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Reviews by Patricia W. (Richmond, VA)

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Loose Diamonds: ...and other things I've lost (and found) along the way
by Amy Ephron

Loose Diamonds by Amy Ephron (8/4/2011)

This small book of essays chronicles life experiences, has wonderful insights and exhibits the wit that we associate with the Ephron name. Amy Ephron's writing style is very down to earth and oh so readable as she tells stories about herself, her family, their experiences …more

The Summer Without Men: A Novel
by Siri Hustvedt

The Summer Without Men (4/4/2011)

The Summer Without Men may sound like a summer beach read but it clearly isn't. Mia, the narrator, has much going on in her life with her marital problems, her aging mother, her young students. She is in a complicated place and the author talks Mia and her readers through …more

The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise: A Novel
by Julia Stuart

The Tower, The Zoo and The Tortoise (8/10/2010)

Being an avowed Anglophile, I was prepared to love this book. Instead it seemed to me to be a book that was trying too hard to be oh so charming. It was fun to read factoids about the history of the Tower of London but there was so much going on in the book that it was hard …more

A Thread of Sky: A Novel
by Deanna Fei

A Thread of Sky (3/31/2010)

This is a sweeping story of a complicated family on two simultaneous journeys. One journey is back to their roots in China and the other an emotional journey that has each woman in the novel looking at her life. It is a compelling book with universal themes--growing up and …more

A Short History of Women: A Novel
by Kate Walbert

A Short History of Women (5/4/2009)

I had a difficult time actually giving this book an overall rating. There were some parts of it that were so engaging as to be almost mesmerizing but other sections were completely blah, boring and almost incomplete. The chapter transitions between characters were not easy …more

It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time: My Adventures in Life and Food
by Moira Hodgson

It Seemed Like A Good Idea at the Time (7/2/2008)

From England to Vietnam and places in between and beyond, this was an informative, and mostly fun, book to read. Writing about her adventures with her family, friends and solo were very good and Ms. Hodgson was adept at bringing her reader along with her. Her obvious …more

Heavenly Pleasures: A Corinna Chapman Mystery
by Kerry Greenwood

Heavenly Pleasures (4/2/2008)

Being a devotee of Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher, it was with great anticipation that I started reading Heavenly Pleasures. While an enjoyable read, the characters weren't as well defined (perhaps because there were so many of them) nor the plot as crisp as I expect from …more

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Lessons in Chemistry
by Bonnie Garmus

Praised by Parade and The New York Times Book Review, this debut features a 1960s scientist turned TV cooking star.

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A morbidly funny and emotionally resonant novel about the ways life—and love—can sneak up on us (no matter how much pepper spray we carry).

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One Death at a Time
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A cranky ex-actress and her Gen Z sobriety sponsor team up to solve a murder that could send her back to prison in this dazzling mystery.

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