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Name : Carolyn C.

My Reviews

 
Book Club Recommended
Adventurous, Insightful, Brilliant
Hundred Secret Senses

The ending of this book is very quick...but the details in the beginning can be confusing. Take notes on different characters from previous time periods so that it all comes together in the end.

The Epicure's Lament by Kate Christensen
 
Book Club Recommended
Dramatic, Gloomy, Confusing
The Epicure\'s Lament

This book is challenging to read. Keep a dictionary handy. Hugo is an interesting character who values the things he says he least cares about.

The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls
 
Book Club Recommended
Interesting, Inspiring, Dramatic
The Glass Castle

It is sad to think that there are children in this country who live this type of life still today. The Resilience of the first three siblings is very inspiring.

 
Book Club Recommended
Interesting, Dark, Dramatic
Drowning Ruth

This is a great book for book clubs. It tells the story of the inter-relationships women have. It is energetic and keeps a good pace.

 
Book Club Recommended
Adventurous, Interesting, Fun
Miss Peregrine's is peculiar

This is a fun little book. It is somewhat predictable, but I found the use of the historical photographs to be a unique way to create a story. The outcome of this story is somewhat unbelievable, but needed in order to have a sequel. And the use of Emerson's philosophies was a nice touch.

 
Book Club Recommended
Beautiful, Dramatic, Interesting
Captivating Story

I could not put this book down. The story unfolds and it becomes addictive with wanting to know what will happen next with Alice and Natalie and which secrets will be told. This is a great book about families we create for ourselves as well as biological families. The secret one sister keeps from everyone is life changing for all of them and a little sinister. Our book club just finished the book Drowning Ruth and this was a similar type of story. Fascinating! Looking forward to our club discussion!

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
 
Book Club Recommended
Interesting, Dramatic, Addictive

Bitter Greens: A Novel by Kate Forsyth
 
Book Club Recommended
Inspiring, Brilliant, Adventurous
Great read!

This book weaves a great tale into a historical fiction story of 16th century women and royal life. Books written as cleverly as this one make me want to read. It was fun, adventurous, and interesting.

The Maze Runner (Book 1) by James Dashner
 
Book Club Recommended
Adventurous, Interesting, Epic
12 year olds might like it.

This book has been compared to other popular dystopian novels. It isn't as engaging as Hunger Games and Divergent. The first 250 pages are very slow and provide too much background. I had thought I would enjoy the series, but my the time I got to the end of this book, I was bored.

 
Book Club Recommended
Dramatic, Addictive, Interesting
Great Read

This book was a lot of fun! It is similar to Gone Girl but with different twists.

 
Fun, Pointless, Poorly Written
Let\'s pretend I didn\'t read this

I struggled with this book. It is filled with anger and conflict so it was not pleasurable to read. I hope the author was able to come to terms with her upbringing in West Texas and able to find a way to relate without arguing or creating chaos in her life. The last three chapters of this book were humorous, James Garfield, Hamlet, and the alligator, but my mind was made up long before I got to those last 30 pages. I would not suggest this for a book club reading.

The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman
 
Book Club Recommended
Interesting, Dramatic, Confusing
A fun quick read

This was a great book if you are just reading for enjoyment. It was like following family history and local legends and folklore. The reader is introduced to the actual event, and then a generation later, you hear about the legend. If you are reading it for a book club, I would suggest keeping notes when the garden is mentioned and keeping a family tree, if you can follow it.

 
Book Club Recommended
Fun, Interesting, Insightful
The Rosie Project

What a fun book! I wasn't sure what to expect and I am so glad I took the recommendation about this book. It is an easy read, and provides fun stories from the view of a quirky college professor seeking a wife. I enjoyed seeing this man move from his rigid lifestyle, to becoming flexible with his schedule and menu when he meets a woman who intrigues him but is totally unsuitable for his Wife Project.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
 
Book Club Recommended
Adventurous, Dramatic, Brilliant
Engaging story

This is a book that I couldn't put down. It had











Fun book. Couldn't put it down and enjoyed the story.



