Dirt Creek: A Novel
by Hayley Scrivenor
Terrific debut novel (4/11/2022)
The first chapter of Dirt Road totally grabs you and lets you know Hayley Scrivenor is a marvelous writer. She weaves a compelling story of a missing girl and the adults and children who surround her. This is a well-conceived mystery and a powerful debut novel.
Two Storm Wood: A Novel
by Philip Gray
Compelling and emotional (1/8/2022)
A compelling war drama that is part mystery, part thriller and part love story. The scenes of combat and wartime devastation are gripping. There are a number of military officers (perhaps too many) to keep track of, but the story is propelled by the central theme of Amy Vanneck trying to learn what happened to her fiancé on the battlefields of France in the Great War. There were a number of times I found myself reading and thinking the story would make for an engaging movie. The final chapters are quite powerful and make for a satisfying conclusion.
Blind Man's Bluff: A Memoir
by James Tate Hill
Engaging but Uneven (8/11/2021)
James Tate Hill tells his story of losing his sight as a teenager and having to navigate high school, college and graduate school as a person with a disability. He is often his own worst enemy, rejecting any type of assistance or empathy. His writing style is a bit erratic. He shifts from first-person to second-person and it's unclear why. And there are rough segues that can make for confusion. But his personal journey will raise your understanding of people who face challenges with their vision.
The Sunset Route: Freight Trains, Forgiveness, and Freedom on the Rails in the American West
by Carrot Quinn
Left wanting more (7/19/2021)
An engaging look at a young woman dealing with abandonment, homelessness and a desire to find her place in the world. Her story is well written and interesting, but then it becomes repetitive ... hop train, sleep under tarp, scavenge for food, get busted by train cops, repeat. I found it very hard to warm up to the author despite her saga.
The Temple House Vanishing
by Rachel Donohue
Mesmerizing (4/16/2021)
Rachel Donohue's first novel draws you in from the beginning pages and grips tight throughout its moody twists and turns. Her story of love, friendship and betrayal at a girls' boarding school is haunting and compelling. The writing is gorgeous but sparse, with few wasted words. It's a powerful debut.
The Personal Librarian
by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray
Not for me (3/9/2021)
I really wanted to like this book, because it combines favorite topics: history, libraries, New York. But it tries too hard to cram in facts, with a writing style that swings from simplistic to overwrought. Overall, a disappointment, but it did inspire me to learn more about Belle da Costa Greene.
Raft of Stars
by Andrew J. Graff
Left wanting more (11/7/2020)
I love coming-of-age stories and was excited to read about the adventures of 10-year-olds Fish and Bread. By the end, however, I felt like I never really got to know the two boys.
There is tremendous, often beautiful detail given to the physical environment and the creatures that inhabit it: forests, meadows, bears, coyotes, the river. But that same depth is missing with the characters, particularly Bread and Fish. I would have enjoyed knowing more about them and less about the budding romance between another set of characters. That would make for a more satisfying novel overall.
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