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Reviews by Jinny K. (Fremont, CA)

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Never Have I Ever
by Joshilyn Jackson
It's All Fun and Games........... (5/1/2019)
Well, it's all fun and games until a toxic blackmailing sociopath crashes the book club. Now all bets are off.
At first seeming like an annoying mischievous party crasher, Roux proves herself determined to unsettle all members, especially one, by conniving to have themmore
My Lovely Wife
by Samantha Downing
Cure for marital boredom (10/25/2018)
Couples have many ways to try to add spice to their relationship: Date nights, special trips, fantasies, murder.
But wait! Murder?
Yes, indeed; this couple engages in recreational homicide and that is the theme of this novel.
Although the writing was excellent and the bookmore
Sometimes I Lie
by Alice Feeney
Truth or Dare (12/21/2017)
In sync with the current literary trend of unreliable narrators, the protagonist, Amber, frankly lets us know at the beginning of the novel: I'm in a Coma; My husband doesn't love me anymore; Sometimes I lie. Well, don't say you weren't warned! The time frame of the storymore
Since She Went Away
by David Bell
100 Pages Too Long (6/9/2016)
I enjoy mystery/thrillers, stories of missing persons, etc. This book was the story of a missing woman, emphasizing how it affected her best friend and a number of red herring possibilities for the ultimate outcome. It was just average, an easy read, but really could havemore
Far From True: A Promise Falls Novel
by Linwood Barclay
Suspense Continues (12/24/2015)
I am a Linwood Barclay fan and have read the first book in this trilogy.

Barclay is a very good suspense/thriller writer and the many plots and sub-plots were well done. The characters were well-drawn and stayed true throughout the story. There were plots left from themore
Between the Tides
by Susannah Marren
Unreal and Unlikely (4/19/2015)
Lainie Smith's physician husband announces one evening that he has accepted a job in suburban New Jersey and will be moving the family (parents and four children) away from Lainie's beloved New York City with it's unfettered access to water and shore environments. Lainie ismore
He Wanted the Moon: The Madness and Medical Genius of Dr. Perry Baird, and His Daughter's Quest to Know Him
by Mimi Baird with Eve Claxton
Cuckoo's Nest Revisited (3/10/2015)
I was disappointed in this book, as it did not seem to live up to the subtitle, as far as medical genius. Except for the backstory by the protaganist's daughter, most of the book consisted of journal entries by the doctor in various phases of psychosis. His theories andmore
Brutal Youth
by Anthony Breznican
Mean and Scary (6/15/2014)
First, this book is extremely well written. The sense of place and atmosphere are vividly depicted and the characters are well-drawn and true to themselves. The story may be accurate in some time and place, although I never experienced this extreme behavior as a high schoolmore
Her Last Breath: A Kate Burkholder Novel
by Linda Castillo
A good yarn (5/18/2013)
Disclosure: I am already a Linda Castillo fan and follow this series.
That being said, I was not disappointed in this book. It sustained a compelling plot about horrific murders while adding some romance and the intrigue of long-buried secrets.

Her characters ring true-themore
Golden Boy
by Abigail Tarttelin
Good book on unusual subject (1/5/2013)
Golden Boy is a haunting emotional novel about a subject not frequently written about. It's shifting point of view among its characters is very well done and each narrative seems true to the teller.
Its only slight flaw might be the tendency to be a little over-informativemore
A Thousand Pardons
by Jonathan Dee
A Thousand Yawns (10/16/2012)
Although I'd never read anything by Jonathan Dee, I was looking forward to this book based on his having been a Pulitzer finalist as well as this book's synopsis. The beginning of the book was very engaging, but as it went on the characters seemed shallow and unsympatheticmore
The Roots of the Olive Tree: A Novel
by Courtney Miller Santo
Shallow and disappointing (7/15/2012)
Well, I hate to disparage a new novelist, but the best thing I can say about this book is that it's a pretty good first draft.
Generational sagas are one of my favorite genre, but this book was disappointing in more than one aspect.
The characters were one-dimensional andmore
Wife 22: A Novel
by Melanie Gideon
Silly and shallow (4/29/2012)
I was looking forward to reading this book, but I found the characters shallow and unsympathetic and the premise unlikely. That a busy modern mother would take the time and emotional investment to engage in a prolonged online question-and-answer survey about her marriagemore
The Red Book: A Novel
by Deborah Copaken Kogan
Satisfying Reunion Tale (3/4/2012)
I just love this kind of book and really looked forward to reading it; I was not disappointed.

The centerpiece of the story was a 20th reunion of four Harvard classmates, book-ended by synopses in their reunion chronicles called the Red Book.

The story was well told, themore
The Good Father: A Novel
by Noah Hawley
The Good Father (1/4/2012)
Compelling and tragic tale of a devoted father's quest to find the answer to his son's inexplicable murderous act. He traces his son's actions over the last few years, agonizes over every moment of his childhood and researches murders of public figures in a heartbreakingmore
Loose Diamonds: ...and other things I've lost (and found) along the way
by Amy Ephron
Yawning (8/13/2011)
I looked forward to this book being warm, witty and wise. I was disappointed on all fronts. I never really connected with any of the essays and stories. It reminded me of reading a five-year-old people magazine about folks I never heard of.
Probably would give it a 2 1/2 if possible.
The Kitchen Daughter: A Novel
by Jael McHenry
Sweet, but far-fetched (4/19/2011)
I did enjoy some aspects of this book and would certainly be on the lookout for future works by this author. However, I don't generally read sci-fi or fantasy, so the weaving of the spirit world into an otherwise down-to-earth story didn't seem congruous to me.
I also thinkmore
Solomon's Oak: A Novel
by Jo-Ann Mapson
Heartwarming Tale (10/23/2010)
Was this plot a little sappy? Was the ending quite predictable? Maybe a little more dog and horse-oriented than I usually prefer? Yes, to all of those questions.

However, I was captivated by the characters and their situations and curious about exactly how the predictablemore
The Doctor and the Diva: A Novel
by Adrienne McDonnell
Charming Story (6/25/2010)
What an enjoyable first novel. The author tells a good tale with authentic and likable characters. The themes of love and longing are depicted realistically, and the locations are vividly portrayed. The infertility theme was engaging, and especially intriguing given themore
The Swimming Pool
by Holly LeCraw
Swimming Among Genres (3/8/2010)
I wish I could give several 'number grades' to this book for various aspects; 5 for character development and dialogue, 3 for plot development, etc.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and felt the shifts among time and point of view were done well, it seemed as thoughmore
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