The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
 
Book Club Recommended
Adventurous, Dramatic, Brilliant
The Shadow of the Wind

A good story with well developed characters. Original and fun.

The Appointment: A Novel by Herta Müller
 
Slow, Difficult, Confusing
The Narrative

this entire book is a long narrative, thoughts and memories one woman has while taking city transportation to an interrogation appointment.

The book is difficult to follow; the author jumps around from past to future. The story is pointless and frustrating. It does not build suspense, but takes the reader in redundant circles over and over. I was disappointed.

You Were Meant for Me by Yona Zeldis McDonough
 
Book Club Recommended
Unconvincing, Slow, Interesting
It's a Cute Story

this was a fun summer read. It evokes the question of what would you do if you found a baby? In today's world there are so many possibilities of what could happen and this story is positive and happy!

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
 
Book Club Recommended
Insightful, Dramatic, Inspiring

The White Magic Five and Dime (A Tarot Mystery) by Steve Hockensmith, Lisa Falco
 
Book Club Recommended
Fun
A Fun Mystery

This is a cute mystery that made for a fun summer read. There are two additional books to the series which revolves around Tarot Cards and the main character's life with a con artist mother. It is enjoyable. Would make a fun TV series.

 
Book Club Recommended
Interesting, Dramatic, Adventurous
Crazy Detail

This was an interesting book with an over the top look into the Crazy Rich World of jet-setting people from Asian countries. It is difficult to get through all the detail, but the last chapters are full of suspense. Lots of interesting fashion haute couture and car enthusiast information. I did not read the first book, Crazy Rich Asians, had I read it, it might have helped me understand some of the relationships better.

 
Book Club Recommended
Adventurous, Interesting, Informative
Circling the Sun

A very interesting historical fiction about a little known woman who was a pioneer in women\\\\\\\'s rights and made some remarkable accomplishments. Well written and attention grabbing.

 
Book Club Recommended
Romantic, Adventurous, Fantastic
This is a fun, fast read

The book is set up in 12 month chapters. Chapter one is where Tita's life begins, and chapter 12 is where she passes her traditions to the next generation. Reading it at night could cause weight gain, since it is food-descriptive :)

The Race for Paris: A Novel by Meg Waite Clayton
 
Book Club Recommended
Insightful, Boring, Slow
The Race for Paris

My book club enjoyed this book. It gave good discussion on how the media has changed, on how the roles of women have changed, and how our culture has changed since WWII.

The Stranger by Harlan Coben
 
Book Club Recommended
Dramatic, Addictive, Adventurous
Sinister, intense, dark, and addictive

Wow, what a good read! This is a fast paced easy to read novel with a lot of twists and turns. It's creepy and intense, but rouses the curiosity so that you do not want to put it down.

 
Informative, Pointless, Slow
It is a Memoir of events with no point or conclusion.

I read this book after reading West With the Night, which is a much better book, better written, and has more of a conclusion. This book disappointed me. There really was no point, it was just like reading a diary. I would not recommend it for a book club unless the group has strong readers. If the readers are reluctant, they will easily tire of this one.

The Miniaturist: A Novel by Jessie Burton
 
Book Club Recommended
Dramatic, Unconvincing, Interesting
Amsterdam Life in the 1600s

This is a spell-binding story of a young girl as she is sent to an arranged marriage and what she discovers her new life to be like. She meets people who are not who they appear to be and she finds herself alone. The story is easy to read and captivates your attention on every page. Secretly you want things to turn out happily for Nella and you read in anticipation that they will. Although this is a fictitious story, Nella Oortman's doll house is on display in a museum in Amsterdam and this story makes it come alive.

Mean Streak by Sandra Brown
 
Book Club Recommended
Addictive, Dramatic, Adventurous
Mean Streak

Suspenseful with interesting twists at the end.

 
Book Club Recommended
Fun, Adventurous
Dog Lawyers, Cat Lawyers

This was a cute read with a fun story line. It isn't just about the dog, it is about finding love, love of a dog, love of parents, love of another person, and love of one's self and about forgiveness. It has a happy ending for just about everyone in the story.

