The Ride of Her Life

 The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America

By Elizabeth Letts

Adult Non-Fiction

Reviewed by Dorothy from the Morden Branch

    Imagine it's1954, you've lost your farm, have no family, and have just been  told you have only two years left to live.

    The Ride of Her Life is the true story of 63 year old Annie Wilkins who lived that life.  With only two years left to live, she decided that she wanted to see the Pacific Ocean before she died.  Having no money however, she grew and sold a crop of cucumbers to help earn enough to purchase on old cast-off horse named Tarzan.

    Annie set off from her home in Maine in mid-November with one plan, to ride her horse south to California, taking along her dog Depeche Toi.  She had no maps to plan her trip but relied on the kindness of strangers for places to sleep along the way and help to direct her to the best local roads.

    Using Annie's diaries, newspaper clippings from the various communities she passed through, and speaking with families that met Annie, author Elizabeth Letts has related this amazing story in a truly inspiring way.

    I would rate this book 5 out of 5.

    South Central Regional Library has this book available in Regular Print and Large Print. It is also available through Libby in both audio and digital formats.

To place this book on hold, click here.

To place the Large Print copy of this book on hold, click here.

House of Hollow

 

by Krystal Sutherland

Young Adult, Mystery/Thriller

Reviewed by Alyssa from the Miami branch   

    House of Hollow can only be truly explained by the smells described in it - burning wood, pine, sour milk, and rot.  It is eerie, ethereal, mystical, and odd, with a second half that will have you questioning everything you thought you knew.

    The book follows three sisters, Grey, Vivi, and Iris Hollow, who went missing for a month as children and returned not knowing what had happened to them or where they went.  When they cam back, their hair had turned white, irises black, and each sister had an identical crescent-shaped scar at the base of her throat.

    Now young adults, the sisters have a bond much stronger than any normal relationship, even though they live apart.  When the eldest sister Grey disappears, Iris and Vivi, with the help of Grey's ex-boyfriend, search for her.  They end up finding out the truth of not only where to and how they vanished as kids, but also who they really are.

    I really enjoyed the feeling that this book gave me and how it was slightly unsettling.  I definitely found that the second half really picked up and made it so you couldn't stop reading until you understood everything.  This book is for you if you enjoy fantasy, a touch of horror and aren't too squeamish about death related themes.

    If you enjoy House of Hollow, I recommend The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones and Wilder Girls by Rory Power.

    I gave this book 5/5 stars and wholeheartedly recommend.

To place this book on hold, click here.

Daughter of Black Lake

 

By Cathy Marie Buchanan

Adult Fiction

Reviewed by Angela-Manitou Branch Administrator

    Daughter of Black Lake is set during the time of the Romans invasion of Britain.  The Romans intended to bring the fragmented pagan tribes under their rule and wanted to erase the remaining Druids and their beliefs.

    Hobble is the daughter of the village blacksmith (Smith) and his mate, Devout, a sought-after healer who knows every plant that grows in the forest.  Hobble was born with a disability that ranks her among the runts of the village, but she also has a gift-she is a seer who can catch glimpses of what is to come.

    As the Roman army draws closer, a fanatical Druid priest named Fox arrives and disrupts the order of their lives.  He enflames old rivalries in an attempt to undermine Smith's authority as Head Man of the village, and force the tribesmen to join in a battle against the Romans.

    When Fox discovers Hobble's secret, he forces her to prophesy the outcome of the battle.  He decides a terrible sacrifice to the Gods is necessary-a sacrifice like that of days gone by-the blood of the village runt.

    This is a fast paced novel that tells the full story of Hobble and Devout, and the consequences of a love that Hobble's mother could never let go.  The setting is unusual and gives a glimpse into life during the pre-Christian era of Britain.  It's well worth a read if you like historical novels.

To put a hold on this book, click here.

Caught By Surprise

 By Jen Turano

Inspirational Adult Fiction

Reviewed by Lena-Winkler Summer Reading Programmer

    Caught by Surprise is the last book in Jen Turano's Apart From the Crowd series and it is most definitely my favorite.  Turano's humor is alive from the very first page to the last.  This book is about Miss Temperance Flowerdew, a young woman who gets snatched off the street and put on a train, and Mr. Gilbert Cavendish, who is called on to find a missing woman, who turns out to be his good friend Temperance.  Temperance is a free spirit and an independent woman and Gilbert is the exact opposite, an organized man who has a list for everything.

    This book has the perfect mix of humor, romance and action.  It includes a case of mistaken identity, attempted murder, hilarious attempts at romantic gestures and humorous banter between Temperance and Gilbert.

    As a friends-to-more, opposites attract book, it's pure gold.  Definitely worth a read!

To place this book on hold, click here!

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Be Quiet!

 

By Ryan T. Higgins

Junior Easy

Reviewed by Nicole from the Winkler Branch

    Be Quiet! stars Rupert the Mouse who you may recognize Rupert from Higgins' Bruce the Bear books.  Rupert is excited to finally be the star of his own book!  Rupert decides that his book is going to be an artistic wordless book, but what he doesn't take into account is his two talkative friends.  His friends, Thistle and Nibbs, have many suggestions and ideas for Rupert to include in his book, but by doing so, they are adding many words to Rupert's "wordless" book. Rupert tries to keep them from talking but they just can't seem to keep their mouths closed.  Can Rupert figure out a way to make his friends be quiet and create the perfect wordless book? You'll have to read it to find out!  

    This book is fun to read as it is different from most story books because it's told through character's speech bubbles as opposed to common story narration.

To place Morden's copy on hold, click here.

To place Miami or Winkler's copies on hold, click here.