Reviews by Arlene I. (Johnston, RI)

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Fagin the Thief
Fagin the Thief: A Novel
by Allison Epstein
Sensational Read (12/1/2024)
Wow! Allison Epstein has provided the reader with lots of new imagery for Victorian England in her book, Fagin the Thief. A semi-new Fagin is revealed. Her in-depth characterization shows Fagin being a manipulative, cunning, greedy, corrupt man, but a "softer" side of him …more
Harlem Rhapsody
Harlem Rhapsody
by Victoria Christopher Murray
Powerful Story? (9/19/2024)
Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray is an historical fiction novel. This captivating story centers around Jessie Redmond Faucet who becomes the literary editor at The Crisis magazine. The author eloquently portrays Ms. Fauset's role in discovering and nurturing …more
The Naming Song
The Naming Song
by Jedediah Berry
The Magic of Language (6/20/2024)
There are absolutely no spoilers in this review.

"The Naming Song" is not a book I would normally read. At first it was difficult to immerse myself in the story and the characters because of their unconventional names. I had several starts and stops, but in the end I really …more
The Cleaner
The Cleaner: A Novel
by Brandi Wells
Invisible…or not! (2/3/2024)
During the day she is quietly working, but invisible because she already completed her work during the nighttime hours.

The Cleaner by Brandi Wells is definitely a dark comedy. It is a story of an after hours cleaning woman in a high rise office building. The daytime …more
Delicate Condition
Delicate Condition
by Danielle Valentine
OMG…. (7/14/2023)
OMG…this book started off as a good novel...read on, and it became a mystery and...keep reading, a little bit of horror and finally a wonderful psychological thriller. I would give this book a 4.5. Bookclubs will have much to discuss about the contents of this novel.
I am …more
Zig-Zag Boy
Zig-Zag Boy: A Memoir of Madness and Motherhood
by Tanya Frank
Unforgettable Story (2/8/2023)
Zig-Zag boy by Tanya Frank details her nineteen year-old son, Zack's, tailspin into a psychotic mental state. She writes of her son's hospitalizations, taking super-charged drugs and a defunct mental health care system in both the US and the UK and trying to get cohesive …more
Margot
Margot: A Novel
by Wendell Steavenson
Oh Margo… (12/17/2022)
Margot by Wendell Stevenson is the story of a dysfunctional family at the closing of WW II. The characters are flawed but are relatable and real for the depicted era. ( Very relatable to me since I was born post WW II.) At the beginning of the story, Margot was a bold, …more
The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise
The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise
by Colleen Oakley
A Great Perspective on Life: (10/8/2022)
This book was an easy read but not overly simplistic. Tanner and Louise are quirky, endearing and lovable characters. You have a twenty-one year old self-doubting woman trying to find her footing in life (Tanner) and a wise-cracking eighty-three year old, who is self- …more
A Theater for Dreamers
A Theater for Dreamers
by Polly Samson
To Be or Not To Be.. (3/25/2021)
Welcome to the Island of Hydra in the 1960's. With a mixture of fictional and non-fictional characters,Polly Samson, gives the reader a chance to step back in time to one of the most decadent times in Greece. it was a roller coaster ride throughout the book. In order to …more
The Personal Librarian
The Personal Librarian
by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray
A Life Changing Experience (2/9/2021)
Before I read The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, I had no idea that JP Morgan had a personal librarian, Belle de Costa Green. In fact, I wasn't sure what the title entailed. Therefore not only is there a story behind the title but also …more
The Personal Librarian
The Personal Librarian
by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray
A Life Changing Experience (1/31/2021)
Before I read The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, I had no idea that JP Morgan had a personal librarian, Belle de Costa Green. In fact, I wasn’t sure what the title entailed. Therefore not only is there a story behind the title but also …more
Big Girl, Small Town
Big Girl, Small Town
by Michelle Gallen
A Listless life.. (10/20/2020)
This story takes place in a small town in Ireland during one of the most turbulent periods of time. Magella is the main character and although Michelle Gallen doesn't label her, she is definitely on the autistic spectrum. She lives with her alcoholic mom in a run down …more
Migrations
Migrations: A Novel
by Charlotte McConaghy
Definitely a BookClub Read... (4/15/2020)
Perfect novel for today's discussions about climate control and wildlife extention. The characters were well-written and developed throughout the story. The main character, Franny, was obsessive and determined in her manipulation to achieve a tribute to her husband, Niall. …more
The Prisoner's Wife
The Prisoner's Wife
by Maggie Brookes
WOW! (2/27/2020)
The prisoner's wife is a riveting and page turning story about two young lovers starting their life together in a most extraordinary way, a POW camp. The author's research is very apparent throughout the book. As a result, the visual description and imagery are key to the …more
Welcome to the Pine Away Motel and Cabins
Welcome to the Pine Away Motel and Cabins
by Katarina Bivald
Friendship and so much more.... (12/22/2019)
It took me some time to get into this book, but having read Katrina Bivald's other novel,(The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend) I figured that out by the time I got to Chapter Three. At the beginning of the story her characters are what I call "threadbare". As the story …more
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