David Arias Arias itibaren 967 01 Kremnica, Slovakya itibaren 967 01 Kremnica, Slovakya

3.5 stars. This was a sweet book that shows you can do anything with perseverance and determination. It's summertime, and 15 year old DJ is keeping her parents' dairy farm afloat due to her dad's injury and mom's work schedule. I liked that she never complained about the work, hard as it was. She just did it because she knew it was the right thing. Every morning and evening, she milked the cows. She also baled hay, fed the animals, cleaned the barn, and mowed the fields. What hard labor for a young girl! But then, her dad's best friend and coach of the opposing high school's football team asked if she would be willing to train his quarterback for the next season. DJ, having watched two older brothers train and succeed in football, willingly accepted the challenge. It didn't hurt that she also loved football. Thus begins a sweet journey of enlightenment for DJ and Brian (said quarterback). Neither likes the other person, but they come to both respect and eventually like each other through this partnership. My reasons for 3.5 stars were twofold: 1) While I understand the book was written from DJ's perspective, the poor grammar should have been given the boot. Kids will never learn proper grammar if they continue to read it incorrectly. (I'm speaking of "me and Curtis" instead of "Curtis and I," and "real good" instead of "really good.") 2) DJ's silence frustrated me a bit. When she wasn't sure of what to say or how to say it, she remained quiet. Like Brian, it drove me crazy. I'll likely read the next one in the series because I enjoyed DJ's voice so much and would love to find out what happens to her next.

I liked this book. But I will pretty much forget about it tomorrow. Nothing memorable, the characters are like able but dont resonate. It was a neutral decent story.

I have heard about and seen in museums the tiny shoes from women with bound feet but I have never truly grasped what it meant to have your feet bound until I read this novel. Very interesting characters, a time and place so different than 21 Century Canada. My only criticism would be that I would have liked to have more of teh secret language.

This is the first book I've read by Tom Perrotta. I was lucky enough to win it in a Goodreads giveaway. He has a quirky style of writing that captivated me. There are layers of humor, dark humor and sadness. The premise of the story is intriguing. Imagine "The Stand" meets "Desperate Housewives". That actually sounds quite horrible, but trust me this is a worthy read. The beginning was a bit choppy and seemed rushed, but by the third chapter it found it's footing and it was smooth sailing from there. I will definitely be reading more from him.

I don't consider this just a cookbook; It's currently displayed on my coffee table! The pictures are gorgeous & each recipe is filled with typical Pioneer Woman humor. Many of the scrumptious recipes Ree included are free on her website, but the book is worth the modicum investment just for her stories. Truly one of my favorites!