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Reviews by Debbie M. (Grand Junction, CO)

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At the Edge of the Haight
At the Edge of the Haight
by Katherine Seligman
At the Edge of the Haight (10/12/2020)
Teens on the street lack the maturity and resources of homeless adults. Maddy's story is a familiar one. Parents can't care for their kids, causing kids to think they're better off on the streets. the homes they knew weren't safe, so they take their chances.

I felt there was more to Maddy's character and wished the author had developed the character further. Even so, we're given a glimpse of the hardships of the streets.
Hieroglyphics
Hieroglyphics
by Jill McCorkle
Hieroglyphics (6/23/2020)
As we age, we spend more time thinking about the events of the past that make us who we are. Each story is unique leading us to who we are today. Hieroglyphics is the story of three people remembering the stories that made up their lives. These stories bring them to today and how their stories connect. What fears and mistakes that carry over to their actions towards each other. If we could understand what lies behind each person, we would realize it isn't something we've done to make them act the way they do towards us, but the past that shapes their actions.
Gone So Long
Gone So Long
by Andre Dubus III
Gone So Long (10/9/2018)
A father who made a horrible mistake and wants to make it right, a grandmother who suffered a tremendous loss and a young woman searching for herself.
A beautiful story of the struggles of a family. Each character trying to do the best they can, but feeling lost and alone. We all thing if we could change the past, our lives would be so much better.

Beautifully written and characters that capture your heart.
The Family Tabor
The Family Tabor
by Cherise Wolas
The Family Tabor (5/13/2018)
A well written story of a family with many secrets. On the outside, they appear to be the ideal family. As the time approaches when they must publicly lie or come clean, their world starts to come apart. The story shifts from family member to family member. How each chooses to deal with their secret is surprising. An unexpected ending.
Sometimes I Lie
Sometimes I Lie
by Alice Feeney
Sometimes I Lie (11/20/2017)
Sometimes I Lie is the perfect title for this book. Heed it. I grew to dislike the characters. I then became confused by the characters. But the characters lived up to the title.
Never Coming Back
Never Coming Back
by Alison McGhee
Never Coming Back (9/26/2017)
Alison McGhee is a talented story teller. She understands dementia and the effect it has not only the person who has it, but on their family and friends.I think we all reach a point where we want to understand ourselves and to do this we rely on those around us to fill in the gaps. When a parent starts losing their memories, it leaves holes we can't fill. We have to adjust our perception of who we are. Never Coming Back takes us on that journey.
All Is Not Forgotten
All Is Not Forgotten
by Wendy Walker
all is not forgotten (10/17/2015)
A novel about how far father will go to protect his son.
A psychiatrist becomes involved in the recovery of a rape victim and her family. In the course of the treatment, a memory recovery treatment,he realizes that suspicion could fall on his son. The father goes to great lengths to protect his son.
Maybe in Another Life
Maybe in Another Life
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Maybe In Another Life (6/19/2015)
Hannah's life comes to a decision between two choices. The story alternates between these two lives. Neither one is right or wrong. A basic story line that wasn't very exciting.
Her Name Is Rose
Her Name Is Rose
by Christine Breen
Her Name Is Rose (2/24/2015)
Her Name Is Rose makes you aware of the twists and turns life can take. Iris Bowen had made a promise to her husband before he died and feels she must honor the promise. The book is the story of her journey. Her quest seems rather hastily made and it made me wonder how things would have turned out in real life.
Five
Five
by Ursula Archer
Five (10/23/2014)
I found this book to be a superb thriller. The story revolves around geo-caching, which is like a scavenger hunt using technology. Very original story. Keeps you guessing right to the end.
The House We Grew Up In
The House We Grew Up In
by Lisa Jewell
The House We Grew Up In (3/31/2014)
The House We Grew Up In is a story about one family's dis-function. It brings up the question do we create our dis-function or are circumstances the cause. whatever, it was a depressing book. How one family could have so many issues, was hard for me to understand.
The Shock of The Fall
The Shock of The Fall: (originally published in hardcover in USA as Where the Moon Isn't)
by Nathan Filer
Where the Moon Isn't (10/29/2013)
Where the Moon Isn't opens your eyes to a world seen by someone with mental illness. As the world becomes more open to mental illness, we need to understand how the affected brain processes information.
Matt lost his brother when he was young. As he grows up , it is harder and harder for him to leave his brother behind. Nathan Filer takes us through these emotional years and show us someone who struggles to understand life.
The Edge of Normal
The Edge of Normal
by Carla Norton
The edge of Normal (7/31/2013)
An interesting thriller, The Edge of Normal explores the lives of kidnapped victims. Reeve was kidnapped and escaped and is now helping another victim deal with life after captivity. Unknown to them, they are both on the kidnapper's radar and in danger.
The book moves fast as Reeve works to find the identity of the kidnapper and avoid being captured.
The Laws of Gravity
The Laws of Gravity
by Liz Rosenberg
The Laws of Gravity (4/29/2013)
The Laws of Gravity presents an interesting problem. How far would you go to help a family member? We'd all like to think we're there for family, but when actually confronted with the problem, will we be there?

