The Vine Witch by Luanne G Smith

 

The Vine Witch 

By

Luanne G Smith

On Friday 6/24/2022  I was down in the dumps about the current events of the day.  I spent the afternoon in the flower gardens and that helped.  But I was still moping around.  I had seen the demise of Roe vs Wade coming since 11/2016,  but still was sad when it happened.  Normally I read either historical novels or non fiction.  The books I choose are often pretty heady.  But I decided, because of my mood,  a fluff book was in order.  I had a copy of The Vine Witch on my kindle.  I had obtained it free from Amazon.   It look like the perfect escape book so I began reading it.  The book fit my need perfectly!  It is a fairy tale in adult length and an easy read.  I lost myself in it for three days and was glad for a trip into fantasy.  It is a story about a witch who uses magic to care for wine vineyards in 19th Century France.  It is a love story and a bit of a mystery.  If you need to escape a bit I highly recommend this book!  Please click on the book title and author's name above and enjoy the video that follows. 

Waverley by Sir Walter Scott

 

Waverley 

by

Sir Walter Scott

Last month as I started my vacation to Scotland, I downloaded an audio book that was a classic Scottish novel named Waverley by Sir Walter Scott.  I didn't get much of it listened to while I was gone but I have been enjoying it since I have arrived back home.  It is a long audio book lasting longer than 17 hours.  The first one fourth to one third of the book drags and it was hard to keep going.  There is much detail back ground work being laid in the beginning of the book.  But the last three quarters of the book is delightful.  I was sorry to have it end.  The story will stay with. me a long time.  It was written in the early 1800s so has some complicated language and some old fashioned ideas.  For example,  the woman who is explained to be the best candidate for a bride is not the  woman who was not only beautiful but also intelligent.  Instead it was  the one who although pretty enough,  wasn't very bright but was good hearted.   Over all though it was a very good book and one of the first historical novels ever written.  Sir Walter Scott did a great job writing it and it deserves its status of a classic.  The main character of the book is named Waverley and is a British soldier who is sent to Scotland.  He falls in love with a Scottish girl and defects to the Jacobite cause.  He has a lot of adventures but most everyone has a happy ending as Waverly is pardoned and marries the love of his life.  Unfortunately the man who becomes Waverley's best friend in Scotland is executed and this friend's  beautiful and bright sister ends up in a convent in France.  Be sure to click on the book title and author's name above to follow links to more information and enjoy the video that follows.