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Reviews by Louise J

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Holes
by Louis Sachar
Lots of Action! (4/4/2012)
This was a cute story for kids. Stanley Yelnats is accused of stealing a pair of running shoes donated to a homeless shelter to raise money to fund the program, however, Stanley is truly innocent but the judge doesn’t believe him. He is sentenced to 18 months at Camp Greenmore
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: A Fable
by John Boyne
A Startling Read! (4/2/2012)
Bruno is nine-years-old when he arrives home from school one day to find the maid, Maria packing up the belongings in his room. He becomes very upset and demands to know what is going on when his mother comes into the room and asks him to meet her downstairs in the diningmore
The Dressmaker: A Novel
by Kate Alcott
Nice Historical Fiction (4/2/2012)
A lot of the testimony in this story was taken directly from the transcripts of the U.S. senate hearings. According to the author, the “basic bones of the story are true: Lady Duff Gordon, a world-famous designer, escaped with her husband and secretary in a lifeboat that,more
The Sentimentalists: A Novel
by Johanna Skibsrud
Very Disappointing! (3/26/2012)
As hard as I tried to like this book the more it miserably failed me. I’d heard a lot of hype and was told by a select few that the novel was “riveting”. I found nothing riveting about it whatsoever.

I found the story to be slow, jumping all over the place back and forth inmore
Lost Memory of Skin: A Novel
by Russell Banks
Disappointing! (3/9/2012)
I was deeply disappointed and had a very difficult time finishing. I only finished because I’d invested a lot of time in this book. I’m not sure I’d recommend this one to my friends, at least without a warning.
Between Shades of Gray: A Novel
by Ruta Sepetys
Hauntingly Beautiful (2/26/2012)
This beautifully written, sad story is a dark reminder from the past. The hard thing about reading the book beside the fact the story is based on truth is understanding that these horrible things did actually happen to these people. I thank those brave enough to bringmore
The World We Found: A Novel
by Thrity Umrigar
Stunning! (2/21/2012)
What a fantastic read! Beautifully written, explaining the bonds of friendship, this is a stunning novel for all to read.
You Can Run but You Can't Hide: The Life and Times of Dog the Bounty Hunter
by Duane Chapman
An Honest Look at the "Dog" (2/14/2012)
Duane “Dog” Chapman has led an unbelievable life. Many times he was destitute, feeding his kids’ cat food, living on food stamps, and welfare. Somehow he always managed to pull himself up by the bootstraps and climb out of whatever dark hole he was in. At times he was somore
All the Flowers in Shanghai: A Novel
by Duncan Jepson
All the Flowers in Shanghai (2/5/2012)
This was a great novel which I read in one sitting and would highly recommend it to anyone. For a debut novel it was well written.
A Walk Across the Sun: A Novel
by Corban Addison
A Scorcher of a Read! (1/29/2012)
This was a difficult book to read for me because it dealt with the horrible but very real world of exploitation in its worst form; the rape of young girls and women. This despicable act isn’t just relegated to the farthest reaches of our planet but happens every single daymore
The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe
by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Couldn't Put It Down!! (1/18/2012)
This was one book I simply couldn’t put down. Kamila Sidiqi’s journey into entrepreneurship will inspire you. In the face of war and with her community under the watchful eye of the hated Taliban, Kamila rose above the poverty and strict rules laid out by the Taliban to runmore
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
by Laura Hillenbrand
Incredible Story! (1/3/2012)
This isn’t normally the type of book I would choose to read but something about the synopsis on the cover propelled me into buying it and I’m glad I did. This is the incredible and true story of Louis Zamperini’s survival, and redemption and the resilience of his mind, body, and spirit.
Room: A Novel
by Emma Donoghue
Boring! (10/27/2011)
I don’t really know what to say about this book. I do know that I’m disappointed as I don’t think it lived up to all the hype and hoopla that was generated by the public, but then again, I’m only one person. Obviously this just wasn’t the book for me. I found it silly andmore
Hotwire: A Maggie O'Dell Novel
by Alex Kava
Hotwire (10/21/2011)
Special Agent Maggie O’Dell of the FBI specialized in criminal behaviour and profiling. She had advanced degrees in behavioural psychology and forensic science. Her boss, Raymond Kunze had sent her to Nebraska to teach some classes but she ended up at the crime scene of themore
The End of Everything: A Novel
by Megan Abbott
Enjoyable (10/11/2011)
Lizzie’s own pain is palpable and you can’t help but feel like transposing yourself into the pages of the story to help her look and walk the streets hand-in-hand. Her focus on the one man she thinks took Evie almost becomes all consuming to her and she remembers the carmore
Heart in the Right Place: A Memoir
by Carolyn Jourdan
A Most Delicious Memoir!! (9/24/2011)
This was a beautiful, serene, relaxing memoir and I absolutely adored this story! The characters are real and endearing, each of them carving out a special place in your heart. And what a gorgeous name of this town “Strawberry Plains”, how delicious is that?

Carolyn Jourdanmore
Tiny Sunbirds, Far Away
by Christie Watson
Tiny Sunbirds, Far Away (9/22/2011)
This was a great story and I was totally involved with the characters. Christie Watson, in her epilogue at the end of the story tells us that: “The Niger Delta, known as “the Big Heart” is home to proud people, with good reason. I would highly recommend this book for everyone.
The Night Circus: A Novel
by Erin Morgenstern
Purely Magical!!! (9/16/2011)
Erin Morgenstern has done it! “THE NIGHT CIRCUS” has definitely lived up to the hype and hoopla. This is a purely magical and enchanting story that will fit the bill for every reader. The prose is beautiful but not too simplistic, the fantasy images are easily understoodmore
Back of Beyond: A Novel
by C.J. Box
Back of Beyond (9/14/2011)
I found ‘Back of Beyond’ to be a little too slow in the beginning but really picked up once we hit Yellowstone Park. Overall, it was a fairly good book but I wouldn’t read it again.
The Girl She Used to Be
by David Cristofano
Wonderfully Interesting! (9/8/2011)
Although 253 pages, I read this in one sitting, I couldn’t take my eyes off the pages.
The writing was flawless in the novel and the story just flowed like a river. I absolutely fell in love with both Jonathan and Melody and really wanted them to become a couple, to bemore

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