This contest period's winners were Amy B., Janice H. and Kristi H., who each received a copy of IF NOT FOR YOU by Debbie Macomber and MISSISSIPPI BLOOD by Greg Iles.
Donna
Remembrance of Blue Roses by Yorker Keith
Mark, an American, narrates this story of his relationship with Hans, a German, and his Japanese wife, Yukari. Mark and Hans work at the United Nations and Yukari is a concert violinist. The three of them are the very best of friends who greatly appreciate and enjoy the arts. They have a complicated relationship and are inseparable through the best and the worst of times. This is a love story that would be hard to match.
Sandy
Learning to Stay by Erin Celello
I read this one in two days!! Elise Sabato is proud of her husband, Brad, for serving his country and grateful when he returns home to her. But the traumatic brain injury he suffered in Iraq has turned him from a thoughtful, brilliant and patient man into someone quite different, someone who requires more care and attention than Elise can give while working at a demanding law firm. And when Brad returns to his family's farm, hundreds of miles away, she wonders where their marriage is headed.
Ilene
The Young Widower's Handbook by Tom McAllister
Hunter becomes a young widower after being married to Kaitlin for only a few years. He has an estranged relationship with his parents and a contentious one with his in-laws. Lonely and distraught with grief, he heads aimlessly west from Philadelphia with Kaitlin's cremated ashes, on a trip he thinks she would have liked. He meets various people on his trip and deals with his situation in interesting ways. It was a very easy book to read, and I liked it very much.
Alina
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
Superb depiction of the customs of the Akha Chinese minority, including their growing of Pu'ri tea, coupled with an entrancing tale of a family and their travails.
Deborah Smith
Echos in Death by J. D. Robb
I absolutely LOVE the In Death series. This one was so well done. You really felt for the one survivor and the horror she experienced. I enjoy the process that the main character, Lt. Dallas, uses to solve the crime. She had a horrific upbringing, which is why she became an officer. She is relentless in bringing justice to the deceased. Her relationship with her wealthy husband is realistic and the match of them being a couple is sublime. I already can't wait for the next book in the series.
Leslie
The Guests on South Battery by Karen White
This is the fourth book in her series and I loved it!!! As always Karen keeps you on the edge of your seat and then puts a twist in the story that you would never see coming!!!! I don't want to give away anything of the story but with the ghosts in the newcomers house, they end up telling a long time secret that changes the main characters life forever!!! I couldn't put this book down!!!!!
Denise
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
The characterizations are very good, the story is definitely engaging; but the quality of writing is not 5-star.
Elizabeth
Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance
After reading one 5-star review after another, I had to get this book. I thought I was going to be woven into a dysfunctional illiterate family. What I read was more of a text book. Some insight and family stories are interwoven throughout, but for the most part it was boring. His grandparents may have started out poor but they became middle class in Ohio. I was disappointed and sorry I wasted the time and money.
Marcia
American Street by Ibi Zoboi
Fabiola and her mother come from Haiti to start a new life with relatives in Detroit. Unfortunately, Fabiola's mother is detained at the airport. Fabiola can help free her mother if she helps authorities with a drug bust. However, the story is much more complicated than that. Her three cousins are quite the tough gals. Her aunt has some shady dealings. Throw in Fabiola's Haiti beliefs and it's quite the story. I'm in my 60s and think someone younger would enjoy this more. I'm reviewing a free copy I was given as a promotion.
Dorothy
The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan
Great insight into what the women worked on in the making of the atomic bomb. Tells about their lives and how they dealt with all the secrets surrounding the project.
Jean
Foreign and Domestic by A. J. Tata
Thriller -- I recently discovered this author. The book is well written and I am looking forward to reading previous titles.
Cindy
Ghostly Paws by Leighann Dobbs
Very light and easy reading mystery which includes a cat, bookstore and ghosts. I got great enjoyment from reading this. I was due for something light and fun with just enough mystery and suspense to keep you turning the pages. Truly enjoyed the read.
Lori
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
I hadn't read any of her books. Very happy to discover another fantastic author and plenty of other books to look forward to reading!
Cindy
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Excellent book...keeps you guessing (and always wrong). A suspense thriller to the max, kept me on the edge the whole time. Very hard to put down and did not end the way I expected. Great book.
Vicki
Persons Unknown by Susie Steiner
This is the second book in the Detective Manon series. Manon, her sister Ella, Manon's adopted son Fly, and Ella's son Solly are all now living under the same roof. Manon is very pregnant and Fly is having problems adjusting to his new school. A call comes in about a man stabbed in a park very close to their home. Suspicion falls on people in her own home. Does Manon really know the people in her home? I have to say that this book is so much better than the author's first book, MISSING PRESUMED, in my opinion. The storyline is much more put together and not as totally unbelievable as her first book was for me. I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend.
natalie
Judicious Murder by Val Bruech
In JUDICIOUS MURDER, an attorney and her partner (who has recently become a Judge) is killed and his partner, Susan, works to find the murderer and why he was killed. Susan finds out that he was working on an old case and the person is now in prison. But the judge had believed that the person was innocent and he was looking into finding the real killer. Susan is almost killed but she continues to search for the truth of her friend and mentor's killing.
Esther
Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson
Two cousins trade homes and the first thing one discovers is the next door neighbor has been found dead. And it gets worse from there. While this book was a little predictable, I enjoyed the read. Recommend for thriller fans.
MaryEllen
The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens
What a great read! Just when you think the author is going to take you down a typical path, he adds just enough information to change direction!
Richard N B
Dan vs. Nature by Don Calame
When Dan’s mother buys him a “survival week experience” so he can bond with her new fiancé, Dan and his friend Charlie concoct a plan to scare Hank away. This sounded like a decent premise for a YA novel, but Calame’s reliance on scatological humor and descriptions that only a 13-year-old boy will find funny just lost me. It should have been a fast read, but it didn’t hold my attention, and it took me a full week to finish it.
Sharon
The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan
Using the literary device of journal entries, author Jennifer Ryan explores the lives of five women in a small English village during WWII when almost all the men have gone to war. These five defy the vicar's edict to shut down the church choir because there are no men and form the Chilbury Ladies' Choir--truly an innovation for the time. There is a timid widow who is the village nurse whose only son has left; the older flirtatious daughter of a domineering and abusive man whose heir has been killed and her younger sister who has an impossible crush; a young Jewish refugee from Czechoslovakia; and a conniving midwife with a past.
Sharon
The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian
Dealing with sleepwalking, this was not an easy book to read. Well written, informative, but emotionally draining. The story focuses on Annalee Ahlberg, who goes missing one night while her professor husband is at a conference inn another state. A known sleepwalker, it is feared that she has jumped or fallen into a river and drowned. The balance of the story deals with the search for her remains and the life that follows of her family: husband Warren, daughters Lianna and Paige. There is a lot of information about parasomnia--much of it uncomfortable to contemplate.
Nina Morse
Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain
Lots of heartfelt emotion in this book. Great character development and suspenseful plot. I enjoyed the way Chamberlain toggled back and forth telling various viewpoints about the same incident.
Gerry
Blood at the Root: A Racial Cleansing in America by Patrick Phillips
Phillips has a very important story to tell, the story of the 1912 expulsion of black citizens from Forsyth County, Georgia, and the resulting "whites-only" policies that continued to be enforced well into the 1990s. This was not an easy read, but certainly a compelling one, especially with the frightening resurgence of intolerance and hate that is occurring in our country. Highly recommended.
Gerry
This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
Laurie Frankel has written a lovely novel on a difficult subject, the challenge of raising a gender-dysphoric child. Claude's parents, an as-yet-unpublished novelist father and an ER physician mother, work hard to nurture all of their five sons' diverse interests and passions, but meet their greatest challenge when their youngest son announces that he wants to be a girl.
Gerry
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Wow! Neil Gaiman certainly know how to tell a story! And in this case, since I listened to the audiobook with the author as narrator, that's doubly true. Gaiman's writing has it all: great atmospheric imagery, believable and engaging characters (even in this totally fantastic and imaginary world), and a plot line that pulls the reader in and just won't let go. Highly recommended!
Gerry
The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson
I found it impossible to take seriously this supposedly-true account of a haunted house, and unfortunately it was not particularly enjoyable even as fiction. The author seems never to have learned the writers' maxim "show, don't tell" and his narration is dry and dull, eliciting no intensity of feeling at all.
Gerry
1984 by George Orwell
It's been decades since I read this the first time, and it's just as intense and impactful this second time around.
Gerry
The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian
3.5 stars. I didn't find the topic of THE SLEEPWALKER to be as interesting as others Bohjalian has written, but he does spin a compelling tale, and managed to keep me in suspense right up to the big reveal at the end.
