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Reviews by Rebecca G. (havertown, pa)

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Ariadne
by Jennifer Saint

A Pleasant Surprise (4/5/2021)

I was very hesitant to read this book. Greek mythology is not really my cup of tea. I certainly am glad that I did. The story of Ariadne, the daughter of Minos, king of Crete after the slaying of the Minotaur, her brother is a fascinating one. She finds herself on Naxos, …more

Appleseed
by Matt Bell

Really not what I expected (2/6/2021)

Ugh. This book. I almost stopped reading it a dozen times but I trudged on thinking it had to get better. Nope. The book is in three parts. The first part is about two brothers in 18th century America planting apple trees and hoping to make their fortune selling them to …more

The Thirty Names of Night
by Zeyn Joukhadar

For the love of birds (8/23/2020)

There is so much to love about this book. It's actually taken a couple of weeks to write a review because I wasn't sure how to put my emotions into words. It's the story of an unnamed young woman who identifies as a boy. She's struggled all her life with a body she despises …more

The Smallest Lights in the Universe: A Memoir
by Sara Seager

Memorable (7/1/2020)

I don't normally read memoirs. I find them self-serving and often times sensationalized to sell. So I'm not sure why I selected this book to read and review. I'm so glad I did. I fell in love with Sara and her story, her heartbreak and triumphs. I knew from the beginning …more

Migrations: A Novel
by Charlotte McConaghy

This book will tug at your heart (3/28/2020)

There have been several books written recently that caution us to take better care of our planet: The Overstory, The History of Bees and The End of the Ocean to name a few. They have all touched me and made me weep for the things mankind has done. But none of them touched …more

The Prisoner's Wife
by Maggie Brookes

So Much More than it Appears to be (2/3/2020)

I have to admit I had a hard time getting into this book. I thought the first few chapters of Izzy and Bill's relationship was silly and simplistic and some of the things that happened between them were unnecessary. Once the author got into the meat of the story and the …more

Father of Lions: One Man's Remarkable Quest to Save the Mosul Zoo
by Louise Callaghan

More then a book about a zoo (11/24/2019)

This is by far one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. It’s so much more than a book about a man and his zoo. I learned so much about the occupation of Mosul by Isis, the relationship between Sunni and Shia, the impotency of the Iraqi military and the great, many …more

The Girl in White Gloves: A Novel of Grace Kelly
by Kerri Maher

More fiction than history (11/4/2019)

Historical fiction centering around strong women is my guilty pleasure so I was eager to read this book about Grace Kelly. I was so disappointed. The author admits this book is more fiction than most; sometimes that happens when recreating a life. But Kelly's affairs which …more

Remembrance
by Rita Woods

Mystical and Magical (10/21/2019)

It is intriguing to me that so many novels involving African American slaves contain some sort of magic. Slaves that can shape time and space, can see the future, can talk to and conjure up the spirits. I have always wondered if the magic is a way of dealing with the …more

Golden Child
by Claire Adam

Family Tragedy (10/4/2018)

Peter is a golden child; he's intelligent, well behaved. He's the perfect child. His twin brother is brain damaged, considered retarded; a frustration for his father. This story is not so much the story of a boy that disappears but of a family, not so different than most …more

Anatomy of a Miracle
by Jonathan Miles

Miracle or not? (1/7/2018)

This is a very unique book. It's written as an account of a true story yet it's a novel and upon googling Cameron Harris, the recipient of the so called miracle it's clear it's not a true story or at least not a story of Mr. Harris. It reads like a TV expose' viewed over …more

The Secret Language of Stones: A Daughters of La Lune Novel
by M. J. Rose

Frustrating (4/18/2016)

I really wanted to like this book. I was intrigued by the premise; a jeweler has the unique ability to create talismans to ease the suffering of mothers who have lost sons during a difficult war. At times the book stayed true to this premise and I enjoyed reading the story. …more

The Sound of Gravel: A Memoir
by Ruth Wariner

A Disturbing Memoir (11/18/2015)

The Sound of Gravel is a difficult book to read. It reads as fiction yet it's disturbing to realize that this was someone's life. It's disturbing to learn that there are men who use "religion" and power to marry and suppress several women, sire dozens of children, force …more

The Incarnations: A Novel
by Susan Barker

Wonderful concept (8/27/2015)

I was very excited to read this book. I was fascinated by the idea of reincarnation and being unaware of former lives until someone brings awareness of those lives through disturbing means. The book is beautifully written the author adds so much color to her writing through …more

The Well
by Catherine Chanter

A Sign of Our Times (2/8/2015)

There are things that happen in the world; natural disasters, terrorism, deadly diseases, e.g. These things very often lead to mass hysteria, create religious fanatics, foster suspicion between neighbors and family. People often comment how they personally would never react …more

The Last Good Paradise
by Tatjana Soli

Paradise Lost (11/1/2014)

I wanted to like this book, I really did. Admittedly, there are good pieces; some of the writing is gorgeous, the food descriptions are mouth watering, though few and far between. I was looking forward to a book filled with quirky characters. What I found were selfish, self …more

Girl on the Golden Coin: A Novel of Frances Stuart
by Marci Jefferson

More Fiction than History (1/6/2014)

I love historical fiction. What is more fun than reading about those scoundrel English kings! I do require a few things, however, in my fiction based on history. First, it needs to be historically accurate. Every piece of fiction has fictional characters but the majority …more

Safe with Me
by Amy Hatvany

Great Family Drama (11/13/2013)

I loved this book. It's a short read, the language isn't fancy. But the story of two mothers struggling to come to grips with their circumstances is very profound. As a mother, especially the mother of a daughter, I found myself attempting to put myself in the place of …more

Song of the Spirits: In the Land of the Long White Cloud saga
by Sarah Lark

A Big Disappointment (7/22/2013)

I must admit I had lofty expectations for this novel. I was hoping for another great family saga like The Thornbirds or Fall of the Giants considering that this is a very, very big book. I have found that that usually means either I am enthralled with the story and …more

The Woman at the Light: A Novel
by Joanna Brady

Unique Setting (6/12/2012)

The story of The Woman at the Light is not a new story. Its the story of a strong woman who survives a life filled with loss and struggles but who is victorious in the end. Its the story of a woman who loves a man, a love that is despised by society. Its a story of a woman …more

BookBrowse Book Club

A Map to Paradise
by Susan Meissner

From the USA Today bestselling author of Only the Beautiful. 1956, Malibu, California: Something is not right on Paradise Circle.

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The River Knows Your Name
by Kelly Mustian

A haunting Southern novel about memory and love, from the author of The Girls in the Stilt House.

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Becoming Madam Secretary
by Stephanie Dray

New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray returns with a captivating novel about an American heroine France Perkins—now in paperback!

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The Devil Finds Work
by James Baldwin

A book-length essay on racism in American films, by "the best essayist in this country" (The New York Times Book Review).

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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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