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Reviews by Susan S. (Lakeville, MA)

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The Face Thief: A Novel
by Eli Gottlieb

Difficult to get into (1/12/2012)

I had a very difficult time with this book. I couldn't get into it -- in fact, I started it three times. I had difficulty following the plot and I had to force myself to finish it. The reason why I was initially interested in reading The Face Thief was because of the …more

Across Many Mountains: A Tibetan Family's Epic Journey from Oppression to Freedom
by Yangzom Brauen

It had me at "Hello"! (8/7/2011)

This book is written by the granddaughter of two amazing Tibetan women. She writes about her grandmother, who is a Tibetan nun, and her mother who struggled through extreme poverty and hardship to survive and educate herself. I was mesmerized by the trek to freedom across …more

Minding Ben: A Novel
by Victoria Brown

I can't get this book out of my mind. (12/20/2010)

I stayed up late and woke up early to read this fascinating, true tale. I think I was done in less than two days. It was a bit tough to get into because of the Caribbean patois, but it was worth the effort. You can read the plot summary anywhere, so I won't bother …more

City of Tranquil Light: A Novel
by Bo Caldwell

An Inspiring Love Story (7/24/2010)

The book arrived on Thursday afternoon. 48 hours later, I finished it. It was inspired by the author's grandparents who spent 56 years as Mennonite missionaries in China. I was disappointed and surprised when I learned that it was, in fact, fiction because it is so well- …more

An Eagle Named Freedom: My True Story of a Remarkable Friendship
by Jeff Guidry

Animals lovers will enjoy this book (5/15/2010)

I am a sucker for any book about animals -- especially books about rescuing and rehabilitating sick and injured wildlife. The author explores the spiritual connection between humans and animals through his own experiences at a wildlife rescue sanctuary. I enjoyed the book a …more

Still Life: Adventures in Taxidermy
by Melissa Milgrom

I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. (1/1/2010)

The book is about taxidermy and I requested it to review out of morbid curiosity. My opinions of taxidermists have not been favorable, but this book changed my mind. I now believe that they are both scientists and artists. The book is well written, well organized and …more

Making Toast: A Family Story
by Roger Rosenblatt

This book is meant to be read more than once. (10/25/2009)

I started reading this book on Friday night and finished it on Sunday morning. I couldn't put it down. It is a short, sweet story of a family dealing with the sudden death of a young daughter who left behind three small children. The book is equally heartbreaking and …more

BookBrowse Book Club

Daughters of Shandong
by Eve J. Chung

Based on the author’s family story, comes an extraordinary novel about a mother and her daughters’ escape from Taiwan.

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The Lilac People
by Milo Todd

For fans of All the Light We Cannot See, a poignant tale of a trans man’s survival in Nazi Germany and postwar Berlin.

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Lessons in Chemistry
by Bonnie Garmus

Praised by Parade and The New York Times Book Review, this debut features a 1960s scientist turned TV cooking star.

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