Book Review: Favorite Daughter: Part One by Paula Margulies

Favorite Daughter: Part One
by Paula Margulies
Release Date: July 21st, 2014
Publisher: One People Press
Paperback, 189 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Get a Copy: 
      Amazon 

Goodreads Summary: Set in the time of the Jamestown settlement and the English explorer John Smith, Favorite Daughter, Part One recounts the story of Chief Powhatan's daughter, Pocahontas, as she prepares to take her place as one of our nation's earliest leading women. Pocahontas invites readers to experience her native world when strangers appear on the shores near her village. From forging a relationship with the charismatic Smith, to experiencing love for the first time and creating a role for herself in her father’s plans for peace, this young girl takes us on a poignant and harrowing journey through the turbulent events of her life. Eventually betrayed by all of the men she loves, Pocahontas matures into a heroine of tremendous nobility, courage, and heart. 

Told in first person, in a voice brimming with compassion and wisdom, Favorite Daughter, Part One provides a compelling look at the early days of one of the most remarkable legends in American history.

Cindy's Review:

**Copy provided via the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.** 

At a Glance/The Cover:

For those who know me, I absolutely love historical fiction, especially when they have to do with romance. I especially like the ones set in the Victorian/1800s time period or the medieval with princes and queens, because the guys were such gentlemen. :) 

But this one isn't. It goes even more back. And I'm totally totally fine with that. In fact, I encourage it. Because I also love to read about stories that no one is really sure of in history. For example, the lost colony novels. Love those. No one knows what happened to them, but one could imagine.

In this lovely novel called Favorite Daughter, we read about Pocahontas' early life as little girl and watching her grow up into a young lady meeting the European explorers for the first time. 

The Characters/My Opinion: 

Pocahontas - The narrator of the story. Was definitely fun to see things in her point of view. Talking about her life as the Powhatan chief's favorite daughter, becoming a woman, being betrothed. It's the side of the story we, as Americans, never truly saw it in. 

Kocoum - Kocoum is Pocahontas' fiance. The Powhatans have this ceremony where the girl chooses the suitors she wants for her husband. Kocoum was a very expressionless, stoic boy. He seems super calm and very warrior-like. For some reason, I find an attractiveness part of him. I actually want Pocahontas to like him and end up with him. I really did. He may seem super cold on the outside, but he's so sweet inside. 

Pocahontas actually didn't want to marry him. Not at all. She didn't want to get married. She just wanted to learn more about the English explorers. But I enjoyed seeing Pocahontas' and Kocoum's romance blossom. Really enjoyed that part. Although there are some "adult" scenes in here. 

John Smith - Of course, the famous John Smith. He was nothing like the Disney movie type. No blond hair. Apparently, he has red hair and facial hair. And a bit inappropriate. Nothing like the young, blond, strong, tall man in the Disney movie. This guy is short, but super friendly. His personality definitely seemed like a friend type. I do not know if Pocahontas has any feelings for him.

It seems as if Pocahontas is really interested in him. And she is. But I do not think it's love. It seems like it at first, because even Pocahontas can't tell. But as time passes, it seems like Pocahontas knows Kocoum is her lover and she's just "interested" in John Smith and his culture.

Of course, following as least the real historical timeline, we know that Pocahontas marries none of them. In fact, I actually searched online for this, cuz I was super curious, Kocoum might not even have existed. Historians are not sure if Pocahontas was really engaged in the beginning. They think it might have been John Rolfe. Or nothing at all. 

In Favorite Daughter, it ends with a somewhat open ending. This ending allows for the second book to tell Pocahontas' story in the history books. The part where she got captured. The part where she turns Christian, etc. 

Overall Thoughts: 

Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely. I would love to read Part Two and see what happens in Pocahontas' life later on. I want to see how Pocahontas changes and find out what happens to the Powhatan tribe. 

:) For historical fiction lovers, here's one for you! 

The Rating: (1-10): 8.8

Happy Reading~

Blog Tour: Sweet Mercy by Ann Tatlock

Welcome to my stop of the Sweet Mercy Blog Tour

hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer.

You can find the tour schedule HERE. 

Blurb: 

Stunning coming-of-age drama set during the Great Depression and Prohibition.

