Stephanie Claypool

Loved the experience of life on a Texas Ranch

Revisado: 12-06-24

I’m a city girl and my knowledge of life on a ranch was non-existent, but this book drew a wonderful portrait of the highs and lows. It’s a wonderful story about a family falling apart and finding their way to a new life.

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A touching story well told

Revisado: 12-06-24

The premise of this book intrigued me from the start, and it didn’t disappoint. I listened to it on Audible, making my dog happy because our evening walk lasted much than usual so I could keep listening. First, the characters are so relatable I couldn’t help but wish them happiness. Second, this book had all the feels: sad, uplifting, and humorous. A great read or listen.

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It has the most delightful bit of magical realism

Revisado: 05-01-24

I love an older protagonist, especially when she needs to make a fresh start. Neena Lee is in that position after the death of her brother and (almost) loss of her career. But this book has the most delightful bit of magical realism ever so cleverly woven into the story. Imagine the ghost of JFK Jr. asking you for help. And I would be remiss if I didn’t say that it made me want to go visit Cumberland Island maybe for a long escape for a writer’s retreat. I listened to this book on Audible while driving across the Ohio Turnpike. It passed the hours perfectly.

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The Perfect Blend of Thrills and Women’s Fiction.

Revisado: 07-15-23

I loved this book. Yes, it is a thriller and from the first page to the last. I raced to the end. But it is also a powerful story about the internal struggles so many of us deal with—past events that stunt us, painful memories that make us afraid to risk and to love. Jessica’s mission to find a missing woman was a gripping tale and Jessica’s mission to find herself gave the story heart. The perfect blend of thrills and women’s fiction.

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So much to discuss in this book

Revisado: 08-16-22

Words We Canot Say is a gripping tale, beautifully told about three women, all very different in their backgrounds and views on motherhood. I love how Sita Romero wove together their different points of view on pregnancy and motherhood and friendship. There is plenty to think about in this book. You’ll definitely want to share your thoughts, making this a great bookclub read.

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Had me walking my dog just to keep listening

Revisado: 07-16-22

If you are a fan of women’s fiction, this book is for you. Nothing is missing. Strong female protagonists and antagonists. Mother daughter, grandmother-mother, boss-subordinate relationships. Politics and social issues… it’s all here. The plot grabbed me at the beginning and didn’t let go. I listened to this book on Audible, which made my dog very happy. I walked longer than usual just to keep listening.

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I see the world differently now

Revisado: 05-30-22

I loved this book. In The Stone Necklace, Carla Damron dropped breadcrumbs that kept me reading to find out what happens to four people connected to each other because of one fatal car crash. Her characters are deep, flawed, and so very real, even the secondary characters and their relationships. Not only did I enjoy this story immensely, I learned to see the problems of others through a new lens. As humans, we often focus inward, worrying about our to-do lists and our obstacles. Yet, our lives intersect and intertwine with other people in ways we don’t realize and never find out about. I will be more thoughtful in my interactions, and therefore be a better person for having read this book. I give my thanks to Carla Damron.

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Lovely story about an unlikely friendship

Revisado: 12-28-21

I listened to The Way We Weren’t on Audible and I’m glad I did. Hearing Herman Flint’s voice added to this marvelous character. He is a grumpy old man who seems to want nothing to do with anyone, not this strange Marcie who he finds on the beach, nor his next-door neighbor. Yet, he is kind despite himself. How can one not love such a person? Not me. I wanted nothing more than to see him open his heart again.

Marcie also is a delightfully complicated character who one day drives off from her perfectly fine life and doesn’t stop until she wakes up on the gulf coast of Florida.

The friendship that forms between Flint and Marcie unfolds as they both reckon with their pasts and forge new futures.

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Two Beautiful Tales connected by a Century

Revisado: 12-06-21

One of my favorite reads is what I call a “slice of life” book. A story that gives me an intimate glimpse into a place or time different from my own.

A Fall of Marigolds connects the stories of two women across 100 years. Since I am a native New Yorker, the present day tale involving the fall of the twin towers is familiar to me. Fortunately, I didn’t lose anyone I loved, but I had family living and working in the city. Earlier in my career, I had worked on the upper floors of each tower.

As I listened to this book, I thought about how time and place separated my fate, and that of my sister, brother, and several cousins, from the souls who perished on that day. Just as this book separates two women by a century, connected by a scarf, and saved from their own demise by time and place.

The 1911 story took me to the hospitals of Ellis Island and into New York City at the time that my grandparents would have immigrated from Europe. I am glad that I listened to this story on Audible because when I closed my eyes, I could imagine being there.

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Great dual timeline story

Revisado: 03-29-21

Sweet Jane is told in dual timelines. It opens with Jane as a young girl living with her dysfunctional, alcoholic mother. Her solace lies in her one friendship, a boy named Ricky. In the present-day story, Jane returns to her West Texas home when her mother passes away. She finds more than death she needs to deal with. As her past unfurls, we see the difficulties that confronted Jane then and how they affect her as an adult. I loved the voice of both young and adult Jane. The story is at once sad and uplifting. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

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