Days Made of Glass

Days Made of Glass

by Laura Drake

I really didn’t know what to expect when I picked this up to read I thought it would be more of a cowboy romance but it really isn’t but does have a touch in it. I have never read anything by this author and was very pleasantly pleased with the plot, the characters and the writing. Here is a family that is trying to get by and stay together going through many trying times. A mother who is barely holding it together ,to a teen who takes care of the family. When the mother dies they have a care taker who is the mother’s boyfriend but when he dies with a little mystery about his death and Angel falling apart leaving Harlie taking charge on the run with Angel with social services one step behind them. This is a story of the strength of one teenager trying her best to raise her sister by putting food on the table and a roof over their heads.  When Angel has a meltdown Harlie can no longer close her eyes thinking Angel is just having a bad day. Angel rushed to the hospital with cuts from the glass she has to face the fact that Angel needs more help then she can give. What is a girl to do when faced with medical bills she cannot pay along with her sister being institutionalized which will cost more money? She remembers the man who told her about bullfighting and wanted her to go to a school fully paid. She decides to go where the money is. The story is built around Harlie’s trials and errors of her life and learning to fight the bull along, dealing with a job in a man’s world where women have never stepped along with her dealing with her sister’s issues and the people around her. Harlie doesn’t trust or make friends which makes her come off as a cold person, maybe even a little of a snob. Which is far from the truth, she just never had the time to grow up in a normal home. Then she was on the run and couldn’t let anyone get close for fear they would split the sisters up.

There is a lot of sorrow, pain, and a few heart stopping moments in this story but there is humor that will make you chuckle. It isn’t all doom and gloom but some very bright sun shining days that really grabs your heart making you smile. I really liked Harlie she is strong but codependent on her sister who she has built her life around. Now she must leave her in other peoples care, start over, learn how to put your trust on the person beside you and work as a team to make sure not only she but the men around her come out alive. There is no way you can read this and not be touched by bother Angel and Harlie along with some of the cowboys and how things work out.  There were times I just wanted to pull Harlie out of the pages let her rest her head on my shoulders for a few minutes to give her a little piece of mind.

The cowboys really touched me, the one who did the most was Deuce he is amazing in so many ways as he works on bring Harlie around pushing her and being her support system in so many ways.  I enjoyed the men some had an attitude and were put back in line. It really is a wonderful story showing how each of them learns to work together, trust the other and find out they don’t know as much as they thought. I loved the tattoos and the meaning behind them. The owner of the school is a hoot as he brings strong men to their knees.  I loved his roughness as well as his wife how she deals with things. The story has so many messages in it along with meaning that will really stay with you. This isn’t one of those books you will forget when you put it down. It is one you will most likely want to reread again due to so many emotions you feel as each new twist unfolds and comes to life before your eyes.

It’s truly a heartwarming, soul searching lovely read that grabs you from the first page until the last. I really didn’t want it to end. It was a pleasure to watch Harlie and Angel grow in mind and spirit both fighting their own demons and winning the battle. Watching them overcome so many issues fighting their way back to each other. My heart broke for so many of these characters but the author did an amazing job putting it back together. Out of all the books I have read this year I pick a few that are my favorite, this book will be added to that group as one of my favorite reads of the year. My hats off to the author for being able to really reach in and touching my heart, making me want to cry, smile, laugh and just hug so many wonderful characters. 

Buy Links

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Days-Made-Glass-Laura-Drake-ebook/dp/B019RWDE2W/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&dpID=51Qp4kUsYvL&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=detail

Audible

https://www.amazon.com/Days-Made-of-Glass/dp/B0719PPV54/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&dpID=511Xoyg4RWL&preST=_SX342_QL70_&dpSrc=detail

Kobo

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/days-made-of-glass

Kobo audio

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/days-made-of-glass-2

B&N

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/days-made-of-glass-laura-drake/1123237054?ean=2940158048784

Summary

Harlie Cooper raised her sister, Angel, even before their mother died. When their guardian is killed in a fire, rather than be separated by Social Services, they run. Life in off the grid in L.A. isn’t easy, but worse, there’s something wrong with Angel.

Harlie walks in to find their apartment scattered with shattered and glass and Angel, a bloody rag doll in a corner. The doctor orders institutionalization in a state facility. Harlie’s not leaving her sister in that human warehouse. But something better takes money. Lots of it.

When a rep from the Pro Bull Riding Circuit suggests she train as a bullfighter, rescuing downed cowboys from their rampaging charges, she can’t let the fact that she’d be the first woman to attempt this stop her. Angel is depending on her.