When Eve Marryat’s father is laid off from the Ford Motor Company in 1931, he is forced to support his family by leaving St. Paul, Minnesota, and moving back to his Ohio roots. Eve’s uncle Cyrus has invited the family to live and work at his Marryat Island Ballroom and Lodge.

Eve can’t wait to leave St. Paul, a notorious haven for gangsters. At seventeen, she considers her family to be “good people,” not lawbreakers like so many in her neighborhood. Thrilled to be moving to a “safe haven,” Eve soon forms an unlikely friendship with a strange young man named Link, blissfully unaware that her uncle’s lodge is anything but what it seems.

When the reality of her situation finally becomes clear, Eve is faced with a dilemma. Does she dare risk everything by exposing the man whose love and generosity is keeping her family from ruin? And when things turn dangerous, can she trust Link in spite of appearances?

Cindy's Review: Sweet Mercy was a great read. I love historical fiction romances. They're just so fun to read. And I won't have to be disgusted if the main characters marries at age 18. LOL. 

I like how in the beginning of the book, Eve was a grandma, revisiting her home. I love how the whole story was like a story she was remembering or telling to her grandson. And I really liked the suspense the Prologue gave. Throughout the whole book, I was like 'Whose the grandpa?!?!?' 

In a way, Al Capone was a big part of this story. Even though, Al Capone only appeared for like 5 minutes in Eve's lifetime, he changed the way Eve thinks. Whenever there's a decision to decide, especially about bootlegging and gangsters, Eve thinks of Al Capone. 

I've only read two books about Al Capone, ever. And these two books just give me the image of Al Capone as 'a giant teddy bear' He just seems so   nice. But on there other hand, he's murderer. Yeah. I know. 

There were, to me, three guys as available candidates to Eve's husband. 

                           1) Marcus - Eve's first love
                           2) Jones - Eve's uncle's stepson I would say cousins, but it would be        
                                                disgusting if you didn't know.
                           3) Link - That one weird guy who keeps on appearing. At first, I was    
                                              like....ermmmm. Then I was like how old is this guy. Is he even   
                                              young enough to hit on her? Yeah I thought he was another one of
                                               those old perverts.

If I was smart enough to read the blurb, I think I would have found out, but yeah. I didn't look at the synopsis until now, when I'm typing, I'm finally reading it.

So for people who like some romance, because I thought the ending was really sweet and cute. ;D This book would be for you~ 

I give this a 9~

Author Bio:

Ann Tatlock is the author of the Christy-Award winning novel Promises to Keep. She has also won the Midwest Independent Publishers Association “Book of the Year” in fiction for both All the Way Home and I’ll Watch the Moon. Her novel Things We Once Held Dear received a starred review from Library Journal and Publishers Weekly calls her “one of Christian fiction’s better wordsmiths, and her lovely prose reminds readers why it is a joy to savor her stories.” Ann lives with her husband and daughter in Asheville, North Carolina.

Links:

Barnes & Noble  

Amazon 

Bethany House

Website 

Facebook 

Goodreads

Happy Reading~ 

Waiting for Wednesday #10

Waiting on Wednesday #10!

Waiting for Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spines. 

It spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

This week's awesome, to-read book is:

Oxford Shadows 

(The Oxford Trilogy #2)

by Marion Croslydon

Expected Publication: May 6th, 2013

Goodreads Summary: 

When death is a new beginning and love an old curse.

Still recovering from her last tango with the afterlife, Louisiana-born Madison LeBon struggles not only with her life as an Oxford postgrad but also with her budding love for Rupert Vance, aristocrat extraordinaire. One thing is certain, though: she won’t run away from her powers anymore. From now on she’ll face the music …

… literally!

When a sixteenth-century ghost makes an appearance during a classical concert Madison attends and threatens her boyfriend’s family, she sets out to explore the dark mysteries of the Tudors, even if that means confronting their most royal and homicidal character.

Her plans take an unexpected turn when her voodoo heritage catches up with her. With horror, she understands what her fate was always meant to be.

The question now is: Can Rupert be part of it?

