Royal Street~ Review

Title: Royal Street (Sentinels of New Orleans #1)
Author: Suzanne Johnson
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary:

As the junior wizard sentinel for New Orleans, Drusilla Jaco’s job involves a lot more potion-mixing and pixie-retrieval than sniffing out supernatural bad guys like rogue vampires and lethal were-creatures. DJ's boss and mentor, Gerald St. Simon, is the wizard tasked with protecting the city from anyone or anything that might slip over from the preternatural beyond.

Then Hurricane Katrina hammers New Orleans’ fragile levees, unleashing more than just dangerous flood waters.

While winds howled and Lake Pontchartrain surged, the borders between the modern city and the Otherworld crumbled. Now, the undead and the restless are roaming the Big Easy, and a serial killer with ties to voodoo is murdering the soldiers sent to help the city recover.

To make it worse, Gerry has gone missing, the wizards’ Elders have assigned a grenade-toting assassin as DJ’s new partner, and undead pirate Jean Lafitte wants to make her walk his plank. The search for Gerry and for the serial killer turns personal when DJ learns the hard way that loyalty requires sacrifice, allies come from the unlikeliest places, and duty mixed with love creates one bitter gumbo.

My thoughts:

Yep, I have a thing for YA urban fantasy. And dystopia but that is another story.  Maybe it is because when I was a YA we didn't have such cool books.  I always loved supernatural stuff, but there just wasn't much out there.  At least not that I knew of.  So I am apparently addicted to it as an adult. I just really like them. Its almost a secret I don't like to share. ;)

I also have a thing for books that are set in New Orleans~it is my favorite city to visit by far, and sometimes I dream about living there.  I have a good friend who grew up in and lived in New Orleans until about 8 years ago, and  I ask her about it every chance I get without bugging her too much. She puts up with me though.  This book got my attention because on our honeymoon, my husband and I stayed on Royal Street.  Then I saw that the book takes place before/during Hurricane Katrina. I was in New Orleans with my family a week before the hurricane hit - in fact my brother got an eye ulcer while we were there, and if it hadn't gotten better, we would have been there during the hurricane.  My father went back down with the Red Cross as a volunteer as well.  I just feel a huge connection to the city.  It was also a little strange to read it when I did, because of Hurricane Isaac and its threat to the city.   I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will all be ok down there.



So, now that you know my life history ~ I thought this book was entertaining.  Johnson made up some of her own rules regarding ghosts, and they worked for me.  Sometimes they don't for me, like the shiny vampires in Twilight.  Johnson created this world where famous ghosts can exist as long as people still talk about them and remember them.  I think this was a way to get famous New Orleans ghosts like Marie Laveau, Louis Armstrong, and Jean Lafitte to be characters in her story.  At first I was skeptical of this device, but then it grew on me and I liked it.  

This book reminded me a bit of the Harry Dresden series, and while I liked Royal Street, it is not quite as good as Jim Butcher's books.  But this is the first book I have read in the series, and I think it has potential.    I do plan on reading the next in the series, River Road in the future.  Royal Street was just a fun read with ghosts and wizards, in my favorite city, although the parts regarding the devastation that Hurricane Katrina left behind were very moving. 

The Sisters Montclair~ Review

Title: The Sisters Montclair
Author: Cathy Holton
Source: Librarything

Goodreads Summary:

The last thing twenty-one-year-old Stella Nightingale wants is a job as a caregiver for wealthy Alice Montclair Whittington. Alice, a ninety-four-year-old Southern grande dame with a dry sense of humor and a wicked tongue, has already run off a long line of caregivers. But Stella, a former runaway from a broken home who’s only recently begun to put her life back together, is desperate for work. And she figures she can handle Alice. 

But strange things are happening at Alice’s rambling mountaintop estate. As an unlikely friendship develops between the two women, Alice, whose memory comes and goes, begins to reveal long-ago tales of her illustrious past, tales that pose more questions than they answer. Who is her mysterious sister, Laura? Why won’t Alice and her sister, Adeline, ever speak of her? And why are the other caregivers afraid to go down in the basement?

As Stella tries to separate fact from fiction in Alice’s life, she struggles to overcome her own devastating family secret, compelled by a deepening friendship that will change the lives of both women forever.


My thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would.  I wasn't sure if the dynamic between Stella and Alice would be too cheesy or too forced, but I think the Holton did a wonderful job creating a believable relationship between the two.  

Stella is 21, a bit unconventional, and probably not what Alice, a 94 year old woman from the rich part of town, expected as her caregiver.  When we meet Stella, she is a bit of a lost soul, living with a boyfriend who is not very nice to her.  She doesn't seem to have great self esteem, and we learn that when she was 16, her mom gave her a hundred dollars and left her in Birmingham to fend for herself.  Alice however grew up with advantages, money and loving parents.  However, neither Stella nor Alice were happy.  

Stella grows to care about Alice, and enjoys Alice's stories.  Alice likes that Stella understands her.  Both women carry secrets around in them like poison.  Through Alice's dreams and stories, and Stella's therapy sessions, we learn the big secrets within, that they both need to set free before they themselves become free.  I loved Alice and her stories.  Her character was definitely a hoot, but more importantly, a strong woman.   Stella learns to be strong from Alice, probably the best gift Alice could have given her. 

There were so many passages I felt I could relate to in this book ~ I think readers always look for bits of themselves in books, and when you find that, characters you relate to for some reason or another, no matter how small,  it is gratifying. I found bits of myself in very small passages in this book.  I had read Cathy Holton's book Summer in the South, and while I liked it, I was so-so on it.  I think however Holton put her heart and soul into this one.  

Top Ten Tuesday~Bookish Confessions

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Bookish Confessions.

1.  Sometimes, I like to read the end of a book first.  

2.  I read multiple books at a time, and I usually group them by the time of day- my morning book, my afternoon book, my evening book, the book I read in bed.

3.  I read all the time - sometimes even while I am cooking or eating or brushing my teeth or walking room to room.  It used to drive my mom crazy..

4.  For a while I didn't go to the library, and our monthly budget for books was out of control.  Now I go to the library  once or twice a week.  I buy only the books from authors I love.   Even though I don't buy as many books, we still have a lot.  I don't have room for them all and they are everywhere I can put books.  When Billy and I first moved out, I had books in my kitchen cupboards and pantry, mixed in with our food and bowls and cups.

5.  I love the feel of a book, and the smell of new books.  But I do read digital books too. 

6.  I don't mind reading a series out of order.  Yes, I said it.  I prefer to read them in order, but if I don't its not a big deal.  

7.  I underline parts I like in books I own.  And I write in them.  

8.  I prefer a physical book to an e-book, but I will read digital books as well.

9.  I am careful about who I loan my books out to.  I like to get them back and in pretty much the same condition as it was when I loaned it to you, although I don't freak out about wrinkles in the spine.  

10.  I have certain books I read every year around the same time. For example, I always read Watership Down in the spring.

11. I am not a picky reader, but I do run into books I really don't like.  Twilight and 50 Shades for instance. I read them, but didn't care too much for them.

12.  I really like happy endings.  I know they are not always possible, but I really like them.  Sometimes I get mad when I think a book should have one and it doesn't.

How about you? Do you have anything to confess?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a weekly blog meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where you list the books you read last week and the ones you hope to read this week.   

Read Last Week:

       

Last week was a rough week for our family, and I did not get a chance to write my reviews. I will be working doubly hard this week to catch up. :)  

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare:  This is maybe my favorite in the series so far.  It might even be where I stop reading; I started City of Fallen Angels and I hate it. Jace is so mopey and Clary really wimpy all of a sudden. But I really liked City of Glass.

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes:  My friend Chrissy gave me this to read, and I could not put it down! I stopped reading at 2 am one night, and I couldn't fall asleep because this book freaked me out so bad.  But I love being scared like that. This book was fabulous.

Royal Street by Suzanne Johnson: An urban fantasy that takes place in New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina.  Chilling to think that another hurricane might strike New Orleans on the exact same day as Katrina, or even close to it.

Love Letters from Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball:  These books continue to be graceful easy reads.  

Reading This Week:

  

My plan this week is to work on my pile of books I have won or have committed to review through NetGalley or Librarything.  

The Sisters Montclair by Cathy Holton:  I started this last night and I love it! Today is a rainy day, the perfect kind to finish a book. I won the book from librarything.

