February 29, 2008 - March 13, 2008
Last contest period's winners were Deborah, Dorothy, Jessie, Maggie and Pat, who each received a copy of DEEP DISH by Mary Kay Andrews, REMEMBER ME? by Sophie Kinsella and STRANGERS IN DEATH by Nora Roberts, writing as J.D. Robb.
| Brenda Kelly (luckybjk10@yahoo.com) |
| Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
What would you do for your best friend? This book will make you laugh, cry and think of your best friend with a smile on your face. I loved it!! |
| Kathy Cole |
| The Shadow Catcher by Marianne Wiggins |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is an interesting discussion of how three men dealt with fatherhood and marriage --- Edward Curtis, a photographer of the Native Americans, the author's father, and the man who took his identity. |
| Heather Hart |
| Wizard and Glass: The Dark Tower IV by Stephen King |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I have put off this series for years and am absolutely loving it! |
| Maureen H |
| The Kite Runner by Khaled Hossini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The blurbs on the cover say this book is unforgettable, moving, and haunting. I found it to be so much more. I finished this book last week and I loved it. It has not diminished in my head. I found myself turning the pages at breakneck speed to find out what happened next and noticed I was reading this wonderful book too fast and this great story would be over way to soon. I started reading slower so that I could savor every word. I usually give my books away after I read them, not this book. I am keeping this book to read over and over again and to get my husband and children to read. I am now going to get his next book, A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS. |
| Sharon Cerasoli |
| Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A gripping and engrossing novel about a school shooting and how it impacts a New Hampshire community. |
| Betty Curran |
| The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a new look at a family's tragedy. Ms. Sebold has provided a unique look at how family and friends react when death is sudden and violent. I would recommend this book to everyone. |
| Ann Keeling |
| Songs for A Teenage Nomad by Kim Culbertson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Calle Smith never lives in one place long enough to call it home. While her mother runs from relationships, lonely Calle finds solace in music, creating a song journal as a way to cope with her uprooted life. Kim Culbertson's intelligent writing provides insight into the longings of this fourteen year old with heartrending emotion. Not only a must read for teens, this book presents topics and ideas that make it essential for parents as well. As a high school educator for over ten years, it is easy to see that Culbertson has an affinity for young adults. She lends encouragement for each of us to find our unique literary voice through the keeping of a song journal. I love her tag line: "What is the soundtrack of your life?" A great idea to explore and an inspirational story. |
| Marsha |
| The Bad Girl by Mario Vargas Llosa |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Obsessive love dominates the life of a Peruvian expatriate who lives in Paris but cannot escape this woman who drifts in and out of his life. It's kind of like knowing you shouldn't watch a disaster but, despite yourself, you keep peeking. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| Dakota by Martha Grimes |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The tales of Andi Oliver, a drifter who has no memory. The story exposes the horrors of the meat industry and the terrible "use" of animals for humans. I like Andi's theory of one saved --- you must start somewhere. |
| Jill Miller |
| Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
If you like the TV show, you'll love the book! An entertaining and very unique view of a serial killer. |
| Brenda Klaassen |
| Girls In Trucks by Katie Crouch |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book really was true to life. The story made me think and reflect about life. I enjoyed the "Southern values" undertone in this book, as well as the main setting in the good old U.S.A. I read an advance readers copy, so I hope the book does well for the author. |
| Judy O. |
| My Enemy's Cradle by Sara Young |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A young, half-Jewish girl named Cyrla is hiding in plain sight in a German lebansborn. This is a birth hospital established by the Nazis in order to increase the population of "The Master Race". Babies are born here then adopted into good Nazi famlies. Most of the mothers never see their children again. This is a fascinating and suspenseful look into a little known historical fact of World War II. It's a wonderful story. |
| Susan P |
| Shopaholic and Baby by Sophie Kinsella |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love this series. |
| Noreen Brown |
| The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Don't let the 661 pages put you off. They just zip by, This book is extremely interesting. The characters are so real and you're interested in everything that happens to them. The historical facts and way of life then are fascinating. |
| Louise |
| My Spy by Christina Skye |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I must have totally skipped at least 50 pages and still didn't miss anything --- the plot was that slow. I got so tired of reading how many ways they wanted to make love to each other, etc. This is my first Christina Skye experience, and even though I bought several of her books, I'm not very eager to try any others. |
| Patricia Ferguson |
| Keeping the House by Ellen Baker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I cannot put this book down. It is not a mystery, but the author has created such an aura of suspense and intrigue surrounding the history of a dilapidated house that I have to continue reading. It is two stories in one, set during World War I, World War II, and in 1950. Since I am a Boomer I can identify with a lot of the 1950s details. This is a great first book for Ellen Baker. I look forward to reading another one soon! |
| Lindsey |
| Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I love Stephanie Plum, but this "between the numbers" book isn't nearly as good as the real Stephanie Plum novels with Morelli and Ranger. |
| Christina Gould |
| CAPYBOPPY by Bill Peet |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
CAPYBOPPY..love it! |
| Readingrat |
| Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A fun, dark, quirky adventure down the rabbit hole where you find out you're not in Kansas anymore --- you're in London Below. Neil Gaiman is quickly turning into one of my favorite authors. |
| Anne |
| High Season by Jon Loomis |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Police detective Frank Coffin --- retired from the Baltimore police when he began having panic attacks --- now runs the police department in Provincetown, where the major crimes are domestic disputes, break-ins, and bicycle thefts. But now, a vacationing TV evangelist is found dead on the beach. The evangelist was dressed in a pink and yellow muumuu and a pair of size-twelve pumps. When more bodies begin to turn up, it appears a serial killer is on the loose in town. Frank Coffin has to deal with his nightmares, panic attacks, murder, a senile mother, and a girlfriend, who is being stalked. A mystery that is witty, sexy, and well written. |
| Anne |
| The Book of Old Houses by Sarah Graves |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Fixing up old houses is dangerous, especially when you happen to find an old book, one that appears to be written in blood, with your name on it. Jacobia Tiptree left the hazards of Manhattan to live in a centuries-old house in Maine. But she did not expect to find a mysterious stranger with a gun, a murdered book dealer, and a local crazy, who has dealings with black magic. This is a multi-plot novel with humor, great descriptions, wonderful characters, plus good repair advice. |
| Dennis Hotetz (djhllc@aol.com) |
| The Testament by Eric Van Lustbader |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Well written with characters that are well thought out. The book is a little long and monotonous at times. A lack of defined ending is what I expected, given the premise, but it was still entertaining. |
| Dennis Hotetz (djhllc@aol.com) |
| Money Shot by Christa Faust |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Old-fashioned mystery that is very well written and entertaining. One note of caution --- it does contain sexual comments and scenes. Only negative for me was the ending, it was a little disappointing. Overall, a good read that was very hard to put down. |
| Sonya |
| The Perfect Neighbor by Nora Roberts |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Very good book, and I love seeing the MacGregor story continue! |
| Debi |
| Missing Witness by Gordon Campbell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A murder has been committed, and the only people present were a mother, father, and daughter. The father is dead. Told through the eyes of the defense lawyer, the reader is taken through the maze and shades of truth. Will the real murderer please stand up? I couldn't put it down until I found out the truth!! |
| Readingrat |
| Close Kin by Clare Dunkle |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I was a little disappointed with this sequel although young tweeners (the target age range for this book) would probably still enjoy it. The adventure, the suspense, the strong female protagonist --- all the things that caused me to give THE HOLLOW KINGDOM a five-star rating were missing from this sequel. This book was more character driven than the previous, but unfortunately, none of the very abundant characters was ever allowed to develop sufficiently to make the reader care anything about them. |
| trish thomas |
| Overtreated by Sharon Brownlee |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book well fulfills the promise of its title thesis. Brownlee gives examples from several studies, court cases, and personal lives. She tells the story behind the unnecessary Tenet heart operations in Redding, CA, and explains why UCSF, Kaiser, and the Veterans Administration are doing a good job. You will also find out why those briefcases/frisbees/ballpoint pens with the drug companies logos on them are raising your drug prices. It's well written, but unfortunately, there is no bibliography, probably because a lot of it was written from interviews. |
| O.G.B. |
| Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Carleen Brice's critically acclaimed debut novel, ORANGE MINT AND HONEY, is a moving story of the healing, redemption, and transformative potential that often characterize the most challenging mother-and-daughter relationships. I highly recommend this wonderful book! |
| Kathy V. |
| Who's Kitten Who by Cynthia Baxter |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another Reigning Cats and Dogs mystery. This is such a great and fun series what I like best is it takes off where they left you last time so you don't miss a thing. Jessie is off to what she does best but with some new twists this time now she has her own TV show too. |
| Kathy V. |
| Hare Today, Dead Tomorrow by Cynthia Baxter |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is A Reigning Cats and Dogs mystery --- about a woman named Jessie Popper who owns a traveling vet. service. She is a character within herself --- not only does she love animals, several of which she rescues to live with her, but she has a hard time accepting commitment with her great boyfriend. She gets herself in all kinds of trouble, but it's worth the laughs and time to read this one. |
| Joan Woods |
| Hard to Handle by Lori Foster |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book has everything --- romance, humor and a little mystery. It is another great book by Lori Foster. |
| Phyllis |
| Obedience by Will Lavender |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The assignment for Logic and Reasoning 204 is to sort through the clues and find a girl named Polly; if you don't find her in six weeks (the end of the class), she will be killed. Three of the students in the class find their lives taken over by the assignment and wonder if they will survive. A very good psychological thriller from the beginning to the end. |
| Phyllis |
| Mary Modern by Camille Deangelis |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
When a young researcher wants a baby and cannot get pregnant, she decides to clone one using blood from her grandmother's apron. However, she gets not a baby, but a full-grown clone of her grandmother, Mary, will all of Mary's memories. This was an entertaining fantasy of a person reborn into a much changed world and the problems caused for everyone. I hope there is a sequel. |
| Heidi K |
| Ricochet by Sandra Brown |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I did enjoy this book, which took me 3 days to read. |
| Mya Brooks (mya74@myway.com) |
| Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is such a cute book! I'm not really much into chick lit, but this is actually really funny. |
| Debi |
| Thriller by edited by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a collection of suspense/mystery short stories which has been edited by James Patterson. It includes author bios at the end. Although I usually read novels, this book was great because I could sit down, read a great story in thirty minutes, and feel satisfied. The stories are fast-paced and interesting. |
| Rebekah Crain (littleminx@cox.net) |
| The Road by Cormac McCarthy |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This one is well worth the read, despite the depressing overtones and sadness it inspires. If you're like me, you'll even find it a bit inspiring. |
| Bev Follin |
| Desperate Passage by Ethan Rarick |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book is much more than just another retelling of an old story, and goes beyond the sensationalism of its tragic ending. Within these pages, you will find yourself transported into an era of western expansion and gain a better understanding of these normal, everyday pioneers and the decisions that ultimately led to their unfortunate and ill-fated end. |
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
| Sudden Prey by John Sandford |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The description on the book jacket of this 8th book in the series reads, "It begins with a death and ends with one." This was a fantastic book, full of suspense, and is probably the best of the series so far. It took off right from the start with the death of two thieves. The brother and husband of the criminals escape from jail and go after the cops that killed them. I think Sandford did a great job keeping the action going in this one. It never let up. I stayed up late to finish it. Davenport's character was not as stellar as previous books. Davenport is known to be on top of his game, always one step ahead of the criminal. In this book, you see a more vulnerable side of Lucas. I like the fact that Sandford showed this side. It is a nice change. I'm looking forward to continuing this series. |
| Rebekah Crain (littleminx@cox.net) |
| The History of Love by Nicole Krauss |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This was a decent book, but I found it to be confusing at times. There are several different stories and characters that all converge towards the end of the book, and if you can keep things straight until that point you're home free. I even shed a tear at the end. |
| Ozarks Anne |
| Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This non-fiction work was fascinating ---well, actually amazing --- for about the first 150+ pages. But, by then, I had read far more details about long-distance swimming than I ever needed or wanted to know. The final pages actually told about Ms. Cox's swim in Antarctica waters and even though I was in a warm room, I shivered while reading it. |
| dawnymae |
