Brenna M's Book Blog

The Thomas Berryman Number

James Patterson

Paperback, 272 pages

SINS OF THE FATHERS

Patricia Sprinkle

ISBN: 0060819766 (ISBN13: 9780060819767) 

This was a read that I really enjoyed. Part genealogy, part mystery, Dr. Flo finds what she thinks is her great grandfather's grave. She soon gets to know the family that owns the land, and a few other characters. Patricia Sprinkle's writing of her characters as well as her description of the small town keeps the flow going well with a few surprises for the characters interwoven into the story. I found myself becoming fond of several of the characters. Those I did not like were characters that were not meant to be liked. Sprinkle's description of the land surrounding the grave made me appreciate the importance of what land meant to people in the 18oos and early 1900s. Her writing gave personality to the area

THE MIRACLES OF SAN FICO

D.L. Smith

ISBN: 078625243X (ISBN13: 9780786252435

(slightly delayed review, so I kept it short and sweet)

This was an enjoyable read. Set in a small town in Italy, Leo comes back to take care of his deceased father's affair, only to find very little has changed. He and a friend go back to a way to make a quick buck. I did enjoy the characters. The author does well in giving the little country Catholic Church and the town a personality of their own.

THE MYSTICS OF MILE END

Sigal Samuel

Paperback; 320 pages

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (October 13, 2015)

• ISBN-10: 0062412175
• ISBN-13: 978-0062412171
• also on Kindle

It took a while to "get into" this book. Set in Montreal, Canada in a Jewish neighborhood, the story follows a widowed father with his 2 children as the each deal with what being Jewish means to them.

Even with my slow start, I found myself liking the characters more and more. Sigal Samuel's writing style flows well as she tells first the son's story, then the father, and finally bringing everything and everyone together in the daughter's section. Even the neighbors and friends are developed well. A lot of questions, some answers, and an intimate look at each of the major characters as they look for the meaning in their lives.

THE CHOSEN, 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Chiam Potok

ISBN13: 9781501142475

I have liked everything that I have read so far of Chaim Potok. The Chosen was the first I read, and I definitely enjoyed it again. What made this even better than reading it the first time was all the back material, photos, new forward, and more that was included in this 50th anniversary collection. Some of this back info was written by Potok himself. As a Christian reading this, I found it interesting to read about the Jewish faith. I find that Potok, while using the characters' faith as a part of the story, still allows the coming of age story, the friendship of and the struggles of each as individuals to be the main subjects of the story line. His main characters are well drawn and complex. I would definitely recommend this book.

****I received this book from Simon and Schuster through Goodreads' First Reads Giveaway.****

BELGRAVIA

Julian Fellowes

I usually enjoy Julian Fellowes' writing. And he does well in Belgravia developing the story line and characters. This story follows mainly the upper class and the "new money" upper class. What I read I liked, but I found myself skipping ahead and reading parts just to quickly get through it. I don't feel it was the author's writing style or the story. I think I was not into reading about the subject because of reading so much on similar subjects.

Portrait of Margaret Tate, Mistress of Montpelier, a Plantation: Widow and Relic of William Theophilus Powell 

Carolyn E. Hood-Kourdache

ISBN:   069274892X (ISBN 13 9780692748923)