One of the best books I have had a chance to read recently. Well written. Engaging storyline. Borderlines reality and mystical. Pacing is good. I didn't want to put it down once I started. The relationships among the five siblings was well done. Each character had a unique personality. I liked the rotating method of chapters focusing on a different sibling. Storyline had a few surprise turns towards the end of the book. Well worth reading. Now I want to read other offerings by this author. Would recommend this for book clubs. Would generate discussions.

This was one of the oddest, well written, lyrical, mystical, and mysterious books I have read in a long time. I found myself constantly questioning is this real or is this one big dream. Whichever, I was continually compelled to keep reading. Both Sheila and Angie were unique characters and added their own dimensions to the entire story. Supporting characters were developed enough to make them worthwhile. Lots of layers of things to think on long after I was finished reading. I loved the way bits and pieces were constantly inserted into the storyline, leading me to think I had it figured out, just to discover I really didn't know exactly what was real. Highly recommend for those who like some mystery and mystical elements to their books.

A wonderful, easy read. Storyline based on a factual tragedy in a small town in 1928. Well written. Multiple angles and characters provide a 360 view of the event and of the town and its "survivors" 50 years later in 1978. Characters were well defined and provided a wide-range of personalities. Liked the back and forth structure of the novel between 1928 and 1978, and the focus on personal responses to a tragic event. Touches on post traumatic stress and different ways individuals coped. Recommend.

Well worth the read. The cover art depicts a lush, natural, overwhelming feel and truly represents how I feel about this book. A deep wander into a unique place. Strong female characters who also have their weaknesses. Male characters who swing from strong to weak and from evil to good. Add in snakes and you almost have a modern garden of Eden. Beautifully written. Tough subject matter at times on various fronts countered by strong emotional ties, community and family values from various perspectives. Small town, rural life enhanced by natural remedy medicine and mystery. At times a mashup of so may subjects the reader may need to pause and reflect before continuing. Not always an easy read but the blend of reality and fantasy are addictive. Would make a good book club read as there would be lots of discussion points.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The beginning was a bit tough for me and didn't catch me into the storyline, however, that soon changed. This is an epic book with a long and winding story that is beautifully written. Sometimes confusing due to the construction of the novel with bounding around between characters and time, I did find myself paging back to catch a detail that I missed. It is an ode to love in the purest forms and focuses on the powers that kind of love can hold. Well worth reading. Recommended for book clubs as there is a lot of potential for discussion points throughout.

A small, quiet book with beautiful writing. The simple storyline - all about one very rich yet simple man and his interactions with life, money, people and animals is full of deep pockets of insight. A book that reads easy yet makes the reader pause and think about it even after finishing it. Well worth reading. Probably a good book for book clubs as it will foster discussion of several topics. Highly recommend.

Rich prose, diverse characters and a story-line with lots of twists and turns. A little bit mystery, some political intrigue and a look inside Jordan, a country I knew little about. Lots of family sagas and how one's family impacts their life, even when divided between countries.

I liked how the author began the book in Jordan and then provided the backstory of the main character, Amani, and her father Gabe who are visiting from America. Amani is using this trip to learn about her heritage and members of her family that she either hasn't seen in a long time or never knew. Following clues she finds, she discovers more about her family and about herself than she expects.

A good read, with beautiful writing and a pulling sense of mystery that keeps the reader engaged.

This was an amazing little book. The title, Flesh & Blood, carries dual meaning - not only the literal flesh and blood of the author's illness but also the "flesh and blood" of her family connections, and the discussions on family legacy. Beautifully written. Serious yet witty and humorous at times. Highly recommended for all women, not just those who live with infertility and loss. There are lessons to be learned by all.

The format was perfect for taking in small bits a little at a time and for going back and re-reading sections. The writing flowed and read like a novel (and not just a memoir) while being more like a collection of short stories. It was remarkable. I felt more connected to this book than I expected to and completely encased in the story of the journey through the illness and recovery of the author.

Well worth reading and sharing. Could be a great book for book clubs.

I thought I would like this book. Then, after starting it, I thought I was wrong. After more reading, I knew I was wrong. I loved this book. Extraordinary and original.

