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Reviews by Beth M. (New York, NY)

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Everybody Rise
by Stephanie Clifford

Evelyn's climb to the top (3/4/2015)

This is a quick read about social climbing by a New York Times award winning writer who clearly know the territory. Evelyn Bergen, the protagonist, has learned from her mother the ambition to fit "in with the upper class. Reminiscent of Edith Wharton and more recently Amor …more

Blue Stars
by Emily Gray Tedrowe

Think about the women left behind! (11/28/2014)

Emily Gray Tedrowe has done it again. She has written a beautiful, yet heartbreaking novel about women you really connect with and care for. I couldn't put it down. She also has done a great job of making us involved in a world that most of us know little about.

When I …more

Vanessa and Her Sister
by Priya Parmar

Sister bonds that tie (9/23/2014)

Vanessa and her Sister is a beautifully written story told through a first person narrative from a journal that Vanessa kept, interspersed with tickets, announcements and letters saved from friends. Parmar does an excellent job of giving Vanessa a clear, funny, smart and …more

Accidents of Marriage
by Randy Susan Meyers

Quick read but predictable (6/3/2014)

I really enjoy Randy Susan Meyers' writing style. Like in Comfort of Lies she writes about identifiable characters who you care about and root for. Unfortunately I hoped for some unexpected twists. However, the story is little more than the back cover blurb. Maddy and Ben …more

The House We Grew Up In
by Lisa Jewell

Astoundingly beautiful family drama (3/12/2014)

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. Lisa Jewell has written another great novel with characters that are so real you can feel their thoughts and emotions. The story revolves around a seriously flawed mother and a tragedy that devastates everyone. What at first seems …more

Glitter and Glue: A Memoir
by Kelly Corrigan

A book you want to hug and re read (12/2/2013)

I love, loved this book. Kelly Corrigan is an involving, passionate writer who tells stories like your best friend. You understand what she's talking about and you nod your head in acknowledgement of the truths she shares. This is a wonderful story about mothers and …more

A Hundred Flowers: A Novel
by Gail Tsukiyama

Tsukiyama-lite (6/25/2012)

I have loved Gail Tsukiyama's books, especially Samurai's Garden. This one was enjoyable and a quick read but it was definitely not her best. The story takes place during 5 months of China's Cultural Revolution when the father of an ordinary family is taken away for voicing …more

The First Warm Evening of the Year: A Novel
by Jamie M. Saul

A lot of pondering, not much action. (4/10/2012)

I found this book frustrating to read. What this book explored is the fascinating terrain of love lost and new love found and the crazy dance of relationships. However, very little happens and much of the dialog is internal and introspective. Plus I just couldn't buy the …more

Losing Clementine: A Novel
by Ashley Ream

A compulsive read you don't want to end (2/5/2012)

I loved this book. Clementine is a wonderfully drawn character, full of flaws but heartbreakingly sane. She's made a decision to end her life and just wants to finish a few things. However, life intrudes and her journey is wonderful. The story is bold and funny and you find …more

Salvage the Bones: A Novel
by Jesmyn Ward

Far from perfect (6/27/2011)

Set in Bois Sauvage, Mississippi in the days before Hurricane Katrina hit, it's a portrait of a poor rural family trying to survive in the best ways they can. The writing is poetic and the brutal realities are conveyed with a beautiful, raw power. The story is told in the …more

The Sweetness of Tears: A Novel
by Nafisa Haji

Sweet but not very compelling (2/28/2011)

I really wanted to like this book because I loved her first novel, "The writing on my forehead". I many ways the themes of both books are similar. Both deal with family lies, ties that bind, cultural differences and prejudices and love. My problems with the book were the …more

The Hand that First Held Mine: A Novel
by Maggie O'Farrell

A book I couldn't put down (2/18/2010)

From the opening page I was hooked. Written in beautiful, creative prose, this story is about two strong women struggling with motherhood (in all it's glories and difficulties), identity, love and family. These are women you really care about. You want to know how their …more

Making Toast: A Family Story
by Roger Rosenblatt

A tragedy told with restraint (10/27/2009)

Roger Rosenblatt's memoir of the months following his daughter's sudden death is told with great simplicity and restraint. Unfortunately, for me that didn't work. I wanted to read more of the emotional pain and less of the day-to-day details of caring for his 3 young …more

Sweeping Up Glass
by Carolyn Wall

A griping story with unforgettable characters and a surprising end (8/10/2009)

Carolyn Wall's debut novel is told in the simple, rural language of a poor mountain town in Depression-era Kentucky. The beginning of the book started slow but soon I was sucked in to the powerful narrative. It 's a heartfelt story filled with quirky, unforgettable …more

Night Navigation
by Ginnah Howard

A unflinching view of addiction (2/25/2009)

This is not a book for the weak at heart. Having lived with addiction for too years (my mother, sister, and husband were all addicts), I know the veracity with which Ginnah Howard writes. This is an unsparing look at both sides of addiction. The frustration and confusion of …more

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The Lilac People
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