“Ward’s spirited debut memoir documents the privations and advantages of life in Alaska’s wilderness…Ward strikes a good balance between repetitive daily tasks–foraging, canning meat, making blueberry jam, milking goats and sewing leather garments–and more momentous events, such as an earthquake, a view of the Northern Lights, and run-ins with bears… An often engaging story of outhouses, canned moose and bears–oh my!” —Kirkus Review
“Ward’s memoir recounts the adventure of a lifetime . . . Unlike other back-to-the-land narratives, Ward’s experiences stand out for the harsh, unforgiving climate and the complete lack of nearby resources to rely on in emergencies.” — Publisher’s Weekly
“If one is looking to understand the true day-in and day-out routine of being in isolation, then this is a must-read. Bonnie describes life in the Alaskan wilderness beautifully and honestly as she and Sam bravely face all the challenges, adventures, and hard work it takes to succeed in this dangerous far North Country.” Author Bonnie Ward chronicles an exciting and thought-provoking tale of one couple’s faith in God and dedication to each other through all of Alaska’s curveballs. Winds of Skilak is a true tale of absorbing force, sure to bring out your own sense of adventure.” —Norma Cobb, Author of Arctic Homestead
“This is a breezy book to read [with] short chapters that finish before you are ready to let go of one adventure and begin another. . . [Winds of Skilak] leaves you wanting more, and by the book’s end you are rooting for this couple and their dreams.” –Cora Holmes, Author of Goodbye Boise, Hello Alaska
“Why is this book so dear? It’s a young innocent woman and a fearless young man taking on wild, raw, gargantuan Alaska – a capricious beast, bowing the heart with beauty one day and cowering the flesh with danger the next. It’s the odds. They shouldn’t have made it. They shouldn’t have gotten the cabin built after . . . They shouldn’t have stayed alive when . . . But there was Sam’s determination – hard as nails, Bonnie’s trust in Sam and faith in God; there were friends along the way. Two forces met, odds were stacked, but the fortitudes of the spirit won, and we read the book and cheer for Bonnie and Sam and give praise to God.”—Kathie Clarke
“I absolutely loved this book! As many previous readers, I found I couldn’t put the book down, and wanted it to go on indefinitely! The details of living in the wilderness: hunting, building, maneuvering around on the vast lake, cooking and raising animals was fascinating and inspiring. Bonnie has a wonderful way of writing, which makes the reader feel as though they are experiencing what she experiences. I felt her loneliness, sorrows and happiness. What a wonderful, spiritual woman Bonnie is! Thanks, Bonnie, for a magical book, giving us a glimpse into how our ancestors once lived which is now called surviving.” – Mark Eshelman
“This book is a must read!!! Exceptionally written of enduring love, respect and gained personal strength. This book will make you laugh, cry and at times put you on the edge of your seat. I have never been to Alaska, however, while reading this book I felt as though I were right there in the throws of it all. From the moment Sam comes home from work to announce their move to the life they made for themselves against all odds; this book is a page turner. Bonnie Girl you are an inspiration.” —Amy
“I really loved this book, and I didn’t want it to end! I have been to Alaska, and it was a reminder of the stunning beauty of that amazing state. Having a real passion for living a sustainable life, this book has inspired me to reach deeper within myself. Reading of Bonnie & Sam’s adventures has lit a fire in me and it will do the same to anyone who loves adventure! The story is well written and thoroughly interesting down to the last page. It felt like I was right there with them on their journey. I enjoyed it so much I bought extra copies and gave them to family & friends.” –Michelle Keeley
Check out Winds of Skilak’s Amazon page where you can find over 460 4.8 star reviews!
