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Reviews by Dorothy L. (Manalapan, NJ)

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The Girl Before
by JP Delaney

A Very Good Read (12/21/2016)

I was intrigued by this book from the opening page. I kept wanting to find out what was going to happen next. I think there were similarities with Fifty Shades of Grey with the controlling characters of Christian and Edward and their manipulation of women. But I think it …more

Falling
by Jane Green

Light read for a plane ride or beach day but little substance (6/21/2016)

I read this book in a few days. It kept me interested briefly, but was somewhat predictable except for the ending which was rushed. I read it while I wasn't feeling well and this book was perfect for that situation. However, I wouldn't recommend it to my book club. There …more

If I Forget You
by Thomas Christopher Greene

Light read for a plane ride or beach day but little substance (4/26/2016)

I read The Headmaster's Wife and think it is a much better book than this one. It is more complex and memorable. This is a light read, a predictable love story that has been told many times before. The author writes fairly well and I liked the alternating chapters, but the …more

The Paris Winter
by Imogen Robertson

An Enjoyable Read (2/21/2016)

I really liked this book! After a bit of a slow start, it kept me very engaged. I liked the plot line, setting of Paris, and thought the characters were well drawn and had depth. I enjoyed reading about this period in history and liked the depictions of women artists and …more

Maybe in Another Life
by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Light Read (6/5/2015)

I was looking forward to reading this book because the premise sounded interesting. It was a pleasant enough light read that I could see as a book for the beach or plane trip. But it all seemed very predictable when I was two thirds of the way through. I think the author …more

The Fortune Hunter
by Daisy Goodwin

A Good Read (5/17/2015)

I liked this book. After some prior heavy reading, it was nice to have a change of pace. I enjoy historical fiction and this book was accurate I believe with just the right blend of history and fiction. I liked Charlotte and the other characters, thought the introduction of …more

Her Name Is Rose
by Christine Breen

OK Read but Lacks Depth (2/13/2015)

I found the opening pages of this book slow. The pace picked up but I felt the plot was predictable and the characters were sometimes wooden even though the author tried to make them likable. It is an easy read but there wasn't enough depth to the characters to always hold …more

The Last Flight of Poxl West
by Daniel Torday

Disappointing Read (1/17/2015)

I didn't enjoy reading this book. I kept hoping it would get better. I found it slow in parts and disjointed. I really couldn't relate to any of the characters did not find it exceptional at all. I wouldn't recommend it.

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: The Untold Story
by Barbara Leaming

The Myth of Camelot (11/6/2014)

I became a young adult during the Kennedy era and shortly before JFK's election saw him in person. It seemed like a golden era--during his years in office and later in retrospect. Then, after the nightmare of his assassination and the subsequent murders of politicians in …more

Accidents of Marriage
by Randy Susan Meyers

Could Have Been Better (6/19/2014)

I found the book slow for the most part. I couldn't really identify with any of the characters that much. The premise was good but the execution could have been better. I was satisfied with the ending and got a sense of Maddy's emotional journey.as well as physical healing. …more

Her
by Harriet Lane

Page Turner with Flaws (5/8/2014)

Her is a gripping read from the first page. I thought the characters were all fleshed out and there was a realistic sense of aspects of current London life. I liked the alternating chapters with different perspectives. Throughout the book I was wondering WHY and this was …more

The Circle
by Dave Eggers

A Good Read (2/25/2014)

This is a book that has something to say. Its message about the dangerous consequences of non-stop electronic communication, internet tracking, and loss of privacy are relevant today and have even greater implications for the future. The book kept my interest throughout, …more

The Headmaster's Wife
by Thomas Christopher Greene

An Enjoyable Read (12/19/2013)

I liked this book. It was a good read from beginning to end and kept me interested throughout. It is clear from the first page that things are not what they seem. The world of private school is depicted well. The characters, especially the headmaster, kept me engaged and …more

The Gravity of Birds: A Novel
by Tracy Guzeman

This book sometimes got lost (9/15/2013)

I found this novel had a slow start that made me impatient. I wasn't very engaged with the characters. Midway through the book, the pace quickened and I got more interested in the story. Then the reverse happened. Events came together very quickly at the end of the book and …more

The Ocean at the End of the Lane
by Neil Gaiman

Disappointing Read (8/9/2013)

I'll be brief. I did not like this book. Why? It seemed obscure just to be obscure. It just seemed like the classic conflict of good and evil with new symbols that didn't work. I could not get into it at all. The only thing I thought interesting was the relationship between …more

The Casual Vacancy
by J.K. (Joanne) Rowling

A Huge Disappointment (7/24/2013)

I really disliked this book. Neither the story line nor the characters were engaging. It was very boring and at times unreadable. I would never recommend it!

Me Before You: A Novel
by Jojo Moyes

A Wonderful Book (7/24/2013)

I love this book. I was reluctant to read it at first because of the subject matter. It was one of my book club's selections and I think it is a wonderful book--gripping story and well written. It starts slowly and builds dramatically. When you get to the last fifty pages …more

Beautiful Ruins: A Novel
by Jess Walter

A Tedious and Disappointing Read (7/10/2013)

This book was my book club's selection. I did not like it. After the first 50 pages I was ready to stop reading. I did plod on though. The book got slightly better near the end and I managed to finish it. I didn't like the story line. It was confusing and very disjointed. …more

Amy Falls Down
by Jincy Willett

A Change of Pace (6/30/2013)

I took this book with me to read on vacation. I am a writer myself so I was looking forward to having the protagonist a writer. Amy is fun, very intelligent and definitely quirky. The book made me smile often and I enjoyed the ironies throughout. It was a view into the …more

The Daughters of Mars
by Thomas Keneally

A Difficult Read (5/19/2013)

There are some good things about this book--its scope, range, and detailed description of World War I from a perspective I sometimes found interesting. But on the whole I would not recommend it to friends or my book club. I found it very difficult to read because of all the …more

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