Ever By My Side: A Memoir in Eight
Acts Pets
by Dr. Nick Trout
Great Read! (12/23/2010)
I loved it! It's a memoir, it's about animals, and it was a delight to read. The book is witty, insightful and heartwarming. It is full of incidents from the Dr.'s life as well as incidents from various animals lives.....some producing tears and many producing laughter. I couldn't put it down!
Raising Wrecker: A Novel
by Summer Wood
Wrecker - A Love Story (10/28/2010)
With beautiful language and strong sentences the author weaves an intricate story of family love. The story begins in the late 60's in northern California, and it focuses on a boy named Wrecker. However, it is really the group of people surrounding Wrecker that make this story so special.
She creates such appealing and real characters, that right from the first page I was drawn into their lives and concerned about what happens to them.
This is truly a rewarding read!
The Ghost of Milagro Creek
by Melanie Sumner
The Ghost of Milagro Creek (7/7/2010)
Melanie Sumner had a good idea for a story, and I really wanted to like this book. The story is set in the Taos, New Mexico area, and sometimes her descriptions were so good that I really felt I got a good sense of not only the area, but also the culture. However, her chapters kept jumping around, not only in time but also in the character speaking. It sometimes took a paragraph or two to figure out who was speaking. This jumping around also interfered with my forming an attachment to the characters.
A sense of mysticism is developed throughout the book, but this only serves as a detraction from the story itself. The author's love of the area is evident, and she does a good job painting a beautiful picture of the Mexican/Indian cultures.
Ten Minutes from Home: A Memoir
by Beth Greenfield
A Touching Memoir (4/19/2010)
Beth Greenfield has written a touching memoir dealing mainly with the years surrounding a tragic accident. She uses clear, concise language and a matter of fact recounting of events to tell her story. Although heartbreaking at times, it presents an honest look at the grieving and healing process. Her honesty in telling her story makes for a very good read, and I think it would appeal to all readers!
The Wives of Henry Oades: A Novel
by Johanna Moran
excellent historical fiction (11/30/2009)
The author used some real life legal facts to create an excellent historical fiction book. The Wives of Henry Oades is an easy read, and it was such a vivid telling of the story that I could picture myself in many of the scenes. The main characters were likable and I could feel sympathy for both women. A great book club read which would surely lead to an interesting discussion about the morals at the turn of the century.
Serena: A Novel
by Ron Rash
Vivid Language, Interesting Characters (9/2/2009)
The vivid language and interesting characters make this a fast moving drama. Serena grabs a hold of the reader's attention from her first introduction, and her greed and ruthlessness are balanced by Rachel's sweetness.
The author uses beautiful phrasing, and wonderful descriptions. He has developed a taut drama that builds to a speeding climax.
There is a lot of information about the logging business, and this is countered with information about the environmental movement which brings in a good counter balancing perspective.
I enjoyed the book and found it to be thought provoking. I still will find myself thinking about the characters, and wondering what made Serena tick.
All in all, a good read.
Sweeping Up Glass
by Carolyn Wall
Wonderful Book (8/10/2009)
From the very first page the language created such clear pictures that I was immediately drawn into each scene. The setting is the 1930s in Kentucky, and I could feel what the times were like.
Olivia is the appealing main character, and the surrounding characters add great dimension. The book has such an honest feel to it that one can't help but get attached to all of them.
It was a great read.
The Housekeeper and the Professor: A Novel
by Yoko Ogawa
Wonderful Story (3/27/2009)
I picked this book up, and didn't stop reading until I was all done! It was a wonderful, gentle story with great characters. An unlikely relationship between a brilliant professor and his housekeeper and her son leads to a beautiful friendship. The math references added to the story, and really didn't distract. A completely enjoyable read.
Valeria's Last Stand
by Marc Fitten
Valeria's Last Stand (3/2/2009)
This was a charming story mainly about a romantic triangle but with political undertones. The characters are endearing and many of the situations are humorous. It was an easy read, and because it was written in a fable format it had a somewhat different feel to it. Definitely worth reading.
Power Reviewer
