covered by Sunfire?
June 29, 2009
I'm not ashamed to say that I read every Sunfire book I could get my hands on in high school! Elizabeth was the first one I read and I quickly burned through the rest of the series. Bless Mrs. Skinner for keeping these books in the library.
July 25, 2012
Another book that I enjoyed as a kid... Just saw the cover here on Goodreads and remembered it. The books had great history and romance.
Reread 7/12. Part of my reread/read the Sunfires this summer. Historically interesting, somewhat like Witch of Blackbird Pond in parts.
Reread 7/12. Part of my reread/read the Sunfires this summer. Historically interesting, somewhat like Witch of Blackbird Pond in parts.
December 30, 2015
I finally found this book again--I remember really liking it when I was younger. It wasn't as good as I remembered, but it was still good. I liked the historical aspect of the Salem witch trials and how they affected surrounding areas.
Read
February 21, 2012Elizabeth (Sunfire Bk) by Willo Davis Roberts (1984)
July 13, 2013
Despite its historically fascinating time period, I remember thinking that this one was subpar.
November 13, 2013
I read this book in 4th grade. I just remember how much I loved it!!
July 1, 2017
Nostalgia Book: This is one of the more mature Sunfire books as it is not just about the boy but about Elizabeth's relationships with others. She and her siblings find themselves in a strict Puritan community beholden to an uncle who does not want them. They have to learn to conform to the society but to remain true to themselves. Elizabeth shows a lot of strength in her convictions as she learns what true friends are and what true love is. It is all set with the back drop of the Salem witch trials so it is exciting.
February 3, 2018
I hadn't read this one as a teenager. I'm sure if I had it would have prompted more of a fascination with Salem and the witch hunts. It was nice Uncle Harvard proved himself not to be such a horrible man after all. I do wonder what, realistically, Dorothy's punishment would have been. And despite the historical setting, I remain surprised that a 16-year-old girl would be married and go off to another state. (Still, I never read this for accuracy and this is all through the lens of a woman now in her 40s.)
December 15, 2018
This book is written for the 14-16 year old reader, but I found the tale of accusations of witchcraft and the decision to defend one's friend or face the same type of rebukes very appropriate for this day and age.
May 17, 2019
So Sunfire is pretty interesting, but I’m disappointed that Elizabeth was more of a slow romantic novel than a historical fiction novel about the Salem Witch Trials. 😔
July 3, 2023
These books were the reason I loved reading as a teenager. I enjoyed rereading this 📚! Was in perfect? It was for me.
July 30, 2023
a wonderful, light read with a wonderful romance story twisted with betrayal and curiosity. Wonderful book for any reading occasion.
July 3, 2017
I originally read this series back in the 80s, checking them out from my elementary school library. Having re-read them as an adult I think they stand the test of time and are still relevant as far as historical fiction is concerned.
November 11, 2016
Spoiler alert: she's not a witch.
April 20, 2017
I was in suspense the whole time I was reading this, even though I knew exactly what happened. I love the way this one talks about the Salem Witch Trials from a neighbouring town that wasn't actually involved.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews