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Reviews by Cindy C. (Withee, WI)

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Follow the Stars Home
by Diane C. McPhail

Lots of potential but a disappointing read (5/18/2024)

I wanted to read this book because I had recently read a non-fiction book where Benjamin Latrobe was mentioned and the narrator of this book is his daughter. The book taking place during the New Madrid earthquake was interesting and had potential to be more so. I also found the author's notes and questions at the end of the book to be interesting. As to the story itself, I may have enjoyed it more with a third person narrator. Lydia is referred to as intrepid, but often times I found her to be fearful and a whiner. This story had so much potential and I found it to be an okay read, but nothing exceptional.

The House on Biscayne Bay
by Chanel Cleeton

Full of twists and turns all the way to the end (12/30/2023)

The story grabbed me almost from the start and held my attention to the end. I liked the female characters and the story they had to tell. The dual timeline was easy to switch between. It is interesting that the house is almost the most prominent character in the book. I also liked the way the author chose to end the book. It is a book I would definitely recommend for all readers and I would like to read more books by this author.

All You Have to Do Is Call
by Kerri Maher

Interesting story of how a few individuals can make a difference (7/15/2023)

I found the book interesting and the characters likable. It is based on a real organization that existed in the early 1970s and I found it particularly interesting how they were able to put together this entire "underground" network to perform abortions. Unlike many readers of the book, I am not a believer in abortion, but still felt that the women in the story worked to provide a service they felt was needed and stand up for a cause they believed in. That is possibly the greatest takeaway from the book: how a few people with a cause and a vision can make a difference in the lives of others.

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise
by Colleen Oakley

Tanner & Louise (10/29/2022)

This book was okay, but in my opinion could have been better. I did like the characters from the somewhat lost Tanner to the somewhat eccentric Louise to Jules, the daughter that tries to run her mother's life. I felt the pace of the book was slow at times, although if you just want an easy read to fill an afternoon, this book might be for you. I felt the road trip dragged a bit, while the ending seemed kind of rushed and left me wanting more, like the story wasn't quite over.

River Sing Me Home
by Eleanor Shearer

Worthwhile read (9/6/2022)

I thought the pace of the story was a bit slow at times, but it is a story that tears at your heart. It takes place as slavery is ending in the Caribbean, and slaves are being moved into an apprenticeship system. The main character, Rachel, runs from her plantation, and goes on a journey to find the children that were taken from her over the years, and in the process learns some things about herself. I really wanted Rachel and her children to have a happy ending. I also learned some things and feel this is a story that needs to be told. The author's note at the end of the book was very informative and her connections to the story are also interesting to read about. I would recommend this book to others.

Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey
by Florence Williams

A journey through divorce and beyond (12/26/2021)

As someone who has been through a divorce, I found the book interesting and could relate to some of what the author said. On the other hand, I expected it to talk more generally about the health issues and scientific research related to all forms of heartbreak and grief. I also felt that even though the author made the science understandable for the most part, there were times I thought it kind of bogged down the story. If someone is on this journey, the book is probably worth their time as they might gain some insights of their own. But I don't think it is for the average reader.

How to Find Your Way Home
by Katy Regan

A family finding it's way back to each other (10/13/2021)

This is a story about a brother and sister, one who is homeless, the other who appears to have everything. The story is told in pieces, as we learn about Emily, about Stephen, and about their past. The ending was appropriate in my opinion. I did feel the story was a little slow at times. I also had some issues with the language as the author is British and used terms unfamiliar to me, that made the book a little harder to read at times. I enjoyed the book, but can't say it was so interesting that I couldn't put it down for days and then come back to it. I did enjoy learning the information about birds, however, and think it might make for an interesting read for anyone that understands birding.