| The Appeal by John Grisham |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A very good Grisham novel. His characters are believable, and the plot is very suspenseful and up to date! His suggestion that judges can be bought by corporate America is very thought provoking. |
| Claudette Flanigan |
| Girls Of Tender Age by Mary-Ann Tirone Smith |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
It really deserves 10 stars! This book is a true story of the murder of a young girl in Hartford, CT in the late 1950s. It's also the story of the author's struggles growing up with an autistic brother. I find myself reading this book slowly because I just don't want it to end. Not a boring page in this book! I highly recommend it. |
| Mel |
| The Experiment by John Darnton |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a really good book that deals with current issues with genetics and cloning, but has the intrigue of any other fictional mystery. I definitely recommend it. |
| Debra Lewis |
| T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Wonderful addition to the Kinsey Millhone series. This book uses double narrators to escalate plot. Grafton is very creative. A winning read! |
| Rebekah Crain (littleminx@cox.net) |
| Crazy in Love by Lani Diane Rich |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Turn to this fun contemporary romance if you're ready for a book you won't want to end. |
| Fran Drukten |
| The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is my second reading in six months, in order to prepare for our book club discussion. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I still couldn't put it down --- again! |
| Fran |
| Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I actually did. I was pleasantly surprised. |
| Carrie |
| The Opposite of Love by Julie Buxbaum |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
While this book is a work of fiction, it rings true for me. I have also had many times of uncertainty, and the true-to-life story really appeals to me. |
| patricia |
| Innocent as Sin by Elizabeth Lowell |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I was disappointed in this novel. It seemed to be written just to crank out another novel. I was bored while reading. |
| Sandra Greathouse (Muzzley56@aol.com) |
| Serpent Box by Vincent Louis Carrella |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
An interesting book about faith and unusual practices of a religion in the Appalachians, that still exists today. Its a little creepy, but I liked this book. |
| Ricki (rickimc@aol.com) |
| Now You See Him by Eli Gottlieb |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
An intriguing, if somewhat depressing tale of family secrets. Gottlieb knows how to suck in a reader. |
| Terri Lannan |
| Rage by Johnathan Kellerman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I really like all of Johnathan's work and this one has not disappointed. |
| F Tessa Bartels |
| The Freedom Writers' Diary by Erin Gruwell and The Freedom Writers |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
An inspiring tale of "at risk" teens who succeed through writing and the guidance of an idealistic teacher who won't accept defeat. After a while the stories seem a bit repetitious but they are heartbreakingly honest nonetheless. |
| Carol Ladd (ladd121@bright.net) |
| Sizzle and Burn by Jayne Ann Krentz |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a third book in a series, but it can be read as stand alone. |
| F Tessa Bartels |
| Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A beautifully written gem of a novel about loneliness and transience. (And, the movie, starring Christine Lahti as Sylvie, is absolutely wonderful.) |
| Julie towson |
| Hotel Riviera by Elizabeth Adler |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A mystery set on the French and Italian Riviera. The descriptions of the area make you feel as if you are there. It's like taking a vacation every time you open the book. |
| Heather in MO |
| Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book makes me want to meditate every day and be thankful for what I have. I like the casual way it is written. It's easy to get lost in this book. I don't want it to end! |
| Lori Barnes (photoquest@bellsouth.net) |
| On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I thought this was a wonderful story. All the characters had a wonderful part to play. The story showed me people really don't know what they want out of life, even as adults, and you can never be to sure how you are going to touch someone's life. It touched on a lot of changes that people go through in their lives and their choices they make and have to play them out. |
| Ron |
| Born Standing Up by Steve Martin |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This memoir covers Steve's early years through his first movie, The Jerk. He faced quite a struggle and almost quit show biz at age 30, before hanging in and finding fame as a unique stand up comedian. He also had a less than perfect relationship with his father, which lasted well into adulthood. This book is full of jokes and descriptions of his early routines and I smiled through 90 percent of it. I wish he hadn't stopped at the beginning of his movie career but hopefully his next book will be a continuation. |
| F Tessa Bartels |
| Step-Ball-Change by Jeanne Ray |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
An easy-to-read diversion about middle-class Southern living --- weddings, elopements, divorces. Enjoyable and fast. |
| Jon W. |
| Stranger in Paradise by Robert B. Parker |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
This is another lame effort by Robert B.Parker. The plot is implausible, as Jesse Stone has an ongoing dialogue and relationship with a known hit man. The usual wide margins and double-spaced sentences make this an easy one day read. That's if you're a slow reader. |
| Linda Scott (scott2@einetwork.net) |
| Stranger in Paradise by Robert B. Parker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the latest in Parker's series about Jesse Stone, the sheriff in Paradise, Mass. He finds himself protecting the object of a hit man's and other low lives's desire to kill. The plot is great and Jesse is again mixed up with his ex-wife, Jenn. |
| booklover |
| Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
After finishing this book, I sent money to the Central Asia Institute so more schools can be built and staffed. This book is will make you think about how we picture other peoples and cultures. Mortenson is presented warts and all, but his compassion and dedication to keeping a promise is moving. |
| book lover in Chicago |
| My SIster's Keeper by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Picoult says people don't read her books a second time. She is wrong! This one is definitely worth a re-read. This time around, I was fascinated by the interactions of the characters. Because I wasn't racing to find out "what happens," I could savor her ability to draw characters and make them real. Is the mother sacrificing one child to save another? What is the lawyer's secret and what lengths does he go to in order to keep it? And why does he bother? The son who is overlooked in the family (and my first read) came alive this time around. Still heart wrenching, though. |
| Barbara B |
| Playing for Pizza by John Grisham |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I have read all of the lawyer "mystery" books by John Grisham and have thoroughly enjoyed them. What a surprise to find myself completely enjoyed a totally different book than his usual genre. The story is about a football quarterback who is not very competent. When no one else wants him, his manager contacts an American coach in Parma, Italy. Rick Dockery goes to play for this team. It is a thoroughly enjoyable story. |
| Geri Dosalua (redpaloma02@yahoo.com) |
| Enter Three Witches by Caroline B. Cooney |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book sheds light on the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. This historical fiction tale is told from the standpoint of lesser characters. It makes the time period and characters come alive. It shows how greed and power brought out the worst in Macbeth. One murder led to another, then another. There are quotes and references to the play. It's a great intro for teens to that time period. Hard to put down! |
| Paula |
| Gringos In Paradise by Barry Golson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A couple in their mid-fifties from New York decides to build a retirement home in Mexico. After doing a lot of research, they choose Sayulita Beach, about 45 minutes away from the popular Puerto Vallarta. The author describes the process of building and learning the culture of local community. I have recommended it to all of my friends who travel and plan to retire in the near future as it is a good planning and guidebook. |
| Carol Ladd (ladd121@bright.net) |
| Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The start of a great paranormal series. |
| Jean |
| Skinny Dip by Carl Hiassen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Fun entertainment. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. This is the first I've read anything by Hiassen. |
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
| The First Patient by Michael Palmer, M.D. |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Palmer takes the most complicated of topics --- nanotechnology --- and weaves it into a modern-day suspense story with live bodiless brains and an underground, secret lab. Throughout the story, the logical part of my mind was screaming this couldn't happen in real life. All the while, the other part of me wondered if it could. The end result had me believing it's a very real possibility. |
| Heather M. |
| Raising Hope by Katie Willard |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A wonderful, well-written book with strong female characters. The ending made me cry. |
| Bridget |
| A Week From Sunday by Dorothy Garlock |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Great literature it's not. But it is a "nice" story with a happy ending. It's the kind of book you know the ending of before you even start it. |
| Carol S |
| Saving Millie by Tina Kotulski |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
The book is very well written and easy to read. It's a very real and graphic account of treating and relating to a schizophrenic parent. Tina's account of her life and different situations that she encountered with her sister is very emotional. I would recommend this book. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Even though this is an old book, the story is compelling. The biggest mystery is why the narrator's name is never given, but the story revolves around the dead Rebecca and how she influences everyone in the story. The description of Manderley makes you enter this world. |
| Maury |
| Dearest Dorothy, Help! I've Lost Myself by Charlene Ann Baumbich |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Pretty good. It is the third in a series. The first one is DEAREST DOROTHY, ARE WE THERE YET? |
| Melissa D |
| Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog by Ted Kerasote |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Anyone who loves dogs will enjoy this heartwarming story. I'm halfway through and don't want it to end! |
| Marsha |
| Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Prepare to laugh out loud at Stephanie Plum's latest caper. It's a between-the-numbers book and only 166 pages, but it is still a romp. Atlantic City will never be the same after the whole crew descend on the place looking for Grandma Mazur. |
| Jennifer Baker |
| Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I enjoyed this book very much. It's not your typical vampire novel. Some parts were very disturbing and it took me a little longer to read it than normal because of it. The US version of the book is called LET ME IN. |
| Bridget |
| Mozart's Sister by Rita Charbonnier |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Sad story about the older sister of Mozart. She was also a child prodigy with great expectations, but their father squashed them, giving all of his attention to his son. |
| Dorothy Flood |
| The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donelly |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the sequel to THE TEA ROSE. I promised you a review a couple of weeks ago, but I didn't think it would take me so long to finish. It was a real page turner, and was just as good as THE TEA ROSE. It was over 700 pages of small print. It continues with Fiona and Joe's story and her search for her brother Charlie, whom she thought was dead until the end of the Tea Rose when she discovered he was still living as a criminal, Sid Malone. It is the story of a woman doctor in the late 1880's trying to start a free clinic in London for the poor and her involvement with Sid. Be sure to read THE TEA ROSE first and then pick up THE WINTER ROSE. The two of them will take you through the rest of the winter. |
| T. Thomas |
| Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
One of the best I've read in a long time. It leaves the possibility of a sequel and I hope there will be one. |
| Susan Blaisdell |
| Chocolat by Joanne Harris |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Absolutely delicious. I'm looking forward to Harris's sequel to this! |
| L. Hann |
| Blow Out by Catherine Coulter |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Great suspense book. It will keep you up at night. |
| Sharon |
| Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The number of stars given was for this being the perfect airplane book. I just took a trip to the Caribbean. On the way down, I had a Philippa Gregory book, which was a poor decision --- the print was too small, and the thread of the story was too difficult to follow with all the interruptions. So, on the way back, I read this book. Perfect. If you have read any of her numbered books, you know the basic characters. The print was large and the plot was easy to follow, despite running for connections and an endless interruptions for out-of-date peanuts. Visiting Stephanie Plum and friends "between the numbers" was a delight. I finished the book about 30 miles from our destination and I spent today washing clothes. I do not have a half-read book to deal with before I face work tomorrow! |
| Mindy L |
| Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Nora Roberts is one of my favorite authors and she never disappoints. This book is the first in another of her trilogies. Three boys take a blood oath on their tenth birthday and somehow unleash an evil being that was kept buried by one of the boys' ancestors. Now on the 7th day of the 7th month of the 7th year, the evil being takes over the town, and its citizens go crazy and commit heinous crimes that they don't remember in the morning. The three boys, now men, and their mates need to find their connection and how to extinguish the evil being. I can't wait for the next two books to find out. |
| L. Hann |
| Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A great book for anyone at any age. It makes you stop and think what you want to do with your life. |
| Fran |
| Forever Lily by Beth Nonte Russell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I really enjoyed the author's experience of going to Hong Kong and unexpectedly finding her daughter. I loved reading about her bonding experience with this baby. The turmoil she experienced with the uncertainty of her friend's decision as well as the legal ramifications of bringing her home sustained the book and kept the pages turning. I could live without her dream sequences and "former life experiences," but they didn't bother me. I was glad that those sections were in italics so I could recognize them and skim through it. I found the parts of the book that depict the Chinese orphanages very sad... and it amazes me that in this day and age so little value is placed on little girls in China. The orphanage she visited was deplorable at best, and she alludes to other orphanages being even worse. |
| Annette Taylor |
