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Sunfire #1
Amanda
Torn from her, she fought and loved her way across a savage new land. 1846 -- From Boston Nightly Balls to Independence, Missouri and on the the Oregon Trail.
With only a silk dress to protect her from the blazing frontier sun, Amanda fears she will die on the Oregon Trail. As the memories of Boston, the nightly balls, and Joseph fade, the hardships of life on the wagon train fill her days. Changing from a spoiled city girl to a strong young woman, Amanda finds drought and death, beauty and joy, and a love that will last forever.
With only a silk dress to protect her from the blazing frontier sun, Amanda fears she will die on the Oregon Trail. As the memories of Boston, the nightly balls, and Joseph fade, the hardships of life on the wagon train fill her days. Changing from a spoiled city girl to a strong young woman, Amanda finds drought and death, beauty and joy, and a love that will last forever.
368 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1984
2 people are currently reading
557 people want to read
About the author
Candice F. Ransom
43 books11 followersSee also
Candice Ransom
Ransom has published more than 150 books for children, and she is amazed every day that she's able to do this as her life's work. It's no small thing to discover at an early age (ten!) what one is meant to do, and then pursue that dream. For her, the best part of writing for children is that she can move between writing board books, picture books, easy readers, chapter books, middle grade novels, nonfiction, and biography. She is excited to move into picture book nonfiction with BONES IN THE WHITE HOUSE: THOMAS JEFFERSON'S MAMMOTH (Doubleday, 2020).
AMANDA PANDA QUITS KINDERGARTEN and the sequel AMANDA PANDA AND THE BIGGER, BETTER BIRTHDAY (Doubleday) are her first picture books with animal characters! She is proud of her easy readers featuring a brother and sister having fun throughout the year: PUMPKIN DAY, APPLE PICKING DAY, SNOW DAY, and GARDEN DAY. Look for more titles in this Level 1 series written in bouncy rhyme, plus the popular TOOTH FAIRY'S NIGHT (all Random House).
Ransom has published more than 150 books for children, and she is amazed every day that she's able to do this as her life's work. It's no small thing to discover at an early age (ten!) what one is meant to do, and then pursue that dream. For her, the best part of writing for children is that she can move between writing board books, picture books, easy readers, chapter books, middle grade novels, nonfiction, and biography. She is excited to move into picture book nonfiction with BONES IN THE WHITE HOUSE: THOMAS JEFFERSON'S MAMMOTH (Doubleday, 2020).
AMANDA PANDA QUITS KINDERGARTEN and the sequel AMANDA PANDA AND THE BIGGER, BETTER BIRTHDAY (Doubleday) are her first picture books with animal characters! She is proud of her easy readers featuring a brother and sister having fun throughout the year: PUMPKIN DAY, APPLE PICKING DAY, SNOW DAY, and GARDEN DAY. Look for more titles in this Level 1 series written in bouncy rhyme, plus the popular TOOTH FAIRY'S NIGHT (all Random House).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
July 26, 2008
The Series: (book-specific review below)
The Sunfire romance series occupied more than its fair share of my early teenage brainspace, and I am somewhat chagrined to report that they are re-occupying said brain space in my adult years, thanks to the fateful discovery of a few battered old volumes in a fateful box in a fateful closet somewhere. This led to a Sunfire spree in Amazon Marketplace, a re-reading frenzy, and the torturing of innocents with my lengthy reviews.
The series itself is PG-clean, light, sweet, educational, and delightful. It's also pretty formulaic (with exceptions). Each book presents the story of a 16-year-old girl who quite fortuitously happens to be situated in an exciting era in American history. The heroines are beautiful, intelligent, usually independent to some degree, and each attracts the attention of two potental suitors. (Those would be the cheesily-grinning catalog model types surrounding Miss Blusher and Teased 80s Hair on the cover.) The heroine must follow her heart and common sense towards the right boy, a plot point which tends to follow one of the following paths: 1.) one guy is so obviously wrong for her, but she fails to notice until he does or says something to disillusion her, thus causing her to realize that the other guy is Mr. Right, or 2.) she is quite clear that one man is only a friend or "like a brother to her," therefore his inclusion on the cover blurb as a rival is kind of misleading. We also find such recurring devices as the Dead Parent, the Irresponsible Parent, the Major Relocation for the Heroine (in order to give her a new theater for adventure, of course!), the Antagonistic Female Character (who is usually converted into an ally by novel's end) and the Heroine Who Longs For Adventure, Often to the Point of Total Abandonment of Common Sense.
Original in plot and execution they are not, but they are well researched for teen romances and provide some fun insight not only into historical events and social customs, but occasionally even into the teenage mind. And despite the cliches, and the fact that they belong to the romance genre, romance hardly ever takes center stage in a Sunfire. The books are primarily concerned with a young girl growing up, coming to know her own mind, and finding her place in the world. They're a wonderful series to hand to a young female reader. I can almost guarantee that she'll love them, and that she'll also learn something. Now, for the bad news: they were originally published in the 1980s and are now out of print. (I've had great luck rebuilding my collection through Amazon Marketplace.)
The book:
Amanda is a personal favorite among the Sunfires, and I consider Candice F. Ransom one of the better authors in the series. Amanda Bentley is quite happy to continue climbing the social ladder and flirting with rich and handsome Joseph in 1840s Boston, but her widower father spoils her ambitions when his gambling debts get out of control. Before the large thugs arrive to break his legs, he scoops up his protesting daughter and leaves town in the dead of night. Thaddeus Bentley gets it into his head that they ought to head west to Oregon, but Amanda wants None Of That. Others have the found bratty, whiny Amanda of the first half of the book hard to stomach, but I rather enjoyed her transformation from useless city slicker to a tough pioneer chick who can ward off unfriendly Indians with a spatula and climb down into a steep canyon to get a canteen of water for her sick friend.
