Angie's Quilts n Bks n Life

Well for my first real post - I'd like to talk about Carla Kelly.

I discovered Carla serendipitously at my used bookstore when I was looking for a Regency romance that I hadn't read yet.  I wanted something different, true to the period, where the characters were believeable and the plot not the usual ho-hum I was finding after reading all of the Georgette Heyer's, Sylvia Thorpe's, Sheila Walsh's, Patricia Veryan's (although many of hers are Georgian),  Joan Smith's and Joan Wolf's!  And there on the shelf was Summer Campaign.  Wow!  I was hooked. 

Ms Kelly is from North Dakota and does historical research for the ND State Historical Society.  And does she know how to research!  Her books are packed with details - not thrown in your face either - they seamlessly enter the story, color the language, set the scene and give depth to the characters she makes real for the reader.  And if you read her books, you'll learn a lot about the military history of the Regency period which covers the Naval, Army,and government of Britian during the Penisular Wars.  Each novel has a love story - one you will not likely forget - each unique and not often what you'll find in other Regency romances.  These are not bodice rippers! They are truly historical novels with a love story - which is a natural part of everday life - even in history.

For instance in the Wedding Journey  one learns quite a bit about Wellington's Marching Hospitals - not a common subject in Regencys.  Here's a brief summary from the back cover:  Captain Jesse Randall has never expressed his intense love for Nell--not even as she blossoms into glorious womanhood before his eyes. Nell's father is going to marry her to his creditor to settle his ruinous finances.  To prevent that, Jesse weds Nell to privode her with his protection for as long as she want it, but Nell has much to show her new shy, lack time for courtship, never one to speak up for himself (except when really necessary)husband about life, women-and love-even when their field hospital is intentionally left behind in enemy territory.

I have yet to find one of Ms Kelly's I would not treasure as a "keeper".  I have read The Wedding Journey three times already and would not part with it.  When I found one at the library book sale, I had to buy it!  Her books are scarce.  Let me know who wrote some of your keepers.

Hello!  and welcome to my blog!!  As you may have guessed, I love books and all things about them.  I've been a bibliophile forever - from my mother telling me stories as a toddler, learning to read in 1st grade till now in retirement - treasuring, collecting, and then sometimes  selling them to find a new reader who can enjoy or learn from them.  I didn't experience my first library until I was 11 years old.  I had thought a library was this huge collection my 2nd grade teacher had at the back of the classroom.  The 3ft by 4ft bookcase with its four shelves was crammed with books, and the highlight of my week was to pick out a book to take home for extra reading during the weekend.  I didn't think anyone had more books than that!

Then we moved to a little town (2000 residents) in Southern California in 1956.  The library was about a mile from my Grandmother's house and one summer afternoon, my mom let me go and see it.  Climbing the steps of that Carnegie building, I wondered which room had the library and who could I ask?  I pulled open the glass door and walked in.  I froze just inside the entrance.  There before me were bookshelves crammed with books from floor to roof. Actually they were only about 8 feet tall in that 14 ft ceiling room, but it seemed up to the sky to me...and that was the beginning of my love of books and libraries.

In this blog, I'd like to share my love of books and recommend some I have found to be keepers, some of interest, and some which may be of value, whether for your collection, information, education or leisure time, and that I can no longer keep in my crammed shelves.  I'd like to hear from you also once you've read my reviews of any similar works to those I post.  I'll know then what to look for at book sales, my library, even yard sales.  I pick up books wherever I can find them.