Book Review: No Place for a Lady by Maggie Brendan

From Books Covers

Book Description:

Crystal Clark arrives in Colorado's Yampa Valley amid the splendor of a high country June in 1892. After the death of her father, Crystal is relieved to be leaving the troubles of her Georgia life behind to visit her aunt Kate's cattle ranch. Despite being raised as a proper Southern belle, Crystal is determined to hold her own in this wild land--even if a certain handsome foreman doubts her abilities. Just when she thinks she's getting a handle on the constant male attention from the cowhands and the catty barbs from some of the local young women, tragedy strikes the ranch. Crystal will have to tap all of her resolve to save the ranch from a greedy neighboring landowner. Can she rise to the challenge? Or will she head back to Georgia defeated? Book one in the Heart of the West series, No Place for a Lady is full of adventure, romance, and the indomitable human spirit. Readers will fall in love with the Colorado setting and the spunky Southern belle who wants to claim it as her own.

My thoughts:
No Place for a Lady by Maggie Brendan was a sweet story and an enjoyable read. My only complaint it wasn't very fast paced in the beginning and I kept falling asleep, so it took me awhile to read it!

Delani's New Hairdo

Delani finally has enough hair to do this:


But beware the next day!

Books read in November

Books in Winter

I am posting this a little late, but here is November reading.

Fiction
The Lost Art of Gratitude by Alexander McCall Smith (review)
The Bride Backfire by Kelly Eileen Hake (review)
Look to the East by Maureen Lang (review)
Montana Rose by Mary Connealy (review)
The Noticer by Andy Andrews (review)
Elvis Takes a Back Seat by LeAnna Ellis
Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus
Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith (audio)
The Steel Wave by Jeff Shaara (audio)

Non-Fiction
Organizing Your Day by Sandra Felton & Marsha Sims (review)
Blogging for Bliss by Tera Frey
Parenting the Heart of Your Child by Diane Moore (review)
A Designer's Eyes for Scrapbooking with Patterned Paper by Ali Edwards

A-Z Wednesday

A-Z Wednesday is hosted by Vicky of Reading at the Beach. To join, look here.

This weeks letter is: R


Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith

Book Description:

Jeff Bussey walked briskly up the rutted wagon road toward Fort Leavenworth on his way to join the Union volunteers. It was 1861 in Linn County, Kansas, and Jeff was elated at the prospect of fighting for the North at last.

In the Indian country south of Kansas there was dread in the air; and the name, Stand Watie, was on every tongue. A hero to the rebel, a devil to the Union man, Stand Watie led the Cherokee Indian Na-tion fearlessly and successfully on savage raids behind the Union lines. Jeff came to know the Watie men only too well.

He was probably the only soldier in the West to see the Civil War from both sides and live to tell about it. Amid the roar of cannon and the swish of flying grape, Jeff learned what it meant to fight in battle. He learned how it felt never to have enough to eat, to forage for his food or starve. He saw the green fields of Kansas and Okla-homa laid waste by Watie's raiding parties, homes gutted, precious corn deliberately uprooted. He marched endlessly across parched, hot land, through mud and slash-ing rain, always hungry, always dirty and dog-tired.

And, Jeff, plain-spoken and honest, made friends and enemies. The friends were strong men like Noah Babbitt, the itinerant printer who once walked from Topeka to Galveston to see the magnolias in bloom; boys like Jimmy Lear, too young to carry a gun but old enough to give up his life at Cane Hill; ugly, big-eared Heifer, who made the best sourdough biscuits in the Choctaw country; and beautiful Lucy Washbourne, rebel to the marrow and proud of it. The enemies were men of an-other breed - hard-bitten Captain Clardy for one, a cruel officer with hatred for Jeff in his eyes and a dark secret on his soul.

This is a rich and sweeping novel-rich in its panorama of history; in its details so clear that the reader never doubts for a moment that he is there; in its dozens of different people, each one fully realized and wholly recognizable. It is a story of a lesser--known part of the Civil War, the Western campaign, a part different in its issues and its problems, and fought with a different savagery. Inexorably it moves to a dramat-ic climax, evoking a brilliant picture of a war and the men of both sides who fought in it.

Winner, 1958 Newbery Medal
Notable Children's Books of 1957 (ALA)
1964 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award

My thoughts:
A friend recommended this book for my son, so I decided I would read it myself. I enjoyed the story so much I bought the book and then insisted that my husband read it. It really gives you a different look of the Civil War by showing the good and the ugly of both sides.
This story has everything you could want in a story, and I personally think it is a must read for boys.

I do have to give a warning though, I find the title of the book very misleading! I spent the first half of the book trying to figure out what the story had to do with the title. The title eventually makes sense in the end, but for me it caused too much confusion. If you decide to read it, I suggest to ignore the title and dive right into the story, you won't be disappointed!

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Should be Reading.



Menu for Romance by Kay Dacus

"But if you're in love with Major, why are you dating Ward Breaux?"

"Because I made a promise to myself that this year I'm going to finally get over this thing with Major and not spend next New Year's alone."

p. 239

A-Z Wednesday

A-Z Wednesday is hosted by Vicky of Reading at the Beach. To join, look here.

This weeks letter is: Q



Quilting-Pieces of the Past by Better Homes and Garden

Book Description:
Studying quilts reveals much about history. The fabrics, quiltmakers, patterns, and techniques reflect what was and is happening around the world. This book shares in in-depth look at quilting from 1830 to the present. You'll be intrigued with the historical references and accompanying stitched works of art. Your inspiration will be piqued when you see the 54 beautiful designs--both old and new, appliqued and pieced. Best of all, you can re-create each of these extraordinary quilts.
The book includes:
-Materials lists with fabric and batting sizes
-Step by step instructions, diagrams, and full-size patterns
-Information on period fabrics, quiltmakers, and more--all to feed your love of quilting.

My thoughts:
Even though I sew I haven't done any quilting. I picked this up from the bargain book at Borders because of the beautiful pictures, historical information and all the detailed instructions, plus the price was right!

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Should be Reading.



No Place for a Lady by Maggie Brendan

"Crystal, Kurt, and Rusty had just come upon the chaotic scene, and they watched in horror as the steer snagged Curly and pulled him under the water as other cows thundered into the river. Slim and other cowhands ran toward the edge of the river but could only stand by helplessly, some swearing, others mute with stricken faces." p. 188