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Review Date: 12/30/2012
I couldn't stop reading this book. You know those book suggestions on Amazon, "people who ordered this book also ordered..."? Those who enjoyed The Secret Life of Bees would enjoy The Book of Bright Ideas. Told from the perspective of a nine year old girl, the text plunges the reader into her thoughts, hopes, and fears with ease. My favorite thing about this book is the way the characters (and ultimately the reader) are able to learn from other characters who are flawed in some way. Everyone has something to share--some wisdom to impart, and this delightful story brings that point home in such a satisfying way.
Review Date: 12/13/2012
Helpful Score: 1
A memoir written by Lou Ureneck, this book not only details the planning and ultimate building of his "dream cabin" in Maine, but also recounts some painful relationships in his life. The building of the cabin brings the author back together with his brother, and the work itself becomes a healing process for them both. I am a lover of nature, so this book appealed to me. Ureneck spends a significant amount of time describing the history of the cabin's location as well. It's an interesting read.
Review Date: 5/16/2012
Helpful Score: 1
WOW. I thought I had read about substance abuse....Steven Tyler writes candidly about his past escapades, leaving no room for doubt about his feelings toward fellow band members, managers, and more. Tyler's voice is there. You can hear him talking in every line. His humor is everpresent throughout, spiced with his "Tylerisms" and bawdy language. You will find yourself jotting down song titles by other artists--blues!!--that Tyler swears by. It's a wild ride, but it's worth taking.
Review Date: 6/1/2012
Helpful Score: 1
Sometimes after I finish a book, I know immediately that I won't be able to part with it for awhile. I'll have to loan it to a few close friends, thumb through it to find some tidbits to read aloud to my husband, and just treasure seeing it for a time on my bookshelf and the memories that it evokes. This is one of those books.
Girls of Tender Age is a memoir of a girl's childhood set against the events and aftermath of a serial rapist and killer in smalltown Connecticut in the 1950's. The girl's family unit is by no means "normal". She grows up with an older brother labeled "retarded", but obviously autistic. The result is a family that modifies their lives to a ridiculous degree to make him more comfortable.
The book is sprinkled with poignant photographs of special events and extended family members. By the end of the book, you will know them very well. Don't miss the "extras" at the end of the book (interesting notes by the author and even a recipe you'll want to try). If you like memoirs, make a note of this one.
Girls of Tender Age is a memoir of a girl's childhood set against the events and aftermath of a serial rapist and killer in smalltown Connecticut in the 1950's. The girl's family unit is by no means "normal". She grows up with an older brother labeled "retarded", but obviously autistic. The result is a family that modifies their lives to a ridiculous degree to make him more comfortable.
The book is sprinkled with poignant photographs of special events and extended family members. By the end of the book, you will know them very well. Don't miss the "extras" at the end of the book (interesting notes by the author and even a recipe you'll want to try). If you like memoirs, make a note of this one.
Review Date: 12/28/2012
I enjoyed the author's writing style, but the subject matter--grieving the loss of a loved one--is the overriding theme and essence of this book. I kept waiting for something else to transpire from the depths of grief, and there is a culminating scene. The final event isn't enough, however, to compensate for the darkness that the reader has to go through to reach that point.
Review Date: 8/9/2012
Helpful Score: 2
Let me see what I can say without spoiling the outcome of the book...The story is told from the perspective of both husband and wife, alternating back and forth throughout the book. The reader is led to a certain conclusion about the wife's disappearance halfway through the book, but hang on tight. This rollercoaster takes a twisty, turny sidepath in the second half. It's a psychological journey with black comedy and plenty of irony sprinkled in the mix. I loved it.
Review Date: 3/22/2013
Helpful Score: 3
Without revealing too many details to potential readers of this book, I must say that the very concept of "The House of Gentle Men" is a unique and inventive one. Hepinstall has an ingenious way of intertwining the characters and events, keeping the reader smack in the middle of the actions and emotions of them all. This is a remarkable "first novel". Give it a go.
Review Date: 5/25/2012
Helpful Score: 3
My response to In Search of the Rose Notes is lukewarm at best. What hinted at being a spooky mystery involving two best friends and the shocking disappearance of their babysitter just doesn't satisfy in the end. The characterization doesn't propel the reader through the story. What kept me reading was finding out what happened to Rose, and in the end it just wasn't worth all the pages of reading to find out.
Review Date: 5/28/2012
I read this book in 2 days and loved it from cover to cover. The story follows three people in a love triangle from their teenage to twilight years. McMurtry captures the life of a cowboy like no other. The dialect, mannerisms, and day-to-day habits are spot on. The story flows smoothly as a stream. It will have you laughing and wiping tears. The cover notes say this book is the basis for the film "Lovin' Molly". I haven't seen it, but I plan to check it out.
