Jazzy Reads

The Hagenheim Series – Book 2 – The Merchant’s Daughter

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The Merchant’s Daughter is a book about a compassionate young woman named Annabel and her journey to find true love. Annabel’s family fell on hard times when her father died of the pestilence and his ships were lost at sea.

Annabel does her best to do her share of the work and more, but her mother and brothers can’t seem to realize they must work for a living. Instead, they seem determined to live just like they always have.

For years they shirked doing their share of the work in the old lord’s fields. The old lord’s steward, a dishonest man, let them get away with it year after year, much to the town’s disgust.

Then one day, word comes that the new lord, lord le Wyse, has decided to come and live in Glynval. Maimed in an attempt to save a peasant girl from an attacking wolf, lord le Wyse is said to look absolutely beastly and with a temper to match his looks.

With only one eye, a mangled hand, and a fierce scowl, lord le Wyse is a force to be reckoned with. Everyone uneasily awaits for his arrival, including Annabel and her family.

Lord le Wyse’s newly appointed steward and clerk supervise the hallmote that is to settle the town disputes, as well as to judge Annabel’s family’s case. The jury demands that Annabel’s family must pay their debt or a family member must become a servant in the lord’s house.

Annabel’s family does not have the money to pay off the debt but they are horrified at the thought of one of them becoming a servant.

Then Annabel’s older brother comes up with a plan. Bailiff Tom has offered to pay off their debt if Annabel agrees to marry him.

But Annabel has seen the way Bailiff Tom has looked at her and she is horrified at the idea of marrying him. Despite her family’s pleas and coercion, Annabel refuses to marry Bailiff Tom.

In order to escape the threat of an evil marriage, Annabel chooses to become a servant of lord le Wyse to pay off her family’s debt.

The work in the fields is more grueling than she anticipated. Mistress Eustacia, the head servant of lord le Wyses’s house, decides that she would be more suited to working in the lord’s house.

Annabel works hard but more than once she is frightened by lord le Wyse. With his angry scowl and fiery temper, Annabel is anxious in his presence.

Despite his temper, she can see the true man inside. The man who despite his standing and position would risk his life to save a defenseless maiden……….

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His name was Ranulf, lord Ranulf le Wyse actually. He was traveling to one of his manors out in the country. He planned to build his home there.

He hoped he might finally find the peace that had eluded him all these years. Even after all this time the woman’s face still haunted his dreams, his every step that he took he carried the burden of her scorn.

When he arrives at his manor he quickly becomes busy directing the building of his new home and making sure the harvest is brought in and stored. He also has the town disputes to settle.

He is more than a little annoyed to find out that one family has been deliberately shirking their work.

Then, instead of sending the eldest son or someone capable to pay off their debt, they send their youngest daughter. Eventually Mistress Eustacia put her to work in the house.

Will he ever find peace in this town or will the past always haunt him?

BOOK DETAILS

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Publisher: Zondervan; Original edition (December 4, 2011)

Series: Book 2 in the Hagenheim series

Age Range: 14 and up

Media Type: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

ISBN-10: 9780310727613

ISBN-13: 978-0310727613

What to expect: Romance, AdventureN

What I liked about The Merchant’s Daughter:

I like how it is a clean romance story. It doesn’t have the junk that a lot of romance books have.

Melanie Dickerson is a christian author and I like how she includes that in her stories.

She is also a very good writer. When you read her books you want to read more. You want to find out what happens. She makes you care about the people in her story.

The complete list of Melanie Dickerson’s “Hagenheim” series:

Book 1: The Healer’s Apprentice

Book 2: The Merchant’s Daughter

Book 3: The Fairest Beauty

Book 4: The Captive Maiden

Book 5: The Princess Spy

Book 6: The Golden Braid

Book 7: The Silent Songbird

Book 8: The Orphan’s Wish

Book 9: The Warrior Maiden

Book 10: The Pipers Pursuit

Book Review – The Witch of Blackbird Pond

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This is the cover of my book, but it may be different in some areas. I really like this cover!

The Witch of Blackbird Pond is a thrilling tale of fiction.

It is set in the early American settlement of Connecticut before the American Revolution.

Katherine Tyler also known as Kit, was living in the Island of Barbados.

