Reviews by Sylvia G. (Scottsdale, AZ)

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No One Is Coming to Save Us
No One Is Coming to Save Us
by Stephanie Powell Watts
Didn't save us (4/3/2017)
I had such a mixed experience with this book. After finishing the first three chapters, I put it down and read something else. When I went back to it, and the character of Sylvia was no longer the focus, the book became much better. There are brilliant individual sentences …more
A Piece of the World
A Piece of the World: A Novel
by Christina Baker Kline
Christina's World (12/14/2016)
Taking as inspiration the Andrew Wyeth painting, Christina's World, Kline imagines the life of the woman who sat for and inspired the famous painting. One of the best books I read this year. The writing is so beautiful, impactful and wise. I often re-read sentences and …more
Cruel Beautiful World
Cruel Beautiful World
by Caroline Leavitt
A great read (8/15/2016)
I love books like this where you get the back story on all the characters, not just the linear plot line, but information on each character so you understand and sympathize with each one. There is tragedy here, but also survival. I found it pretty impossible to put down. …more
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things: A Novel
by Bryn Greenwood
More than ugly and not so wonderful (5/14/2016)
What a difficult book to review. It began promising and was very well written but ultimately I could not get over the inappropriate and overly sexual relationship between a child and a very grown man. Although the book tried to justify their "love", I couldn't buy it and …more
Every Anxious Wave
Every Anxious Wave
by Mo Daviau
Not bad (10/14/2015)
Despite my dislike of time travel in novels and absolutely no interest in 90's Indie rock (the two main subjects of this book), I found this book to be surprisingly compelling. By the end I was overwhelmed by the complications and twisty twists and downgraded the experience. …more
The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs
The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs
by Matthew Dicks
Not so perfect (6/1/2015)
First, I felt that I was reading a YA novel. The teenage daughter In this novel is way more wise and mature than her mother, which is not saying much. Second, the breezy, easy read was like fast food. It went down easy but an hour later I was hungry. As I've gotten older, I …more
A Good Family
A Good Family
by Erik Fassnacht
Better than good (5/4/2015)
This is one of the best books I've read this year. Told from the viewpoint of each of the four members of the family, this novel manages to combine great humor, tremendous sadness, and lots of wisdom. I've already recommended it to 6 friends and it isn't even published yet. Outstanding.
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
Compelling true story (2/24/2015)
An intense portrait of what it's like to be bipolar in a world before psychiatric medications, the book takes actual accounts from the author's father who suffered from mental illness and was hospitalized 1944. The structure is a little odd,moving between the author's notes …more
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: The Untold Story
by Barbara Leaming
A new view of Jackie (11/12/2014)
I really enjoyed this biography of Jackie Kennedy. Taking the view that she suffered from PTSD, the author sheds new light on Jackie after the assassination through that lens. I found most of it fascinating. There was a section where the emphasis was on the politics of the …more
Soy Sauce for Beginners
Soy Sauce for Beginners
by Kirstin Chen
Worthy debut (10/8/2013)
When I began this debut novel, I was thinking it was going to be typical, unimaginative chick-lit. What a wonderful surprise it turned out to be. A story about love, it's end, friendship, family business and finding your identity, it is smart,well written, and unpredictable. …more
Lookaway, Lookaway
Lookaway, Lookaway
by Wilton Barnhardt
you might want to look away (6/9/2013)
I wanted to like this book. At times I did. But ultimately, I felt it wasn't worth the time and effort. I love satire and sometimes Barnhardt delivered, but mostly the satire was on the mean side and very heavy-handed. There was more gay sex talk than there needed to be and …more
With or Without You
With or Without You: A Memoir
by Domenica Ruta
Excellent, wish there were 6 stars! (11/19/2012)
Loved this book! I'm fascinated with books about dysfunctional families when there is survival and redemption and Ruta's story is one of the best. The writing is wonderful and the story is harrowing, funny, and inspirational. I've reviewed quite a few books for First …more
The Mark Inside
The Mark Inside: A Perfect Swindle, a Cunning Revenge, and a Small History of the Big Con
by Amy Reading
Don't get conned (6/4/2012)
This story of one big con and the resulting revenge, leads to some history of cons in general. While some of the information was interesting, it did not read anything like a novel, as promised in some of the blurbs on the back. I thought it was often bogged down in …more
The First Warm Evening of the Year
The First Warm Evening of the Year: A Novel
by Jamie M. Saul
For romantics only (4/17/2012)
Don't pick up this book unless you believe in love at first sight, enjoy seemingly deep conversations that are mostly puzzling, and don't mind a book with absolutely zero plot line. At page 153 I had simply had enough. I plowed through because I owed you this review. There …more
The Red Book
The Red Book: A Novel
by Deborah Copaken Kogan
"Truthiness" (2/9/2012)
Veritas is both Harvard's motto and the central theme of this novel. In writing their alumni updates for their 20th reunion, four friends employ various degrees of truth and during the reunion are confronted with how their lives have met both the expectations that come with …more
Arcadia
Arcadia: A Novel
by Lauren Groff
Don't miss a visit to Arcadia (11/30/2011)
I began Arcadia with great anticipation, as I loved Monsters of Templeton. I was disappointed in the beginning. It was very lyrical, with some beautiful imagery and language, but fragmented and often murky. Then about 50 pages in, I became hooked and was turning down pages …more
Proof of Heaven
Proof of Heaven: A Novel
by Mary Curran Hackett
Poor Proof (8/25/2011)
I really didn't like this book. It was overly sentimental and didn't follow the cardinal rule of good writing, show.... don't tell. By laboriously explaining every thought and motivation of each character, it made the book dull and doesn't involve the reader in the process …more
Heat Wave
Heat Wave: A Novel
by Nancy Thayer
No heat, just warm (5/10/2011)
Heat Wave is a light, predictable, and comfortable book. A few days after reading it, it's already fading from memory. However, for a book in the women's fiction genre, it has warmth and a story that keeps you reading. Good beach book.
Minding Ben
Minding Ben: A Novel
by Victoria Brown
Minded a little (12/21/2010)
One test of a novel is how eager you are to pick it up. "Minding Ben" was compelling and I read it in large gulps over 48 hours. The wonderful nanny, Grace is so likable and you can't help but wish her well...although well is hard to come by in her life. But here is what I …more
Raising Wrecker
Raising Wrecker: A Novel
by Summer Wood
The opposite of a wreck (10/30/2010)
Really enjoyed this one. Wrecker is set in northern California and is the story of Wrecker, a three year old in 1968, whose mother is sent to prison. Adopted by a distant relative, he is raised by a diverse group of people who become a family. The characters are so natural …more
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