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Reviews by Roberta R. (West Bloomfield, MI)

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On a Night of a Thousand Stars
by Andrea Yaryura Clark

A Stunning Book (2/14/2022)

"On a Night of a Thousand Stars" is a stunning book with numerous twists and turns up to the very last pages of the book. The author uses very short chapters to alternate between the brutality of the Argentine political system of the 1970's and the more current lat 1990's …more

Housebreaking
by Colleen Hubbard

Fast and Fun Read, But a Little Unbelievable (10/21/2021)

Housebreaking by Colleen Hubbard was a very fast and fun read for a debut novel about brokenness in early life and putting that life back together. However, I had a difficult time viewing this story line in the "believable" category for a totally inexperienced twenty plus …more

The Sunset Route: Freight Trains, Forgiveness, and Freedom on the Rails in the American West
by Carrot Quinn

Unbelievable Story (8/6/2021)

The first thing I noticed about the book was the unusual first name of the author ('Carrot") to find out later in the book it was a "handle" adopted by the author at registration for a demonstration (and apparently legally later formally adopted). The next thing I noticed …more

Ariadne
by Jennifer Saint

A Page Turner (4/3/2021)

Ariadne is a wonderful retelling of this Greek Myth. It was certainly a page turner for a first novel by Jennifer Saint. I am looking forward to her second novel which I understand will revolve around Clytemnestra and her daughter, Electra.
It was a delight to read Ariadne …more

Piranesi
by Susanna Clarke

Piranesi (8/26/2020)

I loved the book, I couldn't put it down. The author's prose was beautiful, you could visualize yourself as being right with the protagonist in the caves, particularly in the first one third of the book. The pace was quick. The only criticism I might have is that the ending …more

The Woman Before Wallis: A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal
by Bryn Turnbull

Women Before Wallis (7/24/2020)

I did enjoy reading the book, but I have some historical background regarding Gloria Vanderbilt (Little Gloria) so much of the storyline was familiar. The book was an "easy" read, and while it might be good for some fiction book clubs, it would probably not be very …more

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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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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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