Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

The Weekly Read

The adventure continues: Review of Harriet Beamer Strikes Gold by Joyce Magnin

harriet beamerHarriet Beamer is a hoot.

The spunky 72-year-old who made a cross country tip by bus in Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus is back with a new adventure, Harriet Beamer Strikes Gold, in her new California community. (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from Zondervan in exchange for my review as part of the Booksneeze program.) As she settles in at her son’s house and tries to make herself useful, Harriet visits a gold mine, which sets her wheels a-turnin’. So when she meets a young girl at a cafe who introduces her to her dad and an investment opportunity to become the financial backer of a gold mine, Harriet goes all in. Without telling her son and daughter-in-law, of course.

The adventure is pure Harriet–full of blunders and grace as she learns what’s really important in life.

Harriet is a charming character and I enjoy Magnin’s imagination. Harriet’s words and actions are as believable as they are loveable. If you like Betty White, then check out Harriet Beamer. She’s wholesome, well-intentioned and independent. And let’s not forget Humphrey, the Basset Hound, who has few lines but often steals the scene.

I liked the first Harriet adventure better, but I’m glad to have read this one and peek at the continuing adventures of Harriet.

And who knows? Maybe there are more along the way.

A new take on a classic suspense: Review of Misery Loves Company by Rene Gutteridge

There was a time in my life when I read everything Stephen King wrote, and Misery was one of my favorites. (Can anyone forget Kathy Bates’ performance in the movie version? She took crazy to a sort of likable level.)

misery loves companyThis new book, Misery Loves Company, by Rene Gutteridge is like Misery but flip flopped. (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from Tyndale House in exchange for my honest review through the Tyndale Blog Network.) Instead of the author being kidnapped by his biggest fan, the roles are reversed. Juliet is a grieving widow and blogger who calls herself Patrick Reagan’s biggest fan. But she hasn’t been thrilled with his last three books, and she tells the blogging world what she honestly thinks about his latest offering. The same day, she wakes up in a secluded cabin with no memory of how she got there and she finds herself face-to-face with her favorite author, who is also grieving the loss of his wife three years earlier. As Juliet tries to figure out why she’s there and whether Reagan means her any harm, her husband’s partner on the police force begins searching for her. What finally brings them all together is shocking and life-altering.

Some might call this an unoriginal work because it feeds off of King’s original idea, but I found it clever and engaging. Gutteridge retains elements of the original story without the gore. (For example, you know the part in Misery where the author’s feet get chopped off so he can’t escape? Well, Gutteridge gives Juliet a serious case of frostbite so her feet are rendered useless.)

It’s still a thrilling, and a bit terrifying, read. It’s risky to take on a similar story from a master like King, but it paid off for Gutteridge.

Click here for a sample chapter.