For this week’s post, I decided to go the easy route and post a book review that I already had written.  It has been a crazy week and I know I will not have time to write anything spectacular.  So, here is my review of one of my new favorite books.

Never by J. Grace Pennington

Water n : a necessary supplement to life.

Thirst n : 1 a : What one feels after lack of water. b : can be used as torture.

Never adv 1 a : at no time, b : not under any condition.

Henry Hamilton gave his boys a lasting legacy: strong morals and the conviction to never give in when the going got tough. Would his legacy withstand one of the toughest trials two young men could go through?

Ross Hamilton promised his dying father that he would take care of his younger brother. Then Travis was convicted of murder. Would he be able to keep his promise by convincing others that Travis was not the killer?

Travis Hamilton. Son of a rancher, but not used to really hard labor. His dream was to become a schoolteacher and he worked hard at his studying. Then he was convicted of murder and sent to hell on earth: the Dead Mines where he would be forced to work harder than ever before. Would he give into the demands of the mine boss?

Can Ross find proof of Travis’ innocence? Will Travis survive the mines ten days let alone ten years?

The Good

Grace does a wonderful job writing an interesting and intriguing story. Her characters are likable and hate-able. Her plot keeps you guessing to the very last page. Her writing style is perfect for the Western genre. The dialogue has a very tasteful amount of written Western accent in it.

The Bad

I stayed up too late so I could finish it. Grace made me want to know Travis and Ross better. Write more about them, please?

The Ugly

Shane Renshaw. The perfect bad guy.

The Summary

This was the cleanest, most wholesome, family friendly, enjoyable Western I have ever read. And I have read quite a few. If you like Historical Fiction, Westerns, Louis L’Amour, or mysteries, this book is definitely for you. Even if you do not usually read any of those, pick it up and read it anyway.

Due to some violence, I would recommend Never for ages 10 and up.

Make sure you add this book to your reading list and/or Christmas list.