Wyoming Books

Joan Hohl is a new author for me and I find her writing style great! I read the entire book in two sittings. Can't wait to read more of her books. The only hic-up was the development of the relationship between Sean and Heather. That is the only reason I gave it a 4 out of 5.

I picked up this book because of Nora Roberts' endorsement on the cover. But, what a disappointment. This novel had the same stereotypical romance novel beginning (Alpha male makes man-hating super feminist woman look like a temper-tantrum throwing child) that caused me to take a break from new (at least to me) romance authors for a while. It seemed to redeem itself when the character Meg was introduced and she and Sean connected. Then, out of the blue, Duncan's 15 year old, inexperienced, immature sister appears and Sean's madly in love with her. What? I had to go back to make sure I didn't miss something. I can't understand why the author decided to dump the only strong woman in the book to replace her with a 15 year old child.

The fact that Meg was a prostitute and had such a tough childhood peaked my interest because I wanted to see how the author was going to work through Meg and Sean's relationship. Their storyline was more interesting to me than the main characters'.

I'm afraid that Nora Roberts' and Diana Galbadon's unconventional romances have spoiled me for most romances -- so my search for new authors to add to my short list continues.

This is the first historical that I read by Joan Hohl and I really enjoyed it. Usually I read her contemporaries, which I love. This was a pageturner that I read in one sitting.

This is my first Joan Hohl novel and it will not be my last. I'm always looking for new authors and this one seem pretty good. The story certainly filled my "entertainment" requirement. I really enjoy romance westerns such as the ones Johanna Lindsey writes, so I was happy to discover this one. Both authors also write modern romances and so far I like them all. I would recommend this one by Joan Hohl to anyone.

I was pleasantly surpised with this book. I was skeptical about reading this book, but it turned out to be a pretty good book. It held my interest from page one till the very end. I am glad that I took a chance and did not miss reading this book.

Wyoming Wildflower has a wonderful blend of all the things that make a romance novel what it is: vivid imagery, historic detail, and of course, steamy scenes. The relationship between Sonnie and Lance keeps the reader's heart racing. Be sure to keep an eye out for Ms. Crooks!

When Sonny Mancuso was summoned to her ailing father's side, she jumped at the chance to leave Boston. The youngest and most exasperating of six girls, Sonny had been sent to her aunt in the hopes she would receive polish her father had not been able to provide. But all Sonny ever wanted was to be needed by her father. Now was her chance to prove she could be as good as, if not better, than the son her father never had. The Rocking M would not only survive the current threat it faced, but under her care it would thrive.

When he was fifteen, Sonny's father had rescued Lance Harmon from the slums of New York. Lance fell in love with the land and learned enough to become Vince's top man. But the land was not the only thing Lance fell in love with. Sonny brought light into his life from the very beginning, and the fire burned stronger after her return from the East.

Sonny sees Lance as a threat to her position at the ranch, fearing her father sees Lance as the son he'd craved. Nevertheless, her attraction to the handsome foreman is strong. Lance resolves to hide his feelings for Sonny, not wanting to bring pain to her, as all men had to his mother. He will not ever do that to a woman.

Ms. Crooks gives readers a nice read in her debut novel. While the theme of the story is familiar, she infuses it with an original style full of western flavor and vivid characters. A talent to be watched!

Pam Crooks is a bright new star making her debut into the world of romance with this endearing story of two hearts searching for love.

Sonnie Mancuso returns to her father's Wyoming ranch after learning her father has fallen ill. After years of attending school in Boston and studying animal husbandry, Sunnie is prepared to take over the ranch, but she is unprepared to find that someone else has already fulfilled that position: Lance Harmon, a ranch hand that had grown up on the Rocking M.

Lance had always watched and dreamed of the beautiful Sonnie Mancuso from afar. Sensing her need for her father's love, Lance could identify with wanting a love that always seemed elusive. Orphaned at a young age, Lance was brought to Wyoming by Sonnie's father, Vince Mancuso and given a job on the ranch. He grew up learning everything about the Rocking M and harboring a secret love for the youngest Mancuso daughter.

