Monday, October 31, 2011

Pinterest

No book review for today, I was way too busy this weekend to read! I will give you a sneak peek - the next book that I am reading is The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas. Stay tuned for a review.
A few random tidbits-

I am going to see Puss in Boots 3D tonight. It is supposed to be an adorable kids movie! I will let you know.
Also, I am in the middle of watching a movie called Broken Trail which is a Western starring Robert Duvall. I am halfway through it and hoep to finish tonight or tomorrow night.

I have finally joined Pinterest, so feel free to check out my boards on that site. I will try to get a link posted, soon! Also, don't forget my other blog. http://www.langenwalterliving.blogspot.com/! :)
TTFN

Thursday, October 27, 2011

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

This book was a recommendation from another reading blog so I thought that I would give it a try. I am so glad that I did because it is a very well-written book and much different from anything that I usually read. It is a work of fiction, but it is based on true people and events. While reading it, you can almost imagine that it is completely true as the author does a marvelous job in creating historic documents and different versions of events.
The novel is about Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of Brigham Young. It follows the hostory of how the Firsts split from the Mormons in order to maintain their belief in celestial marriage, or polygamy. While the history is unfolding, aother story is being told at the same time about modern day polygamy among the Firsts in Utah. There is the mysterty over the murder of a well-know First who has 20+ wives and his 19th is arrested as a suspect. Her son, who was kicked out at a young age, comes back to Utah to help free her.
It is a really great novel and I learned a lot about Mormons, both FLDS and LDS, and how the two churches are utterly different. I suggest this book to anyone interested in history or biograpies, or just a well-written novel.
I will give this book a 4.5 because it kept my attention throughout the entire novel. If I changed anything it would be to edit out aome repetition, otherwise it is perfect!
Happy Reading! :)
http://www.ebershoff.com/

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Ride a Shadowed Trail by Eunice Boeve

A Western! :) I am a huge western junkie, but I hadn't read a good one for a while. I picked up this book by chance and I am very glad that I did! This novel is this author's first attempt at an adult novel - she was written many Young Adult novels and it does show a bit in this one. However, I think it adds to the book rather than detracts. Young Adult novelists tend to focus more on characters and less on details, which is a good thing. Many westerns tend to get detail-heavy and this one definitely was not. In my opinion, it could have used a few more descriptions, but it is fine how it is.
The novel is about Joshua Ryder, who is a young boy that is oprhaned after his mother's muder. He goes to live with an old cowboy, Pete, until he is eighteen years old. He heads out on a cattle drive and to find his mother's murderer.It is a great Western, complete with a lovable horse! :)
I am going to give this novel a 4. It is a great story, but the writing style is a little to basic, for me.




Monday, October 24, 2011

The Diary of Mattie Spenser by Sandra Dallas

This is the best book that I have read in quite a while! It is a must-read for women. The ending is marvelous and ever-so-perfect. I cannot say enough good things about this novel, as Sandra Dallas has Wow-ed me once more. :)
This novel follows Mattie and her new husband from Iowa to Colorado in the late 1860's. they homestead on the Colorado prairie and encounter heartbreak and small victories all wrapped together. It is told from first-person in the form of diaries and letters by Mattie.
This was a fast read and I could not set it down! I must say that it will most likely only appeal to women as it is a typical feel-good, historical romance novel.
I am going to give it a 4.5

Happy Reading!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson

Yep, another Southern novel! I absolutely loved this book. Personally, I thought it was better than Gods in Alabama, but if you read one, you really should read the other. Gods in Alabama is told from Arlena's view and Backseat Saints is told from Rose Mae's view. Both of these girls went to the same high school and were part of Jim Beverly's disappearance senior year. I would suggest that one reads Gods in Alabam, first. it provides a little more background that is nice to have for Backseat Saints. This is another Southern gothic, dirty realism novel. Completely loved this one and would recommend it to anyone, over 16yo. :)
I will give it a 4.5. The only reason I don't give it a 5, is because I rarely give any novel a 5. :)
Enjoy!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

The Girl Who Couldn't Say No: Memoir of a Teenage Mom by Tracy Engelbrecht

Kindle Freebie from Amazon - so, of course I had to download it and read it. I love free books!! It was actually a decent book. It is about Tracy who gets pregnant at 14 and it follows her through the next ten years. Surprisingly, it is not a MTV 16 & Preganat kind of book, nor is it a "poor me" novel. It is simply a memoir of how she handled the situation and was able to grow because of it. Not one of my favorite books, but I am glad that I read it. I would give it an overall rating of: 3.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson

Yes, I am on a Southern Fiction streak, but stick with me! Gods in Alabama is undoubtedly Southern Fiction, complete with dysfunctional families, the bizarre, murder, rape, and a hint of the gothic, like any good Southern novel should be! That being said, if you are not used to Southern Fiction, this may not be the book for you.
"There are gods in Alabama: Jack Daniel's, high  school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus. I left one back there myself, back in Possett. I kicked it under the kudzu and I left it to the roaches..." (Jackson).
That quote is my favorite of the book and it just about sums it all up. Now, I suggest this book to anyone who is looking for a non-conventional read that can appreciate a good novel. It is undoubtedly rated R, so I would not recommend it to any Young Adult readers or students. I also don't think it is a novel for the guys - they just might not understand the implications behind it. However, a guy who appreciates Southern Lit would like this book. Women who appreciate or have experienced dysfunction will love this book.
To sum it all up : It is a Southern Fiction novel, heavy on dirty realism, with a slight hint of Southern gothic.
I give it a 4.5. I would give it a 5, if it had hooked me a little better in the beginning. I felt like it had a slow start to it, but glad I stuck with it!

