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Showing posts with label Farming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Farming. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 02, 2020
Grim and Gritty, Dust Bowl Novel Also Memorable and Moving
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Because of a childhood bout with rheumatic fever, 25-year-old Elsa Wolcott has long been treated as an invalid by her wealthy family. Lanky, awkward, and shy, she figures she'll always be a spinster, slowly suffocating to death in her parents' home. She's shocked, then, when she meets Rafe Martinelli, an Italian-American farmer, who pays her the kind of attention she's only read about in romance novels. The Wolcotts will never accept him as a suitor—he's a blue collar worker, a penniless dreamer, and a "foreigner" to boot. Elsa and Rafe's secret romance turns into a hasty marriage when a pregnant Elsa is kicked out of her parents' home. Although the Martinellis are not thrilled with the situation either, they accept Elsa into their fold, soon recognizing what the Wolcotts never have—Elsa is a quick learner, a hard worker, and a person adept at making the best of a bad situation.
By 1934, Elsa is a poor farmer's wife, who is beloved by her in-laws but ignored by her parents and treated with indifference by a husband who is increasingly distant and depressed. When Rafe abandons Elsa, their young children, and his family's farm, she is left to struggle along with the senior Martinellis to turn a profit from the dying land. Between the choking dust, the country's desperate financial situation, and the constant work of farming and caring for a family, Elsa is at the end of her rope. Many of the residents in her Texas town have already fled the Dust Bowl, headed for California, the land of opportunity. Should Elsa stay or go? Can she really find salvation in The Golden State? What will become of her, her elderly in-laws, and her young children?
Kristin Hannah has become known for writing sweeping, emotional sagas about families fighting to survive in difficult situations. Her newest, The Four Winds (available February 2, 2021), is no exception. With a setting so vivid you can feel grit stinging your eyes, Hannah paints a grim, gut-wrenching picture of life in the Dust Bowl during The Great Depression. There's no more sympathetic character than a tireless mother who will do anything to save her children and Elsa is absolutely that. She's a complex, brave, admirable woman whose determination makes her relatable and root-worthy. While I found Hannah's depiction of "Okie" life in California fascinating, her descriptions are so vivid, so heartbreaking, that I'm not sure I'll ever forget them. The Four Winds concludes with an interesting twist, one I didn't much care for; still, the ending feels not just satisfying, but also hopeful. Despite its bleakness, I found this novel absorbing, moving, and memorable. It's because of books like this that I've become a big Kristin Hannah fan over the last few years. I can't wait to see what she does next!
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other stories about the Dust Bowl and The Great Depression, like The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, I Will Send Rain by Rae Meadows, and A Promise to Break by Kathryn Spurgeon)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (1 F-bomb, plus milder expletives), violence, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Four Winds from the generous folks at St. Martin's Press via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
MG Novel Tells Sincere, Heartwarming Tale About the Importance of Farming, Family, and Friendship
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
There's nothing 12-year-old Paige McBride likes better than working the Idaho farm her family has owned for generations. Even with the recent death of her father, which has caused financial hardship, extra chores, and heavy sorrow, Paige is determined to keep the place running smoothly. When she learns about her mother's decision to sell her beloved land, she vows it will never happen. Not only does Paige have a foolproof plan to sabotage their realtor's schemes, but now she's got two unexpected secret weapons—a journalist who wants a hands-on farming experience and a wounded peacock of mysterious origins. Paige will use them, as well as every other trick she's got up her sleeve, to rescue the farm she loves. Will it be enough?
Wendy S. Swore's debut novel, A Monster Like Me, was one of the best books I read last year. I loved it so much that I couldn't wait to read her sophomore effort, The Wish and the Peacock. While her newest didn't move me as much as her first, I still enjoyed this poignant middle-grade novel. Paige is an admirable heroine—she's smart, loyal, hard-working, and focused. Her love for her home and family shines brightly. Young readers will enjoy the story for the funny antics Paige and her friends employ to foil the adults' actions, but what will really stand out is our heroine's dogged determination to save the things and people she loves. Paige's affinity for her land as well as the work she does on it ring with authenticity because Swore, herself, is a full-time farmer. It's not surprising, then, that The Wish and the Peacock exudes sincerity and heart. Overall, it's an empowering tale about the importance of friendship, family, legacy, and fighting for what you believe in. I enjoyed it.
(Readalikes: Um, I can't think of anything. Can you?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of The Wish and the Peacock from the generous folks at Shadow Mountain in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Appealing Setting and Punny Title Not Enough to Save This Cliché Cozy
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
When Angie Turner inherits her grandmother's farm in little River Vista, Idaho, she sees it as the perfect opportunity to start over. An executive chef, she decides to open a farm-to-table restaurant with the help of her best friend, Felicia Williams. With the County Seat scheduled to open in a few weeks, the two women are scrambling to hire staff, convince local farmers to sell them produce and dairy, and make sure the restaurant's opening runs smoothly.
