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Joanne A. (josiegirl5928) - Reviews

1 to 20 of 26 - Page:
Amy and Isabelle
Amy and Isabelle
Author: Elizabeth Strout
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 288
Review Date: 11/29/2005


Author Elizabeth Strout evokes a teenager's alienation from her distant mother - and a parent's rage at the discovery of her 16-year-old daughter's sexual secrets.


Cartwheel: A Novel
Cartwheel: A Novel
Author: Jennifer duBois
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3.2/5 Stars.
 6
Review Date: 8/23/2020


I was intrigued by the premise of this book given I'm a fan of true crime and familiar with the Amanda Knox murder case.

Unfortunately, this book was a slow, plodding read for me. The prose is often obscure and rambling and the build-up of the case way too long and drawn out. Lots of background but only one or two chapters devoted to the trial and resolution.

I didn't care about any of these characters although Lily (especially), the "boyfriend" Sebastien and even the prosecutor Eduardo were fleshed out in tedious detail. I found out very little about the murder victim, Katy.

Cartwheel missed the mark and fell short of what could have been a tense, dramatic read. It just wasn't interesting.


Confessions of a Shopaholic (Shopaholic, Bk 1)
Confessions of a Shopaholic (Shopaholic, Bk 1)
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 2001
Review Date: 7/4/2006


Wonderful, light and amusing English chick lit!


The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Author: Mark Haddon
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 4460
Review Date: 3/28/2006
Helpful Score: 1


My mind doesn't work this way, so I found this an awkward read...but it does illustrate how autistic people who think in this unique way can be so misunderstood! This is a creative book that helps open minds to others' differences.


East of Eden
East of Eden
Author: John Steinbeck
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 456
Review Date: 3/28/2006
Helpful Score: 4


Long, long, ultra long! You can't deny the artistry of the writing, but this family was just too dysfunctional and cruel. Difficult to read.


Elvis and Me
Elvis and Me
Author: Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, Sandra Harmon
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 62
Review Date: 11/22/2005
Helpful Score: 3


A first-hand account of the Svengali-like relationship between Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu, starting from her early teen years. Throughout, you sense her love for Elvis despite his flaws (and there were many).


Fall on Your Knees
Fall on Your Knees
Author: Ann-Marie MacDonald
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 505
Review Date: 11/22/2005


A dark tale of four sisters. A chilling and powerful read.


Gift from the Sea
Gift from the Sea
Author: Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 108
Review Date: 12/6/2005


Lovely and wise. I related so strongly to her thoughts on motherhood and her struggle for independence despite the extraordinary demands of caring for children and a home.


Hester Roon
Hester Roon
Author: Norah Lofts
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 5/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 1/3/2007


Entertaining. A gripping adventure story with a powerful heroine.


His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair-Proof Marriage
His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair-Proof Marriage
Author: Willard F. Harley Jr.
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 35
Review Date: 1/16/2009
Helpful Score: 2


The author holds a somewhat old-fashioned view of gender roles (women working outside of the home, men making the money to support a family, etc.)but he has some very good ideas about men's and women's needs and how to meet them with your spouse. You do come to understand a lot more how affairs happen and that they are avoidable.


Lipstick Jungle
Lipstick Jungle
Author: Candace Bushnell
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 196
Review Date: 5/13/2007


I tried to give this a fair chance but found it a vapid, uninspiring read. I loved the "Sex in the City" series; Bushnell's characters are much better on screen than in print.


The Love Machine
The Love Machine
Author: Jacqueline Susann
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 17
Review Date: 7/17/2006


It's outdated in expressions, dialogue, financials, etc. but still a juicy read!


Luckiest Girl Alive
Luckiest Girl Alive
Author: Jessica Knoll
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 2.8/5 Stars.
 5
Review Date: 9/8/2021


I liked this novel better than "The Favorite Sister" by the same author. Somewhat predictable plot and an overload of heart-wrenching tragedies at one prep school...I loaned it to my daughter and she described it as "anti-climactic."


The Murder Farm
The Murder Farm
Author: Andrea Maria Schenkel, Anthea Bell (Translator)
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 3
Review Date: 8/23/2020


Engrossing book with a suspenseful, chilling plot. Based on the actual 1922 Hinterkaifeck family murder in Germany. Spare and efficient writing -not a wasted word. You knew the characters; you are worried and dismayed for them. I felt a delicious dread turning each page as the plot slowly built to its inevitable horror. The ending shows us a believable and satisfying perpetrator. Loved it. Great read.


THE OTHER
THE OTHER
Author: Thomas Tryon
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 4
Review Date: 5/24/2007


So powerful! I have vivid memories of reading this as a young teen some forty years ago! The story of twin 13-year-old boys, Holland and Niles Perry, who share telepathic gifts and a family history of madness and tragedy is a hair-raising, creepy read. "Accidents" start to happen on their family's idyllic Connecticut farm and we're off and running on a suspenseful ride with Tryon at the wheel. He keeps the reader guessing (and dreading) what's around the corner...I couldn't put it down. I've read the masters-Hitchcock, Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe- and Tryon at his best is as impressive. This book is a masterful psychological thriller of seldom-read originality with macabre twists and turns. I dare you to guess the ending.
P.S. Tryon's "Harvest Home" is equally chilling.


The Reader
The Reader
Author: Bernhard Schlink, Carol Brown Janeway (Translator)
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 1265
Review Date: 11/7/2006


Great read; absolutely mesmerizing.


Running with Scissors
Running with Scissors
Author: Augusten Burroughs
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 2426
Review Date: 11/7/2006


This is a strange, rather graphic book about the author's highly dysfunctional upbringing. I found it disturbing and fascinating at the same time. Recommended, but come with an open mind.


Saffy's Angel (Casson Family, Bk 1)
Saffy's Angel (Casson Family, Bk 1)
Author: Hilary McKay
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 22
Review Date: 11/20/2005


Suitable for young teen


Shopaholic Takes Manhattan (Shopaholic, Bk 2)
Shopaholic Takes Manhattan (Shopaholic, Bk 2)
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 1262
Review Date: 7/4/2006


Fun, light read. I love this English chick lit; it's nice for a change of pace from heavier topics.


Shopaholic Ties the Knot (Shopaholic, Bk 3)
Shopaholic Ties the Knot (Shopaholic, Bk 3)
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 1116
Review Date: 2/19/2007


Wonderful, light, frothy read!


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