Tag: western

Mini-Reviews: Peace, Murder, Dreadful

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Leif Enger, Peace Like a River

Narrated by 11-year-old Reuben Land, this book tells the story of a tragedy and its aftermath. Reuben’s older brother, Davy, commits an act of violence and subsequently runs away. Reuben, along with his father and his sister, Swede, head west from their home in Minnesota and travel across the Badlands to find him. They encounter many dangers on their journey, from the unforgiving winter weather to the FBI agent who’s on their trail, hoping they’ll lead him to Davy. But they also find friendship and help in unexpected places. I really enjoyed this novel, which is part coming-of-age story, part Western adventure, and part pilgrimage narrative. It’s a book that feels uniquely American; I don’t think it could have been set anywhere else. I loved the humor sprinkled throughout Reuben’s narration and absolutely adored the character of Swede. Recommended if the premise interests you, and I’m now interested in trying more by Enger.

Delano Ames, Murder Begins at Home

English couple Jane and Dagobert Brown are on holiday in the US and find themselves in New Mexico, where Miranda Ross, an old friend of Dagobert’s, now resides. He manages to obtain an invitation to Miranda’s house for the weekend, and he and Jane soon feel that something is off about the seemingly happy, prosperous household. The next day, Miranda is murdered – but who could have wanted to kill a woman who was (apparently) universally beloved? Last year I read and really enjoyed the previous book in this series; this book is a decent follow-up, but it didn’t have quite the same sparkle for me. Jane is the narrator, and her snarky voice is one of the novel’s highlights. Her relationship with Dagobert is often fun, though I occasionally found myself thinking she’s way too good for him! The mystery is fine but didn’t really grab me. I did love that the seemingly ignorant county sheriff is much shrewder than he lets on! Overall, this is a pretty good read, and I do plan to continue with the series.

Caitlin Rozakis, Dreadful

This novel opens with a man who has lost all his memories (and his eyebrows). He appears to be trapped in a dark wizard’s lair, which is worrisome – until he realizes he is the dark wizard, the Dread Lord Gavrax. He’s kidnapped a princess, and he’s in league with three other dark wizards to do some kind of evil ritual. But Gav isn’t sure he actually wants to be evil anymore. Can he hide his memory loss from those around him, thwart the evil ritual, and learn how to be a good person? I really enjoyed this charming comic fantasy, which raises some surprisingly complex moral questions as Gav tries to fight his evil tendencies. He’s a flawed but sympathetic character whom I found extremely relatable, and I just wanted good things for him. His goblin minions are wonderful as well, as is the princess, who’s more than she appears to be. Definitely recommended for those who like a spin on the usual fantasy tropes.

Mini-Reviews: Promised, Stab, Bonnet

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Connie Willis and Cynthia Felice, Promised Land

Delanna’s mother has just died, so she’s returned from her fancy education in the big city to her home planet to claim her inheritance. To her dismay, she learns that under the planet’s laws, she has to live on her property for one year before she’s allowed to sell. Moreover, she’s legally married to Sonny Tanner, the man who owns the neighboring property. Delanna is furious to be stuck in what she considers a backwater full of ignorant yokels, but the longer she remains on this planet, the more she grows to like her surroundings—and Sonny. Though there are some sci-fi trappings, this novel reads more like a Western, as the main characters rough it on a frontier planet with few luxuries. Delanna is quite a spoiled brat initially but changes for the better as she gets to know Sonny and the other locals better. This book isn’t as unique or interesting as Willis’s solo work, but I did enjoy it and would recommend it to fans of the premise.

Jill Bearup, Just Stab Me Now

Caroline is writing a novel, which she imagines as a tropey, enemies-to-lovers romantasy complete with smoldering glances and flirty banter. Unfortunately, her characters have other ideas. The heroine, Rosamund, is a widow still grieving for her dead husband, and she’s laser-focused on the diplomatic mission she’s supposed to carry out. The hero, Leo, is quiet and kind, not the cocky charmer Caroline had envisioned. As Rosamund and Leo navigate the complicated politics of their world together, Caroline occasionally pops in with questions and advice—all while navigating her own real-life romance with her persnickety editor.