Now Sonnie is back just when there is trouble at the ranch. Danger and threats are coming from every direction. Slowly, Sonnie realizes that Lance is the one she can trust and depend on. After a soulful kiss, a yearning of her own spreads like wildfire. Together Sonnie and Lance would face the danger and fight for their beloved ranch.

Pam Crooks has captured the essence of the western romance with true to life situations and laces the love story with just enough spice and building passion. Pam Crooks will surely have her place among the historical romance writers.

Naturalist and award-winning author Jean Craighead George offers children a smoothly written account of the wildlife, both big and small, which inhabits the alpine tundra of Wyoming. The talents that won her the Newbery Medal for JULIE OF THE WOLVES and have helped her write nearly one hundred other marvelous environmental stories for young readers swing into action. On a mountaintop in the Teton Mountains, a great rock stands regally above the almost treeless landscape, and it is about to fall. A wide variety of rodents, birds, and mammals go about their daily business, unaware of the avalanche that will soon take place. Water pipits hop like sparrows across the ground; a sleepy marmot begins his time of hibernation; a golden eagle scans his kingdom, searching for prey. And a stranger to the area, a boy named Johnny, wakes up in his tent. This quiet story, which turns exciting when the rock tips, is a fascinating look into a unique environment. The human character in the story never manages to take over, as sometimes happens in some of Ms. George's other books. The accurate, interesting writing is reminiscent of Ms. George's earlier series about specific ecosystems, like the Thirteen Moons series, about the seasonal changes that take place with thirteen animals in thirteen environments. These books are now out-of-print, but one gets the same sense of fascination and new understanding of the animal world through the One Day series (you can find my review of the Thirteen Moons series by searching for the book THE MOON OF THE OWLS). The other books in the ONE DAY series are: ONE DAY IN THE. . .PRAIRIE, DESERT, TROPICAL RAIN FOREST, and WOODS. Jean Craighead George's dramatic words are also strengthened by Walter Gaffney-Kessell's expressive illustrations. Come to a whole new land with this fine, short but thourough investigation into one of nature's greatest landscapes.

This nonfiction book is presented very well to its readers because the author, Jean George, spent many hours observing the animals and plants in the tundra. As a naturalist and an animal lover, George gives an excellent idea of how life would be in the Alpines. Because of the short chapters, it's easy for the younger readers to follow along with. Also, unfamiliar words are defined within the reading as well. The book describes the effects on wildlife, trees, and plants due to the climate and geological disasters, which occur in the tundra. This makes for a very informative book, which is also filled with excellent reference aids. These include the complete Bibliography of books about animals that were used to create this particular book. This helps establish credibility for the author. Also, a very helpful index is available at the end of the work as well.

The book also contains excellent illustrations. The pictures convey a vivid image of the lifestyle of the seven specific mammals that are fit to inhabit this area of land. The pictures clarify themselves without any needed captions to explain them. The cover of the book is very enticing to children because of the animals and the mountaintop landscape that are displayed on the front. It is a very attractive book that is sure to be enjoyed by its readers, both young and old.

When using this in the classroom, encourage the students to draw their own pictures to help explain what life would be like on the tundra. They can include plants and animals to show the interrelationship of each one upon the other after reading the book.

As a reader, I have an excellent attention span. I can sit down and devour a book, be it a child or adult title, for hours at a time. I am not deficient in my ability to concentrate. I've even read all of Victor Hugo's, "Les Miserables" from cover to cover. So why, I ask you, did I have so much difficulty reading Jean Craighead George's, "One Day In the Alpine Tundra"? I did, you know. I'd sit down to read a passage from the book and find my eyes glazing over and my mind pondering such mundane subjects as, "I like bread. I wonder where I can get some good sourdough?". Then I'd shake myself thoroughly, sit back down to reread the same passage, and once again glaze over. Once you get about halfway through this book, it's an easier read. Until that point, however, you'd better be giving this book to a kid who is fascinated to the depths of their soul by alpine tundra info. Because if a 27-year-old children's librarian can't read five pages without yawning continually, I don't look favorably on your offspring's chances.

