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Showing posts with label Western Literature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Western Literature. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Trials and Trails by Jim Halverson (Review and Giveaway!)



From time to time, I'm drawn to read a book with a Western setting. I love historical fiction, and that cover with two lonesome cowboys was appealing. This is a clean read. Check it out and enter the giveaway to win a copy.


Book Details:

Book Title: Trials and Trails by Jim Halverson
Category: Adult Fiction, 276 pages
Genre: Western, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Gail Force Publishing
Release date: January 2019
Tour dates: March 4 to 29, 2019
Content Rating: PG (The only "bad" word is the phrase "shit for brains" and it is used a single time. No sex scenes)

Book Description:

With a past of slavery and compliance, LeRoy has learned to pick his battles carefully. Johnny B, a quick-tempered Sioux, is still learning to control his anger. When dangerous circumstances bond them together, the pair learn to navigate Reconstruction Era America and all its prejudices. They save an innocent man from hanging, reunite two old friends, assist in an honorable death for an elder Indian, and discover their worth as they steadily assimilate self-respect into their lives.

From Jim Halverson’s debut novel comes a tale of adventure, purpose, and the pursuit of self-actualization. Cowboys and psychology ride hand in hand, traveling a journey from living life on the edge to finding a place of belonging, joy, vulnerability, and distinction. Through trials along their trails, LeRoy and Johnny B transform people they meet, brand the world a better place, and reap the benefits.

My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

From time to time, I'm drawn to read a book with a Western setting. I love historical fiction, and that cover with two lonesome cowboys was appealing. It's a cover that suits the book well. Author Jim Halverson succeeds in creating a setting that came to life for me. From the clean clear skies and mountain ranges to the life on the trail with horses, cattle and a variety of characters, the story of two men, a black man and a Native American man, who forge a strong friendship as they encounter both prejudices and kindnesses, was a  pleasant read.

LeRoy and Johnny B begin a journey where life lessons are learned and adventure awaits. I liked both these characters. They had integrity and worked hard. Although there is action and adventure, this story is more of a slow build rather than a heart-pounding tale. I missed some of the tension I expected from this story probably because the writing style did not lend itself to it. I felt like I was being told a story rather than experiencing it through action and description. This made it slow reading at times for me.

Apart from this, Trials and Trails is a feel good book. Even in the face of hard times, the human spirit can conquer with the good by doing what is right. An enjoyable tale for those seeking a story filled with scenes of Western life and the restlessness of two men seeking a better life.

To read reviews, please follow the tour on Jim Halverson's page on iRead Book Tours.


Buy the Book:





Meet the Author:



Jim Halverson grew up in the rural, gold-mining town of Mokelumne Hill, CA and received his MBA from Golden Gate University. He spent part of his life on a ranch and is an avid student of psychology. He recognizes the struggles of all men and women seeking equality and respect. Jim and his wife, Gail, spend their time traveling from their small farm in Forestville, CA.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Facebook

Enter the Giveaway!
Ends April 5, 2019


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Thursday, January 12, 2012

The Western Lit Survival Kit: An Irreverent Guide to the Classics by Sandra Newman (TLC Book Tour)


The Western Lit Survival Kit: An Irreverent Guide to the Classics, from Homer to Faulkner by Sandra Newman
ISBN 978-1-592-4069-4
Gotham Books
Published: January 3, 2012
Trade paperback, 280 pages

Catchy title and catchy picture on the front cover. It shows a Swiss army knife with caricatures of recognizable authors on each of the blades of the knife.

Sandra Newman has an excellent understanding of ancient and modern literature. There is no other way she could describe so cleverly and give such a succinct overview of the classics. It probably helps that she is an English professor! And it’s done with humor and considerable irreverence. She writes in a fast-paced, sometimes tongue-in-cheek manner that helps when the reader gets bogged down with the ancient stuff.

The author assigns ratings of 1 to 10 to each of the works reviewed in the areas of “Importance”, “Accessibility”, and “Fun”.

I learned a few things along the way. For example, what is the difference between “classical literature” and “the classics”; Heart of Darkness author Joseph Conrad’s real name; what is a “gothic novel” and why it is gothic; who wrote the first novel and the first historical novel; that Tennyson’s “it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all”, was referring to friendship (he had lost a dear friend in death) not romantic love; and who is the author of “fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”

I have read some of the more modern authors to whom she refers but none of the ancient writers. But after reading about classical literature I came away wondering why anyone would want to read it, filled as it is with horrible tales of wars, incest, and murder - the base side of human nature?

However, this is a funny, funny book. It will be enjoyed by readers who want a good laugh and/or want to know about the Western world’s greatest literature and/or want to be able to impress people with tidbits from it at their next dinner party.

Note: This book is rated P = profanity for f-words and religious expletives.
You can find more reviews of this book on its TLC Book Tour page.

Reviewed by Sandra

Watch out for a giveaway of this book tomorrow on the Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop!

About the author:

Sandra Newman is the author of the novels Cake and The Only Good Thing Anyone Has Ever Done, and a memoir, Changeling. She is the co-author of How Not to Write a Novel and Read This Next. Newman lives in Brooklyn, New York.




Disclosure: Thanks to Gotham Books and TLC Book Tours for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

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