Gerry
The Nix by Nathan Hill
4.5 stars for amazing writing and a rollicking trip through the last century! From WWII Norway to rural Iowa, to Chicago in 1968, to a fictional college campus in the 21st century, THE NIX is a marvelous adventure that tracks some of the important events and trends in our society right up to today. Nathan Hill is a keen observer who creates vivid images with words! I'll look forward to reading more from this author.
Gerry
The Man Who Went Up in Smoke by Maj Sowall and Per Wahloo
3.5 stars for this second volume (of ten) in Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö's Martin Beck series. Well-written mysteries like this work especially well for me in audiobook format, holding my attention and interest. I like the recurring characters in this series, and look forward to continuing to get to know them.
Gerry
The Vanished Man by Jeffrey Deaver
Having been away from it for a while, I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed this series. Deaver manages to keep at least some suspense going until the very end. Just when the case seems solved, there's always one more twist to throw the reader off.
Gerry
Roseanna by Maj Sowall and Per Wahloo
3-1/2 stars for this Swedish crime mystery about a young woman whose body was found during the dredging of a lake. Henning Mankell's introduction says this author inspired him to write, and I can see the influence in the similar narrative style of his Wallander series. I plan to look for other books in the Martin Beck series as I'd like to see how the character develops.
Gerry
March: Book Two by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin
4.5 stars for this graphic non-fiction account of John Lewis' participation in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. This second book in his trilogy focuses on the years from 1960 to 1963, covering events such as the student sit-ins that helped to end segregation of Southern lunch counters and theaters, Freedom Riders facing brutality in Southern cities that had refused to accept and implement the federal court order ending segregation on those buses, and the March on Washington with MLK Jr.'s famous "I Have A Dream" speech. It ends with the September 15, 1963 bombing by KKK white supremacist terrorists of the 11th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL, which killed four young girls and wounded 20 others.
Gerry
Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving
I'm a bit conflicted about this book. On the one hand, I thought the author had some good information to share about racial awareness, systemic discrimination, and the responsibilities of whites to recognize and attempt to counter the privilege that comes with our race, to the detriment of those of other races. On the other hand, I found her self-congratulatory tone and incredible naïveté/lack of awareness at times to be cloying, and her tendency to over-generalize what she'd learned about cultural beliefs and behaviors to border on offensive. Definitely worth reading, and I do plan to go back through the book more slowly to reflect on the questions that ended each chapter.
Gerry
These Are the Names by Tommy Wieringa
A timeless and engaging story of refugees seeking a better life, coping with horrific hardship, resorting to treachery at times, and finding themselves less than welcome at their destination.
"Countries and continents had once stood open to those seeking their fortunes, borders were soft and permeable, but now they were cast in concrete and hung with barbed wire. Like blind men, travelers by the thousands probed the walls, looking for a weak spot, a gap, a hole through which they might slip. A wave of people crashed against those walls; it was impossible to keep them all back."
Susan
The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flagg
This was a can't put down read. The characters were so entertaing. It was one of her best books.
Marilyn
Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance
Our book club had a great discussion of this memoir describing a culture in crisis. The author tells the story of what a social, regional and class decline feels like when one was born with it hanging around your neck. The book has its share of humor and colorful figures but cries out against the loss of the American dream for a large segment of the USA.
Janet
Love, Alice by Barbara Davis
This book runs the gamut of emotions. Beautifully written, so that the reader joins the protagonist in her search! A few surprises at the end. So enjoyable.
Elaine
The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan
I loved this novel so much that I rushed to finish it in one day. It takes place in a small English village during WWII with a mixed cast of characters that are both intriguing and entertaining. It is told in narrative form by different characters, through journal entries and letters. It gives one an idea of what it was like to be a woman left at the home front during the war and portrays their strength and courage to carry on. There are many secrets in the village of Chilbury, as well as
romance and close friendships. The novel is beautifully written and deftly plotted with many surprises and endearing moments. I heartily recommend it and I think it would make a good book club selection.
Brenda
The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah
This story is fresh and original, once again Poirot is at his best detective skills. Three murders
occur at a hotel, all related, and Poirot uses his grey cells to determine who was the murderer. Ms. Hannah is very similar to Agatha Christie, but not quite as good. Agatha was perfection.
Shelley Hitt
The Book of Joy by Desmond Tutu and The Dalai Lama
Inspiring.
Susi
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
At times I was thrilled by the format, bits and pieces of the inhabitants of the Bardo, waiting for Lincoln's young son to stay or go, watched over by interesting people, whose life story is revealed in short segments. At other times, I felt Saunders tripped acid and took me on a yellow submarine journey. In the end I was touched and annoyed, both. Were the characters brilliantly realized, or maudlin stereotypes? I was nervous about the outcome for young Lincoln and read to the end. But, in the end, Saunders didn't touch me.
Sheree
Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance
This fast read book was like reading about my family history. My parents migrated from Kentucky and moved to Dayton while his grandparents moved Kentucky to Middleton, Ohio. He had a totally different childhood than I, but I could visualize his situation what with people I know. He hit upon reasons why children are in crisis and what needs to be done to correct it. I you don't have the support system you need the cycle will continue. A very thought-provoking read. It will make for a lively book group discussion.
Patricia
The Woman Next Door by Cass Green
The two main characters, Hester and Melissa, were very well developed. Cass Green wrote enough description to enhance the story, but was not overly descriptive. It evolved from two neighbors who were polar opposites up to a point. The story was explained by one character, then the other. The plot was easily followed but the ending was not expected. This writing would make a marvelous movie. Total enjoyment for me.
Rosemary
Books for Living by Will Schwalbe
As a voracious reader I've never been able to answer the question, "What's your favorite book?" In this book, the author explains some of the books that have influenced him at different times of his life, and why. Now I understand my lack of a singular answer. Each book we read can be an inspiration if it answers a question we are facing at that time. The author's choices at specific times of his life will intrigue the reader, while taking one back to the time when one or more books did the same to you. I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever had an "a-ha" moment when reading anything, any time!
Kathy
This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
This was a great book about a topic I have not read about before, (as a work of fiction). This is a story of a family, and how they accept and love their child who was born a boy, but at age three begins to dress like and want to be a girl. Instead of discouraging their child, they accept. However, their family also had to live with their secrets, and we get to see what secrets can do to a family. I hope for families like this and for anyone struggling with gender identity vs. gender expression. "We imagine the world we HOPE for, a world where people can BE WHO THEY ARE and become their most loved, blessed, appreciated selves." In this day and age, this book is more relevant and should be read by everyone who should learn ACCEPTANCE.
Phyllis
A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline
The author was inspired by the painting, Christina's World, by Andrew Wyeth. The rest is fiction made up by the author to put flesh on the painting of the house and Christina. We learn about her New England heritage and the house toward which she is striving. The author tells all in the acknowledgments that most of the book is fiction as she imagines it. The reader becomes enthralled with the story and recommends this historical fiction about this famous painting.
Kelley
I See You by Clare Mackintosh
Good psychological thriller!
Cat
The Shimmering Road by Hester Young
Don't ignore this book if you do not read anything that might have a bit of a supernatural edge. Her writing is so much more! You will believe in the protagonist and her struggles with her gift and in her humanity.
Simonne
The Book That Matters Most by Ann Hood
Interesting book, keeps you reading, but with mainly unlikable characters. Our book club had quite the lively discussion tearing Charlotte North to ribbons. The moms in the group could not understand Ava's not jumping on a plane to France immediately upon hearing that Maggie was missing.
Simonne
The Girl Who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes
The story is silly at best and the dialog irritating. I did enjoy reading about Orcas Island and the Outer Washington area, an area I have never visited. The book centers around an elaborately embroidered sleeve, and ultimately a ceremonial robe, but for the amount of embroidery described to be on the sleeve, and in order to fit the detail described, it would have to be big enough to fit King Kong. My biggest beef: if Irvin's is from such a wealthy family, why in the heck does she even have student loans? Oh well...
Sherri
The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
I had never heard of the radium-dial plants and the girls that worked there. For me, this book was jaw-dropping. It was horrifying to read of the slow, excruciating death that these girls had to endure. These girls had dreams, plans for the future that included husbands and children and even careers for some. There lives were cut so short by the effects of radium poisoning in their bodies, most of their dreams were never realized. The effects of the radium poisoning on the women impacted so many lives, yet the company refused to accept responsibility, and even went so far as to hide the truth from the workers. I highly recommend this book.
Beth
The Shack by Wm. Paul Young
Wonderful book and very thought-provoking. Can't wait to see the movie.