Angie manages to persuade crotchety "Old Man" Moss to sell her his famous goat cheese, a real triumph. The next thing she knows, however, the man's body is found at the bottom of a treacherous cliff. Not only does Angie end up tending one of the deceased's lively goats, but she also can't help channeling her inner Nancy Drew to figure out the truth behind the elderly man's suspicious death. As she comes closer and closer to solving the case, Angie's life becomes more and more dangerous. Can she find the killer before the killer finds her?
As much as I love the title and setting of Who Moved My Goat Cheese?, the first installment in Lynn Cahoon's Farm-to-Fork mystery series, the story just didn't work very well for me. The characters are cliché and not well developed. Angie Turner, for example, is as generic as her name implies. Because neither she nor her love interest is round enough to feel real, their sparkless romance falls flat. The mystery at the book's center isn't very mysterious and the big finale just feels ... anticlimactic. While I appreciate this cozy for being light, fun, and clean, it didn't engage me enough to make me want to move on with the series. Oh well.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of the All-Day Breakfast Cafe series by Lena Gregory)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for mild violence and mild sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of Who Moved My Goat Cheese? from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Monday, May 20, 2019
Warm, Engaging MG Novel Has Feel and Appeal of Timeless Classic
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Billie O'Brien has a busy summer ahead of her. Not only will the 12-year-old be harvesting her bees' honey to sell in town, but she's also got to check her fishing traps, help her friend scoop llama poop (lots of llama poop), assist her dad with cheese making, and—most importantly—grow the biggest, best pumpkin she can so she can beat the socks off her former BFF in the pumpkin race that happens every fall on Madeline Island. Sam Harrington cheated her out of her win last year and she can't forgive him for that. The only way to get her revenge is to skunk him fair and square this year.
Of course, things aren't going to go smoothly when you've got cucumber beetles gorging on your pumpkins, an ex-BFF sabotaging your growing efforts, storms churning up your favorite fishing spot, and a mysterious stranger whose sudden appearance throws your family into a confusing whirl. Can Billie survive a summer full of unpleasant surprises? Can she beat Sam in the race? As Billie stumbles through three months of hard work, stinging disappointment, trying challenges, and unexpected revelations, she will learn some valuable lessons about family, friendship, and, forgiveness.
The Pumpkin War by Cathleen Young is a warm, engaging novel that has the feel and appeal of a timeless classic. Its bucolic rural setting offers readers a unique, insider's view of farm life while emphasizing the value of kids helping out and working diligently to achieve their goals. While The Pumpkin War is a slim novel, it's got lots going on inside. It tells a fun, exciting story that's also touching and real. Readers of any age can pick this one up and enjoy. I certainly did.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of books by Cynthia Lord)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for scenes of peril
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of The Pumpkin War from the generous folks at Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Saturday, November 06, 2010
Farm-Fresh YA Series Satisfies ... to the Last Drop (Um, Word)
(Image from Indiebound)(Note: Although this review will not contain spoilers for Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its prequels. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)
After 5 months of helping her older brother get back on his feet (so to speak), D.J. Schwenk is ready for life to get back to normal. Not girl-making-headlines-by-joining-the-football-team normal, but D.J.-blending-into-the-background normal. It doesn't take long for her to realize that normal is so not happening. First, there's her locker, which the girls from the basketball team have decorated to welcome her back. That's definitely never happened before. Then, there's Beaner acting all lovestruck. What's that all about? And, finally, there's the mound of recruiting letters from colleges all over the Midwest. For D.J., who's only a junior. Looks like she has to decide - and fast - what to do after high school. It's overwhelming, especially when the only thing D.J. really wants to do is milk cows, shoot some hoops and hang out with Brian Nelson. Who, by the way, is keeping his distance from a certain dairy farming girl football player.
D.J. should be elated by how everything in her life is turning out. She's being courted by the best college basketball teams in her region, she's going out with a guy who's proud to be her boyfriend (unlike certain QBs who pretend not to know her when they pass each other at Taco Bell), and her family actually seems to be on the mend. So, what's the big problem? Well, for one thing, it's not enough for her to just read the letters from the basketball coaches, she has to respond to them. Like, with a phone call. Talking isn't exactly her strong suit, especially when she's not even sure she's cut out for District III basketball. To add to the pressure, she needs a scholarship in order to afford college; to win one, she has to show leadership on the court. That means speaking up during games, something she generally leaves to everyone - anyone - else. And with Beaner? He's as comfortable as her favorite athletic shorts, but that's it. She's not in love with him. As for her family? Well, not everything has changed.
