Little Black Lies
by Sharon Bolton
Mystery in the Falkland Islands (4/9/2015)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I have others of Sharon Bolton's. It was difficult to put it down, which is always a good sign. The setting of the Falkland Islands added to the enjoyment of the book. It was interesting to learn about the layout of the islands, the aftermath of the war, and the study of the marine life.
I highly recommend this novel.
The Paris Winter
by Imogen Robertson
Historical Paris (7/17/2014)
Having read Instruments of Darkness by Imogen Robertson I looked forward to reading The Paris Winter. I was not disappointed. It was evident that the author did a lot of research about the early 1900's in Paris. Her descriptions of the people, the neighborhoods, the treatment of women in general and female artists in particular was quite illuminating. I recommend this book to readers who like historical fiction with some tension.
Bellman & Black
by Diane Setterfield
A very black book (9/11/2013)
I'm not sure I would recommend the book, although I enjoyed reading it, for the most part. I was somewhat disappointed in the second half of the book and its predictability. I like books that are descriptive and this one was.
Songs of Willow Frost
by Jamie Ford
Interesting, but not great (7/28/2013)
I was excited to receive Jamie Ford's Songs of Willow Frost since I loved his first novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. However, I found it somewhat less compelling.
The characters were well drawn and the descriptions of living conditions in Seattle in the 20's and 30's were illuminating. It is evident that Jamie Ford did a lot of research for this book. I had to keep in mind the attitudes toward women and the Chinese when I became frustrated with some of the decisions the characters made.
Although this was not one of my favorite books, I would recommend it.
Before Ever After: A Novel
by Samantha Sotto
Sands of Time (6/10/2011)
Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto is full of interesting historical vignettes while telling the story of a romance. Although the idea of the book is quite interesting, I liked the story better than the writing. It is a quick read.