Amanda's romance with Ben Compton is just as satisfying as her personal transformation. Since we don't have a second guy on the scene, Ransom provides dramatic conflict in the form of cool-as-ice Serena Hawkins, who may or may not be engaged to Ben. Who may or may not have a serious thing for Amanda. Ben's exactly the kind of guy that the tough new Amanda needs, and their romance is sweet and believable. I actually feel like those two crazy kids just might make it. Amanda is also blessed with a loyal, loving best friend in Helen and cursed with a shiftless, weak, impulsive father. Yet Thaddeus is so real and human that he kinda ends up breaking your heart.
In addition, the book is well-researched. Ransom touches on nearly every aspect of an Oregon Trail journey: what kind of wagon and livestock the settlers used, what they wore, what they ate, what they passed along the way, and what it looked like. It's all integrated so well into the story that you never feel like a large information dump has landed on your head. I was quite drawn into the setting of the story, but then again, I'm a sucker for Western scenery. Say "bluff" or "mesa" and I'm a goner.
Deviations from Formula: This is the first Sunfire novel, so the formula was either not so well-established, or Ransom took liberties. Amanda actually gets to turn 17 during the course of the novel. The "rival suitor," Joseph, a boy that Amanda leaves behind in Boston, disappears from the story after a chapter or two. The illness, death and misery depicted is quite historically accurate, but far exceeds the misery quotient of any other Sunfire.
Verdict: This is one of the first Sunfires you should consider re-adding to your collection. I loved it as a kid and even more as an adult.
The Sunfire romance series occupied more than its fair share of my early teenage brainspace, and I am somewhat chagrined to report that they are re-occupying said brain space in my adult years, thanks to the fateful discovery of a few battered old volumes in a fateful box in a fateful closet somewhere. This led to a Sunfire spree in Amazon Marketplace, a re-reading frenzy, and the torturing of innocents with my lengthy reviews.
The series itself is PG-clean, light, sweet, educational, and delightful. It's also pretty formulaic (with exceptions). Each book presents the story of a 16-year-old girl who quite fortuitously happens to be situated in an exciting era in American history. The heroines are beautiful, intelligent, usually independent to some degree, and each attracts the attention of two potental suitors. (Those would be the cheesily-grinning catalog model types surrounding Miss Blusher and Teased 80s Hair on the cover.) The heroine must follow her heart and common sense towards the right boy, a plot point which tends to follow one of the following paths: 1.) one guy is so obviously wrong for her, but she fails to notice until he does or says something to disillusion her, thus causing her to realize that the other guy is Mr. Right, or 2.) she is quite clear that one man is only a friend or "like a brother to her," therefore his inclusion on the cover blurb as a rival is kind of misleading. We also find such recurring devices as the Dead Parent, the Irresponsible Parent, the Major Relocation for the Heroine (in order to give her a new theater for adventure, of course!), the Antagonistic Female Character (who is usually converted into an ally by novel's end) and the Heroine Who Longs For Adventure, Often to the Point of Total Abandonment of Common Sense.
Original in plot and execution they are not, but they are well researched for teen romances and provide some fun insight not only into historical events and social customs, but occasionally even into the teenage mind. And despite the cliches, and the fact that they belong to the romance genre, romance hardly ever takes center stage in a Sunfire. The books are primarily concerned with a young girl growing up, coming to know her own mind, and finding her place in the world. They're a wonderful series to hand to a young female reader. I can almost guarantee that she'll love them, and that she'll also learn something. Now, for the bad news: they were originally published in the 1980s and are now out of print. (I've had great luck rebuilding my collection through Amazon Marketplace.)
The book:
Amanda is a personal favorite among the Sunfires, and I consider Candice F. Ransom one of the better authors in the series. Amanda Bentley is quite happy to continue climbing the social ladder and flirting with rich and handsome Joseph in 1840s Boston, but her widower father spoils her ambitions when his gambling debts get out of control. Before the large thugs arrive to break his legs, he scoops up his protesting daughter and leaves town in the dead of night. Thaddeus Bentley gets it into his head that they ought to head west to Oregon, but Amanda wants None Of That. Others have the found bratty, whiny Amanda of the first half of the book hard to stomach, but I rather enjoyed her transformation from useless city slicker to a tough pioneer chick who can ward off unfriendly Indians with a spatula and climb down into a steep canyon to get a canteen of water for her sick friend.
Amanda's romance with Ben Compton is just as satisfying as her personal transformation. Since we don't have a second guy on the scene, Ransom provides dramatic conflict in the form of cool-as-ice Serena Hawkins, who may or may not be engaged to Ben. Who may or may not have a serious thing for Amanda. Ben's exactly the kind of guy that the tough new Amanda needs, and their romance is sweet and believable. I actually feel like those two crazy kids just might make it. Amanda is also blessed with a loyal, loving best friend in Helen and cursed with a shiftless, weak, impulsive father. Yet Thaddeus is so real and human that he kinda ends up breaking your heart.
In addition, the book is well-researched. Ransom touches on nearly every aspect of an Oregon Trail journey: what kind of wagon and livestock the settlers used, what they wore, what they ate, what they passed along the way, and what it looked like. It's all integrated so well into the story that you never feel like a large information dump has landed on your head. I was quite drawn into the setting of the story, but then again, I'm a sucker for Western scenery. Say "bluff" or "mesa" and I'm a goner.