WALTER KRETZMANN
The Girl Next Door by Ruth Rendell
As a huge Ruth Rendell fan, I was so looking forward to this book. I hadn't read anything of hers for years, and the synopsis of this one sounded intruiging. How disappointing it was to hardly be able to keep track of all the characters. It didn't even feel like a Rendell novel, really, until meeting Rosemary. She was the flawed character with interesting thoughts, but it just wasn't gripping enough. The whole thing with Alan and Daphne, well, it just seemed sort of weak. I never got a feel for what Alan was like, I didn't understand his weird meeting with Michael, and I found none of the characters were well developed except for Rosemary. Too many people and too many tangents. The ending was also weak.
WALTER KRETZMANN
Driving the King by Ravi Howard
My book club chose this book. Here are some of the comments by the nine members who read it: The character was a likable person. The story was too descriptive to the point it had a lot of filler. Some were interested in the time period. One thought the whole book could have been told in a chapter, a few thought it was hard to read because the author did not have a good handle on flashback techniques. Two members liked it enough to give it five stars and one gave it 4, whereas others gave it 2.5 to 3 and considered it boring. If you like reading about the Jim Crow period in America, then you may like this book.
WALTER KRETZMANN
And Sometimes I Wonder About You by Walter Mosley
No the best Leonid McGill.
WALTER KRETZMANN
Cane and Abe by James Grippando
Its wasn't a great book but rather a very slow read. Not Grippando's normal style of fast pace and suspense. He has definitely written better. It got better toward the very end of the book, but it took me forever to finish the book because of how slow it moved.
WALTER KRETZMANN
The Crossing by Michael Connelly
I've read almost all of Michael Connelly's books, especially the police procedural Detective Harry Bosch novels. Then he introduced us to another character, a "Lincoln Lawyer" Mickey Haller. I started to follow this character too. As it happens, the Bosch and Haller, who sit on opposite benches in the courtroom are half-brothers. This novel is the first I've come across where the two well-drawn characters actually work together -- or I should say work on the same case. They may be brothers but they aren't friends, and Bosch's opinion of lawyers is somewhere south of distaste. Plausible circumstance has them working on the same case for different reasons. The plot is well written, no red herrings, no BS and no brotherly love.
WALTER KRETZMANN
Home By Nightfall (A Charles Lenox Mystery) by Charles Finch
This book seemed to go on and on with no suspense or real message. I kept waiting for an Elizabeth George-type of twist but there was nothing climatic or thought-provoking in the entire book. I rated it a 3 because it kept my attention and the 19th century back drop was nostalgic. Other than the nostalgia it was a disappointment.
WALTER KRETZMANN
American Blood by Ben Sanders
Good, solid read. Not spectacular, but really enjoyable and deeply engaging. Really enjoyed the main character development.
WALTER KRETZMANN
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
This book is "hyped", way overpriced and is a gimmick more than than a good read. Don't be fooled by the number of pages. If it was written in a traditional, flowing way it would probably have taken up less than half the number of pages. It is written in the 'clipped' style of a person texting or emailing.
I'm afraid I won't be, as other reviewers have commented, eagerly awaiting the next in the series.
WALTER KRETZMANN
Lights Out by Ted Koppel
I'm afraid that this book, although voluminous, never really gets off the ground. The title promises what happens when the lights go out. However, most of the book is spent on explaining over and again the weakness of the set up of the grid and the low likelihood of a robust response from the authorities to an emergency where electricity does fail. A bit disappointing. One could say it did not turn on the light bulb!
Dianne
The Guernsay Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer
Delightful look at the island of Gurnsey during the German occupation in World War II.
Cindy
The Best of Adam Sharp by Graeme Simsion
Wow!!! This book had me wrestling with my own values wanting Adam to get the love he wanted but still wanting him to work things out. This books is one of the most brilliant new and innovative way to read a book. It has a playlist attached...if you download and listen to the music while you read it brings Adam's raw emotions right on to you. What a wonderful, original way to bring a new sensory experience to reading. I highly recommend this book-- be prepared to experience emotions you may not know that you have. This book is to be released May 2, 2017.
Debbie
Prayers the Devil Answers by Sharyn McCrumb
Sharyn McCrumb weaves a story rich in folklore and relationships. This tale centers on Ellie Robbins, a young woman with two young sons and a husband who becomes the county sheriff. The Depression Era darkens the Tennessee mountains, and most people barely eke out a living. A young husband pushes his wife over a mountain edge, but two people witness the crime and apprehend the criminal. The story begins and end with the folklore tradition of the Dumb Supper that predicted the events that happened. I greatly admired the common-sense approach of Ellie Robbins, but felt appalled at Ellie's act at the end of the book. Sharyn McCrumb speaks of the beauty of the land and the strong ties of kinship and the balance of justice, sometimes with bias.
Bonnie
Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson
Mystery set in far northern Iceland where place plays a large role in the story. It took a while to get into the actual mystery, but it was interesting and kept me guessing.
Jan
Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance
Because I am a hillbilly too, I can only praise this book for reporting accurately the culture and the ethos of that area. I know the people Vance writes about; many of them are my relatives. And like Vance, I escaped so I expected to be critical of this book since I know about the hillbillies, too. This is a beautiful book that certainly expresses the movement and lack of movement between classes in the U.S., and it explains why some do not try so hard to move out of their social class. Most do not understand that our culture, for the most part, is based on the class we are in socially, not economically. I doubt that many people would say that Donald Trump is a high-class person, yet I say that the author of this book is high class.
Jan
The Rain in Portugal by Billy Collins
As usual, Billy Collins does not disappoint. This is a book of his average poems - no one poem stands out from the rest but all are gentle, pointing to times that were good or lost loves or just living in the space where we are at the moment. He does tell us, however, that the title includes Portugal because Spain was already taken. A gentle book. If you like Collins, this book will not disappoint, even if it does not overwhelm you.
Francisca E B
The Anteater of Death by Betty Webb
As cozy mysteries go, this is a pretty good one. A zookeeper is an interesting – and different – occupation for an amateur sleuth. Webb gives tidbits of information on the animals Teddy cares for, as well as the joys and challenges of living aboard a refitted trawler. There were plenty of suspects to keep me guessing, and a reasonably satisfactory ending. I’ll definitely read more of this series.
Ellyn
Karolina's Twins by Ronald Balson
Loved this; couldn't put it down. I did, however, guess the ending. Could have continued with more chapters, stories, etc.
Claire
The Girl Who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes
Loved the story about Mei Lien. Also did not know very much about the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. The history behind this story was very informative. Enjoyed reading the struggles between the past and the present. Inara and Mei Lien struggled with the death of loved ones. I sometimes do not enjoy reading about one era to another but this story flowed smoothly. Would highly recommend this book for a book club.
ILene
The Magician's Lie by Greer Macallister
What a great mystery. I liked the way Greer Macallister went from past to present. She weaves historical fiction, romance and magic with an "edge of the cliff" ending.
Sandy
Bird in Hand by Christina Baker Kline
This book is by the same author that wrote ORPHAN TRAIN. Just as good. It was dark. It was raining. It was just an accident. On the drive home from a rare evening out, Alison collides with another car running a stop sign, and, just like that, her life turns upside down. When she calls her husband from the police station his accusatory tone reveals cracks in their relationship she'd never noticed were there. Now she notices everything. And she begins to realize that the life she carefully constructed for herself is as flimsy as a house of cards. I loved it!!
Mary Lou
The Dark Room by Jonathan Moore
Really fun, noirish mystery/procedural set in foggy, rainy San Francisco. What could be better? A cold case intersects with a modern suicide, and it all gets solved by Detective Gavin Cain, SFPD.
Nicolette
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
I wouldn't normally reach for a non-fiction book such as UNBROKEN, especially thinking it's only about World War II. But when my book club picked this one up I decided to give it a shot. After all, it did get enough attention to be made into a movie, (which I will be checking out soon!) Turns out, I was hooked from the start. This is a sweepingly epic story that is about so much more than Louis Zamperini's time in the war. Brilliantly put together, you will love the journey his story takes you on, right down to the last page. One of those books that makes you sad to see it end...I even cut my reading sessions shorter as I approached the conclusion to make it last. A must-read!
Margaret
The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond
This is the third novel by Ms Richmond that I enjoyed. She's a talented author who knows how to grab your attention at the start and keeps you interested. This novel slowed down just past the middle but was still engaging enough before picking up again. I thought the premise was original with The Pact being a secret organization whose goal is to protect the institution of marriage by supporting the couple who is Alice, an attorney and former rock band singer, and Jake, a licensed marriage counselor who also counsels troubled teens. They are invited to join The Pact as a wedding gift and they accept not realizing how heavy the consequences are if they do not explicitly obey the rules. This is a psychological thriller with twists and turns.
