Reviews by Jill F. (Blackwood, NJ)

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He Started It
He Started It
by Samantha Downing
Wow!! (2/18/2020)
Not since "The Silent Patient" have I been caught so off guard by an ending. This book has more twist and turns than a roller-coaster! Who hasn't thought about killing somebody on a family road trip? This family is completely despicable but so much fun
The Big Finish
The Big Finish
by Brooke Fossey
Fun and different! (10/9/2019)
I loved, loved, loved this book! The characters were fun, lovable and well developed. I can only hope that I'm that sharp and spunky when I'm that age. I hope that there's a sequel down the road.....
Motherhood So White
Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender, and Parenting in America
by Nefertiti Austin
A whole new perspective (8/14/2019)
Two weeks ago I adopted a little boy from the foster care system after a 3 1/2 year rollercoaster ride. On one hand the book was very relatable, family visits, siblings, judgement as a single woman adopting a son. How and when do you teach a boy to pee standing up?!! On the …more
Nothing to See Here
Nothing to See Here
by Kevin Wilson
Nothing To See Here - Not to be missed (6/16/2019)
If you've been looking for an entertaining beach read that you can't put down this is out. Make sure you put on plenty of sunscreen because you'll quickly forget about everything. The characters are quirky, well developed and engaging. The plot is fast-moving, enveloping …more
The Twelve-Mile Straight
The Twelve-Mile Straight: A Novel
by Eleanor Henderson
Disappointed (7/9/2018)
I had high hopes for this book starting out. I love historical novels. Maybe that's part of the problem, I felt like I had already read this one. At the middle of the book I wished they would just get it over with already! While the ending was a bit of a surprise it wasn't …more
The Family Tabor
The Family Tabor
by Cherise Wolas
Not what it seems to be (5/9/2018)
Just like the story within this book is not what I thought it would be. On the surface Harry Tabor seems to have it all and have it all together. I was expecting the book to be about the "man who has it all" and his releationships with his family.

Harry is a very flawed …more
Only Child
Only Child
by Rhiannon Navin
Wow! (1/2/2018)
Not since "Room" have I read a book that was so different from anything that I had ever read nor stuck with me so long as "Only Child." If I could have given this book a 10 instead of a 5, I would have. The fact that this is a debut novel blows me away! I cannot recommend …more
If the Creek Don't Rise
If the Creek Don't Rise
by Leah Weiss
Sometimes you make your own happy ending (10/9/2017)
Tucked in to the Appalachian Mountains, the people of Baines Creek live a hard luck, hard scrabble life. Tied together by tradition, misfortune, and a distrust of outsiders they make their way by whatever means necessary.
A product of that environment, without formal …more
The Almost Sisters
The Almost Sisters
by Joshilyn Jackson
Another Hit! (5/8/2017)
In the interest of full disclosure I have to say that I love Joshilyn Jackson books! I've read every one. My only complaint is that she doesn't write faster. If you haven't read her previous novels, get to it! Both "Gods in Alabama," and "The Girl Who Stopped Swimming" …more
Tell Me How This Ends Well
Tell Me How This Ends Well
by David Samuel Levinson
Loved it! (4/2/2017)
I don't what it says about me that I loved this book as much as I did. On the face of it, dystopian society, murder, terrorism, persecution. Having fun yet?
Haven't we all had that one person in our lives at one time who made us think "justifiable homicide?"
Julian Jacobson …more
The Barrowfields
The Barrowfields
by Phillip Lewis
Beautifully written (3/19/2017)
From the opening passages the story of the Aster family draws you in and engages all of your senses. The characters are written with depth and nuance. The sights and sounds of Old Buckram leap off the page to the point that you feel like you are experiencing them as you …more
Rise
Rise: How a House Built a Family
by Cara Brookins
mind blown (10/24/2016)
All I can say is wow! I can't even get my kids to clean their rooms and Cara gets hers to build a house? I can't imagine undertaking a task like that. What were they thinking? She's either one of the strongest, fearless and determined women on the planet, or out of her damn …more
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things: A Novel
by Bryn Greenwood
Couldn't put it down (4/23/2016)
This is one of those books that grabs you on the first page and doesn't let go. What makes a family? Who are we to judge when someone finds love and happiness? This is the story of people born in to the worst of circumstances, judged by society who find one another and …more
Ashes of Fiery Weather
Ashes of Fiery Weather
by Kathleen Donohoe
Could have been better (3/12/2016)
This is a good book with a lot of intertwining characters. I give it a 3 because none of those characters struck a particular chord with me and I didn't get emotionally involved. It might have been better if a few of the auxiliary figures had been left out and the main …more
The Sound of Gravel
The Sound of Gravel: A Memoir
by Ruth Wariner
I could not put this book down! (10/28/2015)
If it's true that "what doesn't kill us makes us stronger," the kids in this family must be a mix between Superman and the Hulk.
Without an adult in their lives who was able to protect them, they were forced to take on that role for themselves and one another.
The …more
Still Life Las Vegas
Still Life Las Vegas
by James Sie
Pretty depressing (5/18/2015)
I found the book to be rather depressing. It was hard to follow at first with each chapter being written from a different point of view but it became easier as I got further into the story. Definitely explored the seedy side of Vegas and the selfishness of human nature. if …more
The Silver Witch
The Silver Witch
by Paula Brackston
Pleasantly surprised (2/17/2015)
This is the first book written by Paula Brackston that I've read and not the type I would expect to enjoy. After the Twilight and True Blood phenomena saturated the airwaves and bookstores I was suffering from supernatural burnout! The combination of historical fact and …more
Island of a Thousand Mirrors
Island of a Thousand Mirrors
by Nayomi Munaweera
Takes you to another time and place (8/20/2014)
I wasn't sure what I would think of this book when I started it, war stories aren't my favorite. I also found it difficult to keep all of the characters straight. However, once I got past the first few chapters none of that mattered.
This book is so beautifully written that …more
Accidents of Marriage
Accidents of Marriage
by Randy Susan Meyers
Too many shortcuts (6/14/2014)
This could have been a really good book; it grabbed my attention right away and drew me in, but there were glaring implausibility that ruined it for me. The events that led to Maddy being in the car at the time of the accident would not have happened, and the fact that the …more
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry: A Novel
by Gabrielle Zevin
I absolutely loved this book! (4/9/2014)
Maybe because I'm a bibliophile this book just reached out and drew me right in. Who wouldn't want to live above a bookstore? The characters are well-developed and lovable. Reading about the lives the build and the changes they go through took me right into their world. I …more
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