From adele gresser
Title: crossroads
Author: belva plain
an infant is adopted into a rich and important family. her new mother is the CEO of a thriving business but she has little knowledge on how to accept and help this little girl. The girl seems to be an odd ball. The life and trials of this now young lady makes her meet and befriend problem people. This not one of the author’s better books
From Michele Szydlo
Title: The Golden Cup
Author: Belva Plain
I was disappointed. This book is part of a saga beginning with Evergreen, and I read it out of order, so perhaps that colored my opinion. I finished reading it, but it was not a favorite of mine. I didn’t feel as though the characters were fully rounded and I wasn’t in love with any of them. I have no desire to read the other books in this saga.
From Marie K. Schulken
author: SIDDONS, ANNE RIVERS
BURNT MOUNTAIN
In the past, I have always enjoyed this author’s books, however, this book was an exception. It started out with a multi generational Southern family, and it followed a typical Anne Rivers Siddons’ story line. However, at some point, our heroine marries an Irish professor deep into Celtic mysticism. Their relationship starts out very special and then the whole story turns weird. Much of what was really strange, was never really explained. At this point, I was looking forward to the end of the book. Definitely not a favorite.
From Marie K. Schulken
author: Sullivan, J. Courtney
Maine
This is the first book I have read by J. Courtney Sullivan and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story evolves around multiple generations of an Irish family who summered at their cottage in Maine. A definite cast of characters beginning with the Matriarch, Alice, who rules the roost. A great beach read and a nice respite from my spy novels.
From Hannah Columbo
author: Roberts,Nora
Sea Swept: The Chesapeake Bay Saga #1
Sea Swept tells the tale of three brothers adopted by Raymond Quinn and his wife, Stella. They are as different as can be, but they are bound by their love and respect for their adoptive father, who has recently passed away. On his deathbed he asks his sons to look after their most recent brother, 10-year-old Seth. The brothers don’t know anything about caring for the young boy but they realize that family help each other.
This is a book about how love and family can overcome all obstacles. Easy and enjoyable read.
From Caryn Eve Murray
author: Kingsolver, Barbara
The Poisonwood Bible
This tragic epic of a minister’s family, following the family patriarch somewhat reluctantly as he does God’s work in the Congo, is a gripping study of faith and folly. Perhaps the greatest strength of this book, beyond its rich, dramatic narrative, is the strength of its female characters: the minister’s wife, and each of his four daughters, all give voice to the pages, speaking in turn, telling their stories as the chapters (and concomitant tragedies) unfold. Set against the backdrop of real history unfolding in that part of the world (Congo’s independence and political strife), this book is as much a history lesson for the uninitiated as it is a study in personal strength, traditions and superstition and perhaps best of all, both the pitfalls and payoffs of sticking to one’s convictions against all odds.
From Elaine Pasquali
author: Buchan, Elizabeth
The Good Wife
The title of this book caught my eye because of its similarity to the title of the popular TV program, The Good Wife. The similarities continues with the main characters: a career politician and straying husband (Will) and a wife (Fanny) who sacrifices her own passions and career to the demands of being a “good” wife and mother. Further complicating Fanny’s life are her ambivalent feelings about her live-in alcoholic sister-in-law. When Fanny’s father dies and her daughter leaves the nest, Fanny sets off on a journey of self-exploration and personal fulfillment. Set in England and Italy, this book flows easily and seamlessly as it navigates themes of imperfect marriage, family dynamics, and midlife crisis.
From Teen Blogger Sarah
author: Peck, Richard
A season of gifts
In the book A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck, twelve year old Bob moves next door to Mrs. Dowdel who is not your normal neighbor! As Bob deals with bullies, the holiday seasons, and helping his Dad (the new local Minister), somehow Mrs. Dowdel gets caught up in the action too! Luckily Bob doesn’t go through these problems alone, as he has his Elvis loving older sister and younger sister, who actually likes being with Mrs. Dowdel, to help him. As Bob, his family, and Mrs. Dowdel go through some hard times, you might wonder if things will turn out okay. Find out by reading “A Season of Gifts” by Richard Peck.
“A Season of Gifts” was a really good book that I enjoyed reading. I liked that the book took place in the 1950’s and was about what kids did for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I thought the book did a great job of making you feel like you knew what it was like to be a kid during that time period. The book has the family go through a number of issues which eventually get straightened out with an uplifting ending. I recommend this book for anyone ages eight to twelve.
From Alex, Teen Book Reviewer
author: Cantor, Jillian
September Sisters
For the Teen Review Blog, I read the book September Sisters written by Jillian Cantor. In this wonderful book, Abigail and her younger sister Becky are always fighting and bickering. Their mother always pretends they’re friends but they aren’t. Then one day Becky disappears at night. Abigail and her family are upset and are calling everyone including police. Abigail feels it’s all her fault but it really isn’t.
I would recommend this book to all girls because its about a girl going through life feeling lost because her sister isn’t there. I doubt boys would want to read this book but you never know. September Sisters is an amazing book. The details are vivid and very descriptive. You can really use your imagination in this book. I could barely put it down, that’s how good it was for me. September Sisters is a very enjoyable book and I hope you all enjoy it too.
From Susan Hirschmann
author: Davenport, Kiana
Song of the Exile
This novel of compelling stories of members of a Hawaiian family takes place through the turbulent years of WWII up until statehood in 1959, and sweeps across Europe, Asia and the Pacific. Kiana is a native Hawaiian author who has thoroughly researched the geography and history of the events of the era to provide a rich landscape for her novel that includes the sexual enslavement of women during WWII by the Japanese military. I really enjoyed the book, and wondered why it wasn’t given more press. (copyright 1999).
Gloria Steinem weighed in with the following comment: “reveals the emotional truths hidden beneath the WWII euphemism ‘comfort women’. A half century later, this important and powerful novel gives these women a way out of the perpetual exile of the forgotten”.
Reviews For You 