Felicity Merriman lives during a volatile time for the thirteen colonies: 1774, just before the American Revolution. Everyone is looking for traitors, those who are disloyal to the king of England. People fear imminent warfare and threats to their personal safety and the safety of those they love.

Among all of the chaos, Felicity is growing up. She wears corsets and dresses, yet longs for a pair of breeches. She keeps getting her dress dirty by running off to see Penny, Mr. Nye's horse. She could not be less concerned with learning the ways of a lady. Her elders want to teach her how to sew and dance gracefully, but Felicity wants to ride Penny and desperately wants to save the horse from Mr. Nye's cruelty. The man starves and whips the mare, who rears up in fright whenever he ventures near.

If Felicity can accomplish anything in her life, she longs to wrench the precious equine from Mr. Nye's callousness. She sneaks out countless times to visit with Penny; she even gets astride the horse and has an opportunity to feel her advance into a canter. Penny performs flawlessly for her, but Mr. Nye wants his horse and seethes with anger when he glimpses Felicity atop his horse. He demands that she return Penny to him instantly. Mr. Nye may have won this battle, but the war is still in question.

Love and Loyalty by Valerie Tripp, 2017

I like historical fiction, and anything that involves horses is always a draw for me.

Books about the American Revolution

American Girl books and more
 

Evangeline (Evie) Brooks has never been to Manhattan, and she is amazed and delighted by the metropolis. This slightly assuages the pain of her mother's death. This Irish girl came to spend the summer in the big city with her Uncle Scott. He is a veterinarian, which is great for her because she loves animals. Evie is especially fond of Ben, Uncle Scott's dog. She is very excited to go on house calls to help heal sick animals like pygmy goats and pot-bellied pigs, and enjoys caring for the animals at the practice, which is conveniently located below Scott's apartment.

Evie meets many interesting people in the city. First, there is Leela, Scott's fake girlfriend who pretends to love Evie so much. Then there is Joanna, Scott's vet partner, who helps some of the furry and scaly patients in the practice. Kylie is Joanna's adopted daughter from China, and just about the same age as Evie. The girls hit it off. Kylie ice skates at Chelsea Piers and Evie rides horses at Riverdale Stables.

Young Evie is torn between two continents. She misses her best friends and godmother in Ireland, but the big city threatens to steal her heart. She adores all the animals, Scott, Joanna, and Kylie. Scott wants her to stay, but her culture is across the pond. The deadline for her decision is looming at the end of the summer, and she must act.

Evie Brooks is Marooned in Manhattan by Sheila Agnew, 2014

I love the references to NYC sports and reading about Irish culture.
 

Eva in Czechoslovakia, 1944; Elizabeth in Toronto, 2007; Meg in England, 1918; Hanna in Germany, 1939; Boots in Vietnam, 1970; Alex in California, 2001—this is a soldier doll's life. Handed from girl to boy to girl over the course of time and space… bringing comfort to many and perplexing some.

Eva is in a concentration camp patrolled by the Nazis in Czechoslovakia. She lives in the cold, dark, dank children's barracks, and is only allowed to see her mother briefly once per day. She witnesses callous murders and suffers hunger pangs constantly. All that she and the others can do is hope for a brighter day, while she has the soldier doll in her pocket.

Elizabeth's father is obsessed with antiques and even attended a "junk conference," as her mother referred to it. Elizabeth wants to discover where the doll came from and how old it is. She even visits an appraiser to determine the doll's value. Found at a garage sale, this warrior could become a bargain.

Meg valiantly bestows her doll on Ned, her beloved fiance. Meg has morphed into the kind of swooning, lovestruck teen she swore that she would never become. She has dreaded being separated from Ned during wartime, and eagerly anticipates letters from her favorite soldier. Having the two soldiers joined in spirit and purpose during the fighting seems like the best solution.

Soldier Doll by Jennifer Gold, 2014

The author takes an interesting approach to weaving together the stories of the soldier doll's various homes.

Books about war

Jennifer Gold's website