Front and Center, the satisfying conclusion to Catherine Gilbert Murdock's charming series about an oversized girl dairy farmer, follows the always empathetic D.J. as she makes pivotal decisions about her future. It really is impossible not to feel for her, laugh with her and root for her as she navigates the bumpy road to adulthood. I got a little bored with all the sports talk, but I still found this to be an enjoyable installment in a story I've enjoyed from the start. With all the dark, broody YA books on the shelf, this trilogy stands out with a sweetness that's home grown and down-to-earth. It tackles tough issues, but does so in a way that's fresh, funny and inspiring. I love it!
(Readalikes: Dairy Queen and The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock)
Grade: B
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
PG-13 for (non-graphic) make out scenes and references to homosexualityTo the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Moo-ving Sequel Has A Richness That's Satisfyingly Farm-Fresh
(Image from Barnes & Noble)(Note: While this review will not contain any spoilers for The Off Season, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from Dairy Queen. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)
Growing up on a crumbling Wisconsin dairy farm has taught 16-year-old D.J. Schwenk a few things: Constant, back-breaking physical labor is murder on a person's G.P.A. and social life; dominating on the football field tends to intimidate guys, especially when the one doing the dominating is an "oversized girl dairy farmer" (134); and if anything can go wrong, it will. In a big way. D.J.'s spent enough time shoveling poop to know that eventually, the cow pie always hits the fan and it's never, ever pretty.
Knowing this, she's naturally suspicious about how well her life seems to be going at the moment. Everyone's buzzing about her skills on the field; gorgeous Brian Nelson's always around to help with milking (as well as some clandestine fooling around); and her family seems to be mending after a bitter feud that's kept D.J.'s older brothers away from home for years. It's all good. Until suddenly, it's not. An injury in practice forces D.J. into a tough choice; Brian, who's so into her in private, seems embarrassed of her in public; and D.J.'s best friend, Amber, is taking off with her new girlfriend. Frustrated and lonely, she thinks things can't get any worse, but, of course, they do. More health problems hit the Schwenks, the farm's plummeting into bankruptcy, and D.J.'s frantic with worry for her older brother. Once again, it's up to her to keep it all together. Just like last year, she'll fight her way through, learning some valuable lessons about what she's made of, who her true friends are, and what really matters.
Although I didn't like The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock quite as much as Dairy Queen, I still find this series immensely enjoyable. It's original, funny, and filled with an optimism that's often lacking in YA literature. This book gets a little melodramatic, but it also pulls the story in a surprising new direction. Still, it remains a compelling and worthy companion to the widely-loved Dairy Queen. I'm anxious to see how the last book, Front and Center, pulls it all together. Although I'm still not wild about the Amber storyline (it seems a little contrived, as if it's there simply to keep things P.C.), I truly love reading about solid, farm-fresh D.J. Somehow, she manages to be both unique and utterly recognizable. A winner in every sense, she makes this series what it is - absolutely delightful.
(Readalikes: Dairy Queen and Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock; the parts about D.J.'s brother also reminded me of Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham)
Grade: B
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), mild sexual content, and depictions of homosexuality (more thoughtful than graphic)
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Dairy Queen Udderly Satisfying
In a perfect world, 15-year old D.J. Schwenk wouldn't spend every waking hour milking cows. She wouldn't be too burdened by farmwork to study, play sports or hang out with her friends. In this blissful fantasy, she would still spend a reasonable amount of time helping out on her family's dairy farm - she would just get to have a life, too. But this isn't a perfect world. It
's Wisconsin. Ever since D.J.'s dad messed up his hip moving the manure spreader, her mother got a second job to take up the slack, and her older brothers took off to pursue their football careers, it's been up to D.J. to keep the farm running. She's been doing a pretty good job of it, thank you very much, not that anyone ever acknowledges her hard work. The Schwenks are too busy ignoring their problems to focus on hers.
's Wisconsin. Ever since D.J.'s dad messed up his hip moving the manure spreader, her mother got a second job to take up the slack, and her older brothers took off to pursue their football careers, it's been up to D.J. to keep the farm running. She's been doing a pretty good job of it, thank you very much, not that anyone ever acknowledges her hard work. The Schwenks are too busy ignoring their problems to focus on hers. Like the cows with whom she spends all her time, D.J. does what she's told. Until a football coach helps her come to a startling realization: Not only is she good at farming, she's got some serious football skills, too. She should - as Bill and Win Schwenk's younger sister, she's been watching and playing the game all her life. So, when the coach suggests that she help one of his athletes train, she decides to go for it. Her family wouldn't approve, so she doesn't tell them what she and Brian Nelson are really up to. It isn't just about training either. D.J.'s been crushing on Brian forever - as unbelievable as it sounds, it's starting to seem as if he might like her, too. Then, D.J. has her next big idea, one that's sure to rile up her family, turn Brian against her forever, and make her life about as pleasant as a cowpie in a flower garden. Making her dreams come true shouldn't be this difficult, should it?