Jan
Desperation Road by Michael Farris Smith
This book has excellent reviews and I want to rate it lower but it is elegantly written. It is fast-paced, based in the South and we really know the characters when we finish. There is one tragic flaw and this is not a spoiler - but the "mystery" is not there. The last few chapters are taken from a true romance novel. The author has many awards and leads us carefully to the "ah-ha" moments and then drops it all at the end. I will read other things by this author - I think he will only improve with more novels. The novel is about two people who have made tragic mistakes in their young lives. Both are trying to live better lives and this is heartening. The novel encourages us old folks to keep loving and helping our young ones.
Brady
Greetings From Utopia Park: Surviving a Transcendent Childhood by Claire Hoffman
The author was raised, from a very young girl, in Maharishi Mahest Yogi's movement known as Transcendental Meditation, or T.M. This was a rage during the times of The Beatles and Claire's mother was deeply involved in it and devoted her life to its rules and regulations. With time, Claire's involvement changed in a number of ways, but up to today her life centers on the results of T.M. Maharishi has been dead a long time and that movement has disintegrated, however, the followers during those times still live their life based on T.M.'s philosophy. This is an interesting story and shows you the consequences or results of getting involved in a cult, religion, or philosophy (whatever you wish to call it) that consumes your life.
Lynn W
Night by Elie Wiesel
A searing account of a 15-year-old Jewish boy who survived the Holocaust. Only after 30 years was he able to write about the deprivations and brutality he and his father suffered. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for this work. Be sure to read his acceptance speech after reading the book.
Lynn W
I'll Drink to That by Betty Halbreich
This is an entertaining memoir of the author's nearly 40 years as a personal shopper in New York's legendary Bergdorf Goodman Department Store. Couldn't put it down -- read it in one day!
Lynn W
A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths
Love this series about Ruth Galloway, an English forensic archaeologist. Ruth receives a posthumous letter from an old university pal about an astounding archaeological discovery, which also says he's scared for his life. The only clue: mention of the Raven King, an ancient name for King Arthur.
Margaret
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
An amazing, emotional read. Once I started, I had trouble putting it down. Hannah does not spare her characters the terror and hardships of living in occupied France during the second world war. It should be required reading for secondary students or anyone who wants to know how it was to live through this period of history.
Anita
The Bone Tree by Greg Iles
This was the second book in the series - and it continues where the first book left off. A good mystery, which gets involved with the conspiracy to murder JFK. This was a good book that took me quite a while to finish (over 800 pages). I look forward to the third, MISSISSIPPI BLOOD to find out how things turn out.
WALTER KRETZMANN
Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving
Not a great read.
WALTER KRETZMANN
The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin
The book's readers do a good job of acting to make it real. It's the huge betrayal that you know is coming that brings out your sympathy, for Babe especially. A continual lie after lie of that magnitude is nothing short of watching evil at work. Although I never personally entertained that kind of wealth, the book's portraiture of these women is not very sympathetic. A lifestyle is just that, a style of life that a person has to put on and back then it was the wife that had that job...and it was pressure. It's judgmental, narrow, a written form the prospective of a wannabe. Capote is Satan personified. Don't waste your money.
Tollie
If You Were Here by Alafair Burke
This is the first book I've read by Alafair Burke. This was an extremely fast-paced story with lots of twists. I couldn't put it down. I will recommend it to my book club. I am very happy I discovered this book.
Cherry
The New Old Me: My Late-Life Reinvention by Meredith Maran
As I started this book, my first thought was,"Oh, another same sex book to join the band wagon." Was I ever surprised! This is a book about grief and starting over when you least expect it to happen and really has nothing to do with sexual orientation. The author just happens to be a lesbian. My life has flipped in my twenties, forties and yes, sixties. Grief never changes, and how we cope is personal for each of us. That said, I found myself marking passages throughout the book that rang true. Like the author, I've found friends got me through the tough times. If a reader nothing else from this book, it's how important it is to cultivate friendship and not let it languish into nothingness.
Cherry
We Are All Made of Stars by Rowan Coleman
A thoughtful, at times, heartbreaking book of life, death, love, loss and everything in between that left me deep in thought. This struck me the most - "Kindness changes everything." You can't worry about the rest of the world, never mind the rest of the universe. All you can do is look to your left and to your right and try to be kind to whoever is there. Imagine what this life/world would be like instead of distrust and hate, we practiced kindness to those around us. What would that look like?
Thomas
Fog City Strangler by Greg Messel
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a very good read.
Thomas
Ill Will by Dan Chaon
It was a very good book. I enjoyed reading it very much.
Thomas
Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner
This was a very good book. I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend this book to anybody.
Patti
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore
True story of use of radium in factories prior to knowledge of harm. Author tells the story well focusing on individual women and their families. Struggle to obtain acknowledgement of deadly side-effects and perseverance to obtain justice and regulations.
Jean
Dust Bowl Girls by Lydia Reeder
What a remarkable opportunity awaited a few young girls who were stand-out basketball players in their small communities of OK, TX, and LA. A young coach, Sam Babbs, was out recruiting for a small college and offering a better life for these gals. They were offered a free college education in exchange for playing on his college team. This meant sacrifice for the families and the girls but few gave up and returned to their home towns. Intense practices, travel in a unpredictable bus, and a bond of trust between the girls as they practice, travel, study and compete on the basketball court. That court, half-court actually, might astound you with its rules as compared to today. A great read with its history of the hardships of that era.
Lynn W
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney
In 1930's NYC Miss Boxfish worked her way up at R.H. Macy's to become the highest-paid advertising woman in the country. Now on New Year's Eve 1984 she walks 10.4 miles through her beloved city. As she visits favorite and meaningful places we learn her life story. Fascinating and delightful describes both Lillian and her life.
Carolyn
It's. Nice. Outside. by Jim Kokoris
Great story about fathers, families and autism.
Elizasbeth
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Although the subject matter of BIG LITTLE LIES, women’s issues, normally bores me, I was pleased that Moriarty built up suspense everywhere she could, particularly with the chapter titles and with the gossipy-sounding witness comments at the end, and sometimes the beginning, of each chapter.
This book has three main characters, Madeline, Jane, and Celeste, each with a typical women’s issue. That much would have been enough to turn me away from BIG LITTLE LIES. But right from the start, the book contains chapter headings to indicate when events take place in relation to Trivia Night, a costume party for parents of children at Pirriwee Public school. So I knew that something big was coming up on Trivia Night. Someone was going to die.
Matt
The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel
This book is like being at the scene of a horrible accident. You want to look away but you can't. Almost every character has faults -- some of them very evil but you can't make yourself stop reading. I always wonder how women like Amy Engel or Karen Slaughter, for example, can write about such horrible things. I guess since Amy was a defense lawyer she was exposed to a lot of bad things. Note: I received my copy of this book from Read It Forward.
Pauline
The Far Empty by J. Todd Scott
This book paints a dire picture of life near and along the U.S./Mexican border from El Paso East. It portrays a land and people where violence happens every day, of deceit, murder, hidden drug running and crooked West Texas cops. It has rich character development, and I liked the way the author did each mini chapter devoted to a person while switching among them. The killing and sex scenes are very graphic, but no doubt not too much so for this barren violent area. I wish the author would have included a map and a glossary. He knew the area and happenings well, and being a federal agent 25 years helped him write it. I'm anxious to read HIGH WHITE SUN and THIS SIDE OF NIGHT, which will be out this June/July.
Donna
A Harvest of Thorns by Corbin Addison
This book is very unsettling as it explains how industry has a blind eye about how products are made abroad in order to meet demand, get the lowest price to the consumer and still good returns to their investors. The sweatshops, the abuse, slavery and unsafe working conditions plague the industry. The author has done a tremendous job in bringing awareness to the readers of his book. I won't forget this book and will be discussing it with friends for years to come.
Lynn W
America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
From the ballrooms of Versailles to Monticello to Jefferson's White House, Martha "Patsy" Jefferson Randolph helped shape the legacy of our nation.
Barbara
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
Going in I thought this was a straight thriller or suspense. As I read, there was this dream element that came in and the book became more of a paranormal-type story. I really am not a fan of those, so I get annoyed then, but finished. I think the marketing needs to address that. Most people I talked to felt the same. It was not a bad story, but not really a thriller. I felt a bit hoodwinked.