An amazing read that compelled me to keep reading and experiencing the awesomeness. Thought provoking. Frightening. Hopeful. Hopeless. Futuristic yet bound strongly to the past. A bit of magic, a bit of mysticism, a bit of reality. Linking everything to man's (or woman's) interventions in nature (and the earth) and exposing the bad with the intended good.

I highly recommend reading the back cover book description to help place the storylines and then read away. Probably not for everyone, but for those with inquiring minds who love good writing, this is a great read.

Struggled with my rating for "Of Women and Salt" by Gabriela Garcia. Leaned towards a 5, but not quite there for me.

This is a strong book of mother/daughter relationships and also a story of choices made in moments of desperation and their impacts, often for generations to come.
I truly enjoyed Maria Isabel's story, the matriarch of the one group of women, at the beginning of the book. It was well written and engaging. It provided an interesting historical view of Cuba that was enlightening and educational, yet tragic and brutal.

I struggled a bit with the storyline of Jannette throughout the rest of the book (great granddaughter of Maria Isabel) which was a challenge since she is the major thread throughout the intertwined stories of her family and of the entire book. At time it just didn't hold together for me. It was also sometimes difficult to follow with the constant switching of time and narrator from chapter to chapter.

The second storyline - that of Gloria and Ana was linked to the first storyline, but I'm not sure it was necessary and lead away from the Cuban focus of the first storyline. Except to highlight a different treatment of immigrants (they were from El Salvador) it didn't feel necessary to me for this book, although it was intertwined.

Overall, the book touches on so many challenging subjects of today - immigration, addiction, violence, abuse, women's subservience. At times it almost felt like too much in such a short book. I also felt there were some parts of the storyline that were not really necessary and detracted from the story, but probably a good book for discussion.

So thrilled that I was able to read an advance copy of this book. Although a bit of a struggle at the beginning, I soon got into the rhythm of the writing and then found I didn't want to put it down. I was compelled to keep reading. The descriptive details were at first overwhelming, but became more easily digested as the story continued. I advise readers to just keep reading if they find themselves burdened at the beginning.

Seeing the "world" from Piranesi's perspective was a wonderful experience. His recording of everything in his journals and the use of the journals to tell the story was unique. It provided a platform for the entire storyline to play out. The interjection of the "real world" into Piranesi's "world", his eventual interjection back into the "real world" and then the melding of all experiences bends the mind just enough to challenge everything. At the same time, it make the reader want to experience Piranesi's "house of many rooms" for a long time.

Ms. Clarke has done an awesome job delivering a unique, compelling book. I am still contemplating the multiple levels of this book and absorbing the twists and turns. Is it another world? Is it real? Is it madness? Is is something else altogether? Each reader will gather their own conclusions.

I struggled a bit with reading this book. I had a difficult time relating to the characters and found them a bit weak. I had trouble liking any of them.

The tragedy of Stella's coma could have been more intensely written about. I just didn't feel real compassion for the event. I did like the twist that people that recover from comas can often end up being different, have different talents and different likes and unlikes. It allowed Stella to move off in another direction and experience life in new ways.

Stella, Simon and Libby each struggled with what they perceived as challenging childhoods and how those thoughts followed them into adulthood. I found this novel to be a coming of age for 40 somethings. I just had trouble relating to their issues.

Overall, a relatively easy read and kept me interested enough to finish but not a stellar read. The writing was clean and moved the storyline along at a decent pace. Might be a good discussion book for a book club.

A sweeping novel covering most of the 20th century in the tiny country of Vietnam and its people who have endured a multitude of challenges. From the perspective of one family, a shared story from a Grandmother to her granddaughter brings to light the significant impact of the wars and other elements that targeted the country and its people.

As an American, I found this novel to be eye opening about a country and people beyond just the "Vietnam War" I knew about. A full bodied picture was presented, providing a depth of knowledge and emotion that was lacking in my previous thoughts of Vietnam. I highly recommend this novel.