| Jacob's Faith by Lora Leigh |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
It's a good book. |
| Pat in MO |
| Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I thought WORLD WITHOUT END was so much better than PILLARS OF THE EARTH. Even though I read it all. The was more in that book than just building. More interaction too. I guess experience makes a difference for Ken Follett. |
| Judy O. |
| L. A. Outlaws by T. Jefferson Parker |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Allison Murietta is a modern day Jesse James and Robin Hood rolled into one. She steals to give to the rich. She steals mostly cars and money, but she becomes inadvertently involved in a high-profile multiple murder case. Allison is also very visible to the media, and there is great speculation about who she really is. Rookie Deputy Charlie Hood is assigned the case, and of course, he falls in love with her --- or is it really her? Good story, but not one of Parker's best in my estimation. |
| Maggie |
| Snowfall at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the fourth book in the Lakeshore Chronicles, and by now I feel like one of the Bellamy family. These are the perfect books to curl up in front of the fire, or lay on a beach to read. |
| Patti D. |
| Holy Fools by Joanne Harris |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A wonderful story taking place in the year 1610. Intrigue, romance, scheming, and controlling in a world different from our own. |
| Readingrat |
| The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Towner Whitney is forced to return to Salem MA, after a 15-year absence when her Great-Aunt Eva goes missing. Once she is back in Salem, Towner soon finds out that she will need to confront the ghosts of her past in order to move on into her future. Through a series of flashbacks and memories, the reader finds out that the Whitney family is not quite what they seem. The story is filled with a cast of eccentric characters --- from Towner's mother May, who refuses to step a foot off the island she lives on, to her uncle Calvin, who has been saved and has started his own religious cult at a local campground, to a collection of witches who seem to have gravitated to Salem because of its historical past. The writing in this story is excellent and there were many features that made this book appeal to me. Each chapter is prefaced with a quote from THE LACE READER'S GUIDE by Eva Whitney, which is a convention I found appealing in itself. However, these little excerpts do more than just introduce the tone of each chapter, They end up providing important foreshadowing of what is to come later. Meanwhile, the true story of Towner's family is revealed to the reader slowly, memory by painful memory, as Towner actually draws her past back to her consciousness out from the mental "lock-box" where she has stored all her Salem memories away. Then, one final twist at the very end of the story makes the reader to want to go back and start the story all over again, re-reading it with the new eyes. This is a great book that will keep you guessing. |
| Pat In MO |
| The River Wife by Jonis Agee |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Good book with flash backs to the time of 1809. |
| Mary |
| Fresh Disasters by Stuart Woods |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Another good Stone Barrington novel. This one has a character from a previous book, Herbie, who decides to sue the Mafia for beating him up when he doesn't pay them the money he owes. |
| Linda |
| The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Poignant story. |
| Lea Ann in Seattle (baxtergr@msn.com) |
| God's Politics by Jim Wallis |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I recently had the privilege of hearing Jim Wallis speak locally. I then read his first book, GOD'S POLITICS, and will soon read his current one, THE GREAT AWAKENING. GOD'S POLITICS warns against churches becoming immersed in secular politics from the pulpits and the pews. He encourages people of faith to put feet to their faith, as it were, and to not judge nor condemn those with whom they do not theologically agree. A thoughtful book, one more of us can benefit from reading. |
| Lea Ann in Seattle (baxtergr@msn.com) |
| The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This young adult book is a National Book Award winner. As a great-grandmother, I found it spoke to me also about the life "we" have created for Indians on the reservations. I would recommend it to readers of all ages. |
| Lea Ann in Seattle (baxtergr@msn.com) |
| A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
My son gave me a gift of six books by first-time authors to be delivered every other month this year from one of our fine independent book stores. The first book to arrive was A GOLDEN AGE. The story takes place during Pakistan's war in the early 1970 as Bangladesh fights for its freedom. We learn the cost of war to the fighters and to the inhabitants of war-torn areas. We learn that the human emotional toll is sometimes as wrenching as the physical toll on those who take up weapons of war. Mothers are especially vulnerable. |
| Christy |
| The Devil's Bones by Jefferson Bass |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the 3rd book in a series. It has good characters, murder, and mystery. |
| Christy |
| Thugs and Kisses by Sue Ann Jaffarian |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This 3rd book in the series is engaging, and you feel like you are in the story yourself. Jaffarian gets better with each book. Check out all three! |
| Readingrat |
| Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A heart-wrenching story of friendship between two ladies in 19th-century China. The author did a wonderful job of bringing not only her characters to life, but also painting a picture of the life of a woman in traditional Chinese society. |
| Readingrat |
| All the Numbers by Judy Merrill Larsen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This amazing debut novel plunges the reader into the depths of a mother's grief. The emotions are incredibly real and believable. I don't think I've cried this much over a book ever before in my life. |
| Carol Eanes |
| Double Cross by james Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
As usual, Patterson has written another "can't put it downer!" |
| Stella |
| Happy Endings by Sally Quinn |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Reminds me of a big soap opera revolving around Washington, DC. Sadie and Allison are two ladies in their 40s who seem to know their way around the capitol city and can make it on their own when they have to do. There are lots of details, and the story is sort of slow moving. |
| Kimberly B. |
| Twilight by Stephenie Meyer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This popular book offers an original take on the vampire romance. When Bella moves to the small town of Fork, Washington to live with her father, she finds herself obsessed with the mysterious Edward, a vampire. Where Meyer shines is in her treatment of the balance of romance and risk in Bella and Edward's relationship. Edward is a seductive character, and the supporting characters, Alice and Jacob, were also quite appealing. Bella narrates her tale with a fine self-deprecating voice; however, I found her unwillingness to open up to any of the classmates who were so friendly to her a bit alienating. She has an obvious charisma that draws people to her, but it didn't come across to this reader. I am hoping she may improve in subsequent volumes. |
| ck |
| Run by Ann Patchett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Snow and cold play a major role in RUN. And, I read the book on a couple of snowy, cold nights. An eleven-year-old girl is left standing on the snow-covered sidewalk. Her mother was taken away in an ambulance after she pushed a college student out of the path of an SUV on a cold winter night in Cambridge. The injured boy and his family take the child with them to the hospital. And a fascinating story begins with twists in the plot and wonderful characters to keep one turning the pages --- underneath a warm quilt, of course. |
| Shannon |
| Five Days in Summer by Kate Pepper |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is written in a style similar to Mary Higgins Clark or Donna Anders. It's a great fem-jep book that has me turning pages! Spooky! The first sentence is: Five syringes lined the bleach-clean counter. |
| Joan O. |
| Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the first book in a trilogy and I can't wait for the next one to be available. |
| Sandra |
| Double Cross by James Patterson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Alex Cross rejoins the DC police force to confront two of the most diabolical killers he's ever encountered. Are they working together? If you are a James Patterson fan, you will love this one. |
| Kay Keller |
| The Book Thief by Markus Zusak |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
If I could give this book 6 stars, I would!! It is so original and compelling. The imagery is amazing. Word lovers and book lovers everywhere are in for a real treat with this one! |
| Nancy Yinger Noyes |
| Beginner's Greek by James Collins |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This romantic comedy was a page turner from the very beginning. Collins is a bit heavy handed with his characters --- either black or white --- but the sum total of the novel is pure enjoyment. I particularly enjoy reading debut novels and this one did not disappoint. |
| Pamela (mailcatz@aol.com) |
| Duma Key by Stephen King |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Stephen King sure can tell a story. I think sometimes he gets bogged down in the details and makes the book more ponderous than it needs to be, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Loved the characters and the setting. |
| Gina |
| Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A great book that anyone who has ever worked in an office environment can easily relate to. It's full of both humorous and poignant depictions of work and personal lives of various coworkers. Highly recommended. |
| Dorothy Lechmanick |
| Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Sue tells us about her search for the sacred feminine --- the stages she went through in sorting out her thoughts and feelings about escaping from the dominance of the male hierarchy in her life. This is a very thought-provoking book. |
| Christy |
| They Did It With Love by Kate Moregenroth |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I was disappointed because the writing was drawn out, and I figured out who did it. I had a hard time telling the characters apart for the first half of the book. |
| Anna in TN |
| Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodgreguez |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A very readable account of the women in Kabul who attend a beauty school started by the author. Learning about their culture and the lack of regard for women there makes you happy to live in the US. I wish the book had pictures, though I did look it up on the Internet and find some. |
| Lorna |
| The Summer I Dared by Barbara Delinsky |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I did enjoy this story about a womon who arrives on Sawyer Island to visit her aunt for 2 weeks. But, a tragic boating accident changes everything. The book was very predictable so that's why I only rated it 3 stars. If there had been a twist or a surprise ending, I would have given it more. |
| KG |
| Wonderful Tonight by Pattie Boyd |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
As a Beatles Fan from the 60s, I found this book to be so interesting, with the story Pattie tells of her relationships/friendships with her two husbands, and also so many of the famous figures of the 1960s and 1970s. It gives insight into what went on "behind the scenes" in those times. |
| Karen F. |
| Whistling in the Dark by Lesley Kagen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Wonderful story written with enough wit that you find yourself smiling at the thoughts and ideas of a ten-year-old girl in the 50s. It's an easy read that draws you in and keeps those pages turning. Very enjoyable. |
| Karen F. |
| Loving Frank by Nancy Horan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Even if you're not a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright, you will love this novel. It's a powerful love story and does not disappoint the reader. I love this book! |
| Dani |
| Snowfall at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love the Lakeside Chronicles, and this one did not disappoint. |
| Richard Bartels |
| Plan of Attack by Bob Woodward |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Great reporting on the behind-the-scenes decision making that led up to the War in Iraq. The book ends with the first strike, and the epilogue takes us just a month or two into the war. I'd like to see more discussion on the religious factions that we now recognize as so important to this endeavor. |
| F Tessa Bartels |
| The Doctor Makes a Dollhouse Call by Robin Hathaway |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is the 2d in a series of cozy mysteries starring Andrew Fennimore, M. D. They're not terribly inventive, but are a nice diversion. |
| baker7 |
| 7th Heaven by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is, by far, the best in the Women's Murder Club. I read the entire book in one evening --- that sure is an easy read! |
| Renee (tfranzen2124@comcast.net) |
| No Dark Place by Joan Wolf |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A good Medieval mystery. |
| Lorna |
| The Dead of Summer by Camilla Way |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I only read 45 pages of this 200-page book, and that was enough for me. The story takes place in London. I couldn't follow the language --- there were too many words I didn't know. Its about a murder that took place years earlier, and I guess the witness is telling the story. I'm really not sure about that. I just felt I was wasting my time, so its going back to the library today. |
| JustOneMoreChapter |
| The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I happened upon THE TEA ROSE last week; I started reading it and couldn't put it down. When I found out it was the first in a trilogy, I quickly purchased THE WINTER ROSE and discovered it was as intriguing as the first! I can't wait for the third book to be written and released! |
| Lynn Tamms |
| What The Dead Know by Laura Lippman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The mystery of this book is the most gripping one I've read in a long time. Every time I thought I had it figured out, I was taken in a new direction. Laura Lippman's writing is absolutely the best. I was hooked from the first paragraph. |
| Coral |
| Smoke, Mirrors and Murder by Ann Rule |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The latest book about true crime written by Ann Rule. It is about cases that are really old and one that happened last year. |
| Jennifer H. (coldmamajenn@yahoo.com) |
| Various by Charlaine Harris |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
About two months ago I picked up Dead to the World, the fourth installment in her Southern Vampire series from my local library. I couldn't put it down; it seemed like there wasn't a moment something wasn't happening, and I ended up staying up all night to finish it. I have since read every book in the series that they had, and some of her other novels, and had the same reaction. She is such a great writer. Sometimes you can pick up on what's going to happen, but she adds so many twists that you don't get bored. I am in the process of buying the Vampire series so I can read all of them. They are must haves for all paranormal fans! |
| Coral |
| Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a memoir about hard times and high spirits during the Great Depression. LITTLE HEATHENS by by Kalish starts when she is 5 years old, when her father does something so bad her grandfather made her mother divorce him and he is never heard from again. She and her brothers, sister and mother go to live with her mother's parents in Iowa. It is a well-written, easy-to-read book about those times, and if you are old enough to remember, it brings back memories no matter where you lived. Otherwise, you will enjoy reading about it. |