Deviations from Formula: This is the first Sunfire novel, so the formula was either not so well-established, or Ransom took liberties. Amanda actually gets to turn 17 during the course of the novel. The "rival suitor," Joseph, a boy that Amanda leaves behind in Boston, disappears from the story after a chapter or two. The illness, death and misery depicted is quite historically accurate, but far exceeds the misery quotient of any other Sunfire.
Verdict: This is one of the first Sunfires you should consider re-adding to your collection. I loved it as a kid and even more as an adult.
February 14, 2023
Amanda was so whiny and rude for a good portion of this book, but I pressed on because I figured going through some hardships on the Oregon Trail would humble her butt and it did and she became less annoying after that. But I got tired of her being so aware of how pretty she was. Like girl, get over yourself. Your skin in sunburned and peeling and you're wearing rags and not to mention half starved. I didn't know how I felt about the romance for most of the book and her dad was also unlikable and never did get to redeem himself. This book is lucky it's even getting 3 stars.
~~~~~~~
—EDIT—
That's it, it's getting 2 ½ stars
~~~~~~~
—EDIT—
That's it, it's getting 2 ½ stars
May 7, 2025
”She had left Boston a spoiled, helpless child. She had arrived in Oregon a strong young woman. She could shoot, and scrounge for food and fuel. She had lived through unbearable heat and bone-chilling cold. She had gone up mountains and across rivers. She had seen people die, and she had survived it all. And, she thought, looking at Ben, she had learned how to love.”
I did not obsessively play Oregon Trail in the computer lab in third grade for someone NOT to die of dysentery here!!!
Amanda Bentley is living a pampered and privileged life in Boston. She attends the best finishing school in the city, has the finest clothes, and has her eyes set on the most eligible bachelor in town. Life is going great for her... until her father stars incurring gambling debts he can’t pay. The solution? Start a new life out in Oregon. It doesn’t matter that they have both never really left Boston before or have little to no survival skills whatsoever. They’re packing their bags like thousands of other people before them and heading off to Oregon. Will they reach their destination? And will Amanda find an inner strength within herself to survive the Oregon Trail?
All jokes aside, I enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would. This series was supposedly really popular back in the 1980s and 1990s from the other reviews I’ve read of this book. The best way I can describe it myself is that this series is what would happen if the historical American Girl dolls were teenagers with a romantic storyline. It follows a teenage girl during a certain period of time in American history and how she loves, grows, and matures during the book.
But mainly love because you’re always gonna see two hotties on the cover.
Amanda is the very first installment in the Sunfire series, and WHOA boy she isn’t here to play games friend! She starts off rather spoiled, entitled and bratty, and doesn’t even know how to boil water, let alone cook an entire meal from scratch. She also doesn’t treat the people around her very nicely. Not only does it probably not make her very endearing to a reader, it calls into serious question of whether or not little Amanda is actually going to make it on the Oregon Trail.
But darn tootin she does. I personally thought Amanda matured really well throughout the book and became a very self-capable woman by the end of it. She endures so many personal tragedies throughout it but she still comes back swinging. She goes from selfish to selfless, spoiled to humbled, bratty to compassionate, all without losing her spunky and fiery personality that endeared her to so many.
One thing I liked about this book was the historical accuracy throughout. Candice Ransom did her research in describing what life was like on the Oregon Trail in meticulous detail. She also doesn’t shy away from letting Amanda and company experience the harsh realities of the Trail and the rampant disease, brutal weather conditions, and dire starvation they faced.
Even with all the trials and tribulations Amanda faces, there’s still time for a little romance! Now in almost all the book in the series the main heroine gets embroiled in a love triangle with two dashing handsome young fellows. Here it’s a little different despite what the cover leads you to believe. Amanda is courting Joseph in the beginning of the novel when she’s in Boston, but he’s only around for two chapters. After that he’s a figment of our imaginations. The real action happens with Ben Compton enters the picture. The son of the Trail leader, he quickly falls for Amanda, and their romance was sweet and believable. And they actually communicated PRAISE BE.
This oldie but goodie series is something I look forward to continuing. Middle school Katherine would have absolutely devoured these novels. American Girls for an older set, this historically accurate take on how it must have been like to be a teenager during exciting parts of American history is nothing short of appealing.
It had everything but the dysentery 😂😂
I did not obsessively play Oregon Trail in the computer lab in third grade for someone NOT to die of dysentery here!!!
Amanda Bentley is living a pampered and privileged life in Boston. She attends the best finishing school in the city, has the finest clothes, and has her eyes set on the most eligible bachelor in town. Life is going great for her... until her father stars incurring gambling debts he can’t pay. The solution? Start a new life out in Oregon. It doesn’t matter that they have both never really left Boston before or have little to no survival skills whatsoever. They’re packing their bags like thousands of other people before them and heading off to Oregon. Will they reach their destination? And will Amanda find an inner strength within herself to survive the Oregon Trail?
All jokes aside, I enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would. This series was supposedly really popular back in the 1980s and 1990s from the other reviews I’ve read of this book. The best way I can describe it myself is that this series is what would happen if the historical American Girl dolls were teenagers with a romantic storyline. It follows a teenage girl during a certain period of time in American history and how she loves, grows, and matures during the book.
But mainly love because you’re always gonna see two hotties on the cover.
