Montana Books

First off I want to state that this is a booklet and is available through Werner Publications (search google), along with several other interesting titles, and they are relatively inexpensive. No need to pay outrageous prices.

Okay, about the booklet. It is 26 pages, plus a brief introdution. There is a very helpful map with a corresponding key. The book focuses on the part that the Seventh Cavalry played in the battle/siege of the Bear Paws in October 1877 against the Nez Perces. Overall, a nice collectable and good reading for a short trip.

The book covers an aspect of WWII-events that only in later years came into focus: the alien-detention of Italian- and Japanese civilians in the US.

It's a gripping well-researched tale which moves the reader. No 5-star generals here but innocent individuals who were overtaken by the event of something which was much bigger than themselves, which they couldn't control nor define ... they were mere pawns on a global chessboard.

Little guys are the heroes ... the cook, the hairdresser, the musicians from the Italian luxury liner ... and the innocent Americans who'se only crime it was to be from Japanese ancestry.

The book, rather than painting a grim story about the detention, highlights the life of unfortunate individuals and is an inspiration for good feelings. It shows that something good can come out of something not so good.

I'd recommend the book to anyone with a healthy feeling for contemporary history.

ISBN 037382274x - Cute; better than the average romance novel, which makes it good, but not great. And, in my quest for really bad lines in romance novels, Wrangler's Lady gives us "His warmth drew her as a magnet did iron filings." Iron filings? Where did that come from??

Spoiled rich boys Chance, Cash and Rush Saxon (whose parents had exceedingly boring names, which might explain how they named their children) are informed, when their grandfather dies, that they are nearly penniless. The family fortune has dried up and all that remains are three failing businesses in three separate states. Each takes a business and the men set out to see what they can do to rebuild the Saxon empire - or least earn an honest living, for the first time in their lives. Chance gets the ranch in Montana.

His first problem is the state of the business, his second is his foreman - Cleo, a woman. His response to a female running a ranch takes a back seat, however, to his response to this female in particular. Cleo, single mother of Rosie, doesn't trust men and doesn't want to turn into Chance's mistress, so she does her best to keep her distance. It isn't easy, though, because she finds him every bit as attractive as he finds her. Of course, it's a romance novel - they end up together, one happy family. The only surprise was that Rosie's father never did appear to stake a claim, but it was a pleasant surprise! As for future surprises, I don't know if I'll ever read the stories of Cash and Rush, but I'd be shocked if the whole "near penniless" thing wasn't a ploy by their grandfather to turn his grandsons into more than playboys.

I haven't read the phrase "monthly visitor" in any book written after 1970, so that was a little weird, especially in a genre that doesn't shy away from sexual topics. There was one bad edit, a record for the romance novels I've read, with the word "somethin'" breaking at the end of a line as "so-methin'", so high praise to Silhouette's editor on this one. Romance isn't my thing, but Jackie Merritt/Carolyn Joyner is one author I wouldn't mind reading more from.

A freiend of mine Just got married and needed cheap but goo places to go, so I got this book and found great bed and breakfast. It is not a reading book, but an information book, and eay to find what I wanted.

This is an attractive little book that will be apprecaited by barn enthusiast. The barns inisde are like those you see everywhere, in various states of disrepair and fine functioning specimens.

Particularly interesting is the barn in the cover photo. It's a round barn with some very interesting detail. There's another round barn in the book but it has met the fate of many unfortunates and is weathered and broken.

A few glimpses of Montana scenery are found in the book but overall the photos take in the barns alone.

When the local psychic, Winona Cobbs, comes to Deputy Sloan Ravencrest claiming she had a vision revealing the whereabouts of the mayor's daughter, Sloan has reason to believe that he is being misled. Instead, his instincts and his deduction direct him towards Winona's niece, Crystal, whose own talent is perhaps much more genuine. Crystal has had a vision of the mayor's daughter but she is reluctant to step in and offer her assistance because of a shattering previous experience which left her betrayed and humiliated by the people who supposedly loved her. She believes that this prior example is all the more reason why she should hold Sloan's personal concern, as well as the case, at bay.

Marilyn Pappano has written an installment which I believe restores a bit of the faith in this series. Her writing is smooth and engaging and her characterizations are strong. The plot concerning Christina Montgomery's disappearance develops and gives Sloan and Crystal's story an edgy feel to it. But the author doesn't let the Montgomery subplot deter her from credibly developing a relationship between Sloan and Crystal. Sloan is a law enforcer with a good heart and his love for Crystal prompts his desire to protect her even if it means making a couple of foolish promises. If there is a weakness in this story, it comes from Crystal's self-centered, and sometimes narrow-minded, way of considering her self-preservation first, last, and always. Because this manner of thinking is predominant throughout most of the story, the heroine comes across as being overly and inappropriately judgmental. But overall, this is a solid installment that doesn't falter and has many redeeming qualities to it.

Kirsten Meadows needs a good paying job to support her mother, who is recovering from cancer, and sister but the best Mystery, Montana has to offer is a waitress job at Mystery Diner. Kirsten's father was in the diplomatic service so she grew up traveling all over the world before her father left her mother for a younger woman. Kirsten's dream is to one day meet a nice man and settle down but not right now. Her main interest is taking care of her family. With the help of town matriarch and matchmaker Hazel McCallum, Kirsten lands an interview with sexy billionaire investor Seth Morgan. Seth recently purchased land from Hazel and has built a ranch house on it. He needs someone to be his personal assistant while he's in Montana so he hires Kirsten.

The minute Seth meets Kirsten he is attracted to her. Seth is used to the women in his life, even his mother, being gold diggers so he assumes Kirsten is also. The longer Kirsten works with Seth, the more her attraction for him grows as well. After sharing some really hot kisses, Kirsten is heartbroken when she realizes Seth thinks he can buy her. She is determined to fight her feelings and hold out for a man who loves her.

This book has begun to haunt me.
I got it from a random secondhand book sale and as the other books I had bought were by Lavyrle Spencer and James Herriot,I kept it for the last read.
But when I started reading it,I was sort of shocked since it was such a refreshing new style....I finished it in a day and couldn't wait to read it again...so I started off the next day.
I love this book...the characters a re so believable and you ache along with Gracelyn when she is hurting and you can actually see and "breathe" in the Montana air.
It is a lovely book...but it takes atleast two read to see its beauty.

Blood on the Saddle is the story of the murder trial of a Robin Hood style outlaw, the narrator's older brother, who has made the mistake of tangling with the local cattle baron by courting his beautiful daughter. Written as an absorbing courtroom drama, most readers will be devastated by the revelations of the denouement. In fact, fans of formula Westerns will detest the ending. The novel is Dan Cushman's latest and possibly last title. Cushman, who has a long list of serious novels to his credit, wrote two "straight-up" versions of this story---Badlands Justice and Rusty Irons. This book is a cynical view of the Western hero by one of the old time masters of the genre, but in this novel, Cushman upends the formula in a disquieting and memorable manner. Recommended for readers of serious fiction.

Building Character is a set of short stories about the author's experiences. What an outstanding life he must have led! A good read for relaxation and laughs