| Allison B. |
| Table for Five by Susan Wiggs |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a great book! The story is somewhat predictable, but the characters are interesting and likable. I highly recommend it. |
| Sal Williams |
| Wish You Well by David Baldacci |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
If you were raised "country," you will really enjoy this study of rural life. There's even a good court case included...country style, of course. The characters are heartwarming and well drawn, and the story line will pluck at your emotions. A very satisfying read. |
| Christina Watson |
| Brother Odd by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Love it...Thanks for the contest!! I love to read!! |
| Reva Wamsley (prwamsley@roadrunner.com) |
| The Romanov Prophecy by Steve Berry |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I had trouble getting into this book but about halfway through, it started getting interesting and then I couldn't wait to finish it. The Russians want to bring back someone of Romanov blood to be the tzar of Russia. The commission has someone picked out that they think they can control. While doing research, Miles Lord, an American lawyer, finds evidence that there may be a direct descendant. He meets a Russian acrobat, and the two of them find clues that lead them to the United States. |
| F Tessa Bartels |
| In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Compelling fictionalized story of "las Mariposas" --- sisters who "died in a car accident" but were actually murdered for opposing the Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic. I'd give it 5 stars for the story and gripping emotion, but I'm not sure she fully succeeds in giving each sister a unique voice. |
| Joanne (jafriday@windstream.net) |
| The Alibi by John Grisham |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Grisham's style is few words. I like the wit of the narrative. This seems to be a story of the power of money. Some have way too much and others barely get by. |
| Allison B. |
| Outlander by Diana Gabaldon |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I am still reading this book but am enjoying it, though it is very long. It is my book club's selection for this month and is a good book to escape into. |
| JaneAnn Railey |
| gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Please don't get upset with me for not capitalizing 'God' in the title, because I think it's not meant to be God above. Anyway, the book was different, but it held my interest. I think it was more the writing than the story that was so different for me. At same time, I picked up her other book and I hope I am not sorry. It must be better or won't pick up any more. I don't mean to say don't try it, I've read worse by far. |
| Thomas |
| Edge of Evil by J. A. Jance |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Things aren't going well for Ali Reynolds. First, she loses her job as a TV anchorperson, then she learns that her best friend has died mysteriously. Finally, she learns that her husband has been cheating on her with two other women. So, she heads to Sedona to get away from hubby, file for divorce, and begins to investigate the death of her friend, who police are too quickly writing off as a suicide. This is an exciting, fast-paced read. |
| Charlene Mielke (RMielke573@aol.com) |
| 7th Heaven by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love all of Patterson's books, but this one was especially good. I like the way he writes in short chapters. You can read him any time you have a moment and not be lost in a chapter. It was a very "can't put down" book. |
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
| Bones To Pick by Carolyn Haines |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This 6th book in the Sarah Booth series was an interesting mystery. This is the first book of this series I have read, and it wasn't bad. The main characters are Tinkie and Sarah Booth, PIs who are trying to prove innocence. Allison has been accused of murdering her lesbian lover, Quinten. Tinkie and Sarah try to find the real killer. The mystery is unraveled along with the personal lives of Tinkie and Sarah. The writing style is witty and fun, with southern flair. I enjoyed it and I have already ordered the 1st in the series. |
| Kathy |
| Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Another good Temperance Brennan novel. I have enjoyed this character and her cohorts in previous books and this is no exception. A fun, fast read that keeps you guessing. A good, solid mystery. |
| Kathryn M. |
| The Best of Friends by Sara James and Ginger Mauney |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love this book. I love books about friendships, and the travels and lives of these women are interesting and exciting. |
| Marion Miller (lamamil@aol.com) |
| A Million Nightingales by Susan Straight |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Slavery in Louisiana is portrayed by a gifted writer. The patois of the era is convincing and the characters unforgettable. |
| D. Lohrding |
| The Shack by William P. Young |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Faith, anger, mystery, and God are the components in this fictional story. This book has heart-cheers and heart-aches; a very good read! |
| Christy H. |
| Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Once again, Ms. Meyer has written a suspenseful and compelling sequel in theTwilight series that will have you devouring all 629 pages as quickly as possible. Set in the town of Forks, Washington, Ms. Meyer's descriptions are so vivid that I feel like I'm there. Her characters are so colorful that they feel like real people that you honestly believe in and care about. I'll admit that although this book was thoroughly satisfying, it was also somewhat heartbreaking and I found myself brought to tears with the emotional situation between Bella, Edward and Jacob. I'm anxiously awaiting the fourth installment of this series to be released in August, and I have already pre-ordered BREAKING DAWN. |
| RossRN |
| The Machiavelli Covenant by Allan Folsom |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
The story was creative and moved along at a good pace, but I was a bit disappointed in the ending, as a few loose ends were left. I'm quite certain this was for the purpose of a sequel, but I like everything neatly wrapped up in the end. Viewing others' ratings I'm probably being hard on Folsom, but I'm considering 5 a classic, 4 best at the time, 3 good and worthwhile, 2 alright and 1 don't bother. |
| Thomas |
| Voodoo River by Robert Crais |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Actress Jodi Taylor, who was given up for adoption shortly after she was born, hires detective Elvis Cole to track down her biological parents. Cole goes to the Louisiana bayou country where he finds that someone else has been on the trail. Some of the people he meets are friendly and helpful, others are belligerent and downright hostile. Soon Cole realizes that he is on more than a simple adoption inquiry. An enjoyable, fast read. |
| Debbie Deskin |
| Souvenir by Therese Fowler |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is such a touching story that is so well written. My only complaint was that I did not have the tissues ready. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. |
| Debbie (deble_2000@yahoo.com) |
| Paper Hearts by Debrah Williamson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
15-year-old Chancy Deel arrives in Oklahoma in need of a helping hand, and she gets it from Max --- a cranky 83-year- old man. After losing his wife, Adult Protective Services is convinced that Max needs assisted living. He wakes up one morning to find Chancy asleep in his old Lincoln. Read their delightful tale of love and coming-of-age. Great story! There are second chances in life! |
| Lynn Clifford |
| Loving Frank by Nancy Horan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
LOVING FRANK is one of my favorite books. This is the story of a love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and the wife of one his clients. The period details woven into true emotion yield historical fiction at its best. |
| Mary Jo Whitehead |
| A Year Without "Made in China" by Sara Bongiorni |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a true story about a family that decides to go for 1 year without purchasing anything that was made in China. It really makes you think about everything you buy. It is amazing how just about anything you buy is made in China. |
| Lynn Clifford |
| Playing for Pizza by John Grisham |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Pick up this book if you are looking for something fluffy to read at the beach. It's not a typical Grisham Novel, but more like the "I need to churn out a book" version. You may enjoy it if you love descriptions of Italian food and football plays. |
| Joan |
| The Appeal by John Grisham |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
In a small town in Mississippi, people are dying from drinking the water. A local company is on trial for contaminating the water supply. This is not Grisham's best legal thriller --- too much legal jargon, and I got confusing at times --- but I wanted to read on to see how the trial ended. |
| Christy |
| Souvenir by Therese Fowler |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The first 100 pages to a while to get moving, but then the story picked up speed. It had a sad ending. Check it out from the library. |
| Ivy |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
An absolutely enlightening and heart-wrenching story about another culture and two lives who are bound together with ties stronger than war and deprivation. This illustrates how the human spirit can live in spite of every atrocity bestowed upon its physical existence. |
| Jane (JerJanKel@aol.com) |
| The Golden Age by Tahmima Anam |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A beautiful story set during a war about a mother's love and what a she will do for a child. I later found out it was based on an actual story of this author's aunt and nephew. I wish she had added that at the end --- it would have made it even more meaningful. |
| linda ann (pinkheart4455@yahoo.com) |
| Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder by Ann Rule |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love Ann Rule's true crime books. |
| Linda Ann (pinkheart4455@yahoo.com) |
| Damaged by Cathy Glass |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book is about foster mother, caring for an 8-year-old who was sexually abused by her father for years. |
| Linda Ann (pinkheart4455@yahoo.com) |
| Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
Sorry, I didn't like this at all. I can't believe I even read it. |
| Margaret Ball |
| The Fattening of America by Eric A. Finkelstein & Laurie Zuckerman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Author Eric A. Finklestein sorts out the pros and cons of what is making not only Americans fat, but why the whole world's population is getting obese. THE FATTENING OF AMERICA holds everyone accountable for the weight gain of the entire world. The author cites lack of exercise, super-sized high calorie fast foods, gourmet meals, and sitting behind desks all day. Those factors coupled with the boob tube and video games have fattened every culture in the world, leaving us with bulging waistlines. Our nation's children are shockingly unfit, as they tend to do indoor activities instead of outdoor active play. It is cheaper to eat calorie-laden foods rather than fresh foods because they are cheaper than fresh fruits and vegetables. Farmers are subsidized to plant wheat and corn, so many other crops are not raised, thus raising the prices. The use of high fructose corn syrup used to make soft drinks and sweet foods (cake, cookies, pies) is addictive because your body does not digest it as readily as it does sugar, creating a craving that is never quite satisfied. Sugar, which your body can easily metabolize, is substituted with high fructose corn syrup because is cheaper and lengthens the shelf life of dry goods. Another contributing factor is the use of medicine that often has the side effect of adding unwanted pounds. Many common drugs that we use daily have this effect upon the human body. While a person can choose not to eat high calorie foods, it is often hard to eliminate medicines. Solutions have been pondered, such as imposing a fat tax (putting extra cents on junk food), making communities more walking friendly. I believe that there will be no easy solution. it will take a lot of effort both from the individual that suffers from obesity and the government. Finklestein raises many valid points and has offered a lot of insight on the obesity problem. In fact, there are so many points that you must really read this book to understand the scope of the Fat problem. |
| Jane (JerJanKel@aol.com) |
| Walt Disney by Neil Gabler |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A very detailed biography of Walt Disney, the man, not the empire. I found it fascinating and eye opening. There were also interesting tidbits about the origins of some of his cartoon 'children'. |
| Jane (JerJanKel@aol.com) |
| Now You See Him by Eli Gottlieb |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I really loved this book. It was a quick but memorable read. |
| Pam Huxtable |
| Journey Through Britain by John Hillaby |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Author John Hillaby takes us on a walking tour of Britain from Land's End in Cornwall to John O'Groats in Scotland. I am really enjoying Hillaby's portraits of the villages and towns he passes through on his trip. This book has aged well, but I fear the Britain Hillaby describes is no more. This books has become a delightful period piece. |
| Dodalodle from Beautiful British Columbia |
| Enemies of the Heart by Rebecca Dean |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is definitely a 5-star book! ENEMIES OF THE HEART is an amazing story that starts off in 1909 in Berlin. English cousins Zelda and Vicky meet two brothers from the Remer family while visiting Berlin. They each marry a brother and have to adjust to their new lives in Germany. Vicky finds out that the House of Remer is producing weapons for the German army and when World War 1 breaks out she leaves with her children to go back to England while Zelda remains in Berlin with her children. Zelda loves her new life in Germany and is thrilled to blend into Berlin's high society. This story takes the reader through two wars and how love and betrayal tear their family apart. |
| Kathy Boucher (kboucher@cableone.net) |
| March by Geraldine Brooks |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Remember LITTLE WOMEN, and the fact that the father was not in the story, as he was off in the Civil War? This is his story, written in the first person as he serves as an idealistic chaplain in the Union Army, and the experiences and emotional ups and downs he goes through. A truly original, marvelous tale! |
| Fran |
| The Myth of You and Me by Leah Stewart |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A complex novel of friendship, in all its glory and flaws. I enjoyed this book. |
| Kathryn |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is one of the most well-written books I have ever read, especially in the way events are intertwined and there are even some surprises in the end. The characters are formed well and I would recommend this book to anyone. |
| T. Thomas |
| The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I've almost finished this book. It is somewhat interesting, but rather dry. |
| Vicki C |
| The Appeal by John Grisham |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is in anticipation of my new book that I got last night. My weekend read. Can't wait! |
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
