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Reviews by Julie G. (West Hartford, CT)

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A Ladder to the Sky
A Ladder to the Sky: A Novel
by John Boyne
A Ladder to the Sky (9/6/2018)
This is my third John Boyne novel, and each is so different I had no idea what to expect. Wow- this one blew me away! The main character is like someone from a Patricia Highsmith novel - he is completely unscrupulous, and yet is able to use his charm and good looks to go …more
So Much Life Left Over
So Much Life Left Over
by Louis de Bernieres
So much life left over (8/1/2018)
I found the book an easy read - characters were well developed and I liked the way the author tied them together. Overall, however, the book did not make a lasting impression on me; flipping back through I am remembering enjoying it, but when I originally finished it I …more
French Exit
French Exit
by Patrick deWitt
French Exit (2/6/2018)
The back cover describes this as a brilliant and darkly comic novel; while I will concede that DeWitt is a very good writer, I think his style is not for me. I did not like the characters, found the comedy overdone, and while it was an easy read, and did work as a send up …more
Force of Nature
Force of Nature: Aaron Falk Mystery #2
by Jane Harper
Force of Nature (11/8/2017)
I was very excited to receive a copy of Jane Harper's new book because I so enjoyed her first, The Dry. Unfortunately this book didn't measure up. I wish she had focused more on Falk, a returning character; instead Harper spent a lot of time on the back stories of the other …more
The Heart's Invisible Furies
The Heart's Invisible Furies: A Novel
by John Boyne
A Slice of History (7/12/2017)
In a novel covering the course of one man's lifetime, the author weaves together both history and societal prejudices using a mixture of humor and sadness. While I found many of the characters overdrawn, I enjoyed the book, and the clever way Boyne both set up and tied the storyline together.
Lola
Lola
by Melissa Scrivner Love
Absolutely Blown Away (3/3/2017)
Melissa Scrivener Love has introduced a new heroine to cheer for. Lola is a total badass, but also whipsmart, and with an amazing head on her shoulders. I was torn between reading the book in one sitting and savoring it over a few days. Savoring won - now I just hope the …more
Edgar and Lucy
Edgar and Lucy
by Victor Lodato
Edgar & Lucy (11/18/2016)
What a wonderful book. Both uplifting and disturbing, with characters that are at once unrelatable and yet completely human. While the book is about the relationship between a mother and her son, it is also about love, land loss, and mourning and somehow manages to be a …more
Underground Airlines
Underground Airlines
by Ben H. Winters
Underground Airlines (9/18/2016)
I absolutely loved this book. The writing was spot on, and while I could have read it in one sitting, I kept closing the book because I didn't want it to end. As an alternative history, it is compelling, gripping, and frighteningly plausible. The plot twists were impossible …more
The Book of Speculation
The Book of Speculation
by Erika Swyler
The Book of Speculation (4/17/2015)
Wonderful and magical story which switches back and forth in time. The main character is an out of work librarian who receives a mysterious old book in the mail. As he (and we) become engrossed in the book, the connections between the past (in the old book) and the present become eerily real.
Everybody Rise
Everybody Rise
by Stephanie Clifford
Everybody Rise (3/7/2015)
Perhaps my lukewarm response to this book is due to the fact that I do not know any people like the ones portrayed in the story. I am sure they do exist, but I found them all so unappealing that I could not bring myself to care about any of them. Adding that to a fairly …more
Juliet's Nurse
Juliet's Nurse
by Lois Leveen
Juliet's Nurse (7/11/2014)
I think it is a risk to tackle a book about characters so well known and loved as Romeo and Juliet. That said, the author does manage to successfully evoke the atmosphere and has created a thoughtful and provocative look at the story from Juliet's nurse's point of view. …more
Island of a Thousand Mirrors
Island of a Thousand Mirrors
by Nayomi Munaweera
Eye Opening View of Sri Lanka (4/3/2014)
I am often drawn to books about other countries and for that reason was very interested in reading this book. While I was fascinated to learn about the clash between the Tamil and Sinhala people, what particularly struck me was how differently the lives are for women in …more
The Deepest Secret
The Deepest Secret
by Carla Buckley
Too Many Secrets (12/14/2013)
While the author aimed for a book which would pull at the readers' heartstrings, I, as a reader was unmoved. While the plot of the story was good, each character had secrets to the point of absurdity; I found none of them believable or relatable, and therefore had very …more
Once We Were Brothers
Once We Were Brothers
by Ronald H. Balson
Once We Were Brothers (8/23/2013)
I very much wanted to like this book. The premise was good, and the author clearly knew a lot about his topic - both the holocaust and the law. However, the writing style was amateurish and I often felt that I was getting a lesson in either history or the practice of law. I …more
Ghostman
Ghostman
by Roger Hobbs
Ghostman (12/31/2012)
Wow! I can't believe that this is Roger Hobbs' first book. The book is fast paced, exciting, and extraordinarily well written. While the protagonist may be on the wrong side of the law, I can't wait to meet him again in future books. A great read.
The Land of Decoration
The Land of Decoration: A Novel
by Grace McCleen
Fantasy and Imagination (3/16/2012)
Grace McCleen has done a very good job of capturing the voice of 10 year old Judith McPherson, a lonely girl raised by a passionately devout widowed father. I was initially entranced by the characters, but, unfortunately, soon found them all to be so stereotypical as to be …more
The Leftovers
The Leftovers: A Novel
by Tom Perrotta
A Stunning Scenario (7/17/2011)
Tom Perrotta has created a novel brilliantly blending science fiction and reality. While the premise of the book; that millions of people have been plucked from the earth is fantastic (although not utterly far fetched for some very religious souls), the remaining peoples' …more
The Sweetness of Tears
The Sweetness of Tears: A Novel
by Nafisa Haji
The Sweetness of Tears (3/4/2011)
I found The Sweetness of Tears to be a thoroughly engrossing book. The book is told from the viewpoints of different characters in the story, and although occasionally I had to remind myself whose story I was reading, I found them all to be compelling and very real. While …more
The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul
The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul: A Novel
by Deborah Rodriguez
A Taste of Afghanistan (11/11/2010)
In her book A Cup of Friendship, Deborah Rodriguez gives the reader a rich portrait of life in Afghanistan. Through the different characters, the reader is introduced to the many people who come together at the coffee shop of the title. Unfortunately, while I found the …more
The Lovers
The Lovers: A Novel
by Vendela Vida
The Lovers (4/6/2010)
Vendela Vida's book about a widow traveling to find herself is sure to speak to many people about love and loss. In Yvonne's escape to Turkey, the location of her honeymoon, she desperately seeks to form connections with random strangers, and one feels her sense of …more
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