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Reviews by Juli S. (Portland, OR)

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The Romanov Sisters
The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra
by Helen Rappaport
More than just the sisters (7/11/2014)
Although the title indicates the book is primarily about the four Grand Duchesses it's really about the family. Many books focus on Nicholas, Alexandra and their hemophiliac son, Alexei and the strange monk Rasputin. This book almost makes Alexei a background presence but …more
A Murder at Rosamund's Gate
A Murder at Rosamund's Gate: A Lucy Campion Mystery
by Susanna Calkins
A bit of a disappointment (4/13/2013)
I had high hopes for this one but it ended up leaving me feeling a bit disappointed. It felt a bit slow, particularly at the beginning. The characters were a bit flat. It felt a little disjointed and didn't flow well. It was almost like two different stories featuring the …more
15 Seconds
15 Seconds
by Andrew Gross
A Disappointment (6/10/2012)
I've enjoyed some of the books that Andrew Gross has co-written with James Patterson but this one was a disappointment. The fast paced and action filled story I expected was there the believability of the events which precipitate the story just isn't there. The main …more
Before the Poison
Before the Poison
by Peter Robinson
A change of pace from the author's Inspector Banks series. (1/17/2012)
Having been a fan of Robinson’s Inspector Banks series for years, I expected to like this standalone mystery. I was not disappointed at all. The format of telling the story of the present day investigation while telling the historical part of the story through excerpts from …more
The Night Circus
The Night Circus: A Novel
by Erin Morgenstern
Elegantly entertaining (8/15/2011)
This was a beautiful, exciting, sad, happy and altogether elegant story. The author created a world in which I thoroughly enjoyed losing myself. I intentionally waited to read it until I had time to read it in just a few sittings. I’m glad I did. This is the kind of book …more
The Tudor Secret
The Tudor Secret: The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles
by C. W. Gortner
Not sure I'll continue with the series (4/28/2011)
I knew from his previous book about Catherine de Medici that I enjoyed C.W. Gortner’s writing, but this one fell a bit flat for me. It started out promising with an apparently naïve young man being sent to court at a time when scheming and plotting was at its dirtiest and …more
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter: A Novel
by Tom Franklin
The kind of writing I'll reread (10/6/2010)
This is not a fast paced book that I wanted to read as quickly as possible to get to the resolution of the crime story. It's a book that I wanted to read slowly and savor the words and images that Franklin paints with them. It's a thoughtful, slowly building story that …more
The Confessions of Catherine de Medici
The Confessions of Catherine de Medici: A Novel
by C.W. Gortner
The Confessions of Catherine de Medici (5/28/2010)
Catherine is such an interesting character and despite what is known of her, there is also much speculation and guesswork regarding her motives and methods. I thoroughly enjoyed the way that the author presented Catherine as a young girl eager to fulfill her expected role, …more
Await Your Reply
Await Your Reply
by Dan Chaon
Can you be certain of someone's identity? (7/23/2009)
The book is a mix of three stories that at the beginning seem totally unconnected, but as you read, the connections start clicking and pretty soon you can’t put it down because you just have to find out how this all ends. The question of identity is at the heart of this …more
The House at Riverton
The House at Riverton: A Novel
by Kate Morton
The House at Riverton (5/7/2008)
This book is somewhat reminiscent of The Thirteenth Tale. It’s told in flashback by an elderly woman, sisters (one named Emmeline) are part of the story, the setting is in an old family house, and many secrets are gradually revealed. That said, it’s also very different from …more
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