| Disasters and Heroic Rescues of Florida by E. Lynne Wright |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I picked this book up from the Astronaut Hall of Fame. It looked so interesting, I started reading it on the way home. Wright gives a brief overview of about 20 tragedies that have occurred in various parts of Florida. Beginning with The Wreck of the Plate Fleet in 1715 and ending with the 4 hurricanes that hit the Gulf Coast in 2004. I was definitely educated while reading this book. I do remember hearing about the NASA tragedies, as well as, the hurricanes. I was not aware of the collapse of the Skyway Bridge or the Condominium collapse, among others. Although there were some editing issues with this book, I am glad I read this. It definitely added to my trip. |
| Anne |
| Stranger In Paradise by Robert B. Parker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Police Chief Jesse Stone, has a problem with alcohol and with women. When a hitman comes to him for help in finding a missing girl, Jesse finds himself in league with the devil. Jesse must protect his ex-wife, deal with a Latino gang, protect a hitman who will not kill women, and save a young girl's life. This is great writing and a fast-paced, multi-plotted mystery. Robert Parker at his best. |
| Carmelita Peters |
| The Clerk's Tale by Margaret Frazer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Life in England in the 1400s is seen through the eyes of Dame Frevisse, a nun at St. Frideswides. There is always a mystery in this series, as well as vivid descriptions of life at that time. The series begins with THE SERVANT'S TALE and there are 12+ books following it. I love the six I have already read! |
| Cassie |
| The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a book that anyone can apply to his or her life. It is a way of looking at life. The insight that this author has into human nature is amazing. I recommended it to my daughter and she loved it too. It's the kind of a book that you want to reread. |
| Eileen (eqkmath@gmail.com) |
| The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another 5-star book. It's really great for young adult audience. THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME is a heartwarming story of a boy who has to put up with adults who are not really adults! He is a math genius and is able to do a great deal for himself as a young person, but the author tells of what it is like for a young person to put up with so many personal changes. This book really understands the dilemmas of a child with OCD and what that means to carrying out all of life's tasks. Brilliant! |
| Pam (ppfqp@aol.com) |
| Cold Feet by Elise Juska, et al |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Short stories from popular authors make COLD FEET a tasty treat. They are all about brides confronting their impending weddings and facing a decision about whether to follow through or run away. Each of the stories is individually delicious, and well-crafted with relatable characters. |
| Wendy |
| Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the story of a young girl growing up less than poor in the South and how she manages to overcome adversity and make a new life for herself. I was in tears one minutes and laughing the next. It's an older book, recommended by Oprah, that I've been meaning "to get to". Finally I did it! |
| Jane (JerJanKel@aol.com) |
| Beautiful Children by Charles Bock |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I almost gave this a five, but it was so depressing that I just couldn't make up my mind on the rating. It was a starkly true story of children on the streets, which is frightening for a mother to read. It's very well written and researched. |
| Michelle |
| The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnely |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This seemed a bit complicated, at first because there were too many characters to keep straight. Now am 1/2 way through and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. |
| Ivy |
| Cotton Song by Tom Bailey |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A sad story of how injustice seems to win over justice until each subtle shift manages to make things right. |
| Pam (ppfqp@aol.com) |
| School of Fortune by Amanda Brown and Janice Weber |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
The hilarious depiction of an over-the-top socialite wedding extravaganza comes to a screeching halt when the festivities are canceled because the groom is not what he seems. As the bride picks up the pieces and finds herself, her adventures continue. |
| Meg |
| Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I loved the story of the give and take of a long, true friendship between two women --- warts and all. The ending was difficult, but fitting. |
| Meg |
| Paging Aphrodite by Kim Green |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I loved this depiction of the lives and journeys of women at different stages of life and how they become intertwined. |
| Kathryn Andrews (txtiger02@msn.com) |
| Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
An extremely interesting book on the floral industry, from start with Dutch bulbs as currency to modern-day Dutch daily market sales throughout the entire world. She covers every side of the business, and every chapter is full of more fascinating info! |
| Amee |
| La Maravilla by Alfredo Vea Jr. |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
The story is interesting and the whole book would be wonderful if certain things were left out. Describing how prostitutes conduct business was slightly disturbing, and a few other scenes really turned me off the book. I am by no means a prude, but reading this book made me feel like one, lol. |
| Amee |
| The Promised Land by Mary Antin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Very compelling writing. The descriptions are amazing. The book really makes you think. It's slow to start, but once you get into it, it flies. |
| Karen B. |
| Silent in The Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
In this second book of the Lady Jane Grey series, Lady Jane returns home from her European break to celebrate and discover detective Nicholas Brisbane staying with her family. Murder occurs and the two investigate. Very well written. |
| Janet |
| Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About by Mil Millington |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I picked this up because he was recommended by Christopher Moore, who is one of my favorite authors. He has a similar, zany sense of humor, only from a Brit perspective. |
| Jane (JerJanKel@aol.com) |
| The Appeal by John Grisham |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I thought this book would be similar to his "can't put it down" early legal thrillers like THE FIRM and A TIME TO KILL, and I'm sorry to find that it wasn't. There was interesting information about how The Supreme Court works, but this was not his best. |
| Mark |
| The Anatomy of Deception by Lawrence Goldstone |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Lifelike portrait of 1889 Philadelphia with a mystery that keeps you guessing. |
| Gail |
| The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Many people I know have raved about this, telling me it is the best book they have ever read. Well, the size of it is daunting, at over 600 pages. I am on page 200 and it has taken me a bit to get into the story. The historical inaccuracies are bothersome. I will reserve final judgment until I am finished but I can say that I will read it to the end. |
| Metalfiend in Rocksprings, TX (metalfiend11@yahoo.com) |
| The End of the Alphabet by C. S. Richardson |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
When a man is diagnosed with a fatal illness, he decides he and his wife should travel the world and see cities and countries for each letter of the alphabet. Not one of the best books I've read. |
| Gale |
| L. A. Outlaws by T. Jefferson Parker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Parker is a master at making his readers deeply care about different characters, and L. A.OUTLAWS has some truly unique ones. All these people are flawed and involved in normal activities, as well as Parker's fantastically imaginative plotline on outlaws and heists. This is an excellent book. |
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
| Down to a Sunless Seas by Mathias Freese |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
DOWN TO A SUNLESS SEA is a great collection of dark, offbeat stories by the gifted and award-winning author, Mathias B. Freese. While this might not be everyone's type of read, for those of you who like it or want to expand your reading, I highly recommend it. |
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
| Complete Idiot's Guide to Enhancing Sexual Des by Judy Ford & Rachel Greene Baldino |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I highly recommend this book to all couples, no matter which stage of the relationship you're in. It's a non-threatening way to put some va-va-voom into your relationship. And can't we all use at least a little bit of that? |
| Venessa |
| The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I typically don't read historical fiction, but this book has changed that. I loved it! I now have three other Philippa books on my shelf waiting to be read. Highly recommend it! |
| Christy H. |
| New Moon by Stephenie Meyer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
After reading TWILIGHT, I was thrilled to start NEW MOON right where the previous book had left off. This book has a wonderful plot, full of action and suspense, and plenty of emotional upheaval. I found myself so pulled in and caught up in the lives of the characters and the story that I was unable to put this book down, and then I couldn't wait to get started on the next installment in the series. |
| Christy H. |
| Trap Door by Sarah Graves |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This 10th installment in the Home Repair Is Homicide series is a terrific, well-crafted mystery. Jacobia does what she does best --- snooping and repairing her old house. Every time I read one of Ms. Graves stories, I want to visit Jacobia and the rest of the quirky characters from Eastport, Maine. I can't wait to read the next book in this wonderful series. |
| Christy H. |
| Unhinged by Sarah Graves |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
UNHINGED is full of mystery and suspense with an interesting plot and storyline. Ms. Graves's descriptions of Eastport are so vivid that I feel like I live there and her characters are thoroughly enjoyable. This 6th book in the Home Repair Is Homicide series was an excellent read and I recommend it highly. |
| Christy H. |
| Tool & Die by Sarah Graves |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This eighth book in the Home Repair is Homicide mystery series is a wonderful addition to Jacobia's adventures. It's filled with twists and turns, lovable characters and a great storyline. A quick and enjoyable read! |
| Metalfiend in Rocksprings, TX (metalfiend11@yahoo.com) |
| Night Shift by Stephen King |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is one of Stephen King's earlier collections of short stories. It's really good although, some of the endings left me hanging. |
| Robin from Barrington (robinleigh3@hotmail.com) |
| Helping Me Help Myself by Beth Lisick |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a very humorous book about a year spent trying to improve the author's life by reading and attending various self help authors' seminars. Maybe it's because the author is around my age that I could relate to a lot of what she wrote and the pop culture references she made, but I can't stop suggesting this to everyone I see! |
| Amy Borawski |
| 7th Heaven by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love James Patterson, and once again, he doesn't disappoint. The Women's Murder Club is a great series. I can't wait to read #8. |
| Terry Hovekster |
| Honor Denied by Karl Metzger |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
HONOR DENIED is a meaningful title for this book. I always believed the German soldiers of World War II were nothing but brutal killing machines until I read this. This book takes a kid of 17 years and throws him in the German military at the height of the war. He explains the reasons for the war and boldly admits he believes in the struggle, but he remains a kid. Metzger gave me a lot of insight into a German soldier's life --- and his accounts were nothing like I've been led to believe about the German SS. He admits the war is lost in 1943, and by that time he's trying to do nothing else but stay alive to see its end. He confesses to having served the Nazi Party, but his own realization of war crimes brought him guilt. I think this work is outstanding because Metzger had pure talent at drawing pictures of his recollections for his readers. This is not a book about the politics of World War II Germany, nor is it about the Holocaust. I found this book to be a soldier's story, and from what I read, Metzger transcended the social and political levels. Through his accounts you can stay in focus and keep in mind he was a German solder, or you can let yourself go and for a moment think he's on the front lines in Iraq. Again, this book isn't about politics. It's about a soldier. I found the text smooth and gripping. I came away from this book with a refined opinion of war. |
| Kathleen Shattuck |
| The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I am re-reading these because they are fun and hilarious. They keep me sane when I am stressed out. |
| Christy H. |
| Twilight by Stephenie Meyer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book was given to me as a gift and I put off reading it, not really expecting to like it. Wow! Was I ever wrong! From the first page, I was hooked and could not put it down until I had read the whole book. Extremely well written with vivid descriptions, great dialogue, fascinating characters, romance, fantasy and realism --- this book has it all! What an extraordinary start for the Twilightseries! |
| Sandy O |
| The Kindness of Strangers by Katrina Kittle |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a compelling story about a family that takes in a child who was sexually abused by his father. It is told through the eyes of the child and each family member. |
| karin |
| The Blood King by Gail Z. Martin |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Gail Z. Martin's book, THE BLOOD KING, is a formulaic fantasy, but she pulls you in, and doesn't let you go until the end. I read her first book, THE SUMMONER in one night. I couldn't wait for this second book in the Necromancer Chronicles to come out, and it starts where the first book left off. I recommend this to anyone who loves a good fantasy. |
| Louise Pledge |
| Dead Right by Brenda Novak |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The last book in the Stillwater Trilogy, I was sorry to finish and leave the Montgomery family behind. One thing that sets these suspense novels apart from many others is that we know who the killer is almost from the beginning. The trick is not letting anyone else find out! I highly recommend these three books. |
| S.W. |
| Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A great read. |
| Cynthia Baxter |
| The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Capella does for Italian food what Joanne Harris did for chocolate. Love and pasta...what else do you need? Beautifully written! |
| Betty B |
| The First Patient by Michael Palmer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love medical mysteries, especially by this author because he continues to include new medical procedures in his writings. |
| BettyB |
| The Fug Awards by Heather Cocs and Jessica Morgan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book is hilarious, especially when you don't have enough concentration to read a more serious book. The picture and write-ups are funny beyond belief and can make you feel great on any day of your life. |
| Betty Antibus |