Amanda is the very first installment in the Sunfire series, and WHOA boy she isn’t here to play games friend! She starts off rather spoiled, entitled and bratty, and doesn’t even know how to boil water, let alone cook an entire meal from scratch. She also doesn’t treat the people around her very nicely. Not only does it probably not make her very endearing to a reader, it calls into serious question of whether or not little Amanda is actually going to make it on the Oregon Trail.
But darn tootin she does. I personally thought Amanda matured really well throughout the book and became a very self-capable woman by the end of it. She endures so many personal tragedies throughout it but she still comes back swinging. She goes from selfish to selfless, spoiled to humbled, bratty to compassionate, all without losing her spunky and fiery personality that endeared her to so many.
One thing I liked about this book was the historical accuracy throughout. Candice Ransom did her research in describing what life was like on the Oregon Trail in meticulous detail. She also doesn’t shy away from letting Amanda and company experience the harsh realities of the Trail and the rampant disease, brutal weather conditions, and dire starvation they faced.
Even with all the trials and tribulations Amanda faces, there’s still time for a little romance! Now in almost all the book in the series the main heroine gets embroiled in a love triangle with two dashing handsome young fellows. Here it’s a little different despite what the cover leads you to believe. Amanda is courting Joseph in the beginning of the novel when she’s in Boston, but he’s only around for two chapters. After that he’s a figment of our imaginations. The real action happens with Ben Compton enters the picture. The son of the Trail leader, he quickly falls for Amanda, and their romance was sweet and believable. And they actually communicated PRAISE BE.
This oldie but goodie series is something I look forward to continuing. Middle school Katherine would have absolutely devoured these novels. American Girls for an older set, this historically accurate take on how it must have been like to be a teenager during exciting parts of American history is nothing short of appealing.
It had everything but the dysentery 😂😂
August 21, 2014
Ummmm I loved this book. In fact as a pre-teen I read it way too many times and this actually makes me want to download it for Kindle and re-read it again lol.
Basically bratty spoiled Amanda who apparently is part of the elite Bostonian set but is a bit of an outcast (her father is an orphan and I think a transplant to the city so you get the feeling that they're *new* money) is in love with the best guy in Boston. Daddy is a gambler who bets & loses all of his money - and her inheritance...forcing the two to race out of Boston in the middle of the night like someone's chasing them...because someone is! Eventually the two make their way to Independence Missouri and as if Amanda's life couldn't get any worse after the non stop travels...her dad decides to take what's left of their measly savings and buy a Conestoga wagon & supplies to join the Oregon trail. Amanda is forced to essentially man up as she accepts the fact that lavish balls and cream soft hands are going to be a thing of the past and her previous love from Boston WILL NOT be coming to rescue her from a hard life on the road to Oregon. But she meets hunky work hardened and very muscular Ben who likes her spirit and she ultimately ends up marrying (it's implied) once they make it to the promised land.
Literally I wrote that from memory. But I have to say of all the books, this is probably one with a number of dark topics that are tackled pretty well for a YA novel. Amanda's father is a degenerate gambler, and it's his addictive behavior that costs them their family fortune and puts the entire story in motion. About more than halfway through the trail the father, who is as inept as a frontiersman as he is a poor judge of impulse control, dies tragically in a hunting accident, forcing Amanda to grow up even faster as she opts to drive the Bentley wagon solo for the rest of the trail.
There are also technically two love triangles in the book. First we see Amanda needing to choose between Ben (the frontiersman) & her Bostonian love (the name escapes me). Truthfully this triangle is forced as Bostonian Guy only appears in the very beginning of the book before Amanda and her father are run out of town. Amanda continues to long for him until she begins to fall for Ben, but it's pretty much an understood that Bostonian Guy is a plot device and will not actually be making an appearance later on. But as her feelings for Ben grows, she finds herself competing with Serena (Ben's promised love initially and a childhood friend with parents who are mutual friends with Ben's parents) for Ben's affections.
Amanda probably has one of the better character arcs in the Sunfire Series as she starts out ridiculously bratty but is forced to mature on the trail. Not only does she eventually embrace the trail lifestyle by stepping up to the plate to do tasks that she would have previously refused to do, she also learns to "not judge a book by its cover" and understand that someone's social status (farmer vs. wealthy debutant/child of money) doesn't dictate their worth.
Plus in terms of historical awareness, this particular book does a pretty decent job of highlighting the Oregon Trail, its dangers and even brings up the Donner Pass (yikes!).
After writing all this I kind of want to read this book again! :)
Basically bratty spoiled Amanda who apparently is part of the elite Bostonian set but is a bit of an outcast (her father is an orphan and I think a transplant to the city so you get the feeling that they're *new* money) is in love with the best guy in Boston. Daddy is a gambler who bets & loses all of his money - and her inheritance...forcing the two to race out of Boston in the middle of the night like someone's chasing them...because someone is! Eventually the two make their way to Independence Missouri and as if Amanda's life couldn't get any worse after the non stop travels...her dad decides to take what's left of their measly savings and buy a Conestoga wagon & supplies to join the Oregon trail. Amanda is forced to essentially man up as she accepts the fact that lavish balls and cream soft hands are going to be a thing of the past and her previous love from Boston WILL NOT be coming to rescue her from a hard life on the road to Oregon. But she meets hunky work hardened and very muscular Ben who likes her spirit and she ultimately ends up marrying (it's implied) once they make it to the promised land.
