Author: Erica Vetsch
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
Publisher: Barbour Publishing Incorporated, 2015
Pages: 320
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: Anything he can do, I can do better. At least that was what Cassie Bucknell thought before she pinned on Ben Wilder's badge and took to patrolling the streets of Cactus Creek, Texas. Cassie has been in love with Ben since primer school, but Ben treats her like a little sister. When they are picked to swap jobs for a month as part of the annual Cactus Creek Challenge in their Texas hometown, the schoolhouse is thrown into an uproar, the jail becomes a temporary bank vault, and Cassie and Ben square off in a battle of wills that becomes a battle for their hearts.
Review: I expected fluff, but this was a level of hokey I don't typically see in this genre. The concept of a teacher and a sheriff trading spaces for a month in a frontier town in the 1880s was entirely unrealistic.
What I did expect was the predictability.
At some point I was hooked. Such a quicky, fun read.
Author: David Wroblewski
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, 2009
Pages: 608
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: Born mute, speaking only in sign, Edgar Sawtelle leads an idyllic life on his family's farm in remote northern Wisconsin where they raise and train an extraordinary breed of dog. But when tragedy strikes, Edgar is forced to flee into the vast neighboring wilderness accompanied by only three yearly pups. Struggling for survival, Edgar comes of age in the wild, and must face the choice of leaving forever or revealing the terrible truth behind what has happened.
Review: Most books are shorter than the number of pages it took this book to grow on me. I only stuck with it because my coworker recommended it, and I couldn't tell her I failed. Even if I didn't end up liking it, I still wanted to have an intelligent conversation and be able to defend my position.
I read somewhere that this novel is the author's retelling of Hamlet, and even though it's been decades since I read that play, the parallels are clear. From that perspective, this novel fascinated me.
It was also to my benefit to have someone with whom to discuss the novel. Talking about this with someone who likes complex, layered, slow-burn novels brought to light details I wouldn't have thought of and provided a different perspective. It was more like sitting in English class, rather than in a book club meeting. I enjoy having more thought-provoking conversations.
From the beginning I've struggled for the right adjectives to describe this novel. Intense? It's not a heart-racing novel. Depressing? Maybe here or there, but overall, no. Hopeful? Not really, it's one unfortunate event after another. I still don't know.
The conclusion of this novel gets a lot of criticism in the reviews I read, but my opinion is that it ended the only way it could.
Ultimately, I gave this novel 3 stars. Not a bad story or writing, but it could have been (and should have been) significantly shorter. If you're going to write a long novel you have to make sure it takes all of those pages to tell the story. In this case, it wasn't necessary.
Author: Karen Barnett
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group, 2018
Pages: 352
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: Watercolorist Olivia Rutherford has shed her humble beginnings to fashion her image an avant-garde artist to appeal to the region's wealthy art collectors. When she lands a lucrative contract painting illustrations of Yosemite National Park for a travel magazine, including its nightly one-of-a-kind Firefall event, she hopes the money will lift Olivia and her sisters out of poverty.
After false accusations cost him everything, former minister Clark Johnson has found purpose as a back-country guide in this natural cathedral of granite and trees. Now he's faced with the opportunity to become a National Parks Ranger, but is it his true calling?
As Clark opens Olivia's eyes to the wonders of Yosemite, she discovers the people are as vital to the park's story as its vistas - a revelation that may bring her charade to an end.
Review: With better weather and more daylight, I haven't been reading as much. We've also decided to sell our house, and we have plenty of projects to complete before that can happen.
It's also been awhile since I read a book I could get lost in pretty quickly. Light, predictable historical fiction is usually the genre I need to get back into my groove.
My husband and I visited Yosemite for a day on our honeymoon, and it remains my favorite national park. This book was great. Exactly what you'd expect from this genre. I had such a hard time leaving these characters behind.
Vintage National Park Series
Book 1, The Road to Paradise
Book 2, Where the Fire Falls
Book 3, Ever Faithful
Synopsis: Anything he can do, I can do better. At least that was what Cassie Bucknell thought before she pinned on Ben Wilder's badge and took to patrolling the streets of Cactus Creek, Texas. Cassie has been in love with Ben since primer school, but Ben treats her like a little sister. When they are picked to swap jobs for a month as part of the annual Cactus Creek Challenge in their Texas hometown, the schoolhouse is thrown into an uproar, the jail becomes a temporary bank vault, and Cassie and Ben square off in a battle of wills that becomes a battle for their hearts. 
