The Judgment of the Six Series

Hope(less) by Melissa Haag has been sitting on my Kindle since last November, waiting to be read. I'm sure I started it and got a couple pages in, got judgy about some clunky dialogue and gave it up. But then a friend of mine recommended it and mentioned that the companion novel, Clay's Hope, was free on Amazon. Two free books? OK!



Once I got into Hope(less), I had a hard time putting it down. But what really sold me on the series was Clay's Hope. In Hope(less), Gabby thinks that Clay has a master plan to get her to accept that they're meant to be. Clay's Hope showed that he was pretty much flying by the seat of his pants!

How about some plot synopses so you know what I'm talking about? Here you go, courtesy of Goodreads:
Hope(less)--
"Gabby's brain is like a human fish finder. It comes in handy when she wants to avoid people. Mostly men. They seem to like her a bit too much. It's lonely being different, but she's adapted to it. Really. She just wishes she knew why she is different, though. In her search for answers, she discovers a hidden community of werewolves. She immerses herself in their culture, learning about their world until she meets Clay. He's unkempt, prone to mood swings, intense without saying a word, and he thinks Gabby is his.

It's going to take every trick she knows to convince Clay to go away, and every bit of willpower not to fall for him when she discovers the man beneath the rough exterior."

Clay's Hope--"Clay is a man of few human talents. As a wolf, he hunts well and can fight off a grizzly twice his size, but has no aspirations. The idea of a Mate isn't something he has ever seriously entertained. Dreamed about, maybe, but he knows the chances are nearly non-existent. Then he meets Gabby, a human girl. She hates him at first sight, yet he can't let her go. Who he was is no longer important. Now, who he needs to become to win her over is the only thing that matters."

The stories are wonderfully intense romances by themselves, but they blend well into the overall story arc of six women who have to judge between the races and bring balance to the world and the companions who love and protect them. I enjoyed the tension between each pairing and the absolute devotion the men would show to earn the women's trust. Each romance was beautifully plotted and the escalating suspense as the overall story moved forward kept my interest long past my bedtime. Also, I bade farewell to my book budget, because I absolutely HAD to purchase the rest of the books in the series!

Gentle Reader Alert: There was the occasional swear, as well as some scenes that I would not describe as graphic, but wasn't exactly "the camera pans away", if that makes sense? It didn't offend my sensibilities, anyway, but the deed was definitely done. And Bethi from (Un)wise is delightfully earthy. So. There you go.

Remember Jamie Baker AND Interview with Kelly Oram!

Not too long ago, I reviewed Being Jamie Baker, the first in the Jamie Baker trilogy. The second book, More Than Jamie Baker, pulls off a difficult feat--it's not a boring bridge between the first and third books in the trilogy. Instead, Jamie comes into her powers and learns of better ways to use them for good, she tangles with the media, and the book ends on a cliffhanger that made my jaw drop. It's full of laughs and tears and suspense--really, an excellent sequel.

It's been a few years since More Than Jamie Baker was released, but the wait for Remember Jamie Baker was more than worth it.

From Goodreads:
"Remember Jamie Baker is the explosive and long awaited conclusion to the Jamie Baker trilogy.

Plagued by memory loss, Jamie Baker searches high and low for the answers to who she is, where she comes from, and why she’s able to do things other humans can’t. A not-so-simple task when she’s hiding from the people responsible for her amnesia—an evil scientific research company that wants to capture her at any cost.

When Jamie’s quest for the truth reveals a devastating betrayal from the one person she thought she could trust, she’s forced to team up with a secret military organization in order to ensure her safety and stop Visticorp’s horrific human experimenting once and for all."


The final book in Jamie's story is a gripping, exciting read. As I mentioned in my initial Jamie Baker review, Jamie is one of those characters who has earned the right to tears and anger and confusion. Though highly emotional, in stark contrast to your stereotypical stoic superhero, Jamie has endured her trials like a boss. Her amnesia now dominates the story as she tries to determine how she and her nifty powers fit into this new world she inhabits--a world she has no memory of. But as Jamie slowly learns to trust the people she falls in with, she forges a place for herself, even though her memory loss remains. And when her new world and her old world collide, it creates a fascinating conversation of what it means to be a person and how our memories influence everything we do--from the formation of our opinions to our behavior to the people we fall in love with.

