Prayers for Sale... Happy Mother's Day

I just finished reading Prayers for Sale.

Product Description

Hennie Comfort is eighty-six and has lived in the mountains of Middle Swan, Colorado since before it was Colorado.  Nit Spindle is just seventeen and newly married.  She and her husband have just moved to the high country in search of work.  It's 1936 and the depression has ravaged the country and Nit and her husband have suffered greatly.  Hennie notices the young woman loitering near the old sign outside of her house that promises "Prayers For Sale".  Hennie doesn't sell prayers, never has, but there's something about the young woman that she's drawn to.  The harsh conditions of life that each have endured create an instant bond and an unlikely friendship is formed, one in which the deepest of hardships are shared and the darkest of secrets are confessed.

My thoughts:

I believe I put this in the TBR pile when I was reading the Civil War Challenge and I've only just got to it now.  While the story takes place in   1936 well after the end of the war, some of the memories of the horror linger into the hearts and minds of the characters, certainly the Punch Line as it were happened during the Civil War, and I must say, I was not expecting what the end brought forth.  A well written, quickish read, a few tears, and a great deal of colloquialism, some of which will make you smile loudly.  I enjoyed my visit with Hennie and Nit, and thought what a good read just before Mother's Day. 

Scarecrow in Gray... Barry D. Yelton

Show me five:

1.  the book I read was Scarecrow in Gray, Barry D. Yelton

2.  Two words to describe it:  Civil War Fiction

3.   The book is set in the south, we follow the last 8 months of the civil war with a young man from Rutherford County who has volunteered, reluctantly to join General Lee's army.  Francis, walks to meet with the army, he meets a neighbor and they stay together throughout the duration of the war.  

4.  What I liked about the book an what I didn't like about the book.

I liked the characters for the most part, I like the fact that these men hated killing in the war, that they felt for the enemy, and each other.  I liked their loyalty to one another, to their families, to their country, and how honorably they served.  I like the faith in God they had, and were willing to share.

I didn't like the fact that it was a bit slow.  It was quite graphic, and I found I had to read it in bits.  The characters were very stereo typical southerners.  I'm ever so glad there were no banjos.  I think anything bad that could happen, happened to this group, a little unbelievable, particularly in the short span of their travel.  Almost like the author needed to tell all the stories he could think of through these characters.  I would have liked to know a little more about what happened to them after their arrival at home. 

5 five stars or less for the book.  While I liked this book, I needed to finish it, just to see what happened.  I knew the main character would live, (too many spoilers throughout the book). I give it a 3.5 stars.  I read this book as part of my Civil War Challenge, I felt I read so many books from the point of view of the Northerners I needed to see the Southerners point of view.  I think the scene that will be in my mind for some time is the "piles of limbs" amputated from many a young soldier on both sides of the battle.   Horrific.

Photo of book I own.

Mr. Lincoln's Drummer... a quick review

Mr. Lincoln's Drummer

My thoughts:  This was a short YA book, I was tieding my bookshelf and re-discovered it.  I'm also in the Civil War Challenge and thought this is it. 

I hate to say I enjoyed this book, I mean really who likes a war book, that's very descriptive, but I did.  I don't think I would have recommended it to the students of the age group it is recommended for, perhaps just a little older, although just a little older wouldn't find it cool enough.  War through the eyes of a child is even more disturbing than usual, and considering this is based on a true story it is even more important.  I think the two thing that again "wacked" me in the head was the sheer number of deaths, thousands on both sides, at each battle. I had no idea it was so vast, where the heck did everyone come from, surely the population of the U.S. was not that large.  I shall have to do some research.  The second was the very innocent encounter Willie had with Jeb, how very sincere they were with each other, and yet loyal soldiers.  Jeb being the enemy you know.  As this is a short little read, I suggest it to you for a quick study.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 here's my teaser.

Adair read it over and over again and there in her sister's handwriting she saw that if she were to go home she would be alone in that endeavour, but there was no help for it.  It was very clear that the letter was written with the censor in mind but it was easy to read between the lines.  If she could just see her home one more time.  If she could find her father.  then she would be free to think about a place where she war had not come, where she and the major could start anew.

Enemy Women, Paulette Jiles.

Outside My Window...

It's sunny a perfect day

I am thinking...
I can't believe I did it! I hosted by husband's family for two weeks, Several meals a day and sightseeing to boot, and had a great time.

I am thankful for...

I'm thankful for friends and family who gave me a hand, in my adventures.


the learning rooms...

I'm learning to be more aggressive in my professional life.

From the kitchen...
supper will be leftover chicken

I am wearing...

  shorts and tee shirt.

I am creating...

 creating this week, a list of potential new employees.

I am going...

 I haven't adjusted to my new glasses, so now's the time.

I am reading...
Enemy Women and Child of the Northern Spring
With having my husband's family here for two weeks, and me having a great time, my reading has suffered badly so I'm still reading these two.

On my mind...

Absolutely NOTHING

Around the house...

laundry, laundry and more laundry.

One of my favourite things...

a foot stool, and a good cup of tea.

Teaser Tuesday, WARNING may make you puke.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Here's mine:

Hers was not a very kind face. Her face actually made him dizzy to look at as her skin seemed to run in the sunlight with a swarming fluidlike vibration. His body iced as he realized that she was crawling with lice.

Page 43, Coal Black Horses, Robert Olmstead

Teaser Tuesday...

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I'm not sure this is really a teaser but it's a great line.
"She knew going into her wedding thirteen years ago that no man as good looking as John Welles was going to stay faithful for long to a woman plain as a corn-bread skillet. "

From Francine Thomas Howard's Page From a Tennessee Journal.