Sweeter than Birdsong by Rosslyn Elliott And iPod Giveaway

Sweeter than Birdsong  by Rosslyn Elliott

About the book:

Music offers Kate sweet refuge from her troubles . . . but real freedom is sweeter.

In Westerville, Ohio, 1855, Kate Winter’s dreams are almost within reach. As the first woman to graduate from Otterbein College, she’ll be guaranteed her deepest wish: escape from the dark secret haunting her family. But with her mother determined to marry her off to a wealthy man, Kate must face reality. She has to run. Now. And she has the perfect plan. Join the upcoming musical performance—and use it to mask her flight.

Ben Hanby, Otterbein College’s musical genius, sees Kate Winter as an enigmatic creature, notable for her beauty, yet painfully shy. Then he hears her sing—and the glory of her voice moves him as never before. He determines to cast her in his musical and uncover the mystery that is Kate. Still, he must keep his own secret to himself. Not even this intriguing woman can know that his passionate faith is driving him to aid fugitives on the Underground Railroad.

A terrifying accident brings Kate and Ben together, but threatens to shatter both their secrets and their dreams. Kate can no longer deny the need to find her courage—and her voice—if she is to sing a new song for their future.

Read an excerpt here:

http://rosslynbooks2.blogspot.com/2011/11/chapters-one-and-two-preview.html

About Rosslyn:

Rosslyn Elliott is the award-winning author of Fairer than Morning, the first in the Saddler’s Legacy series. She holds a B.A. from Yale University and a Ph.D. in English from Emory University. Her study of American literature and history inspired her to pursue writing fiction. Elliott lives in Albuquerque, where she homeschools her daughter and works in children’s ministry.

For more about Rosslyn, visit her website:

http://rosslynelliott.com

Link to buy the book

http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=159554786X&title=A_Saddler’s_Legacy_Novel:_Sweeter_than_Birdsong

My Thoughts on this Book

After reading “Fairier than Morning” it was a must that I read “Sweeter than Birdsong.” I wanted to read further into the Miller and Hanby families. It is most intriguing that these two books are loosely based on the Hanby family who lived and worked in the Civil War era. The history in these books is incredible, and I really enjoyed learning the life styles of people at that time.

Because of her horrible family life, Kate Winters has all intentions of leaving her family when she graduates from Otterbein, but her mom is insistant that she marries a wealthy man. Plotting to find someway to leave, Kate joins the musical at the college as cover to flee her home and family.  Being so very shy, this was not going to be an easy task for Kate.

Otterbein’s musical genius Ben Hanby is so astonished at Kate’s singing he decides to cast her in the musical for the solo part, noting that he will need to work for her to overcome her shyness to sing.

Rosslyn Elliott has written another wonderful historical fiction that will take you soaring through the pre-civil war ear in a way you’ve never there before. With detailed descriptions of the way of life, amazingly created characters that will draw you to themselves and a strong faith and a love for abused slaves, you will be engulfed in this story until the very end. The main characters Ben and Katie were my favorite, with their love and determination to help with the freedom of slavery they would sacrifice themselves to free one by one.

I highly recommend this book for anyone! You will enjoy this wonderful, sweet, good, clean book showing a strong faith in the Lord that will make you want to follow His leading in your life.

This book was provided by the publisher through LitFuse Publishing Group. I was not required or expected to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are mine only.

Enter 2/9-2/28!

 

Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott Blog Tour, Kindle Giveaway

Welcome to the blog tour for debut author Rosslyn Elliot! To celebrate her first book she is hosting some fun giveaways (including a Kindle and a custom-made historicial reproduction dress!) and a Facebook book club chat. All the fun begins on 9/1. Details below!

About Rosslyn:

As the child of a career military man, Rosslyn Elliott lived in four states and two foreign countries before she graduated from high school. She attended Yale University, where she earned her BA in English and Theater Studies. After five years working first in corporate New York City, then as a schoolteacher, she entered the Ph.D. program in English at Emory University and finished her dissertation in 2006. Her study of American literature spurred her to pursue her lifelong dream of writing fiction. Rosslyn lives with her husband and daughter in the southwestern United States.

About the book:

Ann dreams of a marriage proposal from her poetic suitor, Eli-until Will Hanby shows her that nobility is more than fine words. Ann travels to Pittsburgh, accompanying her father on business. There she meets Will Hanby, a saddle-maker’s apprentice. Will has spent years eking out an existence under a cruel master and his spirit is nearly broken. But Ann’s compassion lights a long-dark part of his soul. Through his encounters with Ann’s father, a master saddler, Will discovers new hope and courage in the midst of tremendous adversity. When the Millers must return to Ohio and their ministry there, Will resolves to find them, at any cost. If Will can make it back to Ann, will she be waiting?

My Review

Ann Miller is going to marry Eli, or at least that is what she thinks. She has raised her two younger sisters because their mom passed away when they were young. He dad owned farm they lived on, he was a saddler as well as a traveling preacher and was acquainted with very wealthy people. On a trip with her dad, Ann walked in on Will just after his Master had beat him.

Will Hanby signed up to be a saddler apprentice to learn how to make saddles, but what he didn’t know was the horrible cruel man Master Good was. He would beat Will and the other apprentice almost to their death. Hanby wondered if he would ever be free of this horrible life he lived.

Wow, what a wonderful debut book for author Rosslyn Elliott!! Fairer Than Morning is Historical Christian Fiction at its very best! With the beautiful cover and the title, I was expecting a light read, but I was soon to find out different. I really liked Will from the beginning, and was so sorry for the abuse he endured from this Master. I really wanted to wring Mr. Good’s neck myself, treating his help much worse than some people treats an animal.

While reading, I was in awe at the characters and how the author weaves Christ in their lives throughout the book. What I didn’t know until the end was that the characters were real life. This story is so full of mystery, suspense, endurance, action, love and unbelievable forgiveness the reader is captured until the very last word! If you like historical fiction, this is a Must Read for you! I am so looking forward to Rosslyn Elliott’s next book in this series coming in 2012.

I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher Thomas Nelson through LitFuse Publicity Group. I want to thank Amy for making sure I rec’d this book, even though the publisher didn’t send it in time for the tour. The opinions in this review are mine only.

To celebrate the release of her debut novel, Fairer Than Morning, Rosslyn Elliott is giving away two fabulous prize packages. The first is brand new KINDLE in her Fairer Than Morning Kindle Giveaway. Then on September 20th she’s giving away a $200 gift certificate toward a Custom-Made Historical Reproduction Dress (from Recollections) during the Fairer Than Morning Book Club Chat Party on Facebook! Sigh…romantic.

Fairer Than Morning is receiving wonderful reviews – Library Journal said, “A well-written historical series debut…”. Read more reviews here.

Be sure to join the fun and enter the Kindle contest – 

One winner will receive:

* Kindle with Wi-Fi

* Fairer Than Morning (for Kindle)

To enter just click one of the icons below. But, hurry, giveaway ends on 9/19. Winner will be announced on 9/20 at Rosslyn’s Book Club Facebook Party. Details and official rules can be found when entering the contest.

Then be sure to RSVP for Rosslyn’s Facebook Party! During the party Rosslyn will be chatting with guests, hosting a book chat about Fairer Than Morning (don’t worry if you haven’t read the book yet – you could win a copy!) & historical Fiction, testing your trivia skills. She’ll also be giving away that $200 gift certificate toward a FABULOUS custom-made period dress from Recollections!