Here is the authors website (I will be reading more of her novels).
http://joshilynjackson.com/

Enjoy!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

In case I don't read fast enough.....

Just in case you need more books to read, here is another great blog with book reviews by a woman!

http://mizsuzee.wordpress.com/

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

One Mississippi by Mark Childress

One Mississippi is another AMAZING book by Mark Childress. His writing style is undoubtedly Southern drama and comedy, with a heavy dose of Realism, and maybe just a hint of Southern Gothic. L-O-V-E  I-T! This is the third book of his that I have read, recently, and I hope to make it through some of his others in the near future.

This particular novel is about a teenage boy, Daniel, who moves to Mississippi from Indiana because his Dad is transferred. It takes place somewhere in the early 70's (think Sonny and Cher, after they fell out of love), in a very small town called Minor. After despairing about having to learn "Y'all and Mis'sipi", Daniel befriends Tim, a loner who is just a little 'off'. The novel follows the boys through Junior and Senior year, including their prom date with twins, the first African-American prom queen, and "Christ!" - a bouncy musical involving gangster angels and Virgin Mary in a V-cut, white evening gown. It is not all fun and games, though. The book has serious subjects that were controversial in Ole Miss in the 70's, including homosexuality, interracial relations, and school integration. The book will make you laugh, cry, and yell about the injustice of it all.

Undoubtedly, a book that I will suggest to all readers, excluding very young, YA readers. It would not be appropriate to teach in a classroom setting, but I feel like Freshman on up would benefit from reading this book.

I am going to give this novel:
4 ****

P.s. Love the new blog colors??

Monday, October 10, 2011

The Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter

I finally finished this book over the weekend. I really enjoyed it, as it was a very innocent and sweet book. However, it is not a book that everyone would enjoy because of the archaic style of language used. It elevates the reading level, so that young adult readers would most likely not enjoy it. This is the second book of Gene Stratton Porter's that I have read and I would like to read more.

The plot of the story is quite adorable. Elnora is a young girl who is very interested in going to high school in the nearest town, but it costs money. Her mother is very embittered over the death of Elnora's father and she blames Elnora. Therefore, she send Elnora to high school, shabbily dressed. Elnora is embarassed, but determined. She raises money for clothes and school through catching moths for a collector. She puts herself through high school. Eventually, the mother and daughter come to love one another because the mother discovers that her dead husband was untrue during their marriage. Later in the story, a young man comes to the Limberlost, the forest, and falls in love with Elnora, but he is betrothed so Elnora will have nothing to do with his romance. The rest of the novel is a love story about the two of them.

Cute book, but a difficult read. I think it is worth it, though.
I have decided to start rating my books from 0-5, with 5 being the best. So, I will give this book a:

3.5

Happy Reading!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Crazy in Alabama by Mark Childress

Just finished a great book! "Crazy in Alabama" is a book that I would recommend to anyone. It is a combination between serious and hilarious, taking place in Alabama in 1965. Racial tensions are soaring at the time, and 12 year old PeeJoe, short for Peter Joseph, is coming of age. He and his 14yo brother Wiley are orphans who live with their Meemaw, until Aunt Lucille comes to town with her 6 children. Aunt Lucille lets it slip right away that she has killed her husband and she has his head in a tupperware to prove it!! It gets 'crazier' from that moment. Definitely a great book that manages to evoke "To Kill a Mockingbird", "Fried Green Tomatoes", and Stephen King all at the same time. AMAZING!!!

I am starting "One Mississippi" by Childress, next... Stay tuned!

I would rate this book as:

4 ****

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Mrs. Langenwalter :)

Woohoo! I am finally married! Hopefully, I can upload some pictures to the blog and mess with the design soon. I wish I knew more about blogging, it would be nice to customize it a little more! I haven't read a new book lately. I need to make it to the library soon! I am reading The Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter. It was written in 1909 so the language is a little antiquated, but it is still a wonderful story! Porter is one of my favorite Victorian authors. She was also a naturalist so her books are rich in details! That is about all I have in the way of books...hope to find another Mark Childress novel at the library tonight!

Couple funny little poems, no great works of art! :)

Ode to Moe
Low rider
In flowing black
Prancing
Through your kingdom…
An intruder!!
A foe twice your size
With huge fangs and claws.
You attack!!
Fighting and snarling
The battle rages.
You win, of course.
Dachshunds always do!

Ode to Poem
Oh, poem…
You.
You are so fickle
And
New.
Form what is form?
Is rhyme
The point
This time?
No. Its VOICE.
You want to hear my voice.