Home » Posts tagged 'gold'
Tag Archives: gold
Swamp Story–humor in the Everglades
Swamp Story
by Dave Barry
I have long enjoyed Dave Barry’s humor in the columns which brought him fame. I have four of his books on my bookshelf which in general are thematic collections of his writings on subjects like travel and aging. Swamp Story is my first reading of a novel by Barry. His humor permeates this book from tongue in cheek jabs at politicians to outrageous slapstick.
There are several major characters whose lives cross dramatically and surprisingly. Jesse and her baby Willa live with the baby’s worthless father Slater and his equally worthless buddy Kark. Jesse has made a series of mistakes and wants to get her baby out of their disgusting circumstances in the swamps of Florida. Stu, a marketing executive, and Phil, an alcoholic journalist, are middle aged, unemployed men. Ken and Brad are the Bortle brothers, trying (not very hard) to make a living in the bait shop left to them by their father. Ken’s main income sources are illegal.
Emerging from Dave Barry’s pen, these characters find themselves in some serious situations that Barry transforms into humor. Drug use leaves most of the men stoned most of the time, deciding that they have brilliant ideas. Phil and Stu are last minute hires as Elsa and her sidekick at a four year old’s birthday party. What happens there is caught on video and goes viral. That intersects with Ken’s idea to bring in customers with a branding of the Melon Monster. Kark gets involved as a videographer, and Slater sees this as an opportunity to show off his flawless body. Thanks to the wonders of TikTok and social media, the branding plan works! In a separate plot line, there are a number of characters involved in a search for lost gold which legend says is somewhere in the Everglades. As the story plays out, we see that the love of money is indeed the root of all evil. The tale includes a number of tense moments and a little romance. Not to be forgotten characters include the Secretary of the Interior who hates the outdoor; Skeeter Toobs, the longtime Python Champion winner and his emotional support boar Buddy; Zelda the python; and a fast-moving, hungry alligator.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Humor
Notes: 1. There is LOTS of salty dialogue in this book along with drug use.
2. Dave Barry is a talented writer. I thought the book was funny and inventive, but because of the language (which was appropriate to the characters) I would not reread it.
Publication: May 2,2023—Simon & Schuster
Memorable Lines:
The Bongo Mongo business model was built on the assumption that by the time the customers were handed the check, they would be too wasted to read it.
To say that Erik had a gambling problem was like saying that Hitler had an empathy problem.
Chastain handled the Cornwall interrogation with the smooth professionalism of the experienced, principle-free politician, emitting a dense, billowing cloud of words suggesting, without explicitly saying it, that he either was or was not deeply concerned about climate change, and as such was taking all necessary steps.
A Cowgirl’s Secret–sacrificing for family
A Cowgirl’s Secret
by Melinda Curtis
I recently had a three book marathon with The Mountain Monroes, reading books #7, 8, and 9 which were all published in 2021. Today I finish up my reviews for them. I hope you enjoyed visiting Second Chance, Idaho, as much as I did. There are some more members of the Monroe clan that we have yet to meet; I am looking forward to 2022 and more clean love stories with an emphasis on family, making your way, and finding your place.
This heartwarming romance is full of complications—one of the legacies of Harlan Monroe, head of the wealthy Monroe family. Wanting his grandchildren to be independent, Harlan’s stipulations in his will ensured they would have to find their own way in the world, not relying on his money.
In A Cowgirl’s Secret, we meet more of the Monroes as they come to Second Chance at the beckoning of Shane Monroe who wants to influence their vote in a decision about the little town’s future. Bentley Monroe, reticent, but a mechanical genius and racing boat designer, arrives. Everyone is mystified by the magnetic attraction he holds for kids and animals. Cassie Diaz, recovering from being trampled by a rodeo bull, is certainly not immune to his spell as he caringly steps in when her health fails while she is responsible for two precious children whose father, Tanner, is out of town. It seems everyone has money issues, and the mysterious Tanner’s arrival just stirs the pot as he claims to be a Monroe.
Two more Monroes are introduced. One plays an important role and the other a minor one. Their identity should be kept secret until you read the book because therein lies a major plot twist. Meanwhile, if you are following this series, you will be happy to know that a lot of the Monroes who have been featured in previous books have a supporting role in this one.
The Mountain Monroes Series is a fun, clean, and relaxing tale spun out by author Melinda Curtis over a set of books that features each of the twelve cousins. I have looked forward to each one of them; Curtis intends for readers to be able to jump in anywhere and enjoy the story and characters. If you like second chance stories, then you won’t regret a visit to Second Chance, Idaho.
I would like to extend my thanks to Melinda Curtis for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: #9 in The Mountain Monroes Series, but works quite well as a standalone.
Publication: September 28, 2021—Harlequin Heartwarming
Memorable Lines:
The ranch smacked of faded dreams and the faint whiff of desperation.
He tasted the bitterness of being cast aside, overlooked, ignored. That was the fate of the lone Monroe who considered every word before speaking, who didn’t tell jokes with any skill and was content to be part of the crowd rather than compete to be a leader of it.
But if voices were raised, feelings invariably got hurt no matter how much you loved someone.
