Reviews by Maribeth R. (Indianapolis, IN)

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Everything We Never Knew
Everything We Never Knew: A Novel
by Julianne Hough
Novel or Infomercial? (7/26/2024)
I erroneously thought I was going to immerse myself in a paranormal thriller of some sort, only to find myself presented with a book that seemed to have a dual purpose.

As the story began, I found myself encountering interesting characters and was anticipating a compelling …more
The Stolen Child
The Stolen Child: A Novel
by Ann Hood
Not My Cup of Tea (3/31/2024)
It is always a pleasure to write when the reader is excited about a book, and it is hard to know what to say when the book does not meet expectations. Generally speaking, novels relating to WW I or WW II capture my attention. However, in this novel, I was never quite pulled …more
Stealing
Stealing: A Novel
by Margaret Verble
Another Amazing Child Narrator (12/3/2022)
If you relish reading atmospheric tales near the Bayou, and if you love hearing the voice of a thoughtful and precocious child, you will enjoy reading Margaret Verble's latest novel, Stealing.

Kit Crockett, a child of Cherokee origins, develops a warm friendship with a …more
Exiles
Exiles: Aaron Falk Mystery #3
by Jane Harper
Welcome Back, Aaron Falk (8/6/2022)
Harper fans who have missed Investigator Aaron Falk in her last few books will be happy to herald his return in Exiles.

Harper once again takes us to the bushland of Australia, and while not quite as atmospheric as many of her previous volumes, she still manages to invite …more
On a Night of a Thousand Stars
On a Night of a Thousand Stars
by Andrea Yaryura Clark
Putting a Face on the Desaparecidos (2/1/2022)
Andrea Yaryura Clark's historical novel shines light on the story of Argentina's "Desaparecidos," those who were forcibly "disappeared" under the period of government terrorism known as the "Dirty War." The era only lasted from 1976 to 1983, but it left a trail of broken …more
Honor
Honor
by Thrity Umrigar
Heartbreaking and Unforgettable (9/3/2021)
Thrity Umrigar is one of the most eloquent of all storytellers. In this book, she draws us into the lives of two women whose story depicts the state of today's India with its conflicts between tradition and modernism, castes, religious beliefs, and the role of women in …more
The Forest of Vanishing Stars
The Forest of Vanishing Stars: A Novel
by Kristin Harmel
A Story of Complex Themes (5/2/2021)
This beautifully written story by Kristin Harmel was complex. At times it seems almost like a fairy tale as the story unfolds about the main character, Yona, and how she entered into the mysteries of the forest. At other times, I was taken back to the stories of Jean Auel …more
Raft of Stars
Raft of Stars
by Andrew J. Graff
Raft of Stars (10/28/2020)
The title and description of this book appealed to me. Who wouldn't like a great read about two ten-year-old kids who set out on the river to escape the consequences of a crime they are believed to have committed? Perhaps some stories like this will hit the target. For me, …more
The Lost Apothecary
The Lost Apothecary: A Novel
by Sarah Penner
The Lost Apothecary (8/16/2020)
If you are looking for a great way to spend a Covid day, grab a glass of wine, your lounge chair, and Sarah Penner's book, The Lost Apothecary. This novel will carry you on a journey across centuries, and unlike many stories with a similar timeline, it does so seamlessly.

…more
The Yellow Bird Sings
The Yellow Bird Sings: A Novel
by Jennifer Rosner
Good Start; Disappointing Finish (11/25/2019)
This book was hard for me to assess. I began with positive feelings as the story of the mother and daughter unfolded. Their stay in the barn will vividly remain with me. However, the remainder of the book left me feeling disjointed and perplexed. Even though I continue to …more
I Want You to Know We're Still Here
I Want You to Know We're Still Here: A Post-Holocaust Memoir
by Esther Safran Foer
In Search of Memories (11/6/2019)
Many stories have been, and will be told about Holocaust experiences and survival after. Esther Safran Foer begins her memoir by explaining the experience of memory. She delves into the effect memory has on someone who longs to know her past, but can't quite access it …more
D-Day Girls
D-Day Girls: The Spies Who Armed the Resistance, Sabotaged the Nazis, and Helped Win World War II
by Sarah Rose
D-Day GIrls (3/6/2019)
Ms. Rose has done a masterful job of research, and her book reflects her work. However, for me, it was hard to decipher what I was reading - - -was it a research thesis, or a research thesis with a bit of historical fiction woven through, or ??? Though the title would …more
The Last Year of the War
The Last Year of the War
by Susan Meissner
A Story from Yesterday; A Mirror of Today (10/31/2018)
Susan Meissner once again demonstrates why she is one of our finest creators of historical fiction with her beautifully crafted The Last Year of the War.

Told by Elise, now 80 and beset by "Agnes," her anthropomorphized title for Alzheimer's Disease, this narrator relates …more
Gone So Long
Gone So Long
by Andre Dubus III
Can A Sin Be Forgiven? (9/23/2018)
I have long been a fan of Dubus' novel House of Sand and Fog. I am reminded of that story by this volume because, once again, Dubus is skillfully able to create a story which is thrown into a downward spiraling vortex. A single act propels Danny into this vortex, and the …more
Me, Myself and Them
Me, Myself and Them
by Dan Mooney
Stand Up and Fight (7/1/2018)
In the Acknowledgements section of this beautifully constructed story, the author, Daniel Mooney, gives tribute to Luke Bitmead. The writer claims not to have met Bitmead, but that had they met, the two might have been friends. He follows with a sentence: Stand up and Fight. …more
Force of Nature
Force of Nature: Aaron Falk Mystery #2
by Jane Harper
Harper Scores Another Hit (10/24/2017)
Harper comes back with a mystery just as engrossing as her first volume, The Dry. But if you read the earlier book, you'll have to make a mental shift as the weatherman has pulled a veil over the dry, arid heat permeating the first story, and now Harper places you in a cold, …more
The Heart's Invisible Furies
The Heart's Invisible Furies: A Novel
by John Boyne
For those Who Love Jigsaw Puzzles (8/10/2017)
If you enjoy the complexities of assembling a challenging jigsaw puzzle, you will likely savor this wonderful story where the pieces elude you from time-to-time, but gently fall into place as the picture finally reveals itself.

This fictionalized tale was reminiscent of the …more
Mercies in Disguise
Mercies in Disguise: A Story of Hope, a Family's Genetic Destiny, and the Science That Rescued Them
by Gina Kolata
What would your decision be? (10/27/2016)
What would you do if you knew that a genetically-transmitted, debilitating neuromuscular disease was lurking in your family AND you had the opportunity to undergo testing to discover if the gene resided inside you? And if you learned that you carried the gene, what …more
The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko
The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko
by Scott Stambach
Compelling and Contradictory (8/13/2016)
Don't ever assume that the presence of a deformed body indicates that the soul within doesn't have a story to be told.

I read this book within two days after receiving it, but it has taken me a long time to put my thoughts to paper. Can a story be tragic and funny, hopeful …more
The Children
The Children
by Ann Leary
The Children (5/12/2016)
The writer grabbed my attention within the first few pages with her story about the grandparent who decided "to just go upstairs to die." Just as I settled in for an anticipated great read, I found myself confronted by a group of unlikeable family members and other …more
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