Reviews by Sue (rural PA)

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As Bright as Heaven
As Bright as Heaven
by Susan Meissner
"Full Circle" (10/8/2017)
"As Bright as Heaven" was interesting on many levels. The story takes place in Philadelphia prior to, during and after WWI. Many challenges confront the Bright family-including their move to a new city, life in a funeral home, the death of family members and friends, the …more
Love and Other Consolation Prizes
Love and Other Consolation Prizes: A Novel
by Jamie Ford
"Bitter-Sweet" (7/12/2017)
Set against the backdrop of the 1909 Seattle World's Fair, Jamie Ford has given us a story beginning with the ocean transport of young children from China. The author alternates between the coming of age of three of those children and their present day lives fifty years …more
The Tea Planter's Wife
The Tea Planter's Wife
by Dinah Jefferies
Good summer read! (7/4/2016)
Set in the early 1900s, this book provides a bit of everything needed for a "summer read." There are complex relationships between men and women, lush settings, mysteries and an interesting historical backdrop. The main character - Gwen - is brought to a tea plantation in …more
Miss Jane
Miss Jane
by Brad Watson
"I am strange." (4/5/2016)
What a touching way to handle what could have been a "freak show!" The novel follows Jane and her family who live in rural Mississippi during the Depression. Jane is born with a rare genital anomaly which affects her and her family in different ways. After delivering Jane, …more
The Alaskan Laundry
The Alaskan Laundry
by Brendan Jones
"Cold Hands-Warm Hearts" (2/2/2016)
The Alaskan Laundry is a wonderful read. Read it while sipping a hot drink! The story takes place in Alaska and the author makes you feel as if you are there sharing the cold, fatigue, and fear with the lead character Tara. Tara is a young woman who has run away to Alaska …more
Shelter
Shelter
by Jung Yun
Compelling Read! (12/3/2015)
This first book makes for a compelling and memorable read. The author humanizes the members of this multi-generational Korean family as they experience a horrific event. The characters are well developed - complicated, sympathetic and hateful - all at once. I found myself …more
The Devil in Jerusalem
The Devil in Jerusalem
by Naomi Ragen
"Evil comes in all forms!" (7/16/2015)
I took this book on a two week trip-expecting it to last the entire time. Once I started, I couldn't put it down and finished it long before my trip ended. The combination of the city of Jerusalem and a religious cult wasn't unfamiliar but this book caught me by surprise …more
A Passion for Paris
A Passion for Paris: Romanticism and Romance in the City of Light
by David Downie
"A look back at Romantic Paris" (4/22/2015)
This book was a graduate course in the Romantic fine arts! I thought that I was fairly well read and familiar with the well known authors and artists discussed in this book -but I soon discovered the many gaps in my own education. I especially enjoyed reading about how the …more
Whispering Shadows
Whispering Shadows
by Jan-Philipp Sendker
Exotic and captivating! (1/6/2015)
The time reading the "Whispering Shadows" was time well spent! The story is based in Hong Kong and China and is relevant, timely and believable. The writing is beautiful with the author describing both the significant and the mundane equally well. I appreciated that the …more
Backyard
Backyard
by Norman Draper
For the armchair gardner (11/3/2014)
While not my usual reading fare, Backyard did provide many lighthearted and some real "laugh out loud" moments. Characters were familiar and interesting-especially if you have acquaintances who are crazy about gardening. I particularly enjoyed reading about the MANY …more
Juliet's Nurse
Juliet's Nurse
by Lois Leveen
Interesting back story of a classic tale. (7/22/2014)
As a lover of Shakespeare, and as a medical person, I found this book very interesting. The author includes a lot of details about "the plague" and some of the medical treatments of the day. I particularly liked the way that various motifs were woven throughout the story - …more
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