Reviews by Beth C. (Sioux Falls, SD)

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America for Beginners
America for Beginners
by Leah Franqui
Through New Eyes (3/18/2024)
I really enjoyed this book. It covers the search that Pival Sengupta from Kolkata (Calcutta), India, makes in the United States to find out what happened to her son. She is a widow, but her husband disowned the boy when he came out while in California. Then they received …more
The Mystery Writer
The Mystery Writer: A Novel
by Sulari Gentill
Reading about Writing - The Mystery Writer (12/15/2023)
I enjoyed this book very much. It has a plot that keeps the reader on their toes. The main character is engaging and the other characters are interesting. The writer, Theodocia Benton, and her brother Gus are native to Australia which gives them a slightly different …more
Free
Free: A Child and a Country at the End of History
by Lea Ypi
Free - What Does freedom Mean (11/10/2021)
Albania is not a country that we hear about frequently. It's a small country across the Adriatic Sea from Italy and Greece. It is closely related to the Balkan countries and was generally under Soviet influence after WWII. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Albania …more
The Shadow King
The Shadow King: A Novel
by Maaza Mengiste
Disturbing History - The shadow King (6/26/2019)
I wish I could say that I loved this book because the subject matter is something we should be aware of, but I didn't love it. Maaza Mengiste's writing is full of detail and poetic descriptions, however the descriptions were often so violent and horrific that it was hard to …more
Mothers of Sparta
Mothers of Sparta: A Memoir in Pieces
by Dawn Davies
A Memoir in Pieces (9/6/2017)
Dawn Davies has put together an outstanding selection of vignettes from her life - the memoir in pieces, called "Mothers of Sparta." Only one of the pieces refers to the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta, but Davies compares and contrasts some of its methodology for …more
Irritable Hearts
Irritable Hearts: A PTSD Love Story
by Mac McClelland
Irritable Hearts: A PTSD Love Story by Mac McClelland (Memoir) (12/31/2014)
This is a remarkable book for several reasons. First, Mac McClelland is an excellent writer and pulls the reader right into her story. Second, McClelland very bravely shares her own worst moments as well as some of her best times. Third, she delves deeply into the causes, …more
Mating for Life
Mating for Life
by Marissa Stapley
Mating for Life (3/22/2014)
To paraphrase Tolstoy's opening in Anna Karenina, happy families are all alike, but every unhappy family suffers in its own way. In Mating for Life, Marisa Stapley introduce an extended family with multiple dysfunctional characteristics. Helen, the matriarch, has always …more
The Sisterhood
The Sisterhood
by Helen Bryan
The Sisterhood (5/14/2013)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though I usually shy away from novels that delve into the Spanish Inquisition. However, this novel deftly weaves the story of a South American adoptee who grew up completely unaware of her real background and the story of a Spanish …more
With or Without You
With or Without You: A Memoir
by Domenica Ruta
With or Without You: Memoir by Dominica Ruta (11/14/2012)
Dominica (Nikki) Ruta was a child in the 1980s. Her parents didn't marry, but she knew them both well since they lived in the relatively small community of Danvers, MA. The title of the book, "With or Without You" comes from the song by the group U2 which was popular at the …more
Oxford Messed Up
Oxford Messed Up
by Andrea Kayne Kaufman
Oxford Messed Up -a Wonderful Story (3/19/2012)
I loved this book. Andrea Kaufman has done a marvelous job of creating characters with major personality flaws (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and substance abuse) and turned them into people with heart and substance. Gloria, the obsessive Rhodes scholar, is studying the …more
Behind the Beautiful Forevers
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
by Katherine Boo
Behind the Bearutiful Forever: Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity (1/8/2012)
Katherin Boo is an aclaimed reporter for "The New Yorker" and "The Washington Post." She took her excellent reporter's skills into an immensely poor slum area of Mumbai, India, to document how the global economy is affecting the residents of these unseen places. This …more
Wayward Saints
Wayward Saints
by Suzzy Roche
Wayward Saints - Finding Their Way (11/10/2011)
Literally, "Wayward Saints" by singer, Suzzy Roche, is a quirky novel about a mother and daughter, Jean and Mary Saint. Each is fighting to overcome issues that darkened their lives as Mary was growing up. They are also working through current problems - Jean's abusive …more
Falling Together
Falling Together: A Novel
by Marisa De Los Santos
Falling Together (9/13/2011)
Like Marisa DeLos Santos's 2008 novel, "Belong to Me," this is a very enjoyable novel about people that are inherently likeable. Three friends from college drifted apart and six years later are trying to get back together. I found the premise a little lacking, in that while …more
The Sweetness of Tears
The Sweetness of Tears: A Novel
by Nafisa Haji
I Loved "The Sweetness of Tears" (5/28/2011)
Nafisa Haji's newest novel, "The Sweetness of Tears" is a wonderful book that has engaging and well developed characters, an interesting plot line, and a plethora of information on Pakistani life. Haji deals with family life and culture in Karachi as well as the differences …more
Things We Didn't Say
Things We Didn't Say: A Novel
by Kristina Riggle
"Things We Didn't Say" (5/7/2011)
Kristina Riggle's current book is a nice piece of women's fiction. It deals with a dysfunctional family and their efforts to cope. The way she handled addiction recovery and lapse seemed quite realistic.The characters are well-drawn, so it is easy to care about them. Each …more
Outside Wonderland
Outside Wonderland: A Novel
by Lorna Jane Cook
Outside Wonderland - An Unusual Book (2/10/2011)
First, I want to say that I enjoyed this book, for the most part. It is unusual in that it is written from two perspectives; the three adult siblings who were orphaned as children and their deceased parents who observe them from the afterlife. Unfortunately, there is no …more
Ever By My Side
Ever By My Side: A Memoir in Eight Acts Pets
by Dr. Nick Trout
Memoir of a Veterinarian (12/30/2010)
Dr. Nick Trout, veterinary surgeon, grew up in England. At the age of 9, he finally got a puppy after years of requests. His German Shepherd, Patch, became a close companion to both Nick and his father. They were also very fond of the television series that told the stories …more
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
by Amy Chua
Clash of Cultures (10/28/2010)
Amy Chua, daughter of Chinese immigrants, had what she felt was a traditional Chinese-American upbringing. All of the emphasis was on success - in school, selected activities, and work. Family always came first and being second was failure. When her own daughters were born, …more
Mockingjay
Mockingjay: The final book of The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins
Young Adult Book Grabs Oldster (9/9/2010)
The Hunger Games series was intended for young adult readers. It was suggested to me by a young friend and I was happily surprised that the series was not "just" for the young. The series, and "Mockingjay" in particular cover a number of ethical issues that we all can …more
The Ghost of Milagro Creek
The Ghost of Milagro Creek
by Melanie Sumner
The Ghost of Milagro Creek - Who is the ghost? (7/1/2010)
Melanie Sumner has created a fascinating novel set in the barrio of Taos, New Mexico and the surrounding area. It is a story that is both simple - best friends growing up together and loving the same girl, and extremely complicated. She tells the story from multiple …more
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