Arrivals and Departures.

Book Review for “Hello Beautiful” by Ann Napolitano. Summary: "William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him. So it’s a relief when his skill on the basketball court earns him a scholarship to college, far away from his childhood … Continue reading Arrivals and Departures. →

To Soothe a Ravaged Soul.

Book Review for “Keys to Harmony: Memoir of Depression, Daring, and Creativity” by Margalit Jakob. Summary: "A pianist/therapist loses access to a crucial memory. Neither able to play, nor to relinquish her dream, she finds herself in an agonizing limbo. Filled with piercing insights, this is a thrilling book about overcoming depression and reclaiming one's … Continue reading To Soothe a Ravaged Soul. →

Sadly Hysterical.

Book Review for “City of Incurable Women” by Maud Casey. Summary: "“Where are the hysterics, those magnificent women of former times?” wrote Jacques Lacan. Long history’s ghosts, marginalized and dispossessed due to their gender and class, they are reimagined by Maud Casey as complex, flesh-and-blood people with stories to tell. These linked, evocative prose portraits, … Continue reading Sadly Hysterical. →

#ShortStorySunday – Finishing the Wonder.

Book Review for “An Approach to Black” by Emily Jeremiah. Summary: This novel "traces the fate of Finnish artist Anna S. and her legacy. It’s the late nineteenth century, and Anna is married to Eino, another artist. Eino gains fame and recognition for his idyllic evocations of family life. Anna, meanwhile, goes mad and is … Continue reading #ShortStorySunday – Finishing the Wonder. →

A Scottish James Garner?

Book Review for “The House by the Loch” by Kirsty Wark. Summary: “Walter MacMillan is bewitched by the clever, glamorous Jean Thompson and can't believe his luck when she agrees to marry him. Neither can she, for Walter represents a strong and steady and loving man who can perhaps quiet the demons inside her. Yet … Continue reading A Scottish James Garner? →

Pulling a “Nellie Bly”!

Book Review of “Woman 99” by Greer Macallister. How far would you go to save your sister? What if she’s the one who saved your life many times throughout your childhood? Would you risk everything, possibly even your own sanity? This is the dilemma that Charlotte Smith faces when her sister Phoebe is put into … Continue reading Pulling a “Nellie Bly”! →

Between Two Sisters

Book Review of "A Fist Around the Heart" by Heather Chisvin. Goodreads says that “The story of Anna Grieve and her fragile older sister, Esther, begins in Russia in the 1880s. The vicious persecution of Jews has come to such a point that the girls’ mother makes the decision to send her children to Winnipeg … Continue reading Between Two Sisters →

Duplicity or distortion?

Book Review of "Alias Grace" by Margaret Atwood In 1843, Grace Marks and James McDermott were both convicted of the murders of Nancy Montgomery and Thomas Kinnear. While McDermott was executed for these crimes, Grace received a commuted sentence, and ended spending nearly 30 years in incarceration, first in an insane asylum and then later … Continue reading Duplicity or distortion? →

The clock on the mantle ticked ticked

Book Review of "See What I Have Done" by Sarah Schmidt. Although a jury of her peers found Lizzie Borden not guilty of the murders of her father and stepmother, Andrew and Abby Borden, the court of public opinion found her guilty as charged. The mystery behind these brutal murders continues to this day, almost … Continue reading The clock on the mantle ticked ticked →

A Life in Steps

Book Review of "Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk" by Kathleen Rooney On the evening of December 31, 1984, Lillian Boxfish set out for her traditional New Year's Eve dinner at her favorite Italian restaurant. Despite not being hungry after absentmindedly consuming most of a package of Oreo cookies while speaking on the phone with her … Continue reading A Life in Steps →