Full of great one-liners and intense longing, Remember Jamie Baker is a satisfying conclusion to a fantastic trilogy. Readers will appreciate the new friends Jamie makes, the measures she takes to restore her memory, and the return of Ryan Miller. OH YES. That charming combination of ego and sunshine does show up. I promise. And it's epic.

Gentle Reader Alert: There are some swears in the story, but nothing beyond a PG-13.

And now, introducing Kelly Oram!

Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which her family and friends still tease her. She’s obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and likes to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, four children, and her cat, Mr. Darcy.

Kelly is wicked awesome--she granted my wish and answered some offbeat interview questions for me. YAY! If you'd like to read a very comprehensive interview with more typical questions, follow this link to Kelly Oram Land.

1. You can have any superhero power you want but you're trapped in a book. What power do you have and what book are you trapped in? Why? 
This is so hard. There are so many options! Um... let's go with being stuck in The Mortal Instruments series because I would LOVE to be a shadow hunter in Jace and Clary's crew. I think my superpower would be to have Superman's impervious man-of-steel skin. I don't need the strength and speed or anything because I would totally have Isabelle, Alec, and Jace teach me to be a mad-awesome warrior ninja the regular way. But I'd like to not get injured so much when fighting demons. No broken bones, no stab wounds, no demon poisoning... Just me doing all the butt kicking surrounded by hotties like Jace, Alec, Magnus, and Simon!!! <3
Ok, I really, really like that answer. The man-of-steel skin + training with the Shadow Hunters would be so EPIC! 

 2. Is there anything in your earlier books that you wish you could go back and change?
I think, if I could, I'd take one more pass at Chameleon. I'd soften Dani up just a little bit more and tone down the love triangle just a tad. I love the story, but it was my first attempt at a love triangle, and when I go back and read it, I think it could benefit from a little more subtlety.
Interesting. Dani's intense emotions fuel Russ' responses and his subsequent action, so I think it works. But that's just my opinion. :D

 3. What's the most transcendent piece of wisdom you've acquired so far in your life?
Oh. This one is easy. When you go into labor, eat something before you go to the hospital!!! When I had my first child I went to bed with an upset stomach the night before my water broke, and I skipped dinner. Then my water broke when I woke up and I was so nervous/excited that I didn't eat breakfast before I went to the hospital. Then I realized the hospital won't allow you to eat or drink anything while you're in labor. 30 HOURS LATER, I had an emergency c-section and had lots of post-op complications. I was put on a clear liquid diet for over a week. So by the time I was allowed to eat real food again it had been over 10 days or something. And I'll tell you what, those 30 hours of labor while STARVING because I already hadn't eaten for almost a day before going to the hospital were absolute misery. So ladies, eat a really good/yummy meal before you go to the hospital because labor on an empty stomach sucks!!
HO.LY. CRAP. OK, that's a tough time! I will never complain about my long labors ever again. :) I bet the first thing you ate after getting off the liquid diet tasted like heaven. I know it would to me!

Thanks for playing, Kelly! Come by again anytime!

A Change of Fortune

I really love proper regency romances. A Change of Fortune has been on my radar for a while, and it did not disappoint!

From Goodreads:
"Lady Eliza Sumner is on a mission. Her fortune was the last thing she had left after losing her father, her fiancé, and her faith. Now, masquerading as Miss Eliza Sumner, governess-at-large, she's determined to find the man who ran off with her fortune, reclaim the money, and head straight back to London.

Mr. Hamilton Beckett, much to his chagrin, is the catch of the season, and all the eyes of New York society—all the female ones, at least—are on him. He has no plans to marry again, especially since his hands are full keeping his business afloat while raising his two children alone.

Eliza's hapless attempts to regain her fortune unexpectedly put her right in Hamilton's path. The discovery of a common nemesis causes them to join forces and, before she knows it, Eliza has a whole retinue of people helping her. Eliza's determination not to trust anyone weakens when everyone's antics and bumbling efforts to assist her make her wonder if there might be more important things than her fortune and independence.

