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Reviews by Beverly S. (Chesterton, IN)

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The Story of Arthur Truluv: A Novel
by Elizabeth Berg
A small book with a wonderful story to tell. (6/2/2017)
The Story of Arthur Truluv is a small book with a wonderful story to tell. Elizabeth Berg writes heartwarming stories and this novel does not disappoint. You will fall in love with the three main characters in this novel.
One never knows who you might meet in a cemetery. Two of the three characters meet when Arthur is coming to have lunch everyday with his recently deceased wife and Maddy comes to the same cemetery to avoid the loneliness she feels as she attends high school where no one likes her. She has experienced abandonment at home because her mother dies in a car accident when she was just a newborn baby and her father awkwardly tries to raise her by himself.
The Book of Summer
by Michelle Gable
A Very Interesting Story (3/11/2017)
This is my first novel that I have read by Michelle Gable. I found her writing style quite enjoyable. This book shared a family history during two time periods. Present day covered 2008-2013, and historical covered 1939-1948. Both time periods saw weddings, births, wars and deaths. Some will make you laugh and some will bring you to tears. My favorite character in this book is actually a majestic house named Clift House located in Sconset, Nantucket. This beautiful mansion is the heart and soul of this family.
I think book clubs would really enjoy this book and I feel it would be a true gem for lovers of historical fiction.
The Half Wives
by Stacia Pelletier
A Day in the Lives of the Half Wives (1/7/2017)
I was interested in reading this book because the story involved parents dealing with the loss of their child.
A couple suffers the loss of their two year old son. The father is a minister and the mother is a stay at home mom. The book covers the events as they unfold on a single day many years later, on the anniversary of their son's death. There are a few other characters introduced as the day progresses from 9 am until 3 pm.
Stacia Pelletier, the author, develops each character very carefully and their personalities spoke to me directly as i read their story. I liked her style of writing and I would be interested in reading other books by this gifted author.
The Next
by Stephanie Gangi
Make "The Next" your next read. (8/18/2016)
Can a novel be sad and fun at the same time? The answer is yes! Love and death and revenge and even ghosts, conquer all in "The Next."

This story presents a Mother who is gravely ill. Be prepared to meet her two daughters, one ex-husband, one sexy boyfriend who is fifteen years younger, and a very lovable 90 pound poodle named Tom. You will enjoy this novel.

Warning...be prepared to laugh and cry because it will grab you and take you on a special reading adventure!

I promise you will love this book.
The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko
by Scott Stambach
A Very Unusual Love Story (7/12/2016)
I found this book to have a slow start for me, but once I connected to Ivan and his story I loved this book. Ivan lives in a hospital for gravely ill children. His best friend is one of the nurses and she supplies him with occasional alcohol, special foods and treats and she keeps him supplied with special books. Ivan falls in love with Polina, a new patient with leukemia. Their special relationship is a beautiful story with a heartbreaking ending. This book is a fast read, but this story will stay in your heart for a long, long time. Enjoy!
The Lake House
by Kate Morton
Great winter read (2/16/2016)
Kate Morton delivers another great book. This is a perfect winter read because you will not want to put it down. Very good plot with just the right amount of twists and turns to keep us guessing.
The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs
by Matthew Dicks
"Enjoyable Beach Read" (7/23/2015)
A "beach read" about a road trip. Not just any road trip, but a Mother(Caroline) & daughter(Polly) fast paced adventure.They travel back to Caroline's hometown to revisit her former best friend and settle some high school drama between them.
Along the way we meet many other colorful personalities who enrich the story and entertain us.
This is a perfect summer read, not too long, not too deep, but an entertaining story.
House of Echoes: A Novel
by Brendan Duffy
gothic twists and turns (2/14/2015)
This is a first time novel for Brendan Duffy. It is quite the thriller. A young family, Ben, Caroline, and their 2 young sons leave the big city life behind them as they purchase a historical mansion. The property sits between 2 mountains in upstate New York. Their plan is to renovate the property and open a bed and breakfast. The nearby villagers of Swannhaven seem quite welcoming at first, but quickly things will change. Can the local priest even be trusted, or will he also turn against the family?
I liked the author's writing style and this gothic horror novel was full of twists and turns. This book held my interest until the very end. I will look forward to reading the next novel from Brendan Duffy.
The Same Sky
by Amanda Eyre Ward
Very sad and yet uplifting. It made me cry. (11/11/2014)
This is my first time to read a book by Amanda Eyre Ward, but it will not be my last. I like her writing style and enjoyed the development of her two main characters.

The back story shows us two very different young ladies and their struggles in their daily lives. Alice lives in American and Carla lives in Honduras. Their lives will merge before the book ends, but you will not be disappointed.
Accidents of Marriage
by Randy Susan Meyers
Well written and a quick read (6/27/2014)
I previously read "The Murderer's Daughters" and I became a fan of Randy Susan Myers' writing. She did not disappoint with her newest novel, "Accidents of Marriage". The story portrays a family dealing with normal day to day issues for the most part. However the Father has major anger management issues which lead to emotional abuse against his wife. A car accident where he was at fault, leaves his wife near death. You will become part of the family's day to day lives, hoping they can all heal and mend the broken pieces of their family. I like the writing style and I can see that the author uses her job experience to help create her characters. I hope you enjoy this book.
The Quick
by Lauren Owen
The Quick by Lauren Owen (5/1/2014)
Lauren Owen has shown great talent in her writing and her degrees in Victorian Literature and Creative Writing are showcased on each page of her novel "The Quick".
I found it difficult at first to engage myself in her story, however after the first 100 pages I jumped on board for the race to the finish line with all of the plots' twists and turns. Once I finished the book, the story stayed on my mind for days. I loved her novel and would recommend it for all age groups, especially readers who love historical fiction. I will look forward to future novels by this author.
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