An Observant Wife by Naomi Ragen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the book a lot. The writing, although sometimes a bit preachy, was wonderful and I felt that I could truly understand some of the character's emotions and trials. It is a good plot although a little predictable. Certainly worth the read if you are at all intersted in the strange world of orthodox Judiasm, or orthodox anything for that matter. The glossary is at the end and I would advise one to read that first and possibly refer to it during the read but after a few pages I got used to the interspersal of Yiddish terms.

View all my reviews

2021 in Books

My Year In Books:

The World Played Chess by Robert Dugoni
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first Vietnam War related book that I've read. It was good but brought back some memories that are less than pleasant. Good writing is good writing and this book conveys the emotion and angst of the characters beautifully. This is our history but I wonder if literature will eventually treat it like we treat WWII. Does the glamore come from the times or from the events? I wonder if Vietnam or Korea for that matter will ever have the same place in our literary universe.

View all my reviews

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Certainly worth reading. I loved "A Gentleman..." and looked forward to this book. The writing was brilliant but often I felt the story meandered around and led me down paths that were dead ends to the main plot. Then I began to wonder what the main plot was. The characters kept me reading but it felt like it had no where to go as a story and consequently didn't get there.
Still better than a lot of books and certainly kept me wondering whether I liked it or not. In the end I'm still not sure.

View all my reviews

Better off Dead by Lee Child
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As usual, Child comes up with interesting villians and engrossing plot. Maybe a little convoluted but certainly kept me turning the page. Even with the co-authoring, these stories seem to have lost none of their punch and character. Might be hard for a first reader to figure Reacher out in this one but for the rest of us it was a delight. Good story, maybe too close to reality.

View all my reviews

Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this for book club and must say I wasn't enthusiastic until I read a chapter. This is a delightful book. The main characters jump from the page and the story is intriguing. I love the writing style and the ties to historical fact. I guess now I have to watch the movie again.
The author gives a pretty honest look at the way many men behave and it looks awful. Where did we get this view of women and how could it not have been squelched in all these years? Why did women have to fight for suffrage. I just don’t see how more people of good faith and reasonable intelligence didn’t see this problem in our society earlier. I sick of fighting against stupidity and prejudice. I wish I could offer my grandchildren something better.


View all my reviews

Over My Dead Body by Jeffrey Archer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this series. This book seemed to have more adventure and introduced and fleshed out some of th e characters a little further. A couple of the scenes were a bit tense and I imagined a couple of scenarios that Archer didn't use.
This book really kept me on the edge and kept me reading. Can't wait for the next book in the series. I hope there is one on the way. William Warwick and his band of coppers have a lot more to accomplish. And btw, they do it without cell phones!

View all my reviews

Foul Play by Stuart Woods
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Like an old friend, Stone Barrington comes into my life every so often with one of the fanciful tales of intrigue and humor. I love this series. Its like popcorn, can't get enough and feel better after eating it.
Stone's exploits are just complicated enough to keep me interested and just funny enough to keep me laughing.
Imagine a perfect life filled with perfect friends, lovers and yes, even perfect bad guys. That's this series and the ending justifies another book. I can't wait. Thanks Stuart Woods for giving me hours of entertainment.

View all my reviews

The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Rare that I don't like a book. This was just too many words and too little plot. The mystery turns out to not be a big deal and the people are shallow and essentially uninteresting. The reliance on sex and anger to move the "story" along is not a substitute for real activity. I hope there are not people like this in real life. It was a book club. I may have liked it more than some of my friends. It gets my thumbs down. Skip this one.

View all my reviews

Turn a Blind Eye by Jeffrey Archer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm already in love with this series. Archer makes the characters come alive and the story is filled with cliff hangers and suspense. William is learning the cop business and seems to be quite successful. He is also learning to be a father and husband, maybe not all that easy in real life.
There is a lot of courtroom drama that is interesting and well written. Great stuff.

View all my reviews

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A brilliant concept, well written. This book grabs you on page one and doesn't let go 'til the end. The author is a master of the craft and leaves you wanting to know more after each page.
The idea of life being a series of choices is so beautifully told and the whole idea makes for good reading and a thoughtful discussion, if only in your own mind.

View all my reviews

Hidden in Plain Sight by Jeffrey Archer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just love Jeffrey Archer books. They transport me to another place and time. The story is intriguing. The characters are perfectly drawn and the setting comes alive in my mind.
This is the second in what I hope will be a long series. The Third is ready to go and the fourth comes out in mid October.
In terms of content, the British legal system and their police forces are the basic topics here with a splash of art and culture. Archer has crafted a story line and set of plots that are pretty relevant to today but have a hint of the past.

View all my reviews