Sarca
Another page-turner by Hightower! I never thought I'd be interested in the dealings of horses, but the author writes a compelling mystery.
Another fantastic read from Hightower! Rich characters, vivid descriptions and great dialogue. I never thought I'd enjoy reading a serial character like Sonora Blair like I am. I plan on reading more!
Wow, implausible. Seriously, a deranged woman gathers 4 authors to a week long retreat to murder them because they gave her daughter's cozy novel the thumbs-down. Wth? Then, the main character's inoperable brain tumor shows up at the end of the novel? You mean, her spouse and child dying in a car accident wasn't trauma enough?
Maybe I've read too many of these at this stage of my therapy, but I think Susan Forward does this subject wayyyy better. I found myself thinking that I've read all this before. Then the author actually mentions Forward, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud! There is also the book Stalking the Soul that has this down. Seriously, I've read better, and would recommend other books on this subject.
A really sad sorry. Not the best written book, but gets the point across that the author experienced horrid abuse.
Five people, five true stories of their experience with mental illness and how it shaped them. It was good. I did almost drop it after the first 50 pages, because some of it was dry and I found myself asking where we were going. But, I'm glad I stuck with it.
A gaslighting story about a pregnant woman who moves into an old mansion in upstate NY with her rich husband. The gaslighting came from the real estate agent who sold them the mansion, and basically got a bunch of people to play with her in her web of lies, and all because “she could.” The story drew me in for 3/4 of the book - where we hear from the pregnant woman's perspective - until the story went cray; like, Gone Girl cray, where we get to hear from the real estate agent's diabolical mind. The story should have been over with the cherry-on-top ending...except it wasn't. The author tacks on a “it was all a dream and reality is your nightmare” type ending. It wasn't needed.
A well-written mystery. A real page-turner! This was my first Claire Douglas novel and I'll be picking up more!
I'll say this had an interesting twist in the end, but I didn't care much for anyone in this story. And it felt like it took forever to get to the end...admittedly, I skipped over some chapters...
First time reading any of this author's novels. I'd say the writing is average, and the plot was twisty. As short as the novel was, it seemed to not tie up loose ends. And I was bothered by how the MC, a psychiatrist, was so quick to blur ethical lines with her patients. 2 stars from me.
This was pretty good. I usually balk at the fantasy / supernatural stuff, but this drew me in. I'd read more from this author.
This novel sat in a quiet corner of the bookcase in our family's rec room growing up, and was dog eared at all the “special” bits. The story is quite lavish and unbelievable. But, the love scenes? Ahem. It was “enough” for curious young minds...
I found a used copy of Princess Daisy at a thrift store a while back and took it for a re read. Amazing how much of this book I still remember 35 years later!
I wish there was more to this story than a transcriber getting caught up with a detective solving a murder. I was interested in the work she did, but it turned into something else. How easy it was for the mc to fall for and start an affair with this detective. I get she is in an unhappy marriage, like that is any excuse... I'm still not sure how she began to get involved with him or how he would even allow her to be a part of his investigation. The whole thing was messy. I did enjoy the author's writing for what it was, buy the plot lost me.
Bring on the tissues! This is about parents losing their only son and only grandson to murder by the same psycho woman. Demonstrates Canada's slow extradition process. So well-written and heartbreaking.
DNF 40%. A couple of things I learned here: intergenerational raising of your mother as a daughter has alot to speak for when it comes to raising children, and we don't have a prayer with the way society is run. Children will continue to have anxiety and depression because mothers can't possibly be around their children 24/7 to constantly nurture them. That said, the book is repetitive. I kept hoping we could progress from “it's not your fault” to something enlightening. Time to move on.
Not written by someone with any degree in psychology, just personal experience. Approachable in its delivery and gives some insight that I haven't read previously.
Well-written. Disappointing how TPS treated the gay community (and still does). Never mind, the clues that there was a serial killer roaming the gay bars, and the authorities' refusal to admit anything was wrong.
The story was cute, I'll give it that. But, it was in desperate need of a good editor. Is the main character reading from her diary, or...? Cutting into the flow of the conversation to explain how you offered the last cookie to your friend and when refused you say “more for me!” seemed unnecessary. The names of the stores in this small Ontario town were cute. Btw, Nipissing has one “p”, not two.
Susan Forward always has something good to say. This one hit home with me as I navigate my own experiences with FOG (fear, obligation, and guilt). She gives some workable tips that will carry me through.
One way I can gauge whether I really like a book is if I would be interested in rereading the tale. This book is one of those. I am not even sure what year I read this story (I'm guessing 2002, but who knows), but I remember I borrowed it from my Mum, and that I was at the camp, reading this by the lake (no better place, imo...). While I was Gone was my introduction to Sue Miller, and it has since invited me to read other Miller titles (The Good Mother, the World Below).
So here's the tale: In 1968, Jo was married but decides to wontonly abandon it all to go live a bohemian life under an alias and live in rooming house with some people. All this seems inconsequential when we are spun forward to her current life: she is now a veterinarian, married to a Pastor of a church and has three grown children. But one of her flatmates happens to move into her little town and thus drudges up memories of her past when, while living in the rooming house, something so heinous happened that causes her current life to unravel.
This book happens to be an Oprah Book Club selection...even though I'm really not a fan of Oprah, she has chosen some interesting reading selections. If you hate Oprah, just pretend I didn't say anything and read this book on its own merits. While I Was Gone is great book, not so much for suspense, but for a flowing prose that easily gets you lost on summer afternoons by the lake.