To tell the truth, I honestly have no idea when we first read Cloaked in Secrets by Chautona Havig … It seems so long ago, but I know it wasn’t more than a year ago. I do know that the minute it entered the house, my sisters were begging for me to read it and weren’t very excited when I told them they had to wait until I finished another book first! So this review is shamefully overdue and here it is at last…

Chautona Havig is a contemporary author, living in California. She is married and the mother of nine children and grandmother of two. Cloaked in Secrets is one of her seven published books. Others include, Shadows and Secrets and Princess Paisley (review, hopefully coming soon!). To learn more about Mrs. Havig and her books, visit her website.

Cloaked in Secrets was published on 2010. The book contains 30 chapters and is 298 pages in length. It also includes a beautiful map of the location in the tale. Cloaked in Secrets is the second in the Wynnewood series. The third book, Beneath the Cloak is planned for publication sometime this year.

Cloaked in Secrets continues the story of Phillip, Dove and their companions from Shadows and Secrets. Lord Morgan has always dreamed of owning one of the legendary unicorns, so Phillip and Dove start on a quest to surprise him by finding one. But when attempts to capture the timid creature find Dove and Phillip fighting for their lives, will the search prove worthwhile in the end?

I think my favorite character in this series so far, is Phillip. His constant attempts to quell his pride and to witness to Dove are inspiring.

I read this book aloud to my sisters and we all enjoyed it. My sisters were always begging me to continue reading and never wanted me to stop. The story is riveting and suspenseful, leaving the reader (or listeners!) anxious for the next in the series.

To the KING be all the glory!

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After reading “Self-Raised” (LORD willing, review coming soon!) I had the pleasure of reading “Ned: Barnardo Boy” by Barbara Coyle, to my sisters. (If any of you are wondering, Joshua still listens to almost everything that I read but he still doesn’t pay any attention…)

Barbara Coyle is a contemporary, American author, living as a missionary in Ireland. She is married and homeschools her children, she previously taught writing, English and literature at the Master’s College and California State University Northridge.

“Ned: Barnardo Boy” was published in 2007. It is 159 pages contained in 20 chapters and a epilogue. The back of the book also includes a list of Historical Notes.

Ned is a London street arab and “nobody’s child”. At the tender age of less than 10, few people care anything about him and he struggles to keep himself. When Ned nearly finds himself in trouble, a gentleman befriends him and takes him to the “Barnardo Boy’s Home”. Once there, Ned finds security and peace as he discovers people who care about him and the forgiveness of Christ. Part of this security is broken when Ned is chosen to be one of many boys, sent to new homes in Canada. Will he be accepted or rejected? Will his new “family” love him? And can he trust in the Lord, even though it seems like every earthly thing that he has come to rely upon, is slowly deserting him?

My sisters and I enjoyed this book immensely! (When my sisters offer to do up the dishes on cooking day, without my help so I can read to them while they do it, you know that they are enjoying the book!) Mrs. Coyle captured the feeling of 19th century lower-class London very well, giving the perfect background for her tale. My favorite character was probably Dick. Though more of a side character, he was always so cheerful and friendly, always ready with a bit of advice for Ned. I enjoyed reading his lines with a rather cockney English accent too. :D

I would highly recommend this book.

To the KING be all the glory!

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Continuing along on our quest for good American literature, I read to my sisters and my Mom “The Hidden Hand” by E.D.E.N. Southworth. Honestly, I finished this about – well – eight months ago or more? Sometime in the summer of last year I think… Before August… no wait! It was before June… I must have finished it in May? Perhaps March? So more than a year ago… I just haven’t reviewed it until now – odd, come to think of it…

Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth was born on the 26^th of December in the year 1819. She was married in the year 1840 to a man by the name of Frederick Southworth. This man, however, deserted her and her children four years later. Mrs. Southworth began writing to support herself and her children. In her lifetime, she penned more than 60 novels, including “Ishmael” and “Self-Raised”. She died on the 30^th of June, 1899.

“The Hidden Hand” was originally published in serial form in 1859, appearing in the “New York Ledger”. It wasn’t until 1888 that it was published in novel form. The book I read was published in 2007 by Lamplighter Publishing. The book is 61 chapters in length, extending over 464 pages.

“The Hidden Hand” is a tale of adventure, excitement, love, hatred, revenge and redemption. Old Hurricane is gruff and quick to display his temper but truly kindhearted beneath his rough exterior. It was this kind heart that leads him to adopt a little street waif, Capitola by name and brings her up as his own. In another town a young man named Traverse is taken under the wing of a doctor, who ultimately gives Traverse his blessing to marry his daughter after his death. Meanwhile the resident villain finds out that young Clara, Traverse’s fiancé, is wealthy and if he can keep her in his guardianship, he can keep her money in his hands. However, Clara is true to her fiancé and will not break her engagement, so Gabriel Le Noir must find some way of destroying young Traverse, while assisting his equally evil son in the destruction of Captitola…

I did enjoy this book, though not as heartily as some others, still a great deal. Clara Day is probably my favorite character. She is so sweet and gentle, patient and kind, that you simply love her for her forbearance alone.

Warning: This book does contain a questionable element, where a woman claims to read a young lady’s palm and tell her future. The young lady laughs in her face, claiming she’s just a crazy woman but the woman’s claims aren’t wholly refuted.

I would recommend this book, but only to mature readers. I did read it to my sisters but only on a slightly edited basis…

To the KING be all the glory!

Recently, after finally finishing Ishmael and Self Raised (it seemed to take us a very long time to get through them no matter how much we enjoyed them) we read “Shadows and Secrets” by Chautona Havig.

Chautona Havig is a contemporary author, living in California. She is married and the mother of nine children and grandmother of two. “Shadows and Secrets” is her third published work. Others include, “Noble Pursuits” and “Argosy Junction”.

“Shadows and Secrets” was published on 2009. This book contains 23 chapters or sections and is 246 pages in length. It also includes a map and a glossary of words.

“Shadows and Secrets” opens in a little village located in England during the thirteenth century. Phillip, an under-educated fletcher’s apprentice, accidentally endangers his life and is saved by the young “Ge-sceaft” or “creature” who is the terror of the village. The “creature” turns out to simply be a cloaked little girl, whom Phillip calls Dove. Dove has few friends and is feared by nearly everyone for reasons that Phillip cannot entirely understand. Always entirely covered by a cloak so that you can’t see so much as her face or her hands, Dove is a mystery but also a close friend to the young apprentice. When the two overhear a plot to injure Lord Morgan’s daughter, can they warn the Earl in time to prevent mischief? And is it possible that there is more danger beneath the surface?

I read this book aloud to my sisters and each of us enjoyed very much. It was intriguing, suspenseful and entertaining. I would definitely recommend this book.

We also carry this book in the Books for Pleasure and Learning category of our Amazon aStore, which you can visit here!

To the KING be all the glory!