Helpful Score: 3
This was a wonderful book set during the Civil War. I couldn't put it down and stayed up half the night to finish it.
The story is revolves around two very different young women whose lives intersect because of the war. One is a beautiful wealty pampered heiress who struggles to make her life mean something. The other is a poor young woman raised by her brothers, who refuses to be left behind when all the men go off to war.
The story is revolves around two very different young women whose lives intersect because of the war. One is a beautiful wealty pampered heiress who struggles to make her life mean something. The other is a poor young woman raised by her brothers, who refuses to be left behind when all the men go off to war.
Helpful Score: 3
This was another wonderful book by Lynn Austin!! I just couldn't put this book down over the weekend and read the last half of the book without stopping! As a part of her Refiner's Fire series of books, Lynn Austin does a great job portraying the south and north during the Civil War and the struggles by those living during that time. And the really great thing about this series is you don't HAVE to read them in order...each one stands on its own and you don't feel like you're missing out on something.
Lynn Austin is just Awesome!
Lynn Austin is just Awesome!
Helpful Score: 2
Part of a series but definitely able to stand on its' own. Great characterizations, good storyline. Especially good if you like to read about Civil War era. Highly recommend.
This book hooked me from the first page. A really great book if you like historical (Civil War) Christian fiction.
One DECEIVED by a life of wealth and ease, the other DESPERATE to flee her true identity.
In a land SHATTERED by war, unlikely heroes test the limits of their strength and discover that LOVE has a meaning beyond their imagination.
In a land SHATTERED by war, unlikely heroes test the limits of their strength and discover that LOVE has a meaning beyond their imagination.
I GIVE THIS ONE LOTS OF STARS.
This is the second in the Refiner's Fire series by Lynn Austin. This is from the Northern perspective during the Civil War. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think it is the best in the three book series. The heroine in this book is flawed yet a really determined and good person. She is totally believable. There are other characters you will fall in love with in this book. Highly recommended!
This was a good 2nd book in the series. I liked the corresponding stories of the two main characters. Lynn Austin is a great author!
Oh my!!! This was my first Lynn Austin book and I can't wait to read all of them!!! If I could I'd give this book 10 stars! It is hands down one of the best books I have read in a long time.
Suspenseful, intriguing, exciting, wholesome and very very enjoyable. I couldn't put it down. I try to read a chapter at night but it was always more. On a holiday I finally woke up and layed in bed and finished it. You MUST read this book!!!
Suspenseful, intriguing, exciting, wholesome and very very enjoyable. I couldn't put it down. I try to read a chapter at night but it was always more. On a holiday I finally woke up and layed in bed and finished it. You MUST read this book!!!
Another excellent book by Lynn Austin. She never disappoints.
I loved this book! Great historical romance, good author.
Great book! Lynn Austin is a wonderful writer. The first book in this series (Candle in the Darkness) was so good, that I was delighted to find this book and book #3 (A Light to My Path) here on PB Swap. Together, the three give you a great understanding of the Civil War, from three different perspectives - those living in the south, those living in the north, and then those who were southern slaves. I highly recommend them!
Victoria T. (justicepirate) reviewed Fire by Night (Refiner's Fire, Bk 2) on + 350 more book reviews
This book being the sequel to Candle in the Darkness (which I gave 5 stars to) didn't exactly meet the expectations I had. I loved the first book so very dearly (it made me cry, this one didn't), but this one, instead of focusing on the slavery during the Civil War period as the first one did, focused more on two different women and how they helped the Union army. I guess because I know the first and third books are about slavery (and I'm an abolitionist for Justice-network.org), I was hoping this would talk more about it. It was mentioned but was a background thing, not much of a foreground. It was definitely good though.
The first person we learn about is Julia, Caroline's cousin who we had met for a period during the first book. Her heart desires Nathaniel Greene, the minister. I think partly why I didn't enjoy this book so much is because in the first book he was all about abolition but he didn't mention anything about it at all in this book and was more about just being selfless and helping those who are suffering in the war in general. It is kinda as if they changed who he was, though they mentioned how he spoke of abolition a couple of times in the past. Caroline will do anything to get the attention of the young minister in hopes that he'll want to marry her. So many men would love to marry her but the one she wants doesn't seem to care and seems to loathe her. In order to make him like her, she starts to see the person he saw and dove into nurse work in order to become the woman he wanted. Her whole story develops so well where she starts to understand God's will for her life. She believes highly in loving God first and her neighbor second.
We learn of a new character named Phoebe, but her brothers call her "Ike" for some reason (never explained why). When her big brothers go off to war, she is left alone. She is not very pretty and looks a bit manly. She decides to sign up for the army. As far I know the army always made you strip down before you were able to be put in even in Civil War times, but perhaps I'm wrong there. Somehow she gets in and lasts in there for a long time. Anyway, she starts to understand God's love for her as she begins to fall in love with a fellow soldier.
This story is quite a bit about how lies can get you into trouble, how we should care more about God than what other people think about us, and how it is important to show love to all people including the "Least of these", and how when you are in love you are willing to sacrifice yourself for the other person.
The first person we learn about is Julia, Caroline's cousin who we had met for a period during the first book. Her heart desires Nathaniel Greene, the minister. I think partly why I didn't enjoy this book so much is because in the first book he was all about abolition but he didn't mention anything about it at all in this book and was more about just being selfless and helping those who are suffering in the war in general. It is kinda as if they changed who he was, though they mentioned how he spoke of abolition a couple of times in the past. Caroline will do anything to get the attention of the young minister in hopes that he'll want to marry her. So many men would love to marry her but the one she wants doesn't seem to care and seems to loathe her. In order to make him like her, she starts to see the person he saw and dove into nurse work in order to become the woman he wanted. Her whole story develops so well where she starts to understand God's will for her life. She believes highly in loving God first and her neighbor second.
We learn of a new character named Phoebe, but her brothers call her "Ike" for some reason (never explained why). When her big brothers go off to war, she is left alone. She is not very pretty and looks a bit manly. She decides to sign up for the army. As far I know the army always made you strip down before you were able to be put in even in Civil War times, but perhaps I'm wrong there. Somehow she gets in and lasts in there for a long time. Anyway, she starts to understand God's love for her as she begins to fall in love with a fellow soldier.
This story is quite a bit about how lies can get you into trouble, how we should care more about God than what other people think about us, and how it is important to show love to all people including the "Least of these", and how when you are in love you are willing to sacrifice yourself for the other person.
