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Reviews by Elizabeth K. (Dallas, TX)

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Big Girl, Small Town
by Michelle Gallen
A Kind of Anti-Heroine (11/17/2020)
The main character, Majella, leads a rich interior life...but to the outside world, a very dull one. The book's style reminded me a little of James Joyce - no quotes for conversation, much interior thought process, a kind of gossipy, small-town feel to the characters.more
Mighty Justice: My Life in Civil Rights
by Dovey Johnson Roundtree , Katie McCabe
A Mighty Important Book (11/8/2019)
I'd recommend that every American read this compelling book. It is written from the perspective of a fighter for legal justice who was intimately involved in the civil rights movement. Dovey Johnson Roundtree is an admirable person, and her life story is both compelling and impressive.
The Shadow King: A Novel
by Maaza Mengiste
Lyrical language highlights a difficult era (8/9/2019)
Oh, the writing is so beautiful - yet the story is so sad. Maaza Mengiste is a phenomenal writer, and I recommend reading this novel for that reason alone. The characters are fascinating, and it shows us a period in history that might otherwise be forgotten. I plan to readmore
Golden Child
by Claire Adam
Rich, complex, and compelling story (11/6/2018)
Claire Adam is an exceptional writer. Her descriptions and characters were so true-to-life that I felt like I was inside the story. Once I started I had to find out what happened to Paul and to his family. Although the ending is bittersweet, this book is an example of transcendent contemporary writing.
Sold on a Monday
by Kristina McMorris
Intriguing story (8/28/2018)
I would definitely recommend reading Sold on a Monday. The book is fiction but in some ways it reads like non-fiction due to the author's research and historical detail. I'd give the story an A, the writing a B. I believe this is an author who will become a better writer in time.
The Devoted
by Blair Hurley
Finding one's path in life (5/17/2018)
I really loved this book. It is not so much about Buddhism as it is about the pull of addictive relationships that can keep us from moving forward, especially when emotional needs are not met within the family. Once I started reading it was hard to put down, and the non-more
Anatomy of a Miracle
by Jonathan Miles
Fiction that reads like non-fiction (2/21/2018)
I'd have to give this one a 4- or a 3 rating. I had difficulty getting into the story since it reads like a non-fiction book. Lots of characters, lots of digression into their backgrounds, so the start of the book seemed slow. I loved the premise, and I stuck with it, but I'more
Next Year in Havana
by Chanel Cleeton
Intriguing story of Cuba - past and present (11/12/2017)
I really enjoyed the book, which moves back and forth between Marisol's visit to present-day Cuba and her grandmother Elisa's story of Cuba in the late 1950's when Fidel Castro came into power. The contrasts between past and present, between romanticized memories and starkmore
Edgar and Lucy
by Victor Lodato
An excellent writer, an intriguing story (1/19/2017)
If you enjoy character-driven stories illustrated with luminous prose, you will enjoy Edgar and Lucy. Edgar's relationship with his grandmother, Florence, his mother Lucy, and Conrad the man who takes him away from his family, comprise the main story. But the ghost of hismore
The Next
by Stephanie Gangi
Excellent writer, quirky characters, worth reading (7/26/2016)
I'm a very character-driven reader and at first I found Joanna, the main character, hard to like. She's not your stereotypical loving mother saying good-bye to her family as she's dying, that's for sure. But the quality of the writing kept me reading; it's a very sensualmore
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things: A Novel
by Bryn Greenwood
An unconventional love story (5/18/2016)
I couldn't put this one down. The characters are unusual, but they feel like real people, and the story is compelling. Wavy and Kellen are truly star-crossed lovers. You can't help but root for Wavy and Kellen and Donal to be together as a family. I plan to read any futuremore
Amour Provence
by Constance Leisure
A Sweet Taste of Provence (3/28/2016)
Although this is a novel, it is formatted as a series of interconnected stories about the inhabitants of a small village in Provence. There's a real-life poignancy to the stories. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I'm actually going to reread it, because I know Imore
Far From True: A Promise Falls Novel
by Linwood Barclay
Far from Excellent... (12/13/2015)
This is the first Linwood Barclay book I've read. I wish I could say I'm impressed, but after finishing it I realized I didn't know who the main character was, and none of the ensemble of quirky characters made a lasting impression. For me, character-driven stories are whatmore
Whispering Shadows
by Jan-Philipp Sendker
Well worth reading (1/5/2015)
I couldn't put this book down once I started reading. Paul is an intriguing character and the setting is fascinating. At the same time it transcends genre and is more than a mystery. It becomes a study of secrets and the effects they have on people's lives. I now plan tomore
Precious Thing
by Colette McBeth
Edge of Seat Suspense! (1/7/2014)
I inhaled this book, just couldn't stop reading once I started. It explores an adolescent friendship that borders on extreme codependency and begins to fall apart in adulthood. Or did it fall apart long before then? Is it friendship or something much darker? I loved themore
Buying In
by Laura Hemphill
A very scary portrait of the banking industry (10/23/2013)
No, it's not a thriller or a horror novel, but it's scary, nevertheless. The writing is excellent, I like Sophie, but I'm not sure I agree with reviewers who praise her for outfoxing the men around her. Is this what banking is about? Fooling and manipulating people,more
The Laws of Gravity
by Liz Rosenberg
Engaging Characters and a Fascinating Story (4/17/2013)
I really enjoyed this book and could not put it down once I started it. The author creates an ensemble of believable characters with a lot of depth, a quality which puts this book on a higher plane. The story is intriguing - it makes the reader think. This novel is wellmore
Parlor Games
by Maryka Biaggio
Great setting, flawed character, good reading (4/5/2013)
Since I'm from the Midwest and have lived in Chicago and Wisconsin, I found the setting of Parlor Games of special interest. I had a little trouble getting into this book at the beginning, because I found the character hard to like. That feeling continued until the end, butmore
A Nearly Perfect Copy
by Allison Amend
Two Fascinating Worlds with Interesting Characters (3/13/2013)
Once I moved past the rather slow beginning, the author's intimate knowledge of the settings of this novel kept me going. The art worlds of New York and Paris are fascinating, and then the author throws in the main character Elm's obsession with grief, a refusal to stopmore
Ghostman
by Roger Hobbs
Ghostman - A Thrilling Debut Novel (1/30/2013)
The main character may be a bad guy, but author Roger Hobbs gives him a clear voice and a code of standards. The hero of Ghostman is a compelling character, and I found myself on his side, rooting for him, despite his off-the-grid criminal lifestyle. The story begins with amore
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