16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This is a short romance/soap opera without closure for a few of the characters which is to be expected I suppose since this is #1 in a very successful series by a very popular author. Not a squeaky clean read coffee table book, due to some minor sexual titallation, but at least there's no vulgar language.



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The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


In addition to this book's overall high ratings, its intriguing title captured my interest. Yet it failed to enchant me and clearly I'm in the minority. Her visuals were good but the characters were not engaging. I thought the writing was a bit verbose, yet overall it's probably a good book for older YA *confident* readers. After reading several books in this genre I've come to the conclusion that fantasy fiction is just not my thing.









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A Lesson Before Dying

A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I felt that the main character was not Jefferson, the wrongfully condemned man and the lesson he learned before his execution, but was Grant, the narrator and his anger, nay rage, and cowardice regarding the treatment of his people (Blacks), in 1940's. Both men learn a valuable lesson: how to become a man, Jefferson by dying for his people, and Grant by standing up for his beliefs. The book was slow going & somewhat repetitive until the last 100 pages when we read Jefferson's thoughts and see his transformation. I'd like to have read more about Jefferson. It almosts get there, but not quite.







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The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


If your passion is English history, specifically the Tudor & Plantagenet dynasties and 15th-16th century succession to the throne, then this is the book for you! It satisfies academically, but is definitely not entertaining fiction. The "daughter of time" is not a person, but "truth," as opposed to "authority." Tey, the author, presents a convincing argument: the "princes in the tower" were *not* murdered by their uncle, Richard III, and he was in fact a competent & highly revered monarch. This of course is in opposition to public school history books, Shakespeare's famous play, and popular thought. Henry the VII was the real bounder. I liked it very much; but then I'm a bit of a nut for this kind of thing & wouldn't recommend it to casual readers.



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