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Reviews by Pau J. (Bath, ME)

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The Bog Wife
by Kay Chronister
A Dark Fairy Tale: We are all of the Earth (8/10/2024)
I loved this book ... I'm still living in it. Chronister melds a dysfunctional family with ideas that we are all of the earth and we can either treat it well or we can make it sick. The Bog Wife is truly an unusual book.
Every family has tales to explain their existence andmore
The Very Long, Very Strange Life of Isaac Dahl
by Bart Yates
Long but Not very strange (5/15/2024)
It was okay; not as good as anticipated. Certainly not a very strange life, though I would call it a very interesting life and story. It could have drawn me in more during the first half of the book to be called "intimate." I think most of the characters could have been given more depth.
Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe
by Carl Safina
Alfie & Me and the Rest of the Universe (9/9/2023)
I've never read Carl Safina before, so I didn't know to expect that he includes a massive amount of philosophy along with his observations of the animal world. I was very interested in his observations and care of the owl he rescued, along with his vast knowledge of themore
A Council of Dolls: A Novel
by Mona Susan Power
A Council of Dolls (6/27/2023)
"A Council of Dolls" is a beautifully written book. It was immersive into indigenous culture, which I'm sure I missed understanding much of it, but I still loved the book and gained much from reading it. It was horrifying at times, both from generational abuse and from themore
Sisters of the Lost Nation
by Nick Medina
Sisters of the Lost Nation (11/16/2022)
"Sisters of the Lost Nation" by Nick Medina is a novel set in the reservation and casino of the fictional tribe of the Takoda people of Louisiana. There is a blend of Native American mythology, horror, racism, bullying, misogynism and drug use as young girls go missing frommore
Peach Blossom Spring: A Novel
by Melissa Fu
Would have liked to read more! (2/17/2022)
I enjoyed all of "Peach Blossom Spring". The story held my interest throughout the book. The characters were well written and interesting. China and Taiwan were also well-described, and I considered both countries to be characters. I would have like to have read a littlemore
Lady Sunshine
by Amy Mason Doan
Frustrating (5/5/2021)
This book has a great setting; I like the 70's background. Most of the main characters were fairly well developed (Shane needs work, though). I found the main character to be a bit much of a drama queen/worry wart/black cloud. There is a lot of building of tension thatmore
Ariadne
by Jennifer Saint
A new view of Greek gods (3/5/2021)
Jennifer Saint has succeeded in writing a novel about women and sisterhood in the time of the Greek gods. It's enjoyable and mostly well written. I had a hard time getting through Part I. The writing seemed biblical in style to me. In Part II and beyond, the story is toldmore
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie
by Marie Benedict
The mystery of Mrs. Christie (11/1/2020)
Very good book. Benedict effectively bounces from Agatha's meeting and courtship with Christie to their marriage, birth of their daughter and their life together. It's a believable story of the disappearance of Mrs. Christie. The only thing keeping me from a 5 star ratingmore
The Patron Saint of Pregnant Girls: A Novel
by Ursula Hegi
Into the North Sea (4/30/2020)
On an island in the cold North Sea, Lotte loses three of her four children to a rogue wave. The story of the island community is entwined with the natural surroundings...freak waves, starlings, pregnant girls, and the circus coming to town.

The writing is beautiful andmore
Solitary
by Albert Woodfox
Immersion into prison (2/9/2020)
Woodfox has written an amazing book. He describes prison life and his long road to justice simply and without becoming overly emotional. I felt ashamed to be part of the human race for the injustices and abuse that was inflicted upon him. Powerful!
American Dirt: A Novel
by Jeanine Cummins
Stunning depiction of migrants voyage (10/30/2019)
I was simply stunned with this book; it is fantastic. It is a deep story of a mother and her child and what necessitated them to leave home. I felt like I was with them on their trip, feeling terrified, tired, and afraid. I was getting to the end of the book, and almostmore
The In-Betweens: The Spiritualists, Mediums, and Legends of Camp Etna
by Mira Ptacin
Camp Etna (10/15/2019)
Overall, I found "The In-Betweens" to be an interesting and mostly well-written book. The author's interviews with the people of Camp Etna were great. She approaches with a bit of scepticism and seems open-minded.

However, I felt that Camp Etna was the main character of themore
Patsy: A Novel
by Nicole Dennis-Benn
Patsy (5/22/2019)
I wasn't sure this was the book for me for the first one hundred pages...Patsy comes across as selfish and immature. Eventually as you get to know her, you understand more of her motivation for immigrating to America. And by the end of the book, you're cheering her on asmore
Sounds Like Titanic: A Memoir
by Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman
Sounds like Titanic...wow. (12/15/2018)
I loved this book! Easy to read and held my interest. The author delves into her life, drawing meaning from the time, environment and cultural climate she lived through. She uses a lot of self-deprecating humor and isn't easy on herself.
She writes and you follow, thoughtmore
Sold on a Monday
by Kristina McMorris
1930 -- it's tough to be a kid (8/15/2018)
"Sold on a Monday" is based on an early 1930's photograph. McMorris moved the story along quickly & believably. I wasn't sure if the book wanted to be historical fiction or mystery; it seemed like half of both. The book would benefit from more details of 1930's life, inmore
The Family Tabor
by Cherise Wolas
High Expectations mostly met (4/28/2018)
I thoroughly enjoyed Cherise Wolas' first book "The Resurrection of Joan Ashby" and I had high expectations for The Family Tabor.

I despaired through the first 70 pages or so, though. I didn't see how I was going to get through it…it was dull. Nothing held my interest. Imore
The Resurrection of Joan Ashby
by Cherise Wolas
Excellent (9/5/2017)
This book is stunning, one of the best I've read this year. Comparable to "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt. Simply amazing how this debut writer has the chutzpah to create a world-famous writer, immerse us in her excellent stories, and she pulls it all off very successfullly.more
Stay with Me
by Ayobami Adebayo
Do we ever really know anyone? (8/15/2017)
"Stay with me" is a novel of one couple's life, set against the backdrop of Nigerian culture and gender expectations. The character of Yejide is well written and likeable.I felt her love and pain of losing her children. The story develops through the views of Yejide and hermore
The Stars Are Fire
by Anita Shreve
The Year Maine Burned (3/15/2017)
I've read many of Anita Shreve's books, and I think this is her best yet. Shreve immerses you in Grace's life, struggles, disappointments, little successes. Through Grace, she explores the devastation of a massive fire. I intended to shut the book last night--and I did--butmore
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