Rating: 
Summary: The Strong Always Survive
Review: Ruth is a strong woman living what some may take as a weak exterior. Her character is deeper than words could ever express and on many occasions brought me to tears. This book is an exceptional depiction of the effects our environment, our families have on us.
Rating: 
Summary: Delightful
Review: This delightful coming of age novel is slow to grab you, but once you're in, you just can't get enough of Ruth and her family. A quick read, but fulfulling just the same.
Rating: 
Summary: What an odd book!
Review: So, I finished this book this morning, and I am still scratching my head trying to figure out who those characters were.Ruth...loved the dickens out of Dickens, apparently found those stories highly entertaining, somehow Ruth missed out on her brother's share of smarts but retained enough to appreciate "literature" even though she didn't seem able to read and had to listen to the audio tapes. (I like the previous review from the educator who pointed out Ruth most likely had a learning disability). May....did anyone else pick up on what a fastidious housekeeper she was? All the while drinking "gallons and gallons" of spiked lemonade, a pure alcoholic who attended church regularly, had the meanest tongue in any fictional character I've read lately, her character seemed slovenly and uneducated and yet to me she was the most sympathetic character in the book. Ruby....what the hell did Ruth see in him? She talks constantly about his glorious smile, with his missing and blackened teeth, he is drunk and stoned all the time and a big fat baby, sorry he was abused as a child, but was he really the only man in the county available for marriage? Fat Randall would have been a much better choice! And who was her brother, Matt? A parable of what Ruth could have been, and by the way, was he gay? I grew up in a very rural and impoverished part of the country, and I still couldn't get a handle on these characters. This was just one of the weirdest books I've read, and I can't really say it was worth the time. It raised a lot of questions, but in the end never answered any! This is one way to write a thought provoking book....after you read it you have to stop and think, what in the world did I just read? Oh, well. It passed some time in a relatively entertaining way, but don't read it if you like a happy ending.
Rating:
Summary: I loved this book
Review: Ruth is someone who is making due with all that life has thrown at her. She is intelligent, sad, lonely and often angry, but she is not afraid. I loved the character development of both Ruth and Ruby. It has been several days since I finished this book and I cannot stop thinking about it.
Rating:
Summary: A GOOD BOOK
Review: I found the book and the role of teh dysfuntional family very true to life. ..I didn't like the way the book ended. ..The characters were very real. If you liked this book, or want to read one that goes straight to your heart, read Stolen Moments by Barbara Jeanne Fisher. . .It is a beautiful story of unrequited love. . .for certain the love story of the nineties. I intended to give the book a quick read, but I got so caught up in the story that I couldn't put the book down. From the very beginning, I was fully caught up in the heart-wrenching account of Julie Hunter's battle with lupus and her growing love for Don Lipton. This love, in the face of Julie's impending death, makes for a story that covers the range of human emotions. The touches of humor are great, too, they add some nice contrast and lighten things a bit when emotions are running high. I've never read a book more deserving of being published. It has rare depth. Julie's story will remind your readers that life and love are precious and not to be taken for granted. It has had an impact on me, and for that I'm grateful. Stolen Moments is written with so much sensitivity that it made me want to cry. It is a spellbinder. What terrific writing. Barbara does have an exceptional gift!
Rating:
Summary: One of the most moving books I've ever read.
Review: I'm from a very small town, and when I was in high school, I actually had a boyfriend like Ruby - thank God I ran screaming for 1,000 miles before I stopped! This book spoke directly to me and mesmerized me from start to finish. Ruth was not retarded or pathetic - she was living the only life she knew with the only people available to her. I can only imagine how many other lonely & intelligent young women are living in her shoes - wasted, hopeless, potential completely unrealized, put down by everybody they know. I've recommended this book to every serious reader I know.
Rating:
Summary: This is my absolute favorite book!
Review: I totally symphatized with the characters. In my opinion, it is very well written. I loved it!
Rating: 
Summary: An irritating book with frustrating characters.
Review: For the first few chapters, the small town characters were genuinely interesting. I felt sympathy for both Ruth and her prodigy brother. While the family dysfunction was refreshingly honest, the book rapidly declined once Matt left and Ruby was introduced. The romance between Ruth and Ruby was unconvincing and Ruby's character was pathetically tedious. Ruth herself does not stay true to character, oscillating between personality extremes throughout the book. The author can't seem to decide if she is a strong, resourceful heroine and or a mentally challenged weakling. The violent ending is both infuriating and emotionally implausible. All in all, a disappointing read.
Rating:
Summary: The book was a disappointment
Review: After reading the book and getting used to Ruth's daily happenings, I fell into a routine of reading the book. But, at the end of the book, I felt disappointed and had a bad tasted in my mouth. It seemed like the author was in a hurry to end the book. I thought the ending needs much improvement.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I have ever read.
Review: This was a disturbing book subject wise. It was well written and the characters were thoroughly developed. I would recommend any books written by Jane Hamilton.
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