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Robyn H. (byrd1956) - Reviews

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Angela's Ashes
Angela's Ashes
Author: Frank McCourt
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 487
Review Date: 5/22/2024


My husband and I âread' Angela's Ashes together with me as the reader. I have heard of the movie, but never seen it and didn't really know what the book was about. As I was reading, my husband kept saying, âit is just telling stuff about someone's life' and he kept wondering when it would get better. Apparently, he was hoping for lots of action. I, on the other hand like all types of literature so a story about someone's life was fine with me. It seems impossible to imagine growing up in such poverty with all the struggles they went through, along with the alcoholic father and all the different dynamics of the family and characters in the author's life. I certainly learned quite a few new words, whether they were curses or daily language of people in Ireland at the time. At the end of the book, we learned there is a sequel and I am going to be looking for that; I like to know, what happened next. Yes, I'll read it aloud to my husband, too. ð Personally, due to some of the content, the book is for adults and not younger readers.


The Butterfly House (Korner and Werner, Bk 3)
Review Date: 7/17/2024
Helpful Score: 1


Having read The Tenant and The Harbor by Katrine Engberg I was glad to again âengage' with the characters of those books in The Butterfly House. It was engaging and kept me guessing as to âwho done it', although some of the things that happened seemed impossible to believe that they would happen in real life. It definitely has a scary thrill to it and what I would call more than one plot.


The Capitol Game
The Capitol Game
Author: Brian Haig
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 7
Review Date: 3/31/2014


My husband and I read this together. I read while he does the driving. Definitely intriguing and a book with layers. It kept us guessing up until the end.


Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Hilarious, Heroic, Human Dog: 101 Tales of Canine Companionship
Review Date: 5/17/2024


Cute little stories that will touch your heart, especially if you are a dog lover.


The Diamond Eye
The Diamond Eye
Author: Kate Quinn
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 5
Review Date: 2/13/2024


Definitely a unique novel based on the real life Russian (actually Ukrainian) sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko. Quite a few names I was unsure how to pronounce but I did the best I could since I read the book aloud to my husband. I think he enjoyed the technical military details, we both learned more about WWII. and we were both guessing as to where some of the storyline was going to âtake' us. I always read the Author's Notes, if there are any. Thes notes were interesting as they helped us understand how fact and fiction was blended together.


The Fallen Architect
The Fallen Architect
Author: Charles Belfoure
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 9/6/2024


The Fallen Architect by Charles Belfoure is set in the early 1900s in England and has what I would call an old-fashioned writing style, it is very smooth and easy to read. The author includes lots of descriptive information about architecture, the social classes in historical England, their dialect, along with the early theater in England with its unique entertainers, or artistes as they are called in the book. Maybe it is historical fiction with a criminal element, along with a scary and mysterious plot. Even though, after something bad happened to him and the main character was building a new life for himself and show resilience, I kept wondering how everything was going to be resolved and if truly the main character was innocent. I liked the writing style and that I was learning things I knew nothing about and now I would like to find more books by this author.


False Witness
False Witness
Author: Karin Slaughter
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 11
Review Date: 8/17/2024


Wow! False Witness is suspenseful and really creepy; it might make a thriller movie. I sympathize with the two sisters and yet do not even want to imagine what happened to them, even though I read it. It is not a happy read and your stomach will turn at many of the situations. That being said, I did want to read it to the end to find out what happened; I do that with any book I read. There were places in the book that brought tears to my eyes and other places that all I could feel was disgust. This book, I read aloud to my husband while he was driving. He may have also been curious as to what was going to happen, although I think he would have been fine for us to just stop reading. He said more than one time that the author repeats some phrases way too much and that a number of things was written in an unbelievable manner.


Force of Nature (Aaron Falk, Bk 2)
Force of Nature (Aaron Falk, Bk 2)
Author: Jane Harper
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 31
Review Date: 6/23/2024


This is the second book by Jane Harper my husband and I have read, although I am the reader, and he listens. There was lots of tension, mystery and ominous build-up. It was very descriptive, and I like that kind of stuff, although my husband doesn't like all those words when it could be said so much simpler. I also like to try to figure things out as a story progresses; my husband says, âwhy don't you just read and we will find outâ. The book did keep me guessing and did give, for me a surprise ending.


