Scan barcode
betherin02's review against another edition
4.0
Full review on Faithfully Bookish http://wp.me/p7ngfE-Bn + giveaways through March 6, 2017
Anglophiles and especially fans of Downton Abbey are sure to enjoy Shine Like the Dawn but this novel’s appeal isn’t restricted to its delightful and charming setting. The storyline is an engaging combination of tragedy, mystery, and turmoil sprinkled with sweet recollections of childhood and a budding attraction.
Carrie Turansky brings these authentic characters to life and immerses readers in the culture of Edwardian England’s villages and estates. A message of hope and faith shines through in this entertaining story.
I requested the opportunity to read and review this book through Celebrate Lit tours. The opinions expressed are my own.
Anglophiles and especially fans of Downton Abbey are sure to enjoy Shine Like the Dawn but this novel’s appeal isn’t restricted to its delightful and charming setting. The storyline is an engaging combination of tragedy, mystery, and turmoil sprinkled with sweet recollections of childhood and a budding attraction.
Carrie Turansky brings these authentic characters to life and immerses readers in the culture of Edwardian England’s villages and estates. A message of hope and faith shines through in this entertaining story.
I requested the opportunity to read and review this book through Celebrate Lit tours. The opinions expressed are my own.
michellef's review against another edition
5.0
`Shine like the Dawn` is a historical fiction novel written by author Carrie Turansky. I am reading and reviewing an uncorrected proof of the novel. The novel is due to be published February 21,2017, Carrie Turansky is an award-winning author of more than a dozen novels and novellas.
The year is 1903, four years after the death of Maggie's mom, dad, and older sister. Maggie thinks it was a set-up and she is planning to find out who-did-it. Maggie and her sister, Violet, stay at their grandmother's house until Nate moves the family into his estate.
The setting of the estate is beautiful gardens, two large lakes, several carriage drives, and myriad stone paths. Birds called from tall evergreens and the sound of rushing water could be heard coming from a nearby stream.
This novel is a must-read for fans of historical fiction with a bit of mystery and suspense.
Disclaimer: "I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own."
The year is 1903, four years after the death of Maggie's mom, dad, and older sister. Maggie thinks it was a set-up and she is planning to find out who-did-it. Maggie and her sister, Violet, stay at their grandmother's house until Nate moves the family into his estate.
The setting of the estate is beautiful gardens, two large lakes, several carriage drives, and myriad stone paths. Birds called from tall evergreens and the sound of rushing water could be heard coming from a nearby stream.
This novel is a must-read for fans of historical fiction with a bit of mystery and suspense.
Disclaimer: "I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own."
annag77's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars. I feel bad for rating this book low as I really enjoyed the other books that I have read by Turansky. However, I did not particularly like or relate to the main character, Maggie, and it was a little frustrating reading from her POV. She seemed a bit self absorbed, and was quick to whine, judge, or blame everyone else for things throughout most of the story. She didn’t seem particularly kind or have qualities that would make me understand why the H was attracted to her. I liked Nate, who was sweet, but it seemed like he often let others walk all over him. Grandma was a great character though!
melissasbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the audiobook version of this latest Carrie Turansky novel. The narrator really brought each character to life. The setting, mystery, and romance were really good. I sometimes got upset with Maggie and her stubbornness, but liked her character as the story went on.
ela_35's review against another edition
2.0
I liked this book, it was light and I liked the plot.
I liked that there were things that happened in this book and that the characters had to sort things out. For example, I liked how Maggie and Nate talked to each other as they begun to trust each other. I really liked how it wasn’t like in most books where there is an instant connection but that the characters actually had to talk to each other to build a relationship.
The only thing I didn’t like was the blindness in this book. The constant ‘we’ve just lost everything but it will all be fine because God is with us’. It wasn’t as in-your-face as I thought it would be, which I appreciated. But I didn’t like the instant forgiveness and the attitude of ‘don’t do anything, fairness will come on its own’.
This book surprised me in a good way and I might read more books by this author.
I liked that there were things that happened in this book and that the characters had to sort things out. For example, I liked how Maggie and Nate talked to each other as they begun to trust each other. I really liked how it wasn’t like in most books where there is an instant connection but that the characters actually had to talk to each other to build a relationship.
The only thing I didn’t like was the blindness in this book. The constant ‘we’ve just lost everything but it will all be fine because God is with us’. It wasn’t as in-your-face as I thought it would be, which I appreciated. But I didn’t like the instant forgiveness and the attitude of ‘don’t do anything, fairness will come on its own’.
This book surprised me in a good way and I might read more books by this author.
nataliesboooks's review against another edition
4.0
Part historical fiction, Part mystery, Part romance...this novel has it all! This was my first Carrie Turansky novel and I enjoyed it a lot.
Maggie was a great character. She's smart and independent and determined to find the truth about the death of her parents. I enjoyed Nate a lot too as he tried to adjust to the role of patriarch. Little Violet was cute.
Overall an enjoyable historical novel that was pretty well written. I will have to check out some other books by this author.
Maggie was a great character. She's smart and independent and determined to find the truth about the death of her parents. I enjoyed Nate a lot too as he tried to adjust to the role of patriarch. Little Violet was cute.
Overall an enjoyable historical novel that was pretty well written. I will have to check out some other books by this author.
longtimereader's review against another edition
4.0
Starting with an accident that didn't make sense, and really frustrated me, Maggie finds herself and her youngest sister the sole survivors. Without anywhere else to live, they live with their Grandmother in a millenary shop. (That is a hat shop for those who aren't use to that term.) Maggie and her Grandmother make hats for the wealthy ladies who are having their daughters out on season, to find husbands. It's a living, although it's often a tight one. Customers can be very fickle and compation stiff. They are getting by, but that is about all.
Before the accident, Nate was the guy of Maggie's dreams. Then he vanished. Now he is back, and Maggie is dealing with a flood of emotions. Nate's father did some things that seem to be very underhanded to Maggie and her anger is overflowing. Nate is just hurt, and confused, because some puzzle pieces are missing. All he did was come home, a war hero, but he is home to deal with his father's impending death.
Why will Maggie not forgive him and what happened that he doesn't know about? Why is Maggie's family dead? It doesn't add up, and she was there, for the most part. Their deaths, and the death of her middle sister, is against all logic, but don't give up! Keep reading. The road to solving what happened to Maggie's family is going to draw her and Nate together, and closer to God, or tear them apart even more than they were before.
I enjoyed the nice selection of both the upper and "lower" classes in this book. I was rooting for Nate, and felt badly for Maggie. Her emotions, though incorrect, were easy to understand under her circumstances. Trust, faith, forgiveness, allowing God to work in ways you don't get at first, romance, grief, healing, all these topics and then some are in this one book. I enjoyed it. It's a good read for escaping to another story set in a time that is no longer our own, and yet still reaches into emotions and complicates that are present day.
Shine Like the Dawn does mange to shine, and I would recommend it as a good clean read for anyone who likes period stories, or appreciates descriptive settings, and good mystery plots.
My copy came from Celebrate Lit. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review was left of my own free volition.
kaitlin_dunford's review against another edition
2.0
It had a few sweet moments, but overall I found it lacking.