Home Again, by Kristin Hannah

I am a fan of Kristin Hannah's writing. It all started for me with The Winter Garden. So when I realized that I had time to read a book NOT as a selection  from my book club, I was drawn to Home Again, one that been on my shelf for awhile, waiting for a moment like this.

While I found the book to be a bit predictable, it was an easy, entertaining read that kept me hooked, not wanting to put it down until I finished.

There is a complex web of relationships that begins to show itself, and there is where the predictability lies. As soon as characters are introduced, it is obvious where they are going to fit, and what their conflict will be. This is not the book to go to if you are looking for a deep, intellectual read.

So while predictable, sometimes I am simply in the mood for a good book to read. And that's what this was for me. A book that drew me in, and wouldn't let up until I'd finished it. It contained everything I look for in a book like this - romance, conflict, bad boys, and good boys. It was just what the doctor ordered in the middle of this long and cold winter. A perfect book to read in front of the fireplace.

These is my Words, the diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901

These is my Words, the diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901, by Nancy E. Turner, is a fiction book that is written, and reads like non-fiction. As a reader, you feel like you are truly reading a discovered diary from a young girl, from her travels along the wagon trail to the Arizona Territories, through her growth into a wife and mother. The book is based loosely on stories the author heard from her family, as well as a journal from a relative, lending a factor of truth that makes the stories very real.

As a reader, I connected with the main character almost immediately. Her love for books, her ability to be tough (shooting Indians) and ladylike all at the same time, and her love for her family all hit a chord with my life. I love how she provides for, and takes care of everyone.That she does whatever she has to do (making homemade soaps) to make ends meet.

She is not afraid to try anything. I often say that I was born in the wrong century, and through Sarah I lived a bit of that life - in the west. She is a strong main character, who we see through so many tragedies. We see her survive, and prosper, and we see her fall down.

I think the book is a beautiful snipet of life in the early west. A story of perseverance. A story of love. A story of family. So many of the ingredients I need in a novel to keep me going.