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Reviews by Barbara C. (Fountain Hills, AZ)

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The Lost English Girl
by Julia Kelly
The Lost English Girl (2/16/2023)
This is an easy-reading novel about subjects many times discussed: World War II and its effect on civilians and enlisted, Jews vs Non Jews, English children evacuated, family conflicts, unmarried pregnancies, etc. The characters are well drawn, but rather obvious andmore
Margot: A Novel
by Wendell Steavenson
What Are We Going To Do About Margot? (12/15/2022)
This coming-of-age story of introduces us to Margot, a girl of 9 who just never "fit in". Her sheltered and privileged upbringing, shuffling between her parents' NY apartment on Park Ave and their country estates on the North Shore, come with a nanny and strict protocolsmore
Ariadne
by Jennifer Saint
Ariadne - Greek Mythology Come To Life (3/28/2021)
I rarely rarely give a book a 5 rating, but Ariadne was a delicious read! The author, Jennifer Saint, brought the gods and their human counterparts to life with compelling prose. Mythology can be daunting and mysterious, but the author writes with such clarity, the heroesmore
Daughter of the Reich: A Novel
by Louise Fein
Daughter of the Reich (4/1/2020)
Hetty is a young daughter of a high ranking Nazi officer in Germany. Her story begins in 1933 at the start of the campaign against the Jews. She is indoctrinated by her father, teachers and neighbors to hate the Jews. But as she sees the hatred and cruelty of the Nazis, shemore
And They Called It Camelot: A Novel of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis
by Stephanie Marie Thornton
Camelot? (1/1/2020)
And they Called It Camelot reminded me of a paperback romance novel. The dialogue was contrived and venal. the constant descriptions of Jackie's designer wardrobe was tiring and intrusive. I'm sure the author researched her subjects, but what was fact and what was fiction?more
The Girl in White Gloves: A Novel of Grace Kelly
by Kerri Maher
The Ice Queen in White Gloves (11/12/2019)
The Girl In White Gloves is the story of an icon, Grace Kelly. She has been idolized by movie-goers for years. Her face and name instantly recognizable. But the back-story of her life tells a different story than the perfect "ice queen" happy-ever-after. This book bringsmore
The Last Collection: A Novel of Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel
by Jeanne Mackin
The Last Collection (3/6/2019)
How could you not want to read a book about 2 of the most famous and outrageous fashion icons? The book was fascinating in its depiction of the rivalry between these two women. In this historical fiction novel we travel the world with Lily as she interacts with them asmore
House of Stone
by Novuyo Rosa Tshuma
Zimbabwe - House of Stone (1/17/2019)
This is an historical fiction novel wrapped in a mystery. The narrator is a manipulative, self serving character who proves himself duplicitous in his final acts. He is desperate to have himself adopted into a family, as that family's history slowly reveals itself. Themore
A Place for Us
by Fatima Farheen Mirza
A Place For Us (5/10/2018)
I really enjoyed reading this book. The differences between cultures and the tensions created was so well defined. The characters came to life and I as the reader sympathized with each of them. I usually am not a fan of first time authors but this author has a firm grasp onmore
Other People's Houses
by Abbi Waxman
Other Peopl's Houses (12/26/2017)
Maybe if you are a "soccer mom" with school age kids you might find this book mildly entertaining but, if you are looking for a read with substance, ideas, or character development pick another book. Waxman devotes large sections of the book describing car pooling, anmore
Happiness: The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After
by Heather Harpham
Happiness - Is A Moment In Time (6/14/2017)
What makes a person Happy? Is it money, fame, good looks, good health, another to share our joy? The memoir "Happiness" by Heather Harpham, asks the question: "When, anyway, did happiness become the one golden ring we reach for? How about being guided by what is right ormore
The Resurrection of Joan Ashby
by Cherise Wolas
Joan Ashby is Resurrected (6/1/2017)
Joan Ashby is a writer. She has works published to rave reviews. She spends 11 years writing a novel she has copywrited but never publishes. She gets married to a brilliant ocular surgeon. She has son, Eric, who is teenage genius and multimillionaire. She has son, Daniel,more
Home Sweet Home
by April Smith
Home Sweet Home Not So Sweet (12/1/2016)
If you want to read a political diatribe, then read this book. The dialogue, descriptions and characters are wooden and stereotyped. I thought the book was written by a first-time author until I realized she had written several other books. Her one-sided viewpoint ofmore
Rise: How a House Built a Family
by Cara Brookins
Rise, How a House Built A Family (10/21/2016)
A remarkable story of one woman, her 3 young children and her tenacious drive to "self-build" a home on a shoe-string budget. With the help of only the internet and a few professionals, together they designed, lugged, nailed and finished a 3 car, two story home in less thanmore
The Return of the Witch
by Paula Brackston
IF YOU LIKE WITCH STORIES YOU'LL LIKE THESE (1/3/2016)
The Return of the Witch is exactly that. It is a sequel to The Witch's Daughter. Of course, I had to read Daughter before the Return and did enjoy Daughter very much. It told the story of the "good witch" Elizabeth as she progressed through the ages starting in the 1600's,more
Hunters in the Dark
by Lawrence Osborne
Hunters in Dark Cambodia (11/12/2015)
What a pleasure to find a book so well written, with such terse, unusual language. Lawrence Osbourne has hit the nail on the head as he describes the dark, ominous, conniving Cambodia of today. The steamy atmosphere of the place, the duplicitous nature of the people, andmore
Every Anxious Wave
by Mo Daviau
Book Beyond Belief (10/13/2015)
When you read Every Anxious Wave you must set aside convention and belief and agree to accept the premise of outrageous characters, outlandish situations, weird time travel and smutty language. Yes, the book reminded me of Where'd You Go Bernadette in the witty and humorousmore
Still Life Las Vegas
by James Sie
Clever and Dark Still Life Las Vegas (5/9/2015)
Still Life Las Vegas is a compelling book to read because James Sie has a good comedic way with words. He is clever, concise and nails images and situations with spot-on delivery. The book, however, changes direction when it comes to the "still life". The section of Walter'more
House of Echoes: A Novel
by Brendan Duffy
Cold and creepymystery (2/21/2015)
House of Echoes surely does echo a creepy, mysterious, voice from the past. Although you cannot quite put your finger on why this book has hidden things going on, you early on realizes that things are all not as they should be in this idyllic setting. The letters from Bessmore
The Wind Is Not a River
by Brian Payton
War Comes to Alaska (12/5/2014)
Who know that WWII was so close to mainland USA? This fictional account of the secretive battle to keep the Japanese from escalating the front to the USA is told from the perspective of a journalist caught behind enemy lines and his wife who searches for him. John Easley,more
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