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Reviews by Lori L. (La Porte, IN)

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The Borgia Betrayal
The Borgia Betrayal: A Poisoner Mystery Novel
by Sara Poole
Historical Fiction (6/14/2011)
Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this second tale in the Poisoner series by author Sara Poole. Francesca is a thoroughly modern heroine haunted by repressed memories of a brutal event in her past. The conviction she has of her inner "darkness" and her wry sense of …more
The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai
The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai: A Novel
by Ruiyan Xu
The Power of Language (10/28/2010)
This beautifully written book explores the power of language and how we define ourselves through our speech. The characters in the book move together and come apart based on their ability to communicate. Words, with their ability to comfort and console as well as to destroy …more
The Nobodies Album
The Nobodies Album
by Carolyn Parkhurst
Rewriting our Endings (6/14/2010)
In her latest novel, Carolyn Parkhurst, author of "The Dogs of Babel" explores the all-too-human wish to go back and re-imagine the endings to our life stories . The narrator, an author, has re-written the final scenes of several of her published works, approaching them …more
Beautiful Assassin
Beautiful Assassin: A Novel
by Michael C. White
Beautiful Assassin (3/5/2010)
When I first started this book, the plot device of the main character reminiscing about her past life was a bit off-putting, cliched, and heavy-handed (been there, done that). However, thankfully, the author did not continually move back and forth between past and present …more
The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel
The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel
by Maureen Lindley
The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel (8/12/2009)
In The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel, author Maureen Lindley paints a fascinating portrait of a Chinese princess banished from her home and raised in Japan. Her loyalty to her adopted nation led her to become a spy for them and ultimately to her undoing. What I found …more
The Music Teacher
The Music Teacher
by Barbara Hall
Achievement and the Definition of Self (10/15/2008)
The main character in this book, Pearl Swain, seems somewhat unlikable at first glance, self-described as the "mean music teacher." She is the survivor of failed career aspirations, a failed marriage, and seems to be largely going through the motions in her current narrow …more
A Golden Age
A Golden Age
by Tahmima Anam
A Tale of a Mother's Love (1/26/2008)
It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did I became immersed in it. This beautiful story of a mother and her children really resonated with me. The lengths that Rehana will go to in order to protect her children, and how far she will venture from her comfort …more
Before I Die
Before I Die
by Jenny Downham
Poignant (9/19/2007)
Before I Die by Jenny Downham is a poignant "coming of age" story told from the perspective of Tessa, a sixteen year old girl dying of leukemia. Tessa often speaks with the voice of a typical self-absorbed teen, but her thoughts seem crystallized in their clarity as her …more
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  • Book Jacket
    Real Americans
    by Rachel Khong
    From the author of Goodbye, Vitamin, a novel exploring family, identity, and the shaping of destiny.
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