P.J.  O'Brien

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P.J. O'Brien

Goodreads Author


Genre

Influences
Almost every book I've read influenced me in some way, whether positiv ...more

Member Since
December 2013


O'Brien, a somewhat optimistic rurally-raised resident of a northeastern US city infamous for its gritty hopelessness, is primarily a reader.

She was challenged to write a genre-bending mystery after losing an argument with ducks about the inevitability of violence. She dreamed up a country founded upon the ideals of fairness and peace, and then added characters that had to abide by the framework of their culture. They were given the traditional provocations to fighting (e.g. limited resources, invasions, religious & ideological differences) as well as some natural horrors that plague people. The characters were allowed to evolve on their own and respond to crises as they saw fit. They had only to be true to their culture, retain essential
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P.J. O'Brien Hi Deborah,

A revision of Waterloo Sunset is almost ready for release, but I've gotten too busy to do the final review of it. It's likely to be in Sept…more
Hi Deborah,

A revision of Waterloo Sunset is almost ready for release, but I've gotten too busy to do the final review of it. It's likely to be in September (I hope).

But if you have just finished Absolution (Book 3), and don't mind an unofficial version, send me a private message and I can give you an ARC. I know that Absolution ends with several threads hanging; they all get resolved in Waterloo Sunset.

Kind regards, PJ(less)
Average rating: 4.92 · 12 ratings · 11 reviews · 4 distinct works
Surviving Sanctuary

4.83 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 2002 — 4 editions
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Grave-climbing (Sanctuary, #2)

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2012 — 4 editions
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Absolution (Sanctuary, #3)

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2012 — 4 editions
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Waterloo Sunset (Sanctuary,...

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2011 — 3 editions
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* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

Reading and Living in Corona Time

There are days when time seems stretched out. Their boundaries blur as the hours of one slip into the next. But later perhaps, those days seem to have gone by faster than one thought. I experienced time like that when going through labor and becoming adjusted to life with a newborn. I’ve also felt that when sitting up with a seriously ill family member or waiting in an airport for an indefinitely Read more of this blog post »
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Published on May 15, 2020 08:38 Tags: covid19, future, gratitude, hopes, loss, reading, time
Surviving Sanctuary Grave-climbing Absolution Waterloo Sunset
(4 books)
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4.92 avg rating — 12 ratings

A New New Me
P.J. O'Brien is currently reading
by Helen Oyeyemi (Goodreads Author)
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P.J.’s Recent Updates

P.J. O'Brien and 1 other person liked Sue's review of The Unseen World:
The Unseen World by Liz    Moore
"I have a thing for authors who are able to write a book that fits into multiple genres without trying too hard. I enjoyed the fact that the author was able to write about David’s heartbreaking history, Ada’s devastations & Liston’s love for the both " Read more of this review »
The Unseen World by Liz    Moore
"Perfection. I honestly don’t know what more I could ask from a book. Moore’s writing is so phenomenal that the mystery aspect of her books is an added treat—plot is secondary. I would read anything she writes. She does treat us to a superb plot anywa" Read more of this review »
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
"Being a fan of Chinese xianxia dramas, I wanted to read novels that those dramas are based of, or at least something similar. But most of them are not officially translated in English.
Then I found this novel, and I was so glad I did.
The writing is " Read more of this review »
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
"3.75 stars rounded up. I enjoyed the audiobook and the story. The magic and dragons were really well done.

But man the love triangle was cliché and went on way longer than I was expecting, especially after certain events that I thought would obviously" Read more of this review »
P.J. O'Brien rated a book liked it
Now You See Them by Elly Griffiths
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I'd rate most of this a 4, but some maddening character actions a 3. So maybe a 3.7 overall?