It’s not just the danger and taking on a man’s career that challenges Harlie. She must learn to trust—her partner and herself, and learn to let go of what’s not hers to save.

Sunday Wild Child

Sunday Wild Child

Written by: Ethel Cook-Wilson

Narrated by: Reagan Boggs

Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:07-03-17

Publisher: Ethel Cook-Wilson

When I first saw this up for review I thought it would be more of a raw book on abuse and such but really it was a very well thought out book of two people mother and daughter telling their view points on the same issues as they happen. There is some abuse and racism along with a few other things but it is told with class that does shock you but not in an over bearing way. A mother has to deal with an abusive husband that needs to show his manhood by producing children. He started out as a wonderful father and husband turns to drinking and evil ways showing his true feeling not only to his family but the blacks in the town they are in. Going through one town after another with nothing to their name living on what jobs he can find leaving them with little or nothing to eat. One woman tries her best to be the best mother who came from money but was disowned when she married. She learns the hard way how to not only grow as a person but finds her back bone. To a daughter who is determined to not be like her mother she takes the world by storm getting in trouble showing the world no one will get her down. No man will ever treat her like her father treats her mother. As people look down on them, makes fun of them and talk about them this family stands proud.

Ms. Boggs narration is wonderful, her character voices are a delight from the tough hateful men to the lady who gives all, to the ones that try to take what do not belong to them. Her children voices really pull you in as they show their hurt, anger and stand proud. The narrator really puts a lot of emotion into this audio you can hear the desperation, anger, hope, fear, the little joy and happiness they have in her tones as she takes them through the years and all they learn. She really put a lot of thought into each character and how she would portray them.  Her voices and tones give so much meaning to how the story builds and to what is happening. As she takes you on the journey the author writes, her voices keeps you spellbound taking you back in time when things were different and people got away with more in how the deal with each other. There are no background noises, no volume changes, no repeating of words. Her voices show true emotions that really pull you in. If any breaks were taken I could not tell. I was a very clean crisp audio that I got lost in. Ms. Boggs did an outstanding performance that I had trouble putting down. I found things to do so I could learn more about these characters and their lives. I loved her accents they really pull you in with the emotion she gives them. Her male voices were just as compelling as her females. As the story builds she takes you back in time giving you a heart wrenching compelling listen that hooks you and keeps your interests. My husband isn’t into audios but even he sit and listen for awhile. He even chuckled a few times at the slang and what was happening.

There were many characters that my heart went out to so many sad times that you wonder how they could go on. The one that hurt the most was a little color boy and all he went through. As the mother and daughter struggle to get along the author pulls you in from one issue to the next giving a compelling read of both sides. It is a story of compassion, heartbreak learning to start over and finding what truly is important as a family breaks apart and tries to pull its self back together. They lose it all and found their way back to the living, giving life new meaning and watch to see if justice will be served. It isn’t all bad or sad there were times I chuckled or laughed at the things they said or how something happened. You get to see a little of the turning point for them and those around them as a mother fights to keep her family together and a daughter fights to find her place in a world she do not understand. It was a pleasure listening to this audio watching Bonnie Blithe and Dixie Jo grow, change and learn not only how to deal with their own issues but each other. I loved the spunk of Dixie Jo as she learned to deal not only with an abusive father but the hurt words of others and finding her place in the world she finds herself in. Bonnie Blithe stole my heart when she rubbed her tummy and said let this be a boy as well as her strong nature to hold her family together and deal with a husband most women in today’s world would have wanted to shoot and some would have. The ending just about bought a tear to my eyes as they saw a man walking to them. You will never believe who it is and the touching scene that unfolds. I truly enjoyed this from start to finish. It will be an audio I will listen to again it is a heartwarming story with so much sadness and pain but truly a blessing in the outcome.

Buy Links

Audible

https://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Sunday-Wild-Child-Audiobook/B073HJ1S4M

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XBW7BG7/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B06XBW7BG7&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

Summary

Sunday Wild Child captures the point of view of the mother as well as that of the daughter in this homespun tale of small town Florida life of the 40s and early 50s. It depicts a powerful, but disturbing, picture of poverty, racism, and juvenile cruelty. On the other hand, it showcases the strength of will to overcome those conditions through perseverance.

A Florida family's trials and triumphant during the first-half of the twentieth century. Bonnie Blithe and Dixie Jo lend their voices to their tales of loss, love and hope as they deal with a domineering husband and father. Their journey from one destitute town to another, as well from one personal challenge to another is full of faith, true grit and determination. Dixie Jo embodies the spunk all young people need to overcome adversities.