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Reviews by Donna W. (Wauwatosa, WI)

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Ginseng Roots
Ginseng Roots: A Memoir
by Craig Thompson
Ginseng Roots (4/6/2025)
This book was part memoir, and part factual account of the ginseng industry. Also mixed in was some history of the Hmong and other Asian communities. While I learned a lot of information, it was hard to keep interested because it switched back and forth between memoir, and …more
The Dream Hotel
The Dream Hotel: A Novel
by Laila Lalami
The Dream Hotel (12/26/2024)
This story started out very confusing, and unfortunately was confusing for most of the book. The time lines kept jumping back and forth, and dream settings and administration memos were added to also interfere with the flow of the story. The concept of the story was really …more
Girl Falling
Girl Falling: A Novel
by Hayley Scrivenor
Girl Falling (8/28/2024)
The book started out ok, but left me feeling more and more uncomfortable the farther in I got. The main two characters each had their own problems, and the relationship between them was strange. Adding the third character added to the strangeness. It was a thriller, and …more
The Very Long, Very Strange Life of Isaac Dahl
The Very Long, Very Strange Life of Isaac Dahl
by Bart Yates
Life of Isaac Dahl (5/1/2024)
This book had a great start, and I immediately connected with all the characters. The connection between all the characters was very believable, and the human flaws they all had were relatable .

The author gracefully weaves in various historical incidents, and various …more
Help Wanted
Help Wanted: A Novel
by Adelle Waldman
Help Wanted (12/20/2023)
This book started out well. The characters were easy to relate to and the story was very real. Unfortunately, as more character back stories were added it became confusing and the work dimension seemed to drag on. There was so much work-related detail that by the end of the …more
The Divorcees
The Divorcees
by Rowan Beaird
The Divorcees (10/26/2023)
This book was an interesting story centered around a divorce ranch in Nevada. It was easy to read, and the author used good descriptions so I could easily visualize scenes.
However, I didn't feel any connection to the characters. I would have liked stronger character …more
Delicate Condition
Delicate Condition
by Danielle Valentine
Delicate Condition (7/14/2023)
The story had a slow start for me, but I did get caught up in Anna's story.....her IVF problems, her pregnancy issues, and the story did become a bit of a thriller. However, I never connected with the characters and the short vignettes that were interspersed were supposed …more
King of the Armadillos
King of the Armadillos
by Wendy Chin-Tanner
King of the Armadillos (5/2/2023)
Although really a coming-of-age story, this book has an added dimension because it has the side story of Hansen's Disease (leprosy) included. This brings an interesting and enlightening element to the story. The characters are appealing, and I came to know them all as the …more
Last House Before the Mountain
Last House Before the Mountain
by Monika Helfer
Last House Before the Mountain (2/8/2023)
This is the story of a family living through a war. Maria is the mother left at home with the children, while her husband Josef goes off to war. It is a beautiful, rich story but the fact that it was told across several generations proved to be a problem for me. There was …more
Stealing
Stealing: A Novel
by Margaret Verble
Stealing (11/30/2022)
This was an excellent book. I was drawn in from the very first page. The story is written in the style of a young Indian girl writing in her journal. She tells of events in her life...being taken away from her family, being put in a boarding school, dealing with abuse..., …more
The Poet's House
The Poet's House
by Jean Thompson
The Poet's House (6/10/2022)
The book started out as an interesting read with a lot of quirky characters. Unfortunately, the characters popped in and out so quickly that I didn't form an attachment to them. They became a distraction and didn't add to the story. It bothered me that the main character, …more
Fly Girl
Fly Girl: A Memoir
by Ann Hood
Fly Girl (3/29/2022)
This book is a great look at the life of a flight attendant, and the aviation industry in general, during the 1980s. It is very interesting and informative. It doesn't have the normal feel of a memoir, but it is an easy read, and flowed at a good pace. Enjoyable for anyone …more
On a Night of a Thousand Stars
On a Night of a Thousand Stars
by Andrea Yaryura Clark
On A Night Of A Thousand Stars (2/9/2022)
I didn't know much about the history of Argentina, and this book opened my eyes to this era. History lovers will read this book with interest. Unfortunately, for me, the character development was rushed, and I never connected with any of the main characters. There were also …more
Blind Man's Bluff
Blind Man's Bluff: A Memoir
by James Tate Hill
Blind Man's Bluff (8/10/2021)
This was a good book, and an interesting look into the life of a handicapped person. It was written with self deprecating humor, and was easy, and quick to read. The author has a good style of writing, and he let me see into his world. I felt the pain he went through as he …more
Mrs. March
Mrs. March: A Novel
by Virginia Feito
Mrs, March (4/18/2021)
This was a great book from the very first page to the last! The writing was extremely descriptive and I could picture Mrs. March in each scene as I read.

I went through so many emotions as I read and the character was so intriguing that I was carried along at a fast and …more
The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World
The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World: A Novel
by Laura Imai Messina
At The Edge of the Haight (12/21/2020)
There was beautiful language and lovely thoughts and messages throughout the book. The 2 main characters dealing with grief was sensitively handled, and the road to the joy and happiness that was to come was quite believable.

For me though, the timeline was off. In parts it …more
At the Edge of the Haight
At the Edge of the Haight
by Katherine Seligman
At The Edge of the Haight (9/27/2020)
This book started with an interesting concept but, unfortunately, the elements of the story were not put together very well and I had trouble relating to both the story and the characters.

The events seemed jumbled together, and the characters were so one dimensional that I …more
Migrations
Migrations: A Novel
by Charlotte McConaghy
Migrations (3/30/2020)
This was a very powerful story! The book was written in such a beautiful way that it touched my heart, and I was really sorry to see it end. There is a bit of a mystery about the lead character's background and this adds to the strength of book.

I was profoundly touched by …more
The Madwoman and the Roomba
The Madwoman and the Roomba: My Year of Domestic Mayhem
by SandraTsing Loh
The Madwoman and the Roomba (3/23/2020)
This book was funny and quite a good read. I'm of an age that much of what the author said was totally relatable. However, I think mothers of any age will be taken by this book.

She is very clever, and has a humorous way of looking at situations we can all relate to. While …more
The Secrets of Love Story Bridge
The Secrets of Love Story Bridge
by Phaedra Patrick
The Secrets of Love Story Bridge (1/2/2020)
I had a hard time with this book. The characters were so poorly developed, and the story buildup was so rushed that I just couldn't relate to any of them. They were all so unappealing that I had a hard time finishing the book. The story had unbelievable events, some …more

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