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Reviews by Shirley L. (Norco, LA)

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The Wild Girl
by Kate Forsyth

Excellent Story But a Bit Slow Moving (4/6/2015)

I was intrigued with the subject matter of this book and enjoyed the author's ability to provide historical details in an entertaining manner. I thought the characters were well drawn and I cared about their experiences throughout the book. I don't need an action packed …more

Juliet's Nurse
by Lois Leveen

Better Nurse than Narrator (7/7/2014)

There seems to be a growing trend in novels to base a story on a minor character from a classic work. In Leveen's work Juliet's nurse becomes the narrator in what is essentially a prequel to Romeo and Juliet. This concept works well here, providing an interesting twist on a …more

Accidents of Marriage
by Randy Susan Meyers

Rather Heavy Handed (6/16/2014)

I had trouble engaging with this novel. The characters seemed one-dimensional, at times almost stereotypes of particular character types used by the author to make her point. Very early in the story the husband accuses his wife of "social working" him. I felt this way while …more

A Paris Apartment
by Michelle Gable

An Interesting Tale of Two Women (3/24/2014)

Michelle Gable does an excellent job of telling the parallel stories of Marthe, a renowned courtesan of Paris' Belle Epoque, and April, a very modern furniture appraiser. Although life has changed greatly in the past one hundred and twenty years, love, the bond between …more

Under the Wide and Starry Sky
by Nancy Horan

A Flesh and Blood Love Story (11/11/2013)

I usually enjoy historical fiction about real people, and this book was especially well done. Other reviewers commented negatively about the length of the book, but I never was bored nor tempted to skip sections. This was a multi-dimensional telling of a life-long love …more

The Affairs of Others
by Amy Grace Loyd

Beautiful Written Not Enjoyable Experience (7/11/2013)

On page 2 the narrator, Celia, tells us that when her husband died a lot of her went with him. It is a tribute to the author's skill that this sense of "deadness" permeated the story. A beautifully written story that I did not much care to read.

The Good House
by Ann Leary

An Entertaining Easy Read (12/1/2012)

If the primary goal of a novel is to entertain, and I think it is, then Ann Leary's The Good House performed this task admirably. I felt like I was in Wendover, Massachusetts, and meeting all of its delightful citizens. Of course they were all flawed; perfect people make …more

The Innocents: A Novel
by Francesca Segal

An Enjoyable Read (5/6/2012)

First and foremost reading a novel should be enjoyable and The Innocents certainly was. The characters were complex and not stereotyped. The description of this modern Jewish community was haunting beautiful. Themes of risk versus safety, the individual versus the family, …more

Oxford Messed Up
by Andrea Kayne Kaufman

A Love Story Pure and Simple (3/5/2012)

I have been a therapist for twenty five years and was intrigued by the topic of OCD and Cognitive Behavior Therapy in the description of this book. I loved how this book was written. It is a love story and like all interesting love stories the lovers must have an obstacle …more

Tides of War: A Novel
by Stella Tillyard

Better At History Than Fiction (11/11/2011)

This book provides an excellent history of the British fight against Napoleon in the Peninsular War. The characters are well developed and the writing (particular the section where the soldiers describe their sense of unfamiliarity upon returning home) is often exquisite. …more

Next to Love
by Ellen Feldman

Good Overview of the Effects of War (7/9/2011)

Although not as original as her book "The Boy Who Loved Ann Frank" or as detailed as "Lucy", "Next to Love" gives an insightful overview of life during and after World War II for servicemen, their parents, their wives and their children. Given that the book tells the story …more

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

Good Solid Read of An Interesting Year in History (3/16/2011)

There is so much historical fiction written about the reign of Henry VIII and that of his daughter Elizabeth I. It was refreshing and informative to read of the intrigue and power plays at court in the time between these two monarchs. I was fairly ignorant of this period of …more

The Devotion of Suspect X
by Keigo Higashino

Pure Genius (12/20/2010)

What a fun, intelligent read. Higashino's characters are fully formed and his plot is as taut and satisfying as a perfect geometry proof. The writing is simple and logical but contains so much - the meaning of love, friendship, justice, loyalty, truth. This is a book that …more

The Tenth Song
by Naomi Ragen

The Tenth Song Sings (10/21/2010)

I had enjoyed "The Saturday Wife" and was disappointed in the slow start of this book. The characters seemed all soooo perfect. However, hanging in paid off. The characters grew and matured from their initial positions. The discussion of the impact of rote, formalized …more

Juliet
by Anne Fortier

Juliet by Anne Fortier (7/6/2010)

The basic concept of this novel, that a modern protagonist is somehow connected to characters in a classic piece of literature, is not exactly original. However, Fortier succeeds with an excellent telling of this tale of a spirited descendant of the historical Juliet. With …more

The Queen's Lover: A Novel
by Vanora Bennett

The Queen's Lover (2/16/2010)

Early 15th century England and France were not easy places to be if you were female even if you were of royal blood. Catherine of Valois, her mother Isabeau, and writer Christine were wonderful characters to tell this story of kings, conflict, betrayals and palace intrigue. …more

The Last Secret: A Novel
by Mary McGarry Morris

The Last Secret (4/20/2009)

This book was average at best. The "secret" did not ring true to me and the main character was way too accepting of her husband's behavior. She claims she never even considered divorce. Really! I like my female leads to have a lot more passion than that. I've read other …more

Tethered: A Novel
by Amy Mackinnon

Hauntingly Beautiful Murder Mystery (8/11/2008)

Tethered is a haunting, beautifully written murder mystery Clara, our undertaker narrator, never flinches in her descriptions of death and the agony of life lived unloved. She leads the reader straight down the razor sharp line between life and death. A great book club …more

Mozart's Sister
by Rita Charbonnier

Mozart's Sister Comes Alive (10/18/2007)

What an engaging story of familiar characters. We get an insiders' view of the dysfunctional dynamics of the Mozart Family. It certainly wasn't advantageous to be born female, although ultimately poor Wolfgang doesn't benefit emotionally from his father's indulgence. At its …more

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