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A Good Hard Look
A Good Hard Look: A Novel
by Ann Napolitano
Well worth the read! (4/17/2011)
As a Georgia resident (but not native), I thoroughly enjoyed Napolitano's exploration and examination of the lives in a tiny Georgia town, transformed by its most famous daughter, Flannery O'Connor. Napolitano does such a beautiful job of connecting the reader with Flannery …more
The Journal Keeper
The Journal Keeper: A Memoir
by Phyllis Theroux
The Journal Keeper inspires (12/28/2009)
The Journal Keeper is a book for people who like to reflect while reading, whether it be on their own personal lives when something in Theroux's own experiences resonates or on the bigger picture of the world around us.

I earmarked a large number of pages so that I can go …more
Valeria's Last Stand
Valeria's Last Stand
by Marc Fitten
An enjoyable read! (3/3/2009)
For the first 20 pages of this book, I thought,"Oh, no, this book is going to be horrible. I can't believe I have to an ARC review on it!" But, the book got much better, and I enjoyed it!

The book has some central themes that are presented in an entertaining manner: the …more
Stuffed
Stuffed: An Insider's Look at Who's (Really) Making America Fat
by Hank Cardello & Doug Garr
Let Them Eat Cupcakes! (11/21/2008)
While some of what Cardello writes about is well-known and been written about before, there is enough updated material and personal, insider stories to keep this book interesting. This book seems to be a good introductory discussion for people interested in learning about …more
A Case of Exploding Mangoes
A Case of Exploding Mangoes
by Mohammed Hanif
An interesting read! (4/10/2008)
I enjoyed this book. I thought it was well-written. I liked the main character, Under Officer Ali Shigiri, and I think that he really held the book together. As an American, I found it interesting to get a (fictional) look at the Pakistani military and political structure …more
How to Build a House
How to Build a House
by Dana Reinhardt
I loved this book! (3/2/2008)
I really, really enjoyed this book. I read it in a day. I liked the main character, Harper. As a high school student, I could relate to her - stickler for the rules, control freak, feel like you're missing out on something when you're not with your friends. I would …more
Gomorrah
Gomorrah: A Personal Journey into the Violent International Empire of Naples' Organized Crime System
by Roberto Saviano, translated by Virginia Jewiss
Could have benefited from a glossary of terms, maps and a visual organizational chart (10/7/2007)
I really wanted to enjoy this book. With descriptive language like this review's title, how can Saviano's "personal journey" be only average? Well, despite its interesting topic, it didn't really feel like this book recounted a personal journey. We learn almost nothing …more
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