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Reviews by Gary R. (Bolingbrook, IL)

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The Book of Speculation
by Erika Swyler
if you breathe up you'll drown (4/23/2015)
one of the great pleasures of BookBrowse is being introduced to debut authors like Erica Swyler, just a pleasure to read. The story of librarian Simon and his sister Enola who he hasn't seen in some time,though she calls from the road from time to time. The mystery and themore
The Witch of Painted Sorrows: A Daughters of La Lune Novel
by M. J. Rose
protect her from love! (3/24/2015)
Alright, I admit it, it's my first time reading M.J. Rose. Where have I been?

It's Paris in the late 1800's,and this is the story of Sandrine,who has run away from her husband in the States after some shady banking deals and the suicide of her father caused by said deals.more
Shocking Paris: Soutine, Chagall and the Outsiders of Montparnasse
by Stanley Meisler
Starving artists (1/5/2015)
I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this book but once I started to read it I was quite surprised by how quickly it sucked me in. The story of a group of Jewish painters,mostly grouped around Soutine and Chagall,and their time spent in Paris.From their beginnings as artistsmore
Backyard
by Norman Draper
a gardener's delight (10/27/2014)
If you want blood and gore you won't find it here, just the sap from the flowers. A decent story of gardening gone goofy. When the gardening contest to end all contests is announced, things get seriously out of hand. A fun read with a cast of characters, give it a try!
Doing Harm
by Kelly Parsons
Game on (11/12/2013)
I wasn't sure, starting this book, what I was in for. A debut novelist writing a medical thriller who just happens to be a doctor! Not being a great fan of medical thrillers I must say this book is a really good read. A series of accidents seem to point to the incompetencemore
The Spirit Keeper
by K. B. Laugheed
A great journey! (9/17/2013)
Being a fan of James Fenimore Cooper's Mohican books, I looked forward to going back to that time, and The Spirit Keeper does not disappoint. It's the story of Katie O'Toole, the thirteenth child of a family living in the Pennsylvania wilderness who's home is raided and themore
The Daughters of Mars
by Thomas Keneally
The war to end all wars! (5/28/2013)
Another great book by a master.a tale of two Aussie sisters who volunteer as nurses during the great war.really enjoyed this book,the descriptions of the conditions that existed and the horrors everyone endured we're written as if Keneally was there.read this this book,itmore
Ghostman
by Roger Hobbs
The new king of crime fiction (1/5/2013)
Find your self a comfy chair, grab yourself a favorite beverage, turn off the phone and television, strap yourself in and get ready for a wild ride. Without giving to much away, the story follows a botched robbery at a casino, and a man more or less hired, a man with nomore
Sentinel: A Spycatcher Novel
by Matthew Dunn
The spy game (6/17/2012)
An enjoyable read,obviously written by an author who knows what he's writing about.fast paced,gritty and scary.believable characters,and all to believable premise involving a rogue military faction and a deep cover agent,sentinel,and the man sent to find him and stop themore
Wife 22: A Novel
by Melanie Gideon
Wife 22 (4/12/2012)
OK, I'm a guy reading, what I heard called chic lit? Being married over that 20 year mark, this book really opened my eyes. It made me think about how we both can, over time, take each other for granted; and how little things people do can drive others crazy. Very good read,more
Losing Clementine: A Novel
by Ashley Ream
Another good read! (2/19/2012)
Who would of thought that a book about someone who wants to end it all would be so much fun to read! Clementine wants to end it all in 30 days,but wants to tie up a few loose ends before she goes. Funny, witty, an all around enjoyable read! Highly recommended!
Arcadia: A Novel
by Lauren Groff
A lot of Bit of wonderful! (12/19/2011)
Having read the author's first novel I was looking forward to this and was not disappointed! Just a wonderful read, sucked me in till the last page! The story of a life lived. The joy, wonder, awakening and heartbreak, written in words that made me want to re-read passagesmore
Defending Jacob: A Novel
by William Landay
Violence in the blood (10/18/2011)
Without giving anything away,I'd have to say it's a good read about murder in the burbs, children committing murder? An ideal family? Is violence inherited? Not my child! Kept me reading but not outstanding in my opinion! If I'm allowed to say,you want outstanding try Andrew Vachss!
Ten Thousand Saints: A Novel
by Eleanor Henderson
And I thought the 70's were scary! (5/9/2011)
When I started this book I didn't realize I would lose a good three days in New York in the 80's.characters hold you and won't let go. A great story about people and families lost and trying to find something to hold on to. This book will suck you in! Great debut!
Original Sin: A Sally Sin Adventure
by Beth Mcmullen
Dare I say sinfully good! (2/20/2011)
When I received this book it was the day before the blizzard of 2011! 22 inches of snow and then the coldest days of the year! What does that have to do with this,nothing except it was a good time for a little 'Sinning'! This is not a book that requires a lot of deepmore
Charles Jessold, Considered as a Murderer
by Wesley Stace
a book on a musician by a musician (11/29/2010)
I'm not normally a big fan of historical fiction but finding out that the author Wesley Stace is also the musician John Wesley Harding I thought I would give it a read.really glad I decided to, it's quite a good story told by the music critic Leslie Shepard,who befriendsmore
The Ghost of Milagro Creek
by Melanie Sumner
The Wind Talked (8/2/2010)
It would be easy enough to say this is a book about two friends,one girl,one grandmother,one tragedy and a host of other characters but that's not all this book is about.the landscape of the Santa Fe and Taos area of New Mexico permeates this book! The culture of the areamore
The Swimming Pool
by Holly LeCraw
the swimming pool (3/7/2010)
This is a debut novel from Holly Lecraw. Let's hope that the next ones will get better. Tthe premise of the book revolves around two family's,the Atkinson's and the McClatchey's, with plenty of tragedy and secrets to go around, not to mention a little post-partum depressionmore
State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America
by Sean Wilsey, Matt Weiland
the good old usa (11/4/2009)
I went into this book with a little trepidation. I don't usually read a lot of non-fiction. 50 by 50, great, a bunch of writers telling me why their state is the greatest right! well after reading the intro alone I could tell that was not to be - some of the writers didn'tmore
Some of the Dead Are Still Breathing: Living in the Future
by Charles Bowden
some of the dead are still breathing (2/14/2009)
Charles Bowden is an artist. He creates music on the page through his words. There is truth in this book,and not everybody will like it,because truth is not always goodness and light. Sometimes it's as dark as a moonless night. I myself loved this book. It's hard to explain.more
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