The Forgotten Garden
The Forgotten Garden
Author: Kate Morton
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 21
Review Date: 6/24/2014


I truly liked The Forgotten Garden and had a hard time putting it down. That being said I often found myself looking back over past chapters to link the parts together; I felt like I was reading 3 books within one. Even with that distraction I earnestly read to find out the whole story. It is a long read, but after the first page I was hooked into the mystery of the lives of the characters.


A Friend Like Henry
A Friend Like Henry
Author: Nuala Gardner
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 10
Review Date: 11/17/2012


I was very glad I read this book. It is eye-opening and insightful for anyone that has interacted with someone with autism.


A Gentle Rain
A Gentle Rain
Author: Deborah Smith
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.4/5 Stars.
 21
Review Date: 3/31/2014
Helpful Score: 1


I really liked this book I had never read a book by Deborah Smith before and I liked the flow and the subject matter. It is an easy read and has a few twists that kept me wondering how things would turn out.


The Girl Who Survived
The Girl Who Survived
Author: Lisa Jackson
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 3
Review Date: 6/7/2024


Overall, I liked the book, although I am certainly not a fan of blood and gore, the book had quite a few twists and turns that kept me interested and guessing 'who done it'. There was quite a bit of deceit, confusion and descriptive violence. I read aloud in the car while my husband drives. His thoughts are that the book was far-fetched in many places, and I do agree with that. Is it possible that something as horrific as what happens in the book could actually happen; maybe so, there are some very evil people in our world.


The Glass Harmonica : A Novel
The Glass Harmonica : A Novel
Author: Louise Marley
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 7
Review Date: 8/11/2024


When I was in grade school, they had someone come almost every year to entertain up by playing singing glasses, also called the glass harp (which I learned from reading this book). It amazed me. I had never heard of a glass armonica and definitely didn't know Ben Franklin invented the instrument. The Glass Harmonica is historical fiction and a pleasant read. I like the switching back and forth between time periods and appreciate that the two stories are parallel, yet intertwined and finally converge; a bit of paranormal. I have since looked up more about the glass harmonica and watch some videos of musicians playing the instrument. Music is the key that ties everything together.


The Good Dream
The Good Dream
Author: Donna VanLiere
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.4/5 Stars.
 9
Review Date: 6/24/2014
Helpful Score: 1


This is the first book I have read by Donna VanLiere. It takes you to a bygone time and draws you into the lives of the characters and their relationships, especially the main character Ivorie. It is touching and sad with some parts ripping your heart. Overall it is heartwarming and shows how goodness will triumph over evil.


The Hades Factor
The Hades Factor
Author: Robert Ludlum
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 2
Review Date: 6/26/2014


This is the second Robert Ludlum book my husband and I have read together. I read while he drives so I try to find books I think he both he and I will like. This book has suspense and espionage with twists and turns. There are times we think the wording is somewhat far-fetched but that does not bother us too much. I like the fact that I can read aloud and he gets to 'read', too. I am trying to 'wish' for more of Ludlum's books here on PBS since we both like mystery, action and intrigue.


The Harbor (Korner and Werner, Bk 3)
The Harbor (Korner and Werner, Bk 3)
Author: Katrine Engberg, Tara Chace (Translator)
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 2.8/5 Stars.
 3
Review Date: 10/15/2023


I have read several in this series and like the complexity that is involved as the characters solve the case. The Harbor does not disappoint in that respect; enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. All the books take place in Sweden so, for me, reading it aloud as my husband drives is a little tough with the pronunciation of some of the words. :-)


The Help
The Help
Author: Kathryn Stockett
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 4.5/5 Stars.
 2485
Review Date: 7/24/2014


I saw the movie quite some time ago and had it on my wish list on PBS for quite awhile. I felt so lucky to read this. It makes you laugh and cry and has a powerful message and I recommend it.


Her Dark Lies
Her Dark Lies
Author: J. T. Ellison
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 4
Review Date: 8/31/2023


Fast paced, unpredictable, scary, sometimes far-fetched. I did enjoy reading it and of course, my husband figured everything out before me.


Home in Time for Christmas
Home in Time for Christmas
Author: Heather Graham
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 47
Review Date: 8/14/2011


Nice, feel-good Christmas book with historical references and surprise. Easy Read.


The Homing
The Homing
Author: John Saul
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 121
Review Date: 3/31/2014


If you like scary and reading things that gets your heart going. This may be for you. I could not put it down and yet I was scared to find out what was going to happen next.


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