Reviews by Mary H. (Phoenix, AZ)

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Libby Lost and Found
Libby Lost and Found: A Novel
by Stephanie Booth
More Real Than Real Life (7/26/2024)
Because I am a fan of both the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling and Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children series by Ransom Riggs, this particular novel Libby Lost and Found by Stephanie Booth was very intriguing. The love of a book, the stories and tales told can …more
The Flower Sisters
The Flower Sisters
by Michelle Collins Anderson
On This Date In History (3/21/2024)
This book is a welcome into a family history, and as all families have complexities, this is no different. It is common place nowadays to invest in your ancestry to discover long lost relatives or your genealogy in order to learn more about your family background, but in …more
The Divorcees
The Divorcees
by Rowan Beaird
Belief in a Future (11/21/2023)
The reader is in for a delightful treat with this debut novel Divorcee's by Rowan Beaird. Although this novel was an easy read, it was filled with the complexities of choices. Set in the 1950's where life for women was mostly dictated to them by men, a divorce could be …more
The Critic's Daughter
The Critic's Daughter: A Memoir
by Priscilla Gilman
A Lesson In Love (2/8/2023)
This story read like a puzzle of a dughter's love for her father (family). When pieced together all the memories and the vignettes of time they formed a huge heart that beat out pure adoration.

Priscilla revealed her loyalty to her family early in her life. She protected …more
Wade in the Water
Wade in the Water: A Novel
by Nyani Nkrumah
The Good and the Bad of people and everything in between. (11/9/2022)
Humankind consists of an assortment of people and categories many. The theme derived from this story proves that the important factors to all people is the sense of safety and love. Unconditional love is not easy to find but the young girl Ella believes that God, nature and …more
Activities of Daily Living
Activities of Daily Living: A Novel
by Lisa Hsiao Chen
Life and Multitasking (1/17/2022)
There is a disconnect between many of the chapters of this novel. After reading it straight through, I then went back to read a chapter at a time but not in order and the story still read the same. Many of the chapters were intense and complete in themselves as a short …more
Blind Man's Bluff
Blind Man's Bluff: A Memoir
by James Tate Hill
Aptly Titled (8/14/2021)
If you don't know someone is disabled and they give you no indication of that, are all things still equal?. I found J.T. Hill's memoir upsetting at times because he struggled so much with such ordinary tasks, like shopping for groceries, because he didn't want people to …more
Memorial Drive
Memorial Drive
by Natasha Trethewey
Living in Fear (9/24/2020)
Domestic abuse remains a topic of discussion so horrendous and difficult to comprehend that the why or what of circumstances never explains the outcome. It is a tribute to Natasha's mother that she expressed her love and support for her daughter while living in fear daily.

…more
Sometimes I Lie
Sometimes I Lie
by Alice Feeney
Mid Range Mystery Thriller (1/18/2018)
This is a good, short novel that can be read in-between the heavy, deep, full concentration novels that you can't seem to let go of after completion and the next grandiose historical biography that takes weeks to finish.
Sometimes I Lie proves to be pure entertainment and a …more
The Heart's Invisible Furies
The Heart's Invisible Furies: A Novel
by John Boyne
The Making of a Man (6/26/2017)
This book by John Boyne depicts the art of story telling at it's best. It was easy to get wrapped up in the life of Cyril Avery as he grew into a young man mostly by default. He certainly did not have parental guidance or adult supervision that could be recognized as loving …more
Manderley Forever
Manderley Forever
by Tatiana de Rosnay
Looking Back (1/29/2017)
The facts of Daphne Du Maurier's life were unknown to me before embarking on this book by Tatiana De Rosnay. Having read Rebecca so frequently throughout the years it was easy to equate the life of the author with that of the main character. The writing style of third …more
This Must Be the Place
This Must Be the Place: A novel
by Maggie O'Farrell
Who Are You Really (7/20/2016)
Well written story involving a rather dysfunctional family of characters. Intriguing background of the main character, Charlotte, her loves, her children and her losses. Who doesn't want to change their identity and begin again? The choices we make in life are our own yet …more
Amour Provence
Amour Provence
by Constance Leisure
More Romance than History (4/17/2016)
This novel is a historical romance that portrays life in two neighboring villages in northern Provence. The interesting similarity between current day prejudices and the lives of different cultures trying to exist together within the same area are profound. Understanding …more
We That Are Left
We That Are Left
by Clare Clark
The Rules of Inheritance (9/13/2015)
This story is seductive. The characters slowly evolve. It was easy to become involved in the younger generation and their awakening to the new reality around them. The old rules that govern inheritance, marriage and lineage soon are tested with Oscar, Jessica and Phyllis. I …more
The Book of Speculation
The Book of Speculation
by Erika Swyler
Time, Tarot and Low Tide (5/8/2015)
The characters in this novel are all travelers. Simon and his sister, Enola desperate to keep some resemblance of a family unit. The carnival workers, both past and present all play important roles. Independent, some more talented than others but they are intertwined to …more
The Rook
The Rook: A Novel
by Daniel O'Malley
Out of the Ordinary (2/12/2015)
This book was handed to me by someone who just raved about it... I started unaware of how gripping the story would be for me. The premise is out of the ordinary for humans and their daily routine. It was easy to get entwined in the hierarchy of characterizations, the daily …more
The Secrets of Midwives
The Secrets of Midwives
by Sally Hepworth
The Choices of Women (12/23/2014)
This read could lend to some discussion about pregnancy, expectations, love, family and or personal choices. For me, the story was too light, as if a 'made for TV movie was just around the corner'. It told a good story, however, the characters did not interest me much. I …more
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: The Untold Story
by Barbara Leaming
Looking Back on a Personal History (10/31/2014)
Truth be told, I didn't believe that I could finish this story. What I wanted to remember of Jackie Kennedy is not portrayed in real events. It is difficult to imagine the grief experienced by someone as she did in witnessing the murder, assassination of her husband as …more
The Paris Winter
The Paris Winter
by Imogen Robertson
Art and Mystery (7/13/2014)
By the end of the novel I was wanting to stroll through an art gallery,(perhaps the Louvre), sip some champagne and imagine the Paris of 1910. Each character has been carefully chosen to intrigue and strengthen the storyline, all independent people connected by the love of …more
A Paris Apartment
A Paris Apartment
by Michelle Gable
Madame de Florian Collection (4/9/2014)
The characters are connected by interests, history, love and a certain amount of 'je ne sais quoi'. The author presents April Vogt or 'Avril' living in the present day but reading a diary from a prior century in hopes of adding some provenance to each piece from the Paris …more
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