I am so sorry to not have written a review of this interesting book sooner. But, I must share with you that I have serious eye problems and must use a magnifying glass to read even large print books. Since The Resurrection of Joan Ashby is not in large print and is very long, I have not been able to finish reading it. But, I'm impressed by what I have read and was caught up in the book at the first chapter. I love words and the author uses them with skill and abandon. Her characters are well formed and the details of the scenes readily available to the reader. Again, I apologize for my lateness and for not having as yet finished reading the book, but I hope my fellow readers here will understand and send good wishes to me re: my vision problems.

You may wonder why a book which touched my heart would only rate 4 stars rather than 5. I did like the book very much, but there were times when it seemed a bit repetitious as though "filler" were used to extend the length of the book. That aside, I enjoyed Bess, Cissy and Sarah; their ups and downs, their joys and sorrows. Living in a state as I do where homes literally falling into the ocean is not unheard of. The Book of Summer lends a poignant sense to the home and the people who have loved it down through the years. Through it we get a better look at those both who have lived there through the years and those who have been welcome visitors. While some of the book offers little surprise, other parts amaze us with a sense of scenes we didn't expect. I would call this book just right for a summer read on the beach, or anywhere one might be with the book in your bag or beside your bed.

What an exciting book. It read not like a dry, scholarly tome, but like a mystery that one wants to see solved. But, this mystery involves real people, one family in particular, who are dying of a creeping disease that moves from generation to generation in the family followed by this author. We see sorrow, great happiness, determination and always a desire to solve the mystery of this genetic condition and allow the family, and others who may be victims, to live life without the fear of this condition afflicting another generation. The writing was excellent; the story poignant. Even those of us, such as myself, who are not of a scientific bent, will enjoy and appreciate this book.

I found the first half of this book to be slow reading. To me, that part was tedious as there was little or no conversation, just a simply written litany of Neltje's growing up in a dysfunctional family. I forced myself to read and about half way through, the book became more interesting to me. The format didn't change; first person narratives of the author's life. However, her life became more varied and positive, so my interest increased. Her life as an adult remained often dysfunctional, but she was making progress in escaping the traumas of her childhood and creating a safe haven for herself and her children. Her choice of men didn't seem to improve much, but she became strong enough to realize that she could get along without a man emotionally supporting her. I would enjoy seeing some of her art work. What a life line for her that must have been. I liked reading the details of the various forms of art with which she worked, and quite successfully it seems. Good for her. I recommended this book to those who can make it through writings of her early years and then enjoy reading of her art, her struggles with her brother and her mother and her now apparently serene life in Wyoming.

What an interesting book. Mr. Greene has a way with words that catches and holds my attention. This tale of the "star crossed lovers" is as well written as was The Headmaster's Wife. I realize that some readers are put off by an author who switches characters and/or time and both are done in If I Forget You. However, the story is so compelling, the characters sympathetic and the chapters short enough that I doubt many folks would be thrown off by this way of telling a rousing good story. Henry and Margot become like good friends whom we sometimes wish we could take by the napes of their necks, and shake some sense into them. But, the story is better as it is told by the author. Our sympathies surround each of them as we watch their lives unfold and wonder just how it will all end for each of them. Do read this book. You will be glad that you did and you will want to share it after you have done so.

Let me say straight out that reading this book was a tension-filled ride for me. I was caught up in the lives of the main characters, Tom, an American newspaper reporter of some fame, and Nina, his native interpreter.

Some years after the books initial scenes of drama, Tom returns to Bosnia/Serbia and once again meets Nina. He is now an independent journalist. And here is where the tension for the reader increases when it seems it can get no stronger. I asked myself if I should stop reading the book for a bit or continue with the tale. I chose to continue as I could not bear not knowing what happened next. So, continue reading I did, holding my breathe at times and staying up much past my bedtime. Was it worth it? Oh, yes, indeed. Very much so. What a writer!

The War Reporter is that kind of book. The kind that draws one in , steals from your sleep but in the end rewards the reader with a tale of war and its sufferings, of love and its turmoil. This reader was grateful to have read this book which will long stay with me.

What courage it takes to go against public sentiment and Lucy had courage in spades! I finished this book in the middle of the night and didn't begrudge the loss of sleep at all. Lucy is due thanks not only from members of today's Gay community, but from all of us women of the 21st century. She gave up family, home, security....all of the things most of us take for granted to follow her heart and inner soul and those who followed her are freer for the efforts of women such as she. How difficult to give up parents, siblings, daughter, first love. And then to give up her freedom to protect her "wife" from abuse. Mr. Klaber used well the research of Jack Niflot as well as his own to tell Lucy's story. And tell it he does in well constructed prose that makes the tale come alive for his readers. I encourage women and men to read this story and to not be touched by it. Thank you, Mr. Klaber for bringing Lucy's story to light.

