When I was notified I would receive this book - #3 of Thomas Grey Series - I quickly read the 1st book of this series, Hold Fast. When I read a book as part of a series I prefer to at least have read #1 and I'm very happy I did.

Although it's not necessary to read this series from the start I think it greatly enhanced my experience of Book #3. Starting with book 1 I had a greater understanding of the main character, Thomas Grey, and some very important details that made book 3 much more enriched. Both books were a quick read --

The Montevideo Brief Book 3 tells the story of Thomas Grey's adventures which starts with him attending a Beethoven symphony, Beethoven conducting - Hayden sitting next to Gray, who happens to be an agent of His Majesty's Secret Service. The excitement builds - there's a bribe in exchange for a secret that could change the course of the world... Thomas Grey must intercept a Spanish flotilla carrying treasure to save England.
After the scene in set & the importance of the mission is known, the reader will enjoy many adventures along the way to Montevideo, Uruguay where the Spanish ships will sail from on their way to Cadiz, Spain. There's sword duels, captivity, deadly snakes, help from American navy ...

This is a readable book - moves very quickly; however I wish the author had spent more time developing the characters & the plot and even the location of each adventure. I felt l was reading the abridged version where the most important thing was to get to the next adventure.

I won't read Book 2 nor will I read additional books in this series. Some people will enjoy the descriptions of the various ships & maybe some war terms but it does not hold the depth I enjoy in a book. I do appreciate the historical aspect of the series - there is always something to learn.

This novel looks at a specific facet of emotional damage caused by war to a family. Through circumstances explained early in the story, the main character, Viv, is living & raising her child with her in-laws. When World War II becomes a reality Viv & thousands of parents must make a decision to protect their children.

Author Julia Kelly presents the dilemma adequately; she wove a story that pulled me into the complexities & emotions of a family - a family with their own issues before the war began.

I enjoyed the book from the standpoint that I became much more aware of this facet of WWII - the evaluation of children from cities during the Blitz. I had never focused on what it meant emotionally to families, mothers in particular: the choice: send a child away to live with a stranger or possibly losing a child in a bombing raid.

It's an easy & quick read. It's straight forward and moves along quickly. I thought the author developed the first 2/3 of the story in a complete & compelling way whereas the last 1/3 seemed rushed & less believable.

I'd recommend the book to friends. I'd probably not read other books by Julia Kelly although I appreciated the story & how she became interested in writing this book.

This book did not work for me.Since there are many reviews detailing the synopsis of the story line I'll focus on what I consider the book's strengths & weaknesses.

The writing, at times, was enjoyable informative with descriptions of people, places, ideas well thought out. The idea of writing a story involving Russian history was fascinating & intriguing. Using two time period main characters to carry the story gives interest & is a form of writing I admire.

The first part of the story was slow - it took awhile to hold my attention, but I wanted to give it time to develop. The middle part of the story held the most interest to me with the main characters "becoming real" and clearly moving the story in an interesting way. From about 2/3 to the end, the book declined & I could not wait until the last page. The story jumped back & forth so quickly, bringing more & more threads & crossovers. The story seemed forced & lost its impact.

A book is what it is & I rarely say "if only" the author had done this or that - it's written as the author wanted it. That being said I would have certainly enjoyed more details of the various periods, the wars, the revolutions, how these all impacted the people and most definitely more on the dolls. The tangle of people overwhelmed the "historical fiction" that I wished for in this book. At one point in the story, I was considering a re-read just for the history so I could research it, but that part of interest soon was lost.

China - Taiwan...how often have I heard these names or caught a news bulletin about one of these countries? Many times, I reflect, but until I read this book about two sisters separated by events that lasted decades, I had no understanding on a heartfelt level.

This is a beautifully written non-fiction book that follows two sisters through years of separation. Author Li weaves a magnificent story line of each sister with the major backdrop of what is happening historically in China and Taiwan and the impart the political currents have on them & their family.

The book tells the story of real people surviving in harsh, unspeakable situations & enduring a lifetime of separation but never losing sight of what is important.
What would have greatly enhanced the book for me would have been the inclusion of 3 things: 1) a clear map of China & Taiwan, 2) a historical timeline with political data, leaders, 3) a family tree.

I'd love to see this historical/political timeline to help me learn more about China's ever-changing dynamic history. I made my own family tree when I started the book. I think it helped me "know" the family members better.

This is a book I will recommend to others & suggest for our book club.

