Reviews by Beverly J. (Hoover, AL)

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Affections
Affections
by Rodrigo Hasbún (author), Sophie Hughes (translator)
A Gem of a Story (10/29/2017)
This is a stunning gem of a spare novel that delivers a punch through a turning of a phrase and the emotional intensity of the multiple narrators. I was attracted to this book by its photograph-like cover and the anticipation of reading a story set primarily in Bolivar. …more
Never Coming Back
Never Coming Back
by Alison McGhee
Well-written and completely absorbing! (10/22/2017)
A compassionate and unflinching deeply moving testament to the bond between mothers and daughters enduring life's curve balls. Clara Winter knows her mother, Tamar, loves her despite not always understanding her taciturn mother's staunchly independent behavior. Clara's …more
My Last Lament
My Last Lament
by James William Brown
Pleasant Historical Fiction (5/2/2017)
A pleasant historical fiction storyline set mainly in occupied and post-WWII Greece recollects the life of a professional lamenter, Aliki and the two people she counts as her family, Stelios and Takis. The strength of this story for me were the details of the Greek cultural …more
The Essex Serpent
The Essex Serpent
by Sarah Perry
Enchanting (3/25/2017)
A graceful ingeniously written historical fiction set in the 1890s Victorian England that delightfully simmers with suspense, and defying the known sensibilities of the times. The mystery of the reappearance of an elusive beast, a cerebrally-minded young widow, and a …more
Mercies in Disguise
Mercies in Disguise: A Story of Hope, a Family's Genetic Destiny, and the Science That Rescued Them
by Gina Kolata
Profoundly Compelling! (11/30/2016)
Once I started reading this profoundly compelling book I could not put the book down. Kudos to the author's writing skill to effectively write an intimate story about a family's search to find the truth balanced against the medical/scientific communities diligence and …more
The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko
The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko
by Scott Stambach
Heartfelt and Rewarding (8/4/2016)
I love when a book just touches my heart in unexpected ways. The narrator, Ivan Isaenko soars off the pages in this exquisitely written warm-hearted debut. Seventeen year-old Ivan has only lived in the Mazyr Hospital for Gravely Ill Children in Belarus with severe physical …more
Amour Provence
Amour Provence
by Constance Leisure
A Slice of Life (4/29/2016)
A delightful yet thoughtful novel about the meaning of family, commitment, love, loss and search for self. The story is set of interconnecting vignettes of various characters that illustrates small French village life from WWII to the present. The author does an exceptional …more
The Swans of Fifth Avenue
The Swans of Fifth Avenue
by Melanie Benjamin
All that Glitters Is Not Gold (11/5/2015)
Dazzling with glamour, entertaining with gossipy deeds, provocative with emotional profundity, and gritty with the trappings of a society that valued group expectations this voyeuristic tale titillates and satisfies the reader. While reading this book I was drawn back to a …more
Ruby
Ruby: A Novel
by Cynthia Bond
Impressive Debut (11/18/2014)
Bond’s impressive debut flourishing with exquisite language nails the complexities of the heart and survival in this deeply affecting tale. It is the 1940s in East Texas and young Ruby is plagued with a beauty tempting men to unspeakable evils; escaping to New York, never …more
The Secret History of Las Vegas
The Secret History of Las Vegas
by Chris Abani
Splendid (11/18/2014)
Splendid!
Was my thought when I finished the last hauntingly suspenseful page of this intensely intimate novel exploring the human soul seeking redemption, revenge and acceptance to the question what do we owe to others and ourselves for their roles in our lives.
While I have …more
Bitter Greens
Bitter Greens
by Kate Forsyth
Intrigue, Magic, and Setting (10/9/2014)
Every now and then I just want a book that takes me away and makes me forget time is passing by. Bitter Greens is such a book as I became a voyeur into the lives of Charlotte-Rose and Margherita/Selena as they navigated their way in 17th century France and 16th century …more
The Mouse-Proof Kitchen
The Mouse-Proof Kitchen
by Saira Shah
Unexpected Love (7/29/2013)
This heart-tugging emotional story told in a memoir-like format is intimately introspective, brutally honest yet deliciously warm with dollops of life-affirming humor. The narrator is Anna, a chef who loves order and this is accomplished by planning out her life dreams. Her …more
Golden Boy
Golden Boy
by Abigail Tarttelin
Golden Boy (2/7/2013)
Golden Boy is the story of Max who is considered a perfect golden boy because of his good looks, smart, compassionate, and he strives to be the perfect child to his parents. But, Max is intersex, and this secret has caused his family to be as normal and successful as …more
All You Could Ask For
All You Could Ask For
by Mike Greenberg
Living Your Life Like It Is Golden (11/30/2012)
Mike Greenberg has penned an alluring tale of three women unconnected until they a similar event happens to all three in the same time period. Part One has a breezy yet self-assured feel as we learn about the characters individually each voice leading up to the moment that …more
The Devil in Silver
The Devil in Silver: A Novel
by Victor LaValle
Will the Real Devil Stand Up (8/31/2012)
For a novel labeled as literary horror is was an absorbing yet strangely tender read raising questions through the wit, humor and dignity of the fascinating characters. The author gives voices to an invisible often misunderstood population. How Pepper became a resident in a …more
The Age of Miracles
The Age of Miracles: A Novel
by Karen Thompson Walker
Coming-of-age in Extraordinary Times (5/30/2012)
This promising debut novel explores the textures of daily life in a time of a time of unanticipated disaster of the earth’s rotation slowing. While there were many things I liked about this book – the premise of the rotation of the earth suddenly slowing on a daily basis …more
All Woman and Springtime
All Woman and Springtime: A Novel
by Brandon W. Jones
Survival of the Fittest (4/10/2012)
This well-paced debut novel following two girls lured into human trafficking will chill you to the bones. The effective use of the landscape makes it another character/narrator of the story, and thus understanding one place helps us to understand another, thus making it a …more
King Peggy
King Peggy: An American Secretary, Her Royal Destiny, and the Inspiring Story of How She Changed an African Village
by Peggielene Bartels, Eleanor Herman
A Journey Begins ...... (12/13/2011)
I was a little surprised how much I enjoyed this book – I expected to like the story, but once I started reading I did not want to stop. In many ways this book reminded me of when I read “Unbowed” by Wangari Maathai, and I was in awe of one person taking baby steps which …more
All the Flowers in Shanghai
All the Flowers in Shanghai: A Novel
by Duncan Jepson
Breaking the Cycle (11/5/2011)
This is a novel of cultural mores and betrayals. Up until she is seventeen, Feng has been taught her obligation in life is to care for her aging parents. Without any considerations of her desires or preparation, Feng is thrust into the haughty suffocating world of upper …more
Sister
Sister: A Novel
by Rosamund Lupton
Heart-breaking Suspense (6/28/2011)
This was an accomplished debut novel that grabbed me from the first page to the unexpected finish. While the story read like a detective novel, it definitely has a feminine feel as it concentrates on the bond between the sisters, and the other female characters. I enjoyed …more
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