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Reviews by Mary Ann S. (Virginia Beach, VA)

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This Other Eden: A Novel
by Paul Harding

Another heartbreaking piece of history (2/27/2023)

This is the kind of book I am drawn to - a story based on true events, previously unknown to me. It's an amazing and heartbreaking story based on a real island and real people. I spent hours researching the history of the actual place and events and was amazed how resilient …more

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise
by Colleen Oakley

Loved it! (10/26/2022)

What a delightful book! I loved the story and was often surprised (in a good way) by the story line. I loved the arc of Tanner and Louise's relationship. I loved the dialogue. This was my first Colleen Oakley book, but won't be the last. The book made me smile many times - highly recommend!

Dinosaurs: A Novel
by Lydia Millet

More Gils! (10/10/2022)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think it would lend itself to a great book club discussion. Gil, the protagonist, is such a good person. In fact, maybe too good sometimes. I found myself telling him to get a spine now and then - maybe a just a little bit of anger, …more

Fly Girl: A Memoir
by Ann Hood

Good Old Days - well sorta (4/11/2022)

How many of us can successfully achieve our childhood dream career? I'm guessing not all that many. Ann Hood fell in love with travel (and air travel) at an early age and became a stewardess (term at the time) when air travel was glamourous and, apparently, much more civil …more

Housebreaking
by Colleen Hubbard

Many things for book clubs to unpack! (10/27/2021)

I honestly didn't think I'd like this book. A 20 something who can't hold a job and apparently doesn't have any thoughts about the future just isn't something that appeals. However, I quickly grew enchanted with Del and her story and had a hard time putting the book down. …more

Take My Hand
by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

An important book (9/13/2021)

This book is the fictionalized story of 2 girls (and they were girls) sterilized, without consent, only after being used as human guinea pigs for a birth control drug. Sadly, it is based in truth and happened to tens of thousands more girls/women. The book's main character, …more

The Lost Notebook of Edouard Manet: A Novel
by Maureen Gibbon

Carpe diem.... (7/18/2021)

Édouard Manet was in his mid-forties when he began to suffer the effects of syphilis and died when he was only 51 (soon after the book ends.) The "lost notebook" contains his journal entries for the last 3 years, or so, of his life. I love when a book has a good story as …more

Ariadne
by Jennifer Saint

Consider an e-version... (4/6/2021)

Because of my lack of knowledge on mythology, I think I would have enjoyed this book better had I read an electronic version where I could have instantly looked something/someone up. I was sometimes confused about the characters and their relationships. I listened to (and …more

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