Reviews by Donna W. (Wauwatosa, WI)

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Father of Lions
Father of Lions: One Man's Remarkable Quest to Save the Mosul Zoo
by Louise Callaghan
Father of Lions (10/5/2019)
This was a very interesting book. As I started reading, I thought I would be reading a book devoted entirely to animals. Instead I was thrown into the horrors associated with the Iraqi war. I learned a lot about the history, traditions, and people of Iraq.

I enjoyed the book. …more
The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt
The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt: A Novel
by Andrea Bobotis
The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt (6/21/2019)
This story starts simply, relating Judith's life presently when she is in the her 70s. Then it reverts to her life as a 15 year old. The story continues as it weaves back and forth between these 2 time periods, and unravels the family secrets related to 1 critical day.

I …more
The Last Collection
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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

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