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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
I am a huge Lisa Bergren fan. It's probably no surprise, then, that I absolutely LOVED this book! There was no time during reading this that I wanted to put it down. The whole idea of being a rich, copper king's illegitimate daughter without knowing it your whole life, that is SUCH an intriguing premise. And, Ms. Bergren, did NOT disappoint with the execution. I loved the characters in this book! Loved them! I think even the more "flawed" characters are redeeming, as the story goes on.
I really appreciate being able to relate to the main character in a book, and I completely did, with GLAMOROUS ILLUSIONS. I could FEEL the anxiety over Cora meeting family that she's never met before, right along with her. Family that, even she knows, has no reason to accept her. Cora is so human and real. Every time she reacted to a situation or something bad happened to her, I found myself thinking, "I could TOTALLY see why she would do/think/say that." Cora Diehl (Kensington) is a character that starts out strong and sure of what her future holds for her and then the unthinkable happens. Her life goes crazy, and she finds herself wondering and asking God what exactly is she going to do?! What does He have in store for her future? This whole book takes Cora on just a part of that journey.
There are moments when Cora is completely unsure of herself, and who she is, and desires most to be loved and accepted, but she also has such a profound moral compass that she's not afraid to do what's right. I could totally relate to Cora's struggles with faith and forgiveness, even though I've never had quite those same issues. Lisa T. Bergren wraps up a fantastic story with a very appropriate message. I can't think of anyone who couldn't take something away from this book.
I think it'll be a while before the next installment in this series comes out, so I guess I'll just have to keep myself occupied with TRIBUTARY when it comes out soon. :)
I really appreciate being able to relate to the main character in a book, and I completely did, with GLAMOROUS ILLUSIONS. I could FEEL the anxiety over Cora meeting family that she's never met before, right along with her. Family that, even she knows, has no reason to accept her. Cora is so human and real. Every time she reacted to a situation or something bad happened to her, I found myself thinking, "I could TOTALLY see why she would do/think/say that." Cora Diehl (Kensington) is a character that starts out strong and sure of what her future holds for her and then the unthinkable happens. Her life goes crazy, and she finds herself wondering and asking God what exactly is she going to do?! What does He have in store for her future? This whole book takes Cora on just a part of that journey.
There are moments when Cora is completely unsure of herself, and who she is, and desires most to be loved and accepted, but she also has such a profound moral compass that she's not afraid to do what's right. I could totally relate to Cora's struggles with faith and forgiveness, even though I've never had quite those same issues. Lisa T. Bergren wraps up a fantastic story with a very appropriate message. I can't think of anyone who couldn't take something away from this book.
I think it'll be a while before the next installment in this series comes out, so I guess I'll just have to keep myself occupied with TRIBUTARY when it comes out soon. :)
Another wonderful start to another wonderful series by Bergren. I am a huge fan of Lisa’s River of Time series, as is another of our reviewers (Kole). This series follows a girl that has been living a simple life, barely making ends meet with her family. Soon she is swept up into a world she has never seen, with a family she has never known. Alternating her point of view with Will’s, one of her tour guides, gives the reader the chance to get to know both of these characters from inside and out.
Glamorous Illusions has less action/adventure to it than the River of Time series, but that doesn’t mean it can’t hold its own. It is all about self discovery and following one’s heart. Both Cora and Will are determined to do the right thing through and through, even though they both need to learn about themselves and the changes in their world in order to do so. There are many characters in this book, but never too many that I mixed them up or was confused as to who was who, as they are all very distinct personalities. Lisa does have a way with writing strong woman and I love it!
I am not an avid Christian book reader, but what I have read of Lisa T. Bergren’s series isn’t preachy. Yes, it does have Christian characters and speak of God, but it isn’t overwhelming and simply lends itself to the characters and the wonderful story she has created. The characters ponder over the challenges that they are faced with and turn to their religion to help see them through it. I hope this book is filed under Young Adult, Romance, Historical Fiction, and Christian books at stores because there are so many readers that will enjoy this series.
Reviewed by Jessica for Book Sake.
Glamorous Illusions has less action/adventure to it than the River of Time series, but that doesn’t mean it can’t hold its own. It is all about self discovery and following one’s heart. Both Cora and Will are determined to do the right thing through and through, even though they both need to learn about themselves and the changes in their world in order to do so. There are many characters in this book, but never too many that I mixed them up or was confused as to who was who, as they are all very distinct personalities. Lisa does have a way with writing strong woman and I love it!
I am not an avid Christian book reader, but what I have read of Lisa T. Bergren’s series isn’t preachy. Yes, it does have Christian characters and speak of God, but it isn’t overwhelming and simply lends itself to the characters and the wonderful story she has created. The characters ponder over the challenges that they are faced with and turn to their religion to help see them through it. I hope this book is filed under Young Adult, Romance, Historical Fiction, and Christian books at stores because there are so many readers that will enjoy this series.