The book opens with information about a large boulder that sits 10,000 feet up on the Rendezvous Mountain in the Tetons. It's just about ready to plummet to the ground and in its path is a boy's tent. The boy is asleep, though he slowly begins to wake as the sun comes out. Various mountain animals also pull themselves together and go about their daily routines. A marmot (mountain woodchuck) offers warning cries whenever predators are about. A family of pikas (rabbits without the long ears) gather and dry food for the coming winter. Birds fly and hunt, mammals eat in preparation for hibernation, and elk call to their mates. The boy leaves the destructive area and begins to climb higher when a violent storm hits. He finds safety but the boulder at last works its way free and an avalanche of rocks and boulders destroys everything in its path. We can safely assume by the end that the weasel and marmot that we met earlier in the tale have been killed, but the pika is still there. Finally, a bit of lichen drops onto a gash created by the falling rocks. "The healing began".

You'd think that any book that begins with a boulder just waiting to land on a boy's head would be a thrilling read. You would be wrong. Once George begins talking about the daily interactions between various alpine tundra animals, the story picks up the pace. Until then, however, you have to deal with sentences like, "In Souther California's Sierra Nevada it starts at 10,500 feet. In the Teton Mountains of Wyoming it appears at approximate 9,500 feet, and in the Cascades and Olympic Mountains at 6,500 feet. The alpine tundra on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire is low, between 4,200 and 5,00 feet...", and so it goes. This kind of talk goes on for long periods of time, gently lulling the reader to sleep. My advice to kids that are assigned this book in class is to skip all the stuff that isn't about animals. The wildlife portions are quite lively, and with good reason. Jean Craighead George is kind of the patron saint of the realistic children's animal novel. From "My Side of the Mountain" to "Julie of the Wolves", she knows her stuff, and it shows. Unfortunately, she has a difficult time balancing factual information about her setting with interesting information about its inhabitants. By the time you finally get to the cataclysmic storm, half your fourth-grade readers have given up on the book.

A good edit could've saved this title. Because of the nature of its subject, this book doesn't age. Its pen and ink illustrations (provided by artist Walter Gafffney-Kessell) are wonderfully realistic additions. Unfortunately, no such edit exists and the dull 14 or so pages at the start will turn-off potential kid readers. This can be a great read if you slog through its initial tediousness. Otherwise, its just so much dead wood.

This was a pretty interesting book. Timmy's family doesn't have a lot of money, and after a bad winter they lost quite a few animals. They cannot afford to keep their ranch. Timmy does all she can do to save her ranch, but she doesn't know how much she can do without much money. None of her family wants to leave the ranch, but pretty soon there isn't going to be a choice.

I am an elementary school librarian in Colorado and this is a terrific book for anyone who loves the outdoors and the west. The passages at the beginning of each chapter are wonderful descriptions of the changing wildlife and environment. The story is compelling and the characters are real and likeable. I don't usually post reviews like this...but I really like this book and encourage others to read it!

This was a pretty interesting book. Timmy's family doesn't have a lot of money, and after a bad winter they lost quite a few animals. They cannot afford to keep their ranch. Timmy does all she can do to save her ranch, but she doesn't know how much she can do without much money. None of her family wants to leave the ranch, but pretty soon there isn't going to be a choice.

Walinchus does a good job of breaking this incredible river down into its smaller components. However, his synopsis lacks detail; for example he does list the dominate hatches and compatible flies but does not suggest sizes for all. He includes a few small maps for each section, but they too lack in detail. All in all this is a good guide book for a first timer to the area and will definitely help you catch more fish.

