Reviews by Laure R. (Fresno, CA)

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The Fields
The Fields: A Novel
by Erin Young
THIS BOOK IS A GEM (10/27/2021)
I was delighted to find a crime novel set in the rural Midwest…specifically Iowa cornfields! I was most pleased to be caught up in the fast paced story with so many unexpected twists and turns almost immediately.

This is a police procedural filled with complex characters, …more
Smalltime
Smalltime: A Story of My Family and the Mob
by Russell Shorto
SMALLTIME (2/25/2021)
I thoroughly enjoyed this true story of Italian immigrants beginning a new life in a small western Pennsylvania town and their evolution from low level steel mill workers to organized crime.

The author, Russel Shorto, researched the history of his family and the "mob" …more
Big Girl, Small Town
Big Girl, Small Town
by Michelle Gallen
Big Girl, Small Town (10/23/2020)
I looked forward to this read, believing it was to be "wildly entertaining", even "darkly hilarious" according to reviews. Upon meeting Majella O'Neill, I found very little amusing. I did, however, become involved with Majella and her little community and found it very …more
Welcome to the Pine Away Motel and Cabins
Welcome to the Pine Away Motel and Cabins
by Katarina Bivald
Welcome to the Pine Away Motel and Cabins (12/9/2019)
Beginning with the immediate demise of the main character, Hennie, this book is loaded with twists and turns. It switches often from present to past, and all are worthwhile to navigate. Hennie's spirit remains tethered to the community to assist with their grief mixed with …more
Creatures
Creatures
by Crissy Van Meter
CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL (10/23/2019)
I found the book to be beautiful, disjointed, raw, tender, and disturbing at points. I did not regret reading it, ever.
The island setting for this tale is wonderfully described by the author and I was quickly drawn in. Details of the sea's creatures surrounding the island …more
Sounds Like Titanic
Sounds Like Titanic: A Memoir
by Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman
LIFE PRESERVER OPTIONAL (1/2/2019)
A fascinating memoir by a most talented writer. She provides us with large servings of humor and hostility through, in part, unique glimpses into the world of classical musicians involved in "sham" performances for unsuspecting audiences in order to sell CD's. The famous …more
My Lovely Wife
My Lovely Wife
by Samantha Downing
NOT for the faint of heart (10/11/2018)
Well written, fascinating and complex plot, especially from a debut author. Terror and torture abound. Certainly not my usual reading but I'm glad I persevered. The ending was very unexpected. I would recommend this book If you're not prone to having nightmares.
The Devoted
The Devoted
by Blair Hurley
The Devoted (5/29/2018)
Nicole becomes drawn strongly to Buddhism while still a teenager. Her home is not a happy one. Her mother is a very devoted Catholic and has raised her children in this religion. Her mother also suffers lengthy severe attacks of depression and subjects Nicole and her older …more
French Exit
French Exit
by Patrick deWitt
Witty Tragedy? (1/31/2018)
Skillfully written, this book teeters between sharp comedy and full blown tragedy. An acidic widowed mother and developmentally arrested adult son are driven from their decadent lifestyle in New York's Upper East Side by self-inflicted scandal and potential bankruptcy.

They …more
Force of Nature
Force of Nature: Aaron Falk Mystery #2
by Jane Harper
Author's 2nd Novel Doesn't Disappoint (10/18/2017)
Set in the rugged Australian Bush, a corporate retreat designed for "team building" goes horribly wrong.

The terrain and climate are described beautifully as are the five women participating with complicated back stories and interesting ties to one another. I was left with …more
Wonder Valley
Wonder Valley
by Ivy Pochoda
WONDER VALLEY (7/7/2017)
Contemporary LA region, from desert to ocean with people in desparate need to change their (almost) hopeless lives.

The author skillfully takes them one by one, filling in pieces of their lives, their experiences, their back story and skillfully intersecting their paths.

…more
Lola
Lola
by Melissa Scrivner Love
Lola (3/21/2017)
The Barrios of East L.A., where poverty, drugs, violence and gangs are the norm, serves as the backdrop of this chilling fast paced mystery. The people here are primarily Latino, as is Lola, the protagonist.

The writer skillfully brings Lola to life, complete with her …more
Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home
by April Smith
GREAT READ (12/6/2016)
A young attorney and his wife make the leap from New York City to America's Heartland with their small children seeking a better, more wholesome environment for their family. The small rural community they settle in provides the very best and worst of both people and the …more
Since She Went Away
Since She Went Away
by David Bell
Sadly unthrilled (6/7/2016)
A small town experiencing the unexplained disappearance of a woman, three sets of single parents and their teen offspring wounded by this event. One of these is the victim's best friend who continues to seek answers.

I've read a number of books that I didn't want to put down. …more
Miss Jane
Miss Jane
by Brad Watson
Exceptional book, beautifully written (4/1/2016)
This book was such a pleasure to read! Watson tells this story of a woman's courage and grace throughout her life in the rural South, dealing with a birth defect that deems her socially challenged beyond our imagination.

The quiet flowing rhythm of his words describing the …more
The Forgetting Time
The Forgetting Time
by Sharon Guskin
WARNING LABEL REQUIRED - GREAT READ (12/6/2015)
A great read that I simply could not put down! A single mother, willing to go to great lengths to help her small child's deep distress with unexplained, tragic memories that defy all logic.

Beautifully written, with characters who leap off the pages. Ever since finishing …more
All Is Not Forgotten
All Is Not Forgotten
by Wendy Walker
All Is Not Forgotten - anytime soon for readers (10/5/2015)
One of the most absorbing books I've read this year! I was blessed to receive it. Exquisitely written, using the psychiatrist as narrator for the story of a young teen brutally raped at a party and his care of the victim and her family. The small town setting lends itself …more
Trust No One
Trust No One: A Thriller
by Paul Cleave
Tangled and Riveting (6/7/2015)
A successful mystery author suffering from early onset dementia is believed to be guilty of multiple murders. His struggles to find the truth in his weakening grip on reality, hindered by those he would trust most.

I found it a challenge to track his journey and impossible …more
Little Black Lies
Little Black Lies
by Sharon Bolton
Little Black Lies (4/9/2015)
Completely gripping psychological thriller set in the Falkland Islands, I found I was unable to put it down.

The startling twists and turns are skillfully woven into this dark, chilling story of missing children in a remote island community. The setting is beautifully …more
The Well
The Well
by Catherine Chanter
MYSTERY WITH MYSTICISM (2/24/2015)
Brilliantly written with characters beautifully detailed and their environment brought to life. One of those rare authors that left me thinking about this story and its' people long after I had finished the book.

Amazing this is Catherine chanter's first novel. I'm most …more
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