Reviewed by Jessica for Book Sake.
4.5/5 stars
While I didn't fall in love with Bergren's River of Time trilogy like many other bloggers, I still enjoyed most of the story and eagerly added this book to my tbr-list when I heard about it. I am so very glad I did as I loved this book! Why did this book work so well for me? Well three main things would be:
1. I found the first couple of chapters both bewildering and incredibly emotionally powerful. Bewildering as it was set in rural Montana (well really is there any other kind?), which seemed very much at odds with the elegant Parisian cover. How does poor teacher Cora with parents who mortgaged their farm to send her to teacher college end up in Paris? But intense because Cora is arriving home only to discover that her father has suffered a stroke. The family bonding and the hope felt by them as he bravely fought grabbed me by the throat.
2. While this book does spend time in Montana, the majority of it (and the rest of the series) is in Europe following seven young people including Cora on a Grand Tour. How cool is that? I've read books with that mentioned but I've never read any specifically focused on it. This book has a brief stop in London followed by a longer time in France with future adventures in Italy to come.
3. I did share this in a goodreads status update if you happened to catch it: there's a guy named Will! That's kind of a small reason but I immediately decided that I liked him, which was further confirmed by the fact that he is just a good guy.
I'm not exactly sure how much else to reveal as the goodreads summary reveals what I would consider to be a major spoiler right in the first sentence. Suffice it to say that Cora is a strong young lady facing tremendous challenges as she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. She is definitely the main focus with most of the supporting characters needing a bit more color to fully come alive.
One of the things I didn't really like was the narrative style with Cora narrating the majority of the book in first-person but with her father and Will narrating some chapters in third-person. I found it very jarring although I did appreciate their outside perspectives on Cora and their pride in her for the way she holds up to outside scrutiny and judgment. I also felt like some of it was repetitive with Cora deciding to bravely keep her head high, then wilting under examination, and then doing it all over again. On the one hand, I completely understand this; I try to follow Christ's example, I fail, I repeat until I hopefully eventually succeed. But on the other hand, it can be a bit boring to read about. Luckily the strong foundation of the beginning carried me through such moments.
Compared to the River of Time trilogy, I did find this book to be more overtly Christian with Cora constantly leaning on her faith in God to get her through the many difficult moments. However I did not find it to be too in your face or preachy. Scripture is not on every page and it is more about the relationships than anything else. As a Christian, though, I may not be the best judge of religiosity so you'll want to check out some other reviews for more information on that front.
Overall: An exciting historical fiction that sets up relationships that I'm excited to explore over the course of the next two books.
Cover: When I looked at this picture as a thumbnail, I didn't realize the model was looking at us and I preferred it that way. I don't need to see her face and with that change, I would love this cover. As it is, I do love the font and the little flourishes on the A and S's as well as seeing the Eiffel Tower, which is referenced.
While I didn't fall in love with Bergren's River of Time trilogy like many other bloggers, I still enjoyed most of the story and eagerly added this book to my tbr-list when I heard about it. I am so very glad I did as I loved this book! Why did this book work so well for me? Well three main things would be:
1. I found the first couple of chapters both bewildering and incredibly emotionally powerful. Bewildering as it was set in rural Montana (well really is there any other kind?), which seemed very much at odds with the elegant Parisian cover. How does poor teacher Cora with parents who mortgaged their farm to send her to teacher college end up in Paris? But intense because Cora is arriving home only to discover that her father has suffered a stroke. The family bonding and the hope felt by them as he bravely fought grabbed me by the throat.
2. While this book does spend time in Montana, the majority of it (and the rest of the series) is in Europe following seven young people including Cora on a Grand Tour. How cool is that? I've read books with that mentioned but I've never read any specifically focused on it. This book has a brief stop in London followed by a longer time in France with future adventures in Italy to come.
3. I did share this in a goodreads status update if you happened to catch it: there's a guy named Will! That's kind of a small reason but I immediately decided that I liked him, which was further confirmed by the fact that he is just a good guy.
I'm not exactly sure how much else to reveal as the goodreads summary reveals what I would consider to be a major spoiler right in the first sentence. Suffice it to say that Cora is a strong young lady facing tremendous challenges as she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. She is definitely the main focus with most of the supporting characters needing a bit more color to fully come alive.
One of the things I didn't really like was the narrative style with Cora narrating the majority of the book in first-person but with her father and Will narrating some chapters in third-person. I found it very jarring although I did appreciate their outside perspectives on Cora and their pride in her for the way she holds up to outside scrutiny and judgment. I also felt like some of it was repetitive with Cora deciding to bravely keep her head high, then wilting under examination, and then doing it all over again. On the one hand, I completely understand this; I try to follow Christ's example, I fail, I repeat until I hopefully eventually succeed. But on the other hand, it can be a bit boring to read about. Luckily the strong foundation of the beginning carried me through such moments.
