This Hostile Land by Willowy Whisper

Title: This Hostile Land
Author: Willowy Whisper
Genre: Historical Fiction (Western)
Age-Range: 12+ (upper middle grade-young adult)
Era: 1911
Setting: Wyoming (cattle country …)
Publisher: Willowy Whisper
Source: author (in exchange for free review)
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Content: 2/5. Violence. Didn’t bug me at all, but then, violence never bothers me.
Cover: 5/5! Oh my goodness gracious it’s so beautiful!

This Hostile Land by Willowy Whisper

“It’s here, Dan, and we’ve got to face it. We can’t run from it—not like your Pa. We’ve got to stick things out, no matter how hard it gets, no matter how much they take.” Reese leaned forward, moving his calloused hands over the boy’s. “For your Ma’s sake, if for nothing else.”
Reese Davern finds himself back in Wyoming, summoned by a desperate letter from his sister. But when the enemy strikes out and leaves Dan motherless, Reese has more to protect than just the sheep. Can a fourteen-year-old boy and one man survive the cruelties of this hostile land? Or are they fools to even try?

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So … I’ve been feeling so guilt about not buying Willowy Whisper’s books! They sound so exciting, but I am trying to save money at the moment, so … getting this book free for a review was a boon. 😀 I’m really going to buy the rest of her books soon! I meant it! (says the girl who has about fifty books on her ‘to-buy’ list …)

This was an awesome short story in every way except the end. I was confused by it, and I still don’t quite understand what was going to happen or how it was going to happen. It was too sudden for me, I guess. Other than that, would have gotten five stars!

I really liked Reese Davern. He was super hard-core and just cool. Dan, the only other character we really got acquainted with, seemed like a nice, if somewhat confused, boy. I like the part about the shaving … poor kid. I was literally almost crying for a moment there. I loved the last twist at the end … I was sooo sure there was no way out! 😀

And finally, a western without a ton of swearing in it! 😛

As I said before, the ending was a little too abrupt, a little too anti-climatic. It was even a little annoying. Maybe a sequel short story? Please?!

Anyway, definitely worth the read, although … make up your own ending. 😉

~Kellyn Roth