August Book of the Month - Burning Sky by Lori Benton

[Beth, Head Librarian]

In August we will be reading and discussing Burning Sky by Lori Benton.

Goodreads Summary:
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?

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Chime in if you think you'll join in! :)

[Beth, Head Librarian]

I am reading this one right now & LOVING IT! :)

[Loraine, CFD Momma]

I loved this book and look forward to discussing it.

[Gwendolyn]

Oh, this was a great book! I'll be joining the discussion. :-)

[[deleted user]]

I'm about 25% through this and loving it.

[Sara]

Just started this morning.

[Amanda]

I'm so excited! I found this at my library network and it's now in transit to my branch of the library! hopefully I'll be able to pick it up this week. :)

[[deleted user]]

I finished this a couple weeks ago. I think I would have liked it better if it was written in first person. There were times that I felt we could not really connect with Willa that well.

[Beth, Head Librarian]

I loved Burning Sky! Lori Benton is a new favorite author for me.


What did everyone think of the setting? Was it fully realized for you?

How did everyone feel about Willa's choice in the end? Not just between two very different men, but overall between two very different lives? Do you think she made the right choice or would you have liked to see her choose something different?

[Loraine, CFD Momma]

I think she made the right choice as she felt Tames-His-Horse was more like a brother and that she could also not violate what would have been Indian tribal code since they were of the same clan. Also having stepped back into the "White world," she seemed to have found her niche as well as a deep connection with Neil.

I loved the setting. Lori Benton did a great job of making you feel you were right there in the New York frontier.

[Beth, Head Librarian]

I enjoyed looking at these tidbits on Lori's website--

Behind the scenes of the cover: http://loribenton.blogspot.com/2013/0...

A bit about Neil MacGregor's ancestors (Scottish history, to be specific): http://loribenton.blogspot.com/2013/0...

[Dawn]

Beth wrote: "In August we will be reading and discussing Burning Sky by Lori Benton.

I loved this book so much!!!! I cannot tell enough people to read it! I still just want to sigh when I think about it.... :)

[Blue]

I like your review.