Tuesday books

A few books I have read this year - I'll try to be better about this!

The Bullpen Gospels

by Dirk Hayhurst

5 out of 5 stars

I LOVED this book-I laughed so much reading this! An honest look at a season in the minors and baseball in general. The writing and storytelling is fantastic!  But prepare yourself for one moment of immaturity after another...
Pick this book up!

Out of my League

by Dirk Hayhurst

4 out of 5 stars

Another fantastic baseball book by Mr. Hayhurst! He's made it to the bigs - catch the antics and stories here.

The Lightning Thief

by Rick Riordan

5 out of 5 stars

Publisher's summary:  Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus' stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

My review:  A juvenile book I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. My 9 year old recommended it to me. It was great! The storyline was fantastic, lots of action and fun. I can't wait to read more in this series.
I highly recommend this book!

In Need of a Good Wife

by Kelly O'Conner McNees

4 out of 5 stars

Publisher's summary:  Richly detailed, vivid, and unforgettable, this is an extraordinary novel about three women challenging the American West—and unpredictable fate—for a future only the most daring can secure…

For Clara Bixby, brokering mail-order brides is a golden business opportunity—and a desperately needed chance to start again. If she can help New York women find husbands in a far-off Nebraska town, she can build an independent new life away from her own loss and grief.

Clara’s ambitions are shared by two other women, who are also willing to take any risk. Quiet immigrant Elsa hopes to escape her life of servitude and at last shape her own destiny. And Rowena, the willful, impoverished heiress, jumps at the chance to marry a humble stranger and repay a heartbreaking debt. All three struggle to find their true place in the world, leaving behind who they were in order to lay claim to the person they want to be. Along the way, each must face unexpected obstacles and dangerous choices, but they also help to forge a nation unlike any that came before.

My review:  This was a very enjoyable read about post-war "mail order" brides/matchmaking. Fascinating story and characters. I couldn't believe how quickly I read through this book.