Reviews by Ilene M. (Longmont, CO)

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Happy Land
Happy Land
by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Excellent book! (11/16/2024)
This is another great story told by the author of Take My Hand. Another historical fiction tale that had me completely engaged. The author's skilled writing made me feel that I was right there with her characters. Bravo!
The Cleaner
The Cleaner: A Novel
by Brandi Wells
Inventive, but... (2/12/2024)
As I started to read this book, I was intrigued by the inventive writing style. The author chooses to let the "cleaner" gives us her thoughts on her evening work and on the people who work in the office during the day. By the end of the book, my feelings are that the " …more
The Waters
The Waters: A Novel
by Bonnie Jo Campbell
Slow grind (11/29/2023)
Write what you know about. That advice seemed to be followed by the author of this book. Unfortunately, it did not appeal to me. The tale was too long and the characters not appealing to me. I am afraid of snakes and the fact that snakes play such an important role in the …more
Above the Salt
Above the Salt: A Novel
by Katherine Vaz
Too long and too scattered (10/18/2023)
I have to agree with the other reviewers who wrote that this book is too long and too scattered. While I was interested in the religious differences of people on Madeira, which is the basis of the book, I found that the writing was average and the subject matter too …more
Digging Stars
Digging Stars: A Novel
by Novuyo Rosa Tshuma
Not to my liking (8/9/2023)
I found this book difficult to read and more importantly, difficult to relate to the characters. I understand that many other individuals enjoyed this read, but I did not. I found the writing to be disjointed and the subject matter not very interesting. I do understand that …more
Banyan Moon
Banyan Moon: A Novel
by Thao Thai
Good story about three generations of women (5/7/2023)
A family with many secrets that come to life during the course of the story. I could identify with the stresses that exist between a mother and her daughter! The unfolding story, told from three different perspectives during several time periods, was worth the read. There …more
The Critic's Daughter
The Critic's Daughter: A Memoir
by Priscilla Gilman
Not to my liking (2/1/2023)
If you have read any of the other reviews on this website, you know that Priscilla Gilman is writing a memoir about her father and the relationship that she had with him. While I respect her writing skills, I found that I had little to no interest in either Priscilla or her …more
Sisters of the Lost Nation
Sisters of the Lost Nation
by Nick Medina
Worth the read (11/9/2022)
The author writes a good story about several difficult subject matters. The problems faced by the indigenous people of the United States is well defined in this book. I particularly appreciated reading about the subject matter and the various characters described in this …more
River Sing Me Home
River Sing Me Home
by Eleanor Shearer
Wonderful story (8/31/2022)
This is one of the best books that I have read this year. The writing is exquisite. I was totally committed to the characters. They felt like family to me. This was a story about British slavery which was unknown to me. Please do yourself a favor and read this book.
How to Find Your Way Home
How to Find Your Way Home
by Katy Regan
Homelessness is a difficult topic (11/21/2021)
This book is centered on the life of the homeless and the affect of that situation on the family of the homeless person. The author does a noble job of leading the reader to the conclusion of the book regarding the reasons for the homelessness. No two circumstances are the …more
Take My Hand
Take My Hand
by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Another dark moment in our hsitory (9/16/2021)
Well written historical fiction about another dark moment in American history. This is an open look at medical malpractice brought upon the poor and under-educated among our populace. I was unaware of the procedures that were done at this time in our history. Good for all …more
At the Chinese Table
At the Chinese Table: A Memoir with Recipes
by Carolyn Phillips
Abook for serious foodies (7/6/2021)
While the book is touted as one for readers interested in Chinese cuisine, I found the most interesting part was Carolyn Phillips gutsy move to Taiwan after college and her even gutsier move to integrate herself into a Chinese family. Not an easy feat, but she seemed to be …more
Morningside Heights
Morningside Heights: A Novel
by Joshua Henkin
Not the besst read (4/16/2021)
I wanted to like this book, but it fell flat for me. The premise of early onset dementia in one of the lead characters, Spence and the effect of the disease on the rest of the family had potential, but did not meet the test for me. I was not invested in any of the …more
The Personal Librarian
The Personal Librarian
by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray
Well done! (2/14/2021)
Wonderfully written book about a fascinating woman in American history. It is also a condemnation of the racial discrimination that has plagued our history. Bravo for Marie Benedict having the understanding that she could not write this book by herself. Adding Victoria …more
The Prophets
The Prophets
by Robert Jones Jr.
Astounding writing and superb storytelling (10/22/2020)
The author claims that he is picking up where Toni Morrison and James Baldwin left off. His writing proves him to be correct. The writing is superb even if the vernacular was sometimes difficult for me to understand.
The subject matter is so relevant in today’s world. …more
Miss Austen
Miss Austen
by Gill Hornby
Good read for champions of Jane Austen (2/3/2020)
I read this book without having any background on the lives of Jane and Cassandra Austen. While the book did a good job of painting a picture of the times in which they lived, I did not find it to be that interesting. It is a well written book and a fast read. I guess that …more
I Want You to Know We're Still Here
I Want You to Know We're Still Here: A Post-Holocaust Memoir
by Esther Safran Foer
Not Great (11/19/2019)
I read many, many books about the Holocaust, both non-fiction and historical fiction. The accounts are always disturbing. Some authors present the information in beautiful and compelling prose. In my opinion, this author did not do a great job. I understand her need to …more
The Night Tiger
The Night Tiger: A Novel
by Yangsze Choo
Well written (12/7/2018)
I thought that this book was well written because of the alternating points of view from chapter to chapter. The spiritual aspect of the tale was intriguing. The book kept my interest from the beginning. However, I was disappointed by the way in which the author chose to …more
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    The River Knows Your Name
    by Kelly Mustian
    A haunting Southern novel about memory and love, from the author of The Girls in the Stilt House.
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  • Book Jacket

    Happy Land
    by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

    From the New York Times bestselling author, a novel about a family's secret ties to a vanished American Kingdom.

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