Laura
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney
Lillian Boxfish - superhero, enigma, ridiculous and wonderful all at once! We are lucky to walk with her while she emotionally saunters through her life while become quite successful in her work in advertising. It is her humorous way of seeing life that brings her great professional accolades, yet, it is something else that keeps her from connecting or the ability or want to keep relationships alive. She is just wonderfully flawed and perfect!
Lori
After You by Jojo Moyes
Satisfying follow-up to ME BEFORE YOU.
Tessa B C
Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf
In the small (fictional) town of Holt, Colorado, Addie Moore drops in on her neighbor, Louis Waters one evening, and asks if he isn’t as lonesome for conversation and companionship as she is. What follows is a beautifully-written story of a mature couple in a different, but very loving, relationship. The strength and dignity with which they faced life endeared them to me.
Priscilla
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
I loved this book and though the way she handled the race question was completely different than I had ever thought of. This was one of the best books I have read this year.
Liz
June by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
Cassie is a twenty-something that has just lost her beloved grandmother. She leaves NYC and her boyfriend to move to a small town in Ohio to live in the crumbling down mansion she has inherited. She feels the house speaks to hear and she dreams of the people who used to visit. While there, she finds out she has been left a great deal of money from a movie star but must prove she is related to him in order to collect it. So begins her journey into June's (her grandmother's) past. I did not enjoy the first 200 pages, but the story did pick up midway. I prefer books that go from start to finish and don't jump back and forth in time.
ROSEMARIE
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I was lucky enough to find this ARC in my gift bag when I attended the book matinee hosted by Simon and Schuster. I can tell you that from page one I was captivated. This book is about love, forgiveness, deceit, ambition and all the other things that make up our lives. I am an avid reader but cannot remember the last time I was so taken with a book of this genre. At times it felt like I was reading something by Jackie Collins or Sidney Sheldon. Do yourself a favor -- this book will hit the shelves on June 13th -- mark your calendars.
Lynn W
Banana Cream Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
The only thing I liked in this book was the Banana Cream Pie Filling recipe. It has rum in it!
Jud
Fifth Woman by Henning Mankell
This is by far one of the best, well-written mystery novels I've ever read.
Karen
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Absolutely fantastic book! My very favorite of 2016.
Susan
To the Top of the Mountain by Arne Dahl
Written in 1999, it appears as current as today's newspaper. Amazing story, gripping plot and characters. Wish they'd hurry up and translate more of his work!
Diana
The Atomic Weight of Love by Elizabeth J. Church
What a story!! An 87-year-old woman looks back on her life and the changes through the decades, the biggest of which was living at Los Alamos with her physicist husband in the late 1940s. As the atomic bomb was created, Meridian begins to come into her own and finds her true purpose in life. Lots of historic facts and just a whole lot of good reading..
Janet
The History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund
Sorry - I did not like this book. Linda lives with her poor hippie parents in Minnesota. When a young and rich family move in across the small lake from her cabin, Linda becomes involved in their lives. There are so many subplots in this story, that the main story almost is lost. Or maybe I was lost? It just didn't make sense!
Saundra McKenzie
The Storm by R. J. Prescott
Great read! I will say it played out differently then I expected it to as wellwhich I was so happy to see. I cried, I laughed, I yelled.
Linda
Country Bride by Debbie Macomber
Kate Logan’s heart was breaking as she watched her long-time love Clay Franklin marry Rorie Campbell. Kate had Luke Rivers beside her offering comfort during the wedding ceremony. Luke was the foreman of her dad’s ranch and they had always had a warm friendship. Before the night was over, she asked him to marry her and he said yes. To the amusement of the town, she kept protesting they were just friends. Even Luke kept telling her she loved him. Kate wasn’t sure what she wanted but knew she liked being in Luke’s arms.
Linda
Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare
In the fairy tale, Cinderella found her prince. In this book, a barmaid found her duke. Griffin York, the Duke of Halford, and his mother have a bet going. She is determined to find a wife for her son and takes him to Spindle Cove where numerous spinsters are found. She tells him to pick one and she will make them into a duchess. He sees Pauline Simms, the barmaid, and picks her. He tells her if she will put up with his mother and prove herself to be a catastrophe, he would pay her one thousand pounds. She goes to London and the more she is around Griff, she finds herself falling in love with him. He finds that she is more than just a barmaid and he is intrigued with her. Can she succeed as a duchess or will she be a failure?
Linda
Possession by Helen Hardt
This is the third book in the Steel Brothers series. After being abused as a child, Talon Steel is now seeing a psychiatrist who is helping him. He has told his brothers and sister what happened to him and now must tell his girlfriend Jade. He doesn’t want her pity, just her understanding. Two of his abusers have been identified but both have disappeared. One has been found and arrested but he won’t tell on the other two. When Talon is hypnotized, he remembers something about the third man. Besides a low voice, the man had a birthmark in the shape of Texas on the inside of his upper arm. Talon is determined to find these men and make them face justice.
Linda
Melt by Helen Hardt
This is the fourth book in the Steel Brothers series and centers around Jonah Steel and therapist Melanie Carmichael. Jonah blames himself for not watching his brothers and they were snatched by child molesters. Ryan escaped but Talon was held prisoner for two months until his uncle let him escape. This man is now in jail but won't name the other two men. Jonah has a strong suspicion as to the identity of one, but the man is the father of his best friend. All he has is a suspicion and he needs proof. Melanie tries to help him with his guilt but they are attracted to each other and soon begin a sexual affair.
Michele
Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan
Ms. Horan does a great job chronicling the life of Robert Louis Stevenson. Her prose is very pleasing but the book becomes slow in the middle and then picks up towards the end. It is initially told from the point of view of Stevenson's eventual wife, Fannie. I was excited to read this book since I enjoyed her first book, LOVING FRANK. I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys historical fiction. What an interesting, albeit sickly, life Robert Louis Stevenson led and how instrumental his wife was in prolonging it.
Linda
Burn by Helen Hardt
The fifth book in the Steel Brothers series deals with the relationship between Jonah Steel and Dr. Melanie Carmichael. Melanie had a patient who committed suicide and her father blames Melanie. He has her abducted and placed in a locked garage with the car motor running and was told to think of her patient who committed suicide this way. When the intruder first broke into Melanie’s apartment, she called for help but couldn't get in touch with anyone including the 911 operator.
Linda
The Whistler by John Grisham
I'm a long-time excited Grisham fan but don't think this is one of his best. Had it been any other author, I would have invoked my 100-page rule: If I'm not pulled in by page 100, I quit. Around page 120, it got a bit better. Rather predictable. Set in Florida, where I live, he did capture and capitalize on the dirty politics that are so common here. Easy read and mildly entertaining.
Linda
Desperate by Daniel Palmer
Gage Dekker had lost his first wife and son to a drunken driver. Now married to Anna, they plan to adopt a child and find a young girl (Lily) willing to let them adopt her baby. Lily moves into an adjacent apartment and that is when unexplained things start happening in the Dekker household. Roy, the father of the baby, moves in too and draws Gage into his dangerous game. A mild-mannered quality assurance guy is forced into a drug deal with Roy. There are lots of subplots in the book with twists and turns that you won’t see coming. A well-written book that will grab your attention.
Linda
Rules of Attraction by Christina Dodd
Hannah Setterington came to Castle Raeburn to care for the owner’s elderly aunt. He has his back to her but she recognizes the voice and then his face. This is Dougald Pippard, the new Lord Ruskin, and the husband she ran away from nine years ago. How did he find her and why did he bring her here? He acts cold but this soon changes as their attraction for each other has never died and soon flares up again. The past two earls have died under suspicious circumstances and when shots are fired at Dougald, he knows the earls were killed. When Hannah is almost killed, he knows he must find the murderer who is intent on killing both of them. He loves Hannah and doesn’t want her harmed because he is hopeful of a new beginning in their marriage.
Kim
Archers by Dale Morrell
This story is about two lifelong friends who share a love for bow hunting. They go to Vietnam and use their archery skills. In a twist they end up hunting each other. It was independently published. I know nothing about bow hunting but the story was really good and fairly fast-paced.
Linda
Stalked by Elizabeth Heiter
A teen has gone missing and the case has been assigned to FBI profiler Evelyn Baine. She is to assist Detective Sophia Lopez on the case. Lopez suspects the missing teen’s boyfriend knows more than he is telling the police. Kyle McKenzie, FBI agent, interviewed a teen who had been badly beaten and told McKenzie that a sex trafficking ring was involved. Before they could obtain more information, she died. The missing teen’s boyfriend was attending the college that the dead teen attended. As McKenzie investigates a potential sex trafficking ring and Baine continues her search for the missing teen and kidnapper, the cases overlap and they work together.
