George Eliot, a classic Victorian novelist, has created characters that are so distinct from other novels of the time. Published in 1860, this novel is set around the 1820s in Lincolnshire, England. I was drawn into this story from page one, with little Maggie Tulliver playing on the banks of the River Floss. Maggie is smart,…
This was another read for Read Harder 2018, which checks two boxes: it’s a mystery by a woman of color and it’s set in India. It’s also a period mystery, which I love. It’s set in 1921, the first in a series about Perveen Mistry, who’s a lawyer in her father’s firm and is loosely…
When I went on vacation I didn’t get to review some great reads, so I’m working on catching up. This one was my favorite. Alderman’s novel won the Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2017, but I was a little afraid it wouldn’t live up to the hype. This book was amazing. It took a…
Those of you who write book reviews, and who care about reading fiction with well-developed female characters, may find this article in Literary Hub as fascinating as I did. Science fiction author Daniel Price writes about the response his book The Flight of the Silvers received on Goodreads. I’d braced myself for the worst with…
If you’re looking for a science fiction/dystopian/mystery/thriller with a strong female lead, I recommend Company Town. I can’t say this is a perfect book. It mashed a few too many concepts together for my taste. But it’s a fun, well-written, roller-coaster-ride story. A perfect beach read, you might say. As the book begins, this Canadian…
I liked everything this book – it’s a semi-true historical story with a strong female character, and it’s set in an interesting time. More than that, it’s a fun story full of drama and adventure. Constance Kopp lives with her two sisters on a farm in New Jersey in 1914. At the age of 35,…
I had heard this wasn’t Kingsolver’s best book, and I’d tried starting it a few times and it didn’t really grab my attention. I went back to it last month and I’m so glad I did. Yes, Kingsolver can be a bit preachy on the subject of environmental issues. I didn’t make it through her…
I wasn’t sure I would love this book. On the pro side, it’s historical fiction about a dramatic, tragic event. It’s written by Alice Hoffman, who’s terrific. Though her books can be uneven, she definitely knows about writing strong female characters. And finally it’s about Jews in Israel. My father tells me all the time…
I was interested in this book for two reasons. First, it’s sort of a historical/political novel about modern-day Poland. I’m a quarter Polish, and visited Poland for the first time two years ago, and loved it. We were fascinated by the country’s rich history and modern-day politics. But secondly, as I started reading the book,…
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for a review. Historical fiction, French Resistance, female spies. What’s not to like? In a word, WOW. This was a Made-Me-Miss-My-Metro-Stop kind of book. Literally – and I can’t remember the last time that happened. Honestly, I went into this book with…
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. It published on May 15, 2012 by Hyperion Books CH. The worst thing I can say about this book is that it was unevenly written, meaning there were times that the pacing and story didn’t hold my interest, and other times I couldn’t put it down.…
This week Biblibio posted on one of my favorite topics: strong female heroines in young adult literature. The post refers to a list published by The Atlantic on “the greatest girl characters of young adult literature” which includes Laura Ingalls Wilder, Pippi Longstocking, Harriet the Spy, Betsy from Betsy-Tacy, Ramona Quimby, and a few others.…
The Book Stop 