This book apparently started as a YouTube series called The Fantasy Heroine, and I’m glad I didn’t know that beforehand, because I might never have read this book, which would have been a real shame. The fantasy book-within-a-book is genuinely entertaining, and I liked how the narrative gleefully skewers a lot of romance tropes (“Only one bed? No problem, I’ll sleep on the floor!”). The contemporary story is pretty thin—I didn’t care about Caroline’s work woes at all—but otherwise, I really liked this one! I may even go back and watch the web series now…

Mary Balogh, The Plumed Bonnet

Alistair Munro, the duke of Bridgwater, is handsome, rich, and bored out of his mind. So when he spots a bedraggled young woman while traveling, he impulsively offers her a ride. She’s dressed in gaudy attire that leads him to believe she’s a prostitute. But Stephanie Gray is actually a respectable young woman who worked as a governess until inheriting an unexpected fortune, which she’s on her way to claim. Alistair doesn’t believe her farfetched story, but when he learns the truth, he realizes he’s compromised a lady and promptly offers to marry her. Stephanie accepts, but she’s horrified to discover that he’s a duke and she’ll need to learn how to act like a duchess. Can they build a workable marriage, and perhaps even find love, after such a bad beginning? I was in the mood for a Balogh novel and decided to revisit this one, which I first read about five years ago. It’s not a top-tier Balogh for me, but I liked that both of the characters truly grow and change throughout the story. Overall, a pleasant read that I finished in a single day.

Mini-Reviews: Rom-Commers, Art, Undermining

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Katherine Center, The Rom-Commers

Aspiring screenwriter Emma has put her career on hold to care for her disabled father and younger sister. So when she gets the opportunity of a lifetime to work with her screenwriting idol, Charlie Yates, she can’t believe her good luck – that is, until she reads his script. Charlie has won fame and fortune for his gritty, dramatic screenplays, but this latest project is a rom-com, and it’s terrible. Charlie is terrible too, at first, but as he and Emma work on rewriting the script, they also grow closer to one another. This book requires a lot of suspension of disbelief – Charlie seems implausibly famous, he’s an abysmal romance writer but somehow genius in every other genre, and the reason for him writing the rom-com doesn’t really make sense. But the relationship between Emma and Charlie is charming, and I liked their back-and-forth, which is indeed reminiscent of classic rom-com banter. I also loved that, contrary to many characters in this genre, Emma is actually great at communicating her needs and feelings. So despite a few quibbles, I really liked this one and would recommend it if you’re interested in the premise.

Mimi Matthews, The Work of Art

Phyllida Satterthwaite isn’t a conventional beauty, but in her first London Season, her unique appearance attracts the attention of a duke known for his relentless pursuit of one-of-a-kind possessions. Now he’s determined to possess Philly as well, but she fears and dislikes him. In desperation she appeals to her new friend, Captain Arthur Heywood, for help. Arthur proposes a marriage of convenience, which will give her the protection of his name, but it’s not long before he and Philly develop real feelings for each other. But when Philly is the victim of some suspicious “accidents,” Arthur worries that the duke is out for revenge. I’m a fan of Matthews’s historical romances, and this one is no exception. The romance is sweet and develops naturally, and the steam is minimal (mostly fade-to-black). I also liked the resolution to the suspense plot, which nicely subverts reader expectations. I’m definitely planning to continue with the series this year!