| The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A gripping mystery. I like the way that Detective Bosch gets his answers. |
| Jen Mulsow |
| Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
It is a very interesting concept of children who are born to be organ donors. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A look at a politician's life and the role of a wife. Delia seems so needy and willing to accept Tom's scraps of love --- it seems so sad. Enter Meri, a new wife and mother, who watches Tom after a stroke. It's a little sad, almost like the last scene from THE GRAPES OF WRATH. |
| Christy H. |
| Megan's Mark by Lora Leigh |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Once again, Ms. Leigh has delivered with another fast-paced, action-packed, erotic, paranormal thriller. Boy, that's a mouthful. The suspense is great and the characters are wonderful. This deliciously sexy read can be a stand alone, but if you haven't read the Breed series yet, this is a great place to start. |
| Carol B |
| The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A wonderful and true story. Jeannette writes of her youth with a drunk for a father who has great ideas and dreams but can't hold a job, and a mother with strange values who would rather stay home and paint than work to feed her four kids. She and her siblings fare remarkably well, adapting at times to near-starvation and life in ramshackle conditions. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. |
| Judy O. (joswood@msn.com) |
| Gardens of Water by Alan Drew |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book is about a clash of cultures between a Kurdish family and an American family in a small town near Istanbul, Turkey. A terrible earthquake has occurred, and the families are living in a tent camp after their homes are destroyed. The Kurdish teenage girl and the American teenage boy are drawn to each other, and that is a no-win situation from the start. This is Drew's first, but hopefully not last, novel. |
| Jo in CA |
| Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
While reading this, you will laugh out loud and feel total empathy, as well as want to keep reading to find out what happens next. We read this for our book club and everyone enjoyed it. |
| Jessica A. |
| Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book will definitely get you thinking in ways you wouldn't have thought. It tells the the story through the eyes of everyone affected. It was very well written and deserves to be recognized. I recommend this book to everyone, especially fans of Jodi Picoult. |
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
| The Lady of Roses by Sandra Worth |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Sandra Worth threads together the most bittersweet love story since Romeo and Juliet. Her love for this time period shines through with her carefully sketched characters. |
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
| Wild Wild West by Charlene Teglia |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is my very first erotica romance. Don't get me wrong, I've read some pretty darn steamy romances. With Charlene Teglia's book, I actually walked away with more knowledge than I started. |
| Anne |
| Dark Aura by Diana O'Hehir |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
DARK AURA is a mystery novel that is suspenseful, witty, and delightful. Carla Day is a part-time deputy sheriff in a small town. The town of Stanton's Mill is populated with aging hippies, who are either high or have memory problems do to drug abuse. Professor Day, Carla's father, has Alzheimer's. Now, a child is dead and more may be missing. Carla must find the answers from those who have lost touch with reality. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| Who's Kitten Who by Cynthia Baxter |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another installment in the Reigning Cats and Dogs Mysteries series. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| Candy Apple Dead by Sammi Carter |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a Candy Shop Mystery --- a great story PLUS candy recipes are included!! |
| Fran |
| What Girls Learn by Karin Cook |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A wonderful, at times, heartbreaking coming-of-age story of a young girl, whose mother is diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. This engaging novel depicts the relationship between sisters, daughters and mothers and the integration of a step-dad into the home. At times, it was heartbreaking, and other times it was funny and sweet. I really enjoyed it. |
| Margaret |
| Your Oasis on Flame Lake by Lorna Landvik |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I don't know of another contemporary author who is better at capturing characters from small Midwestern towns. I believed the characters were realistic and felt that the storyline was interesting. The one flaw in the book is that one of the main characters decides to open a nightclub in his basement. It really didn't ring true and it didn't really add anything to the story. I wish that the author would have left that concept out of the novel, and she would have had a much better book. |
| Noreen Brown |
| Jane Austen in Boca by Paula Marantz Cohen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A fun book that's a clever twist on PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Reading it was a a case of perfect timing as PBS is now showing Pride and Prejudice. |
| Barbara |
| St. Dale by Sharyn McCrumb |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A delightful modern-day CANTERBURY TALES! Sharyn McCrumb's book hits the mark. |
| Barbara |
| Loving Frank by Nancy Horan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A fascinating novel about the love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney. |
| Barbara |
| The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A compelling story of life in Poland during Wold War II. It is beautifully written. |
| Debbie (deble_2000@yahoo.com) |
| Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I loved this book. I grew up during the same time period as the characters, and remember everything they mentioned. A great read; Ms. Hannah always delivers the best stories. |
| Sheila M |
| Girls of Tender Age by Mary-Ann Tirone Smith |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Very good memoir. I really liked the author's straightforward narrative. The book is a memoir of the author's childhood during the 50s and a look at the murderer who killed one of her 5th grade classmates. |
| Sheila M |
| Warning of War by James Brady |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Brady, a marine veteran of the Korean conflict, writes about the North China marines in this historical fiction novel. I liked it --- I listened to the audiobook and the reader was very good. There were a couple of plot "holes," but it was still an interesting and captivating story. |
| Kathy |
| Burnt House by Faye Kellerman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
As always, this was a decent mystery with good characters. I found it to be a little contrived, but enjoyable. |
| Marion |
| War And Peace by Leo Tolstoy |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The new translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky is quite good. They begin the book with a list of characters, which is always helpful with this story. From what the translators say, they have remained quite true to Tolstoy's intent and attitude of the story. His "dissertations" of the history of Napoleon's invasion get very long winded, but he is so faithful to his outlining paragraphs, you can quickly read through this part. It's always been a favorite story of mine and this was a delightful visit with "old friends"! |
| Nancy154 |
| Bleeding Kansas by Sara Paretsky |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I really enjoyed this novel about families in Kansas. One of the characters (Susan, the mother) is infatuated with the past of her husband's family and 2 other families. 2 of the families still live on closely situated farms. The third farm is vacant, but at the start of the novel, it's rented to a newly divorced lady from New York, who is also a wiccan. There are many themes in the novel, predominantly religious zeal, as well as family dynamics, anti-war, and witches. The more I read of this book the more I enjoyed it. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| Right From the Gecko by Cynthia Baxter |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
These are great mysteries. I really love the Reigning Cats And Dogs series --- the books have a lot of humor as well as mystery. |
| Marion Miller (lamamil@aol.com) |
| To My Dearest Friends by Volk |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A delightful true-to-life read. A great escape!! |
| LBK (lbk03@qwest.net) |
| Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a must read. Carleen Brice tells a compelling story that draws you in from the first page. |
| Marsha |
| L. A. Outlaws by T. Jefferson Parker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the best mystery book you will read all year. If the legendary Joaquin Murretta was real and had a descendant, what would she be like? Pair her with an L. A. Sheriff who is torn between duty and admiration mixed with lust, and this relentless thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat. |
| Shannon |
| No Place Like Home by Mary Higgins Clark |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
The premise of this book made me pick it up to read it, but the plot has made me want to put it down several times. I've read just about everything MHC has written (excluding her bio and the book about the Washington's), but I had missed this one. Now I'm not so sure I missed out on anything. Unfortunately, it passed my 50 page test so I will read it to the end. |
| Leigh Nichols |
| Duma Key by Stephen King |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Simply cannot put it down. I like DUMA KEY almost as well as LISEY'S STORY. |
| Lorna |
| Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamilllo |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I read this because my daughter was reading it for a book report. It's a wonderful story about a ten-year-old lonely girl who finds friendship during her first summer living in a small Florida town. The way she meets her new friends is because of her dog, Winn-Dixie, that she meets on a trip to the store. A heartwarming story for all ages. |
| Bonnie |
| The Dark Tide by Andrew Gross |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
For fans of James Patterson, know that Gross has co-written several of his novels. This solo effort grabs you from the start and doesn't let go. I got an advance reader's edition and finished it in two sittings. It's a terrific suspenseful story. |
| Linda Scott (scott2@einetwork.net) |
| The Chameleon's Shadow by Minette Walters |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A story about a soldier disfigured by a bomb blast in Iraq and his breakup with his fiancée before he left. The book tells all about him and you think he is the killer till you read the end of the book. Very compelling. |
| Sherry |
| Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Wonderful mother/daughter story!! |
| Rebecca Burgess (Rebeccaburgess@rebeccaburgess.com) |
| Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Carleen Brice delivers a wonderful read. |
| Maryann |
| Breathing Out the Ghost by Kirk Curnutt |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
One of the best books I've read in years! And I read a LOT of books. |
| Maryann |
| The Resurrectionist by Jack O'Connell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Holy smokes...a rip-snortin' good read. Especially for young adults. It may be a little too graphic for anyone younger than 12. |
| Debby Grossart |
| Orange Mint and honey by Carlene brice |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A wonderful book about a mother and daughter's estranged relationship coming together! The characters are so interesting and real. It is hard to put down! |
| Tarah Pessel |
| Deception Point by Dan Brown |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I have single handedly decided that Dan Brown is a writing genius! I first read his books when I picked up THE DA VINCI CODE; everyone was talking about it, so I had to see what the fuss was about. Religion aside, the book was a must read. I was trying to tell my grandfather about the brilliant writing but he had made the choice to not read the book due to the subject matter. What a shame. So when Jason's aunt gave me this book to read, I was thrilled to start. It took me a week to get through it, but it was worth every second. It was a page turner that I didn't want to put down! Dan Brown's writing is so descriptive that you feel like you're right there with everyone in the Arctic Circle or in the Oval Office. You bond quickly with characters and feel the tug when one of them is murdered. The research that he must put into his books is amazing, it's no wonder his list of published works is short compared to other authors. You know that a lot of time and work has gone into each book, making it the wonderful read it is. If you've been on the fence about reading any of Dan Brown's books, take the plunge and get hooked! |
| Shannon |
| The Invisible by Andrew Britton |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This book is well written but was very confusing to me since I had missed the first two books in the series. It also jumps around from place to place, mostly foreign lands with many characters. It's not really my thing but I think fans of Clancy, Coonts or Cussler would enjoy it. |
| T. Thomas |
| Blood Dreams by Kay Hooper |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A fast, easy read. A sequel must be in the works. |
| Norma (luckycharm6139@yahoo.com) |
| The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I am truly engrossed with this book and find it difficult to put down when life comes knocking on my door. I have stayed up late into the night, wondering what will happen next. The characters of Prior Philip and Tom Builder, as well as the rest, have come to life with the author's descriptions of them. Follett has also made the process of building a Cathedral materialize before my eyes and in my mind with each intricate detail of the whole process. I hope the book never ends as it is a must read! |
| Marcia (tzgkd5@aol.com) |
| The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the bizarre true story of a dysfunctional family and how the children survived their parents' neglect and survived successfully. I had to keep reminding myself this was non-fiction because it was so unbelievable. |
| Marcia (tzgkd5@aol.com) |
| The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A easy, yet sad story about a knitting circle...or was it a group therapy session? Well, they did little talking about their problems when knitting, but their camaraderie seemed to get them through difficult and extremely tragic times. The more I read, the more I enjoyed it. It sure makes you want to knit or in my case learn to knit. |
| Karen DeGroot Carter |
| Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
An enjoyable read layered with emotions and revelations about life as an adult child of an alcoholic. Light-hearted yet compelling, ORANGE MINT AND HONEY explores one young women's journey to forgiveness with just a little help and guidance from her mentor, renowned jazz singer Nina Simone. |
| Margit Willis |
| My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
One of the best books I have ever read. It's well written and makes you think. |
| Margit Willis |
| Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I couldn't put this book down. The book tells the story of a veterinarian working for a circus during the Depression. The story was exciting and fascinating. |
| Estella Groff |
| The Collectors by David Baldacci |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