When all of Hamilton's and Eliza's best-laid plans fall by the wayside, it will take a riot of complications for them to realize that God just might have had a better plan in mind all along."


Eliza Sumner is a believably resourceful heroine for her time. She is determined and doesn't let the setbacks she encounters hold her back. On the other hand, I really appreciated her willingness to let other people help her. And Hamilton Beckett steps up admirably. Truly, I enjoyed watching the romance develop as the plot unwound. And what a tightly wound plot it was! The mystery was enjoyable and made sense, and the Christian tone didn't beat me over the head with the Moralizing Stick. This was really, really a wonderful read.

Gentle Reader Alert:  I found nothing of concern.

Born to Treason

Full Disclosure: I have known E.B. Wheeler since college. Life has taken us its various ways, but one thing has always held true--Emily B. knows how to write a good story. She has only gotten better with time, and Born to Treason showcases her talent admirably.



From Goodreads:

"Joan Pryce is not only a Catholic during the English Reformation but also Welsh, and comes from a family of proud revolutionaries. But when a small act of defiance entangles her in a deadly conspiracy, a single misstep may lead her straight to the gallows. Now, Joan must navigate a twisting path that could cost her life, her freedom, and her chance of finding love."


Joan Pryce is one of those characters that feels really true to life--the reader can really get into her head and understand not only what she is feeling, but why she is feeling that way. The details of domestic life in the 16th century are neatly woven into the narrative and bringing to life what it was to live in a manor--the persistent cold and damp, the daily occupations that needed to be performed even by the heads of household to meet everyone's needs, even the relative scarcity of good clothing. Add those to some excellent character and plot development, and there were no info dumps required to get the reader up to speed. I cannot tell you how much I *loved* that!

Instead, Emily brought the conflicts of the time to life by letting us see how Joan felt about them, how her loyalty to religion and country called into question her right to exist, according to the policies of the current government. This was difficult for me to read, because I really admire Elizabeth the First for balancing the forces in England and making her reign possible, but I sympathized with Joan and how the policies Liz 1 put in place negatively affected her life. But I truly admired the fact that Joan didn't make any reckless choices, either--she did what she could, but didn't overreach her abilities and resources. She was careful with the people around her, and how her decisions could affect their lives. She had the maturity I would expect from a character her age in that time period.

I had a hard time putting the book down--the entire story was intense, but not overwhelming. Emily, I tip my hat to you. Now will you please write a story about Nicholas? Because he was pretty awesome too, and I think his history would be an intriguing read.

Gentle Reader Alert: I found nothing of concern.

I got an interview with Emily, too! My life rocks. 

First, a short bio:
E.B. Wheeler grew up in Georgia and California. She attended BYU, majoring in history with an English minor, and earned graduate degrees in history and landscape architecture from Utah State University. She's the award-winning author of THE HAUNTING OF SPRINGETT HALL and several short stories, magazine articles, and scripts for educational software programs, as well as BORN TO TREASON (May 2016) and NO PEACE WITH THE DAWN (November 2016). She lives in the mountains of Utah with her husband, daughters, various pets, and as many antique roses as she can cram into her yard. If she had spare time, she would spend it playing harp and hammered dulcimer, gardening, hiking, shooting archery, knitting, and reading.


And on to the interview!

1. In your early attempts at writing, what is the most embarrassing thing you wrote?

In high school, my best friend and I wrote scripts for several mash-up parody movies, like “Swing Kids: The Next Generation.” They involved scenes like Kenny G trying to use his saxophone to smash open canned food in a post-apocalyptic world. Though, honestly, we had a blast doing it, so I'm not that embarrassed. :)

 2. What is your writing routine? 

 I'm not a morning person, but I've found, with my kids' schedules, I only have the time and emotional energy to write first thing in the morning. So, I get up an hour or so before everyone else and write. If I'm struck by inspiration during the day or at night, I'll jot down as much as I can and then plot while I clean, walk the kids to school, etc.

 3. Do you have any favorite music to listen to while you write? Why?

 When I'm in the writing groove, I tend to tune everything else out, and while I'm editing, I don't like any distractions, so I'm not a music-while-writing person.