Until the unfortunate death of her Grandfather.

She is then forced to leave her luxurious lifestyle to go live with her uncle’s family in the colony of Connecticut.

When she gets there, she finds that the lifestyle of her relatives is drastically different than what she is used too.

Instead of having the servants do the work, she now has to work from morning till night.

She has to help her aunt and cousins cook, clean, and provide for the family.

The longer she stays, the more she feels unwanted.

She meets a strange woman named Hannah Tupper, who becomes one of her few friends.

The rest of the town thinks that Hannah is a witch. Kit continues to find friends who don’t quit fit in like herself.

Then one dreary night, all the work she has done to at least, somewhat fit in is destroyed.

Will she ever be accepted in America, or is she destined to be alone and an outcast forever?

Book Details

Awards: John Newbery Medal

Author: Elizabeth George Speare

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Age Range: 11 and up

Pages: 249

Media Type: paperback, hardcover, audio book

ISBN; hardcover: 978-0-395-07114-4

paperback:  978-0-547-55029-9

What I liked about The Witch of Blackbird Pond:

This is the back of the book. While I love the cover of this book it has absolutely no pictures inside it.

I liked The Witch of Blackbird Pond because it is a sweet story full of love and sacrifice.

During Kit’s stay with her Uncle, not only does she deal with the rigors of every day life, but also the swirling drama of her cousins love lives, as well as her own.

This book is full of danger, drama, and romance.

Once you start reading The Witch of Blackbird Pond, it is hard to stop!

My favorite character:

I think my favorite character in this book is Kit.

I like how Kit doesn’t give up and she keeps on trying.

Although, quite frankly, I like most of the characters.

Those that are not so nice are actually a bit funny in some cases. S

o all in all this book is pretty cool.

The Grandmotherly way that Hannah Tupper helps Kit is endearing to read about as well.

This story has several twists and turns, all of them are interesting to read.

What I didn’t like about The Witch of Blackbird Pond:

The Witch of Blackbird Pond is an interesting story.

I really can’t think of much I didn’t like. There is one part that I can remember.

It is when Kit and her cousins are going to a corn husking. Who ever found a red kernel got to kiss somebody.

That was not my favorite part, but over all the book was very good.

Other books you might like:

The Sherwood Ring:

The Iron Peacock:

All right you know the saying” Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”. Well this book is way better than it’s cover. And I’m not just saying that. It is similar to The Witch of Blackbird Pond and just as good.

BrotherBand Chronicles – Book Six – Review

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When my brother first told me about the BrotherBand Chronicles (available here on Amazon.com), I just had to read them.

Since then, I can barely put them down.

Once I start reading I am almost instantly transported into the world of the Heron, and its’ crew.

It is full of adventure and humor. John Flanagan certainly knew what he was doing when he wrote the BrotherBand Chronicles.

Book Details

This is the title cover on my Kindle.

Written By: John Flanagan

Series: Book 6 of the BrotherBand Chronicles

Age range: 12 and up

Publisher: Philomel Books

Media Type: Kindle Book, Paperback, Hardcover and Audio book

Pages: 400

ISBN: 9780698174597

What to expect: Humor, Fighting Vikings, Sailing Boats, Romance,

Introduction:

Hal, Skirl of the Heron, is returning home with his crew only to be caught in a life threatening storm.

(Okay, if you’re like my Mom, here’s a tidbit.

A Skirl is a captain of a ship and the Heron is, you guessed it, a ship.)

The storm takes them further away from home than ever before.

They eventually find a harbor were they are safe for the moment. But are they the only ones there?

This is Hal’s ship, the Heron.

Once outcasts and now honored warriors, Hal and his friends must find a way home.

But while they are there a series of unexpected events continue to delay them.

Will Hal and his friends ever get back home?

THE GHOSTFACES, written by John Flanagan is book six in a series of thrilling adventures that you just do not want to put down.

If you are looking for book one or any of the others look down at the bottom for a list of the BrotherBand Chronicles in order.

What I liked about BrotherBand (The GhostFaces)

This is John Flanagan’s fictional map of Skandia!

I like the BrotherBand Chronicles series because it’s full of excitement and humor.

The BrotherBand series is not only full of adventure and daring acts of bravery, but the author also has them looking out for each other.

