Reviews by Lisa G. (Riverwoods, IL)

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Anatomy of a Miracle
Anatomy of a Miracle
by Jonathan Miles
Anatomy of a Miracle (1/1/2018)
I started the book by reading the acknowledgements at the end to make sure I knew it was a novel and was a bit annoyed with the way the author thanked the characters for their time and energy in helping him put this story on paper. But the premise intrigued me and I did …more
Eternal Life
Eternal Life
by Dara Horn
Eternal Life by Dara Horn (11/6/2017)
I am only rating this book average since I found it hard to maintain my interest as the main character Rachel came back over and over as an 18 year old and watched many of her descendants die.She made a bargain that she would never die if her son, the famous biblical …more
Happiness
Happiness: The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After
by Heather Harpham
Happiness (5/26/2017)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it very quickly since i like medical memoirs with a happy ending.which I knew from the title. The author did a good job of sharing her daughter's journey and thoughts as she went through the transplant process as a very young child. …more
Tell Me How This Ends Well
Tell Me How This Ends Well
by David Samuel Levinson
Tell Me How This Ends Well (3/2/2017)
I would call this book "quirky" which could be clever and enjoyable to read but for me it wasn't. The story line dealt with the different members of a Jewish family wanting to kill the patriarch over the course of a family get together in Los Angeles. The story was set in 20 …more
Extraordinary Adventures
Extraordinary Adventures
by Daniel Wallace
Extra-Ordinary Adventures (1/31/2017)
i enjoyed this somewhat quirky but well-crafted book since it touched on many pertinent themes. It was a fast read and held my attention throughout. Finding one's place in the world, finding love and dealing with parent issues were all addressed in this lively book that …more
Mercies in Disguise
Mercies in Disguise: A Story of Hope, a Family's Genetic Destiny, and the Science That Rescued Them
by Gina Kolata
Mercies in Disguise (10/27/2016)
This book is not for everyone. It is rather scientific and not everyone's cup of tea. I read it in one sitting since it hit home for me on many levels, recently losing a loved one to a neurological disease and having a close family member go through the same embryo …more
The Book That Matters Most
The Book That Matters Most: A Novel
by Ann Hood
The Book that Matters Most (5/31/2016)
I identified with the main character Ava when she became the newest member of a book group that had been in existence for a long time. The fact that one of the members picked my favorite book as the one she wanted to review made me even more excited. Both mother and …more
The Alaskan Laundry
The Alaskan Laundry
by Brendan Jones
The Alaskan Laundry (2/2/2016)
I always feel that if I learn something from a book and also enjoy it, it has done its job. Tara journeyed to Alaska to take a breather from her life in Philadelphia and the family business, not knowing how difficult it would be physically and emotionally. How she survives …more
When the Moon Is Low
When the Moon Is Low: A Novel
by Nadia Hashimi
When the Moon is Low (8/16/2015)
This was a good book but I would not say great. It was fiction but read like non-fiction, we all know how bad things were in Afghanistan when the Taliban came in and how desperately people wanted to leave. I did not find the family's story all that compelling. I was more …more
Maybe in Another Life
Maybe in Another Life
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Maybe In Another Life (5/25/2015)
This was a very quick and enjoyable read, perfect for the summer. At 29 Hannah moves back to where she grew up after a traumatic break up with a married man to reevaluate her life, The author shows us two different paths that her life could have taken which are set forth in …more
Make Your Home Among Strangers
Make Your Home Among Strangers
by Jennine Capó Crucet
Make Your Home Among Straingers (4/3/2015)
This was a captivating glimpse into the life of a first generation Cuban American woman who was torn between her family and heritage and striking out on her own. The story grabbed me from the very beginning when I wondered if the plight of the 6 year old Cuban boy who was …more
The Art of Baking Blind
The Art of Baking Blind
by Sarah Vaughan
The Art of Baking Blind (2/22/2015)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book which dealt with friendships and contemporary issues having to do with many aspects of families, letting go of the past, and embracing the future all within the backdrop of a baking competition. Is it great literature? Obviously not, but I …more
He Wanted the Moon
He Wanted the Moon: The Madness and Medical Genius of Dr. Perry Baird, and His Daughter's Quest to Know Him
by Mimi Baird with Eve Claxton
Not For the Faint of Heart (1/29/2015)
I have no doubt the author accurately portrays the manic depressive illness of her father in the 1940's and the horrendous treatment he was given as evidenced by his writings which served as the basis of this book. I am glad the author got some closure as to why her father …more
The Last Good Paradise
The Last Good Paradise
by Tatjana Soli
The Last Good Paradise (11/3/2014)
Had I not been on a cruise ship with nothing else to read I would not have even finished the book. I did not feel engaged by any of the characters or the plot.Giving it a 3 is generous.
The Nightingale
The Nightingale
by Kristin Hannah
A New High for Kristin Hannah (9/14/2014)
Kristin Hannah is known for her contemporary fiction so I was blown away by this meticulously researched work of historical fiction set in France during WW2. The story focuses on a time when people did not believe that France would ever abandon its Jews or that the Germans …more
Brutal Youth
Brutal Youth
by Anthony Breznican
Brutal Youth (5/9/2014)
This coming of age, possibly young adult, novel is no doubt destined to become a movie. I had to keep reminding myself it took place in the 1990's and not the 1950's. It was a poor reflection of parochial schools and the bullying that was allowed and even encouraged by the …more
Safe with Me
Safe with Me
by Amy Hatvany
Safe With Me (11/8/2013)
Organ donation and domestic abuse are two topics of importance that the author, Amy Hatvany, weaves together in this gem of contemporary fiction. The book is all about picking up the pieces when things go wrong and the unlikely circumstances that throw people together. The …more
The Good Luck Girls of Shipwreck Lane
The Good Luck Girls of Shipwreck Lane
by Kelly Harms
The Good Luck Girls of Shipwreck Lane (5/2/2013)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan on recommending it to my friends. The writing was sharp and entertaining and I liked ALL the characters which rarely happens. It deals with human nature, relationships and the importance of family or more correctly, the making of …more
Walk Me Home
Walk Me Home
by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Walk Me Home (3/30/2013)
I loved this book and think it would make a wonderful book club discussion. It takes the concept of family one step further and addresses ingenuity, resourcefulness, self worth and most importantly trust. All gifts do not have to have strings attached and sometimes "thank …more
One Minus One
One Minus One: Nancy Pearl's Book Lust Rediscoveries
by Ruth Doan MacDougall
One Minus One (3/28/2013)
This book was sweet but uninspiring. It takes place in rural New Hampshire in the late 1960's yet it seemed like the 1950's. The 60's were a time of exploring and taking risks yet this book was no more captivating than references to avocado appliances and harvest gold …more
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