The White Forest by Adam McOmber: From Netgalley.  I love to read anything gothic, and when I saw this on a few other blogs last week I knew I had to read it too.

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh:  I won this from Librarything as well.  It looks pretty good.

Into the Pumpkin by Linda Franklin: I work in a school library, and our students love Halloween books. They ask about them their first day of library circulation, so I have to get them out the first month of school.  We are always looking for more fall and halloween books, and this one looked like it had amazing illustrations. A NetGalley book.

I hope you all have a great week!

  

   

                     

       

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a weekly blog meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where you list the books you read last week and the ones you hope to read this week.   

Read Last Week:

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare: I am definitely addicted to this series. I love this world Clare has created.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare: The second in the Mortal Instruments series ~ gosh do I have questions! (review soon)

The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King: One of my top ten favorite authors.  I have loved everything he has ever written, just some more than others.  

At Home on Ladybug Farm by Donna Hall: Yep still loving this quaint little series.  It is interesting to read the Clare series and this one simultaneously though.  I think they keep each other in check in my brain. 

Wake by Amanda Hocking: I thought this was going to be a mermaid story like The Little Mermaid, but these mermaids have teeth!

Reading This Week:

 

  

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare: Yep, I am reading this series until I finish. 

City of Fallen Angels: Ditto

Love Letters from Ladybug Farm by Donna Hall: Aww, this sounds cute!

Royal Street by Suzanne Johnson: I picked this up at the library, since I am already deeply involved in urban fantasy already. 

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes: This was recommended by my friend Chrissy.  I am excited to read it!

I hope you all have a great week!

        

                                                                           

            

             

City of Bones- Review

Title: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary:

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . . 

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

My thoughts:

I read this book one day while my husband was working, ignoring the housework and errands that needed to be done.  I paid attention to my animals, but that was the only thing that could drag me away from this book.  I have read the Infernal Devices series, so I knew I had to go back and start this one.  I am glad I did!

I think the idea of the Nephilim is a very cool one~ I love this world that Clare has imagined.  It is pretty different that other worlds in other books, and I think it is very well thought out and written.  There are the Shadowhunters, werewolves, vampires, warlocks, fairies, anything you can think of in this book, but I think they are all blended into the story nicely.  

The romantic relationships in this book were the only things weird to me.  I love the character Magnus Bane, but I wonder about his age and his flirting with teenagers.  Maybe I have his age wrong?  And then Jace and  Clary! What! Read below the spoiler line for more on this, if you have read this book or series, or if you aren't planning on reading it.  

Other than those issues, I am excited to see where Clare takes this series.  It is an interesting world she has created, and I am definitely going to read on.  



~Spoilers~



Jace and Clare. Brother and sister. That can't be right, right? Would Clare really do that to readers, make a series where the main character love interest siblings? How do you keep that interest going for readers over a series, I mean, you can't really ever want them to get together?  I hope that it ends up being wrong. I feel that it will all be a hoax or a mistake or something, because I can't believe we would be led to this point for nothing. Right? Right? Lol.  Anyone else read this book or series?  What do you think?

The Wind Through the Keyhole - Review

Title: The Wind Through the Keyhole
Author: Stephen King
Source: my brother

Goodreads Summary:

In The Wind Through the Keyhole, Stephen King returns to the rich landscape of Mid-World, the spectacular territory of the Dark Tower fantasy saga that stands as his most beguiling achievement.

Roland Deschain and his ka-tet—Jake, Susannah, Eddie, and Oy, the billy-bumbler—encounter a ferocious storm just after crossing the River Whye on their way to the Outer Baronies. As they shelter from the howling gale, Roland tells his friends not just one strange story but two . . . and in so doing, casts new light on his own troubled past.

In his early days as a gunslinger, in the guilt-ridden year following his mother’s death, Roland is sent by his father to investigate evidence of a murderous shape-shifter, a “skin-man” preying upon the population around Debaria. Roland takes charge of Bill Streeter, the brave but terrified boy who is the sole surviving witness to the beast’s most recent slaughter. Only a teenager himself, Roland calms the boy and prepares him for the following day’s trials by reciting a story from the Magic Tales of the Eld that his mother often read to him at bedtime. “A person’s never too old for stories,” Roland says to Bill. “Man and boy, girl and woman, never too old. We live for them.” And indeed, the tale that Roland unfolds, the legend of Tim Stoutheart, is a timeless treasure for all ages, a story that lives for us.

