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Reviews by Susan (Maple Grove, MN)

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The Race Underground: Boston, New York, and the Incredible Rivalry That Built America's First Subway
by Doug Most

The Race Underground (1/10/2014)

I found this fact-filled book about how subways came to be very interesting and readable. A few times I had to push myself a little to read because of all the facts being presented, but others may not find this a problem. I would have liked to see some illustrations - …more

Letters from Skye
by Jessica Brockmole

A Story in Letters (6/10/2013)

The author, Jessica Brockmole, of Letters from Skye does an excellent job of developing the novel's characters, relationships and locations. From the first letters I was eager to learn more about these people and the times and places in which they lived. It is fascinating …more

The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War
by Daniel Stashower

The Hour of Peril (12/20/2012)

Slow at times, but full of interesting information about the participants - Pinkerton, Lincoln, the first female private detective and other prominent people of the time. Gives an idea of the mood of the country - how some citizens of the US felt about Lincoln, possible war, …more

In Search of the Rose Notes: A Novel
by Emily Arsenault

In Search of the Mystery (6/18/2011)

This book is not what I expected – a mystery/thriller. It is more of a coming of age story and would probably be more appealing to high school/young adult readers. I found it slow moving at times and did not care a lot about the characters or the outcome. It is not a bad …more

The Crossing Places: A Ruth Galloway Mystery
by Elly Griffiths

“not quite earth, not quite sea” (11/9/2009)

This book pairs archaeology with criminal investigation – a good pairing since both disciplines use clues to solve mysteries. The characters are pretty well developed and interesting. You get a good feel for the locale, and learn about an area that is "not quite earth, not …more

An Edible History of Humanity
by Tom Standage

Focus on Food (2/28/2009)

An Edible History of Humanity helped me look at food/agriculture and how it relates to industrialization, war and society in ways I had not before. Since I generally like histories that focus on a specific topic (e.g. salt, cod, coal), I found this book mostly enjoyable to …more

The Book of Unholy Mischief: A Novel
by Elle Newmark

What a time and place to live (10/20/2008)

A time of guarding knowledge, intrigue and fear. Telling the story with food and food preparation in the fifteenth/sixteen centuries as the centerpiece was for me very interesting - consuming food is essential for survival, but can be much more. A book for those interested …more

The Invention of Everything Else
by Samantha Hunt

Not What I Expected (1/1/2008)

This book was not what I expected. I hoped to learn more about Tesla than I did. I felt like I was reading a series of short stories, rather than a novel. It did prompt me to do some research on things that were mentioned, so that was good. I would not recommend this book …more

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Book Jacket — Broken Country (Reese's Book Club)
by Clare Leslie Hall

A love triangle reveals deadly secrets in this thriller for fans of *The Paper Palace* and *Where the Crawdads Sing*.

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