Reviews by Jan M. (Broken Arrow, OK)

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The Big Finish
The Big Finish
by Brooke Fossey
Ending Well (11/8/2019)
As a fellow "Golden Ager" I could relate to the characters in this book and their thought processes. Just because we're old, doesn't mean we can't experience deep feelings of friendship, love, loss and everything in between. Carl and Duffy were good friends living a …more
Travelers
Travelers: A Novel
by Helon Habila
Difficult Read (5/10/2019)
Let me begin by saying I'm a reader in the autumn of my life - past the time that I can be very passionate about the unfairness of life's circumstances. Therefore, I'm sorry to say, this book did not appeal to me in so many ways. To me, it was very depressing and …more
Ellie and the Harpmaker
Ellie and the Harpmaker
by Hazel Prior
Sweet Story (4/4/2019)
Oh my goodness I loved this book. It was a sweet story with such dear and gentle characters along with a couple of really ugly ones that made me love the main ones all the more. I don't know anything about the writer, but I am impressed with her ability to create word …more
The Sound of Gravel
The Sound of Gravel: A Memoir
by Ruth Wariner
A heartwrenching story well told (11/7/2015)
My goodness where do I start. I read this book on one sitting. It broke my heart to read about the terrible conditions under which these children lived. The fact that the father was a pervert, a thief, and an abuser yet he claimed be following God's will made me so angry. I …more
Maud's Line
Maud's Line
by Margaret Verble
Outstanding! (7/15/2015)
This book exceeded all my expectations. The setting is eastern Oklahoma where I live, so I was particularly interested the book to start with. The writer's descriptions of locales were so vivid and realistic, it made this reader feel the starkness of Maud's life. I felt her …more
Make Your Home Among Strangers
Make Your Home Among Strangers
by Jennine Capó Crucet
Nicely written about a rather unlikable character (4/23/2015)
I was really puzzled by this book. It could have been a pleasant book about a Cuban girl named Lizet who, despite her dysfunctional family, was able to attend a first rate college and had the opportunity make something of herself. Instead it turned out to be a litany of …more
He Wanted the Moon
He Wanted the Moon: The Madness and Medical Genius of Dr. Perry Baird, and His Daughter's Quest to Know Him
by Mimi Baird with Eve Claxton
Disturbing Reality (3/2/2015)
This was a hard book to read, not because of the writing, but because of the subject matter. It was hurtful to visualize the inhuman treatment the good Doctor was subjected to. How could such practices be called "treatment", it seemed more like torture to me.
For the life of …more
The Last Flight of Poxl West
The Last Flight of Poxl West
by Daniel Torday
A good story but not a particularly good read (1/18/2015)
After having read through some of other reader's comments I'm left wondering, "what's wrong with me?".

I had a hard time sticking with this book. Parts of it seemed 'disjointed' if that can be a description. I sometimes felt the writer kept a dictionary at hand so he could …more
The Same Sky
The Same Sky
by Amanda Eyre Ward
Timely and enlightening (11/1/2014)
Oh my goodness, where do I start. This book was so good on so many levels. . Two different lives, both nicely fleshed out and interesting, each in her own way. Alternating chapters was a little disconcerting at first, but soon became part of the puzzle. How were they …more
The Book of Strange New Things
The Book of Strange New Things: A Novel
by Michel Faber
Alien Missionary (9/4/2014)
After thinking about this book for a few days, I am still not sure how I feel about it. I did think the book was very well written, except for the abrupt ending. It seemed like after 500 pages the author got tired and just said, "the end." Perhaps the writer could had given …more
Glitter and Glue
Glitter and Glue: A Memoir
by Kelly Corrigan
PAINFULLY GOOD (12/24/2013)
This is a book that really surprised this reader. As I began reading, I assumed it would be a light, fun tale of two young women experiencing the adventure of their lives. Very quickly I became aware that it was much more than that. Kelly's narrative revealed a lovely young …more
Henry and Rachel
Henry and Rachel
by Laurel Saville
Well written but depressing (10/3/2013)
This was an interesting book, with well constructed sentences and easy to follow structure. The story line was nicely presented, but by the end of the book, I was really disgusted with Rachel, the main character. I found myself thinking, "just get over it girl!" Bad things …more
The Daughters of Mars
The Daughters of Mars
by Thomas Keneally
Hard to Read (5/28/2013)
I'm sorry to rate this book poor, for it was a wonderful book, but it was hard to read. The sentences go on forever. I realize the purpose was to imitate private journals, but in doing so, it made reading difficult. I found myself re-reading passages in an attempt to …more
Walk Me Home
Walk Me Home
by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Wow, a number 5! (4/2/2013)
This was a terrific book, it caught me in the first pages and held tight until the last. It was so well done, that I "felt her pain" as Carly made her way across the country in search of someone to love and take care of them. I could have strangled her mother, and from the …more
The Laws of Gravity
The Laws of Gravity
by Liz Rosenberg
Sad by satisfactory ending (4/2/2013)
This was a book about love and courage. The characters were all admirable and well described. I was sorry the story could not have a happy ending, but was very impressed at the way it was done. There was so much love surrounding Nicole as she took her last breaths, it made …more
A Hundred Flowers
A Hundred Flowers: A Novel
by Gail Tsukiyama
Harsh and Sweet (7/26/2012)
Author Gail Tsukiyama gives her readers a glimpse of the harshness of life in China during the time the Communists were in power. Yet, at the same time, she shares with us the gentleness of her characters. Kai Ying, the mother of Tao is so strong as she manages to carry on, …more
The Secrets of Mary Bowser
The Secrets of Mary Bowser
by Lois Leveen
History made easy (5/17/2012)
I'm not a good history student, so this book was a delightful experience for me. A history lesson made easy! Mary Bowser's "secrets" gave this reader a look at slavery and the civil war from an entirely different perspective. I was appalled by the fact that slaves were …more
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