An easy read about a difficult subject in today’s world. Focusing on an undocumented family from Peru living in New York City, the circumstances of their lives both enlightened and challenged. It was not easy to like the main character, Ana, as she went to extremes to ensure her family maintain their existence, but most of the time she could be understood for her actions. The constant reminder that their existence in the US was illegal was pitched against viewing their challenges with sympathy. Many of the characters were totally unlikable (cousin Valeria for one) and pitched the emotional challenges even further. Although many of the characters were family and friends in similar circumstances, there was an element of lonesomeness for Ana as she faced her struggles. Much of this lonesomeness was of her own making while some of it was fostered by others “saving themselves” before helping others. I finished reading with strongly conflicted thoughts about this book. It would make a good book club read since it has the potential to raise diverse views and provide a lively discussion.

Desperate times spawn desperate acts in a variety of ways. "Sold on a Monday" by Kristina McMorris explores a single act and how it impacts various individuals and their related lives and secrets. A young reporter "creates" a photograph to replace one that was destroyed using different kids, a different location and includes a fleeting glimpse of their mother along with a "children for sale" sign taken in the early 1930s. When the image gets major exposure in multiple papers, the reporter's career takes off, however, there are negative consequences for the kids and their mom, as well as for the reporter. Ms. McMorris spins a story that is a quick read with several storylines wound together. Themes of secrets and truths abound in this quick moving novel and provide a satisfying read.

Covering roughly 8 years, this engaging novel dips into World War I and the Spanish Flu of 1918 and the impact these major events have on one family. Written from the point of view of Paulina, the mother, and her three daughters, Evelyn, Maggie and Willa, the reader is given a diverse view. Each character has a distinct voice and provides a slightly different view of shared events. As in real life, there are ups and downs, and sorrows that tug at your heart. Truly a compelling read. A wonderful blend of historical fact and creative fiction, I recommend this book.

Great read! Writing style was captivating and drew me in to each chapter/story. Loved the way they held up as separate pieces, yet tied together to create an epic story. Couldn't put it down once I started. Dawn Davies has a gift for expressing herself. All the moments were drawn together to create something so much more. Would love to read more of this author.

The only downside was the chapter "Men I Would Have Slept With". I found it to be a waste of my time. Felt like it was not really part of the rest of the stories. Inserted for it's shock value? Just didn't work for me.

I found this book to be well written and an interesting story. It covered a time in Greek history that I knew little about, and provided a personal view of life there during World War 2 and the immediate aftermath of the war. Using an elderly woman and the tale of her younger life as told by her was done well. Not totally a true "lament" as she performed for others that died, but one of her own life and story.

The juxtaposition of real life against the stories of the shadow puppets was interesting. It help support the underlying storyline that our lives are dictated by random things and could be very different if just one thing were to happen or not happen. It also played on the well known Greek theatre elements and literature to make the universality solid. The book is full of heroes, villains, and innocents, just as life is full of them. And true to life, there were many interwoven character stories that impacted each other.

Overall, a worthwhile read on many levels.

After a slight need to adjust to the flowing language of this novel, I fell into it completely. In fact, it was a joy to re-engage with literary writing. Given the short, abbreviated writing of the current day (texts, emails, etc.) it was a wonderful experience to submerge into unique words, crafted sentences and expressive paragraphs. The premise of looking into the lives of Henry James, Edith Wharton, and Morton Fullerton (to name but a few) through the eyes and mind of Frieda Wroth, James' typist, was an interesting angle. Not only did I experience these notable lives, but was given the chance to experience the life of a working woman of the era. Overall I enjoyed the book. It moved at a good pace and kept me engaged. I would recommend this book.

At first, I wondered how I was going to fit in a book of 500 pages and be able to stay with it to the end. Much to my delight, this book compelled me to keep reading and the pages flew by quickly. I loved the short chapters which allowed me to get quick reads tucked into my day and still maintain my concentration on the book.

The multiple characters, and thus multiple narratives, was a treat. It really allowed me to get to know each of these diverse characters and to see their connections, their differences and their similarities. The book presents multiple views of deep topics such as death, grief, depression, love, loss, family and abduction. I felt I was living the experiences right along with the characters.

I highly recommend this book, even given its length. Well worth the read.