Lil’ Suburban Homestead Book Review of Winds of Skilak
Every now and then I get asked to do a book review on a book which is a part of my blogging and Radio Show Host job that I love! But to get to do a book review on a woman facing the Alaskan Wilderness and it’s a true story…Wow this was the Christmas gift I had been waiting for! This book is so one of my favorite genres and it’s a true story and to top it all off with a cherry on top Bonnie Rose Ward is such a delightful writer I immediately got sucked in and engaged with her and her husband Sam as the main characters in this story. This book is full of a variety of interesting characters, dangerous situations primarily due to the ruggedness of the Alaskan Wilderness, and even a few surprise plot twists. Don’t forget to read the bonus at the end of this blog post because not only do you get a chance to win a copy of her book it gets even better!
Have you ever wanted to go off-grid and strike out on your own and be completely self-reliant? I know I have but then when I ponder being away from my technology and my warm bed both of which I do enjoy tremendously I think I shall keep my lil’ prairie on the grid lol! You will see why this book is so gripping and addicting at one point Bonnie and her husband Sam lived in a pup tent for 3 months on an isolated island while building their first log cabin. They also lived a total of nine years without running water, electricity, neighbors, stores or phones. I can’t even imagine! Bonnie did lots of off-grid cooking which I have been writing about at our Lil’ Suburban Homestead. Also just think about the times when you are cold and can simply go inside well their inside for several months was a tent why they were building their cabin. They had a very limited amount of neighbors on the island so let’s talk about the isolation that Bonnie faced on a continual basis and mostly just being surrounded by men on a regular basis. I work in a building with about 74 full time people the majority of them are female and that of course has some challenges in itself but females do seek out other females for emotional support even if it’s exhausting for the men sometimes LOL!
From the moment they say goodbye to their families and arrive at Lake Skilak you understand that they have a tremendous journey ahead of them which in many ways they were quite prepared for and in other ways not so much. I was so excited about doing this book review and having Bonnie Rose Ward on my show on The Prepper Broadcasting Network this coming Tuesday, January 6, 2015 that Bonnie agreed to do a giveaway for my readers as well! You will definitely want to stop on by for this interview! I have so much to ask her and so little time!
The tough part about book reviews is I don’t want to tell too much of the story because the point is for you the reader to go read the story but I can honestly tell you this book won’t disappoint. If you like stories about journeys of folks surviving the wilderness and want to feel like you are on the journey with them….this is the book you don’t feel like you are reading about them in the wilderness while you are reading you feel like you are there! Bonnie is a clever author and keeps you in suspense when she is in suspense….just brilliant!
As a final bonus I will be interviewing Bonnie Rose Ward this Tuesday at 9pm eastern on my live show at The Prepper Broadcasting Network it will be sure to be an amazing time! I am so looking forward to it! To join us click here!
Fondly,
Book Review: Winds of Skilak by Idlewild Alaska
Book Review: Winds of Skilak by Idlewild Alaska
I love reading books about homesteaders and sourdoughs in Alaska from days gone by. Winds of Skilak is one of those books. I was recently approached by the author, Bonnie Rose Ward, who asked me if I would like to do a review on her book about her life as an Alaskan homesteader. I jumped on the opportunity and loved her book!
Winds of Skilak is the story of a husband and wife who left everything behind to start a homesteading life in Alaska in 1980. They drove to AK, searched for the perfect place, and found it on Caribou Island on Skilak Lake. They built a beautiful little cabin, hunted, gardened, trapped furs, raised chickens, goats, and Petunia Pig. I loved reading about their adventures as “homesteaders.”
The book is so well written, you feel like you get to know Sam and Bonnie personally. Bonnie shares their trials, their victories, their adventures, their love of Alaska, and so much more.
From the back cover:
Winds of Skilak traces a young couple’s adventurous move from the suburbs of Ohio to a remote island on ill-tempered Skilak Lake. As Sam and Bonnie adapt to a life without running water, electricity and telephones, the unforgiving, desolate environment tests their courage early on. Facing sub-freezing temperatures, unfriendly bears, and cabin fever, the Wards find strength in new friends, each other, and the awe-inspiring beauty of “the last frontier.” Just when they finally settle in, a freak accident proves to be the ultimate test of their resolve. Will they be able to survive in this isolated wilderness filled with unseen dangers?
