Turn The Page ... Tuesday

From the Shelf TBR ~ and ~ On the Kindle TBR

 

Letters of a Woman Homesteader was a book that I had bought on my kindle app on my phone before I even had a kindle. As you can imagine it was quite difficult trying to read in that itty bitty screen. So I bought the book. And there it sat on the shelf for a few years ... even though I was enjoying the book in 2 inch increments ;-) by the time the book arrived I had moved on. Thanks to my challenge I finally finished it (I had to start from the beginning again) and moved right through ... on a much larger screen - ha! 

 

If you like to read how things were and stories of survival that have a bit of humor in them then definitely ad this to your list. Mrs. Stewart's letters (that is how the book is presented - copies of her letters) show grit, determination and a sense of self that was a must if one was going to survive the untamed country of the west.

 

From Amazon:

 

"After deciding that city life as a laundress wasn't for her, Elinore Pruitt, a young widowed mother, accepted an offer to assist with a ranch in Wyoming, work that she found exceedingly more rewarding. In this delightful collection of letters, she describes these experiences to her former employer, Mrs. Coney. Pruitt's charming descriptions of work, travels, neighbors, animals, land and sky have an authentic feel. The West comes alive, and everyday life becomes captivating. Her writing is clear, witty, and entertaining. The 26 letters are brief and tell about her life on the ranch in the early 1900s. The author frequently and unnecessarily apologizes for being too wordy; she begs forgiveness for many "faults," like being forgetful, ungrateful, inconsistent and indifferent, all without apparent cause. On occasion, language reflects the racial prejudice of the time. Many times, Pruitt attempts to portray the culturally diverse characters she meets by writing their various dialects as they sound. Kate Fleming's narration is as smooth as the writing, perfectly transitioning from one accent to the next. She reads with a calm, down-to-earth tone, which suits the writing well."

 

There is another free kindle book that I have on that ever growing list of TBR - Letters on an Elk Hunt by a Woman Homesteader which if it's anything like Letters of a Woman Homesteader I think I'll be in for a good read.

 

Book vs Movie

 

 

I had great difficulty tracking down Heartland (the movie version of Letters of a Woman Homesteader) to watch. I actually had to buy it used. Just to get a decent price. This isn't  best clip from the movie but it will give you a good idea of the beautiful scenery that is throughout.  As many times is the case, the book was better than the movie; however, with that said, I did enjoy the glorious mountains and picture of farm life.

 

Bonus Books

 

Oh boy oh boy. I really liked The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes. There are quite a few twists and turns and you are not really sure where you are going to end up. Just the way I like it. I had no idea where this book was headed. Some parts seem a bit - well - you scratch your head and say 'really?' but then you are pulled right back in and off you go ... lots to discuss for a book club I'd say!

 

From Amazon:

 

"In 1977, pregnant Genevieve Russell disappeared. Twenty years later, her remains are discovered and Timothy Gleason is charged with murder. But there is no sign of the unborn child.

CeeCee Wilkes knows how Genevieve Russell died, because she was there. And she also knows what happened to the missing infant, because two decades ago she made the devastating choice to raise the baby as her own. Now Timothy Gleason is facing the death penalty, and she has another choice to make. Tell the truth, and destroy her family. Or let an innocent man die in order to protect a lifetime of lies…"

 

I read Out of My Mind and immediately had my 3rd grader read it. Don't let the "age 10 and up" deter you. This is an excellent read for all. Henry and I had quite a discussion. He's such a good hearted kid and couldn't understand why some of the characters behaved the way they did. I have this book sitting on my shelf waiting for John to be old enough to read it. It's that good.

 

From Amazon:

 

"Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom—the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged, because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she’s determined to let everyone know it…somehow. In this breakthrough story—reminiscent of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly—from multiple Coretta Scott King Award-winner Sharon Draper, readers will come to know a brilliant mind and a brave spirit who will change forever how they look at anyone with a disability."

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For The Kiddos

 

 

The boys and I both have really enjoyed reading through The Imagination Station. This has been a great read aloud set for the different level of comprehension my boys are (K and 3rd grade). Drama and mystery abound - think Magic Tree House but faith based. The stories are based on actual events or people in history and two cousins are transported back in time and see God's hand at work. Win-Win if you ask me. The books are available on Amazon as well as the link provided. There is actually a 12th book due to come out in October ... and yes, I've pre-ordered it ;-)

 

 

 

And lastly, books I have not read yet but recently purchased (99 cents each as an ebook). The Trailblazer series is something that I think Henry will enjoy in a year or two and I will enjoy now ;-) They love reading on their kindle fires so I thought this was a good investment because you can load the books onto your computer and then transfer them to any electronic device. They even have specific files for printing/kindle/nook/iPad. Well worth the money if you ask me.

 

From their website:

 

"The award-winning TRAILBLAZERS are action-packed historical fiction novels introducing great Christian heroes. Each page-turning book portrays a significant period in a hero or heroine's life and ministry as seen through the eyes of a young protagonist. A page in the front of each book explains exactly what is fiction and which events and characters are historical, and a “More About” chapter at the end provides a brief biographical overview of the hero's life. We want kids to learn about pioneer missionaries and other important Christians . . . and have fun doing it."

 

So - what have you been reading? Don't be shy - I want to add to my TBR list! Leave me a comment and I'll add your link. (I'm so frustrated with Mister Linky - it won't work - again!)

 

 

Paula



Stacey

Sara