Linda
The Danger of Desire by Sabrina Jeffries
Delia Trevor masquerades as a young man and takes to the gambling tables to try and find the man who cheated her brother Reynold at cards. He was so despondent about losing everything that he took his own life leaving a widow and young son. Delia’s father was a well-known card shark and taught Delia and Reynold all the tricks he knew and used. So Delia knew her brother had to have come up against a cheater. He would not name the cheat but told Delia he had a tattoo of a sun on his wrist. While at the club, she is recognized as a woman and Warren Corry, the Marquess of Knightford, is determined to find out what she is up to. Can she trust him to help her find the cheat?
Linda
The Life She Wants by Robyn Carr
After the suicide of her husband, Emma Compton has returned to her hometown. She has conflicted feelings about returning here but there is nowhere else she can go. Her husband ran a Ponzi scheme that destroyed a lot of people and she is vilified along with him even though she is innocent. Emma goes to her oldest friend Riley to ask for a job. Before Emma left town, words were exchanged that still resonate with both women, but Emma has no choice as no one else will hire her. Riley’s brother Adam is also here. He has always loved Emma and intends to be more than a friend. They don’t know how Riley will react to the news as she wants the relationship with Emma to be strictly business and not friendship or family.
Linda
A Season of Ruin by Anna Bradley
Lily Somerset has come to London for the season to find a respectable gentleman for marriage. Staying with the Sutherland family, she often runs into Robyn Sutherland. Known for his devil-may-care attitude, he has a grin that is contagious and Lily finds herself falling in love with him. She doesn’t think he will ever be serious and sets her cap for an eligible suitor. When a proposal is in the offering, Lily doesn’t know what to do. She has no feeling for this man and doesn’t think he has any for her. Whether irresponsible or not, Lily loves Robyn and no one else will do.
Linda
Never Never by James Patterson and Candice Fox
When her brother is arrested as the Georges River killer, Detective Harriet (Harry) Blue is sent to the remote mining camp to investigate the disappearance and murder of a miner. On her way there, she meets her new partner Detective Edward Whittaker. While investigating the murder of Daniel Stanton, two other miners disappear. Their mine contact is Gabe Carter who tells them he is aware of the many problems at the mine, but mine officials do not want to hear about problems. They were against calling in the police for the first disappearance until the latest disappearances and they knew they couldn’t hide the problem. What is happening at this remote mine? Is someone deliberately killing the miners? It is up to Harry and Whitt to solve it.
Peggy
The Unlikely Lavender Queen by Jeannie Ralston
What a dull, boring book. This memoir was self-indulgent and whiny. The author complained ad nauseam about having to move from New York City to Texas, how awful Texas was, how her husband neglected her, etc. If I didn't have to read this for my book club, I wouldn't have finished it. Jeannie Ralston can write well, but this book just wasn't readable for me and several other friends.
Sheree
Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens
I loved this book. It kept me guessing about the characters, wrongly it turns out, and making assumptions that don't turn out. Lindsey was in an abusive marriage that she finally gets away from when, her then husband, kills someone while drunk and driving. The husband goes to prison and Lindsey takes her daughter to a remote location and starts a new life. Move forward several years and the ex-husband gets out of prison and finds them thanks to his daughter secretly writing to him in prison. Things start to happen to Lindsey and she is convinced it is her ex-husband...or is it. I kept second guessing everything. Very fast pace and suspenseful!
Linda
The House Husband by James Patterson with Duane Swierczynski
Murders of families have been occurring too frequently for Detective Teaghan Beaumont. She has just returned to work after maternity leave and the murder of a family is her first case. When she receives word that her partner has become a statistic, she knows it was not random. Someone is killing complete families and making the crime look like murder/suicide. She needs to find the killer before he strikes again. This is one of Patterson's Bookshots.
Linda
French Twist by James Patterson with Richard DiLallo
Beautiful society women are found dead with no apparent cause and it is up to Detectives Luc Montcrief and Katherine (K.) Burke to solve the mysteries. In another story, a couple who are friends of Luc’s have entered their horse in the Kentucky Derby and won. The horse was entered in the Preakness and won. But both times, huge bouquets of roses were sent to the couple. Now it is time for the Belmont and the horse is entered. Roses arrive with a threatening note that the horse should lose or else. Luc is determined to find the person responsible for threatening his friends. A Luc Moncrief Bookshot.
Linda
Bodyguard by Jessica Linden and James Patterson
James Patterson’s Bookshots Flames. Abbie Whitmore is a security expert and good at what she does. She is thoroughly professional until she is assigned to Congressman Jonathan Lassiter. Her job is to keep him safe from a terrorist network, but he wants hands-on opportunities with the public. The more they are together, the attraction between them escalates. A great love story.
Heidi
The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace by Jeff Hobbs
This was an amazing story of a young African-American man who beat the odds and got himself out of the ghetto and selling drugs, had a successful life going, but then returned to his prior life selling drugs and living in the ghetto. Ultimately, he was killed due to his lifestyle. It is a tragic story of an extremely intelligent young man who worked hard to get away from his formidable life to make his dreams come true and then for an unknown reason returned to his prior life. Very tragic story.
Kay
The Rent Collector by Camron Wright
Excellent story based on some true life events. A family lives on a dump in Phenom Phen, Cambodia. Good character development, it's a tear jerker, but there's also hope for the future. Recommended for book clubs, lots to discuss.
Beverlee
Between Sisters by Kristin Hannah
A favorite author! This is not my favorite of her books but it was good, easy reading and a perfect Saturday afternoon cuddle up and read on the couch book!
Helen Mooney
The Fire by Night by Teresa Messineo
A truly remarkable book. It is the story of two young nurses who meet and become friends just before America's entrance into WWII. Both girls are young, full of dreams. The story of how they survive under honorific conditions without losing their humanity is inspiring. I have read many novels on the war it seems but never from this perspective. The book made me think of how I would have reacted, would I have measured up. The book shines a light on the nurses of WWII, their courage, their compassion. Holding a dying soldier's hand, they became a wife, a mother, a girlfriend, whatever that soldier needed. The writing is graphic, I had to put the book down at times because I was so emotional about their sacrifices.
cj
Garden of Lamentations by Deborah Crombie
All the Gemma & Duncan books are a pleasure to read. Not only are they brilliant detectives but their character development through the years is wonderful.
Sharon
Sources of Light by Margaret McMullan
A YA book--set in Jackson Mississippi in the early 60s. Sam and her mother, a college art history professor, move there after Sam's father dies in Vietnam. Here Sam encounters racism at large, her first love, the joy of finding a passion in photography, and the pain of loss.
Hattie
The Forbidden Garden by Ellen Herrick
It's the first day of spring. What a perfect time to finish reading a novel by Ellen Herrick titled THE FORBIDDEN GARDEN. Sorrel Sparrow, one of four sister, goes to London. Her duty is to restore a Shakespearean Garden. While the family who own the garden have continued to grow and remain vibrant, the garden has been left to die. This is a second book in a series. The first book about the Sparrows is named THE SPARROW SISTERS. Their last name is like a call to nature. Unfortunately, there is little information in THE FORBIDDEN GARDEN about the sisters. Just enough is given to wake up the curiosity. I especially worried about the death of one sister. I also began to wonder about how they were treated in their town.
Melissa Monahan
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
I thought I would give fantasy a try as this book appeared to be a little spooky as well, which I really enjoy, but it took me a very long time to finish this. It is about a London underworld and the creatures that live there.
Jean
The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis
An entertaining book looking back into the 50s. I used to wish that I could live there, but like any other place in the world, it had its good and its bad. I picked this book for our book club to read. I'll be anxious to see what they think of it.
JEAN MESS
Summer Secrets by Barbara Freethy
What an interesting book, emotional, full of family secrets, mysteries, romance, blue water sailing and that lifestyle. Three sisters, Kate, Ashley and Caroline and a driven father. Romances are in the picture too. You're interested to the end of book and sorry to let go of last page.
Marilyn
Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance
This book stimulated wonderful conversation during our book club because we were enthralled by the clarity of this young author's account of his family's life experience. We saw the book to have a direct correlation to the issues raised during the past campaign and presidential election. We thought about "learned helplessness" and the loss of hope.
Gail
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
I enjoyed reading this thriller but it was slow going for me in the beginning. Once into the story, it held my interest and I could not put it down until I learned the fate of Lo.
shelly
Cometh the Hour by Jeffrey Archer
It is no surprise that Mr. Archer, a best selling author, continues to surprise his fans with each and every page of his latest saga in Clifton Chronicles. Sebastian, who has not had any real social life for years, suddenly and rather unexpectedly meets Priya, a beautiful Indian girl. They find that they love each other but the rules in her country are not ones that would accept Sebastian into their family. What are they to do as his father has plans for who she is to marry.