I'm not a fan of memoirs as a generality; however the book's title, sub-title & beautiful art work on jacket encouraged me to request this book. As I started reading the book I became intrigued - then the summer house guests arrived & I set it aside. This isn't a book to read piece meal; it deserves better than that. House guests cleared out - book back in hand I read it in two days. It's a very readable book.

I liked the writing style of alternating childhood vs current times. The way she weaved her early abusive years with the more adventurous times made the story more bearable. Jennifer's (Jenni, AKA Carrot) neglect, abuse, abandonment...& much more were disturbing to put it mildly. I cannot imagine how children survive the situations the author describes much less become functioning adults.

And yes, I believe Carrot did find her way through this maze of trauma. Although I don't think she has totally cleared out her ghosts she's made an enjoyable life for herself & became a published author.

I liked the descriptive writing - I have a glimmer of knowledge on several aspects of life I had no info on - rail riding, dumpster diving, abandonment, mental-illness, sleeping under a tarp in the rain, falling through the cracks of social services & the good nature/support of many people who help her find her way to overcome her extreme horrible upbringing.

My disappointment with the book is I never felt fully engaged with the author. I got a sense of her loneliness, isolation, grief, abuse, property...vulnerability, courage, resilience, but I was never drawn into the book emotionally.

I would recommend this book to others.

I'm very glad I read The Personal Librarian. My knowledge of J. P. Morgan was very limited & sketchy. My knowledge of Belle da Costa Greene (Belle Marion Greener) was nonexistent. Enhancing my knowledge of these two people in addition to gaining a better understanding of a fascinating era are enough reasons to have enjoyed this book.
I know this book is fiction but I didn't realize it is based on facts with well documented circumstances & people. I found it somewhat unbelievable and the characters never came alive to me. I believe a historical prologue would have been helpful. After reading the epilogue & historical notes I did gain more appreciation and I understand why the two authors collaborated.
Although the writing fell short for me there was value in discovering Belle & her story.
I would recommend this book to friends & it would be an interesting book club recommendation.

The author does a commendable job telling this story of grief, loss, love & hope. It revolves around the Japanese March 2011 tsunami, a disconnected phone - the Wind Phone - in a dilapidated hillside phone booth & two major characters, Yui & Takeshi.
It's a story of profound loss & grief told in a clean & lightly handled storytelling arc. Although there are other characters who meet in the Bell Gardia where the phone booth is, the story development stays mainly on the two main characters allowing the reader to learn many aspects of Japanese culture, food, communication...
At first I missed a heavier hand telling the story of the tragic event & it's effect on those grieving, but soon learned to appreciate the structure. Loss & grief are definitely themes of the story but soon love & hope find a way into hearts.
A quick read of this book would be beneficial - there are many thought-provoking messages lost in a slow read.
I would recommend this book to friends & also offer it as a bookclub suggestion.

Yes, it was a struggle. Years ago I read Ursula Hegi's Stones from the River & it's still on my "favorites" list. I had high hopes for The Patron Saint of Pregnant Girls. However this book didn't live up to my expectations.
Indeed there is beautiful writing & lovely descriptions of many people, places, things. Taken apart each of those pieces make the book worth reading but taken as a whole it was a struggle for me.
Each character is intriguing - the story arc is there...
Another reviewer mentioned the author's writing style in this novel as "simple thoughts... where reader needs to connect the dots." That's an interesting way to look at the story.
Stepping back from the book with that perspective in mind I can appreciate the writing but it still doesn't make this book a success for me.
I loved the characters & wished they were more than stick figures - I'd be almost there with a character when "poof" I'd be off with someone else & struggle to know who the author was writing about now.
There is a lot to love about this story & Ms. Hegi's writing but it's too choppy & fragmented for me to fully appreciate it & recommend it to others.

This book was difficult to put down and I throughly enjoyed this novel. It's divided into 6 Books or Chapters each telling an immigrant's story. I was well into Book 3 before I became aware of the thread connecting the 6 Books.
It's a touching, sad story; I thought the author handled each character's tale with dignity & respect. I loved the way the stories revealed more with each succeeding book.
The topic of immigration issues is certainly a timely subject for discussion. It is well written & thought-provoking. I'd recommend it to friends and to book clubs.