Literally I wrote that from memory. But I have to say of all the books, this is probably one with a number of dark topics that are tackled pretty well for a YA novel. Amanda's father is a degenerate gambler, and it's his addictive behavior that costs them their family fortune and puts the entire story in motion. About more than halfway through the trail the father, who is as inept as a frontiersman as he is a poor judge of impulse control, dies tragically in a hunting accident, forcing Amanda to grow up even faster as she opts to drive the Bentley wagon solo for the rest of the trail.
There are also technically two love triangles in the book. First we see Amanda needing to choose between Ben (the frontiersman) & her Bostonian love (the name escapes me). Truthfully this triangle is forced as Bostonian Guy only appears in the very beginning of the book before Amanda and her father are run out of town. Amanda continues to long for him until she begins to fall for Ben, but it's pretty much an understood that Bostonian Guy is a plot device and will not actually be making an appearance later on. But as her feelings for Ben grows, she finds herself competing with Serena (Ben's promised love initially and a childhood friend with parents who are mutual friends with Ben's parents) for Ben's affections.
Amanda probably has one of the better character arcs in the Sunfire Series as she starts out ridiculously bratty but is forced to mature on the trail. Not only does she eventually embrace the trail lifestyle by stepping up to the plate to do tasks that she would have previously refused to do, she also learns to "not judge a book by its cover" and understand that someone's social status (farmer vs. wealthy debutant/child of money) doesn't dictate their worth.
Plus in terms of historical awareness, this particular book does a pretty decent job of highlighting the Oregon Trail, its dangers and even brings up the Donner Pass (yikes!).
After writing all this I kind of want to read this book again! :)
December 29, 2022
Sometime in 1984, when I was 12, I found this series of books at my local “Little Professor” Bookstore. They were on the top shelf across from the cash register. I spent a lot of time visiting that aisle and selecting my next read. I did not read the entire series, but I did read quite a few! I loved them so much.
April 12, 2018
First sentence: It had been raining forever, endless rain that dripped down the windowpanes. Amanda Bentley could not stand the cramped hotel room another minute.
Premise/plot: Amanda's hopes and dreams are thwarted by her father's gambling ways and big dreams. He decides to steal away from Boston--with her--and start again. On their journey south, he gets a fever to go WEST, to go to Oregon. Amanda does NOT want to go, yet, she finds herself heading west in a wagon, in a wagon train, all the same. It will be the most challenging time in her life, but will the journey change her for the better?
My thoughts: Is Amanda my favorite Sunfire romance?! Maybe. Perhaps my favorite Sunfire romance is the one I've read most recently. Though I will say Amanda is probably always in my top five.
I enjoy a good wagon train story. Why can't wagon train stories become trendy again?!
Amanda brings to mind the only western that I love. You see, I am allergic to westerns in general. The western that is an exception to the rule is WESTWARD THE WOMEN (1951).
Dear Scholastic:
If I thought begging would do any good, I would plead with you to republish the Sunfire romance series originally published in the 1980s. The "name" books were my favorite-and-best books from my middle years--my first introduction to the wonderful genre of historical romance. It's a love that's still going strong, by the way. I know the Sunfire books don't contain vampires, werewolves, fairies, or demons. But why should romance novels contain such in the first place. If they were worth publishing in the first place--which they so clearly were--they are worth republishing.
I have given it a lot of thought. I have. And I think it would be wonderful if the books were republished as e-books for the same price as the original paperback books were released. Granted, I would love to see PRINT copies as well. But I imagine that they would cost more than the lovely $2.95 of the originals! But for an e-book, the thought is IT'S WORTH EVERY PENNY.
Becky
Dear Candice Ransom:
Thank you a million times for being the awesome writer that you are. (Thank you for being awesome in general!) I will forever be a fan of yours--your picture books, your early readers and chapter books, and your novels. My first introduction to your work was through the Sunfire romance series. They were--they are--some of my favorite books ever. You gave me a glorious gift--a love of reading.
As long as you keep writing, I'll keep reading.
Becky
Premise/plot: Amanda's hopes and dreams are thwarted by her father's gambling ways and big dreams. He decides to steal away from Boston--with her--and start again. On their journey south, he gets a fever to go WEST, to go to Oregon. Amanda does NOT want to go, yet, she finds herself heading west in a wagon, in a wagon train, all the same. It will be the most challenging time in her life, but will the journey change her for the better?
My thoughts: Is Amanda my favorite Sunfire romance?! Maybe. Perhaps my favorite Sunfire romance is the one I've read most recently. Though I will say Amanda is probably always in my top five.
I enjoy a good wagon train story. Why can't wagon train stories become trendy again?!
Amanda brings to mind the only western that I love. You see, I am allergic to westerns in general. The western that is an exception to the rule is WESTWARD THE WOMEN (1951).
Dear Scholastic:
If I thought begging would do any good, I would plead with you to republish the Sunfire romance series originally published in the 1980s. The "name" books were my favorite-and-best books from my middle years--my first introduction to the wonderful genre of historical romance. It's a love that's still going strong, by the way. I know the Sunfire books don't contain vampires, werewolves, fairies, or demons. But why should romance novels contain such in the first place. If they were worth publishing in the first place--which they so clearly were--they are worth republishing.
I have given it a lot of thought. I have. And I think it would be wonderful if the books were republished as e-books for the same price as the original paperback books were released. Granted, I would love to see PRINT copies as well. But I imagine that they would cost more than the lovely $2.95 of the originals! But for an e-book, the thought is IT'S WORTH EVERY PENNY.
Becky
Dear Candice Ransom:
Thank you a million times for being the awesome writer that you are. (Thank you for being awesome in general!) I will forever be a fan of yours--your picture books, your early readers and chapter books, and your novels. My first introduction to your work was through the Sunfire romance series. They were--they are--some of my favorite books ever. You gave me a glorious gift--a love of reading.
