Not my normal genre, but great for the airport waiting for flights. Easy to catch your interest. Lots of twists and turns. I read half of it during my travel day (and I'm a slow reader). Even though this book stands on it's own, there are two other Housemaid novels. I recommend.

I'm not used to reading mysteries, but my local bookclub recommended this book. WOW. Lots of twists and turns through to the very end! I could barely put it down. Now...to read more mysteries!!!

I was fortunate enough to get an advance copy of this book through BookBrowse and the publisher. Thank you. I will comment during the discussion when it opens up. A perfect read!

I very much enjoyed this book on many different levels. Our family lived in an 1880’s historical home that we lovingly named “the money pit,” as everything was in disrepair. The modern day story that was told was very similar to our family - especially the mother/daughter relationship. I so could relate to Willa. Now that my husband and I are of retirement age, going through the boxes of family history was exact - down to owning a Navajo rug that was my grandparents. I love BK and her stories. She’s one of the best writers of our generation.

I really really loved this book. It was thoughtfully and poetically written about the difficult times in a makeshift hospital during WWI. Each couple of pages had a vignette that helped deepen the understanding of what the people went through - choices that were made, ethics, emotions, human frailties, love, mystery, heartache during wartime. I rated it the very best....but the vocabulary was difficult...even with Google, Alexa, dictionary and my friends explaining some words. Just didn't want to miss a thing. Bravo!

I had to plan on when to read this book, as I wanted to be uninterrupted and if I became tearful, it was ok. Such a grand book. So much to visualize on how people survived this war. Outstanding but painful. Educational and honest. A book I won't forget....ever.

The Dressmaker is a book that I could not put down. Took notes on inspiring quotes that I wanted to remember! Outstanding character development. Soon, it will be 100 years since the sinking of the Titanic and the suffrage movement. We have come a long way. Timely and an Excellent read!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It took me to a place with vivid imagery. It was educational and I feel like I know more about the 1960s in the political Kenyan setting, more about the beautiful landscape and wild animals of Africa, more about an excavating working archaeological team, more about tribal laws vs. written laws.

The story itself was secondary to all the other characteristics mentioned above. Waiting for the trial throughout over half of the book, turned out disappointing. The last chapters of the book were exciting, but it could have been written at a better pace. It felt as through the last chapters were packed into the book for tidying up all the loose ends.

All of this being said, I actually thought the story "might" have been based on an account of an actual dig. I haven't been able to find anywhere to prove my theory.

Well done!

The subject of this novel was something I never would have believed, if I hadn't read that it really happened. The amazing strength of each of the main characters, Henry, Margaret and Nancy was to be congratulated. How awkward each of them must have felt. Somehow, they made it work by doing the right thing. The angry mob and judgmental attitudes of the general population appeared, unfortunately, realistic. An easy read and so very interesting.

I enjoyed this historical novel very much. I had little knowledge about Cleopatra's children and each page was an education. Entertaining throughout, the story it told was never boring. The list of characters in the front was a big help, along with the glossary of Greek/Roman terms. I would have had a very different review without these most valuable help guides. The author thought of everything - including getting me very interested in learning more about this ancient time period. Loved the ending!

Cutting for Stone was one of the best novels I've read in a long time.



The narrator is Marion Stone, who begins his life in Ethiopia. His story includes "his"tory of his biological parents, his surrogate parents, his twin brother, his love, his passion for medicine, his witnessing of Ethiopian history and unrest, his move to New York, and his eventual life as a surgeon. There are incredibly complicated relationships between Marion and his twin, Marion and the love of his life, and Marion and his father. Abraham Verghese does an extraordinary job of weaving all of these lives and events together in a way that is believable and so full of the human spirit.



Passion, pain, suffering, guilt, hidden truths, forgiveness and redemption act as cogs that continue to move the story forward with a force that made me look forward to every single page. Abraham is a gifted storyteller. I am sure this novel will not only be a bestseller, but will be among those having a lasting impact on anyone who reads it.

This book was difficult for me to get into - at first. Asha Bandele writes her memoir in stream of consciousness. Sentences ramble (some have 79+ words), and I'm not sure why some things become separated paragraphs. Having said that, I got used to it.
I've not ever read a book where feelings and emotions were always present. I could understand her pain, depression, coming to grips, her profound love for her daughter, her losses and her endurance of life. She continues throughout to open herself up to her work in progress.

In the end, I felt connection.

I initially did not like this book. I could barely handle the nursing home/assisted living chapters. That hit a personal note with me because that is where I have spent my career. However, I kept reading, as the circus history and love story not only intrigued me, but pulled me in. As the story progressed, I understood both the past scenes and the present. Getting old is not for sissies and I have never really read anything first person about the frustrations that the elderly think about or feel. As the book was getting near to the end, I could hardly stand waiting for it to end, as I figured it would just solidify my first impression. However, it changed or I changed. I loved it. It was beautiful. I saw the brilliance of it all. One of my favorite all time reads. Took me through someone's life young to old and changed me. I would recommend it to the young, the old, people in the health care field, people that want to know about circus life, people that want what they read to affect them long after the book is done. BRAVO

On of my favorite memoirs. Not only did you get inside J.R. Moehringer's thoughts, needs/desires, but you got inside the man that grew up. His biggest asset is his sensitivity - which you could pick up on every page - even through all of his struggles. I have probably only read a few books cover to cover in a weekend, but seriously, I couldn't put this down. Funniest story was when he was coming of age. Would highly recommend to all. His mother can be so very proud of him.