I was familiar with the concept in the U.S. of the Orphan Trains, but had not read anything that disclosed as much detail as Kline's excellent book. The book fully held my attention by intertwining a child from one of those trains with another child who was a ward of the state in our current foster system. Neither systems were 100 close to seeing to it that these children, uprooted by family death, poverty, neglect, etc received the care, the schooling, the love they deserved, but many ended up in dire circumstances. The book brought me close to tears at times and made me appreciate my own parents and more so my own children. The book has an afterward of factual information about the Orphan Trains, which is well worth reading, in addition to the story itself.

We have often been warned to not judge a book by its cover. However, the cover of "Backyard" is delightful, filled with bright flowers, butterflies, even a silly little gnome. The narrative of the book is likewise filled with both delight and silliness; but fun silliness. Now, I garden myself, but cannot imagine become as fixated on winning a prize as some of the characters in this book, but then I've never had a 5 figure prize in the balance. The gardeners are unusual, to say the least. What we do learn about the plants they so tenderly care for interesting and the lengths some of them go to undercut their competition fascinating. This was a quick read. Not great literature, but as summer turns to fall for most of us, a fun read to carry us over into the "dreaming" season for gardeners. Do get a copy, sit back, make plans for next summer's garden and enjoy.

I'm at somewhat of a loss as to how to review this book without giving away too much of the plot. However, let's give it a go. I must admit that I found it difficult to pick this book up to read once I got into it a ways, It simply did not hold my interest. Now generally I enjoy books that alternate narrative chapters, but the device seemed a bit awkward in HER. It also left me wondering about when the author would get to the point of the novel and tell her readers the connection between the two main characters. When that connection was finally revealed, it seemed rather tenuous at best. The more I read, the more evil Nina was made out to be and the more I wanted to see the course of events change, which they did not. Things just got worse. The book left me with a distaste for Nina and sorrow for Emma and her family. I found nothing compelling this reader to continue reading the book other than a sense of responsibility to Book Browse and a desire to learn if Nina was really as evil as I felt she was, more so as each chapter passed. The premise of the book was a good one, but I believe it could have been handled more expertly.

The acknowledgements at the end of this book tell of the research done for it. The author has taken her research and made an outstanding novel, weaving the history and the filled in blanks to create an entrancing read. i like both history and fiction, so enjoyed the mix of the two in this book. We had romance, family dysfunction, war, friendships, enmity..........a wide spectrum of events and emotions; enough to keep this reader eagerly turning the pages. Those who enjoy a rousing tale are encouraged to read this novel. You will not be disappointed.

I began reading this book with high hopes of a tale that would hold my interest throughout and provide pleasure plus increased awareness of what it's like to give permission for a deceased child's organs to be harvested for the well-being of others. Yes, it was a "good" book, but somewhat disappointing in that it was written in a rather simple style; more simple than I found necessary. The characters were stereotyped which made the plot quite predictable. I wanted to like the story better as I liked the premise, but though I read every bit of it, I came away somewhat disappointed.

What an intriguing book! As I read the first few chapters, I must admit that I was a bit confused by the format, but even more by the unfamiliar names of the characters. But, as I read more, I became engrossed in the story and in the horror experienced by the citizens of Iran as they were imprisoned, tortured, killed for disagreeing with the regime in power at any one particular time. The characters were three dimensional, not stereotypes, but persons whom I might have know, who could have been family, co-workers, neighbors, friends. This is a book which not only entertains, but teaches about a culture very different from that in the United States. The biggest lesson, in my opinion, is that the citizens of Iran, for the most part, are like us in wanting lives that are meaningful, happy and that hold a promising future for their children, but who often find those goals unobtainable. As our nations clash, this book helps us to have empathy for the citizens of Iran and for us to hope that in some way they can understand those of us who are the "ordinary" citizens of the USA. A book well worth reading.

I received this book in the mail yesterday and finished reading it today; it's that compelling. The author uses three voices to tell his tale, a young boy, an elderly woman, and a middle-aged sheriff. Wiley Cash captures the spirit of each of his narrators splendidly. I am an elderly reader myself, but could identify with each of these 3 disparate persons as I believe readers of most ages can. It's not a children's book, but almost anyone else will be able to identify with at least one of the main narrators. The transition between these 3 persons is seamless and the story loses nothing by alternating between them. The book is filled with pathos, suspense, human interest. Well done, Mr. Cash. I look forward to your second book.