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Reviews by Anna S. (Auburn, AL)

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Last Train to Istanbul
by Ayse Kulin
Last Train to Istanbul (10/13/2013)
Often as I was reading this book I thought to myself, "I wish I could read this in the original language." The story is a good one but the language was rather stilted, presumably because it is a translation. However, I still recommend it because of the gripping story andmore
The Mouse-Proof Kitchen
by Saira Shah
The Mouse-Proof Kitchen (7/4/2013)
Anna is a super-organized, trained chef who has her and her husband's perfect life all planned: they will live in Provence, she will have a restaurant, and he will be a successful musician. Then real life interferes when she gives birth to a severely disabled child. Whatmore
The Sisterhood
by Helen Bryan
The Sisterhood (5/11/2013)
This is a story of the present and the past and how they intertwined. I particularly enjoyed 'past' part of the novel which dealt with the way the Spanish Inquisition led to the founding of an order of nuns in 'New Spain', and their relationship with the Incas.

Had it notmore
How to Love Wine: A Memoir and Manifesto
by Eric Asimov
At last! (9/27/2012)
At last, a book about wine for the rest of us. Asimov assures us that we don't have to be 'experts' to enjoy wine. He argues that enjoying wine should be, first of all, an emotional experience, and as our enjoyment increases, wanting to learn more about wine may follow. Imore
A Simple Murder
by Eleanor Kuhns
A Not-So-Simple Murder (4/9/2012)
I enjoyed the story and learned a great deal about the Shakers, and I really wanted to be able to rate the book higher. There were two things that I found off-putting. First, I found the dialog and general sensibility more typical of the 21st Century than the 19th, andmore
A Good American: A Novel
by Alex George
A Good American (1/29/2012)
This wonderful book about immigrants written by a man who is himself an immigrant offers many keen insights into the process of becoming assimilated into a new country and culture. I found myself alternately laughing and crying but enjoying every moment and wanting for more.more
The Memory of All That: George Gershwin, Kay Swift, and My Family's Legacy of Infidelities
by Katharine Weber
The Memory of All That (8/3/2011)
It is always entertaining to read about the lives of the rich and famous, and the book did not disappoint in this regard. It was somewhat difficult to get into the first part of the book which was mainly about her despicable father. It was amazing to me that the author wasmore
Original Sin: A Sally Sin Adventure
by Beth Mcmullen
Once a spy . . . (2/5/2011)
Lucy Hamilton, a suburban stay-at-home mom who wants to stay that way, was once a spy called Sally Sin. Unfortunately for her, her former agency needs her help to lure her old nemesis out, and they won't take "No" for an answer. This very funny novel has all the earmarks ofmore
The Philosophical Breakfast Club: Four Remarkable Friends Who Transformed Science and Changed the World
by Laura J. Snyder
The Philosophical Breakfast Club (1/8/2011)
First, let me say that I love this book and second, let me say that I don't think everyone will. Anyone with an interest in the history of science and technology will find it fascinating. One of the things I really liked about it was the fact that these four incrediblymore
The Nobodies Album
by Carolyn Parkhurst
The Nobodies Album (6/11/2010)
Who among us would not love to re-write the endings of some of our "stories"? The book's protagonist, Octavia Frost, a best-selling author, is about to do just that when she learns that her rock star son, Milo, has been accused of murder. What follows is an extremely wellmore
Pearl of China: A Novel
by Anchee Min
A Gem of a Book (2/5/2010)
I love this book! It started off rather slowly but quickly captured my interest. It is a novel but the characters are real historical figures and that gives the book the ring of truth. It has inspired me to re-read The Good Earth as well as some of Pearl Buck's other books,more
Serena: A Novel
by Ron Rash
Unbridled greed and ambition (9/1/2009)
Serena,the title character of this gripping novel, is the complete sociopath: attractive, intelligent, charming when she chooses to be, and utterly without conscience. She and her almost-equally sociopathic husband ruthlessly cut down everything, be it trees or people, inmore
A Short History of Women: A Novel
by Kate Walbert
A Short History of Women (5/12/2009)
It took me a while to get into this book and I was convinced that I wouldn't like it because it jumps around a lot and it took quite a bit of attention to keep the relationships among the characters straight. I stayed with it and am glad that I did because Walbert writes somore
How We Decide
by Jonah Lehrer
How We Decide (12/31/2008)
All in all I liked this book but I do have a couple of criticisms. First of all, the author misused the term "negative reinforcement" -- it does NOT mean the same thing as punishment! The other thing that I found annoying was that he used the terms brain and mind as if theymore
Findings: Faye Longchamp Mysteries, No. 4
by Mary Anna Evans
A Great Find (5/11/2008)
Findings is the first book by Mary Anna Evans that I have read but it won't be the last. It is a fast-paced mystery with a likable, if somewhat unconventional, heroine who happens to be a graduate student in archeology. My only complaints are two that are shared by many "more
The Marriage of True Minds
by Stephen Evans
The Marriage of True Minds (2/28/2008)
I found this to be a quick and enjoyable, although not great, read. The characters are quirky and interesting -- some of the 'minor' characters really flesh the story out -- but it remains at heart a fairly simple love story. There are some interesting legal andmore
Mozart's Sister
by Rita Charbonnier
Should appeal to a variety of book clubs (10/12/2007)
Charbonnier's first attempt at a novel is a good, if somewhat uneven one. The unevenness may be more a function of the translation than of the author's art and skill. In spite of that, I enjoyed the book very much and found the events described to be faithful to what wemore
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