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Reviews by Betsy R. (Gig Harbor, WA)

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Bad Boy: An Inspector Banks Novel
by Peter Robinson

Bad Boy (7/14/2010)

Although some background knowledge about the main character Inspector Banks and also about the way the British police operate (which might explain the way the gun was handled in the beginning) would be helpful, this new installment in this series is still a well-written and …more

The Swimming Pool
by Holly LeCraw

The Swimming Pool (4/8/2010)

When I received this book, I thought it would be something I would really like-but it wasn't. Although I could appreciate the good writing at times, I didn't care about the main characters or even about the mystery embedded in the story. I am a high school librarian and am …more

The Wives of Henry Oades: A Novel
by Johanna Moran

Great book (1/15/2010)

I really loved this book. It is a unique blend of drama and historical research, which is incorporated well into the story. The women characters are particularly well-developed. I plan to recommend it to my book club when it is out in March.

Cleopatra's Daughter
by Michelle Moran

Cleopatra's Daughter (10/8/2009)

If you selected this book because you love reading about ancient Egypt, you might be a little disappointed because it is primarily about ancient Rome during the time of Octavian Caesar. The story is so engaging, however, that you will soon not be able to put it down. All of …more

Night Navigation
by Ginnah Howard

Night Navigation is reality (4/8/2009)

The book Night Navigation is a novel but reads as a memoir. It is a difficult book to read, but its honesty about the cycles of despair and hope inherent in a relationship with someone who is addicted is dead-on. Mark's diagnosis of bipolar disorder is an understandable one …more

Palace Circle
by Rebecca Dean

Palace Circle ok (2/10/2009)

There were parts of this historical romance that I liked and cared about - and there were parts that I found to be predictable and even boring. The plot and time period were intriguing; I enjoyed it in the beginning, but got confused with all of the names and relationships, …more

Something Like Beautiful: One Single Mother's Story
by Asha Bandele

Poetical memoir (12/12/2008)

Something Like Beautiful: One Single Mother’s Story by Asha Bandele is a poetically told memoir of the disappointments, joys and challenges of a single mother. Many of us who share that experience can relate to the deep honesty she relates, even though circumstances are …more

BookBrowse Book Club

Daughters of Shandong
by Eve J. Chung

Based on the author’s family story, comes an extraordinary novel about a mother and her daughters’ escape from Taiwan.

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The Lilac People
by Milo Todd

For fans of All the Light We Cannot See, a poignant tale of a trans man’s survival in Nazi Germany and postwar Berlin.

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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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