Reviews by Gloria

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The Flower Sisters
The Flower Sisters
by Michelle Collins Anderson
Charming novel based on a true story (2/17/2024)
The author did a good job taking a real-life occurrence, a dance hall explosion in her hometown, and turning it into an interesting novel. I liked that she used the different viewpoints of the people who survived the explosion and those that loved the ones who didn't …more
Daughters of the Flower Fragrant Garden
Daughters of the Flower Fragrant Garden: Two Sisters Separated by China's Civil War
by Zhuqing Li
Strong, wise women (5/19/2022)
In “Daughters of the Flower Fragrant Garden,” Zhuqing Li tells the story of her two aunts, sisters whose lives are irrevocably changed by China’s political revolution in the 20th century.
Hong, a skilled surgeon, uses her talents to improve the lives of Chinese peasant women. …more
Heartbreak
Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey
by Florence Williams
Who hasn't had their heart broken at least once? (11/12/2021)
How do you mend a broken heart? Florence Williams asks that question when her decades-long marriage runs aground and then shatters. Because she is a science journalist, she takes the question to the experts. I was amazed at how many scientists are investigating how …more
When Broadway Was Black
When Broadway Was Black: The Triumphant Story of the All-Black Musical that Changed the World (aka Footnotes)
by Caseen Gaines
What if? (3/10/2021)
What would the world of music, dance and theater look like today if Black Americans had been able to showcase their talents on a level playing field with white Americans? That question kept popping into my head as I was reading Caseen Gaines’ excellent “Footnotes: The Black …more
The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World
The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World: A Novel
by Laura Imai Messina
A message of hope (12/20/2020)
Anyone who has ever experienced loss (and that's most of us), will be moved by Laura Imai Messina's beautiful "The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World." What makes this novel about dealing with grief most amazing is that the phone booth at the center of the story actually …more
The Mountains Sing
The Mountains Sing
by Nguyen Phan Que Mai
An awe-inspiring tale of courage (1/13/2020)
Nguyen Phan Que Mai's "The Mountains Sing" is a heart-wrenching story of three generations of women devastated by war. In the same vein as "All Quiet On The Western Front," we learn about the Vietnam War from the prospective of the North Vietnamese, our "enemy," and …more
Father of Lions
Father of Lions: One Man's Remarkable Quest to Save the Mosul Zoo
by Louise Callaghan
A great read for lovers of animals and current events (10/13/2019)
Thank you, Louise Callaghan, for preserving the story of Abu Laith in "Father of Lions: One Man's Remarkable Quest to Save the Mosul Zoo." It is wonderful to read how people who love animals can all come together to save them, especially during a conflict that puts their …more
Being Mortal
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
by Atul Gawande
Recommended reading (9/12/2017)
Atul Gawande's "Being Mortal" actually made me feel better about growing older and, eventually, frailer. Just knowing that there are people like him that are trying to make longer lives better lives gives me great comfort. This book should be in every home. And now I want …more
Little Nothing
Little Nothing
by Marisa Silver
Mixed feelings (8/21/2017)
If I were rating Marisa Silver's "Little Nothing" on her beautiful writing, her expansive imagination and her compelling characterizations, I would rate this novel Four Stars.
But although I found the writing compelling, when I finished the last page, I just felt muddled. …more
News of the World
News of the World
by Paulette Jiles
Worth a second read (7/30/2017)
The first time I read “News of the World,” I breezed through it because I couldn’t wait to find out how the story ended. The second time I read it (which was immediately after the first), I slowed down to savor the details I had missed the first time and to luxuriate in …more
The Weight of Ink
The Weight of Ink
by Rachel Kadish
Excellent historical fiction (2/9/2017)
"The Weight of Ink" (gosh, I love that title) is weighty with plot and weighty with words at 560 pages. Especially in the first chapters, I felt that tighter editing would have benefited the reader. Having said that, it's really just just one small complaint for an …more
The Underground Girls of Kabul
The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan
by Jenny Nordberg
Read this book! (6/15/2015)
What kind of society values sons so highly that desperate women dress their daughters in pants and raise them as boys? And what happens to those daughters when they reach puberty and suddenly have to live as women in a society that demands that they be clothed from head to …more
When the Night Comes
When the Night Comes
by Favel Parrett
Wanted more (3/11/2015)
Favel Parrett’s “When The Night Comes” is a pleasant enough read, but it could have been a great one.

As I was reading, I kept thinking, “This reads like a collection of essays.” So I was not surprised to discover in the Author’s Note that a number of pieces within the novel …more
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