Five Happy Things

Stories from the Wild West

Last week I read Lone Women by Victor Lavalle. What a great book!

It got me thinking about other books set on the western frontier. I’m not going to include the Little House books because I’ve mentioned them really recently (in Books Perfect for Winter and Novels for People Who Love to Eat) - so think of this as a list of books for people who love the Little House books. 🥰

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1. Lone Women by Victor Lavalle - I don’t read a lot of horror, but this book just kept popping up in my recommendations. It’s sooooo good! I love stories of women homesteading alone (keep reading for another). This one has the added hook of a mysterious. . . something. . . in the only trunk (extraordinarily heavy and padlocked at all times) the main character brings with her. Intriguing! (Bookshop link, Amazon link)

2. Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson - Hattie isn’t just a woman homesteading alone. She’s a sixteen-year-old girl homesteading alone. If you’re the right person for this book, you don’t need to hear any more, do you? (Bookshop link, Amazon link)

3. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan - This one’s for kids, and it’s told from the point of view of a young girl on the prairie whose father has advertised for a wife. Sarah (who is, indeed, plain and tall) answers the ad. This is a lovely gem of a book, with terrific characters. (Bookshop link, Amazon link)

4. The Prairie Thief by Melissa Wiley - Another one for kids! This is is like Little House on the Prairie - with magic! (The magic comes in the person of a cranky little brownie who has made his way to the prairie from Scotland.) Another fun connection - Melissa Wiley wrote two series of Little House books - The Charlotte Years about Laura Ingalls’s grandmother’s childhood in Boston, and The Martha Years, about Laura’s great-grandmother’s childhood in Scotland. Those books are loads of fun too! (Bookshop link, Amazon link)

5. The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson - And now for something completely different! This one’s not historical, and it’s not for kids. It’s an adult mystery set in Wyoming with strong western vibes, headed up by the main character, Sheriff Longmire. I loved the TV show based on these books, and I’ve only read the first two in the series - but I really enjoyed them and need to read more. (Bookshop link, Amazon link)

As much as I loved the Little House books, I find I haven’t read much homesteading fiction for grown-ups. What am I missing? Tell us your best suggestions in the comments!

You can find past newsletters with book recommendations here.

Enjoy!

Best,
Wendi
❤️

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A note about links. . .

Both the Bookshop and Amazon links are affiliate links. That means I earn a small commission if you purchase from those links, at no extra cost to you. Bookshop’s profits are shared among a large group of independent bookstores. If you have an indie bookstore in your area, please shop from them. They’re awesome!

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In an effort to have fewer email providers chop my emails in half because they’re so dang long, I’ve moved my inspirations (book recommendations, favorite recipes, and awesome artists) to their own newsletter every Wednesday. Think of it as a quick way to fill your cup in the middle of the week. 🥰

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