As if they really were brothers.

I like how each character is different.

Each one of them brings their different talents together to help one another.

One of my favorite characters is Lydia. I like how she’s funny, and humble about her own beauty and fighting skills.

The parts where she is teasing Thorn are full of humor. Her sympathy when one of  her crew mates is hurt is sweet.

And then there’s Hal, captain of his ship, the Heron.

Once an outcast and now respected as one of the finest helmsman there is.

He is definitely one of my favorite characters.

As he sails across the Stormwhite Sea he leads his crew with a boldness that few ever have.

With him is his second mate, Stig, who with help from his friends and BrotherBand training mastered his once fiery temper.

Not only is he first mate aboard the Heron, but he is also one of the best fighters on board.

And with Stig is Thorn, guiding Hal whenever he needs it.

Thorn is a shabby sailor who is tough and full of sarcasm but as soft as a teddy bear when it comes to the crew of the Heron.

Other BrotherBand Chronicles Books you might like:

BOOK 1: The Outcasts

BOOK 2: The Invaders

BOOK 3: The Hunters

BOOK 4: Slaves of Socorro

BOOK 5: Scorpion Mountain

Book 6 : The Ghost FacesBOOK 7: The Caldera

The Sherwood Ring – Book Review

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I had to read “The Sherwood Ring” for school (available here from Amazon.com).

The book looked so interesting, I actually read it ahead of time.

I’ve enjoyed the book so much, I have probably read it at least 5-6 times.

The Sherwood Ring Book Details

Written by Elizabeth Marie Pope

Illustrator: Evaline Ness

Age Range: 12 and up

Paperback: 266 pages

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company

ISBN: 0-618-17737-x

What to expect:

Mystery, Romance, Orphan, Ancestral Ghosts, History, Early American

Introduction:

The main character’s name is Peggy Grahame.

Her mother died when she was born.

Her father is an artist who sends her to as many camps and schools as he possibly can, so he can do his work.

Her father also dies, making Peggy an orphan.

Peggy goes to live at her uncle’s house, where she is completely ignored.

She is visited by her ancestors who come and tell her events from the past that slowly reconnect into her own life.

What I liked about The Sherwood Ring:

I like all the plots and twists. You never know what is going to happen until the very end of the book.

Things happen that you had no idea would happen.

It’s interesting how the romance from the past reconnects to the romance of the present.

The ancestral ghosts know what is going to happen to her, so they help her with the different events in her life.

The chapters go between the past and the present.

I like this because it switches between the main story and the past.

The past takes place during the Revolutionary War.

It’s nice that the house in the story has artifacts from George Washington’s time.

There is one chapter that has some codes and ciphers, and I liked this because it gives you an idea of how you might be able to use codes if you were just playing.

They give you everything in the book so that if you wanted to you could use the information from the book to make your own codes to play with.

There is some funny humor in this book.

There is an old dumpy car called Betsy. The author says that “Betsy tried to jump the fence”, almost like the car was a horse.

The car is always broke down and Pat has to tinker with it to get it to work.

The illustrations are very interesting. It definitely makes you look twice.

The author almost makes you like the bad character.

He is a British terrorist during the Revolutionary War.

He is raiding George Washington’s war supplies.

George Washington sends an arrogant young man.

Who tries a series of things to get the bad guy, but fails every time.

Both characters battle with their wits.

What I didn’t like about this book:

I like practically every part of this book.

I didn’t like the fact that there were many places where the author took God’s name in vain.

I just used a black marker to cross out those words.

I almost wish there was more to the story so that I could know what happened to the characters.

Overall, there wasn’t much that I didn’t like about this book.

My book recommendation:

I really like The Sherwood Ring.

As I mentioned at the very beginning, I have already read this book 5 or 6 times.

It’s a great book and I think you should read it. You can buy a new or used copy of The Sherwood Ring here. (Amazon.com)

If you liked The Sherwood Ring, you might also like…


The Witch of Blackbird Pond: This book also has an orphan girl and is from an earlier time period. No ghosts in the book. Also has romance.


The Secret of the Sealed Room: This book is about a girl and a boy who work together and are both misfits. They are trying to solve the mystery of a secret sealed room.