Category: Book Reviews

Once Upon a River:

A Novel

by Diane Setterfield

Published: 12/4/2018 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books
ISBN: 9780743298070

“A wonderfully dark and mysterious read. Something happens one stormy winter solstice evening that triggers a chain of events that changes the lives of all the main characters. Moody and mystical. For readers who love gothic fiction like The Death of Mrs. Westaway and The Clockmaker’s Daughter. ”

Melanie Liechty, Logan Library, Logan, UT

http://libraryreads.org/

“The Hawaiian Quilt” by Wanda Brunstetter

Book Review by Molly Edwards for Readers’ Favorite

This beautiful collaboration, The Hawaiian Quilt, between Wanda and Jean Brunstetter was amazing! I’m a lover of all things Amish. I’m also a lover of all things Wanda Brunstetter when it comes to Amish fiction novels. I will say, however, that while I love all things Brunstetter, I go into each of her books with an open mind so that if something isn’t up to par on her works, I won’t be let down. I do that with most any author. But, once again, this book hit it out of the park for me. I loved every second of this inspirational romance and the meaning of the quilt. As a granddaughter of a quilter, it was such fun to “see” the quilt come together!

I don’t want to spoil this story for anyone so I won’t go into a lot of detail with the plot, other than to say it’s superbly written and highly addictive! But, I will tell you that each and every character within these pages will steal your heart instantly and have you wishing you were right there in Hawaii with them! Mandy and her quirky friends are off on an adventure and land in Hawaii. Each turn of the page is filled with a message that sinks into your heart. It was definitely an interesting experience watching Mandy come to terms with her past and her future. If you are looking for a 5-star, well thought out read, then look no further than this beautifully captivating novel. Another two thumbs up to the queen of Amish fiction in my book! Well done!

 Uncommon Type: Some Stories by Tom Hanks

As an actor, Tom Hanks has an understated performance style; the hard work seems to get done under the surface, where we can’t see it. All we see is the truth of the character. The same goes for the 17 short stories in this thoroughly engaging book , Hanks’ fiction debut. Here are stories about friends who become lovers and then decide that wasn’t a good idea; about old war buddies whose Christmas Eve conversation sparks some powerful memories; about a movie star enduring a press junket; about a billionaire and his assistant on the trail of acquisitions who find in America’s heartland a humanity very different from their glass-tower world. The stories are brief and sometimes seem abbreviated, but they possess a real feel for character and a slice-of-life realism that combine to deliver considerable depth beneath the surface. A surprising and satisfying book  from a first-time fiction writer.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Hanks is both much loved and often criticized as an actor; his writing, however, may well cross that divide with its undeniable craft and plainspoken insight. — Pitt, David (Reviewed 8/1/2017) (Booklist, vol 113, number 22, p27)

What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism  by Dan Rather & Elliot Kirschner

Longtime newsman Rather (Rather Outspoken) partners with Kirschner, senior producer of Rather’s show Dan Rather Reports, to explore the core components of patriotism during the current period of political tumult, offering essays titled “Inclusion,” “The Arts,” and “The Environment,” along with “The Vote,” “The Press,” and “Service.” Rather employs an earnest and optimistic tone (“I remind myself and others that we have been through big challenges in the past, that it often seems darkest in the present”) that provides a pleasant alternative to the reliance on vitriol and irony in modern political discourse, but the deliberate tone also gives the individual essays a feeling of sameness and diminishes their power when read successively. Nevertheless, the book inspires. Rather draws on memories from his Texas boyhood and from a storied news career spanning more than 60 years in order to explore the core of the American project. These recollections are bolstered with firsthand accounts of historical events including the civil rights movement, the McCarthy hearings, and the Watergate scandal. Rather has issued a stirring call for overcoming today’s strident partisanship. (Nov.) –Staff (Reviewed 09/04/2017) (Publishers Weekly, vol 264, issue 36, p)