Megan Bannen, The Undermining of Twyla and Frank

Twyla Banneker enjoys her job as a Tanrian Marshal, especially working with her longtime neighbor and friend, Frank Ellis. The job has been a little boring lately, but things pick up when one of their fellow marshals is found dead and covered in a thick, glittery mucus. Shockingly, the glitter seems to have originated from a dragon, though dragons are supposed to be extinct. Twyla and Frank investigate, with the help of a renowned dracologist who soon shows an interest in Twyla—which Frank doesn’t like one bit. I loved The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy and snapped up this sequel as soon as I could. Maybe my expectations were a little too high, because this book was a slight letdown for me. Don’t get me wrong; it’s still a good read, with charming characters and adorable dragons. But the love story, which is by far the biggest part of the plot, wasn’t compelling for me. We don’t get Frank’s point of view, and Twyla sees him as a platonic friend for most of the book, so the pacing feels slow. That said, I still liked this one overall and am definitely on board for book #3 when it comes out next year!

Mini-Reviews: Christmas, Compromised, Morgan

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Kerry Winfrey, Faking Christmas

Six months ago, Laurel interviewed for a social media job, and to demonstrate her skills, she showed some Instagram posts she’d done for her sister Holly’s farm. But her boss mistakenly assumed the farm belonged to Laurel, and because she desperately needed the job, she didn’t correct him. Now he’s invited himself to “Laurel’s” farm for Christmas, and she has to scramble to sustain the lie. The most awkward part is that she needs a fake husband, and the only option is her brother-in-law’s best friend, Max, whom she’s always hated. But as she spends more time with Max, she’s forced to reevaluate her opinion. This book is a frothy holiday read that will likely appeal to fans of Hallmark Christmas movies. But even as a fan of those movies, I found the book a bit too lightweight. The “comedic” hijinks of Laurel’s struggles to maintain her fictional persona get too much page time, at the expense of the romance and any deeper character development. It’s a cute story with plenty of Christmas spirit, but ultimately I wish it had been a little more substantial.

Darcie Wilde, A Lady Compromised

This fourth book in the Rosalind Thorne mystery series sees Rosalind traveling to Devon Winterbourne’s ducal estate. Ostensibly she’s there to help his cousin, Louisa, with her upcoming wedding; actually, she and Devon hope to decide whether they want to rekindle their romance. But Rosalind is soon distracted by another mystery: Louisa’s friend Helen has unanswered questions about her (Helen’s) brother’s recent death, and finding those answers could imperil Rosalind’s life as well as her relationship with Devon. I liked this series installment, which moves the setting from London to the country and also expands the narrative by increasing the number of point-of-view characters. I was also happy to see some progress in Rosalind’s romantic life. But as with the other books in the series, the plot is a bit slow and the mystery is unsolvable until almost the last moment. I’m still planning to continue with the series, but I’d call myself mildly interested rather than enthusiastic.

Amy Barry, Marrying Off Morgan McBride

As the oldest McBride sibling, Morgan has been like a parent to his younger siblings since Ma died. While he loves them dearly, he’s also tired of the responsibility. Now that his brother Kit is married and settled, he finally feels free to leave, but his little sister, Junebug, refuses to let him go. In desperation, she once again advertises for a mail-order bride. Epiphany “Pip” Hopgood has been rejected many times for her “plain” looks and views Morgan as her last chance. They’re immediately attracted to each other, but Morgan is adamant that he doesn’t want a wife. Can Pip change his mind? I really enjoyed the first book in the series, and this installment is very similar in tone. Junebug is a hilarious character, and I especially enjoyed the scenes with all the McBrides and their friends together. The romance itself was a little disappointing; though both Morgan and Pip are interesting, complex characters, they don’t really get to know each other very well. This book is also significantly steamier than the last one, which I found disappointing. Overall, though, I’m definitely still planning to read the next book when it comes out!