The Paris Key by Juliet Blackwell
 
Book Club Recommended
Inspiring, Adventurous, Addictive
Find your passport

This book will make you miss Paris! If you have never been, you will want to go, and if you have been, you will be looking for your photos and longing for another trip. It's a fun summer type read. This book also covers topics that are not related to Paris: becoming our mother, moving to a new community, political activities

The Bookseller: A Novel by Cynthia Swanson
 
Book Club Recommended
Interesting, Dramatic, Addictive
The other life you think about

Have you ever wondered, What If? This story looks at what could have happened if Kitty had made different choices. It explores how loss can change our lives and how unexpected events can alter our dreamed about futures. It is a fun summer-type read with an interesting twist at the end.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
 
Book Club Recommended
Informative, Insightful, Inspiring
Between Shades of Gray

I really enjoyed this book and learned more about a part of history that I know very little about. The writing kept the story moving at the right pace and kept the reader interested in what happens next. It gently tells a dark part of WW2 that we don't often hear about.

Twain's End by Lynn Cullen
 
Book Club Recommended
Interesting, Informative, Insightful
Twain's End Lynn Cullen

This is a great book! I enjoyed it and was excited to read it each evening when I got home from work. The story weaves together fact with the fiction of what could have happened. It holds interest and encourages the reader to learn more about Miss Lyon and Sam Clemens' relationship.

Revenge of the Chupacabra by Kyle Abernathie
 
Book Club Recommended
Fun, Dramatic, Adventurous
Revenge of the Chupacabra

What a fun read! Kyle Abernathie writes a descriptive story that takes the reader on an adventure from Mexico to Manhattan. It is adventurous and addictive and leaves the reader wanting more!

Platinum Doll by Anne Girard
 
Book Club Recommended
Insightful, Fun, Adventurous
Jean Harlow Platinum Doll

Our book club received these books in one of the weekly book giveaways and what a FUN book it is! I remember Jean Harlow but knew very little about her. The book is written well to portray the era and to portray the mindset of a young up and coming actress.

 
Book Club Recommended
Dramatic, Addictive, Interesting
The Good Girl gets intense

This is a good read, chosen by my book club. The ending is predictable, but intense. The three points of view keep it fresh and keep the story moving along quickly. At first I thought it would be confusing going back and forth with Before and After, but it wasn't and I enjoyed it.

 
Book Club Recommended
Fun, Interesting, Adventurous
Yummy

This is a quick read and a fun adventure. It is light reading. The recipes and food descriptions make you interested in food!

 
Book Club Recommended
Addictive, Dramatic, Adventurous
Read this on dry land!

This is a great quick read! But read it on dry land otherwise, you will be thinking every single splash is someone going over board. It is a story that takes the reader on a journey through some claustrophobic moments and moments of whodunit around every corner. Very enjoyable!

The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer
 
Book Club Recommended
Adventurous, Dramatic, Dark
The Chemist

What a fantastic read! This book is nothing like the vampire series, for those of you who are afraid it is a love story, it is not. It is a well written, easy to read spy thriller that is hard to put down. Alex is a likable character and even though Kevin is a thorn in her side, you want him rescued in the end. This story is relevant to our real world politics and perfect for an election year!

Euphoria by Lily King
 
Book Club Recommended
Interesting, Informative, Adventurous
Euphoria

Great book! Looking forward to my book club discussion! I did not expect the ending.

The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens
 
Book Club Recommended
Dramatic, Addictive, Interesting
The Life We Bury

Quick read! Very entertaining. Enjoyable.

Zelda: A Biography by Nancy Milford
 
Book Club Recommended
Dramatic, Dark, Epic
Zelda

Well written research. It is very detailed and takes time to digest, but offers excellent insight into the twisted marriage of the Fitzgeralds.

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler
 
Book Club Recommended
Interesting, Informative, Addictive
Z: A novel

I just read Zelda: A Biography and this pairs very well with it. Fowler stuck to the same facts as presented in the biography and the novel is a much faster, smoother read than the biography. This book gave more dimensions to Zelda. My only criticism is the made-up letters, rather than using authentic ones.

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