It started out slow, but then became a page turner. You really want to know how it ends.
Where You Can Find Me
Where You Can Find Me: A Novel
by Sheri Joseph
Where You Can Find Me (3/3/2013)
Caleb was kidnapped at age 11 and returned to his family when he was 14. He's trying to find his place in his family, as his family tries to adapt to having him back.
It was an interesting subject, but I found that the story dragged in places and I had trouble connecting some events that were described. I also, felt the ending was abrupt, leaving me with unanswered questions.
Salvation of a Saint
Salvation of a Saint
by Keigo Higashino
Salvation of a Saint (9/30/2012)
Salvation of a Saint was a very engaging mystery. The characters drew you in and you wanted them all to be the good guy.
Every clue lead to a possible solution, but all were found not plausible. The final solution was a surprise.
I really enjoyed this mystery and look forward to others by Keigo Higashino.
15 Seconds
15 Seconds
by Andrew Gross
15 Seconds (5/30/2012)
In 15 Seconds Dr. Henry Steadman's life starts a downward spiral when he's pulled over for a traffic violation. He has no idea why this is happening to him. Like all great mysteries, this one keeps you turning pages. How something so minor in his daily routine can become a reason for someone to hunt him. It makes you wonder about your own life and the strange people out in the world that might take offense at something you've done. Good to the last page.
Oxford Messed Up
Oxford Messed Up
by Andrea Kayne Kaufman
Oxford Messed Up (3/13/2012)
Oxford Messed Up is about two people with secrets, learning to trust each other. The sharing of a bathroom brings them together. The book had a good story line, but the author seemed to just skim the surface. The characters had serious issues that could have been looked at in depth. Their relationship moved too fast, making it seem unreal.
The Good Father
The Good Father: A Novel
by Noah Hawley
The Good Father (12/27/2011)
The Good Father was a fascinating book. You think you know your child, but do you? Dr Paul Allen was a good father, trying hard to raise good children. What would cause his oldest child to do the unthinkable, to assassinate a presidential candidate .
The book looks at how one family dealt with being in the spotlight. The denial and then the scrutinizing of every detail over and over again. We seldom think about the family of the accused. How they feel. What their lives must be like from that moment on. How they blame themselves. Hawley gives us great insight into a situation none of us ever want to find ourselves in.
The Most Dangerous Thing
The Most Dangerous Thing
by Laura Lippman
The Most Dangerous Thing (8/22/2011)
The Most Dangerous Thing centers on a group of kids entertaining themselves in the neighborhood. One day, while playing in the woods, something happens that affects their lives forever. As adults they are brought together again and find that what they thought had happened was different from what actually happened. Now they must deal with the events and move on.
I think most of us can relate to the story. Most of our childhood play was innocent, but did shape our lives in ways we don't always see. In this book the characters might have never realized the impact if they hadn't come together as adults.
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