After reading Baldacci's THE CAMEL CLUB, I was looking forward to reading his newest suspense novel involving The Camel Club quartet. The story was exciting and highly enjoyable, but did not quite meet the suspense-filled story set out in the previous book. |
| Mary Ann |
| Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A good down-South novel with colorful characters and a deep mystery years old waiting to be solved. The main character finds out his real roots and family in small town Oklahoma compared to the rich fast world of Southern California where he grew up. And discovers himself in the process. An enjoyable read. |
| E J Downing |
| Lake Wobegon Summer 1956 by Garrison Keillor |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A good book, but it kind of ends strangely --- it leaves you hanging. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The book begins with the Thomas Wolfe quote that you can never go home --- but Father Tim Does return home after almost 40 years. In one short week, his whole world is changed. We never escape our past. A compelling novel about hope, love, and forgiveness. |
| Maryann H. |
| Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A wonderful read worth savoring, "Orange Mint and Honey" by Carleen Brice will draw you into the relatable themes of family struggles and life's choices. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll sigh... |
| Cathy K |
| The Appeal by John Grisham |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A good read. It's not as good as A TIME TO KILL, but still good. It certainly gives the reader much to think about in this election year. |
| Jennifer Baker |
| All the Numbers by Judy Merrill Larsen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I really enjoyed this book. I cried early on. The author does a great job of making the reader feel the mother's grief. The first 1/2 to 3/4 of the book are great. I think it slowed down at the end, though, or I would have rated it 5 stars. |
| Trish Harris (tnharris@web-ster.om) |
| I, Mona Lisa by Jeanne Kalogridis |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The back story of how Leonardo Da Vinci met Lisa and all the intrigue that goes with this period of time. |
| Linda |
| Soldier's Heart by Elizabeth Samet |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
Well-written, but with a definite bias against the military, even though she teaches at West Point. |
| Jeanie |
| The Art of Uncontrolled Flight by Kim Ponders |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The writing is so visual; Ponders is so descriptive. It's very interesting how she bounces back and forth from past to present. She had me hooked from the first paragraph and I read the book in a few short hours. |
| CC |
| Brimstone by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I just began reading books by these authors and am quickly becoming a fan. This one is a thriller --- but more importantly, I've come to care about the characters. Can't wait to see what Pendergast does next! |
| Michele (mlauerba@aol.com) |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Hosseini has outdone himself. I have been told that A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS is better than THE KITE RUNNER, but I don't agree. They are both unbelievable. I ached for the characters but rejoiced in the ability of the human spirit to win out. I know that sounds like a cliche but it is true and gives me hope for humanity's future. |
| DC |
| World Without End by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I wanted to stop about 20 times and just forget about it, walk away, return it unfinished. The men were horrible brutes, the lords were evil, the monks were hideous and greedy bastards. The king was an ass, the women were abused, beaten, raped, sold, mutilated, mistreated, people's lives were ruined on whims, everyone died in the waves of the plague --- or from men. Everyone had sex just about everywhere and men had whoever they wanted whenever they wanted, without regard for their spouses. There were lots of kids out of wedlock, famine, starvation, random killing, hopes dashed, people enslaved as serfs, money stolen, dreams destroyed, animals killed, people maimed, hangings, flaying, fights - stuff like that. It was relentless, unending troubles. |
| Jennifer Baker |
| Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This book is not up to par with the previous books in this series. I really hope that Mrs. Evanovich has not run out steam with Stephanie Plum and friends, because I usually cannot wait for a new book in the series to be released. |
| Gail Hurt |
| Murder on Nob Hill by Shirley Tallman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
If you like mysteries, this is a book for you. I have really enjoyed this fantastic read. It is about a women lawyer trying to make a name for herself back in the 1880s. You just wouldn't believe the problems she runs into. |
| Jennifer Baker |
| The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book was predictable in parts, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It's the story of a woman, Isabella, who lives her life in a series of meaningless relationships and is happy that way. She suddenly finds out she has a long, lost relative that she knew nothing about that has been locked up in an asylum for the past sixty plus years. The asylum is closing its doors and now Isabella is responsible for this relative whom he didn't even know existed. |
| Marsha |
| Stranger in Paradise by Robert B. Parker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Chief Jesse Stone faces an old adversary (whom he actually admires) called Crow. I think we shall see more of this fascinating character in the future. All is not well in Paradise as gangs and residents vie in an interesting manner. |
| Cathy K |
| Cotton Song by Tom Bailey |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A book that gives the reader an idea of just how far our country has come since the 1940s regarding race. |
| Jennifer Baker |
| The Missing by Chris Mooney |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Excellent novel about a serial killer. The story grips you from the first few pages and doesn't let go! |
| Gwen |
| Creation in Death by J. D. Robb |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I always enjoy the J.D. Robb Detective Mysteries. I especially enjoyed following Eve Dallas through the streets of New York, of which I am familiar, and fantasied over her handsome, wealthy and powerful husband. Good airplane read or at the pool this summer!! |
| Jennifer Baker |
| An Idiot Girl's Christmas by Laurie Notaro |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This was my first Notaro book. I thought it was a very funny, quick read. |
| Jennifer Baker |
| The Quickie by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I enjoyed the book. It was very-fast paced and entertaining. Yes, it was a little far fetched, but I still enjoyed it. |
| Patricia Bradley |
| Miles in Love by Lois McMaster Bujold |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
An appealing, witty and action-packed 3-novels-in-one volume of the chronicles of Miles Vorkosigan's growth --- not only from interstellar war hero to loyal imperial aide, but also as friend, lover and husband to his soulmate, Ekaterin Vorsoisson. Includes "Komarr", "A Civil Campaign," and "Winterfair Gifts." |
| Bridget |
| The Prince of Beverly Hills by Stuart Woods |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I could not put this book down! I read it on and off in one day. In 1939 Hollywood, a former cop turned head of movie studio security narrates this story, which has has gangsters, starlets, movie stars, blackmail, murder, and intrigue. What more could you ask for? |
| Bridget |
| To Scotland With Love by Karen Hawkins |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
Boring, predictable romance. |
| Margie |
| Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter by Blaize Clement |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
As cozy mysteries go, I'd really give this one a 4.5. Not as cozy as you'd think, given a tragic event in the protagonist cat sitter's past and the situations she encounters, this is the well-written first installment in a series that now includes 3 excellent books. Details of a pet sitter's vocation are especially interesting. |
| Anne |
| Death with An Ocean View by Nora Charles |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Senior sleuth Kate Kennedy and her dog, Ballou, are trying to figure out who murdered her condo's board president. Kate, the widow of a policeman, is beginning to wonder who did not want to kill Stella. This is a charming and witty mystery with plenty of eccentric characters and a good plot. |
| Anne |
| Catnapped by Gabriella Herkert |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Sara Townley, legal investigator, is not having a good year. She married a Navy Seal she hardly knows and her boss wants her to find a missing heir --- a cat. I found myself skipping pages in this book, simply because I could not get into the romantic part of the book, which seemed to drag on. |
| Anne |
| Murder Most Frothy by Cleo Coyle |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Clare Cosi, a barista, her daughter, and former mother-in-law, are in the Hamptons for the summer. Clare is training the staff for a millionaire's new restaurant --- it's nice work, plus it's an all-expenses-paid trip. Too bad an embittered employee is found dead and the police are stuck in July 4th. traffic. This fast-paced book has a good plot and fun characters. |
| Anne |
| A Mold For Murder by Tim Myers |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Harpers Landing, N.C. is the setting for this soap-making mystery. Benjamin's family runs a soap boutique and they have a special guest coming. Countessa New Berne, famous soap-making queen and author, has arrived and hopefully will boost sales. Except someone kills her, and Benjamin's girlfriend is the prime suspect. A cozy, simple mystery. |
| Connie |
| Beyond Reach by Karen Slaughter |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I absolutely loved this book until the last few pages. They totally ruined it for me. To the point, sorry Ms. Slaugther, I love your writing, but I don't think I'll ever be able to read another one of your novels. |
| Debbie |
| The Watchman by Robert Crais |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This novel by Robert Crais is focused more on Joe Pike than on Elvis Cole. It is interesting to have more than a glimpse into the enigmatic Pike's character. The story itself is typical of previous Crais novels --- Cole and Pike have more than one shootout with the bad guys while playing good Samaritan. |
| Jennifer Baker |
| The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I thoroughly enjoyed this book until the end. I would have rated it five stars otherwise. |
| Thomas |
| At the Stroke of Madness by Alex Kava |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Maggie O'Dell is supposed to be taking a vacation when a friend asks her to investigate the disappearance of Joan Begley. Joan has a tendency to get hooked up with the wrong sort of guys. The first thing Maggie finds is evidence of a serial murderer at work, where numerous drums are unearthed in a quarry, many containing human remains. Joan is not among them. She is being held by a psycho, possibly the serial killer, and is in great danger. A good, fast-moving read. |
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
| Shooting at Loons by Margaret Maron |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
#3 of the Knott series --- I enjoy these mysteries because of Maron's unique style. I am always educated while reading one of her books, and this one is no exception. Deborah is filling in for another judge in the coastal town of Beaufort, North Carolina. She is staying at a small cabin owned by her cousins on the coast. The murder happens within the first few pages of the book --- a local is found shot to death on a sandbar, and Deborah and her neighbor's boy find the body. From that point on, she begins to unravel the battle that is being fought by the locals over fishing rights, environmental issues, conservation issues and development. While Deborah is performing her judicial duties, she seems to become part of this battle. The only negative part of these novels is I sometimes find it difficult staying on top of the characters: who they are, what part they play in the storyline, and if they are related to Deborah (she has a large family). |
| Lori Barnes (photoquest@bellsouth.net) |
| Highlander in Her Dreams by Allie MacKay |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Okay, ladies --- you are going to fall in love with Aiden. He's strong, gentle, and knows what he wants. This is a wonderful time travel book that takes place in Scotland. Kira has taken a trip there and has glimpsed a man in her dreams. Aiden is having these same dreams and is calling for her return. Her work has an assignment for her to do a article on the mythical in Scotland and she is very eager to take this assignment because she knows where the portal is to take her back to find this man she visits in her dreams. This was my first book by this author and I was totally absorbed in this story. |
| Sal Williams |
| Queen Elizabeth I: Selected Works by Steven W. May |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The writings of this queen, who reigned through tumultuous times, open a window into her personality that history books cannot address and demonstrates her capabilities as both ruler and writer. |
| stardreamer7880@yahoo.com |
| Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
What a wonderful cast of characters. We've got a witch (Rachel) as the main character, her roommate, a living vampire (Ivy), who is trying to fight her instincts and abstaining from blood. This makes for some very tense scenes between the two. Then there is Jenks, a pixy with all the machismo of a full-sized male. They all worked for Inderland Security, which polices the non-humans --- ie witches, vampires, werewolves. It's a job you don't quit unless you can buy your contract, which Rachel can't. When Rachel, Ivy and Jenks open up their new business, there's a contract on Rachel that no one else has ever been able to survive. Between fighting for her life and starting up a new business, Rachel has her hands full. This action-packed book kept me awake reading far past my bedtime. Although it does drag a little in the first 1/3 --- which introduces the characters and plot --- the last 2/3rds keep you on the edge of your seat. |
| Kay Keller |
| A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I picked up this book because it was an Oprah book and was not disappointed! It really made me think --- and also notice. It explains the role of the ego and the Presence behind each of us. It was easy to understand and truly amazing! I will read it again. |
| Linda Moeller (LINDALSHOT@aol.com) |
| Forever Odd by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another great novel by Koontz with the return of a terrific non-typical hero. |
| JaneAnn Railey |
| All The Right Angles by Kristan Higgins |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
K.H. always a five but this one is the beginning of a good series, of a family in construction and their ups and downs in love and life. It's as wonderful as you would expect from K.H. |
| Louise Pledge |
| Belgrave Square by Anne Perry |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
If you're not familiar with Anne Perry, get familiar! Seriously, I particularly like her Thomas Pitt series. Thomas, a police inspector in Victorian London, solves another mystery. And as always, wife Charlotte play a major involvement. This story involves the murder of a less-than-reputable man. It would be easy to let it go, but soon prominent names make their way into the list of those possibly involved. |
| Sal Williams (hickcrazy1@lycos.com) |
| The Heat Islands by Randy Wayne White |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
