"Why, mother!" cried Rebecca, clasping her knees with her hands; "why, mother, it's enough joy just to be here in the world on a day like this; to have the chance of seeing, feeling, doing, becoming! When you were seventeen, mother, wasn't it good just to be alive?"

 

Rebecca's mother has recently been severely disabled, and they have just learned of Rebecca's aunt's death; Rebecca's nursing of both women has forced her to give up her teaching career. This, in a nutshell, is my trouble with these positive, precocious pixie-girl stories, like this one and "Anne of Green Gables". Rebecca's optimism can be just completely tone-deaf, and in real life would be very difficult to live with - just as difficult as the stereotypical (but somehow more believable) unrelenting grumpiness and judgmentalism of Aunt Miranda.

 

The parallels between "Rebecca" and "Anne" struck me as I was reading, but not so very much as to make me inclined to accuse L.M. Montgomery of any sort of theft (a bit of borrowing, maybe, or flattering imitation). What Rebecca has, and Anne does not, is a relationship with a much older man which, though not sexual, is clearly intended on his part to become so eventually, and solidified from his side by multiple interventions on her behalf using his greatly superior wealth. From the vantage point of 2019, it's uncomfortable to say the least, though the author makes a decided point of having Adam take himself away at the end, saying "not ready".

 

All that notwithstanding, and just because, due to my advanced age, I was able to completely dismiss Rebecca as the role model she was doubtless intended to be, I enjoyed this novel a fair bit. There's quite a lot of funny incident, and despite my complaint above, I found the depiction of the workings of a girl's/young woman's mind to have some fairly realistic moments. And it's also pleasant to read a story of someone whom everyone loves (yes, even grim Aunt Miranda) and for whom everyone tries to make the world better. It's a good counterpart to the dark background of bitter and grinding economic insecurity in which Rebecca moves. The unbridled devotion of best friends and wagon-drivers, gently told, is worth a hundred positive-thinking speeches of the sort I quoted above.

 

What a charming, funny and beautiful read, a simple back to basics story , beautiful prose and a feel good read that suprised me and left me with a lovely warm feeling on completing this novel. My 13 years old self would have loved this Novel.

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm is a classic American 1903 children's novel by Kate Douglas Wiggin that tells the story of Rebecca Rowena Randall and her Aunts Miranda and Jane Sawyer one stern and one kind, in the fictional village of Riverboro, Maine. Rebecca's joy for life inspires her aunts, but she faces many challenges in her young life.

I listened to this one on Audible and I really believe a narrator can make or break a good book and Lorna Raver does a superb job on this narration and brings out the best in this story. I just loved her different voices for the characters and she brought this book to life.

I think if you are going to read a story like this you need to take yourself back in time and immerse yourself in the story as these sort of books are written when life was slower and more straight forward. I loved the character of Rebecca, Mr and Mrs Cobb and even Miranda and Jane. I laughted out loud so many times and felt sorrow for Rebecca every time she got herself into a mess.

Having read Ann of Green Gables I felt this one was quite similar although I enjoyed this one more. I was suprised to learn that Ann of Green Gables was written 5 years after Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.

Wolf Tales 12 concludes the erotic journey of the Chanku. In this final installment, the Chanku must all gather together in Montana after they have been exposed.

If you like the other books in the series, then you’ll love this story. It brings back some known characters and the story contains plenty of hot scenes while still maintaining a decent storyline. I recommend.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

 

 

Stolen from her mother when she was still a tiny cub, the snow leopard Asha has spent her entire life in captivity, being traded from one owner to another through an illegal trafficking ring. But Asha also feels trapped in a much more profound way: as a Chanku with no access to the Tibetan grasses that would allow her to shift, she’s confined to her animal form, yearning for a part of herself she’s forever unable to reach. Until a merciful savior sets her free . . . and Leo Cheval comes into her life.

When word of Asha’s rescue from the animal trafficking ring reaches the Chanku, Leo is sent in to help her recover and bring her into the pack. As a leopard shifter himself, he’s uniquely qualified to connect with her and assess her trauma. What he never anticipated was the overwhelming chemistry their meeting would spark and the deep sensual need she would stir in him.

But even as Leo’s touch guides her body to feelings she never imagined, his deeply ingrained controlling streak threatens to crush the very desire he has awakened. And as their passion grows and a deep bond forms between them, Leo and Asha realize that only by submitting to her can he save them both. 

 

 

 

I just had a very exciting visit with the Chanku! The visit was full of exhilarating suspense, scorching hot passion and sweet romance – a great combination for ever reader.

 

In Dark Captive, I got to visit and enjoy some wonderful intimate moments with all my favorite Chanku and I also got to meet some new members and enjoy some sexy times with them as well. All the Chanku are strong, charismatic characters that easily draw readers in and they always ensure that readers indulge in some blazing hot passion while they easily connect with their readers and of course invite them to visit that intriguing, thrilling and passionate world. I have to warn you though that there was a few times in this visit that I had a hard time suppressing my tears for our new members situation and I also had to suppress my anger at the bad guys because this story certainly caused both emotions as well as causing desire to blossom so hot that I felt the need to fan myself quite often. The story is fast paced with has excitement and suspense building throughout as Leo introduces Asha to her new world as well rescuing others.

 

The Chanku world just continues to grow and become more exciting with every installment and Kate Douglas brings every page of it to exciting and vivid like with well written words that make it easy for readers to become caught up in the lives of the fascinating Chanku. In my case, I have to tell you that not only do I love each and every one of the sexy, charismatic characters but I totally enjoy every visit and I was completely enthralled with Dark Captive and I can’t wait for my next visit to the Spirit Wild world.

 

 

Dark Captive is the 6^th book in the Spirit Wild series which includes:

• Dark Wolf
• Dark Spirit
• Dark Moon
• Dark Refuge
• Dark Terror
• Dark Captive

 

The Spirit Wild series picks up where the Wolf Tales series ends.

 

Dark Captive is available in print & ebook at:

Amazon   B&N   GPlay   Kobo  

 

 

 

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