Diving in together

Book review of "The Lido" by Libby Page. On Goodreads, the blurb for this novel says “Kate is a twenty-six-year-old riddled with anxiety and panic attacks who works for a local paper in Brixton, London, covering forgettably small stories. When she’s assigned to write about the closing of the local lido (an outdoor pool and … Continue reading Diving in together →

Guest Author Post: Jacey Bedford and her Psi-Tech Universe Trilogy

Many years ago, I met Jacey Bedford through the "usenet" group misc.writing - back in late 20th century, when we were young (read more about that here), and Jacey was only an aspiring author! But look at her today - she's published five books! Although I don't read the genre she writes in, I am … Continue reading Guest Author Post: Jacey Bedford and her Psi-Tech Universe Trilogy →

Deceptions Large and Small

Book Review of "The Last Mrs. Parrish" by Liv Constantine. For most of her life, Amber has been envious of people with money. That's why Amber has a plan to insinuate herself into the world of the rich and powerful. Her scheme isn't all that complicated, but it will take a little bit of patience. … Continue reading Deceptions Large and Small →

An Elmwood Springs Retrospective

Book Review of "The Whole Town's Talking" by Fannie Flagg. Flagg's latest novel returns once again to Elmwood Springs and this time, she tells us everything, starting with its humble beginnings, when young Lordor Nordstrom finds this beautiful spot in Missouri, and decides to make his home there. From there Flagg takes us on a … Continue reading An Elmwood Springs Retrospective →

Capturing the Fear

Book review for "The Fox was Ever the Hunter" by Herta Müller. Every so often, you come across a reviewer who pans a novel by saying, "nothing happens" in the book. This is exactly one of those types of novels, and I'm sure we'll see many reviews to this effect. The problem is, this is … Continue reading Capturing the Fear →

An Artistic Novel, and that’s No Secret!

Book Review of "The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets" by Eva Rice. Before there was Elvis, there was Johnnie Ray – an American pop singer who made girls all over the world swoon, and teenaged Penelope Wallace was one of them. Before there was Charlotte Ferris, it seemed like Penelope was living in a dreary … Continue reading An Artistic Novel, and that’s No Secret! →

Abandonment and Devotion

Book Review of "Neither Here Nor There" by Miriam Drori. Esty is 19 and unmarried, and that's practically an "old maid" in Jerusalem's Haredi (ultra-orthodox) community. However, the reason she hasn't agreed to marry anyone is that she knows the Haredi life is not for her. Once she's married, she might be trapped forever. Gathering … Continue reading Abandonment and Devotion →

John Irving’s Masterpiece

Book Review of "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving. Owen is a dwarf who keeps saying he is on a mission from God. Johnny Wheelwright is dyslexic (like myself) and is in a life-long search for his father. The relationship between these two boys grows and entwines, with as many twists as Irving's … Continue reading John Irving’s Masterpiece →