 4. Just to switch things up a bit -- you can have any superhero power you want but you're trapped in a book. What power do you have and what book are you trapped in? Why?

I wouldn't want to be stuck in most of the books I read! I'm going to cheat a little and say I'd love to be trapped in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender (they have graphic novels—it counts!), and be a fire bender. Why? Because it would be awesome! :)

We love The Last Airbender at our house! I think I'd rather be an earth-bender, but that might be because I'm not looking forward to landscaping my new front yard. Being an earth-bender would make that so much easier! Anyway....

5. When you're absolutely sick of your own writing, what books/genre do you read to give yourself a break? 

I enjoy escaping into Georgette Heyer's world, and my guilty pleasure is Gothic romance. I'm not sure I'll ever try to write one, but I love reading them, and they give me a good break from some of the heavier stuff I read in history and historical fiction.

 6. What's the best feedback/compliment you've ever gotten? 

 Unofficially, one of my former professors—an expert on Renaissance Britain—said Born to Treason “...didn't make me grumpy.” Coming from him, I felt like I'd won the Newbery or something. Officially, I got a review from a teenage girl saying she liked my book because, “The romance isn't stupid.” I set out to make the romances in my books “not stupid,” so I was thrilled.

I'm no expert on Britain in any form, but I have to agree--your details seemed to be dead on. And the romance is definitely NOT stupid. Well done!

 7. What is the most important life lesson you've learned so far? 

 Writing has taught me a lot, but I think the most important thing I've learned from it so far is to be true to my own vision—to focus first on what I know the story needs, and then to listen with an open mind to other people's opinions. Oddly enough, by stressing less about what other people think, I'm able to listen better to what they have to say.

Thanks for stopping by, Emily, and thank you SO MUCH for writing Born to Treason. I really enjoyed it!

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of Yukon Gold

If my history books had been written like Kitty Hawk, I would have paid a lot more attention. Kitty Hawk is jam-packed with detailed information about the Yukon Gold Rush, humpback whale feeding and migration habits, and flying a De Haviland Beaver.

From Goodreads: 

"After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continues to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and poems of such writers as Jack London, Robert Service and Pierre Berton. It is a riveting tale that brings to glorious life the landscape and history of Alaska's inside passage and Canada's Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush."

Kitty Hawk is described as intrepid too many times in the book descriptions I've read to make me comfortable, unless this book was set in the 1940s. However, Ms. Hawk has access to the latest technology, making me quite certain that her cell-phone-wielding self is firmly planted in the present day. She makes use of that technology to track humpback whales through islands off the coast of Alaska and falls into an adventure with four gold-hauling brothers. They all end up following a trail through the Yukon and Kitty receives an extensive lesson on the way, full of dastardly villains, crazy prospectors, explosions, and people down on their luck trying out yet another scheme to get rich quick. 

The writing is clear and vivid. The narrative meanders, bogged down as it is in multiple lessons, but the action is riveting enough to keep a reader's attention. Kitty talks to herself, internally, extensively, and the reader gets to know her quite well. She has confidence but isn't foolish or overly cautious. She reacts reasonably to the situations she finds herself in and does her best with the resources she has to hand. She's not afraid to ask for help and she proves herself to be quite capable.

Overall, Kitty is quite the perfect heroine and the people she interacts with are black and white characters. There isn't much room for nuance in this straightforward story, but there is hope for redemption at the end. Middle graders would be a great audience for this book.

Gentle Reader Alert: Kitty references deity quite a bit, and she's not prayin', folks. As a religious conservative, that bugged me, especially since this book seems to be written for younger readers. 

Treasure at Lure Lake and INTERVIEW with author Shari Schwarz

I have to admit, when it comes to camping, I am a total lightweight. I start my fires with matches, I prefer to sleep in a cabin, and I've never tied my food up high to keep it from bears because my food is locked in said cabin. Or RV. My grandfather's family shared an RV and we'd take it every once in a while for a family outing. One year, it was cloudy and gloomy the entire three days we were in the woods, so I holed up in my bunk and read the entire time. I got yelled at for nearly killing the RV battery because I had to use the bunk's light the entire time. What can I say? I was lost in a book. Nothing new there!