Compared to the River of Time trilogy, I did find this book to be more overtly Christian with Cora constantly leaning on her faith in God to get her through the many difficult moments. However I did not find it to be too in your face or preachy. Scripture is not on every page and it is more about the relationships than anything else. As a Christian, though, I may not be the best judge of religiosity so you'll want to check out some other reviews for more information on that front.
Overall: An exciting historical fiction that sets up relationships that I'm excited to explore over the course of the next two books.
Cover: When I looked at this picture as a thumbnail, I didn't realize the model was looking at us and I preferred it that way. I don't need to see her face and with that change, I would love this cover. As it is, I do love the font and the little flourishes on the A and S's as well as seeing the Eiffel Tower, which is referenced.
I picked this book to read because it was about traveling Europe.
It turned out to be very cliche, poorly written, and full of imaginative, let's-see-how-many-random-things-we-can-put-in-one-story adventures. Pretty contrived.
It turned out to be very cliche, poorly written, and full of imaginative, let's-see-how-many-random-things-we-can-put-in-one-story adventures. Pretty contrived.
Copper barons, small town Montana, family secrets and adventure. Facing the loss of the family farm and the possible death of the man she always believe to be her father, Cora has no idea what is in store for her when her biological father shows up at her home. Whisked into a new life of luxury, Cora also meets her half-siblings and they are not all welcoming to her. As her Grand Tour progresses, Cora discovers new people and new places, but more importantly, she discovers her inner strengths and faith in God.
I don't love first person, but I liked Cora and seeing her story unfold. I loved Will and Pierre and I hope that Vivian redeems herself in later novels. I love the European setting and reading about places I've been, even if it was in a different era. This was a delightful book and one I was reluctant to put down.
First in the Grand Tour series, I'm glad there are sequels, but I hate having to wait for them.
I don't love first person, but I liked Cora and seeing her story unfold. I loved Will and Pierre and I hope that Vivian redeems herself in later novels. I love the European setting and reading about places I've been, even if it was in a different era. This was a delightful book and one I was reluctant to put down.
First in the Grand Tour series, I'm glad there are sequels, but I hate having to wait for them.
I enjoyed reading this & plan to read the others in the series. It's a fun, light read.
This story was a wonderful blend of the end of the wild west and the meaning of nouveau riche as they joined forces with the women's movement. When Cora's biological father showed up and offered her the chance to join the grand tour, she turned him down. Circumstances made her change her mind, but she can't fall for the first boy she meets especially since he is her tour guide.
When Cora Diehl comes home from Teacher College, she find her father in the barn semiconscious and her mother weeping over him. Her father suffered a stroke but he recovered. To save the cropes, Cora sell her necklace from a secret benefactor and she buys seeds.
After a time her father suffer another stroke and this time he needs medical care.When Senator Wallace Kensington arrives , he offers to help her father. Cora discovers that she is Kensington illegitimate daughter. He invites Cora into a Grand Tour in Europe to meet her half brother and sisters.
During the Grand Tour , Cora finds a great friend into the young guide Will, she tries to get along well with her sisters ,Vivian and Lil and her brother Felix and also with the family friends, the Morgans . She struggles to be accepted and also to find her identity. I love how the author describe the places, the fellings of Cora’s and also the friendship between Cora and Will. Will love her very much but Cora is not sure of her fellings for him.
Cora encounters adventures, new places but also danger . In France she meet an aristrocat man , Pierre de Richelieu, and she spends beautiful days with him. I love this book , it was like a journey to new places, a journey of heart, a journey of faith. The main character Cora is a independent girl, bold and very strong, different from other girls.
This book was very good I am waiting for the next volume in the series to be realeased. This novel is a five stars novel.
After a time her father suffer another stroke and this time he needs medical care.When Senator Wallace Kensington arrives , he offers to help her father. Cora discovers that she is Kensington illegitimate daughter. He invites Cora into a Grand Tour in Europe to meet her half brother and sisters.
During the Grand Tour , Cora finds a great friend into the young guide Will, she tries to get along well with her sisters ,Vivian and Lil and her brother Felix and also with the family friends, the Morgans . She struggles to be accepted and also to find her identity. I love how the author describe the places, the fellings of Cora’s and also the friendship between Cora and Will. Will love her very much but Cora is not sure of her fellings for him.
Cora encounters adventures, new places but also danger . In France she meet an aristrocat man , Pierre de Richelieu, and she spends beautiful days with him. I love this book , it was like a journey to new places, a journey of heart, a journey of faith. The main character Cora is a independent girl, bold and very strong, different from other girls.
This book was very good I am waiting for the next volume in the series to be realeased. This novel is a five stars novel.
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character