Reviews by Catherine O. (Altavista, VA)

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Too Old for This
Too Old for This
by Samantha Downing
Murder is Hard Work (3/31/2025)
I didn't expect to have so much in common with a serial killer. We both are mature women who like to problem solve. We both enjoy church activities. We both are experiencing the invisibility that comes with aging. We are both handy with tools. I found this novel to be …more
Songs of Summer
Songs of Summer
by Jane L. Rosen
Sweet (1/9/2025)
Songs of summer was a very enjoyable read. I would call it a light read with a lot of heart and some interesting themes. The setting, characters, and events seemed believable in a Disney kind of way. I enjoyed that the desire to belong to a family, even a messy semi- …more
Jane and Dan at the End of the World
Jane and Dan at the End of the World
by Colleen Oakley
Twisty and Fun (12/7/2024)
Jane and Dan at the End of the World delivers a very entertaining read. I enjoy all of Colleen Oakley's novels. She has an uncanny way with plot and dialogue that makes her novels unspool in living color as you read them. I think it is the way she puts very ordinary people …more
Beast of the North Woods
Beast of the North Woods: Monster Hunter Mysteries #3
by Annelise Ryan
Clever and Fun (11/18/2024)
What a fun and unique read. This is the first novel of Annalise Ryan that I have read, but it won't be my last. This clever novel follows Morgan Carter, a cryptozoologist, as she searches for a Hogad in the North Woods. This premise sounds like it could have easily veered …more
We'll Prescribe You a Cat
We'll Prescribe You a Cat
by Syou Ishida
Cats can Cure! (5/30/2024)
We'll Prescribe You A Cat is one of the most unique books I have ever read. I do love cats as do many readers. I think this charming book will resonate with many as it dives into the way that cats can relate to people and improve their world. The specialness of the clinic …more
The Funeral Cryer
The Funeral Cryer: A Novel
by Wenyan Lu
A Different World (2/12/2024)
The Funeral Cryer was a novel that introduced me to many cultural differences between a mature woman living in a Chinese village and the life I enjoy. I had never heard of a funeral cryer. The fact that the main character had stumbled upon this career as a way to support …more
Bad Animals
Bad Animals: A Novel
by Sarah Braunstein
Decidedly Different (1/6/2024)
Bad Animals is a unique novel. As an educator for many years, the accusation of impropriety by a librarian who led children's programs felt shocking. The developments that seemed to implicate the librarian in many ways made it difficult to see her as a sympathetic character. …more
We Must Not Think of Ourselves
We Must Not Think of Ourselves
by Lauren Grodstein
Raw and Realistic (1/2/2024)
I have read hundreds, if not thousands of novels set during World War II. The novel We Must Not Think of Ourselves is one in its own class. This novel takes place in a Polish ghetto over the course of almost 2 years. During that time the residents become increasingly …more
Above the Salt
Above the Salt: A Novel
by Katherine Vaz
Epic Novel (9/17/2023)
Above the Salt is unlike any novel I have ever read. The author creates a tale that follows the main characters across oceans and continents, through wars and disasters. The writing style was a bit difficult at first, but soon became almost like a lullaby with its vivid …more
Do Tell
Do Tell: A Novel
by Lindsay Lynch
Gossip of the Golden Age (6/30/2023)
This novel relies on a single narrator who over the course of decades uses her insider information to make or break Hollywood careers. We never get to really understand the characters that Edie reports about. I wanted to learn more about the many interesting characters that …more
The Montevideo Brief
The Montevideo Brief: A Thomas Grey Novel
by J. H. Gelernter
Adventure with an Unstoppable Hero (4/14/2023)
The Montevideo Brief is not my usual type of novel and I didn't really know what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised. The novel is very engaging and moves rapidly from adventure to adventure. I learned a lot about the rise of Napoleon and the efforts of other …more
The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise
The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise
by Colleen Oakley
A Book With Heart (10/12/2022)
I will take Tanner and Louise over Thelma and Louise any day! I so enjoyed this novel. The characters were engaging and realistic and the plot was fast paced and linear with just enough explanation to fill in gaps in the story. The original way the author noted her timeline …more
Some of It Was Real
Some of It Was Real
by Nan Fischer
Winner (3/7/2022)
I devoured this book. It is so rare to find a novel with a completely fresh plot. The author was so skillful at leading us through events. The suspense was real, but never overtook the human connections being made. She made the story believable and made you care deeply for …more
How to Find Your Way Home
How to Find Your Way Home
by Katy Regan
Real (10/17/2021)
Intertwining birdwatching with the story of siblings Stephen and Emily made How to Find Your Way Home so authentic. The love these siblings had for birds and the escape that birdwatching provided from their unhappy childhood home was so strong it allowed them to find a way …more
Flesh & Blood
Flesh & Blood: Reflections on Infertility, Family, and Creating a Bountiful Life: A Memoir
by N. West Moss
Outstanding (8/13/2021)
I enjoyed every page of Flesh & Blood. I could not stop reading this honest, loving, courageous book. The author turns her energy from nurturing children to nurturing a life that blesses herself and those she loves. She uses the written word to pass down her history and …more
Piranesi
Piranesi
by Susanna Clarke
Escape (8/30/2020)
When reading is your favorite hobby and you read over a hundred books a year it is difficult to find such a unique novel as Piranesi. As you lose yourself in this elaborate, beautifully described world that Piranesi inhabits you question everything. The author reveals …more
The Book of Longings
The Book of Longings
by Sue Monk Kidd
Amazing (5/13/2020)
As a fan of Sue Monk Kidd, I eagerly awaited her new novel. What a captivating story she has woven, it is a completely different outlook on the life of Jesus, told from the perspective of his wife. Wow! It is beautifully and respectfully written and her images will remain …more
Patsy
Patsy: A Novel
by Nicole Dennis-Benn
Great Characters (5/21/2019)
It is truly a gifted writer who can immerse you in the lives of characters. The experiences of Patsy as she leaves her native Jamaica and travels to America are believable. The impact of her departure on those she leaves behind is well developed. The voice of the author …more
House of Stone
House of Stone
by Novuyo Rosa Tshuma
Difficult read (12/5/2018)
I found House of Stone to be a stilted, confusing novel. It didn’t give me a sense of the culture and chaos of the birth of Zimbabwe. The novel focused on the narrator’s desire to be a beloved son and the lengths he goes to in order to achieve his goal. I never felt swept …more
The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls
The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls
by Anissa Gray
Fate, Choices and Consequences (10/1/2018)
The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls was so readable, it grabs you from the very start and takes you on a journey with some unforgettable characters. The early death of Mama Butler thrusts Althea into the role of caregiver and shifts the family dynamics. The way …more
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