Lassoed by the Would-Be Rancher–capturing a cowgirl’s heart
Lassoed by the Would-Be Rancher
by Melinda Curtis
Shane Monroe wants so badly to save the little town of Second Chance for both selfish and unselfish personal reasons. He wants to put his expertise in business to work with creative ideas to attract tourists to the area. Shane encounters local resistance; and while he works to smooth things over, he meets Franny, a widow with three children who owns the Bucking Bull Ranch. Franny and Shane share an attraction and admire each other’s skill sets, but are sure that a relationship would have no future.
This romance is packed with danger in the form of massive, feral bulls. It has likable characters who struggle with parent/adult child relationship issues. There is somewhat of a mystery too as Shane tries to establish a basis for historical significance for the town. Is the tale of Merciless Mike Moody a myth? Is there really gold buried in the mountain?
Franny’s children are typical video-game loving boys, but they have learned early, from living on a ranch, that country living requires taking on a lot of responsibility from an early age. We meet several more of the diverse group of Monroe cousins in Lassoed by the Would-Be Rancher.
I had a great time reading this book and learned a lot about bulls and rodeo. The ending is very sweet but don’t skip ahead or it won’t make sense. “Good things come to those who wait.” That is good advice for me as I anticipate the next book in the Mountain Monroes Series.
I would like to extend my thanks to Melinda Curtis for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance (Clean)
Notes: #4 in the Mountain Monroes Series but works as a standalone. There is a chart showing the family relations and the author provides any background from previous books that is needed.
Publication: January 1, 2020—Harlequin Heartwarming
Memorable Lines:
Her eyes…They were a soft gray. The gray of baby rabbits, chubby ponies and funeral melancholy.
On Grandpa Harlan’s road trips, they’d stopped to help more strangers than Shane could count. Flat tires. Engine trouble. People caught short, asking for gas money to get to the next town. Grandpa Harlan didn’t discriminate or judge. He treated everyone as if they were trusted equals.
The wind rattled the windowpanes. His gaze rattled her.
A House Divided–historical tale by a Lincoln scholar
A House Divided
by Jonathan F. Putnam
I was surprised to find myself trudging through A House Divided by Jonathan F. Putnam, an author with an outstanding legal and historical background. This is the fourth book in this series, but I did not feel that my not having read the previous books was a hindrance. There just seemed to be a disjoint between the history and fiction of the tale. None of the characters were fleshed out with emotion for me, and so I did not identify with any of them. I really wanted to like this book, but it was difficult when the characters’ motives were rarely disclosed. Lincoln and his friend Speed are competitors for the affections of Mary Todd, but even Mary’s character holds no depth.
The mystery was interesting and based somewhat on history, although the narrator Speed, a major actor in the story, was actually not a part of the real events of the crime and trial. Perhaps that alteration of the facts added to the difficulty of creating an interesting work of historical fiction. Perhaps the problem lies in timidity in assigning thoughts and feelings to major historical figures. Authors may find that easier to do when the main character is either a minor figure on the historical stage or the creation by the author of a composite character based on what a person in that role at that time of history would be like.
I did appreciate the author’s efforts to include the plight of Irish workers and their families. They were caught in the middle of a web of corruption and greed on the part of politicians and bankers. Another positive of the book is the writer’s style which is appropriate to the period.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Notes: #4 in the Lincoln and Speed Mystery Series
Publication: July 9, 2019—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
The Globe…As a feeding station for hungry village residents or residence for travelers, it was inferior in every respect to the sparkling new American House. Its only advantage at this point was familiarity, like a pair of shoes that slipped on easily despite worn-away soles.
Springfield…But citizens hoping to find entertainment that did not arrive in a bottle or cask were destined to be disappointed. Except when the circuit court was in session to adjudicate the county’s legal disputes. Then, the entire human condition, comedy and tragedy alike, was on display and free for all to watch.
Every turn in the road, every little rise of the prairie, might reveal a clutch of deadly and determined men, ready to hazard their own lives and reckless to mine.
Murder at the Marina–family secrets
Murder at the Marina
Kelly Jackson grew up on a Wyoming ranch enjoying barrel racing, but moved to Redwood Cove in Northern California where she manages the Redwood Cove B&B and is an honorary member of the Silver Sentinels, a group of senior citizens who solve crime to help their community. In this cozy mystery they are called on to help two of their own, the Russian brothers Rudy and Ivan, who have a cloud of murder over their heads.
This book is replete with Russian culture and some history as the area hosts the Russian Heritage Festival. We also learn of the aristocratic family background of the brothers. The most fun and exciting part of the story is the inclusion of a remarkable Cossack riding team. I felt like I was right there watching their amazing feats. There are many possible suspects, and danger lurks in surprising places. I could read the book again just for the fun and entertainment of the last third, which would be meaningless without the development that occurs in the first part of the book. If you enjoy watching an investigation unfold, read Janet Finsilver’s Murder at the Marina where there are many pathways to the truth and clues for the sleuths to chart as they track down the murderers.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Lyrical Underground (Kensington Press) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #5 in the Kelly Jackson Mystery Series, but worked well for me as a standalone
Publication: April 2, 2019—Lyrical Underground (Kensington Press)
Memorable Lines:
The smells and sounds of the sea mixed together—an orchestra of sensation. Ocean mist covered my face and my skin tingled from its cool touch.
“You all give generously of your time and your caring. It’s your nature. Accepting a gift is a form of giving.”
education pathways 