As long as you keep writing, I'll keep reading.
Becky
February 10, 2015
A trip to a local antique shop led me to find a pristine copy of one of these old Sunfire novels from the 1980s. I bought it for a whopping $1.06 and then started reminiscing on that series from my youth. When the first book in the series "Amanda" released in 1984 I was in fourth grade. I remember re-reading "Amanda" well into my high school years. I had about 1/2 the books in this series and always loved them and wanted the remainder. Times were different back then and you didn't have online book sellers so I had to hope I'd find these books at the mall (B Dalton!) or the used paperback store. So I never did get all of them. However finding the one book sent me off on a journey to find copies of all of the books. "Amanda" was the first one my list to track down, not just because it was the first in the series but because it was my absolute favorite growing up. I was nervous that it wouldn't be nearly as good reading from an adult standpoint but I should not have feared. The story was still incredible. I also found all the historical elements even more engaging. I can't tell you how many times I stopped and googled different places/events mentioned in "Amanda". It was a new experience! I also read the part of her louse of a father a bit differently from my more 'mature' perspective. How awful that Amanda had to deal with his failures on top of losing the entire world she knew and being thrown on a trip (the Oregan Trail) that she never wanted. It made her a better person through all of it and the true pleasure in this novel is seeing her personal growth. I have since finished reading the next two Sunfires, "Susannah" (Civil War) and "Elizabeth" (Salem Witch Trails) and there is a definite formula to this series. Teenage girl is caught between two suitors amid whatever big drama was happening during that time in history. She usually has some family issues and her morals/values are tested. Still they make for some engaging reading. I am grateful to have copies of these books (some are in rough shape though).
February 11, 2016
*Rereading my way through the Sunfire series, in publication order*
Amanda Bentley has no plans for the future more arduous than silk dresses and a life of ease in Boston with her wealthy beau, Joseph. But all of that is destroyed when her father hustles her out of the house in the middle of the night. He has gambling debts and is on the run from thugs looking to make him pay. With only a satchel of silk dresses and a whole lot of complaints, Amanda and her father set off for the west, to make a new life in the Oregon territory.
Although Amanda starts out as insufferably spoiled and vain, she grows up, at a realistic pace, and toughens up to meet the rough life of the trail. In a departure from the usual Sunfire formula (or perhaps not a departure; this is the first of the series, after all), there are not two suitors vying for the heroine's affection. Her old beau, Joseph, quickly fades from her affections and is replaced by the strong, steadfast Ben. Their developing relationship is engaging, as is Amanda's relationships with the girls and women of the wagon train. Though some feel a bit like stock characters, their loyalty is admirable and adds to the story of strong people in a challenging environment.
I surely read AMANDA back in the day, as I had a thing for anything Oregon trail related, but I didn't remember any details before beginning my grand Sunfire reread. The historical setting is vivid and well-written, really drawing in the reader, and the characters are well-developed. A nice beginning to the series!
Amanda Bentley has no plans for the future more arduous than silk dresses and a life of ease in Boston with her wealthy beau, Joseph. But all of that is destroyed when her father hustles her out of the house in the middle of the night. He has gambling debts and is on the run from thugs looking to make him pay. With only a satchel of silk dresses and a whole lot of complaints, Amanda and her father set off for the west, to make a new life in the Oregon territory.
Although Amanda starts out as insufferably spoiled and vain, she grows up, at a realistic pace, and toughens up to meet the rough life of the trail. In a departure from the usual Sunfire formula (or perhaps not a departure; this is the first of the series, after all), there are not two suitors vying for the heroine's affection. Her old beau, Joseph, quickly fades from her affections and is replaced by the strong, steadfast Ben. Their developing relationship is engaging, as is Amanda's relationships with the girls and women of the wagon train. Though some feel a bit like stock characters, their loyalty is admirable and adds to the story of strong people in a challenging environment.
I surely read AMANDA back in the day, as I had a thing for anything Oregon trail related, but I didn't remember any details before beginning my grand Sunfire reread. The historical setting is vivid and well-written, really drawing in the reader, and the characters are well-developed. A nice beginning to the series!
January 2, 2009
Another Sunfire and it feels wrong to give such formulaic cheese five stars, but I'm embarking on a re-read while filling in the gaps of the volumes I bypassed 25 years ago. This is one I bypassed and I have no idea why, as Ms Ransom wrote my two favorite Sunfires at the time and – well, as good as hers are, I distinctly remember reading a lot of garbage in this series too.
This is a little slow-going for the first third, but much like Susannah there is lots and lots of interesting, educational filler about frontier life. Eventually Amanda gets over herself, makes a few friends, and falls in luuuuurve. It's pretty chaste and predictable stuff, despite a few surprise detours in the story. It managed to keep me up through the wee hours of the night in a mad rush to finish, and if that's not five stars, I don't know what is.