Cindy's Reason:

After reading Marion Croslydon's first book of The Oxford Trilogy, Oxford Whispers, which was a tragic love story between two people in the 18th century and the present-day. How could I not continue to read this awesome series? 

You can find my review of Oxford Whispers HERE

Book Review: Oxford Whispers by Marion Croslydon

Oxford Whispers (The Oxford Trilogy #1)
by Marion Croslydon
Release Date: October 8th, 2012
Publisher: Carlux Publishing
Format: Paperback, 357 pages
Source: Author 
ISBN: 978-0-9572824-0-7
Get a Copy:
      Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Madison LeBon is dead set against the dead. 

Her fresh start at Oxford University is a brand new beginning. She finally has a chance to turn the page on her psychic powers and cumbersome voodoo heritage. Snakes, dolls, ghosts, and spirits: Farewell…

Not quite.

When the tragic lovers in a painting—the subject of her first history class—begin to haunt her, she must accept her gift before life imitates art. The lovers warn her against their own nemesis, a Puritan from the English Civil War. Unfortunately, said nemesis is now going all homicidal on Madison. 

College becomes more complicated when she falls hard for Rupert Vance, a troubled aristocrat and descendant of one of the characters in the painting. With the spirit of a murderer after her, Madison realizes that her own first love may also be doomed…

Cindy's Review: First, I want to thank Marion Croslydon very, very much for providing this book for me to read, because guess what? I love this book! I love all the history facts and how this whole creative, love story was created from just a painting!! ;) <333

The Characters/Plot: 

So basically, there are 2 main characters, but 3 more important characters in this book. The teaser on the back talked about all 5 of them, but it was so confusing, I just went like 'huh?' until I started reading the book. 

Madison LeBon - Madison is from the present-day United States. She goes to Oxford University in England and there she meets the future Earl of Huxbury, Rupert Vance. Madison's family has a voodoo pass where the female line gets visions and ends up going crazy. Visions are starting up for Madison. 

Sarah - Sarah is the girl who Madison is in Madison's visions. Sarah is from all the way back to the 18th century who is pretty high classed. Sarah is also the girl in the painting of The Wounded Cavalier painted by William Shakespeare Burton who is holding the cavalier. (At first I got really confused between William Shakespeare Burton and William Shakespeare. LOL. ) Sarah is also Madison's great-great-grandmother. 

Rupert Vance - Rupert Vance, as you know, is the future Earl of Huxbury. His dad, who is now the current lord, controls Rupert alot. Rupert's mother died when Rupert was a young age. Rupert's father, being all rich and stuff, got himself another wife, and Rupert listens to every wish his father wishes him to do. That is, until Rupert's father was forcing Rupert to leave Madison, who isn't his class-level. 

The Wounded Cavalier

by William Shakespeare Burton

Robert - The cavalier in the painting was called Robert. Robert is also Rupert's ancestor. Sarah and Robert fell in love, but they had to hide their romance, for Sarah's mother would not allow Sarah to marry such man. Sarah ended up dying at a really young age, betrayed by her sister, Anne. Robert died one month after her.

Peter - Peter was Sarah's jealous husband. She was almost forced to marry Peter, even if her heart didn't belong to him. Peter is now in present-day England, hunting Madison and trying to kill her. 

This love story is similar to Romeo and Juliet, but somewhat different. Madison and Rupert is experiencing the same tragic love story Robert and Sarah's ancestors are cursed to have. But maybe, just maybe Madison and Rupert can change that. 

The Extras:

This astonishing love story made me wanna cry. And I was reading it during school during first period which was IWE at the office. I had some free time and then I had tears in my eyes. It was embarrassing LOL. But no one saw me. 

This book somehow reminds me of the abc show, Once Upon a Time. The show features present-day life and then the fairy-taled version. So in a way, Oxford Whispers also does that. It features present-day life and then the 18th century version. 

One cool thing about this story is that the author made up a whole story just from the picture drawn by William Shakespeare Burton above. That's amazing! That's like telling a story from just a picture!! It's true that a picture tells a 1000 words but a 1000 words can paint a more magnificent and detailed picture.

Well guys, if you love historical fiction/romance thing. You gotta read this book!! 

Rate: (1-10): 9.5! 

Happy Reading~