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Reviews by Jennifer B. (Oviedo, FL)

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Harlem Rhapsody
by Victoria Christopher Murray

Harlem Rhapsody (9/3/2024)

My hopes were high for this story about the Harlem Renaissance. It is a very exciting time in the history of our country, one which I am always eager to learn about. I had never heard of Jessie Redmon Fauset before reading this. I suspect not many people have. Her story definitely needed to be told, for her importance in promoting literature was immense. This book was well researched. However, I am not sure it warranted such a long saga. At times, I found it to be repetitive. It is not the first book I have read written by Victoria Christopher Murray. Nor will it be the last. It just was not her finest in my humble opinion.

Pony Confidential
by Christina Lynch

Pony Confidential (6/1/2024)

A pony that can communicate via telepathy, travel alone across a continent and solve mysteries? Come on! That was my first thought when given the opportunity to read and review Pony Confidential. Now, having read the book I can say it's one of my favorite books ever! The characters, human and otherwise, cover the gamut. There are scoundrels and up-standing examples of both people and animals. I laughed and cried and cheered for a pony trying to find and help his best friend and former owner. This clever story will become a bestseller!

The Cleaner: A Novel
by Brandi Wells

The Cleaner (2/6/2024)

Stream of consciousness writing is not a style of writing that usually appeals to me. However, I am delighted that I gave this book a try. It was well written and entertaining for the most part. The main character, "The Cleaner" was a clever deduction artist of personalities. Her insatiable curiosity about the people who worked where she cleaned each night was the impetus for her shenanigans in the office space when no one was around to see her. That said, I feel the book was a little lacking in action. After a while, I yearned for something of interest to happen besides the usual nightly cleaning. Perhaps a bit of mystery would have helped this book for me.

The Roaring Days of Zora Lily: A Novel
by Noelle Salazar

Zora Lily (9/17/2023)

What a pleasure it is to be immersed in a story quickly when one begins a new book. The tale of Zora Lily kept my attention throughout with fresh perspectives of one of the most interesting times in history. Prohibition in America has been written about so many times, but this book comes at it from a different angle. The story of a young seamstress who dreams of being an innovative designer in Seattle is really creative. Her disappointments and victories were deftly descriptive, making Zora a very relatable character.

The Last Russian Doll
by Kristen Loesch

The Last Russian Doll (10/19/2022)

The Last Russian Doll is one of the best interpretations of this historical era I have read. The Russian Revolution of 1917 in and of itself is a story of drama and tragedy that has always held a fascination for me. The author, Kristen Loesch, has written an excellent story bringing three generations of Russian citizens together in an intriguing way. It is beautifully written and descriptive without being difficult to understand Russian surnames and colloquialisms. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in historical fiction and shall suggest it to my book club.

Jackie & Me
by Louis Bayard

Jackie! (6/11/2022)

Oh my! This has been a deliciously fun book! Louis Bayard has written a story that readers will consume eagerly. Although we know going in this a novel, it's tempting to conjecture what parts are true or based in truth. The story of Jackie before her marriage to JFK was not familiar to me. Their friendship with Lem Billings was also news to me, but I enjoyed every antidote about the triad. Louis Bayard has done well with his foray into romantic storytelling. He remains one of my favorite writers.

Dirt Creek: A Novel
by Hayley Scrivenor

Aussie drama (3/16/2022)

My impression of Dirt Creek is that I was enthralled with this story of small town residents. All of the characters were vital to the revelation of the murderer of a child. The relationships were so entwined with each other and full of bitter secrets. Even the children in this story had their own private things to hide. Without revealing any plot twists I will say that I am looking forward to the next book by the author. Hopefully she is going to continues the story of Detective Inspector, Sarah Michaels, who solves the murder. It would be a very readable series.

Two Storm Wood: A Novel
by Philip Gray

Two Storm Wood (12/17/2021)

Philip Gray has written a mystery about one of the most influential periods of time in history. This post World War I novel tells of the immediate aftermath of the Armistice before many of the soldiers had left the battlefield for home. The story is about a handful of people whose lives become entwined with an unlikely young woman during her search for her missing fiancé on the battlefield. Her dogged search reveals dark secrets and tangled relationships between her lover and his comrades. Her guilty past drives her to finding the truth even at the expense of safety.

This "thriller" dragged a bit in the middle of the book. However, the final chapters were very satisfactory in answering many questions and bringing out several surprises that will keep readers interested. For me, the dedication of volunteer soldiers staying behind to find and claim their fallen brothers is the heart of this story.

The Lost Notebook of Edouard Manet: A Novel
by Maureen Gibbon

Edouard Manet (7/12/2021)

With eagerness I read The Lost Notebook of Edouard Manet. As an avid, albeit amateur, lover of Art History the knowledge I have of Edouard Manet is sketchy. It was intriguing to study him through personal notes in workbook and diary format. The personal insight into his methods of style and creativity whilst battling a painful, debilitating disease was fascinating. It was also interesting to read about Manet's relationships with his peers in the artist community.

Of Women and Salt
by Gabriela Garcia

Of Women and Salt (4/26/2021)

The issues brought forth in this book are historical and topical. There is so much to learn about the Cuban Revolution and it's effect on generations of Cubans. The relationship of the Revolution and current immigration issues are relative and a fascinating idea for a novel. This was interesting and all the character stories did come together at the end of the book. However, the process of arriving to the conclusion was at times laborious. Rarely do I feel that an author should add length to a book. In this case the story would have benefited from more detail instead of vaguely describing characters and circumstances.

