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Reviews by Donna W. (Wauwatosa, WI)

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The Last Collection: A Novel of Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel
by Jeanne Mackin

The Last Collection (2/19/2019)

This was an easy read, and I learned a lot about the fashion scene in Paris in the era of the war. Schiaparelli and Chanel came across as interesting and complicated women. Unfortunately, Lily, the main character wasn't quite as appealing.

She seemed superficial and for the …more

Gone So Long
by Andre Dubus III

Gone So Long (9/17/2018)

This author paints such beautiful pictures with his words, that everything is clearly seen. The images are so vivid and the characters are so real that anyone who enjoys character driven books will enjoy this novel. The book is not an easy read though, and the story is not …more

Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History
by Keith O'Brien

Fly Girls (5/30/2018)

I found "Fly Girls" to be a fascinating account of a little known time in the field of aviation. Other than Amelia Earhart, all the other female flyers were unknown to me, and the struggles they encountered continue to be relevant. This book brought not only their stories, …more

French Exit
by Patrick deWitt

Comic Tale (2/8/2018)

French Exit is a truly engaging book. The characters are unique, the story borders on crazy, and everything fits together in such a delightful way that the book is a great comic read. A quick easy read and lots of fun!

Other People's Houses
by Abbi Waxman

Other People's Houses (11/27/2017)

The book started out with snappy, clever language and made me laugh, but that soon gave way to so many crude words and such annoyingly "clever" phrasing that it grew tiring.

I didn't particularly care for any of the characters, and there was not enough of a story to keep me interested.

Happiness: The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After
by Heather Harpham

Happiness (6/1/2017)

This was a great book! The author gives the reader a glimpse into the life of a family with a sick child. It is touching, sad, funny and such an incredible look into her life that I thank Heather Harpham for sharing her story.

Heather has such an expressive way with words …more

The People We Hate at the Wedding
by Grant Ginder

The People we Hate at the Wedding (4/4/2017)

The front cover and blurbs on the back cover led me to believe that I was going to be reading a funny story. Instead, I read a story that looked into the lives of totally unlikable , unpleasant characters. I guess the inane jobs, and unsatisfactory relationships were …more

Extraordinary Adventures
by Daniel Wallace

Extra-Ordinary Adventures (1/30/2017)

This was a good book with an appealing, likeable main character. After an unexpected telephone call, Bronfman, a lonely, gentle man who has not experienced much in his 34 years, finds himself in need of a traveling companion.

By beginning this search for a friend, Bronfman …more

Castle of Water: A Novel
by Dane Huckelbridge

Castle of Water (11/23/2016)

The novel begins in a very intriguing way, and swept me into the story so strongly that I was immediately hooked. The author was able to add something extra to a story about 2 castaways and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It is necessary, however, to overcome disbelief at some of …more

Victoria
by Daisy Goodwin

Victoria (10/8/2016)

This was very good historical fiction. It was clearly written with great detail so that I got a good feeling for, not only, Queen Victoria and the early years of her reign, but also what late 1830s England was like.

However, this detail also proved to be a distraction for …more

North of Crazy: A Memoir
by Neltje

North of Crazy (5/24/2016)

Neltje very calmly and matter-of-factly writes her memories of her life, and it is a fascinating one! She gives a vivid account of her life growing up, her life as a young adult and young wife and mother, and her later life as an artist. In the background of all this rests …more

Miss Jane
by Brad Watson

Miss Jane (3/23/2016)

This book was beautifully written with lovely characters. The author made the characters so real that I cared for each of them: Jane, the main character born with a birth defect that made her life different, her mother, who was beaten down by the hardness of farm life, and …more

I'll See You in Paris
by Michelle Gable

II'll See You in Paris (12/23/2015)

"I'll See You in Paris" started with a good premise of exploring the life of Gladys Spencer-Churchill. While her life does seem to be fascinating I never got drawn in to her character. Instead the novel really involved people around her - mainly a caretaker, and an author …more

The Opposite of Everyone
by Joshilyn Jackson

The Opposite of Everyone (11/13/2015)

In this book a young lawyer's troubled past catches up with her present life. The author seamlessly weaves past and present events together to tell a beautiful story about family.

Quirky and appealing characters, an engaging story, and honest dialogue made this a great book! …more

Maybe in Another Life
by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Maybe In Another Life (5/27/2015)

This was a very interesting concept for a story: 2 different pathways for one person's life.The book was an exploration of the difference our choices can make on the outcome of our lives. It was written in such a way that it was really like reading two different books at …more

Between the Tides
by Susannah Marren

Between the Tides (4/9/2015)

This is basically a sad story of two dysfunctional families. The two main character's Lainie and Jess, were so unsympathetic and self-centered that I couldn't relate to them. In fact, all the adult characters were so superficial and shallow that it left me wondering the …more

Her Name Is Rose
by Christine Breen

Lovely story about Family (1/29/2015)

"Her Name was Rose" had vibrant characters, and was a loving look at what really makes a family. The story was engaging right from the first page, and held my interest until the very end. Even though some unhappy elements were dealt with, It is definitely a "feel good" book. …more

Vanessa and Her Sister
by Priya Parmar

Vanessa and Her Sister (10/10/2014)

This was a very entertaining look into an interesting period in history, and it was written in an engaging style. Diary entries, letters, telegrams and postcards are intermixed in such a way that the reader is drawn into the lives of the characters.

I felt I was given a …more

The Paris Winter
by Imogen Robertson

The Paris Winter (6/30/2014)

The Paris Winter is a quick and fun read. It gives an interesting look at the seamy side of the early 1900's in Paris. Two art students at the Lafond Academie (one poor and one rich and a model at the Academie make up the three main characters, and they lead us through the …more

The Devil in the Marshalsea
by Antonia Hodgson

The Devil in the Marshalsea (3/10/2014)

The era and the location are the true stars of this novel. The history of the Marshalsea Goal is fascinating and the author does a good job of bringing 1727 London to life.

Although the characters are a bit flat and underdeveloped, the mystery moves along at a brisk pace. …more

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