King began the Dark Tower series in 1974; it gained momentum in the 1980s; and he brought it to a thrilling conclusion when the last three novels were published in 2003 and 2004. The Wind Through the Keyhole is sure to fascinate avid fans of the Dark Tower epic. But this novel also stands on its own for all readers, an enchanting and haunting journey to Roland’s world and testimony to the power of Stephen King’s storytelling magic.

My thoughts:

I love the Gunslinger series, although I am a few books behind.  The Wind Through the Keyhole is number 4.5 in the series, according to King.  Which is precisely where I left off, on number 4.  

I loved this book.  It begins with Roland and his gang making their way along the beam, following Oy, and then they all have to take cover - the Starkblast was coming.  Oy, a billy-bumbler, has the ability to detect starkblasts, which are huge blizzard storms, where the wind blows so hard and so cold that anything living outside would die.  Roland and the others gather 'round the fire they have built inside an abandoned hotel, and Roland tells them a story, about one of his adventures when he was young.  

The cool part is that while Roland is telling the story to Jake, Susannah, and Eddie, the younger version of himself in his story, is telling another story, to another child.  A story within a story within a story, the Droste Effect, but with words.  I enjoyed both of the stories, but the story that the book gets its title from was the best.  A starkblast also happens in all three stories.  

King says in his prologue that even if you haven't read the series, you can read this book.   I can see why he says that, since there is not much actual advancement in the series, just Roland telling tales. King writes in his introduction as well the things he feels a reader should know before reading the book.  I have read books in the series, so I didn't have any problems with this one.  I would be curious to know what people think of the book if this is the only one they have read though. 

August Book Club - Gone Girl

Hostess: Jill

Book: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Food: Jill's own recipe Spicy Vegetable Pasta, fresh veggies with mozzarella, a watermelon-strawberry-raspberry fruit salad, crackers and spinach dip, and a Heath Bar trifle that was her grandma's recipe

Wine of the Night:  Lulu 

Month: August

We were not able to discuss this book because most of the book club members are still working on it, and there is no way those who have read it can discuss it without spoilers! And we do not want to ruin this book.  So, tonight we ate and drank and laughed and laughed.  

First the conversation was about old 80s tv shows - Facts of Life, Family Ties, Growing Pains, Mr. Belvedere, Webster, Punky Brewster, Webster and of course Gimme a Break with tiny Joey Lawrence and Nell Carter!  I was a huge Facts of Life fan, while Alyssa loved Punky Brewster.  I had to reveal that I couldn't watch Punky Brewster because it creeped me out, that this little girl met an old guy in a parking lot and went home with him.  Isn't that exactly what we were taught not to do? Lol.  Mary loved Mr. Belvedere, and Jill Growing Pains, which I think came later because I loved that too.  Question: Does anyone remember what tv show came on after Facts of Life? Because we felt something did, but couldn't remember.  

We also talked about my weird husband and the elaborate joke he played on me before he was married, movies like 21 Jump Street (which I couldn't watch either, because it was nothing like the tv show, even though Channing Tatum is in it), Magic Mike, and Step Up Revolution.  We talked about how Jill is going to a Broadway play in October starring her favorite actor, and that we though she should treat it like a concert, hooting at the stage.  (we really don't want her to do this)

We used the time to just catch up on each others lives, have fun, relax, drink wine, laugh, forget anything going on in our lives for that moment, except that moment.  We lived in the moment.  We missed two of our friends tonight, who had important life things to do, but we know we will see them next month, at Jennifer's house. We will catch up to them and hear about their lives and how tonight went.  And it will be just as fun, like it is every month.  Hanging out with your friends just having a good time. 



I did review Gone Girl in June, here is my review if you are interested. 

September's book club is Jennifer's, and her book pick is Wild by Cheryl Strayed.

At Home on Ladybug Farm - Review

Title: At Home on Ladybug Farm
Author: Donna Ball
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary:

A year after taking the chance of a lifetime, Cici, Lindsay, and Bridget are still trying to make a home for themselves on the newly-renovated Ladybug Farm. Life in the Shenandoah Valley is picturesque, but filled with unexpected trials? such as the introduction of two young people into the ordered life the women have tried to build for themselves.