Walinchus does a good job of breaking this incredible river down into its smaller components. However, his synopsis lacks detail; for example he does list the dominate hatches and compatible flies but does not suggest sizes for all. He includes a few small maps for each section, but they too lack in detail. All in all this is a good guide book for a first timer to the area and will definitely help you catch more fish.

Walinchus does a good job of breaking this incredible river down into its smaller components. However, his synopsis lacks detail; for example he does list the dominate hatches and compatible flies but does not suggest sizes for all. He includes a few small maps for each section, but they too lack in detail. All in all this is a good guide book for a first timer to the area and will definitely help you catch more fish.

A must have book along with the Yellowstone book from the same series. This book made our trip through Wyoming more enjoyable. Our lucky find was at the National Park Service store at Devil's Tower where we found this title along with the Yellowstone version. On our ride into Devil's Tower we were intrigued by the unique rock formations and learned about them as we left for Sheridan reading the Roadside Wyoming book we just purchased. A must travel book for all, kids and adults, which turns a trip into educational adventure. When you read about the history of the famous trails through Wyoming, you get a more realistic perspective with this book by learning about the geology.

Road trips are great. The American vistas are a national treasure. But, I used to feel a nagging disappointment that I could NOT remember my freshman Geology enough to really recognize and appreciate rock formations. Four Roadside Geology books later, the disappointment has eased.

This summer we are driving from Texas to Wyoming. We plan to use the book to really appreciate what we see along the way. Then, we will leave the book as a host gift.

Want your road to rock? Buy Roadside Geology...

This book is a must have book for travel in this state. Besides making the long miles go by faster it is educational and you will learn why this place looks like it does.

If all woman could find a man like that, purely by "chance", every woman in the U. S. would be fleeing to Wyoming! This was a great read, full of romance and adventure. I like suspence thrillers the most, and romance novels second. This book gave me the best of both worlds. I just wish it had been longer!

I don't normally read anything but historical romance novels but I didn't have a chance to get any new books and a friend gave this one to me. I couldn't put it down and can't wait to read the other books in the series. It's a good buy -

Worth 3,5 stars, but I gave 3. This is cowboys, ranches and poor ladys. It has some interesting scenes, but somehow lacked a passion. The brothers were good, they had nice relationship. I liked the way everybody else knew right away when something had happened between hero and heroine(..our relatrionship is a worst-kept-secret in this ranch...). I didn't like the villain and had sometimes a feeling of seeing this before in the old westerns (or Dallas). Cowboy lovers dream... all the others find a more modern book. But definitely worth buying the brothers stories as well.

Bob Fudge was an authentic cowboy. He helped trail cattle from Texas to Montana. He was a cowboy for a number of cattle ranches in Montana. Later, he had a ranch of his own in southeastern Montana. My father knew Bob Fudge and my sister remembers him. When I was a child, I remember overhearing several conversations about Bob Fudge. I have read about him in some accounts published as diaries or newspapers. All accounts of him describe a person who was gentle and generous. Apparently, he enjoyed telling of his adventures. Jim Russell wrote this book to record the stories that Bob Fudge told. Some are pretty exciting. However, everything in the book that I have been able to correlate with other sources is true.

Bob Fudge lived in the "real" Wild West and that is what the reader will find in this book. There are Indians. There are stampeding steers. The cowboys care for the cattle, ride on roundups, and drive the cattle to a railhead to be shipped. There is danger and lives lost. Wildfires, unbroken horses, freezing cold, and flooding rivers were all part of a cowboy's life. In winter a cowboy might be unemployed or living alone at some outpost on the ranch. It was in many ways a difficult life. Bob was working at twelve years of age and was breaking horses by the time he was fifteen. On the other hand, the people who populated the west were mostly good people; they helped one another as necessary and made good friends. Bob Fudge lived the cowboy's life, enjoyed it, and told about it.

