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Reviews by Kathleen W. (Appleton, WI)

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Three Days in June
Three Days in June: A Novel
by Anne Tyler
Three Days in June (12/29/2024)
I loved this book despite not especially liking the main character at first.Gail Baines didn't seem like someone I would want to know. But I found her story compelling and I wanted to learn more about her.

The story unfolds through the details of a pivotal 3 day period of …more
Pieces of Blue
Pieces of Blue
by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Pieces of Blue (2/18/2023)
I was really excited to receive this as a First Impressions book and expected that I would love it because the plot intrigued me and I love Hawaii. But I didn’t love it and am hesitant to recommend it to serious readers.
The book had all of the elements that I look for in a …more
The Family Chao
The Family Chao: A Novel
by Lan Samantha Chang
The Family Chao (12/6/2021)
I feel bad about not being able to rate this book higher because 1) I really liked Ms Chang's other books and 2) because it is very well written. That being said, it was a struggle for me to finish. I didn't like any of the characters and the plot seemed a bit contrived in …more
Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home
by April Smith
Home Sweet Home (12/17/2016)
I would actually rate this book at 3.5 in that it was better than average but not quite 4 stars. As I read Home Sweet Home, I felt like I was reading a screenplay rather than a novel. The writing tended to be utilitarian rather than literary and many of the characters …more
Mercies in Disguise
Mercies in Disguise: A Story of Hope, a Family's Genetic Destiny, and the Science That Rescued Them
by Gina Kolata
Mercies in Disguise (11/13/2016)
This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I finished the book over a week ago and can't stop thinking about it. The haunting question that this book raises is "if you had a 50/50 chance of carrying a gene that would result in your early death from a horrible …more
If I Forget You
If I Forget You
by Thomas Christopher Greene
If I Forget You (4/30/2016)
I had a really hard time reviewing this book. I read the book non-stop about two weeks ago and can't stop thinking about it. This should merit a very positive review. It is also beautifully written. So what is my problem? The book is simply too full of cliches and …more
Every Anxious Wave
Every Anxious Wave
by Mo Daviau
Every Anxious Wave (10/16/2015)
I have read a fair number of time travel novels, but Every Anxious Wave had some unique features. I especially liked the quirky characters, both main and secondary, who seemed real to me and kept the book from getting too weird. I also liked how the author used Chicago and …more
The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes
The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes
by Anna McPartlin
The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes (7/12/2015)
I LOVED this book! It made me laugh and cry and everything in between, and I hated to see it end. Despite knowing the inevitable outcome, I wanted to know everything there was to know about Rabbit Hayes and her family and friends. The universal themes of death and dying and …more
Still Life Las Vegas
Still Life Las Vegas
by James Sie
Still Life Las Vegas (5/14/2015)
This book is better than good, but I only give 5's to books I think everyone should read. That being said, Still Life Las Vegas is a great read for those who are willing to read something out-of-the ordinary. The most noteworthy feature of this book are the periodic graphic …more
The Well
The Well
by Catherine Chanter
The Well (2/24/2015)
In some respects, I wish I had never read this book. While it is definitely well-written (no pun intended), has strong characters, and raises some critical questions, the book is haunting and I can't get disturbing images out of my head. This will be a great selection for …more
Accidents of Marriage
Accidents of Marriage
by Randy Susan Meyers
Accidents of Marriage (6/25/2014)
This is a disturbing novel. I can't say that I "liked" it, but I can't stop thinking about it. Perhaps the situation and the dialogue struck a nerve with me and that is not always pleasant. We all yearn for second chances and forgiveness and we all hope that we will be …more
Doing Harm
Doing Harm
by Kelly Parsons
Doing Harm (11/17/2013)
This was a difficult review for me to write because I wanted to like the book more than I do. The premise of "what would you do in this situation?" intrigues me and as a medical thriller, the book is successful. I found myself reading late into the night engrossed in the …more
The Scavenger's Daughters
The Scavenger's Daughters: Tales of the Scavenger's Daughters, Book One
by Kay Bratt
The Scavenger's Daughter (7/15/2013)
I only give 5's to "must reads". I was tempted to rate this book a 3 because some of the dialogue just didn't ring true and because I have read many other novels about being a girl in China. This being said, I couldn't stop reading The Scavenger's Daughter and am intrigued …more
The Good House
The Good House
by Ann Leary
The Good House (12/4/2012)
The Good House is both enjoyable and well-written. It is the story of Hildy Good, the 7th generation descendant of Sarah Good, who was persecuted as a witch during the infamous Salem witch hunt. Hildy is the narrator of this book and I thoroughly enjoyed her insights and …more
The Devil in Silver
The Devil in Silver: A Novel
by Victor LaValle
The Devil In Silver (8/18/2012)
I simply cannot stop thinking about the characters in this book. I can't say that I enjoyed The Devil in Silver because it is so disturbing, but it is very well written and definitely worth reading. I kept reminding myself that this is fiction, this is fiction, but am …more
15 Seconds
15 Seconds
by Andrew Gross
15 Seconds (5/28/2012)
I agonized about giving this book 4 or 5 stars, but decided on 4 because despite the plot that kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning, and characters that I became quite interested in, the writing just didn't rate 5 stars. I think this book will be quite …more
Behind the Beautiful Forevers
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
by Katherine Boo
Behind the Beautiful Forevers (1/15/2012)
This is an excellent book. I finished reading it 2 weeks ago and can't stop thinking about it. I was afraid that it was trying to ride on the success of Slumdog Millionaire, but I was dead wrong. This book stands strongly on its own strengths. Somehow I missed the fact that …more
The Night Circus
The Night Circus: A Novel
by Erin Morgenstern
The Night Circus (7/15/2011)
This is the most incredible book that I have read in years! It is in a league of its own and I predict that it will be a huge success. This is THE book that I plan to buy for family and friends.
Turn of Mind
Turn of Mind
by Alice LaPlante
Turn of Mind (6/7/2011)
This is one of the best books that I have read in a very long time. The author captures the tragedy of early-onset dementia in a skillfully crafted and very readable format. The characters are memorable and the interplay of their relationships added to the complexity of the …more
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