Book Reviews from Our Patrons

Reviews by EPL Patrons


Gumbeaux by Kimberly Vargas
This is the story of a rich young woman who lives with her alcoholic, abusive uncle since her parents died. Her goal is to get away from him and she manages to get a scholarship to college in New Orleans. I'm a sucker for anything New Orleans and the author did a great job of depicting the southern lifestyle while telling a good story.

 
River's Edge by Erin Keyser Horn
Illlinois author, Erin Keyser Horn, starts to reel you in but doesn't fully develop the characters. When the story picks up - it suddenly ends only to tell you the read the next book. 3 out of 5 stars

 
The Train to Potevka by Mike Ramsdell
A CIA agent tells about his personal life while also telling why he's on this train at this time and why his life is in danger as he travels through Siberia. Very interesting - lots of facts about Russia, the CIA and the Russian people.

 
Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin
A good summer read! Romance, friendship, and betrayal. A longtime friendship is tested when a man comes between these two women.

 

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
A book about two children who go to stay a week with their small-town grandma each summer during the Depression. An easy pick-up/put-down read. Each chapter tells the story of one summer. The kids learn to see their Grandma more clearly each year.

 
The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling
The author of Harry Potter brings us a world devoid of magic and full of Dursleys. The death of a town councilman occasions jockeying for position and reveals the tangled mess beneath the peaceful, bucolic surface. I initially had a difficult time getting into the book and keeping tracks of the large cast of characters, but the longer I read, the more involved I became in the story. Stick it out, it's worth the read.

The Reluctant Queen by Sarah Beth Durst
Lots of detail make the story hard to follow at first, but it gets very exciting and has a strong, unexpected finish.

 

The Light in the Summer by Mary McNear
Very good light reading. Refreshing to keep reading page after page and enjoy the whole book. How complicated our lives can get!

 

The Bones of the Earth by Rachel Dunne
Hard story to follow. The characters stories inside don't seem to flow together at times. Not a bad read, but a bit disjointed.

 
The Long Haul by Finn Murphy
An interesting book. I learned a lot about how moving companies work. Not a travel book but a fun business primer for anyone thinking about a career as a moving van driver.