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Reviews by Ann L. (Arnold, MD)

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A Good American: A Novel
by Alex George

A Good American (12/26/2011)

This was an interesting 3 generation family saga story taking place mainly in Missouri. It held my attention all the way through with good characters and a story line that had several twists and turns. The author has a smooth easy style of writing which makes it fun to read. …more

The Look of Love: A Piper Donovan Mystery
by Mary Jane Clark

The Look of Love (10/31/2011)

The Look of Love was an OK story to read, and the author had a good writing style, but I thought the characters lacked depth. The relationships (especially the one between Piper, the heroine, and Jack, her boyfriend), were not well developed. And, I didn't think it was …more

Little Black Dress: A Novel
by Susan McBride

Little Black Dress (7/16/2011)

This was a nice easy to read story. Sometimes, I thought the dialogue was a little stilted but most of the time, it read smoothly. I personally do not like stories that rely on magic (i.e. the black dress) to solve the characters problems or resolve issues unless it is …more

A Lesson in Secrets: A Maisie Dobbs Novel
by Jacqueline Winspear

A Lesson in Secrets (3/11/2011)

This was a very entertaining mystery story. Maise Dobbs is a great character. Her fans will not be disappointed in latest adventure. Even though this book takes place in 1932, Maise is a very modern, independent woman. And she even
uses meditation to help her solve crimes. …more

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
by Amy Chua

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother (10/28/2010)

This book by Amy Chua is a well written, easy to read story about a Chinese American mother who decides to raise her two daughters the Chinese way instead of the American way. Ms. Chua's writing style is smooth, clear and flows well. She is very skilled at writing …more

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives: A Novel
by Lola Shoneyin

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives (6/6/2010)

The author presents the story of Baba Segi and his four wives by having each chapter narrated from the point of view of the different characters. It was interesting the way all the different narratives wove into an over all story. The author writes in a very descriptive, …more

The Hand that First Held Mine: A Novel
by Maggie O'Farrell

The Hand That First Held Nine (2/27/2010)

It took me about 90 pages of reading to get involved in this book, then I was very interested in the story line. However, I thought the writing was inconsistent. Sometimes it was too wordy and dragged on. The parts describing how hard it was for both main characters, Lexie …more

Secret Daughter: A Novel
by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

Secret Daughter (1/13/2010)

Good story, parts of book which took place in India were excellent. The dialogue in the beginning was a little stilted but improved throughout the book as well as the writing style. The character of Asha was excellent and well developed. I liked Kativa and the grandmother …more

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Book Jacket — Lessons in Chemistry
by Bonnie Garmus

Praised by *Parade* and *The New York Times Book Review*, this debut features a 1960s scientist turned TV cooking star.

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