Book Review: Six Weeks by the Sea, by Paula Byrne

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

Mr. Rose carried a goldfish in a pail. It was a sultry Sunday morning, but he was wrapped in a light wool comforter. His troublesome cough had worsened, despite the sea air and the ministrations of his physician, yet the fatigue he had laboured under when he arrived in Devonshire had dissipated. He felt renewed, invigorated and full of purpose.

That morning he had written again to Mr. Hayley, recounting the secret that the Reverend Swete had imparted to him at the midweek ball, his tongue loosened by several bowls of punch: the true identity of the girl on the beach. The child’s very existence was the strongest proof of all that they had fought for and canvassed. Their beloved poet had not lived to see the fruits of his labours, but Hayley’s Life and Posthumous Writings of William Cowper Esq. would make amends and seal William’s name among the great abolitionists, helped in small part by the addition of Mr. Rose’s own reminiscences and cache of letters from dear Cowper. All in good time, he said to himself.

This imagined summer holiday gives Jane Austen the love she tells so beautifully for the world.

Official synopsis:

When Jane Austen hears the news that her family is to leave their beloved country home for the city of Bath, she faints with surprise and horror. But there is one compensation: the promise of a six-week holiday by the sea while their new lodgings are being prepared. She relishes the bracing air and beautiful surroundings, takes pleasure in sea bathing, and shares laughter with her sister Cassandra and best friend Martha Lloyd.

To her joy, brother Frank arrives, fresh from naval exploits in the war against Napoleon. His friend Captain Parker seems to be making a play for Jane’s affections, but her sharp emotional intelligence tells her that something is not quite right. Meanwhile, she assists the eccentric Reverend Swete in finding a home for his bi-racial granddaughter who has arrived from the West Indies.

Jane initially takes against another visitor to the seaside resort of Sidmouth, the lawyer Samuel Rose, but as she gets to know him, a wholly different feeling begins to blossom. . . .

This was a truly delightful novel of what Jane Austen’s six weeks while moving from her family’s country home to Bath may have been. Her parents are hoping to marry their daughters into loving relationships, hopefully while elevating their station financially.

Happiness is what matters to Jane and her sister, whose previous fiancé died. While Jane knows the solicitor looks like a better match for success, she feels more attraction initially to another man in the community. But there is more to be learned about everyone, and none of them expects their story to end by the sea.

The story was relaxing and meandering between different members of Jane’s family and her brother’s friends and contacts. The book earned 3 out of 5 stars, but would be a more compelling read for those who are already fans of Jane Austen and want to learn more about what could be imagined for the missing chapters of her life. 

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Becki Bayley is a wife and mother who enjoys fresh air, feeling the sun on her skin, and reading books just for fun sometimes. Check out her adventures with her family on her Instagram, where she posts as SweetlyBSquared.

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Book Review: Sycorax, by Nydia Hetherington

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

My father was of the Sun, and my mother of the Moon, I said, gulping at the air.

Dripping in sweat, I wiped my face and wrapped the muslin over my eyes, as I’d done so many times before. Then, taking a deep breath, letting agony run through me in a silent cry, I concentrated on the sound of my mother’s bells, tinkling around my angle, and stumbled on. Forwards again. Step by step. Forwards. Breathing. Living. Moving.

The crow, patient with my slow advance, flew in circles, soaring above the path it knew so well, now lost within the storm’s debris. As we reached the lane to the market, it alighted on the branch of an upturned tree, before settling gently on my shoulder. It was a powerful act of solidarity, a message I couldn’t help but understand.

We’d enter the town together.

I wasn’t alone.

Without knowing the full story of The Tempest, Sycorax’s story of life before was still fascinating.

Official synopsis:

Born of the sun and moon, shaped by fire and malady, comes a young woman whose story has never been told...

They call her Sycorax. Seer. Sage. Sorceress.

Outcast by society and all alone in the world, Sycorax must find a way to understand her true nature. But as her powers begin to grow, so too do the suspicions of the local townspeople. For knowledge can be dangerous, and a woman's knowledge is the most dangerous of all...

With a great storm brewing on the horizon, Sycorax finds herself in increasing peril - but will her powers save her, or will they spell the end for them all? Find out in this gripping and vivid narrative exploration of one of literature's most mysterious figures.

Sometimes the retelling of one imagined lifetime feels like it lasts even longer. This book was like that. Spanning from the meeting of her parents to the fate of her son, the story of the magic woman born Raven and eventually renamed by the townsfolk to Sycorax, encompassed so many more legends, lessons, and tales than there seemed room for in one life.

The voice and descriptions contributed to a beautiful story with a full range of emotions clearly shared. This book will be readily recommended to those who enjoy period fiction, stories with amazing female characters, and of course expansion on Shakespeare classics. Sycorax earned 5 out of 5 stars.

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Becki Bayley is a wife, and mother who does her best traveling through reading, while cozy at home. Find out more about her life and reads on her blog, SweetlyBSquared.com.

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Book Review: Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found, by Rucker Moses and Theo Gangi

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

I’m sitting outside on the stoop and I can’t imagine hitting the pillow. I am wired, my heart racing like it’s got enough voltage running through it to power the county grid.

At 4:00 a.m., the street is so quiet I’d believe I’m back in the suburbs. Must be how they grow trees in Brooklyn, extra thick and gnarly and lush. The leaves swish in the breeze like they’re whispering secrets.

The one word that keeps playing in my head, from all the info my uncle just dumped on me, is sacrifice…

Because that’s what I understand now that maybe I never understood before.

Kingston didn’t think he could return to his old home with his mother and actually find his father, but forces beyond his control seem to be making him look at things a little different. 

Official synopsis:

Twelve-year-old Kingston has just moved from the suburbs back to Echo City, Brooklyn—the last place his father was seen alive. Kingston's father was King Preston, one of the world's greatest magicians. Until one trick went wrong and he disappeared. Now that Kingston is back in Echo City, he's determined to find his father.

Somehow, though, when his father disappeared, he took all of Echo City's magic with him. Now Echo City—a ghost of its past—is living up to its name. With no magic left, the magicians have packed up and left town and those who've stayed behind don't look too kindly on any who reminds them of what they once had.

When Kingston finds a magic box his father left behind as a clue, Kingston knows there's more to his father's disappearance than meets the eye. He'll have to keep it a secret—that is, until he can restore magic to Echo City. With his cousin Veronica and childhood friend Too Tall Eddie, Kingston works to solve the clues, but one wrong move and his father might not be the only one who goes missing.

At 12 years old, of course Kingston doesn’t get much of a vote in what’s going on with his life. So when his mom says they’re moving back to the city where his dad disappeared during a magic trip, but redoing the family’s old magic store to be a coffee shop, Kingston is just along for the ride. He’s a good kid, and usually does as his mom says.

But strange things happen almost right away, and Kingston is given the idea that maybe he could bring his dad back from wherever he disappeared to, and they could go back to being a happy family again. He doesn’t want to go against his mom, but magic is practically happening to him without him doing anything, so it really isn’t his fault.

The book had a plot way more intricate than expected for middle grade fantasy/fiction. The world-building was clear, which is great since it’s apparently the first in an extensive series. The story would be easily recommended to those who enjoy magical realism and fantasy that is entertaining for middle-grade or adult readers. This first book in the series earned 4 out of 5 stars.

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Becki Bayley is a mom and escape reader. She enjoys parenting and hanging out with middle grade kids, since you never know what they’ll say next. Check out some of her favorite reads and her life on her blog, SweetlyBSquared.com.

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