This is a little slow-going for the first third, but much like Susannah there is lots and lots of interesting, educational filler about frontier life. Eventually Amanda gets over herself, makes a few friends, and falls in luuuuurve. It's pretty chaste and predictable stuff, despite a few surprise detours in the story. It managed to keep me up through the wee hours of the night in a mad rush to finish, and if that's not five stars, I don't know what is.
read-harder-2019
March 10, 2019How do I rate this book? Ha. I read this, and some others in the series, as a young teen, so finding and reading it was nostalgic. Great lit? No, but not nearly was bad as I feared (I was embarrassed to list it on Goodreads). Formulaic and sometimes cheesy dialogue, as one would expect, but the writing wasn't bad and the "romance" wasn't the main focus of the novel. Amanda, who is a spoiled, whiny girl at the start, grows and matures through the novel, which is more the focus than the romance, with even the love interest helping her mature. Some of the characters in the wagon train are well-drawn and interesting characters on their own (a sign of good writing, in my opinion), even if they did fit the stereotypical roles (best friend, etc.). I would have read a book about Helen and her family in a second because Helen was so engaging and the family lively. The novel spends a lot of time spent describing and explaining the wagon-train trip to Oregon, which was a favorite historical period of mine when I was young, which is probably part of the reason I read it a couple times. While not culturally sensitive, it showed the beauty and hardship of the trail. I'm glad I re-read it and am relieved, honestly, that it wasn't as bad as I feared. :)
As a nostalgic read and for my younger self: 4 stars.
As an adult read and what I expect now: 2 stars.
As a nostalgic read and for my younger self: 4 stars.
As an adult read and what I expect now: 2 stars.
November 3, 2020
I found this on a used book store site, which is a new thing I've been into lately, looking for all my old favorite books! I read it a long time ago and it was so much fun to re-read this after so many years. It's a really good story. Amanda starts off super spoiled and annoying, but after her experiences moving west with her father in a wagon, she changes and grows into a strong, caring and good person. This book is part of the Sunfire Series and there are many more books in this series, each story focusing on a different girl in a different time period in history. I wish they were available as ebooks!
July 1, 2019
I wanted to be all high-and-mighty and hate this book. And I did for a while. Amanda is so unlikeable. But by the second half, I was sucked in and I actually cried at the end.
Yay for Sunfire romances, and flashbacks to junior high.
Yay for Sunfire romances, and flashbacks to junior high.
July 19, 2010
Okay, it's a little embarrassing that I read this book. But every once in awhile I feel like taking a break and reading something a little bit mindless.
I read the Sunfire series when I was probably 13-14 years old. They are a series of young-adult romances that are set in different time periods. Amanda is the first book in the series. It's about a spoiled girl from Boston who is forced to leave with her father due to his gambling debts. Her father wants to head out west to Oregon. Amanda is less than thrilled, because she wants to stay in Boston and marry her dreamy beau. But alas, she must leave. Along the way she learns a lot about herself and her own strength, and of course, since this is a Sunfire book, she finds true love.
The first time I read this book I was probably about 13, so I didn't really remember it very well. Amanda was a spoiled brat in the beginning who I just wanted to slap most of the time, but as the book went forward, you could see her starting to mature. I mean, she was still sassy, but not as much of a brat. She really came into her own and developed the strength she needed to get across the Oregon Trail.
I thought this book did a really good job of portraying the hardship of pioneer life. Several times while reading this book I thought, "Oh my gosh, that would have been so hard." I think pioneer life is something a lot of people don't really consider anymore, but honestly, can you imagine walking all the way across the country with a wagon and a team of oxen? I would not have made a good pioneer. Anyway, I thought the author did a good job of really portraying the difficulties and the endlessness of the journey.
I also thought it was interesting that the author chose to add a brief scene with a group of Mormon pioneers to the story. This caught my attention, being Mormon myself. She even touches briefly on some incidents of early Mormon history, which was interesting to me, and made me wonder why she chose to put that in. It's just not something I expect to run across in a book like this.
Some of the author's descriptions are a bit over the top. I feel like she spent too much time in the "showing, not telling" portion of her college writing class. She maybe could have toned that down a bit. Some of them just seemed cheesy.
Overall, an enjoyable, clean YA romance that helps teach about pioneer life in the United States.
I read the Sunfire series when I was probably 13-14 years old. They are a series of young-adult romances that are set in different time periods. Amanda is the first book in the series. It's about a spoiled girl from Boston who is forced to leave with her father due to his gambling debts. Her father wants to head out west to Oregon. Amanda is less than thrilled, because she wants to stay in Boston and marry her dreamy beau. But alas, she must leave. Along the way she learns a lot about herself and her own strength, and of course, since this is a Sunfire book, she finds true love.
The first time I read this book I was probably about 13, so I didn't really remember it very well. Amanda was a spoiled brat in the beginning who I just wanted to slap most of the time, but as the book went forward, you could see her starting to mature. I mean, she was still sassy, but not as much of a brat. She really came into her own and developed the strength she needed to get across the Oregon Trail.
I thought this book did a really good job of portraying the hardship of pioneer life. Several times while reading this book I thought, "Oh my gosh, that would have been so hard." I think pioneer life is something a lot of people don't really consider anymore, but honestly, can you imagine walking all the way across the country with a wagon and a team of oxen? I would not have made a good pioneer. Anyway, I thought the author did a good job of really portraying the difficulties and the endlessness of the journey.
I also thought it was interesting that the author chose to add a brief scene with a group of Mormon pioneers to the story. This caught my attention, being Mormon myself. She even touches briefly on some incidents of early Mormon history, which was interesting to me, and made me wonder why she chose to put that in. It's just not something I expect to run across in a book like this.
Some of the author's descriptions are a bit over the top. I feel like she spent too much time in the "showing, not telling" portion of her college writing class. She maybe could have toned that down a bit. Some of them just seemed cheesy.
Overall, an enjoyable, clean YA romance that helps teach about pioneer life in the United States.