I love this book primarily for Mary Norris' writing style. The book is a memoir, a travelogue & a study of all things Greek. Admittedly this book won't appeal to all but what a fun romp through Greece with Ms. Norris! As a lover of language I am in awe of her story - I'm quite challenged by any foreign language - and learning more about mythology has been on my bucket list forever.
For me this book was not a quick read - each page is packed with rewarding goodness ! I loved the author's humor & ability to share such beautiful insights about her love of all things Greek. I will be reading her other books & will recommend this book wholeheartedly.

Interesting story - interesting characters and a different way to weave time lines, cultures & perspectives into a modern day story which also gives the reader a look into WWII.

There are 2 narrators: Tariq - a young Muslim man from Morocco who comes to Paris in search for his deceased 1/2 French mother & to escape the pressures of his family; and Hannah - a 30'ish American woman returning to Paris to write about French women in Paris during WWII.

These two meet and it's through their eyes the story unfolds. There are several minor characters that lend interest including Paris itself. The chapter titles could provide the reader with a Tour Guide. Being in the streets of Paris through the story was a gratifying part of the book.

Hannah and Tariq never gained my full attention. This might have been from the jumping back and forth of the time lines which included the war years. The WWII women's stories were not gripping or revealing - part of the most important aspect of the novel fell flat. Its 3 stories linked together where the characters never "came alive" for me.

Although I enjoyed the book & appreciated the solid writing I never was fully engaged & think it fell just a bit short to rate 5 stars.

I kept reading this book although the story & characters never became real to me. Some depth was missing. It was stereotypical in its outlook & had too many coincidences to be fully believable. I never had feelings for any of the characters & while I enjoyed the city's descriptions that also lacked the vision of Budapest I so enjoyed on my visit there. I was disappointed but kept reading to the end in the hope that this book would finally turn into a rich story - it did have some potential.

This book is a sweet, simple read with many deep thoughts and emotions to ponder. From the first page I predicted I'd enjoy this book. The story, plot line, characters are mentioned & described adequately by many of the other reviewers. My favorite parts often had to do with Gordon, the cat, & Arthur's interactions with him. Also Arthur's visits to the cemetery reading tombstones & giving us information about the person "from beyond the grave" was delightful! (I worked for a funeral home/cemetery for years).
Last year my book club members said: "Whew! We've read so many excellent, but "heavy" books -- so serious, dark, life is a struggle. Can we find an uplifting fun book?" I know those books are out there but we couldn't find what we wanted. This book would definitely qualify - a solid story, well written & presented with meaning & feeling, enough human emotions to engage our group in a discussion.
Yes, I think it's a predictable story line, a bit simple and maybe just too good to be true but sometimes I just want a good book that engages me & holds my attention. This book did that.

This is a well written book with well developed characters, a commanding story thread and an interesting presentation of the 2 time lines.

It's a book that challenged my knowledge of this time in the history of Jewish people & traditions. I always thoroughly appreciate a book that offers more than a "story" but one that encourages deeper endeavors into its subject matter.
IMO this would be a great book for book club discussion - I think it would be fun for half the club to discuss the "modern" story line and half to talk about the ancient history story.

It's a dense story - one that needs the readers full attention. It's rich & rewarding; not a quick read. Unfortunately this month's outside forces detracted me from serious reading - my short bursts of reading attention spans didn't do justice to this book. I've become more engaged with each chapter and look forward to the last quarter yet to be finished.

I enjoyed News of the World. It held my attention & I often thought how I'd like to return from some errand / dinner / etc & get back to reading this small, easily read, engrossing novel. I won't discuss the storyline since the book's dust cover gives an adequate & accurate summery of the story. Many other reviewers have also provided excellent synopses of the story.

I was born in Dallas & raised on farm on the Little Brazos River about 3 miles from the Brazos River mentioned in the story. I lived in Texas many years & visited most of the locations the characters traveled. I considered the geography part of the list of characters, as were the 2 horses.

I found the historical part of the novel interesting & informative. The writing was a little simple & a bit choppy but unlike some stories I've abandoned because of this writing style, I never considered leaving the book & story.

I liked the 2 main characters very much & found them believable although some of situations our main characters found themselves in were once or twice a bit stretched.

Nevertheless, it was an entertaining book with likable characters & with enough history pleasantly told to be a 4 star book.

I have one strict measure about whether a book and/or movie is deemed "good" or "bad" but in honor of "no spoilers" I will not divulge this criteria; however let me say, this book passed that test, I'm very happy to report. When I closed the cover on Capitan Kidd (Kep-Dun) & Johanna's (Cho-henna) story I was satisfied.