From Goodreads:
"An epic adventure—that’s all Bryce wants this summer. So when he stumbles upon a treasure map connected to an old family secret, Bryce is determined to follow the clues to unearth both, even if it means hiking in the wilderness in the middle of nowhere. Bryce must work with his bickering brother, Jack, or they may never see the light of day again!"


The campers in Treasure at Lure Lake are a little more intrepid than I am. Jack and Bryce are taking some time to really rough it with their grandpa up in the mountains of Colorado as they hike to the rather primitive cabin that's been in the family for generations. Jack and Bryce argue back and forth like brothers do--Ms. Schwarz definitely captures the tone of sibling relationships! This seemingly simple trip is beset by some rather traumatic incidents, testing the bond between the brothers, and Bryce's curiosity leads to the discovery of a devastating family secret.

But what could be a very heavy story is redeemed by Ms. Schwarz' deft writing and light tone--she completely captures what it is to be a young adolescent, still full of wonder and innocence, as well as a young man who is struggling between adolescence and imminent manhood. Also, although she takes her story seriously, none of the distressing events were overwhelming or too intense to read. In fact, I found it hard to put the book down. With an excellent use of foreshadowing and great character motivations, the story moved forward quickly and I ate it up.

This is a great book for middle graders who appreciate life's more serious situations and can open up some excellent opportunities for discussion. I'm glad to have had the chance to read it.

Gentle Reader Alert: I found nothing of concern.


Now, on to the interview!

Shari Schwarz lives in Ft. Collins, Colorado near the Rocky Mountains with her husband and their four boys. TREASURE AT LURE LAKE (April 12, 2016) is her debut middle grade novel which reflects her love for a good survival adventure story. When she’s not reading or writing, Shari can be found freelance editing, weight-lifting, gardening or watching her boys play football, basketball, speed stacking, or wrestling. She frequently daydreams of exploring Oregon Coast beaches or plotting out her next children’s book.


1. In your early attempts at writing, what is the most embarrassing thing you wrote? (For example, a friend of mine got started by writing fan fiction about the Backstreet Boys. She freely admits this. :D) 

 What a great question! The most embarrassing things I have written (besides angsty journal entries) would definitely be my early queries to agents when I was just starting out on my writing journey. I made all of the query mistakes you can make, but this one in particular was mortifying. I even blogged about it here: http://www.sharischwarz.com/2014/06/most-embarassing-query-experience.html Basically, I accidentally sent several different versions of the same query to an agent. I can only imagine what he thought about that little episode. I now know that agents see all kinds of crazy things. But these experiences are lessons learned. Onward and upward, right?

 2. What is your writing routine?

 I usually write when my four-year-old is in preschool and when my big boys are at youth group. I go to one of my favorite coffee shops and have a couple of hours each time to write. But often I find myself writing in between all of the nooks and crannies of life...those moments where you have a few minutes to kill here or there, between appointments, sitting in the pick-up line at my son's elementary school, or while waiting for water to boil for dinner. I can write in the middle of chaos. But I cannot edit that way. I have to have very concentrated and quite time to do that, which usually happens on weekends or when my husband is able to watch our boys.

 3. Do you have any favorite music to listen to while you write? Why? 

 Even though I can write in the middle of 'life,' I can't write with music on. I really wish I could! But I find it hard to tune it out.

 4. All right, now to exercise the ol' imagination--you can have any superhero power you want but you're trapped in a book. What power do you have and what book are you trapped in? Why? 

 I would want the superhero power of being able to transport others into the book with me so that we could have the same, life-changing experiences together. And, maybe, together, we'd be able to figure a way to get back to reality!

 5. When you're absolutely sick of your own writing, what books/genre do you read to give yourself a break?

 I read widely. I love reading picture books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult and adult novels pretty much in any genre as long as it's clean. My favorite book of the last year was THE LIFE LIST by Lori Nelson Spielman. It's pretty much the perfect book for me. But usually I love reading survival stories the most.