Adrian Sloane and Desmone Mellot are still plotting on ways to bring the chairman, Hakim Bishara and there latest attempt can change his life forever.
Giles has fallen in love with Karin but she is behind the Iron Curtain and it is almost impossible to get he
Deb
The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston
The research, planning, and subsequent 21st century archeological dig at a long-considered mythological site, current NIH research of relevant infectious diseases, and accompanying pictures, maps and explorers’ notes made this a riveting read. It has been a while since I rated a book a "5"!
Helen
The Never-Open Desert Diner by James Anderson
I never would have read this book except that my book club was doing it. What a surprise. Takes place in the Utah desert and is about a truck driver who goes back and forth each day delivering goods, etc. to the most eccentric and unusual group of people who live happily or not on his route. James Anderson writes the very best descriptive literature, people and desert. I really loved the book, but not the ending. Too much happened at the very end to be believable. However, the characters were fabulous.
Kristi
The Tumbling Turner Sisters by Juliette Fay
I ALWAYS fall for a good cover and this one drew me in. It is a very quick read told in alternating voices, that was a little confusing at first. I would have given it 5 stars but there was one important relationship in the book that was left unresolved and I felt that the author "chickened" out when her characters were going in a difficult direction. It is historical fiction, along the lines of THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MRS. TOM THUMB, and lends itself well to a discussion.
Kay
Delicious! by Ruth Reichl
Reichl's first novel is a combination of her knowledge of the food industry and storytelling. A pretty average tale with some twists and turns.
Kathy
Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
This fictionalized view of Beryl Markham was very fascinating and easy to read. Her adventures from becoming a horse trainer to becoming the first female aviator in Africa along with all her dismal failures in the romance department were exciting and made for a page-turner of a book.
Linda
Julie & Julia by Julie Powell
I read this book because it was a "books to movies" book club selection. It was as difficult to finish as it was for Julie to complete Julia Child's recipes from THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING in a year! I much preferred the movie.
Betty
The Dressmaker's Dowry by Meredith Jaeger
Ms. Jaeger’s writing style effortlessly flows back and forth between present day and 1876. Her descriptions allowed me to envision how San Francisco must have been in 1876 – the noise of the street vendors and horses, the smells of fresh – and rotting – fish markets, the society ladies strolling in their finest apparels, the poor immigrants just trying to stay alive another day. I remained in suspense throughout the book wondering what happened to these unfortunate girls, and what the tie between them and Hunter’s family was.
Janice
Extreme Measures: Finding a Better Path to the End of Life by Jessica Nutik Zitter
This author trained first as an intensive care specialist physician, but became increasingly troubled by the way many patients in ICUs were cared for. Numerous situations are described; the author gives many patient scenarios of people she has cared for, or come to know, in ICUs around the country, recounting numerous efforts made to prolong life, with little thought about the quality of that life. Dr. Zitter does not take a bitter or judging tone toward other physicians, lauding them for their mostly tremendous commitment to save the lives of their patients. But with her later training as a palliative care doctor she hopes for a patient centered care approach, with families and patients fully knowing the consequences of decisions.
John
Three Days in January: Dwight Eisenhower's Final Mission by Bret Baier with Catherine Whitney
This is the first book by Bret Baier I have read, and I enjoyed his narrative style regarding President Eisenhower's administration. The primary focus is on the transition of power from President Eisenhower to President John F. Kennedy, and I knew little about the relationship between Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy. I remember well the Cuban missile crisis, but found Mr. Baier's account fascinating. I learned a lot about period in this book and gained a new appreciation of the importance of President Eisenhower's two terms of office.
Lynn W
The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff
Do read 84 CHARING CROSS ROAD first. 84 is the New York City's author's correspondence with a London bookseller. This memoir is the narrative of her long-awaited, almost-never-to-be visit to the great city, although Frank died before she could get there. It's irresistible and charming.
Marsha
The Last Patriot by Brad Thor
Wow! This one will teach you a bit about Jefferson and his pursuit of the Islam religion. Plenty of action and plenty of information about the Barbary Pirates. Remember the shores of Tripoli.
Ilene
White Plague by James Abel
The story is about a damaged U.S.Navy submarine which is sinking in the Arctic and an icebreaker sent to the rescue where it is confronted by a Chinese submarine. There is a flu outbreak on the U.S. submarine and a fear that it could be like the 1918 Russian plague. A decision has to be made in Washington on whether to rescue the flu victims or let them perish to avoid spreading the disease. Is there an available antidote? Can the Chinese actually help or do battle?
jodi protsik
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
I got caught up in the story. Loved it.
Cindy
Someone to Watch Over Me by Eric Burns
Excellent book. Brings you into the very beginning of Eleanor's life, how the only person who loved her as a child was her father who had many problems of his own. But how his love shaped her from the quiet withdrawn little girl, into an amazing woman, strong in character, always fighting for the underdog, spreading love and teaching America a new way to think, even when it was against the politics of her husband.
Cindy
On the Road: The Original Scroll by Jack Kerouac
Taking a modern literary course and I am being introduced to many authors. This book written in such a unique way, no paragraphs, run on page after run on page...keeps you reading like a frenzy. Taking me to a time in America that I was not even born. A time when it was safe to hitchhike, coming out of the depression and moving into the "hippie" phase. Jack takes a road trip to find himself and what a trip it is. If you have not read it I truly recommend it.
michelle
Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens
Started out great and then fell apart with too many underdeveloped strands that went nowhere and convoluted the story.
Francisca E B
The Koala of Death by Betty Webb
I like this cozy series for the information about the animals and the relationships between Teddy and her mother, Caro, and boyfriend, Sheriff Joe Rejas. Webb gives us plenty of suspects and twists in the plot that keep the reader guessing right up to the end.
Rebecca Chome
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
I have enjoyed previous Patchett novels much more than this. The moving back and forth through time makes the overabundance of characters very confusing! Which parent goes with which child...oh no, 2 more wives and more kids...2 more husbands and his children and their wives and children. Whoa! slow down. I know this got an excellent review and was on many recommended lists, but I should have spent my time on something much more enjoyable.
Margaret McDaniel
The Girl in the Red Coat by Kate Hamer
This debut novel held my interest throughout. It was fast-paced with alternating first-person points-of-view, Beth and Carmel. Beth is the mother who loses her 8-yr-old daughter, Carmel, at a crowded festival. Carmel suddenly disappears and Beth's worst nightmare begins. At the top of Beth's chapters, it's indicated how long Carmel has been gone. It's emotional to read how the loss affects mother and child. The loneliness for each other is heart-wrenching. Since I don't want to include spoilers, I will say only that Carmel's life takes an interesting turn but she is a victim of lies. Kate Hamer is a very talented author who expertly developed her characters and locations and I definitely would like to read more of her work.
Sandy
The Courage Tree by Diane Chamberlain
I read this book in two days, it was that good!! So many plot twists!! I must get more by this author.
Sandy
The Kommandant's Girl by Pam Jenoff
Set in a time when loyalties were tested and no one could be trusted. Pam Jenoff's astonishing debut faithfully explores the timeless themes of hope, struggle, and defiance in the face of overwhelming odds. 10-year-old Emma Bau has been married only three weeks when Nazi tanks thunder into her native Poland. Within days, Emma's husband Jacob is forced to disappear underground, leaving her imprisoned within the city's decrepit, moldering Jewish ghetto.
Sandi
Gone Without a Trace by Mary Torjussen
Lots of twists and turns. The type of story that keeps you on edge and turning pages, afraid of what comes next, but too involved not to read on. Hannah and Matt, Katie and James - friends for a long time. But how well did they really know each other? Where does the breakdown occur? Is just one person at fault? Or are there many secrets and multiple devious plans being played out? Good psychological read - well written. Suspenseful. Moving plot and electric characters.
Liz
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
The Waverly's have always been a unique family with certain "gifts". Claire gets her gifts from the edible flowers in her garden that Evanelle, her cousin, gives away items for no apparent reason. Sydney, the younger sister, left home right after high school but has now returned with a young child in tow. This is a lovely story which is well written, a quick, light read. I am having my book club read and discuss it for the month of April.
Fran
You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott
The ratings for this book drew me to purchase it and I have to say that I was disappointed. It was good but highly overrated. I enjoyed the characterization of the life of a gymnast, but felt the overall plot was missing any depth. I did finish reading it but couldn't wait for it to end so I could move onto another book.
Elizabeth
The Devil's Triangle by Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison
Not her best, but enjoyable.
