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Reviews by Jean G. (Rockford, IL)

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The French Girl
The French Girl
by Lexie Elliott
A Mystery Plus (9/17/2017)
Although basically a mystery, that sometimes felt of secondary importance. The novel was also a detailed story of contemporary women successful by their own means. Told in the first person, the female protagonist gives an in-depth picture of her intense emotional thoughts …more
The Gypsy Moth Summer
The Gypsy Moth Summer
by Julia Fierro
Crazy Summer (5/3/2017)
I did not enjoy this book. The author was trying too hard to be contemporary, overdoing it with proper names of retail products. Many descriptions didn't seem to fit the picture, just trying too hard to be off-the-wall. It was interesting to learn about gypsy moths, their …more
Our Short History
Our Short History
by Lauren Grodstein
A Short Review (2/3/2017)
The premise of this novel written as a journal to a son for him to read after his mom's death from cancer sounds intriguing but I found it to not be an engrossing read.
It became rather boring and pretty ho-hum, not producing much emotion in me. It was an easy enough read …more
A Piece of the World
A Piece of the World: A Novel
by Christina Baker Kline
Fasinating History (12/18/2016)
It is always a pleasure to learn more about American history and this book doesn't disappoint. And especially to learn the story behind a famous painting by a famous artist who lived in the US in the first half of the 20th century is great. A well written book, easy to …more
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
by Kathleen Rooney
Interesting walk (9/20/2016)
Good read with detailed chapter titles and clever, descriptive prose. It depicts a woman born in the early 1900's. Lily, in the first person, defines women in the decades up to the 1980's who were not satisfied to be typical of the non working mom, subservient to a man.

Lily …more
The Book That Matters Most
The Book That Matters Most: A Novel
by Ann Hood
Book Lovers Rejoice (6/10/2016)
This novel should be an automatic "like" for all reviewers as the story involves books and book clubs. The author does a fantastic job of intertwining themes of so-called important books with the plot. The author's method of devoting each chapter to a particular character …more
The Opposite of Everyone
The Opposite of Everyone
by Joshilyn Jackson
In Spite of it All (12/5/2015)
Many novels have a common theme of family and how childhood affects all but this book tells of a totally uncommon family life due to a most incompetent mother figure and her impact on the children. Elements such as Hinduism, karma, and mystics play a part that make the …more
Girl Waits with Gun
Girl Waits with Gun
by Amy Stewart
NRA would approve (7/19/2015)
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel of historical fiction that covered the eras from the 1890's to the 1920's in America. It captured the day to day lives of 3 sisters in that period accurately if my memory of history class doesn't fail me. The characters are likable and well …more
Letters to the Lost
Letters to the Lost
by Iona Grey
All is Not Lost (3/19/2015)
The author writes an engrossing story that will hold the readers interest because of in-depth characters you will care for and because they live in a world we can identify with or recall in history. The first chapter grabs you with "a letter to the lost" which sets the tone …more
The Rebellion of Miss Lucy Ann Lobdell
The Rebellion of Miss Lucy Ann Lobdell
by William Klaber
Rebellion of Sorts (12/16/2014)
I found the story easy to read, being written in a conversational tone and more character driven, without interruption of more literary focuses such as similes and description of landscapes. It is a birds eye view of a woman around 1855 who fights in her own way for the …more
Five
Five
by Ursula Archer
Title is boring (10/2/2014)
"Five" is a hint but not an in-depth clever title. It is typical of some of the elementary comments and conversations from the protagonist concerning her police work. The secondary characters were not developed enough to understand their behavior, especially her boss and co- …more
Accidents of Marriage
Accidents of Marriage
by Randy Susan Meyers
Marriage Mayhem (6/22/2014)
This is not a happy or upbeat story as it concerns a family fraught with an overabundance of everyday problems, many brought on by a husband's drinking, anger, and ignorance in child rearing, coupled with a life changing event. The husband/father is truly not a likable …more
A Paris Apartment
A Paris Apartment
by Michelle Gable
More than just a place (3/25/2014)
The Paris Apartment has numerous themes running through which make it a book readers might not want to put down. The majority of the story is set in Paris. Readers will be totally immersed in the lifestyles, culture, and habits of the French.
April, the protagonist, has a " …more
Doing Harm
Doing Harm
by Kelly Parsons
No Harm Taken (11/9/2013)
A 40 year career in the medical field made this book a natural choice and I was not disappointed in its authenticity. Although it held my interest, as it will everyone liking medical intrigue, I at first felt it an almost too uncomplicated read, with little literary value. …more
Walk Me Home
Walk Me Home
by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Where is "home"? (4/28/2013)
A surprisingly good novel considering its simply written, unadorned prose and brevity of descriptions. I found it to be more character driven, telling the story of two sisters, a teenager and a soon to be teenager. In its simplicity it is a fast read, but its many short …more
Indiscretion
Indiscretion
by Charles Dubow
an age old discussion (11/16/2012)
This book reads very elementary in subject and simplistic in style and diction, one I first thought of as an inconsequential beach read. It is saved by the clever appearance of the narrator who has an integral part in the story along with his occasional narration. This …more
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: A Novel
by Rachel Joyce
Life happens (7/21/2012)
An implausible premise of a journey on foot turns entertaining and almost believable due to the main characters' likability. Credit the author's talent for beautifully written realistic prose that gets into Harold's head and captures the essence of his thoughts so we can …more
Salvage the Bones
Salvage the Bones: A Novel
by Jesmyn Ward
Salvage the Bones (7/23/2011)
This book was interesting enough to hold my attention but there was not enough depth to the characters to feel emotionally connected to the families' struggles. The prose style was overloaded with far out similes that did not help get to the heart of the story. Overall, a …more
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