Penny J. Johnson's Blog, page 37
August 15, 2018
The Way Back by Phil Cooke and Jonathan Bock
Four Stars My church’s leadership recommended this book as a way to get back on course. I decided to read it to gain greater understanding about the current concerns our congregation is facing. What I appreciate is that this book reflects what I have long believed to be true. My grandmother told me often as… Continue reading The Way Back by Phil Cooke and Jonathan Bock
August 14, 2018
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
Four Stars I read this one for research as I am considering a sequel for my novel, The Forget-Me-Nots. My novel also delves into selective-amnesia, and I wanted to see how Moriarty wrote about this phenomenon. I found the book to be readable and page-turning. I wish I had liked the characters more. But, it… Continue reading What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
August 13, 2018
When Never Comes by Barbara Davis
Four Stars A romantic-mystery with an unexpected twist, When Never Comes by Barbara Davis will keep you engaged until the last page. I love mysteries with character development, and this one does not disappoint. Add it to your summer reading list!
August 11, 2018
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Two Stars This book is so far my least-favorite read this year. I get it…and yet I don’t. Given the shock value it most likely caused when it was published in 1945, I can understand (sort of) why discussing anti-establishment and personal angst in 1960s classrooms would seem relevant at the time. I would like… Continue reading The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
August 10, 2018
The Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera
Four Stars If you want to escape to a village where a modern-age Jane Austen would set a story, you will enjoy Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera’s The Awakening of Miss Prim. Here you will find characters with Victorian-era ideals whose match-making interferes with the independent Prudencia Prim. This is a story that will not leave you.