 6. What's the best feedback/compliment you've ever gotten? 

 On TREASURE AT LURE LAKE, my favorite comment was when my dad said he teared up because of a scene toward the end of the book that he felt he could relate to. I felt like I got it just right, and through all of my revisions, that scene has pretty much stayed the same. I wish I could reveal it, but it would be a spoiler. On my writing in general, the highlight for me was being published in last year's Writer's Digest short story competition. I won 7th place out of almost 7000 entries. It gave me a huge boost in confidence.

 7. What is the most important life lesson you've learned so far? 

 Oh, wow. This is a hard one. So many life lessons over the years. I'll try to pick one...It's beautiful to watch when someone realizes what their passion in life is and develops it. I guess I would say that I've learned to listen to my heart and not be afraid of failure. I believe in dreaming and working toward your dreams no matter how hard it may be. In the back of my 5th grade journal, I wrote that I wanted to write a book. It took me thirty years and has been one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I'm so excited to be realizing my dream now as my book comes out.

 Thank you for having me on your blog, Karie. It's been wonderful!
Thank you, Shari! 

Treasure at Lure Lake is available for purchase at an e-retailer near you. 

The Sheriffs of Savage Wells

Sarah Eden has been on my radar for a while now. I've read rave reviews of her romances and been envious of my Utah friends, who could find her books on their library shelves. Out here in Texas, well, my Sarah Eden options are lacking.

But then Sherwood Smith reviewed Ms. Eden's latest novel--which I thought would be pretty much out of Sherwood's purview--and she *loved* it. Moreover, she'd gotten an ARC from NetGalley. Whaddya know?! So I clicked my way over to NetGalley and requested The Sheriffs of Savage Wells just as fast as my fingers would take me. AND THEY APPROVED MY REQUEST. You may not have noticed, but my blog is tiny. My readership is few. I have a grand total of five comments. Heck, I haven't even worked out how to put ads on here. :D So when I have to request a book instead of just being automatically approved for it, I tend to throw a mini-party right there in my reading chair when my request is granted. So here's a humongous THANK YOU to Shadow Mountain for letting me have the privilege of reading my first Sarah Eden novel!

From Goodreads:
"He's the most fearsome sheriff in the West. A force to be reckoned with. The stuff of legend.

So is she. . . . May the best sheriff win.

Paisley Bell knows the eccentric people of Savage Wells. From the absentminded shopkeeper who always thinks she's been robbed to the young man who has returned shell-shocked from the war, Paisley has compassion for them all. When the sheriff up and leaves town, Paisley steps up and assumes the responsibility, partly because she loves the work, but also because she needs the income to take care of her sick father. So when the town council decides that the position of sheriff should really go to a man, Paisley finds herself fighting to prove that she's the perfect candidate for the job, even though she wears a skirt.

Cade O'Brien is heartily sick of shooting people. In his many years as a lawman, Cade has seen his share of blood and violence. So when he answers an advertisement for a sheriff job in the sleepy town of Savage Wells, he believes he's found the peace and quiet he's always desired. But when he discovers that his biggest competition for the job is a woman, he begins to question his decisions.

Tension between the two begins to sizzle when both Cade and Paisley realize the attraction they have for each other, but when Paisley's former beau shows up in town, along with a band of bank robbers, the blossoming relationship between the two sheriffs is tested. They will have to work together to thwart the bank robbers and keep the town safe."


Savage Wells is a town full of quirky people. This is nothing new, but Ms. Eden treats all of those people with respect and makes them lovable without making them into cartoons. This is a fine line that many authors stomp all over in order to get a cheap laugh. But when done right, as Savage Wells has been, the laughs are internally motivated by the interactions of the characters that the reader has come to adore. I really do prefer it that way, and the jokes tend to be funnier.

Paisley Bell and Cade O'Brien are fantastic characters in their own right. I love that Paisley's need for independence is a natural outgrowth of her personality and not a pastiche of 21st feminist morals painted onto a 19th century character. I would have wished for a few more flaws in Cade--he was just a little *too* good at everything--but I loved the interactions between them, probably because they reminded me of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy. In fact, The Sheriffs of Savage Wells could easily be called Pride and Prejudice in the American West. The plot was well developed and the mystery of the bank robbers was perfectly paced. I really enjoyed the entire story!

Gentle Reader Alert: I found nothing of concern.