I particularly liked how the author is moving the series forward over the mid-20th century decades. (Unlike some series, this one is best appreciated when rea
...more
P.J. O'Brien rated a book really liked it
An Imposter in Shetland by Marsali Taylor
An Imposter in Shetland
by Marsali Taylor (Goodreads Author)
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4.5 really. I got this latest book in the series as soon as I discovered it was released and enjoyed it as much as the previous ones. There's a nice balance of character development, interesting setting, and the weaving and resolution of the mystery. ...more
P.J. O'Brien rated a book really liked it
Old Man's War by John Scalzi
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There are some interesting ideas in here and a likeable main character. It's a bit more "shoot 'em up" than I generally prefer to read, but it is about intergalactic warfare. I plan to read more of the series, though I'll likely stretch it out. ...more
P.J. O'Brien rated a book it was amazing
Winter Journeys by Audrey Driscoll
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I thought about this very compelling book for a few hours after I finished it. Then, I opened it back up, read the prologue again and found myself rereading the entire book.

There are so many ways to understand and appreciate Winter Journeys. On one
...more
P.J. O'Brien rated a book it was amazing
Futures & Fantasies by John Joseph Adams
Futures & Fantasies
by John Joseph Adams (Goodreads Author)
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More of P.J.'s books…
Quotes by P.J. O'Brien  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“Books are portals for the imagination, whether one is reading or writing, and unless one is keeping a private journal, writing something that no one is likely to read is like trying to have a conversation when you’re all alone. Readers extend and enhance the writer’s created work, and they deepen the colors of it with their own imagination and life experiences. In a sense, there’s a revision every time one's words are read by someone else, just as surely as there is whenever the writer edits. Nothing is finished or completely dead until both sides quit and it’s no longer a part of anyone’s thoughts. So it seems almost natural that a lifelong avid reader occasionally wants to construct a mindscape from scratch after wandering happily in those constructed by others. If writing is a collaborative communication between author and reader, then surely there’s a time and a place other than writing reviews for readers to 'speak' in the human literary conversation.”
PJ O'Brien

“The miracle is this - the more we share, the more we have.”
Leonard Nimoy

“I believe in kindness. Also in mischief.”
Mary Oliver

“Oh, nothing’s impossible. It’s just a question of when it gets too hard to imagine doing.”
Jeff Fecke, The Valkyrie's Tale

“If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to.”
Dorothy Parker

“Did you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real, and you're just a reflection of him?”
Bill Watterson

123550 RW Cyber Hearth — 11 members — last activity Oct 27, 2023 12:13PM
A gathering space designed to connect those who are willing to read each other’s writing, without cost or any obligation to review. This is not design ...more
120956 Fairy Godreaders — 16 members — last activity Jan 20, 2016 01:06AM
Valiant reader, there is a critical need for those who want to read undiscovered works. If you’re someone who likes to make up your own mind, to take ...more
30527 Into the Forest — 2091 members — last activity Oct 08, 2025 02:05AM
A group to discuss the fairy and folk tales, world mythologies, mythic fiction, magical realism fiction, and monsters. Of course, we also discuss rete ...more
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message 4: by C. (Comment, never msg). (last edited Jan 26, 2020 08:39AM)

C.  (Comment, never msg). Hi PJ, do you have my Prairie e-mail address? I have an awkward task, because Goodreads refuses an option to shut off direct-messaging. I beg well-meaning friends on my profile, to never contact me there. Nearly any conversation is fine in comment boxes. Much easier on rural internet, which we can't believe we are using in this modern day. For anything that can't be stated aloud, I offer e-mail. :)

Thank you so very much for consoling me regarding my Mom! She was resilient against health issues all year. We had not expected anything but her recovery, so the shift to "all we can do" was fast. But we had enough time to prepare and enjoy her. I am sorry you lost your Mom quickly. I would have said something if I had seen the news. I will be all right. I pray you have had time to feel the same about your Mom's "new chapter". It is a physical separation neither of their Daughters want. In gratitude for your care, Carolyn.


Ms.pegasus PJ: Thanks for like my review of EMPIRE OF THE SUMMER MOON. I found this an invaluable background to reading Larry McMurtry's COMANCHE MOON.
Best,
Pat


message 2: by P.J.

P.J. O'Brien Ran wrote: "Hey P.J. thanks for friending me!"

My thanks to you right back. :-) You read interesting books and I thought it was time to come out from skulking around your bookshelves and say hello. Hello!


message 1: by Ran

Ran Hey P.J. thanks for friending me!


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