Category: Book Reviews

Check out these book reviews from Deena.  Deena was a member of the Library’s Patron Service Team and continues to generously share book reviews with us during her retirement.  Thank you, Deena!

Let us know if you would like any titles added to your booklist or head over to BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) to download the titles available.  Need more information about BARD?  See our BARD Page.

The Witness by Sandra Brown  DB40616

Kendall is put in a witness protection program after witnessing a terrible crime. There is a bad storm on the way back to South Carolina and an accident happens involving the car in which Kendall is riding. One officer is dead and another, John suffers from amnesia.  At the hospital, rather than tell the doctor the truth, Kendall claims John is her husband.  Kendall plans to escape the hospital and go on the run.  John catches up to her and goes with her.  Kendall and John live together as husband and wife (John still has no memory) and a romance begins. Kendall keeps in touch with a friend back home and finds out the perpetrators of the crime, have escaped jail and are looking for her.  She has to leave John and go on the run.

If the Creek Don’t Rise by Leah Weiss  DB91901

Sadie is seventeen and pregnant, living in the hills of North Carolina.  She marries the father of her baby who is abusive. A new teacher, Kate Shaw, has come to hills, she finds the area backward and full of quirky characters such as Birdie Rocas, who has a crow for a pet. Then there is Prudence Perkins, sister to Rev. Eli Perkins, who brought Kate to the area.  Prudence is unhappy that her brother is so welcoming to Kate Shaw.  She is so much against her brother’s happiness with the schoolteacher that she steals one of Kate’s letters from the post office. She hopes to get the dirt on Miss Shaw. Join these characters as each tells the story of the Appalachian town of Baines Creek from their point of view.

The President’s Daughter by James Patterson  DB103817

President Matt Keating orders Navy SEALS to kill Asim Al-Sheed and collect evidence against him. A building explodes while the SEALS are on the mission and Asim Al-Sheed’s wife and children are killed. Asim avenges this act by kidnapping Matt Keating’s daughter. Matt Keating is no longer president, so he and several others set out to rescue his daughter.  This is a fast-paced thriller with plenty of action.

Check out these book reviews from Deena.  Deena was a member of the Library’s Patron Service Team who recently retired.  She has generously continued to share book reviews with us.  Thank you, Deena!  Let us know if you would like any titles added to your booklist or head over to BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) to download the titles now.  Need more information about BARD?  See our BARD Page. 

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline  DB100662
1840: Evangeline becomes a governess in England.  She is seduced by the lady of the house’s stepson and is then accused by the maid, Agnes, of stealing a ruby ring.  However; the ring was given to her by the stepson. Agnes continues to harass and threaten Evangeline and she becomes angry and pushes Agnes down the stairs. Evangeline is charged with attempted murder and sentenced to 14 years and transport to Australia. Evangeline has a daughter aboard ship and other prisoners help to take care of the baby.  The life in Australia is hard and prisoners are punished and treated harshly for infractions such as talking to each other.   If they are lucky, they get to work for the new settlers in the nearby town. If you are interested in life in Australia or this time period you might enjoy this book.  Today, nearly 5 million people in Australia are descended from prisoners transported from England to that area.

The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom  BR20357, DB77804
The people of Coldwater, Michigan are receiving phone calls from those who have passed on.  Sully Harding, who lost his own wife in a terrible accident, is out to prove that this an elaborate hoax.

The Shadows We Hide by Allen Eskens DB93580
Joe Talbert is now a reporter for the Associated Press.  He learns a man with his same name has died in a small town in Minnesota.  Joe, knowing he was named after a father he never knew, goes to investigate.  Once there he learns his possible father was murdered and many town’s people are not sorry to see he is gone.  As Joe gets to know the people of this area a tangled tale is revealed, and if this is indeed his father, could stand to become a very wealthy landowner.
This is the sequel to The Life We Bury (BR21515, DB79908),but could be read as a standalone.  I highly recommend both books.