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Reviews by Randi H. (Bronx, NY)

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The Whyte Python World Tour
The Whyte Python World Tour: A Novel
by Travis Kennedy
The Whyte Python World Tour (4/2/2025)
Set in L.A. and Eastern Europe just before the fall of the Berlin Wall, The Whyte Python World Tour is a wild, entertaining ride. A rising rock star drummer finds himself entangled in a high-stakes plot to aid democracy in the crumbling Soviet bloc. With espionage, music, …more
One Death at a Time
One Death at a Time
by Abbi Waxman
Engaging! (12/4/2024)
The novel follows a young woman navigating life after dropping out of school and joining Alcoholics Anonymous. As she rebuilds herself, she lands a job with an ex-con and ex-actress turned attorney, whose unorthodox methods and vibrant personality bring big energy to the …more
Pony Confidential
Pony Confidential
by Christina Lynch
Pony Confidential (6/4/2024)
This book was not for me. Told in alternating points of view between Penny and her former pony, I found the book repetitive and cliched. Penny was an unbelievable character, constantly idolizing the portion of her childhood when she owned the pony. She gave very little …more
This Strange Eventful History
This Strange Eventful History: A Novel
by Claire Messud
A moving tale of loss (4/7/2024)
Covering a span of 70 years, This Strange Eventful History tells the story of a family as they search for home. Uprooted from their lives for reasons as varied as war, love, and career, the Cassare family struggles to be happy where they land.
I was drawn to the moving …more
The Stone Home
The Stone Home: A Novel
by Crystal Hana Kim
Difficult but worthwhile (11/12/2023)
The Stone Home is a difficult read about an unknown (to me at least) piece of history. A story about a mother and daughter in South Korea who are swept up by authorities attempting to "clean" the country of undesirables, mostly the poor and those on the fringes of society. …more
Mrs. Plansky's Revenge
Mrs. Plansky's Revenge
by Spencer Quinn
Enjoyable (3/30/2023)
Mrs. Plansky's Revenge was an enjoyable, light read about an older woman who gets herself into, and out of, trouble. I would have liked more character development as I never felt that I understood the characters' motives. The plot also felt a bit predictable. But overall it …more
Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain: A Love Story
by Vesna Goldsworthy
Entertaining historical fiction (1/3/2023)
Iron Curtain is the enjoyable story of Milena, a young woman who grows up the privileged daughter of a high-ranking member of a communist-bloc state's government prior to the dissolution of the USSR. She falls in love with a British man and moves to England to marry him. …more
The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise
The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise
by Colleen Oakley
Fun read! (10/7/2022)
The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise is a fun story with some surprising twists that I didn't see coming. It has a bit of everything, including self discovery, adventure, and romance. I very much enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining escapist read.
The Immortal King Rao
The Immortal King Rao: A Novel
by Vauhini Vara
The Immortal King Rao (4/4/2022)
The Immortal King Rao is seemingly about technology and how, in the future, tech has become the overarching world political authority. However, it is also about family relationships and how we are tethered to our family. I enjoyed the story of King Rao, a Dalit in India who …more
Peach Blossom Spring
Peach Blossom Spring: A Novel
by Melissa Fu
sweeping epic (2/14/2022)
Peach Blossom Spring takes place over 70 years, following a family trying to survive during a time of great upheaval. The book confronts questions of identity and the social, historical, and cultural factors that shape a person's relationship with the world at large. I …more
The Latinist
The Latinist: A Novel
by Mark Prins
The Latinist (10/8/2021)
The Latinist did not totally work for me. I didn't feel connected to either of the main characters -- Ph.D. candidate Tessa Templeton and her mentor Oxford professor Chris Eccles. And although I generally love to learn something while reading fiction, at times I felt that …more
A Theater for Dreamers
A Theater for Dreamers
by Polly Samson
Highly evocative (3/10/2021)
A Theater for Dreamers is a fictionalized account of the expatriate community in Hydra, Greece in 1960. The novel is fabulously atmospheric. As I read, the sights and smells of Hydra came alive. But the story itself could have been stronger; not a whole lot happens as this …more
Raft of Stars
Raft of Stars
by Andrew J. Graff
Beautifully written (11/2/2020)
I loved this emotionally powerful story of two boys and the community that forms around when they find themselves in trouble. The writing is lush with a very strong sense of place, in this case the woods of northern Wisconsin. I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys character-driven novels.
The Smallest Lights in the Universe
The Smallest Lights in the Universe: A Memoir
by Sara Seager
I'm dreaming of the stars (6/23/2020)
The Smallest Lights in the Universe was a fascinating look at both Sara Seager's career and her home life. The book is split between discussing her work as an astrophysicist and her personal life, mostly as a widow after her husband's death. I found the discussions of her …more
The Mountains Sing
The Mountains Sing
by Nguyen Phan Que Mai
Engrossing family tale (1/13/2020)
Since visiting Vietnam prior to the U.S. establishing diplomatic relations with the country, I have been drawn to books that are set in the country. So I was quite excited to read The Mountains Sing. I very much enjoyed this look at the history of Vietnam in the 20th …more
American Dirt
American Dirt: A Novel
by Jeanine Cummins
Haunting (11/6/2019)
American Dirt is the best book I've read this year. It tells the story of a mother and son as they flee drug cartel violence in their hometown of Acapulco. They head north, facing many dangers, and have to draw upon reserves of inner strength they did not know they had. …more
Women Rowing North
Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing As We Age
by Mary Pipher
A book to return to over the years (5/1/2019)
Although I am (slightly) under the stated target age for Women Rowing North, I found the book to be an insightful guide to aging for women. I greatly enjoyed Mary Pipher's exhortations to mindfulness and making the most of the life we actually have. As I read the book, I …more
The Last Romantics
The Last Romantics
by Tara Conklin
Hard to put down (11/27/2018)
The Last Romantics is a story of four siblings, set over a period of nearly 100 years. The relationships between the family members are relatable and the characters are well developed. The story drew me in very quickly and has continued to linger since I finished it. …more
The Lost Man
The Lost Man
by Jane Harper
Excellent! (10/29/2018)
I thought The Lost Man was a wonderful book and enjoyed it even more than Jane Harper's previous two entertaining novels featuring Aaron Falk.
Very atmospherically set in the Australia outback, The Lost Man centers its story around family dynamics and how the choices we …more
Our House
Our House
by Louise Candlish
Our House, by Louise Candlish (6/4/2018)
Wow, what a book! Our House is a suspenseful read, full of twists and turns that I, for one, did not see coming. Just when I thought I had things figured out, something new happened to keep me on edge. Right up to the very end, which has to be one of the most unforgettable …more
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  • Book Jacket
    The Husbands
    by Holly Gramazio
    The Husbands delights in asking: how do we navigate life, love, and choice in a world of never-ending options?
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