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Reviews by Carolyn S. (Decatur, GA)

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The Seven O'Clock Club
by Amelia Ireland

The Seven O'clock Club (11/1/2024)

I hadn't known this book was Science Fiction when I requested it, so I thought the plot was a bit farfetched, but intriguing. However, the book redeemed itself by showing the power of group therapy and how helpful it is in showing how each person deals with sadness and self-loathing. And by showing this, it helps people validate their feelings and realize they are not alone in the world, and we are more alike than different.

The Little Italian Hotel: A Novel
by Phaedra Patrick

The Little Italian Hotel (4/2/2023)

I was excited to read Phaedra Patrick's new novel, The Little Italian Hotel after reading her last four. But I was soon disappointed with the new novel. The plot of Little Italian Hotel was trite with not much going on and it was very hard to stay interested or feel empathy for the characters we knew little about.

Pieces of Blue
by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Pieces of Blue (1/31/2023)

Pieces of Blue is an interesting take on an old story of disappearing people and fate of their survivors. But in this day and age where there is nowhere to hide, it is hard to suspend belief. The story could have been enhanced by giving more detailed descriptions and facts about the State of Hawaii where the story takes place.

In the Time of Our History
by Susanne Pari

In the Time of Our History (9/18/2022)

This book chronicles the lives of an Iranian immigrant family and how their lives change over generations. It reads like it could be any immigrant family's experience so at times feels redundant.

Metropolis: A Novel
by B. A. Shapiro

Metropolis (3/26/2022)

This book is the story of very different individuals who for one reason or another live and work in an old warehouse and is filled with suspense from being to end. The plot is very original and nuanced and a delight to read.

The Last Chance Library
by Freya Sampson

The Last Chance Library (7/16/2021)

This book about a library closure in a small town in the UK has some very delightful characters that are so developed that you can almost see them. A very big story in a little town. Delightful!

Of Women and Salt
by Gabriela Garcia

"Of Women and Salt" by Gabriela Garcia (12/31/2020)

This book is a history of what it means to be a women of Cuban ancestry. It begins in the mid 1800's on the plantations and continues to the near present. It chronicles the intense struggles women faced all along the way. It is of interest to compare the struggles faced by women of color in our own country.

Chances Are ...
by Richard Russo

Chances Are (2/27/2020)

One of Richard Russo's best works. The character development is superb. The language and description puts you in the time and place. the story line is intriguing and unexpected.

The Women with Silver Wings: The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II
by Katherine Sharp Landdeck

The Women with Silver Wings (1/9/2020)

This book is a personal account of many of the women who were in the WASP program in WWII, and their struggle to be recognized. It chronicles their lives after they left the service and their lives afterward. It is an interesting look at the women who flew planes for the war effort and their struggles.

The Seine: The River that Made Paris
by Elaine Sciolino

The Seine (10/9/2019)

This most interesting book is much more than the history and origins of the river Seine. It is about how Paris, its people, and the river are all intertwined. There are so many interesting things about the river that one would never think of. Even if one has never seen it, the author brings the river to life.

Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing As We Age
by Mary Pipher

Women Rowing North (5/29/2019)

This book is a summary of many other advice and how to books on aging and does not offer any unique ideas.

Ellie and the Harpmaker
by Hazel Prior

Ellie and the Harpmaker (4/1/2019)

This was a wonderful book, calm and relaxing to read. There were a few dark and sad moments, but overall very satisfying even with a very predictable ending. I think the book was a very good debut novel, but the main characters, especially the harp maker needed further character development.

The Affairs of the Falcóns
by Melissa Rivero

The Affairs of the Falcons (11/22/2018)

In the Affairs of the Falcons, a family of illegal Peruvian immigrants try to make a life for themselves in NYC with not enough money for the bare essentials. They have to borrow which leads to problems. The book describes their very simple daily life in sometimes boring minutiae. I thought the book had too many Spanish phrases in it for a non-Spanish reader like myself.

The Lost Man
by Jane Harper

The Lost Man (11/3/2018)

The Lost Man is a exciting story full of suspense and mystery. It tells the story of a family in the outback of Australia. It is so well written that you can develop a picture in your mind of the way it would look and feel. I would especially recommend this book for discussion as it has a lot of nuanced details.

The Travelling Cat Chronicles
by Hiro Arikawa, Philip Gabriel

The Traveling Cat Chronicles (5/31/2018)

Arikawa's short book the The Traveling Cat Chronicles was a thoughtful look at a man struggling with his desire to remain independent in spite of illness and not impose on his long time friends.

Strangers in Budapest
by Jessica Keener

Strangers in Budapest (11/7/2017)

Strangers in Budapest finds an American couple running away from their past. They find some unlikely people to make fiends with. I didn't think the author really achieved getting a sense of city that she puts in her title.

The Heart's Invisible Furies: A Novel
by John Boyne

The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne (6/18/2017)

This book is a grand achievement by the author. The story captured the mood and reality of what it was like to grow up gay in Ireland in the time of AIDs. But it was much more; written in the first person, the book tells a story about an ordinary life. The character development is superb as we catch up with the life of the main character every seven years until his death in the present day. One of the best books I have reviewed.

My Last Lament
by James William Brown

WWII in Greece (3/7/2017)

Since there have not been any new books about World War II in Greece, I found the book interesting. The book is a personal description of that war and how it affected the main character and her family.

Castle of Water: A Novel
by Dane Huckelbridge

Castle of Water (11/23/2016)

This is one of the most well written and engaging novels by a first time novel writer I have read. It is not simply a usual castaway story with a predicable plot and ending. The characters are engaging, intelligent and have a depth of personality you can imagine very distinctly.

Falling
by Jane Green

Falling (6/12/2016)

Falling starts out as a light summer read with the usual story line of falling in love with someone with a different lifestyle. It is slow moving at first, then slams you with a plot twist you are not expecting.

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