The Company of Good Women: Three Tickets to Peoria

Three Tickets to Peoria: The Company of Good Women

By Vicki Wight

Another refreshingly real read written by a trio of women who somehow made all their stories share simultaneously the events of three great characters and their extensive families!

In this book, the second in a series of three novels, Juneau, Erin and Willadene “Deenie” are completely exposed to all of the turmoil that seems could possibly happen. Tragedy, triumph, and tickets for each of them to their situational Peoria’s abound as Nancy Anderson, Lael Littke, and Carroll Hofeling Morris spin an enchanting and haunting tale published by Deseret Book.

In the first novel, Almost Sisters, Juneau lost a baby, and gained a lot more family in a very heartbreaking and loving way as she is advancing in her writing career. In Three Tickets to Peoria, her husband, Greg steps out into a different world as he starts his own business. Yet, there is still Clyde in the shadows. What will happen there? She has been warned by Gabby, Deenie, and her conscience that this is a bad idea, but their weekly chat sessions continue. Her family experiences several highs and lows as one that is loved is lost, another has a terrible case of wanderlust, and another spreads her wings to fly a little farther from the nest and heads to BYU.

Erin has her own battles to fight and troubles at home as her husband, Cory, explores and divulges the thing that is bothering him. Kayla reaches for the stars with her ice skates, and Mark receives honors for his talents on the piano. Ultimately, Erin and Cory define their relationship and changes are eminent as new additions to their family arrive.

Dennie faces unimaginable fears and gives in to the GRIF shortly after the birth of her baby, Evvy. This event in itself opens many more doors and experiences for Deenie. She discovers another side of herself as she becomes Dead Eye Deenie in a more literal sense as a vandal terrorizes the towns Wellsville. Roger, her husband is searching for the right job to finish out his working years and they end up someplace warmer! Beth becomes Liz as she reaches her final years in high school, the mission calls come and each boy serves in different climes.

There are losses and gains all across the character sprawl. Irony abides in every chapter as the women each face their fears head on. Gabby finally faces the skeleton in her closet, as the women and Gabby’s family watch in awe as she gives in to her need to “face the truth before she meets her maker”. She gives the three inseparable women an incredible parting gift as we say goodbye to the COB herself.

This second book in the series is has an incredible way of gathering you in as you turn each page. Each struggle and triumph approach with anticipation that you can taste. Don’t miss the surprising end to this series of good books. Surprise Packages is due out in August. You can get your copy at Deseret Book or most any store where good books are sold.

The Company of Good Women: Almost Sisters

Almost Sisters: The Company of Good Women

How many times have you gone looking for a good book? Just a simple, fun, uplifting, good adult book to read? One that you don't have to hide when your friends come over? One that you could display proudly in your bookshelf? I have looked myself for a book of this caliber for a long time. There are a lot of spiritual books, a lot of trashy books, quick reads and documentaries, but this series is a good book series. You don't want to miss it.

This book series published in 2006 by Deseret Book Company follows the journey of three women who meet at BYU Education Week in 1980. Nancy Anderson, Lael Littke, and Carroll Hofeling Morris started this lovely LDS novel similarly to how they met - at BYU Education Week!

The main characters are lively, colorful and so real that only a few pages into the first book anyone will find them all to be women that they would be friends with. I felt as though I could be the 5^th COB (Crusty Old Broad). Where do I sign up?

Juneau, a writer, Erin, a young new member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and Willadene (Deenie), the super LDS mom, meet at Gabrielle (Gabby) Farnsworth's home as they board there during Education Week. They get to know each other over cowboy cookies and milk. Through the course of the week, they come to know each other and vow that they will one day be just as Gabby, all of them Crusty Old Broads! They write back and forth to keep each other (and the reader) updated on what is happening in their very different lives. Though the set up of the back and forth was different at first, I found it quite easy to follow and separate who did what. The stories of their lives are shared with you, the reader, in a flowing, charismatic way that is informative, entertaining and satisfying! There is no need to skip ahead to find out what is going to happen in the next pages, because it comes at such a great pace. There is something going on with everyone and it is all very exciting.

With the turn of each page, you grow closer and more attached to these women, their families and friends, hopes, dreams and disappointments. The side characters are delightful additions to the scenery and really help to evolve and grow the story. Gabby, is the solid foundation, or so the women think. She is just the inspiration we all need in our lives to make do, be happy and change when necessary. Each additional family member adds some more spice to this recipe for a successful novel and each quickly becomes a member that you must know more about. The husbands are quirky and tend to be in the middle of several of the challenges that are presented to the women, and they are just as real as the wives! The children add laughter and tears as they do just what children do. There are even obstacles with the dogs. A little flavor with each character to make a fulfilling delightful dish.

In Almost Sisters, we follow Juneau through a difficult and unexpected pregnancy, as well as surprises from her own two girls and teacher husband. Erin through dating and family struggles. Deenie, through tantalizing and exhausting holidays and children spreading their wings and making decisions as well as a husband who is trying to reach the goal of a Master‘s Degree while working. Each page is inviting, each character explored and well thought out. No one is left out. No character unexplored.

Upon finishing this first installment of the three novel series, you absolutely must have the second book, Three Tickets to Peoria, waiting close by because the ending is merely a pause - a small gap for a brief commercial. You don’t want to miss this series!

You definitely want to get started on Almost Sisters right away as book three is due out in August of 2008, appropriately titled Surprise Package. Don’t miss these fun, good books! They would be a great addition to your family library as they are appropriate reads for any woman looking to read a good book.

~Vicki Wight

Eden, Utah

The Book Review Transfer!

