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Reviews by WDH (New Port Richey, FL)

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Home Sweet Home
by April Smith

Descriptive (1/21/2017)

I enjoyed this book. I thought the descriptions of places, people and circumstances were well done and the story held my interest as it moved from beginning to end. Decisions have consequences - good or bad / right or wrong, but once out of control, it can be difficult to …more

Irritable Hearts: A PTSD Love Story
by Mac McClelland

Mixed Feelings (2/15/2015)

My feelings about this book are mixed, mostly because the book was a struggle for me to read. The author was open about what she's been through, and I learned a lot about PTSD and have an improved understanding about the impact it can have on someone.

Accidents of Marriage
by Randy Susan Meyers

Family Dynamics (7/16/2014)

A good read overall - the storyline felt real, even though it was hard to 'like' some of the characters. Makes you want to pay more attention to relationships and be more aware of what could be going on around you. I also thought about how people start to compensate for and/ …more

Doing Harm
by Kelly Parsons

Average Thriller (11/16/2013)

Doing Harm is a quick read, mostly from a typical thriller perspective. The storyline is a little predictable, but entertaining. The medical and technical information is presented very well but the characters just didn't really grab/keep my attention - could not quite …more

Song of the Spirits: In the Land of the Long White Cloud saga
by Sarah Lark

Good Sequel (9/11/2013)

When I found out I was receiving this book, I quickly read the first one. While Song of the Spirits could stand alone, it was good to know the family history. Lifting the hefty book out of the package and checking how many pages there were was a bit intimidating, but it's a …more

Golden Boy
by Abigail Tarttelin

Golden Boy (2/2/2013)

I found this book to be a fast and easy read. The storyline was different and held my interest, but I thought the characters could have been a bit more developed, especially the parents. There wasn't much layering to their relationships with each other and their children, …more

The Edge of the Earth
by Christina Schwarz

What Was She Thinking? (11/27/2012)

Throughout most of the book I kept asking myself what was Trudy thinking when she chose to marry Oskar? A 'love is blind' situation with a bit of parental/societal defiance thrown in and she is launched into a life she is not prepared for with an unreliable and almost …more

The Mark Inside: A Perfect Swindle, a Cunning Revenge, and a Small History of the Big Con
by Amy Reading

Fool Me Once... (7/8/2012)

This book provides an enlightening overview of the history of confidence men and their plots and schemes to fleece people out of their savings. The author did a lot of research for this book and it shows through the explanations of the history of the con-game and the …more

The Voluntourist: A Six-Country Tale of Love, Loss, Fatherhood, Fate, and Singing Bon Jovi in Bethlehem
by Ken Budd

Wanderer (5/9/2012)

I enjoyed most of the book - the author has a good sense of humor and can tell a story. I also believe he had good intentions with his 'voluntourism' activities. He does wander a bit more than necessary in telling some of the stories though. I also struggled with some of …more

A Partial History of Lost Causes: A Novel
by Jennifer duBois

Struggled (1/3/2012)

I struggled between a 3 or 4 rating, but finally chose a 3. This is a well written story with a lot of detail about politics, places, people and how circumstances impact life. However, it read a bit slow and the overall tone was rather melancholy which made it difficult for …more

The Darkening Field: A Novel
by William Ryan

Action & Intrigue (11/11/2011)

The characters were interesting and the plot has lots of twists and turns adding to the suspense. The author has a descriptive writing style that helps envision people and places throughout the book such as the extreme cold and the barren landscape of the steppes. He also …more

The Orphan Master's Son: A Novel
by Adam Johnson

Bizarre but Captivating (10/22/2011)

I was completely engrossed in the story from the opening pages and remained captivated until the end. Very descriptive passages of life in a country where everyone lives in fear, there is no such thing as truth and survival means finding a place deep within yourself to …more

Low Town: A Novel
by Daniel Polansky

Descriptive / Characters Need More Development (6/28/2011)

First thought - Interesting concept that lacked overall cohesiveness. The locations and people were described very well. However, there is an underlying storyline that is alluded to but left unexplored, leaving a lot of 'why' questions and the feeling that the storyline / …more

The Tudor Secret: The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles
by C. W. Gortner

Fun, Not Deep (3/17/2011)

Offers a slightly different perspective - young man raised as a servant is sent to court and is immediately involved in intrigues of all sorts and has to quickly figure out where his loyalties lie and where to place his trust. Lots of action kept my interest. There is more …more

The Philosophical Breakfast Club: Four Remarkable Friends Who Transformed Science and Changed the World
by Laura J. Snyder

Well Researched, A Bit Dry (2/2/2011)

This book is well-researched and it's obvious the author was interested in her subjects and has a great vocabulary. The book provides a look at four influential men and covers brief information about their upbringing, places in society and their families. The heart of their …more

Ever By My Side: A Memoir in Eight ~~Acts~~ Pets
by Dr. Nick Trout

Easy Read / Slightly Uneven (1/18/2011)

This book was very easy to read. The style is light and informative without getting too technical with any of the veterinary details. I enjoyed the stories about his parents and their family dogs and the author does a great job explaining cat behavior for someone who …more

Raising Wrecker: A Novel
by Summer Wood

Good (11/18/2010)

I liked this book, but found it a bit disjointed, meaning I sometimes had to jump around a bit to pull the storyline together. The characters are interesting and it definitely brings forth the concept that family doesn't always mean being related to each other by birth, but …more

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
by Rebecca Skloot

Wow! (9/23/2010)

This book is an excellent read. The author does a wonderful job of balancing respect for the people involved with explanations of the science and medicine involved. Highly recommend.

Your Republic Is Calling You
by Young-ha Kim

One Day, Dual Paths (8/9/2010)

This story revolves around activities in a single day. It was interesting, kept my attention and the characters are, for the most part, well-developed. The main characters all have multiple paths they follow and choose show to each other and their country is also split in …more

The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors: A Novel
by Michele Young-Stone

Easy to Read (5/27/2010)

There were a lot of coincidences between the characters, places and times in this story that were almost too coincidental for belief. I chose to go with the flow of the story and not over-think the coincidences and ended up really liking the book. I liked the way the story …more

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