Fire by Night

Another Beatiful Installment

Fire by Night is another great installment in Lynn Austin's Refiner's Fire series. In this book we get to know Julia Hoffman the wealthy Philadephia cousin of Caroline Flecter from Candle in the Darkness. Julia is spoiled and self-centered in the summer of 1861 when she get's a reality check at the battle of Bull Run. Schocked but what she saw and the impression others have of her Julia decides to become a nurse, to the shock and dismay of her society family. In a pararell story Pheobe Bigelow disgiuses her self as a man to join the Union army when her three brothers march off to war and leaves her behind. The book if full of faith and love and I could not put this book down.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very Thought-Provoking & Engaging!

During a time in my life when I will be graduating soon from college and starting a career, this book made me think about life very deeply. Although there are two story lines interwoven throughout the book, this story is primarily about Julia, a young girl who we see change into a young woman by the end of the book. Overhearing that she is spoiled and selfish from a preacher she is enamored with, Julia sets out to give meaning to her life to prove that she is not selfish. She becomes a nurse during the Civil War and learns to do things she never dreamed of doing. After some excruciating experiences, she recognizes that all of the things she is doing are from selfish motives (to win the preacher's affection), therefore making her still a selfish person. This realization makes Julia take an even harder look at her own life and she is truly changed when she sees the value of pursuing her calling no matter the opposition--a calling that means a life poured out for others. This is a must-read for anyone. It has some surprising twists and kept me up all night reading it! It has helped change the way I view life.

Best book ever

Hands down, loved the book and the characters so much

My favorite book

This is my favorite book of all time and i have read it 6 times. It never gets old and the rest of the books in the series are all incredible as well!

Great Author

This is my first time reading Lynn Austin and she is fantastic. The characters are realistic and the story is compelling. I loved it!

Good book

Really enjoyed this book

Excellent read.

I loved this book from beginning to end. She is a wonderful writer.

What a Book!!!

I would have never guessed the ending!!! Once again Lynn Austin kept me intersted in historic details while weaving a wonderful story. Can't wait to read the next book in this series.

fabulous

great, rich characters; riveting, historical plot.

!!!

this was the absolute best book in the world!

acclaimed Christian novel

This book holds so much. one can truly be educated morality and value by reading this novel. At times i felt like breaking down to tears and other times i laughed so hard. Everyone should be able to read this book. It is formatted and written beautifully. One will be surprised on its outcome. i can tell you that i could not put this book down.. i read through the whole night.

Could not put this book down!

Out of ten I¿d have to rate this book a 15! It didn¿t take long before I was so involved in the lives of Julia Hoffman and Phoebe Bigelow that I could not put this book down. These two women couldn¿t be more different. Julia is from a well-to-do Philadelphia family and Phoebe, well to use the author¿s words, ¿¿.was as homely and horsefaced as a hound dog ¿ and she knew it.¿ How could you not love someone like that? The story begins at Bull Run, Virginia, July 21, 1861. Julia along with her uncle, a Congressman and a family friend, as well as the very handsome, not to mention single Reverend Nathaniel Greene have come to ¿watch the war.¿ Julia has been in love with the Reverend since he was first assigned to their church the year before. She makes an impression on the Reverend but it is not the one she¿d hoped for. After witnessing the war first hand and the wounded soldiers it left in its path, Julia became physically ill. Stating she didn¿t care about helping the wounded men and that she just wanted to get away from there, wasn¿t what Nathaniel wanted to hear. Later, when Julia over hears Nathaniel telling the congressman he thinks she is shallow, spoiled, and unbearably self-absorbed she sets out to not only prove him wrong, but to get him fired! What follows is an extraordinary story of change, courage and self-realization that will keep you on the edge of your seat and not wanting to close this book. Meanwhile, Phoebe has been taken to the Haggertys. A family who she is to stay with and tend to their countless children while her three brothers go off to help fight the war. Feeling trapped and unhappier than she ever has, Phoebe flees by night to Western Pennsylvania to enlist! Also enlisting the same day as Phoebe, who is now Ike Bigelow, is a little short fellow name Ted Wilson. The friendship which develops between Ike and Ted is one you will not soon forget. Theirs, is the true meaning of friendship, but will it survive when Ted finds out Ike is really Phoebe? Maybe Ted has his own secrets. There are more secrets, twists and turns in this story that will keep you guessing until the very end. You never know what is coming next and you quickly learn, things aren¿t always as they appear. I highly recommend this book. Truly a well written, researched and gripping tale!!

A Novel that teaches, as well as ,entertains, Love and sorrow

This novel is so well written that you feel like you are there. The characters are folks you know. And the writer did a tremendous amount of research , to keep the story believable . I feel this is a book for everyone ,young and old. Kudos for Lynn Austin. I await the next novel.

I loved this book!!!

I am 15 years old and I loved this book. This Book was amazing. i'm gunna have all my friends buy it. I will read it about 19 more times. I want to read the first book ( candle in the darkness). it is an amazing tail of love, friendship and faith, while staying historically accurate.

WOW

i was a little bit hesitant to read this book, but i don't know why i read it in approximatley 3 hours and i would read it again in an instant. Both books in this series were amazing!!

Great story of Civil War courage.

This was the first Lynn Austin book I read, now I plan to read them all. Once I started reading I didn't want to put it down, which doesn't happen often. I loved the characters, the story and the history.

Lynn Austin does it again!

I had hoped this sequel to Candle In the Darkness would be more about Caroline, and I was apprehensive when I first saw that Caroline wasn't even a part of this book. However, Lynn Austin has my complete faith and trust, so I hurried up and in my usual tradition with her novels finished it in one day.. and wow. Just.. wow. She has done it again, this book is as fantastic as her others. Read it.

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