Ok, so in order to write better, I will be continuing to read more and I'll be making one change to what I do when I read, I'll also be reviewing the books I read. I am hoping that this will help with my current writer's block. I'm really not in the "mood" to write, but I'm not in the mood for much of anything. Strange how that happens!! So I'll start this tomorrow. hahah!

I've read lots of books lately. I'll summarize them, and leave my thoughts about them, I have no idea if anyone will be looking at this post or not.....

Master, by Toni Sorenson: Oh my what a wonderful book. I loved this one. It was full of details (though I wanted more), description of landscape, miracles and the life of Christ with the feel of a novel. You could see the life of the Savior and the apostles and the time of the Romans. It was well written and I couldn't put it down. Better at the scriptures at keeping my attention, but full of the same stories.

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini: Khaled has a unique way of sucking me into the world he created. His words are descriptive and hypnotic. I could not put this book down AGAIN. This actually is the second time I read this book. First read through I read it in about two days total. I sat down with it right after work on day two and read through until 4 am. I even had work the next day. EXCELLENT read. Second time around I spent more time "chewing" instead of "swallowing it whole". Again, a wonderful, masterful read. I love how he ends his books. It is like a sugar or adrenaline let down though. You get so high and so excited and then you crash. The emotional wrap up is like after crying your eyes out for an hour and then rehashing it, but you can't cry, it is nearly emotionless.

A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini: Again, another marvelous novel!! I had a hard time putting this one down at times too. I get so caught up in his characters and their lives and emotions and the mystery of the middle eastern culture. Maybe at times I feel like I could relate to the women because I sometimes want to cover all up and walk around like a ghost, no one can tell my emotions if they can barely see my eyes. But, hey, having a bad day every once in a while is no reason to take up wearing burkhas!!! Again, another great book. I will read this one again, and I'd recommend it to friends.

Almost Sisters: The Company of Good Women, Nancy Anderson, Lael Littke, & Carroll Hofeling Morris:
Of all the books most recently read by me, this one boosted my heart and boyied up my spirits! I did not devour this book, I savored every moment with these dear women. The language is smooth, the story is catching, and the characters build as the pages turn. Deenie, Erin and Juneau are just like "us". They are very human and their flaws show to us and to each other. Their journey is continued in two more books. The cliff hangar ending of book one sent me immediately to purchase book 1 and 2 (I borrowed this copy from a friend) for me and for a friend! Don't wait to buy these books as a set, you'll hear Deenie's words of wisdom in your ears when you go to sleep and want to put them on your walls. You'll see Erin and her quirky beauty in your friends and want to tell them all about her! You'll see Juneau when you see your little girls and wonder about how they will turn out.

I Lost My Love in Baghdad: A Modern War Story, Michael Hastings
I just finished this book not ten minutes ago. It is so fresh in my mind. The language is harsh. Lots of F-bombs. If you can handle reading those, or get through them it is a great story. It is a love story; it is a biography; it is a documentary. I enjoyed this book, the end is really intense. The beginning was fast paced as well. In the middle I had to put it down for a couple weeks. If you are having "drama" of your own, don't read this yet. Get the drama over with and then pick this one up. I enjoy war books, histories, details, the nitty-gritty of all that. Hastings is a powerful writer, a gutsy guy, and an apprehensive lover (but how many guys aren't?). I felt like I was in Iraq. Dirty, hot and very very tired. His accounts are well written, quoted and placed. He risked his life so we could have this account, the accounts from his embeds, his news articles. And he lost his love, his only love, in a dangerous place that we are for some reason involved in. Stunning. Factual. The title says it all really. I Lost My Love in Baghdad: A Modern War Story.

Three Tickets to Peoria: The Company of Good Women, Nancy Anderson, Lael Littke, & Carroll Hofeling Morris:
Like my above review, another charming book! I started this one on Monday morning and I finished by Wednesday morning. I love these ladies. They write with such reality. So plain. Erin and Cory's plight in this book really surprised me, but it turned out well. Just as I thought it should, every detail. I personally find the authors' work inspiring as a future writer myself. I am also inspired by the character's spiritual strength and real-ness. Deenie continues to amaze me, and yet not surprise me as she is the definition of a Utah Mormon Super-Mom, right down to the depression and the sense of loss. I love how in this second book each woman again has another trial, but so does Gabby! In the first book, she was everyone's idol with no flaws. This one we see it all. We feel it all and we wonder many things that should, hopefully, be answered in book 3, Surprise Packages which is due out anytime now! You can pre-order online at deseretbook.com or anywhere you buy good books! (I personally shop online at amazon for books that aren't going to be read more than one or two times, if at all possible.) Good luck to any of you COB's!!

I had to have a new place for my reading and writing...

I have a running room (my shin splints are finally getting better!), I share it with my reading room (really, I just keep my books I'm not reading there), and I share it with my writing room (that I usually do in the kitchen). So I figured today I would start my newest blog and it would resemble my exact reviews of what I've read, what I'm reading and the current state of the family laundry as it reflects directly the amount of time I've spent reading!

Today, June 16th, 2008 at 3:30 in the afternoon my laundry is as follows: One load to put away, two to fold (one in the dryer still), one in the wash ready to dry, and three waiting for the washer. (I wonder if there is a chart or measuring device of some sort that I can put in my blog that will help with this?! Any ideas are welcome!)

And I just got a new book today! I will start reading The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson after I fold two loads and put away three, and get one more in the dryer so it doesn't stink up in the washer! Dinner is thawing on the counter. I love Freezer Frenzy meals. And the house is relatively clean. So here we go! My Book Review blog is now open!

Dear Fellow Laundry Piling Women, Please send me your reviews as well. I'm not sure how to work that out yet, so for now, email them to me at wightfam@gmail.com. That should work out nice until one of you tells me how I can do that other than as comments....

Book club read for the month is: Follow The River by James Alexander Thom.