by Laura DeNooyer | May 6, 2025 | Book Reviews
In October 2023, my husband Tim and I took a train ride on the Narrow Gauge Railroad from Durango, Colorado to Silverton, an old mining town. The train maneuvered through steep mountains, rocky gorges, and winding rivers. In town, charming nineteenth century...
by Laura DeNooyer | Apr 15, 2025 | Book Reviews
On this blog, I’ve introduced numerous World War II novels, but not one single Civil War story. In trying to recall any Civil War titles I’ve read, only Gone With the Wind comes to mind. And that was decades ago! Of my 109 posts since November 2021, the novel set...
by Laura DeNooyer | Jun 18, 2024 | Book Reviews
We all have our favorite family recipes with the memories and nostalgia they stir in us (pun intended). I especially value the recipes my mom and grandma wrote by hand. With the world wide web and dozens of cooking websites, do people even hand write recipes on...
by Laura DeNooyer | Oct 18, 2023 | Book Reviews
I appreciate authors who tackle difficult topics. Amanda Wen is one of those. In The Songs That Could Have Been, she takes on three issues: bulimia, alcoholism, and a mixed race romance. Each occurs in separate timelines of a split-time novel. A few facts about...
by Laura DeNooyer | Sep 27, 2022 | Book Reviews
We can hardly turn around without seeing thin, shapely women on our TV screens, computers, or billboards. We’re bombarded with body shaming or the best diets for weight loss. Fortunately, a newer trend emphasizes body acceptance, regardless of size or shape. But that...