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Reviews by Dorothy T.

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Juliet's Nurse
by Lois Leveen
A honey of a novel (7/11/2014)
I really enjoyed this story of Romeo and Juliet told from the point of view of Juliet's nurse. Lois Leveen has done an amazing job of setting the scene, portraying the atmosphere of the place and time (making me grateful that I was not born into that time period andmore
Accidents of Marriage
by Randy Susan Meyers
Accidents of Marriage (6/18/2014)
I almost gave up reading this book after the first 50 pages because of the unlimited use of foul language, particularly the popular f-word, and because I didn't like the characters of Ben and Maddy. It is not that the language improved--in fact it got worse until the end--more
The Fortune Hunter
by Daisy Goodwin
Riding, romance, and royalty (6/9/2014)
I had never heard of the Empress Elizabeth of Austria before I began reading this book (of course, I have since been to see her on the internet), so I was intrigued by this story. Sisi is a woman who apparently has everything, but in reality she is very unhappy, seeminglymore
China Dolls
by Lisa See
China Dolls (4/17/2014)
I was excited to have an opportunity to receive and review this latest novel from Lisa See, who has been one of my favorite authors since I read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, then later Shanghai Girls. See has a gift for placing her characters in intriguing historicalmore
Clara's War: One Girl's Story of Survival
by Clara Kramer
A heart-wrenching story (3/30/2014)
This is not the Diary of Anne Frank. As riveting as that story is, this one--also true, of course--is more frightening and more horrifying. I cannot imagine witnessing the death of friends and family or living underground in a confined space with 17 other people formore
The House at Tyneford: A Novel
by Natasha Solomons
Great read (3/21/2014)
I couldn't give this novel five stars because of the unnecessary use of rough language (I thought that since this was set during World War II that I would avoid the f-word, but not so).

The blurb on the book compares this with "Downton Abbey" and Kate Morton's "The Forgottenmore
Mimi Malloy, At Last!
by Julia MacDonnell
Memories light the corner of my mind (2/24/2014)
I was not very sympathetic toward the main character of this novel, Mimi Malloy, a reluctantly retired 60-ish divorcee with six daughters, but as the story was told, with wit and humor, I began to like her more. If nothing else this book taught me not to accept someone atmore
Still Life with Bread Crumbs
by Anna Quindlen
A good relaxing read (2/10/2014)
Anna Quindlen has written this novel with wit and humor--I particularly enjoyed the chapter titles--and has created a character I really like, especially given that she is my age and still active and attractive to a younger man. Rebecca still has some of those peskymore
Hunting Shadows: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery
by Charles Todd
Mystery in a long-ago setting (12/28/2013)
This is the first Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery I have read, having read and enjoyed a few Bess Crawford mysteries by the same authors, which are set during WWI. As in Bess Crawford, here the authors have developed a likeable central character with many facets to hismore
Orphan Train
by Christina Baker Kline
Two stories intertwined (11/29/2013)
This novel takes a look at an idea in American history that should have worked more consistently than it apparently did. During the late 1800s through the early 1900s orphans from the disadvantaged areas of the eastern US were transported by train to the Midwest to bemore
The Last Runaway
by Tracy Chevalier
The Last Runaway (11/21/2013)
I am such a fan of Tracy Chevalier, starting with "Girl With a Pearl Earring," and this new novel does not disappoint. As I read I thought I knew who the last runaway would be, but not until the end did it become clear.

Once again Chevalier combines warm, clear writing withmore
The Explanation for Everything
by Lauren Grodstein
Doesn't live up to its title (11/19/2013)
First of all, I recognized this as contemporary "literature" by the often and unnecessary use of vulgar language--it seems to be the norm now. That should have also been the clue that this novel would not turn out the way I would have liked.

Grodstein portrayed her Christianmore
The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak
Very different style--keep an open mind (11/6/2013)
I cannot remember where I first heard about this book, but when I checked it out at the bookstore, I could not get past the first couple of pages. When I saw the trailer for the upcoming movie, which intrigued me, I decided to give it another chance, and I am glad I did.more
The Dressmaker: A Novel
by Kate Alcott
Stays afloat (10/28/2013)
Before I read this historical novel, I was unaware of the hearings that were held in both the US and Great Britain in the aftermath of the sinking of the Titanic. Kate Alcott has done a good job of combining the facts of the tragedy and the real people with the story--bothmore
Songs of Willow Frost
by Jamie Ford
An engaging read (8/19/2013)
This is Jamie Ford’s second novel, and I liked it even better than his first, “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.” I can see that he will become a popular and accomplished author. He is gifted with style and story-telling ability.

Like the first novel, this one is setmore
Dog On It: A Chet and Bernie Mystery
by Spencer Quinn
A Dog Tale (6/27/2013)
Told from the dog's point of view, the book is funny and cleverly done. Knowing the premise beforehand, I was looking forward to reading this, but when I finished it, I felt like this is more of a guy's book (not that I am a reader of that which is known as "chick-lit" bymore
The Mouse-Proof Kitchen
by Saira Shah
Sometimes life gets a little messy (6/10/2013)
The phrase on the cover of this novel gives a good indication of what to expect inside. The central character is Anna, who likes order and planning, but when her daughter is born profoundly disabled she finds she has a lot to learn about being flexible, and more so aftermore
Palisades Park
by Alan Brennert
A love letter to Palisades Park (5/28/2013)
Alan Brennert has taken a famous old place, which he admits is a cherished part of his childhood, and populated it with wonderful characters, both real and imagined, to highlight the history and the lifestyle of this New Jersey icon of the 1920s to 1971, and the people whomore
Flight Behavior
by Barbara Kingsolver
Many layers to this story (5/14/2013)
Although heavy on the scientific details, which slowed down the story for me (OK, I admit, I was one of those liberal arts majors who skipped out on science classes), Barbara Kingsolver gives her readers much to think about seriously: How we tend to settle for what seemsmore
The Cove: A Novel
by Ron Rash
Poetic prose (5/2/2013)
This is the first I have read by Ron Rash. His descriptions of the Appalachian countryside and his handling of his characters and their circumstances is so nearly exquisite that even the small details sing, and I became involved in the story from the first page. Romance,more

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