Normally I don't care for books that deal with the supernatural, ritual sacrifice, the weird, but this particular book drew me in in spite of its strangeness. I thought the characters of the Haddesley family were very well developed and provided a solid background for the …more plot. I was haunted by the relationship of the family, through the years, to the cranberry bog. I was intrigued by the way Chronister revealed the family secrets. Because of my own squimishness and leftover feelings, I can only rate this book a 4, but I'm guessing many will find it a great read. (less)

Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman centers around employee interactions in a big box store and deals with the issue of who has the power and who wants the power. It provides a good description of how one uses/misuses their power and the lengths some will go to keep as far away …more from power as possible. A highlight of this book was the very well-formed characters as they band together in the struggle to get what they want. By the end of the ebook, I felt like I knew the characters so well I could do performance reviews. Wit and insight made this book an enjoyable read. Although a four star for me, I feel this book would be a 5-star for those who have lived the experience. (less)

If a book taking place during a war (communist revolution in China, 1948) can be called enjoyable, this is it. I say enjoyable based on the mother/daughter relationships, the three dimensional characters and the rising above the circumstances which almost made the reader …more forget the horrors in favor of the power of the storyline.

The thread of misogyny was prevalent throughout the novel. "Di looked me in the eye and said, 'All girls are disposable, and you know it.'" As much as the war raged between Nationalists and Communists, all females struggled with humiliation, punishment and wondering if she held any value at all.

Through tension, love and just plain stamina, the characters wrestled with traditional versus non traditional values, the old and the new. This book offered a lot of insight about how we escape (and, in some cases, don't escape) hard core beliefs.

I thoroughly enjoyed Eve J. Chung's writing and would highly recommend this novel. (less)

If Tara Karr Roberts' debut novel is any indication of what is to come, I'll be waiting with bated breath for her future writings. I thoroughly enjoyed the unfolding of the plot and the connections between the four main women characters. I felt like I was walking along with …more them as they journeyed on their life's search and each came to grasp her unique, magical power.

The descriptive beauty of Robert's language is evident throughout and takes the reader along on the journey and into the sea. "… the ocean snuck up on me. We crossed a busy street, and there it was. A strip of blue-green across the graying sky. It rose as we crunched across the stones, gaining whitecaps and the gentle shush of waves. It was never as big as I expected." Such beautiful, enthralling imagery.

I found this book very moving and somewhat spellbinding because of the underlying magic.

I would definitely rate it 5-star on the Goodreads scale. (less)