Having read my fair share of books about running amok in 1970s New York, I knew Normal People Don’t Live Like This had a natural place on my shelves. It is the tale of Leah Levinson as she makes her way through high school into adulthood. Set on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, … [Read more...] about Emilie Tarrant Reviews “Normal People Don’t Live Like This” by Dylan Landis
Books
Reader Donna Agins Reviews “Unfinished Business: One Man’s Extraordinary Year of Trying to Do the Right Things” by Lee Kravitz
Have you ever done anything you regretted? Have you ever wished that you could go back in time and correct it? That is what the fascinating part memoir/part introspective journey, Unfinished Business, is about. Author Lee Kravitz was the uber busy editor-in-chief of Parade … [Read more...] about Reader Donna Agins Reviews “Unfinished Business: One Man’s Extraordinary Year of Trying to Do the Right Things” by Lee Kravitz
Reader Judy Rowles Reviews “Swallow” by Tonya Plank
Since there are an almost infinite number of books and a finite amount of time in which to read them before I close my last chapter, I generally have certain “criteria” when picking a novel. I try to find books that have interesting plot lines and compelling characters. Unless … [Read more...] about Reader Judy Rowles Reviews “Swallow” by Tonya Plank
Reader Elizabeth Pappas Reviews “The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors” by Michele Young-Stone
One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand. I would lie awake in bed at night, counting from the crack of thunder to the explosive flash of lightning. Windows rattled and my heart pounded in synchronicity during those summer Mid-western thunderstorms. The novel, The … [Read more...] about Reader Elizabeth Pappas Reviews “The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors” by Michele Young-Stone
Reader Carol Reedy Rogero Reviews “Tales for Little Rebels: A Collection of Radical Children’s Literature” edited by Julia L. Mickenberg and Philip Nel
My father would be the first to confirm my lifetime membership in the “Rebels from the Start” club. Indeed, even as you read this, I’m quietly using instructional time to teach basic morals, manners and “The Golden Rule” in school, while donning white after Labor Day, so the … [Read more...] about Reader Carol Reedy Rogero Reviews “Tales for Little Rebels: A Collection of Radical Children’s Literature” edited by Julia L. Mickenberg and Philip Nel
“Lima Nights” by Marie Arana Reviewed by Pamela Lear
I have now read three of Marie Arana’s books, and can thus truly call myself a fan of her work. I first became aware of her when one of my book groups read her novel, Cellophane, a fascinating story abut a paper factory set in the Amazon jungles of Peru. Then I heard her on the … [Read more...] about “Lima Nights” by Marie Arana Reviewed by Pamela Lear
Woman to Woman: Our Exclusive Interview With Author Robin Antalek
Robin Antalek's debut novel, The Summer We Fell Apart, is one of those rare exceptions to the rule, "You can't judge a book by its cover." The cover of this book is so rich and vibrant and beautiful, it's a dead-on reflection of the writing inside. The story of four siblings in a … [Read more...] about Woman to Woman: Our Exclusive Interview With Author Robin Antalek
reader laurie doyle reviews “little bee” by chris cleave
I was hooked from the first line of Little Bee, “Most days I wish I was a British Pound coin instead of an African Girl. Everyone would be pleased to see me coming.” Such a sad beginning to a story that is not only sad at times, sweet at times but even political at times. I loved … [Read more...] about reader laurie doyle reviews “little bee” by chris cleave