Jan
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
I found this book to be uninformed and rambling. I was reading about Cora, the main character, when the book suddenly switched to her mother who died decades ago, or to the man she escaped with when we knew that he was long dead. I really tried to like this book because it was so popular but it is just not there - not very entertaining, not very factual, and not worth my time. Yes, we had slaves in this country and yes, we had slave hunters and yes, slaves ran away, and yes, they were treated terribly many times. There is nothing new here and Cora is not a very appealing character - she is weak, unable to stand up for herself much of the time - she only gets some guts at the very end with her final escape. There are much better books.
Linda
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
See's SNOWFLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN has long been one of my favorite books, and she's done it again with THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE. Steeped in the history of tea (no pun intended) and telling the story of a Chinese girl adopted by American parents, this book was so compelling I finished it in less than two days. A fascinating story and one in which I learned so many things.
Mary Lou
Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan
A journey from preteen to senior citizen status, this surfer describes his journey through life, sometimes lyrically, always surfing, always chasing that wave. The author of this memoir is an award winning writer for The New Yorker. I at first had difficulty understanding, much less caring about, the path he took on his quest. Surprisingly, it began to matter less that I didn’t understand the technical descriptions of the waves as the beauty of the language and the dream took over. Interspersed, I learned much about the author’s personal life, and I began to really care about him and his adventures. Suffice it to say I would never have picked this one up, but for the fact of it being my book club’s selection this month. Glad to have read it
Marie
Little Bee by Chris Cleve
Beautifully written, enlightening and touching.
Kim
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
LOVE the different stories/voices/viewpoints throughout the audio. This audiobook made me want to just stay put and listen forever. It's made me sad, mad, frustrated so many times that I'm amazed that so many feelings can be shared. Wonderful writing and reading.
Amy
A Million Little Things by Susan Mallery
Great read. Love her stories.
SUZANNE
My Last Lament by James William Brown
This was an enjoyable book. I felt a connection to the characters; they were real. The despair of each one talked to me throughout the whole story of Aliki about happiness and sadness created in her life. Decisions she and others made in a time of such unrest and sorrow provided the plot. I looked forward to each chapter written in the form of tape recordings she narrated, describing the war and aftermath of the many events taking place within her life. I’d not known about the Greek tradition of lamenting so that information was a plus. The ending was a surprise but not unexpected.
Lynn W
The Dark Horse (Longmire #5) by Craig Johnson
Love this series and this was the best one yet!
Rezina
The Dog Who Saved Me by Susan Wilson
Relationship struggles for most characters. Three men, Bull, Cooper and Jimmy = a dysfunctional family. As they struggle with their individual problems, they are helped by a small town, each other and "the dog". Enjoyable read.
Rezina
Moonglow by Michael Chabon
Grandfather is dying, grandson is able to ask questions of the past and then retell the story of his life through the telling of his grandparents' story.
Holly
Children of the New World by Alexander Weinstein
I wasn't sure how to rate this book -- either a 2 or a 5 -- so I settled on a 4. A "2" rating because the topics scared the life out of me: to think in the future people will have only virtual contact with each other, parents selling photos of their naked children just to keep food on the table, being scared to let a teenager out of the house to ride his bike to a (deserted) mall just to feel what it's like to play with a ball in real life. A "5" rating because of writing. This book's stories do not seem so far-fetched for 10-20 years in the future. We already have deliveries to our door for just about everything (groceries, Amazon items, etc.), and religious ceremonies are streamed live every Sunday, working at home, etc.
Linda
Celine by Peter Heller
Interesting mystery with multiple layers. Seems everyone is looking for a father: Celine, Gabriela, and Celine's son. All are lost, some are found. Or are they? At first a little confusing about who is who, but I got it. Too many questions left unanswered for this to be a solitary volume. What about that Peter Heller...is a follow-up volume coming?
Bonnie
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Fascinating family saga of a Korean family and its relationship with Japan.
Cammie Symons
Woman No. 17 by Edan Lepucki
WOMAN NO. 17 has a lot going on. Fortunately, the main storyline doesn't get lost in all the personalities of the main character(s). Esther (S) and Lady are an interesting pair of narrators. Each has her share of demons that emerge as the story develops along with their friendship. There were times when I couldn't stand either one of them and in the next chapter was hoping only the best for each of them. While their friendship was toxic to both of them, I think it also helped each of them realize the truth about their individual situations. As I process the end of this novel, I am most concerned about the future for Devin, the toddler son of Lady and Karl. Does this child have a chance for a normal childhood/life? I'm afraid not.
Cammie Symons
One Perfect Lie by Lisa Scottoline
Lisa Scottoline pulled me into ONE PERFECT LIE from the very first chapter. I was literally stressed out in the opening chapter when Chris Brennan so easily duped the high school staff where he becomes a teacher and coach. For the second novel in a row, I've had the opportunity to read Lisa Scottoline's book before its publication.
Cammie Symons
The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
THE RADIUM GIRLS has illuminated a dark moment in the history of women in America. I hope that everyone reads this book; in fact, it should be required reading in every history class in the United States! The story of the dial painters is heartbreaking to say the least. I admire their courage and resolve in their fight for justice as well as for their lives. They paid the price for laws and regulations that are still in place today, and their memory should not be forgotten! This work of narrative nonfiction reads like a thriller. Many times I found that I could not read it fast enough!
Cammie Symons
New Boy by Tracy Chevalier
Shakespeare's characters are immediately recognizable in Osei, Dee, Ian, and the others. The playground of a suburban DC middle school in the 1970s is an accurately disturbing modern setting for Shakespeare's Othello. The struggles created by the unknown, power, and jealousy still exist in the 21st century and mirror the Venetian setting of Shakespeare's work. This is the first Hogarth selection that I have read, and I cannot wait to read the others!
Cammie Symons
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR is...teenage love and angst and choices and chances...love at first sight and scientific proof and cultural conflicts. I feel like a fly on the wall in a high school cafeteria. This book flows like a typical adolescent mind -- focused to the point of obsession one moment then interrupted by a tangent, with mostly short chapters to mirror the short attention spans of today's youth. This day with Daniel and Natasha was fun, suspenseful, heartbreaking, and exhausting.
Cammie Symons
Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica
Gripping! I figured out a major detail about 3/4 of the way through, but the rest was a total surprise. One development really bothered me though, but I won't include any spoilers.
Judy O.
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
I recently reread ORPHAN TRAIN after reading and enjoying A PIECE OF THE WORLD, the new book by this author. I enjoyed reading it for the second time as much as the first. There were thousands of orphaned children who were moved on orphan trains and taken to the Minnesota area, hopefully be adopted there to loving families. This didn't always happen, though, and some children went to awful situations. An absorbing story!
Bonnie
And Every Morning the Way Gets Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
This novella by the author of A MAN CALLED OVE is warm, honest and will bring a tear to your eye.
Francisca E B
The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain
This is a wonderful classic that explores the difference in class in 16th century England, and the ways that appearance affects how one is treated. Both boys learn much from their experience as “the other.” It’s a wonderful lesson in “walking in the other person’s shoes.” Twain’s use of 16th-century English may be a little off-putting to today’s readers; I recommend listening to the audio.
Kara
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith
A wonderful story of a young girl coming of age while facing many hardships. Her unbreakable spirit and optimism are an inspiration.
shelly
No One But You by Brenda Novak
In Ms. Novak's latest book, we are introduced to a series that takes place in Silver Spring, a town in California. It is a small town with a population of about five thousand people and most of the residents know each other. Sadie Harris is in the middle of a messy divorce with her husband, Sly, who is a police officer in the town. Sadie has no family or friends she can tell the main reasons she wants a divorce as everyone in town thinks "Sly" is wonderful person. Unfortunately, Sadie is like a prisoner and not allowed to spend any money or buy things as she never has any money. She needs to become independent so she can take care of her herself and her son, Jayden, and protect him on her own.
Sherri
Love, Life and Elephants: An African Love Story by Dame Dephne Sheldrick
A memoir of the about the the author's life promoting wildlife conservation in Africa, especially raising orphaned elephants to be returned to the wild. Very interesting "history" lessons are included with interesting love stories intertwined. Explores the emotional/thought life of elephants in comparison to humans. Some of the British English was hard for me to understand often (wanted to edit). Intriguing insight into the life of someone who found a passion and wants to share it with the world and leave a lasting legacy.
Sarah
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
My heart was in my throat for most of this book! Slavery is so sad, and it makes me so sad to read about it. I loved the resiliency of these slaves, though.
Jan
Me & Emma by Elizabeth Flock
I really enjoyed this story that is narrated by a young girl living a harsh life. I became drawn in right away and felt many emotions while reading it. I must read it again to look for clues to the ending and will look for more books by this author.
