Reviews by Marsha S. (Nags Head, NC)

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Ellie and the Harpmaker
Ellie and the Harpmaker
by Hazel Prior
Ellie and the Harpmaker (4/23/2019)
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes to read books with interesting and unusual characters. Initially seeming simple and charming, the tension builds throughout the story with a dramatic turn of events leading to a satisfying conclusion. The …more
At the Wolf's Table
At the Wolf's Table
by Rosella Postorino
At the Wolf's Table (10/21/2018)
Just when I thought I had heard of every unimaginable thing that happened during the Nazi regime, here comes this story. Rosa is a survivor, but her story is a very different take on the others I have read. "Hired" by the Nazi regime (did she have a choice?), her job is to …more
Sometimes I Lie
Sometimes I Lie
by Alice Feeney
Sometimes I Lie (12/2/2017)
This is one of the most unusual books I have read in a long time, maybe ever. The twists and turns of the story are mind-bending. It was fascinating but also difficult to read at times because of the terrifying events. This one kept me guessing right up until the end - and …more
A Piece of the World
A Piece of the World: A Novel
by Christina Baker Kline
A Piece of the World (12/13/2016)
This is a book that I could not put down from almost the very first page. I had only a vague remembrance of the painting of which Christina Olson is the subject, but do remember wondering when I first saw it what could possibly be the meaning or inspiration for it. After …more
The Railwayman's Wife
The Railwayman's Wife
by Ashley Hay
The Railwayman's Wife (2/7/2016)
I was drawn in to the characters' lives from the very first chapter of this book. It is a beautifully written, sometimes tragically told, tale of love and loss in ordinary lives after WWII. The underlying love story between Ani and Mac and their precocious daughter Isabella …more
A Fireproof Home for the Bride
A Fireproof Home for the Bride
by Amy Scheibe
A Fireproof Home for the Bride (12/30/2014)
This was a good read and kept my interest nearly all the way through. But I did find parts of the story hard to believe. For example, Emmy was portrayed as an independent but compliant child, willing to go along with the future that had been planned for her. When her …more
All You Could Ask For
All You Could Ask For
by Mike Greenberg
All You Could Ask For (11/30/2012)
Frankly, I found it extremely difficult to get interested enough in this book to plow through it. I could not identify in any way with the characters and wondered where the story was going. Then when the plot took a sudden turn, it became interesting enough for me to finish …more
The Light Between Oceans
The Light Between Oceans: A Novel
by Margot L. Stedman
The Light Between Oceans (7/5/2012)
This is a spellbinding story that I could not put down. I was pulled into the story and brought to tears on several occasions. I think the author did a masterful job of portraying the circumstances in such a way that I could sympathize with and almost support the decisions …more
A Simple Murder
A Simple Murder
by Eleanor Kuhns
A Simple Murder (4/3/2012)
This one has it all - a whodunit in a historical setting, family drama, interesting characters, unusual setting, an almost-love story. Devoured in 2 evenings, and I can't wait for more. This book should appeal to a wide range of readers, men and women alike, and be of …more
The Red Book
The Red Book: A Novel
by Deborah Copaken Kogan
The Red Book (2/26/2012)
When I first started reading this book, I was sure I would not enjoy it. Oh boy, I thought, another reunion story about a bunch of privilege, self-centered yuppies who wasted all the gifts they were given. But for some reason, I couldn't stop reading it and soon found some …more
Accidents of Providence
Accidents of Providence
by Stacia Brown
Accidents of Providence (12/20/2011)
I found Accidents of Providence very compelling because of the topic and the way it is written. The author's style of writing puts you right into the place with vivid descriptions of the sights, sounds, and smells of the period. The topic was extremely interesting to me …more
The Borgia Betrayal
The Borgia Betrayal: A Poisoner Mystery Novel
by Sara Poole
The Borgia Betrayal (6/26/2011)
Sara Poole has created a cracking good tale, filled with intrigue, mystery, plots twists, and romance told by the heroine Francesca Giordano, poisoner to Pope Rodrigo Borgia. I loved it that the central character is an interesting, independent woman, living a life unlike …more
The Philosophical Breakfast Club
The Philosophical Breakfast Club: Four Remarkable Friends Who Transformed Science and Changed the World
by Laura J. Snyder
The Philosophical Breakfast Club (1/31/2011)
This extremely well-researched and written book goes beyond just an account of four extraordinary men and their accomplishments. It provides rich descriptions of their personal lives and the events that affected them emotionally and personally. Since I spent my career in …more
Minding Ben
Minding Ben: A Novel
by Victoria Brown
Minding Ben (12/31/2010)
When I read something comparing this book to "The Help", I was skeptical and fully prepared to be disappointed. After only a few pages, the skepticism was put aside and I became immersed in Grace's story. Her tale of the trials she endured as an immigrant in this country …more
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
by Amy Chua
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother (11/1/2010)
I was mesmerized by this true-life account of Amy Chua's approach to child-rearing, and the resulting affect on her children, family and friends. She approached parenting as a Chinese mother, with a fierce and unwavering certainty that the harsh, strict discipline and …more
The Blind Contessa's New Machine
The Blind Contessa's New Machine: A Novel
by Carey Wallace
The Blind Contessa's New Machine (6/11/2010)
This book takes the reader to another world and time, and into the young life of Carolina as she journeys into adulthood. The author creates scenes that are richly detailed, as Carolina attempts to record everything in her mind because she finds she is going blind just as …more
Beautiful Assassin
Beautiful Assassin: A Novel
by Michael C. White
Beautiful Assassin (3/19/2010)
Beautiful Assassin is a fascinating tale that takes the reader on a journey from war-torn Europe to the United States before America had entered the fight in World War II. I really enjoyed the way it combines historical fact with fiction, and combines real-life characters …more
The Things That Keep Us Here
The Things That Keep Us Here: A Novel
by Carla Buckley
The Things That Keep Us Here (11/11/2009)
Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. It is a gripping story of a woman who finds herself forced to ensure the survival of her family in a flu pandemic which is sweeping the country. The story certainly made me think hard about what I would do if faced …more
The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel
The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel
by Maureen Lindley
The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel (8/10/2009)
The book opens with an account of Eastern Jewel, a Manchu princess, caught spying on her father having sexual relations with a young girl, after which she is sent away from her home to be raised in Japan. The story of her life from that point, told in the first-person, gave …more
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    The Devil Finds Work
    by James Baldwin
    A book-length essay on racism in American films, by "the best essayist in this country" (The New York Times Book Review).
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