Review Date: 1/2/2013
Helpful Score: 2
Gutcheon does a superb job of weaving two stories separated by a century together. Love, loss, and ghosts are truly the main characters of the story. The ghost encounters are vividly described and will be vividly recalled when the lights are out. This is a gem of a story.
Review Date: 1/15/2013
Helpful Score: 3
This is what I loved about this book. It is told from the perspective of five different characters, but done very well. Some authors laboriously pull the reader through a story while flip flopping back and forth between characters. Not here. Once the first character has been heard from, the others simply fill in the gaps, and the story flows as smoothly as the river in its setting. Ron Rash is a gifted writer. Add this book to your list of "to read"!
Review Date: 9/17/2012
First, I love Anne Lamott. Her delightful sense of humor and her gift of giving voice to it is what keeps drawing me to her books. Operating Instructions is based on a journal that Lamott kept during her son's first year of life. She is unafraid of putting her feelings about her precious baby on paper--feelings that every new mother has but probably lacks the courage to admit. One day's entry: "It has been a terrible day. I'm afraid I'm going to have to let him go. He's an awful baby. I hate him. He's scum." Of course she actually worships her offspring, but she openly shares the roller coaster of emotions that every new mother experiences during that first year. I read it in one day. Couldn't put it down. I laughed aloud many times. Sheer enjoyment.
Review Date: 10/31/2012
I enjoy reading non-fiction writing that gives insight to human behavior and the cause and effect of the choices people make. I also enjoy reading mysteries. This book satisfied both of those interests for me. Mary Loudon's older sister, Catherine, suffered from mental illness from a young age and left home while Mary was still very young. Upon learning of Catherine's death, Mary begins to delve into Catherine's past by interviewing people who knew her, helped her, observed her, or attempted to befriend her. Mary Loudon is a skilled writer, and this is a captivating read of a life lived outside the norm but one of significance and meaning.
Review Date: 6/26/2012
Helpful Score: 1
If you liked The Help, you'll enjoy this book. If you liked The Shack, you'll love this book. Sue Monk Kidd takes on the racial issues of the 1960's and adds in a young white girl's traumatic upbringing to create a story that grabs you and won't let go. The solace the young girl eventually finds took me back to The Shack in many ways.
Review Date: 12/2/2012
Ruth Reichl prefaces this book by telling the reader that she comes from a family of storytellers. Just as her family enjoyed embellishing their stories, she has added her own enhancements to this memoir. And an enjoyable one it is. For the food lover, the book is filled with stories of unforgettable meals in foreign lands and on American soil. The writer's personal angst in dealing with her mother's manic depression and her father's codependency adds yet another layer to this memoir.
Review Date: 4/19/2012
I really enjoyed this book. As a camper and hiker (not anything like Bryson, however), a journey on the Appalachian Trail intrigued me. Bryson is a great storyteller, and I found myself laughing aloud at some of the characters he meets along the trail and the strange situations he encounters. His traveling companion is a book in himself. The only drawback to the book for me was that Bryson sometimes gets on his soapbox about environmental issues, which while completely worthy of discussion, sometimes detracted from the story for me. I still give it 4 stars and have recommended it to several people. This book led me to read Wild by Cheryl Strayed about her journey on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Review Date: 6/27/2012
Helpful Score: 3
About 25 pages into this book, I was disappointed in the mood and feeling the story gave me. Sardonic is the best way I can describe it. But I persisted, as is my way, and by the end of the book I loved it.
It's the story of a family--parents and three sisters--who come back together due to a family crisis. It's a family of readers, and I mean READERS. Shakespeare has become an integral part of their everyday lives and conversation. The writing is outstanding. By the end of the story, each of the sisters has traveled a journey of self discovery, and the reader feels a part of it. Great read.
It's the story of a family--parents and three sisters--who come back together due to a family crisis. It's a family of readers, and I mean READERS. Shakespeare has become an integral part of their everyday lives and conversation. The writing is outstanding. By the end of the story, each of the sisters has traveled a journey of self discovery, and the reader feels a part of it. Great read.
Review Date: 8/10/2012
Helpful Score: 3
I love the "voice" of the main character, Sally, in this book. Her spunk and naivete make this book a delightful read. Sally's imagination takes the reader through a charmingly depicted tale set in 1959 from a ten year old's point of view. The mystery of two murdered children is part of this story as well as some family skeletons rattling in the closet. It's a quick read, but I highly recommend it.
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