The Woman Before Wallis: A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal
by Bryn Turnbull

Interesting piece of history (8/21/2020)

This book made me want to read more about the people that it contained. We all know the story about Edward and Wallis Simpson. And I knew a little bit about the fight for the Vanderbilt heiress. But I had never heard of Thelma Morgan before, so it was interesting to learn her story. And to think about the choices she made, particularly when she choose to support her sister over the man she thought she loved. I also found it interesting that she is the one that brought Wallis Simpson into Prince Edward's circle of friends. This book is definitely worth your time to read it.

Vox
by Christina Dalcher

Could this be our future? (5/30/2018)

I found the book interesting and couldn't wait to see how it would end. The story felt very real and believable to me as there have always been those in our country that others have wanted to silence, especially given the current climate in our nation. I also liked Jean as a narrator and to see her historical progression from someone so wrapped up in her work she didn't have time to deal with issues in the world around her to finding her "voice" as she thought about her daughter and unborn child. It is interesting that in the book it only seems to be happening in the US, not in other countries. I think this book might not be for everyone, but anyone who reads it should come away with a better understanding of how an idea can take over and change things without people even realizing initially what is happening.

Anatomy of a Miracle
by Jonathan Miles

Anatomy of a Miracle (3/3/2018)

I felt the book read like a report about an incident from a variety of angles. It kept me interested and wanting to know what happened. But for me the most interesting part is the relationships between characters, the protectiveness of Cameron's sister, but also the protectiveness of D's sister and the way that as things happened in Cameron's life it affected the lives and attitudes of others. It was also interesting learning about the process the Vatican uses in declaring something an actual miracle. The book may be a work of fiction, but the way it is written makes you believes that it could have actually happened.

Happiness: The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After
by Heather Harpham

Great book, even more so because it actually happened (7/15/2017)

It seems strange to say you loved a book that shares such painful memories, but I did. The book goes beyond the author's story as she was also able to share the stories of other parents who had children in the same hospital ward where her daughter was. I think that adds to the story. My favorite part is the section of the book where Harpham shares her notes day by day. From the beginning you want to know how the story is going to end, but especially as she draws in you in to a day to day look at the events as they happened. I kept wanting to skip forward, but did not. This is a book that I would recommend to all readers, but especially to parents as it shows you what it truly means to parent and how different people can deal with the same set of circumstances differently.

The Garden of Small Beginnings
by Abbi Waxman

You have to start somewhere (6/4/2017)

I loved this book. It makes you laugh and it makes you cry. The characters are very real. You find yourself cheering on the characters as they make good decisions and bad decisions. And although I think the book is about Lili's journey back to fully living life after the death of her husband, it is also about the other characters. Meeting each other in the gardening class and forming a "team" and friendships changes all of their lives. And the way they learn to work together in the gardening class extends to helping each other outside of that experience. The gardening tips interspersed in the story were just a bonus. If there were one criticism of the book, it is that it ended too soon. I hope the author decides to write a sequel so we can all learn what happens in the next chapter of the lives of all the characters.

Edgar and Lucy
by Victor Lodato

Edgar and Lucy (1/8/2017)

This book was very hard for me to get into. There were times in the first half of the book that I found it very confusing and was not sure what was actually going on. It seemed almost as if two stories were being told in parallel universes where the results weren't the same. By the second half of the book it got better and the story and relationships were easier to follow. It actually began to grab my attention and made me want to finish it to see how it ended. The symbolism of the stars, especially Betelgeuse, from beginning to end was interesting though. Have to wonder why the author chose a star from Orion, a hunter, maybe because all the characters in the story were hunting for something, even if it was only peace of mind.

Cruel Beautiful World
by Caroline Leavitt

Cruel Beautiful World (9/10/2016)

I found this book enjoyable and hard to put down. At the time this story took place, I would have been just a little younger than Lucy and Charlotte, so I remember some of this stuff. And the story of a young girl running off with her teacher is something that could have been taken from today's headlines. The characters often seem to be running away from the ties that bind them. There are so many stories woven together but I especially like how Charlotte grows and changes throughout the story. In some ways, it is as if she grows into herself. If I have one criticism of the book, it is the ending, unless of course the author intends a sequel about Charlotte because the end of this book left me wanting more.

