Monday, September 1, 2014

Review - A Light in the Wilderness by Jane Kirkpatrick

A Light in the Wilderness
by Jane Kirkpatrick
Publisher: Revell
Pub. Date: September 2, 2014
ISBN: 978-0800722319
Pages: 320
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Arriving in bookstores tomorrow is the historical western A Light in the Wilderness by Jane Kirkpatrick. I'm a big fan of historical westerns, but I have never read read a title by the author, though I'm more than aware of the author's works, as my grandmother has read the Tender Ties series. That being said, I was looking forward to reading A Light in the Wilderness, which I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

A Light in the Wilderness tells the true story of Letitia Carson, who was one of the first free African Americans, as she journeys from Kentucky to Oregon. After being freed by her owner, Letitia joins a wagon train that is headed west, where she meets an Irish immigrant cattleman, Davey Carson. Eventually the two get married and start a family, even though back then their marriage wouldn't have been legal. After her husband's death, Letitia had to fight to keep the land that she owned.

This book not only tells the story of Letitia Carson, but it also tells the story of two other strong women, Nancy Hawkins - a white woman, who travels in the same wagon train that Letitia is in and becomes friends with her; and Betsy, a Kalapuya Indian living in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, who also befriends Letitia.


Despite my love reading historical fiction, I wouldn't call myself the biggest historical buff, so this is the first time I am learning about Letitia Carson and the struggles she went through after becoming a free slave during the 1800s. I can see why the author has won many awards for her novels, as she must do a lot of research for each and every novel. For me, this book was tad bit too slow for the first half, though I did enjoy the chapters set in my home-state of Missouri. All the characters are interestingly written and the author does a wonderful job giving depth to each one. Overall, A Light in the Wilderness is a beautifully written historical novel with a lot of heart.

*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.


About the Author:

Jane Kirkpatrick is the New York Times and CBA bestselling author of more than twenty-five books, including A Sweetness to the Soul, which won the coveted Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center. Her works have been finalists for the Christy Award, Spur Award, Oregon Book Award, and Reader's Choice awards, and have won the WILLA Literary Award and Carol Award for Historical Fiction. Many of her titles have been Book of the Month and Literary Guild selections. You can also read her work in more than fifty publications, including Decision, Private Pilot, and Daily Guideposts. Jane lives in Central Oregon with her husband, Jerry. Learn more at www.jkbooks.com.

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