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie
by Marie Benedict

Agatha's Myteries Live On (11/6/2020)

As an lifelong avid reader of Agatha Christie I was eager to read The Mystery of Mrs. C. It is an engaging story that was hard to put down. The characterizations of Agatha and Archie Christie were entertaining if perhaps a bit over dramatic. So many theories have been posited about "the disappearance" of Agatha. Perhaps this novel offers one of the most plausible conjectures I have read. At any rate I love the puzzling aspects of the story in the style of A.C. Marie Benedict has become one of my favorite authors this year. It would have been interesting to read the author's notes at the end of the book, but it was not available in the pre-published ebook format. I shall recommend this novel to my book club.

The Voyage of the Morning Light: A Novel
by Marina Endicott

Voyage of Morning Light (6/12/2020)

Escape is the first word I think of when reviewing Voyage of the Morning Light. This book is a tonic for the mind. An adventurous trip on a sailing vessel in the early twentieth century is the focal point of the story. From there the characters develop clearly and maintain their quirks and ideals throughout the book without effort on the reader's part to remember who is who. Descriptions of the ports of call and of life on the open sea make me long for a transcontinental voyage to the South Pacific. I became accustomed to glossing over the Greek phrases and the passages describing intricate sailing maneuvers since neither is familiar to me. At first they were off putting, but quickly were ignored as I was eager to discover what would happen next. After reading this delightful book, which could easily become a classic, I have the urge to reread Robert Louis Stephenson's Treasure Island.

The Last Train to Key West
by Chanel Cleeton

Florida History (3/15/2020)

Complete strangers, women as different from each other as can be, each become involved in the lives of compelling men who are also strangers. The women each necessarily must behave in ways contrary to their values for survival. Their individual predicaments are further complicated by a hurricane bearing down on the Florida Keys. The story is compressed into a few days making the pace readable. There is enough mystery and entanglement to keep readers interested. I found the historical value to be well researched and I intend to read more books by the author. This book is an easy summer vacation read unless you are under the threat of a hurricane.

Lady Clementine
by Marie Benedict

Superlative Woman (11/3/2019)

Reading Lady Clementine was as pleasurable as I had hoped it would be. Marie Benedict created a feeling of intimacy with the main characters by setting up vivid scenarios. I realize this is a work of historical fiction, but the book was so well researched and believable that I want this story to be the absolute truth. Learning that Clementine was just as ambitious as her husband was a bit surprising to me. Consequently I hold her in high regard, much as I have always felt highly of Sir Winston.

In reading the book I did feel that there could have been smoother transitions from one chapter to the next. Possibly the author wanted to set a quicker pace for readers as there was so much material to cover. I was enjoying the book so much that I wished it had delved more deeply into the story. I will definitely seek other books written by Benedict.

Eternal Life
by Dara Horn

Surprisingly lively (11/6/2017)

I surprised myself by choosing to review Eternal Life. It is not a genre that particularly appeals to me for I prefer stories of reality. Nonetheless it was delightful to discover that the characters, time and place were so well constructed I did not mind the bit of fantastical science. Eternal Life is a story of humanity that became vivid as I read and found myself transported in the details of Rachel's life. Dara Horn is a newly found author for me, but one that I shall put on my list to read often. It will be a pleasure to recommend Eternal Life as a choice for my book club.

Caught in the Revolution: Petrograd, Russia, 1917 - A World on the Edge
by Helen Rappaport

Fascinated by the Revolution (11/8/2016)

Russian history may be dull for some readers. In my opinion no other country can top the passionate drama that took place during the revolution. Having always been interested in the history of Russia I was drawn to this book. It was a bit difficult to like at first. However, once the witness characters were introduced and Lenin made his appearance I was fascinated. Helen Rappaport has made the Russian Revolution come alive in a straightforward and extremely readable story. It has encouraged me to want to read more of her books.

The Devil in Jerusalem
by Naomi Ragen

Provocative and eye opening. (7/10/2015)

The storytelling in this book is extremely well done. Characters were sharply drawn and vividly imagined. It was easy to read in a fresh and fast paced style, though somewhat repetitive toward the end. Perhaps I was eager at that point for a turn of events to happen. I would recommend this for any book club that is prepared for thought provoking discussion of dangerous cult rituals. It was fascinating for me to read about various Jewish beliefs and the wide spectrum of interpretation of the Torah. It can and does translate to any religion, making me want to be more vigilant of events happening in the world.

Five
by Ursula Archer

Five will enthrall. (10/25/2014)

It is a pleasure to review Five. As a first time reader of Ursula Archer I had no expectations of previous works from this author. Her writing style reminded me of Louise Penny which is a compliment of high praise in my opinion. The pace of the story was just right. The suspenseful plot was intriguing without being overtly creepy. Five is a great beginning for a mystery series and I hope we will be treated to more of Beatrice Kaspary novels in the future.

Mimi Malloy, At Last!
by Julia MacDonnell

Mimi Malloy At Last (2/25/2014)

Mimi Malloy is completely believable. She and her mostly personable and numerous family members evoked many of my own memories. With a straightforward style of language Julia MacDonnell encourages her readers to think about life's events and turnarounds in their own experiences while exploring Mimi Malloy's story. I feared this book would fall into the sappiness category, but was pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong. There was a pleasant mixture of drama, romance and mystery that made me eager to keep reading. I shall be recommending Mimi Malloy At Last to my book club.

How the Light Gets In: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel, #9
by Louise Penny

How the Light Gets In (7/29/2013)

Mystery stories should be enthralling. This book does that and even surpasses previous Armand Gamache books. The suspenceful turns captured my attention. Louise Penny's graceful use of language reminds me of O. Henry in style. I look forward to each of her books like a child anticipates Christmas!

Reviews by Jennifer B. (Oviedo, FL)

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Reviews by Jennifer B. (Oviedo, FL)

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