As the walls of the old house reveal their secrets and the lives of those who have gone before begin to unfold, the cobbled-together household starts to disintegrate into chaos. And when one of their members is threatened by a real crisis, they must all come together to fight for the roots they?ve laid down, the hopes they share, and the family they?ve become. 

My thoughts:

I love this series like I loved the Mitford series by Jan Karon.  So easy and sweet, mostly happy endings, which are sometimes needed.  I believe in happy endings, and I am happy when  I get them.  You also know what to expect from these books, which is good too sometimes.  

This book continues along the same vein as the first, this time with the addition of Cici's daughter Lori, and more about Noah, a teenage boy they are unofficially fostering.  The young adults add a new perspective to the book that was missing in the first, and are also trying to find themselves and their place in the world.  

Interspersed throughout the book are flashbacks to the house through the hundred some years in its history, from the civil war on up.  We are introduced to the inhabitants of Blackwell Farms, and what had transpired through the years.  These were my favorite parts in the book I think, and also served another purpose - that you learn at the very end of the book. 

Ciao Giveaway Winner!

And we have a winner!!!!  

Czarina Winter!!

Thanks for playing, I will be contacting you shortly!

Czarina Winter, Mary, also shared that her favorite book series growing up was The Babysitter's Club! 

Wake - Review

Title: Wake
Author: Amanda Hocking
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary:

Fall under the spell of Wake—the first book in an achingly beautiful new series by celebrated author Amanda Hocking—and lose yourself to the Watersong.

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

My thoughts:

I have a thing for mermaid stories.  I like them best when they are soulless and evil though, like the ones in Pirates of the Carribean.  Maybe it all started with the Disney version of Peter Pan, I don't know, but that is one of my favorite movies of all time.   I enjoy Hocking's books because although she writes in the supernatural type genre, she writes about something different than witches, ghosts, vampires, and werewolves.  Her last book was about trolls, and now sirens.  Huzzah Hocking!

So, I was excited as I read this book because the mermaids are not really mermaids, they are sirens of myth.  They are evil and heartless and to be honest were a little scarier than even I wanted!  Their origin story was well done and interesting, but part of the story required that there always be four sirens, and for some reason that bothered me.  I can't explain why, but it did.  Irriational and a small thing, but there it is. It bugged me. Lol.

The main characters of Gemma, Harper, Alex and Daniel was pretty good.  I loved Harper and Daniel's story, and I was rooting for them the whole way.  I kept expecting him to be something more than what he was, so we will see in book two of this series.   Harper reminds me of myself in a way, how she takes care of her younger sibling.  My brother is six years younger than me,  and I took care of him a lot when he was younger and my mom was at work.  So I totally can see where Harper is coming from. I loved Gemma and her dedication to her swimming, and her growing relationship to Alex, although in some parts the descriptions of Alex made me think he might be a little off.  

The big showdown was pretty cool, and a little sad. The ending of course was a cliffhanger, and now I have to wait until Winter 2013 to see what happens.   I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to seeing what happens next.  

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a weekly blog meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where you list the books you read last week and the ones you hope to read this week.  

Read Last Week:

Ciao by Bethany Lopez:  An insightful read about the lives of today's teens. You can also win this book!

The Secret Sense of Wildflower by Susan Gabriel: Beautifully written and powerful.  

A Year on Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball:  A cute fun little read for the summer.

Reading This Week:

                    

The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King: I will always love Stephen King, I have been reading him for longer than I can say. My brother gave me this book to read.

At Home on Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball: I want to know what happens next!

The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty:  I love the 20s and Louise Brooks - I was so excited to see this book!

Wake by Amanda Hocking:  I enjoyed Hocking's Tryll series, so I am looking forward to this one.

     

A Year on Ladybug Farm - Review

Title: A Year on Ladybug Farm
Author: Donna Ball
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary:

Tired of always dreaming and never doing, Cici, Lindsay, and Bridget make a life-altering decision. Uprooting themselves from their comfortable lives in the suburbs, the three friends buy a run-down mansion, nestled in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley. They christen their new home "Ladybug Farm," hoping that the name will bring them luck.

