Since it’s Valentine’s Day, it seemed appropriate to read and review a romance. I like a good romance, and, no, it’s not because there’s something lacking in my life. I have my prince, thank you very much. I just like the idea of everyone finding a soulmate who will always be there for them, respect and love them and make them laugh. Which also means I like romances with a “happily ever after”, or HEA, as they say in the trade. No tragic, star-crossed lovers for me. Continue reading
Category Archives: Fiction
Book Review The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens
In The Life We Bury, college student Joe Talbert is given an English assignment to write someone’s biography. Not having anyone in his own life that would be a good subject, he goes to a nearby nursing home, where he meets convicted rapist and murderer, Carl Iverson, who has recently been paroled because he is dying. As he learns more about Carl’s life, including the details of his murder conviction, Joe becomes convinced that there’s more to Carl than meets the eye. Continue reading
Book Review: Norwegian by Night by Derek B. Miller
Norwegian by Night is a charming novel that explores fatherhood, aging, love and personal and societal values. It’s the story of an ordinary American man who is trying to make amends with his past as he faces the end of his life. At times sweet, funny and sad, it is always heartfelt and imaginative. Continue reading
“The Last Painting of Sara de Vos”, by Dominic Smith
Author Dominic Smith delivers beautiful prose and a melancholy mood in “The Last Painting of Sara de Vos”. Spanning three different time periods, the book tells the tale of a 17th century artist and the 20th century forger who copies one of her paintings. Continue reading
Book Review: A Banquet of Consequences by Elizabeth George
A Banquet of Consequences is the 19th book in Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley series. It’s a good, traditional English murder mystery with a very strong focus on character development. Continue reading
December’s “Kind of Like a Book Club” Book
For the second month of the virtual book club experiment, we’ll be reading “The Last Painting of Sara de Vos”, by Dominic Smith. It came highly recommended and received good reviews. Here’s how the library describes it: Continue reading
“The Defector”, by Daniel Silva
If you’re in the market for a really good international espionage/thriller series, I strongly recommend Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon series. “The Defector” is book nine of this, to date, sixteen book series. It provided what I’ve come to appreciate about Daniel Silva’s writing – great characters, an intriguing plot, a frank depiction of the current world order, and a sympathetic account of the struggles of Israel and her people. Continue reading
Book Review: The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
The Woman in Cabin 10 is a very satisfying mystery with plenty of plot twists and red herrings. It will keep you on your toes and engaged until the very end. Continue reading
Book Review: A Murder of Magpies by Judith Flanders
A Murder of Magpies is a light mystery set against the backdrop of the British publishing industry. Author Judith Flanders creates strong characters and an okay plot in the debut novel of this series. Continue reading
Book Review: What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
What Alice Forgot is a very well written novel that explores what happens to our personalities, priorities and relationships as we age and mature. Continue reading