Karolina's Twins
by Ronald H. Balson

Karolina's Twins--Fiction from History (7/17/2016)

Engrossing is the proper word to describe this book. I found the story of Lena and Karolina to be interesting, read it in just a weekend. I liked the fact that Lena told the story in the first person--her story, her words. I did figure out Lena's dark secret before it was revealed in the book, but still wanted to know how it would come out.

The events discussed in this story need to be remembered so they never happen again. The historical elements were part of what made it so interesting to me. Because of my love of history, I was definitely grabbed by the little blurb on the back of the book that said "inspired by true events." And as a cover to cover reader, I did read the afterward to see who was the inspiration for the story told in the book. I even went so far as to google Fay and David and found that Fay died at age 89, the same age as Lena's character in the book.

Even though some of the items in the story are fiction, I think Balson did a good job of telling Lena's/Fay's story and would recommend this book. I also plan to read other books by this author.

The Life of the World to Come
by Dan Cluchey

Not really my cup of tea (5/22/2016)

I found this book to be a bit too philosophical for my taste. I had difficulty keeping track of whether I was in reading about an event in the past or something that was current. I also found the fact that the author used big words a lot annoying. I read a lot and have a fairly decent vocabulary, but there were just too more words that I didn't know the meaning of. And the author also didn't translate the Spanish for me, so I have no idea what those conversations were about. I don't like to give bad reviews, but quite honestly I don't think I would seek out the opportunity to read another book by this author.

All Is Not Forgotten
by Wendy Walker

Interesting Journey-Interesting Ending (11/9/2015)

I read the book in a weekend. It was not quite a "I can't put it down" read, but I definitely wanted to see how it would end. One of the great things about the book was that every time I thought I knew where the author was going with the plot, she changed direction and took us down a new path. The ending was very unexpected. You don't know until the last few pages what the narrator's true role was in the story. The one thing that I had trouble with in reading was the sometimes confusing time shifts. There were times that you weren't sure if an event was taking place during the current day or at a time in the past. The narrator sometimes even jumped into the future and then had to backtrack. I would have liked a little less of that as it was confusing. But overall, I would still recommend this book to anyone who likes the challenge of reading a book and trying to guess where the author is taking you.

The Well
by Catherine Chanter

The Well (4/9/2015)

On the bad side, I thought the pace of the book was too slow. It didn't really pull me in and want me to finish it in a single sitting. On the good side, there are many twists in the plot. Every time you think you have things figured out, there is a new twist in the story. I have to admit that although I found the setting somewhat unrealistic, I did find the relationships among the characters to be very believable. So overall, even though I didn't think it was a great book, it was an okay read.

Descent
by Tim Johnston

Great read! (12/4/2014)

I read this book in one day because I just needed to know how it ended. And I believe there could be a sequel in there too.

The book tells the story of the members of the Courtland family and what happens when their 18 year old daughter disappears. We not only get to learn how each family member handles the loss, but how Caitlin chooses not to be a victim of her captor.

The book moves at a fast pace even though sometimes it goes backwards in time. It is still easy to follow the plot. I think what I liked best is that when I got to the end I felt hope for this family, thus the thought that a sequel might be a good read also if Tim Johnston chose to write one.
Anyone who liked Deep End of the Ocean will also like this book.

Before the Poison
by Peter Robinson

Before the Posion (11/27/2011)

I read the book in two days and would recommend it to others. The story definitely draws you in and you want to know how it ends and the ending is definitely unexpected. I have never read this author before and in same ways liked his attention to detail but sometimes felt he got a little bogged down in location names. I did however like the historical detail from World War II and the way the book flowed from the past to the present.

Reviews by Cindy C. (Withee, WI)

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