Mini-Reviews: Guide, Wicked, Kit

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Maureen Johnson and Jay Cooper, Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village

This charming, humorous little book presents itself as a guidebook for travelers in the English countryside who may unexpectedly find themselves in an English Murder Village. As everyone knows, such villages are fraught with peril, from the sinister antique shop to the overly violent cricket match to the local inn full of mysterious strangers. The book enumerates various people and places to avoid, both in the village itself and at the neighboring manor, such as the pond (“full of the skeletons of Victorian children and, if you are unwise, you”) and the kitchen (“no”). I got a few giggles out of this book, and the Gorey-esque illustrations really enhance the material. It does go on a bit too long for what is essentially a single joke, but I think fans of Agatha Christie novels and British mystery series like Midsomer Murders will enjoy it.

Elizabeth Bright, The Duke’s Wicked Wife

After years of rakish living, Sebastian Sinclair, the duke of Wessex, decides it’s time to marry and produce an heir. He plans to invite some marriagable ladies to a house party, and he asks his longtime friend, Eliza Benton, for help with the guest list. However, as the party commences, it’s Eliza herself whom Sebastian can’t stop thinking about. I’ve mentioned before that I enjoy romance heroes whose conflict is basically, “I’m having a feeling and I don’t like it!” I also like characters whose frivolous facades conceal hidden depths. That’s definitely Sebastian here, and he is by far the best part of the book, though Eliza is also a strong heroine and a great match for him. The book is billed as a stand-alone, but I’m not sure it totally works…characters from previous books in the series have prominent roles, and without having read their books, it was hard for me to keep everyone straight. I did enjoy the central romance here, but I don’t find myself particularly tempted to try more by the author.

Amy Barry, Kit McBride Gets a Wife

Junebug McBride is tired of doing all the chores for her four older brothers in the tiny town of Buck’s Creek, Montana, so she decides to advertise for a wife for her brother Kit. The woman must “expect neither doting nor compliments” and must be an excellent cook. A widow from St. Louis answers the ad, dragging along her disillusioned Irish servant, Maddy. Complications ensue when Kit has a meet-cute with Maddy and mistakenly thinks she’s his prospective bride. I’m not terribly interested in Westerns or cowboy romances, but I found this book unexpectedly charming! Some of the chapters are from Junebug’s point of view, and I really enjoyed her hilarious perspective on events. The romance between Kit and Maddy is sweet, though not terribly unique, and there aren’t many scenes with just the two of them. So if you like your romance to focus heavily on the central couple, this book might not be for you; but if you like a large cast of quirky characters and a unique setting, I’d recommend this one! I will definitely be continuing with the series.

Mini-Reviews: Golden, Holidays, Undertaking

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Francis Spufford, Golden Hill

It’s November 1746, and Richard Smith has just arrived in the small town of New York. He visits a countinghouse and produces a note for 1,000 pounds — a huge sum. The denizens of New York don’t know what to make of him: Is he simply a rich man planning to explore the pleasures of a new place? Or is he some kind of fraud, spy, or scoundrel? As Smith explores the city, he gets into various kinds of financial, political, and romantic trouble, but it’s not till the end of the novel that his true purpose is revealed. I really enjoyed this book, which apes the picaresque adventures and digressive style of 18th-century novels. It does a good job of pointing out the social ills of the period (such a slavery) without being anachronistic or preachy. It’s also just plain fun to follow the possibly roguish Smith around and try to figure out what he’s up to, though the ending is a bit of a heartbreaker. But I’d still heartily recommend this book to historical fiction fans!

David Sedaris, Holidays on Ice

This book is a collection of holiday-themed stories and essays, some of them autobiographical and most previously published elsewhere. “SantaLand Diaries” chronicles the time Sedaris worked as a Macy’s elf, “Christmas Means Giving” follows two families as they compete to see who can best demonstrate the true meaning of the season, and “Jesus Shaves” sheds some light on different cultures’ Easter traditions. These short works contain some hilarious moments, but frankly, a lot of them are dark and depressing. One story ends with the murder of a baby, while in another, parents sell their children to a pedophile. So if you’re looking for light, fun stories to get you in the holiday spirit, I’d recommend skipping this one! But if you’re of a more cynical disposition during this time of year, then it could be just the thing for you. For me, it was a mixed bag and probably not a keeper.

