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Reviews by Amber B. (East Sparta, OH)

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Love and Other Consolation Prizes: A Novel
by Jamie Ford
Sweet, provoking must-read (8/15/2017)
Love and Other Consolation Prizes describes a world most readers could never imagine... a world in which the most loving home for a preteen boy is a brothel where he works odd jobs, a world in which dementia is perhaps the most gracious gift for an elderly woman.
I foundmore
Rise: How a House Built a Family
by Cara Brookins
Rising to the occasion (11/10/2016)
This powerful, inspiring book will break down stereotypes of women who have been victims of domestic violence and give readers an up close and personal glimpse of how mental illness can threaten and destroy families.
I was in awe of Cara Brookins - her intelligence,more
The Forgetting Time
by Sharon Guskin
Excellent character development (1/12/2016)
The Forgetting Time was a fascinating novel, with unforgettable characters and quite a unique plot. My heart ached for each of the characters in the book - as each grappled with their own loss, different than the other. This would make an excellent book for a book group, asmore
Whispering Shadows
by Jan-Philipp Sendker
Enjoyable novel! (1/8/2015)
I really enjoyed this book! It was unique and compelling, thoughtful, engaging, and just the right pace. I felt like I learned what it might be like to conduct business as Americans in China, and it makes me want to explore more about that topic. The characters were well-more
Glitter and Glue: A Memoir
by Kelly Corrigan
More than meets the eye (1/3/2014)
I really enjoyed Glitter and Glue - the first person I texted after reading it was my own mother - with the words, "I have a book for you!"
The memoir leaves one with much to think about - in terms of parenting, romantic relationships, what it means to be a son or daughter,more
Children of the Jacaranda Tree
by Sahar Delijani
Voice (2/25/2013)
The most significant aspect of this excellent novel for me was the incredible sense of voice that each of Delijani's characters possess - particularly the rarely expressed voices of the women and children. (Omid...age 3... watching his parents being arrested whilst yogurtmore
Calling Me Home
by Julie Kibler
Powerful, heartbreaking story. (12/4/2012)
While sellers may try to compare this to "The Help" - and yes, the storytelling rivals it - this is instead a love story. Powerful and gripping, you'll be surprised with the characters as the details of a forbidden romance unfold, changing two people and everyone else inmore
Wife 22: A Novel
by Melanie Gideon
Love & Marriage N A Digital Age (3/28/2012)
I really enjoyed reading this book - I devoured it in a day and immediately handed it off to my best reading buddy.
Gideon's writing is relevant, fun, and where she could have very easily taken the low road in a number of places, she takes the high road every time - I wasmore
Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected - A Memoir
by Kelle Hampton
The Story of a Rockstar Mama (2/23/2012)
I really enjoyed this book - especially the GORGEOUS photography of Kelle's beautiful children! While some of the memoir seems to be just a bit TMI (editing out the skinny-dipping story & endless beer references would have been just fine with me), Kelle writes withmore
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
by Katherine Boo
Heartbreaking…important…memorable (12/28/2011)
Katherine Boo’s Behind the beautiful forevers: life, death, and hope in a Mumbai undercity reads like fiction but is a remarkable account of several families that Boo followed intensely for several years. The stories she tells woke me up at night. It’s amazingly well-more
A Partial History of Lost Causes: A Novel
by Jennifer duBois
Intelligent & Thoughtful Debut! (12/5/2011)
As someone who has visited Eastern Europe several times, I was particularly interested in this story. While not particularly an "easy" read (it took me a little bit to get into it) - it was definitely worth it. Intelligent and intriguing, I hope to read more by Jennifer DuBois.
The Orphan Master's Son: A Novel
by Adam Johnson
Well-written, engaging, but very heavy (10/27/2011)
To be honest, I'm still processing this book. It was amazingly well-written and engaging, but terrifying because of the unfathomable, hopeless conditions of the daily life that North Koreans face. It's a story that will make you consider the human will to survive, and whatmore
The Homecoming of Samuel Lake: A Novel
by Jenny Wingfield
Best Novel I've Read in Years... (6/28/2011)
A book you can fall in love with, The Homecoming of Samuel Lake was the best novel I've read in years. It had a similar feel to Leif Enger's Peace Like a River, which I would rank among my top five ever.
You'll wince at some of the atrociously cruel scenes in this book, andmore
Outlander
by Diana Gabaldon
Outlander (3/28/2011)
An epic adventure novel, Outlander defies categorization and delivers everything its publishers promise via rich characters, intriguing plotlines, and an unmatched intensity in its 800 pages. I would say it’s not the type of book I normally read – but it’s not “the typicalmore
A Box of Darkness: The Story of a Marriage
by Sally Ryder Brady
Telling the Truth (1/6/2011)
Sally Ryder Brady is a magnetic story teller. Readers will follow her journey with the same sense of wonder, mystery, pride, and pain that she encountered in her 46-year relationship with an extremely complicated man. I felt bewildered by some of the choices that she made,more
Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal
by Conor Grennan
Breathtaking memoir! (11/20/2010)
Conor Grennan writes with humility, humor and grace - Little Princes is riveting. I truly could not put it down; at the same time, I didn't want it to be over. Reading this flawless memoir is like traveling to Nepal - you'll be captivated by the scenery, struck by themore
Solomon's Oak: A Novel
by Jo-Ann Mapson
Solomon's Oak (10/26/2010)
I really enjoyed this engaging novel. I found the characters raw and vulnerable - and while they certainly came to grips with their losses, it felt genuine and not sentimental. More importantly, they seemed to let themselves feel their losses for what they were and didn'tmore
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