Reviews by Lori L. (La Porte, IN)

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Piranesi
Piranesi
by Susanna Clarke
Susanna Clarke's Piranesi (10/12/2020)
This book is set in a labyrinth-like palace made up of statue-filled halls and an ocean that moves in and out of rooms in shifting tides. Piranesi lives there alone, with periodic appearances by a mysterious Other, and catalogues the rooms, statues, and tides in a …more
The Devoted
The Devoted
by Blair Hurley
Searching (5/23/2018)
The narrator is searching for meaning and transcendence, first in the Catholic upbringing she received, then as a run-away in the drug-fueled culture of the homeless, and finally in Zen Buddhism. In each of these situations, a strong "other" (her mother, Jules, and her " …more
The Chalk Man
The Chalk Man
by C. J. Tudor
Creepy, in a good way... (12/20/2017)
The Chalk Man hits all the right notes for a creepy thriller. It's got death, dismemberment, ghosts, and how past decisions can come back to haunt us (sometimes literally). It's told from the alternating points of view of the protagonist, Eddie as a twelve year old and Ed …more
Mothers of Sparta
Mothers of Sparta: A Memoir in Pieces
by Dawn Davies
A Memoir in Pieces (10/17/2017)
I loved this book! In it, the author tells her life story in a series of essays. Her essays are so well-written and so immersive, you feel like you are living out the events she describes along with her. This book will bring you to tears and make you laugh out loud, as she …more
The Imperial Wife
The Imperial Wife
by Irina Reyn
A Tale of Two Ambitious Women (6/27/2016)
Irina Reyn has written what really could have (should have?) been two novels, one the story of a modern day
Russian art specialist and the other, the story of the early days of Catherine the Great. I am a fan of historical fiction, and often found myself wanting to hear …more
All Is Not Forgotten
All Is Not Forgotten
by Wendy Walker
All is Not Forgotten: A Psychological Thriller (10/22/2015)
My educational background is in clinical psychology, so I found the book's premise about memory consolidation and recovery very interesting. The book begins with the brutal rape of a teenage girl, who receives an experimental drug therapy to "erase" her memory of the …more
The Well
The Well
by Catherine Chanter
The Well (2/24/2015)
The Well, a debut novel by author Catherine Chanter, is a beautifully written meditation on one woman's search for answers in the mysterious death of her grandchild. The author's beautiful, poetic prose makes the setting for this novel come alive in ways that feel dream- …more
Irritable Hearts
Irritable Hearts: A PTSD Love Story
by Mac McClelland
Unforgettable chronicle of living with PTSD (1/7/2015)
I think what makes this book so compelling is the author's incredible gift for explaining exactly what she is feeling in every moment (both good and bad), drawing you deep into her story and allowing you to experience it through her eyes. The author is a journalist on the …more
The Rabbit Back Literature Society
The Rabbit Back Literature Society
by Pasi Ilmari Jaaskelainen
Strange (11/18/2014)
Usually the weirder the better for me, when it comes to fiction my taste is pretty eclectic. But this one just didn't do it for me. The supernatural elements of the story just never really went anywhere. Someone else described this novel as having a sort of Twin Peaks-like …more
Juliet's Nurse
Juliet's Nurse
by Lois Leveen
Juliet's Nurse (7/16/2014)
I enjoyed this book, and the expansion of the character of Juliet's nurse and her back story. The author was exceptionally skilled at breathing new life and motivation into these well-known characters, and I enjoyed finding the "Easter eggs" (familiar quotes from …more
Doing Harm
Doing Harm
by Kelly Parsons
Doing Harm (11/6/2013)
This medical thriller takes the reader inside the world of chief surgical resident Steven Mitchell at University Hospital. Steven has the stereotypical arrogance of the gifted surgeon, which leads him to make some questionable decisions both medically and personally (flying …more
Amy Falls Down
Amy Falls Down
by Jincy Willett
"Compelling" (6/27/2013)
Amy Gallup is a reclusive curmudgeon of a former writer who now makes her living teaching on-line writing classes and very much enjoys her solitary life. When she falls and hits her head on the birdbath in her yard, as they say, "hi-jinx ensue". In the aftermath of the fall, …more
Close My Eyes
Close My Eyes
by Sophie McKenzie
Psychological Thriller (4/10/2013)
This is one of those books that starts kind of slow, but then the psychological tension builds and builds until you find yourself staying up late to finish the book. Almost Hitchcock-ian (is that a word?) in the way it makes you question the heroine's sanity as the story …more
Children of the Jacaranda Tree
Children of the Jacaranda Tree
by Sahar Delijani
Children of the Jacaranda Tree (2/13/2013)
Although this is a deeply sad book, I did enjoy it. It reminded me, in a way, of "The Kite Runner" in that it offered insight into the lives of individuals living under a brutal, repressive regime in the Middle East. The only thing lacking in this book was a sense of what …more
The Bloodletter's Daughter
The Bloodletter's Daughter: A Novel of Old Bohemia
by Linda Lafferty
Bohemian Bodice Ripper (9/19/2012)
For lovers of historical fiction, The Bloodletter's Daughter provides a fascinating glimpse into life in the late 16th early 17th century Bohemia during the reign of the Hapsburg family. Alternating between the melancholy Emperor Rudolf, his mad eldest son Don Julius, and …more
Shine Shine Shine
Shine Shine Shine: A Novel
by Lydia Netzer
Shine, Shine, Shine (6/13/2012)
Sunny is a woman I would love to know. On the surface she appears to have it all together, but underneath (her wig) she is just as big a mess as the rest of us. This novel deftly and humorously explores the difference between the face we choose to put on for the world and …more
The Land of Decoration
The Land of Decoration: A Novel
by Grace McCleen
Faith and Imagination (3/23/2012)
Debut author Grace McCleen has written a beautiful, thought-provoking book that will appeal to many book clubs, particularly those who enjoy discussions of the nature of faith. Judith is a young girl whose strong faith in God makes her and her father outsiders in their …more
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