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Reviews by Mary M. (Lexington, KY)

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Hieroglyphics
by Jill McCorkle
Dreary (6/27/2020)
I did not like this book. The story is told by four different characters. I found it hard to follow and the characters of Shelley and Harvey were not interesting to me. The character Lil was the most interesting and I might have enjoyed the story if it had been told only from her perspective.

I stuck with it hoping it would get better or make some sense in the end but it didn't.
Never Have I Ever
by Joshilyn Jackson
Wow (4/21/2019)
The story begins when short term renter Roux pushes her way into the neighborhood Book Club. Roux quickly takes over and it is apparent she is there to cause trouble, especially for Amy. Roux knows a secret about Amy and wants money to keep quiet. Amy is determined not to give it to her and the games begin. I was impressed with the way Roux was written. she leapt off the page and I was on edge wondering what she would do next. Both women have secrets and they are revealed slowly so you are constantly surprised. I would recommend this book to Book Clubs, there are lots of topics for discussion. I could not put this book down and I will be recommending it to my friends.
Clock Dance: A Novel
by Anne Tyler
Quiet (7/22/2018)
In Clock Dance we first meet the main character Willa when she is a child and follow her through significant events in her life. We quickly see that Willa is living her life doing what others want. That is until she receives a phone call from a stranger asking her to come across the country to care for a child she has never met. In a surprise to everyone she goes and the experience changes her life.

I titled this review quiet because the book is a quiet study of Willa's life. I am a fan of Anne Tyler. I haven't read a book by her that I didn't like. She has the ability to take ordinary characters in ordinary situations and make them interesting. She goes about it in a quiet way. There is nothing flashy in her writing. She writes quiet stories that leave a lasting impression.
As Bright as Heaven
by Susan Meissner
Disappointing (10/30/2017)
I did not like this book. I didn't like the parts where the girls told the story. It felt like a YA book and it reminded me of Little Women but not in a good way. The parts of the story narrated by the mother were better. By the second part of the book I began to lose interest in the story. I also did not enjoy reading about the workings of the funeral home. This entire book was a big miss for me and I wouldn't recommend it.
The Fifth Petal: A Novel
by Brunonia Barry
Mystery and More (3/3/2017)
I was looking forward to reading this book and I wasn't disappointed. A murder happens in present day Salem that seems to have a connection to a crime that happened 25 years ago. Both crimes also seem to have a connection to the Salem Witch Trials. The author blends history, legend and the supernatural into a fascinating mystery. The story twists and turns keeping the reader in suspense until the very end. I wouldn't usually recommend a mystery for book clubs but this book is so much more than a mystery. It has many topics that will make for a lively discussion. I loved this book.
Rise: How a House Built a Family
by Cara Brookins
Inspiring and Disturbing (10/16/2016)
I was looking forward to reading this book. I was expecting an inspiring story about a family building a house. However after reading the book I didn't like it at all. The sections about Cara and her children building their house were interesting and inspirational. The sections about the abuse were graphic and disturbing. It made the book unpleasant for me to read. I wouldn't recommend this book for a book club. It might be a good book for an abuse survivors support group to read.
The Book That Matters Most: A Novel
by Ann Hood
Books that matter (6/6/2016)
This book had me hooked when I read the title. I immediately started thinking about what book mattered most to me. As I read further I became interested in the books the members chose. I took note of which books I had read and those I might want to read. The real heart of the story however was Ava, her daughter Maggie, and the story behind the book that mattered most to Ava. My only criticism of the book was how easily Maggie's problems went away. It wasn't realistic to me. This is a very good book for book clubs or anyone who enjoys reading.
The Midnight Watch: A Novel of the Titanic and the Californian
by David Dyer
Different look at Titanic disaster (2/24/2016)
This book is a different look at the Titanic disaster. The book focuses on a reporter's investigation of the Californian a British ship in the area of the Titanic's sinking that did not answer the Titanic's distress signals. Although the book is fiction it is based on historical facts. The author imagines what happened that night and what motivated the captain and the crew of the Californian to ignore the signals. The story of the ships was interesting. I didn't enjoy the reporters personal story. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the Titanic.
The Two-Family House
by Lynda Cohen Loigman
Great idea wasted (11/13/2015)
The premise of this book was fascinating and it should have made for an engrossing family saga. It moved very quickly through the years, to quickly in my opinion. At the end of every chapter I felt like part of the story was missing. I would have enjoyed the book more if it had been twice as long and more developed. The author just skimmed the surface and I was left wanting to know more. It felt like I had read a rough draft. A great idea for a book was wasted.
House of Echoes: A Novel
by Brendan Duffy
Scary Good (2/28/2015)
This book had a little of everything suspense, family drama, mystery and history together they made a great book. There is a sense of foreboding from the first pages. You know something isn't right but you don't know what it is. The author really takes his time telling the story and building the suspense. You don't know who is dangerous and who can be trusted. It is only in the last pages that all is revealed and it is worth the wait. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books from this author.
Backyard
by Norman Draper
Crazy (10/9/2014)
A humorous and unusual book that tells the story of amateur gardeners Nan and George and their quest to win the prize for best garden. Dr. Sproot a gardening expert, at least in her own mind, does whatever she can to keep them from winning. There are lots of crazy characters getting themselves in all sorts of predicaments while trying to win the prize. The only thing I didn't like about the book was the setting. It was a fictional town but it just didn't seem like an American town. This book is not great literature but it was fun to read.
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