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Reviews by Becky H

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The Prisoner's Wife
by Maggie Brookes
The Prisoner's Wife (2/11/2020)
Based on a true story, THE PRISONER’S WIFE tells of a Czech farm girl who falls in love with the British POW assigned to work on her family’s farm. When it becomes apparent the POW’s will be moved to another area, Izabela and Bill decide to marry and then have Izabela posemore
American Dirt: A Novel
by Jeanine Cummins
You need to read this book (1/6/2020)
This is an important book. Anyone who thinks all illegal aliens are criminals should read this book. It is heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. It will grab you at the first page and not let go until the last.

Sabastian is a journalist who writes an expose of amore
The Promise
by Ann Weisgarber
A love story with a hurricane approaching (12/28/2019)
If you are looking a book long description of the devastating hurricane of 1900 and its aftermath, this not the book for you. While an accurate and terrifying description of the storm does appear, it is brief and secondary to the love story.
If you looking for a descriptionmore
Next Year in Havana
by Chanel Cleeton
Lots of history, a smattering of love (12/26/2019)
A two generation story of Cuban refugees centers on Elisa, 19, when her wealthy family is forced from Castro’s Cuba because of their support of Battista, and Marisol, Elisa’s granddaughter, who travels to Havana when the country reopens to tourists. Marisol carries hermore
The Glovemaker
by Ann Weisgarber
A compelling tale (12/16/2019)
I almost stopped reading this novel because of the stream of consciousness style of writing and the repetition of a certain phrase. However, by page 20 I was hooked. Samuel is missing and Deborah, his wife, is waiting for his return when she is surprised by a strangermore
The Fountains of Silence
by Ruta Sepetys
An excellent book (12/11/2019)
Sepetys writes teens beautifully and accurately. Her teens are impetuous, naïve, full hearted, empathetic, selfish, quick thinking and foolhardy. THE FOUNTAINS OF SILENCE tells of teens caught up in the tyrannical world of General Francisco Franco in the aftermath of themore
Small Days and Nights: A Novel
by Tishani Doshi
Partly lovely, partly disappointing (11/16/2019)
I so wanted to like this book. And I did – parts of it anyway. Doshi in some places (mostly descriptive parts of the book) is lyrical and enchanting, but in other parts (mostly conversations and character development) she is stilted and unpolished. Did she need a goodmore
The Big Finish
by Brooke Fossey
sympathetic to the plight of older persons (10/4/2019)
Duffey, the unrepentant reprobate, and his side kick, Carl, are roommates at the "nice" assisted living home. They live in fear of being tossed out and forced to move to the "hellhole" of the only full nursing home in the area. Nora is the nurse who makes life bearable.more
Thirteen
by Steve Cavanagh
A really good mystery (9/4/2019)
This one will keep you up far into the night. The plot is diabolical. So is the killer.
Eddie Flynn is the one person who believes the actor accused of killing his wife and her body guard is innocent. The bodies are falling fast and thick. The plot twists are delicious.

Formore
The Hundred-Year House
by Rebecca Makkai
I couldn't make it past 150 pages (8/30/2019)
I made it through 150 pages before deciding I didn’t really care about these people and their foibles and meandering progress through what passed for life. A failed writer, a failed artist, a failed mother, a failed son – who cares. The writing is lovely, the story failed.
A Better Man: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel
by Louise Penny
A Better Man (8/26/2019)
I have only read one other Armand Gamache mystery. This one convinces me I should read more!

Armand is back at work, demoted and brushed aside for another – his son-in-law! A flood is happening and Three Pines is in the crosshairs. A woman is missing and her husband, who maymore
Ellie and the Harpmaker
by Hazel Prior
Ellie and the Harpmaker (8/26/2019)
This is a lovely book. Ellie, married to a controlling husband, meets Dan, who lives in solitary splendor meticulously carving exquisite harps.

The writing is detailed and engaging. Prior uses words to describe the woods and creatures surrounding the harp barn with greatmore
You Were There Too
by Colleen Oakley
A different kind of love story (8/10/2019)
This was a different kind of love story. A happily married woman dreams about a man, not her husband, for years. Then she discovers he is a real person who has been dreaming about her! Love, desire, confusion, humor, guilt, forgiveness, and just plain weirdness ensues.
Imore
Dumplin'
by Julie Murphy
a sensitive and empathetic tale (8/10/2019)
This book is not PC. A teenage girl is called Dumplin’ by her mother who constantly reminds her how fat she is and how pretty she would be if she just lost some weight.
Dumplin’ and her friends decide to enter the beauty contest Dumplin’s mother runs and had won many yearsmore
America for Beginners
by Leah Franqui
America for Beginners (8/10/2019)
This was a delightful book. A conservative Indian lady seeks closure with her son’s death by taking a guided tour of America.
Pival hires an Indian (she thinks) tour company that is really Bengali. Her “companion” is an erstwhile actress who is tired of life. Her tour guidemore
Cherokee America
by Margaret Verble
A Cherokee family tale (6/28/2019)
Verble beautifully creates atmosphere in both culture and land in this prequel to her first (Pulitzer Prize nominated) novel, MAUD’S LINE. Cherokee America, known to all as Check, is the matriarch of a family still remembering the horrors of the Trail of Tears and nowmore
I Still Dream About You: A Novel
by Fannie Flagg
A romp in Southern charm and skulduggery (5/30/2019)
This fun read still has an emotional punch. Flagg is an expert at creating characters one cares about – even the ones that are not very nice! In this outing Flagg joins a “fat” African American, a midget, an ex-beauty queen, and a thoroughly detestable real estate agent tomore
Death of a New American: A Jane Prescott Novel
by Mariah Fredericks
Death of a New American (5/25/2019)
Jane Prescott, lady’s maid and mystery solver, becomes embroiled in labor disputes, the Black Hand and murder in this entertaining novel set in 1912 New York.
Louise, Jane’s lady, is about to marry the son of a prestigious family. When the Tyler’s nursemaid is murdered andmore
The Satapur Moonstone: A Perveen Mistry Novel
by Sujata Massey
Murder, tea and jewels (5/25/2019)
This the second mystery starring Purveen Mistry, a female Indian lawyer practicing in Bombay in 1921. (If you have not read the first, you might want to check it out first, so you know the backstory.) Purveen has been asked to determine if the children of a deceasedmore
Beirut Hellfire Society
by Rawi Hage
UNFLINCHINGLY DEPRESSING (5/15/2019)
This tale presents the raw outrage, fear, misery, and indelible sadness of a country at war. The writing is excellent. Unfortunately, it is so filled with sex and depravity that I can not recommend this book. After having to force myself to read past the first few chapters,more

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