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Reviews by Virginia P. (Tallahassee, FL)

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Strong Passions: A Scandalous Divorce in Old New York
by Barbara Weisberg
Strong Passions (12/10/2023)
A fascinating and thorough recounting of the divorce trial of Peter Strong vs Mary Strong which takes the reader back to the days when society ruled old New York. Details of the life styles of these families along with the mores of the day, including abortion practices,more
This Other Eden: A Novel
by Paul Harding
This Other Eden (1/15/2023)
This Other Eden by Paul Harding is a carefully crafted novel based on the true story of the mixed race and varied intelligence of the inhabitants of this coastal Maine island of Malaga. A previous novel of Harding's won the Pulitzer Prize. The story line is disturbing duemore
Once We Were Home
by Jennifer Rosner
The emotional story of redemption of Jewish children (11/13/2022)
The author of When We Were Home, Jennifer Rosner, tells a very compelling story of the redemption of Jewish Children. Writing about 4 children who were sheltered and raised by Protestant and Catholic families during the war, she explains their feelings and reactions whenmore
Metropolis: A Novel
by B. A. Shapiro
Metropolis-not much of a thriller (3/23/2022)
This book was billed as a psychological thriller but a page turner it was not. With the setting in a self storage building with quirky renters, it sounded interesting, but I found it predictable with mostly happy endings for all. Writing was good but other than that I do not recommend.
The Lost Notebook of Edouard Manet: A Novel
by Maureen Gibbon
The Lost Notebook of Edouard Manet (6/20/2021)
For those who like imaginary thoughts about an actual person's life, they will like this book. As I prefer factual accounts, I prefer biographies. That being said, perhaps the prospective reader can make a decision on whether or not to read the book. The diary did give themore
Mrs. March: A Novel
by Virginia Feito
Mrs. March by Virginia Feito (4/28/2021)
Mrs. March was a woman with severe mental health issues that became more and more apparent as the novel went on. What promised, at first, to be a rousing story ended up with a rather cliched ending. However, it was the writer's first novel and probably her next book will be a stronger one.
The Fortunate Ones
by Ed Tarkington
The Fortunate Ones (10/21/2020)
Ed Tarkington is a new author to me and I liked "The Fortunate Ones" so much that I have bought his first book, "Only Love Can Break Your Heart." For southern readers, the places and names in his book are very familiar, but the book has universal appeal as it tells a storymore
The Paris Hours: A Novel
by Alex George
The Paris Hours by Alex George (2/25/2020)
The Paris Hours is a gem of a book. Set in a period of one day in Paris, it invokes the sights, sounds and mood of the city while giving the reader the a chance to learn the plight of the four main characters. Each person is trying to find something they have lost and atmore
At the Wolf's Table
by Rosella Postorino
At The Wolf's Table (10/29/2018)
I was part of a local group that promoted Holocaust awareness and education for a number of years and this group included a book club. Meeting each month we read books about different aspects of the Holocaust so I am very familiar with this period in history. This truemore
So Much Life Left Over
by Louis de Bernieres
So Much Life Left Over (7/21/2018)
Set in the time period between the two world wars in Ceylon and then Europe and Great Britain, this story follows the connected characters as they try to make sense of their lives ----lives they did not expect to live. Written by the author of Corelli's Mandolin, Louismore
Strangers in Budapest
by Jessica Keener
Strangers in Budapest (10/29/2017)
The jacket of this book calls the story "riveting" and "provocative." I would not go that far. Having been to Budapest and seen the communist era architecture as well as the absolutely stunning architecture of the earlier days, I felt it was a place I could return to overmore
The Necklace
by Claire McMillan
The Necklace (6/8/2017)
I enjoyed reading The Necklace as a piece of escapist writing perfect for a summer day or two. While it's an often told story about two men loving the same woman and families bickering over an inheritance, the writing is good and the method of alternating chapters with twomore
The Half Wives
by Stacia Pelletier
The Half Wives (1/2/2017)
Stacia Pelletier does a skillful writing job in taking three obscure events which occurred in San Francisco and weaving them into one story. She stages the lives of her pathetic but well drawn characters around cemetery visits to one particular grave site. At times, I wasmore
The Children
by Ann Leary
The Children (5/24/2016)
I felt like this book never got off the ground until the last pages. It is a cautionary tale about marrying someone you don't know well and all that happened in the story is repeated every day in real life. However, getting to that point was meandering and boring. Thismore
We That Are Left
by Clare Clark
We That Are Left by Clare Clark (7/20/2015)
My expectations of this book diminished as I read. I think all fiction writers need to come up with story lines that do not try to restate what has already been written. This story was very reminiscent of the Downton Abbey series with the trouble of no male heir as well asmore
The Art of Baking Blind
by Sarah Vaughan
The Art of Baking Blind (3/7/2015)
I thoroughly enjoyed The Art of Baking Blind by Sarah Vaughn. Set in England, it covers a short period of time involving a baking contest reminiscent of the recent PBS series on the same topic. As the series was fun to watch, the book was fun to read. However, the bookmore
The Secrets of Midwives
by Sally Hepworth
The Secrets of Midwives (12/10/2014)
The Secrets of Midwives by Sally Hepworth is a quick read which held my interest to a point. I wished for more depth in the characters as well as for more depth in the practice of midwifery. This is not a memorable book, only one that provides some entertainment for a shortmore
The Fortune Hunter
by Daisy Goodwin
The Fortune Hunter (4/10/2014)
The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin was a delightful, easy to read tale about a man entranced by two women. Mixing a bit of European history with romance, this story kept me interested to the end. Well written it should appeal to someone looking for a relaxing, non taxingmore
The Good House
by Ann Leary
The Good House by Ann Leary (11/28/2012)
The Good House dealt with social issues such as alcoholism, infidelity, a special needs child and the slowing of the economy to name just a few. The author did a good job of portraying an alcoholic in denial as well as life in a coastal resort town inhabited by old timersmore
The Queen's Lover: A Novel
by Francine du Plessix Gray
The Queen's Lover (5/15/2012)
As I read this book, I wondered what in the world I would say about it. Historical fiction, "The Queen's Lover" tells of the reign in France of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette and in addition, the romantic pursuit of the Queen by her purported lover, Swedish nobleman, Countmore
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