Reviews by Julie H. (Pine Grove, PA)

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The Forgetting Time
The Forgetting Time
by Sharon Guskin
The Forgetting Time (12/5/2015)
This book lingers in your memory. It quickly pulls the reader into the story and remains engrossing through until the end. The characters are well written and developed, but more than that, one can't help but wonder about the possibilities the story presents. The dual …more
The Art of Baking Blind
The Art of Baking Blind
by Sarah Vaughan
Light fare (3/12/2015)
This book was an engaging, light read. The descriptions of the 'bakes' were well written and one could picture (and almost smell) the goodness. The parallels between the baking competition and Mrs. Eaden's story were well done. However, I did feel that the characters were …more
The House We Grew Up In
The House We Grew Up In
by Lisa Jewell
The House We Grew Up In (3/30/2014)
This was an intriguing book that kept me turning the pages. Although the time changes were difficult to adjust to at first, I found them to ultimately be an effective way to tell this story. For the most part, the author developed characters I cared about despite their …more
Soy Sauce for Beginners
Soy Sauce for Beginners
by Kirstin Chen
Too ambitious (10/26/2013)
For a relatively short book, the author touched on many subjects; marriage, friendship, business, family and culture. To me, this became the problem in the book. None of the topics felt fully developed and therefore the book felt choppy. The main character was not …more
Songs of Willow Frost
Songs of Willow Frost
by Jamie Ford
Interesting historical fiction (7/30/2013)
I enjoyed this story that was told through two perspectives. One side telling of William and his harsh boyhood within a depression-era orphanage and one telling of Willow and her experiences as an female Asian-American within her immigrant culture in the 1920s. The story …more
Crime of Privilege
Crime of Privilege
by Walter Walker
Crime of Privilege (4/18/2013)
This was a fast paced mystery and a good story. The characters were believable, though not always likable. There were definitely plot elements that brought the Kennedy family to mind and raised the issue of the inequality of the justice system when wealth and power are …more
The Laws of Gravity
The Laws of Gravity
by Liz Rosenberg
Laws of Gravity (4/18/2013)
This is a thought-provoking book which examines family ties, medical ethics and the law. Good character development, although there were several areas which could have been more developed, particularly the years between Nicole and Ari's childhood and adulthood. I especially …more
The Edge of the Earth
The Edge of the Earth
by Christina Schwarz
The Edge of the Earth (10/21/2012)
A well-written historical fiction novel with an interesting physical setting, "The Edge of the Earth", was an interesting read. The strong female characters and setting drew me into the book. I appreciated the character development of the protagonist, yet was slightly …more
Turn of Mind
Turn of Mind
by Alice LaPlante
Turn of Mind (5/9/2012)
Turn of Mind was an intriguing look into the horror of dementia. It was very interesting, though unsettling, to read about Jennifer's descent into a world where nothing is familiar. The author realistically portrayed the progression of the disease. The use of the narrative, …more
All the Flowers in Shanghai
All the Flowers in Shanghai: A Novel
by Duncan Jepson
All the Flowers in Shanghai (10/18/2011)
This cultural novel was a disappointment to me. The novel was extremely narrow in its focus on Feng, the narrator of the story. Although it was set in China in the thirties, there was little detail in the novel about the setting, and I felt that omission was an error on the …more
The Language of Flowers
The Language of Flowers: A Novel
by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Beautiful Language (6/14/2011)
In this finely written story Vanessa Diffenbaugh did an excellent job in creating characters that I cared about. As the book went on I became very drawn into Victoria's story. The lovely concept of using a silent 'language of flowers' to communicate emotions was a novel …more
The Sweetness of Tears
The Sweetness of Tears: A Novel
by Nafisa Haji
The Sweetness of Tears (3/5/2011)
Overall, this was a very interesting, beautifully written book. The story was compelling and the cultural perspective was very interesting. The reason for 4 stars instead of 5-- the frequent shifting of 'voice' was at times disruptive to the flow of the story. It was …more
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter: A Novel
by Tom Franklin
Quick Read (10/4/2010)
Nicely drawn story about the relationship between two boys that grow into men in the deep south. The mystery was somewhat predictable in its ending, but it was a quick, enjoyable read.
A Thread of Sky
A Thread of Sky: A Novel
by Deanna Fei
A Thread of Sky (3/28/2010)
Secrets, both large and small, figured prominently in this well-written novel. The novel unfolded slowly, giving tidbits of each of the six women's lives in turn. The writing was honest and the characters were real. I was slightly disappointed that the story felt as though …more
The Bricklayer
The Bricklayer: A Novel
by Noah Boyd
Fast Paced Thriller (12/23/2009)
From the first page to the last, there was plenty of action and suspense. Very enjoyable, quick read. The author made the reader care about what happened to the characters and the characters themselves were very interesting. Will read more by this author.
Under This Unbroken Sky
Under This Unbroken Sky
by Shandi Mitchell
Under This Unbroken Sky (8/30/2009)
A harsh, bleak picture of life as an immigrant in 1930's Canada. A time when daily life was a struggle and just making a living took everything one had. I did not like the writing style of the book; the sentences were short and choppy. There was little character development. …more
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