Megan Bannen, The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

This book is a weird but winning genre mashup of romance, fantasy, and Western. Hart Ralston is a marshal in a fantasy world similar to our own, but with zombielike creatures called drudges; his job is to kill them and take their bodies to the nearby undertakers. One such undertaker is Mercy Birdsall, who loves her job but is desperately trying to keep the family business afloat, despite a sick father and uninterested brother. Hart and Mercy fight constantly, but their mutual antagonism is concealing very different feelings, which emerge when they become anonymous penpals. So basically, the book is The Shop around the Corner/You’ve Got Mail with a bit of zombie action and a Western flavor…which sounds like it shouldn’t work, but it totally does! I didn’t need quite as much world-building and would have preferred more of a buildup to the romance, but overall I loved this one and would recommend it if the premise sounds appealing.

Review: Epitaph

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EpitaphMary Doria Russell, Epitaph: A Novel of the O.K. Corral

In the late 19th century, Tombstone, Arizona was a thriving silver-mining town in the American West, but it has become known to history only as the site of the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The story has been told many times and has become part of the mythology of the Wild West. But what was the fight really like for the men and women who lived it? What were its real causes? Who was really to blame? This novel, the follow-up to Doc, seeks to re-examine the legend and portray events as they really happened — or might have happened. The story begins more than a year before the gunfight, with local and national politics having a significant effect on daily life in Tombstone. Wyatt Earp wants to be sheriff someday, but although he is a man of integrity, he is too naive to realize that others are manipulating him. Meanwhile, the Clantons and the McLaurys are cattle thieves, pejoratively dubbed “cow boys,” who resent the intrusion of the lawmen onto their traditional way of life. These two conflicting ideologies are bound to clash, but in the fallout from the gunfight, the truth is obscured by many conflicting versions of the story, until at last it is covered by legend.

My summary of this book was a pain to write, and I definitely didn’t do it justice, but all you really need to know is that I loved this book! When I read Doc a couple years ago, I thought, “This is why I love historical fiction!” And the same is true of this follow-up novel. I love how Russell is able to take legendary historical figures and make them real, living, breathing people. I love how she pays as much attention to the women of Tombstone as to the men, from the Earp brothers’ common-law wives to the beguiling Josephine Sarah Marcus, whose love for Wyatt Earp would eventually lead to her distorting the events of the gunfight and building Wyatt into a legend. I also got a huge kick out of the fact that each chapter heading is a phrase from the Iliad, which emphasizes the epic, mythic nature of the stories surrounding the gunfight. Another fun fact is that “Epitaph” was the name of one of the local newspapers in Tombstone, so even the book’s title has many layers of meaning. My one complaint is that I would have liked a little bit more of Doc Holliday and his lover, Kate. But anyone who loved Doc should definitely read this novel too! Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction.

Review: Doc

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DocMary Doria Russell, Doc

This is a novel about the legendary Doc Holliday, known to history for his involvement in the infamous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. But this book isn’t about that particular historical event; rather, it’s about who Doc Holliday really was, or at least who he might have been. It starts with John Henry Holliday’s childhood in Georgia: how he survived the aftermath of the Civil War and Sherman’s march; how he loved music and the finer things in life; and how he was profoundly affected by his mother’s death. It describes how he became ill with the disease that eventually killed him, and how his health forced him to seek a more arid climate out West. Finally, it depicts his life in Dodge City, Kansas, and the friendships and relationships he formed there, particularly with Kate Harony — an educated, passionate, and temperamental whore — and with a taciturn lawman named Wyatt Earp.