We have read and reread Bob Fudge and feel like we have that "personal trail drive experience" with each reading. Bob Fudge may have been one of the most important characters in the history of cattle drives from Texas to Montana. As a ranching family, we appreciate the struggles and stories shared in this book. If you enjoy the cowboy life coupled with true history, pick up this book. We have given several copies as gifts over the years and our friends feel as we do. This book echoes the cowboy life and you feel the sense of the elements of nature and dust in your nose as you read the book.

Spence tells about some of the cases he worked on during his career. Some were nationally famous, others not. He offers comments about various topics, and also talks about his life. This book lacks an index and photographs. The wordiness of this book reminds me of 19th century novels. Spence tells about his career as an insurance company lawyer. In effect, he showed up after the accidents and halted compensation to the victims. Until he rejected this work and vowed never to work for a corporation again.

Spence represented the Silkwood estate against the Kerr-McGee company. Karen was killed on her way to meet a reporter. Her plant manufactured plutonium for breeder reactors; this was a deadly threat to the profits and influence of Big Oil and their puppets in government. Karen allegedly fell asleep at the wheel after leaving a cafe. Didn't something like this happen to one of the witnesses at the Grassy Knoll?

Page 183 tells how support for the anti-nuclear movement came from "certain charities and funding organizations". Are these the hidden hands of Big Oil? Page 216 quotes a witness "there is no safe level for radiation". Spence argued "if the lion gets away, Kerr-McGee has to pay"; any deadly thing (like plutonium) requires absolute control by the owner. He won the case, but it was overturned by appointed judges (p.458-460). Page 328 tells of advice on cross-examination of a witness. "Don't get angry. Don't rise to the bait. Answer only when you're ready. And if you're confused, say so, and above all, tell the truth. Its easy to remember the truth."

Spence is opposed to the death penalty (like Earl Rogers). But pages 367-371 give the strongest argument that I've read for the death penalty. Not as punishment or a deterrence, but simply so society can survive without fear. Pages 379-383 gives his talk to an ABA convention on the subject of trial lawyers. They are the foot soldiers in the front trenches of the justice system. I think this is one of the most important parts of the book. Our lawyers are the virtual descendants of warriors who settled trials by combat.

One case was the murder charge against Ed Cantrell. I wonder if he was the scapegoat for the alleged corruption in Rock Springs Wyoming> TV and newspapers created something out of nothing (pp. 453-457). Anyone who believes everything the media broadcast and print must read this. You may then be able to understand the reporting on some other trials.

It really only deserves 4 stars if your a Spence fan or a hard-core true crime fan. It's the same style as all of Spences others, if that's good or bad I can't say. Find out about his Karen Silkwood radiation case along with his defending a cop that killed another cop and his prosecuting the man that blew up his lawyer buddy and his family. P.S. SOMEONE ON THIS SIGHT IS SELLING IT FOR $...!? I'VE PASSED UP MANY USED COPIES FOR $... OR LESS.

I would agree with the previous review. The author obviously has a passion for telling a story of area of the world that most people don't even know exists. He gives us a snapshot into the lives and history of area while trying to maintain a sequence events that shaped a small part of Americas west.
I think that it really shows how in early America people from all different parts of the world came together, helped one another, and made a future for themselves out of the wilderness.

Whereas some readers may find this work a mundane reading of a ranching community over the past one hundred years, Mr. Jensen gives us a solid declaration into what it takes to lead a solitary life in such a remote region. And due to current trends, this way of life is slowly vanishing.

From the late nineteenth century up to the present, we read of the scores of ranchers, their families and friends who have made ranching in Wyoming's Hoback Basin their choice of livelihood.

The gut punch of this fine local study is the last chapter where the present-day goliath energy boom is a threat to everything from the land, scenery and wildlife to the moral fiber of those still adhering to this way of life. The gas fields of Jonah Field, just south of this area, are a poster child of how not to safeguard the land and its environs. There goes the neighborhood.