Reviews by Virginia B. (Foster, RI)

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The Woman Before Wallis
The Woman Before Wallis: A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal
by Bryn Turnbull
Life Among the Rich and Famous (7/28/2020)
"The Woman Before Wallis" is Thelma Morgan, Lady Furness who was the mistress to Edward Prince of Wales for four years. In the recount of her life, I was entertained by the lush descriptions of clothes, furniture, travels and houses of the British Royalty, aristocrats, and …more
The Book of Summer
The Book of Summer
by Michelle Gable
Family Secrets (3/6/2017)
The Book of Summer was inspired by a newspaper article in which a venerable Nantucket summer mansion was reported to be in danger of falling into the Alantic due to erosion. It is an enjoyable read and those curious about Nantucket society, family secrets, and the homefront …more
Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home
by April Smith
McCarthyism on the Prairie (1/23/2017)
The novel begins with a description of Rapid City, SD that did not match my memories and experiences of that city but moves on to describe the prairie perfectly. A complex plot that moves back and forth in time with several well drawn characters could be confusing but Smith …more
The Secret Ingredient of Wishes
The Secret Ingredient of Wishes
by Susan Bishop Crispell
Be Careful What You Wish For (7/30/2016)
This quick read is an entertaining love story that plays with the idea that a person can have the ability to grant wishes and this ability can have dark, unintended consequences. As improbable as this idea is in our modern world, Crispell manages to paint convincing …more
Fear of Dying
Fear of Dying
by Erica Jong
Sex at 60 (5/4/2015)
Fear fuels Erica Jong's latest book and sends Vanessa, her main character, spinning into several unpredictable situations. Jong ably expresses Vanessa's concerns and love for her dying parents and an aging husband. She is so convincing I sometimes thought I was reading a …more
Eighty Days
Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World
by Matthew Goodman
Bly and Bisland See the World (2/13/2013)
Goodman's "Eighty Days" is a thoroughly researched and well written account of two 19th century woman journalists who attempt to beat the fictional character created by Jules Verne who traveled around the world in 80 days. I enjoyed learning about these two plucky women who …more
The Winter Palace
The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great
by Eva Stachniak
A matter of trust (1/19/2012)
The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak is an engrossing, well-written historical fiction about the Russian court of Empress Elizabeth during the 1700’s told from an interesting point of view. The narrator is the daughter of a bookbinder who is thrust into the court upon the …more
The Sisters
The Sisters: A Novel
by Nancy Jensen
Sisters (9/6/2011)
Sisters graphically explores the disastrous effects of sexual abuse on the victim, Mabel, her sister, Bertie, and future generations of daughters. Half-truths, lies and thwarted dreams cripple these bitter, unhappy women. The chapters that alternate between characters and …more
The Language of Flowers
The Language of Flowers: A Novel
by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
The Language of Flowers (6/22/2011)
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh is similar to Ellen Foster, Tending to Grace and White Oleander because the main character, Victoria, is an abandoned child with amazing resilience. A foster child from birth, she “doesn’t like to be touched” or to listen to …more
Outside Wonderland
Outside Wonderland: A Novel
by Lorna Jane Cook
Outside Wonderland (2/23/2011)
"Outside Wonderland" is an enjoyable read. The three siblings left behind by their parents' untimely and sudden deaths are engaging characters who immediately caught my interest. I found myself engaged in their individual struggles to form meaningful relationships and find …more
The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul
The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul: A Novel
by Deborah Rodriguez
Love in Kabul (10/25/2010)
Rodriguez’s first novel, A Cup O Friendship is a page-turner about love of family, country, tradition and romantic love. Author of the memoir The Kabul Beauty School, she lived in Afghanistan and her convincing descriptions of the colors, sounds, and smells of the streets …more
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