May 20, 2009
This book is awonderful way to satisfy the hormones of any teen or tween and sneak a little history in too. Amanda is wealthy and young with a fiance, Jesse, who worships her. The only daughter of a widower, she is her Daddy's "princess". She has been given everything and though she is not in any way mean spirited, she is rather naive in her sense of entitlement. Then one night, everything changes. Suddenly, she and her father are in danger. They must leave town in the middle of the night, leaving all their material things (and Jesse) behind. Amanda does not even get to say goodbye. Thrown from a world of privilege into one of desperation, Amanda is quite naturally overwhelmed. She and her father join a wagon train going west and gradually she learns to adjust. Through new experiences of the worst kind of depravity, hardship, and loss, Amanda finds an inner strength she never knew she had, but can she find love again? Beautifully written, I remember being spellbound by this book; I think I was about 13 when I read it. I highly recommend it to any young girl looking for a good romance.
July 14, 2011
I recently came across an internet discussion of Sunfire romance novels, which turned on the Nostalgia Spotlight and made me remember the summers my family drove cross-country to hike in national parks when I was 11-13, much of which time I spent reading Sunfires. Written in the 1980s, these books each focus on a teenage girl during a moment of American history and tell the story of her journey to maturity, with interesting historical background, interspersed with super-chaste and highly trite romance. I loved them and wish I had kept my copies, but thankfully that is what Amazon Marketplace exists for. Definitely meant for younger readers, they manage to be a quick and interesting read even 20 years later. I'm glad to have picked them back up and think they would make good (albeit unflinchingly cheesy) reading for my own daughters some day.
January 6, 2013
The only reason I read this book is because my first name is Amanda. And I needed to reconnect with my first name (I go by my middle name.)
I would rate this book 2.5 stars. It is definitely, definitely dated. Even being about a different era, it's clear it was written in the 80s. I'm not sure how to describe why it's so obvious but just trust me.
Amanda drove me insane. I guess the point is that she changes and grows by the end of the book, but ugh. What a pain. Also it seemed a little long and there was just a lot of repeating suffering. Also a LOT of repeating "her green-gold eyes flashed" or "his tawny hair tawned in the tawnful sunlight."
I am interested to continue the Sunfire series, just out of curiosity. There were some parts of this one that were very well written and made me want to go on a pioneer trek, so that was cool.
I would rate this book 2.5 stars. It is definitely, definitely dated. Even being about a different era, it's clear it was written in the 80s. I'm not sure how to describe why it's so obvious but just trust me.
Amanda drove me insane. I guess the point is that she changes and grows by the end of the book, but ugh. What a pain. Also it seemed a little long and there was just a lot of repeating suffering. Also a LOT of repeating "her green-gold eyes flashed" or "his tawny hair tawned in the tawnful sunlight."
I am interested to continue the Sunfire series, just out of curiosity. There were some parts of this one that were very well written and made me want to go on a pioneer trek, so that was cool.
December 28, 2008
I had totally forgotten about this series until just a moment ago when I joined the What's the Name of That Book group and read one post. The post reminded me of the series, so I looked up the books. When I saw the cover of this one, I IMMEDIATELY remember reading this book in middle school. I probably read it more than once. Of course, now I have no recollection of the plot, but I remember liking it.
July 15, 2012
Loved this book as a kid. I have been looking for another book to read about the trail ever since. This combined history and romance and set my preteen heart racing. LOL
7/2012 Found a copy-rereading... Loved it as much as I did back in the day. Amanda is not a character I would normally gravitate to, but her journey is quite interesting and she does some growing up. Now if only I could find another book about the trail.
7/2012 Found a copy-rereading... Loved it as much as I did back in the day. Amanda is not a character I would normally gravitate to, but her journey is quite interesting and she does some growing up. Now if only I could find another book about the trail.
October 21, 2024
I read many of the Sunfire books when I was a teen, but I'm not sure I read Amanda. (I wish I had; I probably would have been more interested in the Oregon Trail.) The whole notion of a girl choosing between two boys is my kryptonite, in books and movies, so this left me a bit flat, considering Joseph is barely in the book. But I liked Amanda's journey, both metaphorical and on land, and probably give this 3.5 in reality.
Note for future self: read only while using the stationary bike.
Note for future self: read only while using the stationary bike.
January 8, 2009
I found these books, when I was about 12 years old. I love them! They're what got me reading books! I have saved most of them, and I am glad that I did, because most are out of print, and collectors items. They're an easy and predictable read, but they teach you a lot about history too.
February 28, 2016
A very harsh tale of Amanda,a young girl who finds her way and heart through the trails to Oregon for a better new life-but sadly she loses somebody she loves along the way but in the end it is what they would have wanted because she ends up with her true love and is perfectly happy with him!
October 14, 2007
I indulged my nostalgia for this child/teen series from the '80's.
July 25, 2024
Not first reading (date below)
Apparently started reading on 12/15/85
September 1999
Apparently started reading on 12/15/85
September 1999
February 5, 2009
I didn't like this book as well. It wasn't as well-written. The main character, Amanda, wasn't always likeable.
January 13, 2011
i want 2 own it!!!
August 10, 2014
Nostalgia!
September 1, 2012
I loved these books as a kid! I loved romance and American history. This one was one of my favorites, about the Oregon Trail. I still have all of them, and need to re-read them just for kicks.
June 15, 2013
Book crack!
July 13, 2013
Just randomly decided to consult google to remember the name of this book because I think about it ALL THE TIME. So so so good and, if I remember correctly, frightening. The Oregon Trail was NO JOKE!
April 30, 2015
I LOVE these books. I must have read this one 20 times as a pre-teen. So glad I found them again for my daughter to read!
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