1. All Things New
    Lynn Austin
    Bethany House / 2012 / Trade Paperback
    Our Price$16.99 Retail Price$20.00 Save 15% ($3.01)
    4.5 out of 5 stars for All Things New. View reviews of this product. 31 Reviews
    Availability: Due in Shortly. Expected to ship on or about 04/10/24.
    Stock No: WW208970
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Displaying items 6-10 of 31
  1. Its About Time Mamaw
    Cleveland, Texas
    Age: 55-65
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    All Things New
    January 5, 2013
    Its About Time Mamaw
    Cleveland, Texas
    Age: 55-65
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    The Civil War has ended and now Josephine, her mother and younger sister are ready to go home to White Oak Plantation after a long stay with her Aunt. She is not even sure what condition the plantation will be in when they arrive.

    She was surprised to find a few slaves had stayed even though they had been declared free of slavery. The house was a shambles but it was still standing. It just needed some cleaning and she was sure her mother would make sure things were put in order. Josephine was shocked by her mother's attitude that she was going to make everything the same as it was before the war. As far as Josephine was concerned nothing would every be the same again.

    With the one male ex-slave whom now is to be called a servant there was no way to get the fields planted with cotton. His wife, two young sons and daughter were taking care of the cooking, cleaning and the other chores that Mrs. Weatherly expected to be done daily. Yet there still was not enough hands or time in a day to get everything done according to Mrs. Weatherly's liking. Mrs. Weatherly seemed to treat the servants as if they were still slaves. Josephine tried to help with some of the gardening and chores but it just angered her mother. So Josephine took to doing the chores around the time her mother was napping.

    Then things really got out of sorts when Josephine's brother, Daniel came home from the war. It was hoped that he would be able to take over running the plantation. But he was never trained for that position. He had not excepted the fact that the war was over.

    Why is it that some people are so focused on the past that they can't seem to go forward? Most wanted to blame God for the war and loss of loved ones. When they lost the war they also lost their faith in God.

    The story brought out how wealthy women in the South were so sheltered they had no skills other than how to catch a husband and keeping the servants in line. They had no idea how the clean clothes appeared or the silver polished, etc.

    The author wrote of their lack of money, food, clothing, shoes especially trust and they were too proud to ask for help from their new government.

    In this book you will see the Post Civil War through the lives of ex-Slaves, southern land owner and Union soldiers.

    It was a hard book to put down. I want to say so much more about this book but then you wouldn't have to read it. I really want you to read this book.

    Disclosure

    I received a free copy of this book from Baker/Bethany House Publishing for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. It is my own opinion.
  2. Jamie
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Another winner by Austin
    November 26, 2012
    Jamie
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    (I received a free copy from Bethany House Publishers to review)

    I wonder if Lynn Austin can write anything that's bad. Seriously, because I don't think it's possible. With All Things New, Austin once again writes an engaging and compelling story about the aftermath of the Civil War in the South.

    Austin's development of the characters is rich, as each struggles with change suddenly thrust upon in the aftermath and realities of the South losing the war. Not only dealing with the physical loss and pain, but the emotional sides. I really liked the three main characters/voices in the book (Josephine, a young lady, Eugenia, her mother & a widow and Lizzie, a freed slave).

    Austin does a fine job of portraying those who let bitterness ruin them, those who moved past the pain, those who struggled to make sense of everything and those who decided to look toward the future and not dwell on the past.

    While there was also a sweet romantic story, I loved that that wasn't the sole focus. The women in the book were strong solid characters that showed what it means to have faith, love, and the power of a resilient spirit. Yet another winner by Austin!
  3. Jalyn
    Age: Under 18
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    First historical fiction book I've liked
    November 7, 2012
    Jalyn
    Age: Under 18
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    I'm not a big fan of historical fiction. I picked up this book because I thought it was about something else entirely. (Not quite sure where I got the idea, but I thought it was about a girl who entered a motorcar race.) So I was a little surprised, and not in a good way, when I found out it was not what I thought it was.

    But I decided to give it a hundred pages anyway. And am I ever glad I did!

    I'd just finished a unit on the Civil War in history class. But my history book had nothing on this. My history book told me about how cruel people were to the newly freed blacks — this book showed me the former slaves being threatened by hateful whites. My history book told me how hard reconstruction was for the south — this book showed me the way Eugenia and Daniel nearly destroyed White Oak by refusing to let go of old beliefs.

    This book gave me a new respect for historical fiction. History has nothing on this.

    Josephine came across, even in the beginning, as a strong-willed girl with the courage to defy her upbringing and do what needs to be done (even if her mother doesn't think she should be doing it). I enjoyed how willing she was to pitch in and help with the dishes or in the garden. And I liked watching her fall in love and find her faith.

    Eugenia drove me insane — at least in the beginning. I wanted to slap her and say, "Wake up and smell the gunpowder, honey! Your life is never going to be what it was before!" But she was so determined that everything was going to be exactly the same and she was going back to her life of privilege where slaves did all the work. For the first half of the book, I thought she was the bad guy. And then, it turns out she was capable of change.

    Lizzie, the only former slave who stuck around, was also a very prominent character. She was the one who really drove home for me just how badly slaves — and former slaves — were treated. She was, what, thirty? And she'd been through so much. I just can't imagine living in constant fear that the white people would sell her family away, or beat her, or do something else horrible. It was just...I always knew abolishing slavery was a good thing, but I didn't realize just how good it was for the slaves.

    The plot is basically these three women trying to put their lives back together after the war. I liked the three different perspectives — the slave who barely dares to dream that she's really free, the former mistress of the house who wants nothing more than for things to go back to the way they were, and the former privileged white girl who accepts the changes. They butted heads sometimes, but they all started reconstructing their lives. There were bleak parts, but there was also hope.

    I was completely astonished by how much I liked this book. I won't be so quick to discount historical fiction in the future.

    *I received a free review copy of All Things New from Bethany House publishers. Their generosity did not influence, or seek to influence, this review.*
  4. Christianfictionaddiction
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    A new favorite for me!
    October 14, 2012
    Christianfictionaddiction
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    "All Things New" has easily become one of my favorite books by Lynn Austin - and for an author who has won no less than seven Christy Awards, that is saying a lot! The book was so good I read it from start to finish in one day, finding it difficult to tear myself away from the moving and emotional story of Josephine, Lizzie and Eugenia. Austin effortlessly weaves their stories together into a well-thought out and entertaining plot that is filled with top-notch drama, excellent historical detail, and a soul-stirring look at faith and suffering. Josephine was the character I admired the most, as she struggled through her beliefs about God and emerged stronger for it, not only in her faith but also as a person and as a woman who was no longer content to let others define her life. Austin writes with her usual skill, and I found myself fully immersed in this powerful story such that I was sad to see it end.

    Here is a book that is worth reading more than once, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that a sequel is in the works! I highly recommend All Things New, and urge you to get a copy for yourself. 5 out of 5 stars.

    Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
  5. pianolady
    Washington
    Age: Over 65
    Gender: Female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Good characters, as always.
    June 18, 2013
    pianolady
    Washington
    Age: Over 65
    Gender: Female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    As usual, I liked the characters. Civil War era also one of my favorites. Although this was not quite as deep as this author usually goes with suspense, her writing is a great read. I look forward to her next book.
Displaying items 6-10 of 31