Author Bonnie Ward chronicles an exciting and thought-provoking tale of one couple’s faith in God and dedication to each other through all of Alaska’s curveballs. Winds of Skilak is a true tale of absorbing force, sure to bring out your own sense of adventure.
If you love books about adventure, life in Alaska, homesteading, or just a good story, Winds of Skilak is a must for your bookshelf!
Read more about Bonnie and Sam at their website, windsofskilak.com.
SRP Review: Winds of Skilak by Bonnie Rose Ward
Review by Christina Freeburn
Disclaimer: The reviews I post on The Self Rescue Princess won’t be the usual style of book review that talks about all the points and elements of a novel. My intention is to focus on heroines that I believe exemplify the spirit and character of a self-rescuing princess or are on their way to achieving that status.
The book I’m reviewing today is a non-fiction book titled Winds of Skilak: A Tale of True Grit, True Love and Survival in the Alaskan Wilderness. The heroine (and the author) is Bonnie Rose Ward.
I was drawn to the setting and reading about a woman willing to go outside her comfort zone and live a life different from what she knew, and far from where she called home. Even though Bonnie was following her husband’s dream …originally… I found her strong and determined. She loved her husband and made the choice to follow his dreams, she was also making the choice based on her convictions and beliefs. I admired how she was willing to share her weak moments and fear. At times she was terrified and questioned the decision of moving to Alaska, but she didn’t allow fear to dictate her life.
I loved reading the details about the wilderness, Alaska, and the Wards simple life style. What I loved most was getting to know Bonnie and seeing everything through her eyes. She has such an open heart and honesty in her writing that I was drawn into story. I read non-fiction as I like seeing how the world, life, and situations are viewed by others. It gives me another way to look at the world … and at times encourages me to reevaluate what I thought I knew about a situation in my own life. It makes me pause and look past my view and consider how the someone else might perceive it.
There was an event that happened in the book (I won’t elaborate as I don’t want to give it away) involving a neighbor that I first felt wasn’t fully addressed. I wanted to know how Bonnie came to terms with and what was said to the neighbor after the incident. I was confused why it was never brought up again. It dawned on me that the reason Bonnie didn’t mention it again in the books was because she forgave. It wasn’t an easy forgiveness. She shared her anger, heartbreak and how she struggled with it. Bonnie also shared how she opened up to God and prayed about it and was able to forgive her neighbor.
I realized Bonnie didn’t mention the incident again because she was showing forgiveness. It wasn’t because the author forgot to “tie it up” for readers, or an “editing” issue (as I’ll admit was my first thought) but that is how forgiveness works. It isn’t dwelt on. Isn’t rehashed even in the mind. It’s done. Over. Bonnie’s ability to forgive so truly is what I admire most about her and left me in awe. I hope one day I can have that type of “pure” forgiving nature that the incident doesn’t need a big act of closure on it for it to be done. I’d like for “I forgive” to be enough.
Winds of Skilak Review by Christina Freeburn can be seen on her blog: The Self Rescue Princess. Link below!
Reviews with Pople Back Yard Farm -review by Ruth Pople
WINDS OF SKILAK by Bonnie Rose Ward
A story after my own heart! Winds of Skilak by Bonnie Rose Ward will capture the heart of all those who have a love for living close to the earth. A true account of how Bonnie and Sam Ward started a life in Alaska. The couple purchases land on a island and build a cabin, catch their own food, and live the life of a pioneer. The book is fast paced and will inspire you as you see Little Bonnie alone while Sam is off working… or in JAIL… for MOOSE MEAT! … of course it is all low key as the guards play with Sam in the jail. You will see them tossed by the wind on the lake. Finding good friends in the few neighbors they have and of course see God’s care for them as they live a life we only read about in books. I walked away with a new outlook on life and drive as a backyard farmer seeing what two people can accomplish as they fully give themselves to each other with the same purpose to build a home together.
Check out Winds of Skilak’s Amazon page where you can find over 460 4.8 star reviews!
Samuel Tree Publishing 