The Horse Whisperer

The Horse Whisperer (1998)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The book gets a little more racy than the movie does, but either medium is enjoyable for this story. Being a horse lover, that was the first thing that caught my attention. Grace must learn how to move on and do things differently with her horse Pilgrim after a brutal accident leaving her handicapped, her friend Judith with her horse Gulliver both dead, and her own horse, Pilgrim, severely injured. Enter Tom Booker, the "horse whisperer." His own brand of patience, listening, and working with the horses is just the miracle on order for Grace, Pilgrim, and the rest of her family.

The Brave

The Brave by Nicholas Evans

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Of the Nicholas Evans books I've read, this was probably my least favorite of the bunch. The story was overly convoluted and let me often wondering how messed up and confusing one family can be. Over three generations, that's apparently a lot of messing up, lies, guilt trips, and more problems than can handle. Add to it the constant time skips back and forth. One minute you're reading about Diane when Tommy was a boy, the next it's Tom's point of view as an adult by himself or focusing on his son, Danny. Can't help feeling this could have been much better if it was better focused.

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The Divide

The Divide by Nicholas Evans

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book was okay, but not one of my favorites from this author. It starts off about 3/4 of the way through the story, rewinds to the beginning, then skips what has already been told to reach the conclusion. While it makes the story start off with a bang, it would make more sense to just tell the story front to back instead of getting it all piecemeal. It is also slightly irritating how it keeps jumping perspectives so you get pieces from each person's point of view. Good in the sense that there are many characters who need more detailed info in the book, but bad in that it is yet one more way the story is chopped up. Decent for a one time read, but probably not one I'm likely to revisit.

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The Loop

The Loop by Nicholas Evans

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Another great book from Evans. This one is about a biologist, a small ranching town, and a pack of wolves. I was honestly terrified in the last few pages that Luke had been killed by his own father. It was a relief to find him at the cabin waiting for Helen and Dan. Part of me wishes that there had been a more definite conclusion for Helen and Luke, but this story in large part was also about Buck and the wolves, who did have their endings. Guess the fans can dream their own conclusion for the others.

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The Smoke Jumper

The Smoke Jumper by Nicholas Evans

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book was very easy to get into and enjoyable to read. Same author as The Horse Whisperer, a book I enjoyed back in high school. Still can't say which of the boys I think is the better pick. The story is a little predictable in part two and part three. Still, enjoyable through and through.

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