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, and this book is a perfect example of why. It brings the Wild West to life in an extremely vivid way, particularly the struggles of a frontier town in an era where the law offered very little protection to its citizens. I was fascinated by the political machinations at work in Dodge, where social issues like prostitution and Prohibition were intimately entangled with the local economy, and where political elections were often decided over a hand of cards. The characters in this book are as well-depicted as the setting: I felt like I truly got to know Doc and Wyatt, what made them tick, and how they managed to rise above their time while also being defined by it. They are both admirable characters, but Russell doesn’t shy away from describing their very real flaws. Overall, this book transported me to another time, and I absolutely loved it. Definitely one of my top reads of the year!

Review: True Grit

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True GritCharles Portis, True Grit

In the postwar American West, Mattie Ross is a girl on a mission: her father has been killed by one of his drunken hired hands, and she’s determined to avenge his death. Despite being only 14 years old, Mattie has utter faith in her own ability to achieve her goal. As she arranges her father’s burial rites, she demands to know the name of a U.S. Marshal with “true grit” — someone who will be able to hunt down her father’s killer and exact retribution. Thus Mattie sets out with Rooster Cogburn, who is technically on the side of the law but whose own past is murky at best, and a Texan cowboy named LaBoeuf, who is hunting the same man for a different crime, on a quest for justice and revenge.

Though I don’t normally read Westerns, I’m very impressed with the ones I’ve been reading this year! The best part of this book is Mattie’s voice, which is completely distinctive and very funny, often unintentionally. For example, here’s a tidbit in which Mattie asks the sheriff about the various U.S. Marshals who could help her:

The sheriff thought on it for a minute. He said, “…The meanest one is Rooster Cogburn. He is a pitiless man, double-tough, and fear don’t enter into his thinking. … Now L.T. Quinn, he brings his prisoners in alive. He may let one get by now and then but he believes even the worst of men is entitled to a fair shake.” … I said, “Where can I find this Rooster?”

Another thing I found fascinating about this novel was its exploration of law in the Wild West. Near the beginning of the book, Mattie transcribes the trial of a man whom Rooster Cogburn had caught, complete with lawyers’ arguments and objections. It’s easy to see that, in the world of this novel, the law is largely ineffective and irrelevant to the men whose job is enforcing it. Perhaps that’s why Mattie feels such a strong urge to personally ensure that justice (as she sees it) is done. I’d definitely recommend this book as a quick, adventurous read that raises some thought-provoking questions.

Review: The Sisters Brothers

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The Sisters BrothersPatrick deWitt, The Sisters Brothers

The eponymous Sisters brothers are Charlie and Eli, two of the most notirous hired gunmen in the West. Eli narrates the story of their adventures as they set out to perform a job for their boss, the Commodore. They have orders to kill a man named Hermann Kermit Warm, who is reported to be in San Francisco. As Eli and Charlie travel towards their target, they encounter many strange and interesting people, including a boy who is determined to get to California despite all his relatives being dead or gone; a pretty bookkeeper who is dying of consumption; and a dentist who introduces Eli to the wonders of toothbrushes. Eli also ponders the nature of life and begins to wonder whether he really wants to continue his career of violence. Will the Sisters brothers ever catch up with Hermann Kermit Warm, and if so, will Eli be able to finish the job?

I’m happy to say that I can add to the large number of positive reviews I’ve seen for this book. Even though I wouldn’t call myself a fan of Westerns, I enjoyed the setting of this book because it provided a perfect backdrop for Eli’s interior journey. Although he and Charlie encounter other people from time to time and even stay in towns occasionally, the bulk of the action seems to take place when they’re alone with each other. This gives Eli plenty of time to reflect on his bond with Charlie and discover what links them together, as well as what makes them different. The plot is definitely secondary to this central relationship. I also really liked the moral complexity of the characters. Even though Eli is the main protagonist, the book never quite lets you forget that he is accustomed to killing people in cold blood; in fact, he and Charlie do some pretty despicable things in the novel. I’m very impressed that the book managed to make the Sisters brothers likeable despite their many faults. Overall, I’m definitely glad that I read this book and will look forward to seeing what deWitt writes next.