Reviews by Elizabeth V. (Bellbrook, OH)

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The Magician of Tiger Castle
The Magician of Tiger Castle
by Louis Sachar
Louis Sacher's Adult Debut (4/2/2025)
It's been years since I read Holes but Louis Sacher's "voice" was immediately and pleasantly apparent in this lovely adult fiction book. The characters were funny and touching all at the same time and utterly relatable. If you loved The Princess Bride you will love this …more
Serial Killer Games
Serial Killer Games
by Kate Posey
A Killer of a Story (1/29/2025)
Serial Killer Games killed it. I loved the twisty plot and the characters. The story kept me engaged from beginning to end. The snarky, sarcastic tone and dialog were hilarious, and the ending was perfection. I hope Ms. Posey intends to be a serial author because I'm dying …more
Happy Land
Happy Land
by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Happy Land, Happy Reader (11/21/2024)
I enjoyed this book. I'm a long time family researcher so I appreciated that this was based on a true story. I loved the woman-centered story lines, and the resiliency the women showed when faced with challenges seemed particularly appropriate right now.
The Very Long, Very Strange Life of Isaac Dahl
The Very Long, Very Strange Life of Isaac Dahl
by Bart Yates
Short but Very Sweet (5/9/2024)
Isaac may have had a long, strange life but the book about him is short but sweet. I was a little skeptical that a book about a man's life that skips ahead every eight years would tell a coherent story, much less an enjoyable one. I was very wrong. Bart Yates did a …more
The Funeral Cryer
The Funeral Cryer: A Novel
by Wenyan Lu
If the Author Does Not Care, Why Should I? (2/12/2024)
I'm not sure what the author intended with this book that did not name any of the main characters other than their role in the story (Daughter, Husband, Barber, etc.) but keeping the characters at such a remove was a fail for me. I found it impossible to care about …more
The House on Biscayne Bay
The House on Biscayne Bay
by Chanel Cleeton
Good but lacking in substance (12/14/2023)
The book was well written but the story was predictable and not all that engaging. I thought having Carmen and Carolina come from Cuba was odd. It didn't feel like that aspect of the story was well researched. If some of the main characters are from a different culture, it …more
The Divorcees
The Divorcees
by Rowan Beaird
Midcentury Modern Divorce (11/7/2023)
The Divorcees is a fictionalized account about the "divorce ranches" in midcentury Reno, Nevada. It is well written and the story is engaging. My only criticism is the lack of depth in the women's stories. The difficulties women faced in trying to asset their independence …more
This Is Salvaged
This Is Salvaged: Stories
by Vauhini Vara
Excellent Writing But The Stories Were Not For Me (8/26/2023)
Vauhini Vara is a talented writer. The writing is descriptive and vividly drawn but I found the stories to be very dark and cynical. I didn't find them humorous or enjoyable. Books are my safe space and this one didn't feel safe at all; I'm sure that appeals to many people …more
Banyan Moon
Banyan Moon: A Novel
by Thao Thai
Mothers and Daughters (5/8/2023)
Banyan Moon is Thao Thai's debut novel and to some degree, it shows. The book has a compelling storyline but its execution is a little spotty. The overabundance of metaphors, similes and alliteration in the early chapters was jarring: "Her gait was purposeful but pinched. …more
Mrs. Plansky's Revenge
Mrs. Plansky's Revenge
by Spencer Quinn
Delightful Read (4/4/2023)
Spencer Quinn has created a series worthy character in Mrs. Loretta Plansky. I was a little hesitant about the story at first because it seemed as if Mrs. Plansky was being taken advantage of by ungrateful family members but Mrs. Plansky proved more than able to take care …more
Homestead
Homestead: A Novel
by Melinda Moustakis
I wanted to like it more than I did (1/27/2023)
I really wanted to love this book but I often felt like the author was trying too hard to write great literature to the detriment of just telling a story. The writing was choppy and hard to follow at times; I found the tempo to be very staccato like here: "A testing, a …more
In the Time of Our History
In the Time of Our History
by Susanne Pari
In the Time of Our History (9/16/2022)
I loved this book. The themes of family, culture. loss and exile were so beautifully handled, and the characters are realistically portrayed yet handled with compassion for their faults and weaknesses. The female characters in particular who show their strength and …more
Jackie & Me
Jackie & Me
by Louis Bayard
Fictionalized History at its Best (6/7/2022)
I loved Louis Bayard's fictional versions of Jack and Jackie as seen by Lem Billings, Jack's "wing man" during their courtship. The wistful tone of Lem's memories was poignant and endearing. Bayard's depiction of Jack and Jackie's relationship rang very true to me and gave …more
Peach Blossom Spring
Peach Blossom Spring: A Novel
by Melissa Fu
Beautiful Writing, Moving Story (3/4/2022)
I absolutely loved this book. The author, Melissa Fu, was able to evoke a time and place I am wholly unfamiliar with by using language as delicate and precise as the artistry of the Chinese hand scroll that figures so prominently in Meilin's story. Even Henry, whose …more
How to Find Your Way Home
How to Find Your Way Home
by Katy Regan
The Journey Back Home (10/27/2021)
I enjoyed this book very much. The author did a good job addressing the many ways mental illness affects not just the person but everyone around them in varying ways. While I understand why it was done from a plot perspective, I do wish that the underlying cause of Stephen' …more
The Sunset Route
The Sunset Route: Freight Trains, Forgiveness, and Freedom on the Rails in the American West
by Carrot Quinn
What a Trip! (7/12/2021)
Once I started reading, I could not put "The Sunset Route" down until the last page. The details about riding the rails were both fascinating and terrifying. The hardships Carrot overcame, described in such a matter-of-fact tone, were stunning to read. I mourned the …more
Everybody
Everybody: A Book about Freedom
by Olivia Laing
It had moments (5/19/2021)
I really wanted to love this book. It had moments where I did. The problem is, I had to slog through a tremendous amount of what felt like unnecessary verbiage to get to those moments. The author's personal opinions seemed to taint her message as well. She spoke kindly, …more
Ariadne
Ariadne
by Jennifer Saint
Mythology From the Female Perspective (3/12/2021)
Jennifer Saint has created a fresh and thought provoking take on the myths and heroes we normally see only from the male perspective. Her characters were well rounded and much more three dimensional than the original mythological figures. While the "heroes" were shown to be …more
The Narrowboat Summer
The Narrowboat Summer
by Anne Youngson
A Coming of Age Story for Older Adults (11/24/2020)
Life is full of changes and transitions but most coming of age stories focus on the transition for youth to adulthood. It was refreshing to read a story that focused on older adults "coming of age" and realizing their full potential. I also enjoyed that the author allowed …more
Piranesi
Piranesi
by Susanna Clarke
Not Enough of a Good Thing (8/11/2020)
Piranesi was a perfect story to read during the pandemic with its underlying themes of loneliness and isolation. The story was intriguing, the characters were memorable and the world building was exquisite. My only criticism is that there was not enough of any of it. I …more
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  • Book Jacket
    The Devil Finds Work
    by James Baldwin
    A book-length essay on racism in American films, by "the best essayist in this country" (The New York Times Book Review).
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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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