As the friends take on a home improvement challenge of epic proportions, they encounter disaster after disaster, from renegade sheep and garden thieves to a seemingly ghostly inhabitant. Over the course of a year, overwhelming obstacles make the three women question their decision, but they ultimately learn that sometimes the best things can happen when everything goes wrong...

My thoughts:

This was just a cute little fun read, perfect for summer's lazy moments. Cici, Lindsay, and Bridget throw caution to the wind, and buy a farm in the Shenandoah Valley, changing their lives completely.  Before the farm they had lived respectable, safe lives.  Once they buy the farm, their lives turn upside-down, and one thing after another happens.  They begin to doubt themselves and their decision, as they battle unforeseen issues.  However, through it all, they remain great friends, and the end is heartwarming.

Reading this book made me want to buy a farm in Shenandoah Valley! It made me want a huge garden overflowing with vegetables, bushes dripping berries, a dog, sheep, and a deer! All the talk of the wonderful jams and soups and bread and whatever made me very hungry and domestic feeling.  I must admit, after I read this book, I spent a day making 8 loaves of zucchini bread and plan to make a few jars of jam and some pickled stuff too.  And that is not  something I really do.  But this book was about daydreams coming true, and that is appealing to me.  I am sure it is to everyone! 

It made me wonder what I would have on my farm? I think I would grow lavender and raspberries, and have a bunch of goats.  And a lot of cats and dogs. And bunnies and chickens.  I would never eat any of them as a vegetarian, but I would love to have them on my farm. 

What about you? What would you have on your farm?

The Secret Sense of Wildflower - Susan Gabriel

Title: The Secret Sense of Wildflower
Author: Susan Gabriel
Source: Author per author request

Goodreads Summary:

  Set in 1940s Appalachia, The Secret Sense of Wildflower tells the story of Louisa May “Wildflower” McAllister whose life has been shaped around the recent death of her beloved father in a sawmill accident. While her mother hardens in her grief, Wildflower and her three sisters must cope with their loss themselves, as well as with the demands of daily survival. Despite these hardships, Wildflower has a resilience that is forged with humor, a love of the land, and an endless supply of questions to God, who she isn't so sure she agrees with. When Johnny Monroe, the town’s teenage ne’er-do-well, sets his sights on Wildflower, she must draw on the strength of her relations, both living and dead, to deal with his threat. 

With prose as lush and colorful as the American South, The Secret Sense of Wildflower is powerful and poignant, brimming with energy and angst, humor and hope. In its ability to create a truly original Southern voice, The Secret Sense of Wildflower establishes Gabriel as a thoughtful and powerful Southern writer.

My thoughts:

I was pretty blown away by how good this book is.  I didn't read it with any expectations, hadn't heard anything about it really, so when I read it, I realized from page one that it is a a well written, powerful book.

As it begins, we learn that Louisa May "Wildflower" and all her sisters have names from the book Little Women.  All use those names except for Louisa May, who prefers Wildflower, as that was the name given to her by her beloved father, now deceased.  Wildflower mourns the loss of her father everyday, and doesn't understand why her mother is always picking on her.  She takes care of the stray cats that live under her house, that her father fed before her, and is kind of like a stray herself, with her mother lost in grief and bothering with Wildflower only when she has a criticism. Her sisters are good and keep an eye on her, and their husbands are protective of Wildflower as well, like true big brothers.

But Wildflower can't be watched 100%; not that she is bad or a troublemaker, but because the mountain is vast and contains its own dangers out of eyesight, such as Johnny Monroe.   Johnny is the teenage thug, and while I felt sorry for him at first, my sympathy faded fast.  And if you ask my friends, that rarely happens- I often feel sorry for the "bad guy", feeling they were shaped that way by circumstance.  Well, Johnny started that way, but Gabriel created a character I can't even feel that sorry for.   An event takes places that shakes up Wildflower's world even more, and the remainder of the book is about how she and her family deal with the aftermath.

Wildflower is strong and resilient, much like her name. She took a lot of licks but still kept on going.  I also would have had the biggest crush on her older sister Jo's husband Daniel, if I were Wildflower. I definitely did while reading the book! He evidenced himself to be the most thoughtful and kind character, and it was easy to see why the family loved him. I really enjoyed this book, although parts of the book were intense emotionally. The message is one of hope, even when you feel sometimes there isn't any.