Just to complicate matters, D.J. has to deal with her brothers, two of whom aren't speaking to the rest of the family, the other of whom has nearly stopped talking altogether. Then, there's her best friend, Amber, who's acting awfully strange and her mother, who's keeping a potentially explosive secret. D.J.'s not prone to chatter, but even she realizes that there's a whole lot of stuff that's going unsaid. The silent avoidance of, well, everything, is driving D.J. mad. Can she learn to speak up about things that are important to her? Or is she just another cow on a dairy farm, content to stay out of the way and keep chewing her cud?
Dairy Queen, Catherine Gilbert Murdock's debut novel, is about a lot of things - farming, football, friendship - but mostly it's about finding your voice. It's about speaking up, confronting your fears, and making your dreams come true. All of which makes the book sound more austere than it really is. Luckily, D.J. keeps things from getting too serious by employing her very charming brand of self-deprecating sarcasm. She's tough, funny, and entirely sympathetic. She's not the only character that marched right into my heart, either - I loved the whole quirky lot of them. I could have done without the Amber subplot, but all in all, Dairy Queen's a fresh, enjoyable read that's udderly satisfying (sorry, I had to do it).
(Readalikes: I haven't read the rest of the trilogy yet, but I'm sure The Off Season and Front and Center are similar.)
Grade: B+
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), depictions of underrage drinking, and references (not graphic) to homosexuality
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
No Matter What Your Poultry Ambitions, You'll Get A Kick (Cluck?) Out of Coop
(Image from Barnes & Noble)Although The Pioneer Woman manages to make it look sexy, I've never in my life had any desire to live on a ranch, farm, or any other place that involves smelly animals and d
usk-to-dawn chores. Michael Perry's 2009 memoir, Coop, did not change my feelings in any way, shape, or form. If anything, it convinced me that reading about someone else's clumsy attempts to do something new is a lot safer, not to mention more entertaining, than trying it myself. Besides, laughing myself silly over someone else's foibles makes me feel a whole lot better about my own.
usk-to-dawn chores. Michael Perry's 2009 memoir, Coop, did not change my feelings in any way, shape, or form. If anything, it convinced me that reading about someone else's clumsy attempts to do something new is a lot safer, not to mention more entertaining, than trying it myself. Besides, laughing myself silly over someone else's foibles makes me feel a whole lot better about my own. Perry's adventure begins when he and his wife decide to move onto an overgrown Wisconsin farm. Driven by a "low-key doomsday mindset regarding the imminent future" (3)* coupled with a desire for self-sufficiency, a simplified lifestyle, and homegrown chickens, the couple takes on the project with gusto. They're not complete novices - both were raised on nearby farms - but a childhood spent baling hay, milking cows, and shearing sheep does not an expert make. As Michael soon finds out. His spread requires constant attention, from the rickety 100-year-old farmhouse to the rabbit-infested garden to his newly-acquired porkers. And then, there are the chickens. In order to make all his poultry dreams come true, Perry has to build a coop. For a wannabe handyman with a tendency to overdream and underbudget, this presents a slight problem. Especially when the homeless chickens arrive on his farm. For a man whose motto has become "Don't overreach, farmer boy" (67), Perry's done just that. Again.
To complicate matters, Perry's got a pregnant wife who insists on delivering the baby at home, a 6-year-old who's learning hard lessons about country life (pigs are food, not pets), and a writing career that leaves him with little time to fancy up the homestead. Suddenly, his simple lifestyle's getting mighty complicated.
As Perry grapples with his own problems, he mines his unorthodox childhood - the Wisconsin farm boy was raised by parents who worshipped with a fundamentalist Christian sect, raised dairy cows, and cared for dozens of foster children, including many with special needs - for tips on how to deal. Reminiscing about his early life and coping with all the mistakes and mishaps of his present one leads him to one conlusion: "While the life we are trying for here is a far cry from real farming, it does present opportunities for edification" (254). Even if those opportunities are occasionally overdone, farmer boy.
Whether your poultry ambitions include a backyard coop or just chomping nuggets at McDonald's, you'll get a kick out of Coop. It's that rare kind of memoir that had me laughing hysterically, sobbing uncontrollably and reading every other paragraph out loud to anyone who would listen. Althouh it makes getting back to nature look about as glamorous as wading through manure in high heels, the book offers a funny, tender reminder of the enduring nature of farming, family and, ahem, fowl. A real golden egg, this one is not to be missed.
(Readalikes: I don't read many farming memoirs, so I'm not sure on this one ...)
Grade: B+
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for mild sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Coop from the generous folks at Harper Collins. This review was written as part of Michael Perry's book tour with TLC Book Tours. To see the other stops, click here.
*All quotes were taken from an uncorrected proof. They may have been changed in the final book.
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