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Reviews by Patty S. (Towson, MD)

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Day: A Novel
by Michael Cunningham
A Day in Some Lives (11/2/2023)
I have been a fan of Michael Cunningham ever since I read Home at the End of the World, one of his earliest books. Day did not disappoint. The day of April 5th is used to tell the story of a family as they change and grow through the years 2019 through 2022.
His ability tomore
The Gifts: A Novel
by Liz Hyder
All Over the Place (3/19/2023)
I was really looking forward to reading this book. It hits all of my happy places in subject matter: "science, nature and religion, enlightenment, the role of women in society, and the dark danger of ambition" (from the back cover) but it jumped around too fast. Shortmore
The Lies I Tell: A Novel
by Julie Clark
Will Keep You Guessing (4/2/2022)
Whew! I am a fan of psychological thrillers in general, but this one was over the top. Every time I thought I knew where the plot was going... Bam! Nope! What happens when revenge becomes a life goal? We see how it plays out in the lives of two women, Meg and Kat, who aremore
Morningside Heights: A Novel
by Joshua Henkin
Believe In These Characters! (4/24/2021)
I was so moved by MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS that I had to let it sit for a couple of days before I could write about it. It is the story of a family that will experience hard things. It took me almost no time at all to become invested in Joshua Henkin's characters. They are alivemore
The Smallest Lights in the Universe: A Memoir
by Sara Seager
Somewhere Out There (7/20/2020)
If you have ever wondered if there is life outside of our universe and you enjoy poignant memoirs, then you will love this beautifully written book. Sara Seager is an astrophysicist, wife, mother, and friend who has told the extraordinary story of her life so far. Sometimesmore
Catherine House: A Novel
by Elisabeth Thomas
Left me hanging (3/25/2020)
Catherine House is a supposedly elite college that only accepts brilliant students who have gone on to change the world in amazing ways. But there is something creepy about this school. Once you're in, there's no leaving the grounds until graduation three years later andmore
Cartier's Hope: A Novel
by M. J. Rose
Secrets abound (9/20/2019)
I love historical fiction, and CARTIER'S HOPE didn't disappoint. It was a little slow going at first, but I'm glad I stuck with it because at one point I found myself not wanting to put it down! I cared about M.J. Rose's characters. If you like stories based in New Yorkmore
The Shadow King: A Novel
by Maaza Mengiste
An interesting read (6/24/2019)
Before reading The Shadow King, by Maaza Mengiste, I had no idea that Italy invaded Ethiopia as a lead-up to World War II. And that women were an important part of defending Ethiopia made reading the book all the more interesting to me. Mengiste's prose is beautiful. I mustmore
The Guest Book
by Sarah Blake
Family Secrets (4/8/2019)
The Guest Book is the story of a family, an island, and the secrets that are held within the walls of a treasured house. Sarah Blake has written a beautiful and thoughtful book about the way money and power can color the way we see – and want to be seen in – the world.more
The Chalk Man
by C. J. Tudor
Serious Page-Turner (11/26/2017)
C.J. Tudor had my attention from page 1 of her debut novel about a group of friends in a small English town. When the book opens, we know that a murder has been committed, but the clues and handed out a little at a time until the very final question has been answered on themore
Happiness: The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After
by Heather Harpham
A Story That Needed to Be Told (6/17/2017)
If you have ever wondered what the families of children with life-threatening illnesses go through, you should read this book. Or even if you have never wondered such things, you should read this book. Heather Harpham's memoir is about her daughter, Gracie, and it is somore
The Devil in Jerusalem
by Naomi Ragen
Too frightening for words (7/7/2015)
I was inspired to request this book because of its Jewish themes. As the story unfolded, it became clear to me that this is one that, unfortunately, needs to be told. It's not just a Jewish story. It is a universal story of cults and the way they prey on people who aremore
The Book of Speculation
by Erika Swyler
A little too farfetched (3/31/2015)
I wanted to like this book more than I did. The passage of time, a circus, and even a librarian! Erika Swyler has a real gift of prose that showed itself over and over again but her use of dialog felt forced to me. Reading it made me want to dig out the tarot cards I usedmore
Vanessa and Her Sister
by Priya Parmar
I loved this! (9/30/2014)
It seems to take a lot, these days, for me to focus on a book long enough to get all the way through it, so when I say that I could hardly put this book down, that's saying a lot! Parmar's decision to write the story of the a tumultuous time in the lives of the Stephenmore
The Last Enchantments
by Charles Finch
Remembering My Twenties (11/15/2013)
One of the ways I know I like a book is by the way I feel when I finish it. I left Will Baker and his Oxford friends an hour ago and, still, I am thinking of my own feelings about my relationships at the age of 27 or 28. Do we all go through it - the questions, the longing,more
Shine Shine Shine: A Novel
by Lydia Netzer
It's Complicated... (6/24/2012)
I was half of the way through with this book before I got to the point where I was able to appreciate its beauty. Until that point, I really didn't get it. Unfortunately, if I was just reading it for pleasure and hadn't agreed to review it, I probably wouldn't have finishedmore
Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake: A Memoir
by Anna Quindlen
A Happy Reunion (4/14/2012)
Reading Anna Quindlen's memoir was like being reunited with an old friend after many years of being apart. If you were a loyal fan of her columns in THE NEW YORK TIMES or NEWSWEEK as I was, you will appreciate that the book reads like those columns: full of heart and deepmore
The Things We Cherished: A Novel
by Pam Jenoff
Not enough of what I expected (6/14/2011)
Pam Jenoff has used a handmade anniversary clock to move this story through time. It was an interesting way to bring the characters together, though it was a little confusing, at first. I want to have liked this book more than I did. I found the romance distracting from themore
Arcadia Falls
by Carol Goodman
I Expected More (1/13/2010)
One of the first things I noticed about Arcadia Falls was the prose. It is one of Goodman’s strong points. It wasn’t enough, however, to keep me interested for more than a chapter or two at a time. The story, set in the Catskills, is of Meg Rothstein and her daughter, Sally,more
The Elephant Keeper
by Christopher Nicholson
Of Elephants and People (6/17/2009)
Elephants are such wonderful creatures. I applaud Nicholson for his understanding of their intelligence and grace. His writing style didn't always hold my attention, though, and some of the dialogue distracted me from the story; it felt misplaced. Tom's conversations withmore
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