White, with his character, marine biologist Doc Ford, makes southwestern Florida's coast come alive better than almost anyone else currently writing. This mystery, which centers on the death of a much-hated developer and the arrest of a friend for the crime, manages to twist and turn very satisfactorily before ending with a Doc Ford finish. Vivid descriptions and well drawn characters are the icing on the cake that make this book hard to put down. |
| Stacia Helpman (freddie7713@hotmail.com) |
| Gabriel's Ghost by Megan Sybil Baker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This has quickly become my favorite sci-fi romance book. Megan has a way with words and just makes you fall in love with her characters. There's so much action packed into this book as well. It's a must read for anyone. |
| Jeane Campbell |
| Origin in Death by J. D. Robb |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I think this is about the 20th in this series. It was slow going up to where I am now (2/3 done), but I am sure Nora will pull out a big ending. This books involves human cloning and the awful ramifications it can take with ruthless doctors doing work behind the laws. Dallas is on it, though. |
| esty |
| Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
This is not the genre I usually read, but I plowed through this one and did not enjoy it at all. There was way too much forensic detail as well as anthropological facts about Israel and the orthodox segment who, to put it mildly, don't want anyone exploring old bones. |
| Genie |
| Hush Money by Robert B. Parker |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Spenser finds himself taking on two cases as favors to his friend, Hawk, and girlfriend, Susan. Working for donuts instead of money may not help pay the rent, but it buys a lot of headaches. The main investigation is to establish the reason why a university professor is denied tenure. Almost immediately complications begin to stack up --- the most serious being a student's death ruled incorrectly as a suicide. Susan's friend, K.C., is being stalked. She thinks it's the ex-husband, but after he begins the investigation, Spenser disagrees. At the same time, he finds himself stalked by his client. Even Spenser isn't ready for this kind of action. |
| Joline |
| Duma Key by Stephen King |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I'm about halfway through this new Stephen King novel and it's a good one! How much of the author's experiences from his own tragic accident influenced this novel? Edgar Freemantle loses his arm in an industrial accident and suffers other serious injuries. He retires to Duma Key, FL and takes up an old hobby --- painting. There's something special about his paintings....only King could pull this one off! |
| Genie |
| Hair of the Dog by Laurien Berenson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Dog handler, Barry Turk, is found shot dead in his own driveway. The police call it a suicide. Melanie is dragged into the investigation at the request of Alisha, Barry's girlfriend, who doesn't believe the report results. The list of suspects is a mile long and the investigation becomes more complex by the day. When Alicia's ex-husband is run down in front of his house by a hit-and-run driver, it's obvious that there is a connection. Melanie is more determined to discover who did it and why, hopefully without putting herself in the line of fire. |
| D Ayres |
| People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'm currently reading this and enjoying every segment. It's my book club's March selection. The book travels back in time to trace the history of another book, over centuries, and chronicles the stories of those people who risked their lives to protect it for future generations. I loved Brooks's YEAR OF WONDERS, which is why I was anxious to read another selection of hers. It does not disappoint. |
| Genie |
| Playmates by Robert B. Parker |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Rumors have been circulating on campus about certain members of the all-star basketball team shaving points. Spenser is hired by the university to investigate. His investigation leads to wise guy, Gerry Broz. |
| Robin Coker (hillcoker@yahoo.com) |
| Undertow by Sydney Bauer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I am in the middle of this book. Although John Grisham and James Patterson's new books are on my night stand, I decided to read someone new. This book tells us about an accident (that's what I think anyway) that happened to a teenage girl, the daughter of an ambitious Senator. The Senator decides that the mother who was present at the accident should be held responsible for her death. Then works his power to ensure that she is charged with murder. I've put the book down angrily many times because of what the Senator is getting away with. It's a long book, and I hope to finish it this week. I do recommend this new author to everyone! |
| Marcia Vola |
| The Woods by Harlan Coben |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the first book that I have read by this author. It has been a real page turner, about a 20-year-old homicide case of 4 teens supposedly killed at a summer camp, in which new evidence has come to light. The characters are all interconnected and the plot twists and turns. I'll definitely read more by this author. |
| Gail |
| The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This memoir of a dysfunctional family is by turns horrifying and hilarious. Jeanette Walls is surprisingly compassionate and insightful in reflecting on a childhood most readers will not be able to imagine enduring. |
| Pat Babcock |
| Obsession by Jonathan Kellerman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I've read all his books and loved them. They are hard to put down. |
| Fran |
| The Last Girls by Lee Smith |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
This book had a good premise; however, I just couldn't seem to get into it. I read about 100 pages before throwing in the towel. Unfortunately, it just never grabbed my interest. I wanted to like it more than I actually did. |
| Brenda Matthews (brenda.matthews@att.net) |
| The Pastor's Wife Does Cry! by Lady Bea Morgan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The Pastor's Wife Does Cry! Lady Bea Morgan shares details of abuse (mental, emotional, and qand verbal) she endured from her husband, Pastor Claxton Morgan and many church members. Her memoir teaches that revenge is not the answer to trouble but prayer, fasting, and patience is. While reading, you'll cry, get upset, and burst into laughter throughout the entire read! What an eye opener to the hidden hurts of Pastor's wives. |
| Mary |
| Manhunt by Jennifer Crusie |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I have read several of Crusie's more recent books that I thoroughly enjoyed. This is one of her earlier books, and although it wasn't quite as good as her later ones, I enjoyed it very much. |
| Mia |
| Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I really enjoyed this funny book about the Greek Gods living in modern-day London and how they deal with their waning powers. |
| Louise Pledge |
| Eloise at Christmastime by Kay Thompson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love the Eloise books and movies. They are just as much fun for grown-ups as little people! Kay Thompson has not only a talent for writing poetry but for making you feel the joie de vivre that typifies Eloise! You will truly feel the spirit of Christmas in this book. |
| Louise Pledge |
| Dead Giveaway by Brenda Novak |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Wow, this book was even better than the first in the trilogy! The populace of Stillwater, Miss. is still wondering what happened to their reverend, who mysteriously disappeared years before. And, the Montgomery Family are still the prime suspects. Can't wait to read the last in the series! |
| Margaret |
| Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I loved this book. There are lots of novels out that track the life of a family, but this one is special. It's not only about Ruby Lennox, growing up in York during the 60s, it also gives insight into the family's previous history. Ruby's mother, Bunty --- for example --- could not be a worse mother. But because of the alternating story lines, you have an understanding for the family and how it came to be in such disarray. The book was completely fascinating and compelling. I cared about Ruby from the first to the last chapter. She is an unforgettable, sympathetic, real character. |
| Joan |
| Last Light by Tracie Peterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the first of her Restoration |
| Pat Babcock |
| The Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
These guys cannot write a bad book. Read them all |
| Robert Bierly (mousitch1@mchsi.com) |
| The Bancroft Strategy by Robert Ludham |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'm about halfway through, and so far, it's a good read. |
| booklogged (booklogged@gmail.com) |
| Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A good mystery featuring Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist. I thought there were too many storylines going at the same time, but they did come together in the end. I will definitely read another in this series. |
| booklogged (booklogged@gmail.com) |
| The Bleeding Dusk by Colleen Gleason |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Book 3 in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles is every bit as good as the first two. It's filled with suspense, mystery, intrigue, romance, and split loyalties, and it also answers some questions, but leads to more. A wonderfully delicious series. |
| booklogged (booklogged@gmail.com) |
| Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A very enticing YA book about a young girl who becomes orphaned in Africa when both her missionary parents die due to the influenza epidemic of 1919. Thirteen-year-old Rachel falls into the hands of her dishonest and greedy neighbors. |
| Brenda Klaassen |
| Mommy Tracked by Whitney Gaskell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I loved the stories of the four moms and how they were so different and yet were good friends. I was glad that the author took the "family is important" side of the road because those are my feelings too. This was a great weekend read. |
| Carol Hoyer from VA (pageant4u@hotmail.com) |
| I Want Candy by Kim Wong Keltner |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
This is a story about fourteen year-old Candy Ong, growing up in San Fransisco. She works in her family's restaurant making egg rolls and hates it. Candy's best friend, Ruby, is rich, wild and has experienced things she never would. The problem is her best friend puts her down all the time and encourages classmates to tease and bully down. So why does she hang out with this girl? Over time, Candy gets tired of all this and decides she will find her own boyfriend. Much to her surprise, Ruby has been seeing him and having intimate encounters with him. But then, something tragic occurs. When Candy makes it to high school, she is determined to be different and not be a victim. To tell the truth, I did not like this book. If it is for young adults or adults I wouldn't recommend it. It is full of cursing, sexual innuendos and just plain trash. I never did see the point of the book. Although from other reviews I read, it is supposed to be comical and touching. |
| Carol Hoyer from VA (pageant4u@hotmail.com) |
| The Day Donny Herbert Woke Up: A True Story by Rich Blake |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Donny Herbert was a Buffalo city firefighter. In 1995 ,he was trapped in an attic fire and was without oxygen for six minutes, and as a result, fell into a vegetative state for over ten years. As a father of four boys, he had the will to live. His wife never gave up on him and tried every treatment and treatment facility she could find. One day, he woke up asking for his wife --- everyone was stunned! He even spoke to his youngest son, who he never really knew. He couldn't imagine how they all had grown and how the world had changed. The family took him on outings, brought him home and made sure he was in attendance at every family event. However, he started to deteriorate and finally went to sleep again. In 2006, after his 10- year battle to live again he died of pneumonia. This is a heart-warming story of a family and community never giving up on one of their own. The firefighters of the city took care of his family and helped raise money so they wouldn't live on the streets. This book is written by Donny Herbert's brother-in-law. It's a wonderful story about our firefighters and what they go through, how they risk their lives to help others. This will make you cry and it will make you thankful. |
| Bill |
| Beyond the White House by Jimmy Carter |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This post-White House memoir solidifies former President Jimmy Carter's dedication --- and action on that dedication --- to human rights. It reads like a corporate annual report for The Carter Center, but in this case, it is a 30-year report highlighting the various election-monitoring disease eradicating programs upon which the center has embarked worldwide, particularly in Africa and South America. Not particularly insightful, it is an interesting overview of honorable endeavors to improve the human race's lot. |
| Rita |
| The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were engaging and you began to care about these women. You could almost smell Henry the Eighth, who was old and fat by this book but still the King. A good read. |
| J. Stott |
| The Good Buy by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I had gotten away from reading Dean Koontz for awhile, but with his last couple of books I'm glad I started back. THE GOOD GUY is a great read. The two main characters are interesting and likable, though a little strange (aren't we all), and the plot is exciting. |
| Marsha |
| Eye of Jade by Diane Wei Liang |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
In present day Beijing, Mei Wang has opened a detective agency (reminds you of McCall's THE NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY, but with more tension). There is an examination of China old and new and the price those paid who suffered through the Cultural Revolution. This appears to be the first in a series featuring Mei Wang. The writing is excellent and the characters well drawn. |
| Becky Wreyford (beckywreyford@hotmail.com) |
| Liar's Diary by Patry Francis |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
What is the secret that keeps the sham of Jeanne's family together? How far will she go to protect it? This book will unfolds with shocking revelations you don't see coming that keep you reading. Loved it! |
| Marjorie L. Carmony |
| From the Heart: Seven Rules To Live By by Robin Roberts |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Such an inspirational lady! |
| Becky Wreyford (beckywreyford@hotmail.com) |
| The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
One of those books that becomes your best friends --- you can't put it down, but hate to see it end. It's about a clumsy newlywed peaking into the life of the older married lady she is drawn to... but then so are we, the readers. Is it wrong to snoop? How much would you tolerate in a marriage, and why? These excellent questions will keep you reading. |
| Vickie |
| Stranger in Paradise by Robert B. Parker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the best Jesse Stone book that Parker has written. The characters are more developed, and you get more of a sense of the delicate relationship between Jesse and Jenn. Suitcase Simpson is back and up to his regular jumps in the hay, with a twist. And the villain turns out to be...well, I won't spoil that for you. You just have to read this suspense novel about the little town in Massachusetts with the baseball player for a sheriff. |
| Vickie |
| 7th Heaven by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This one is the best ever of the Women's Murder Club books! Fast read with lots of action and suspense and so much more! Reading until late at night isn't an option for this one...it's a must! And the ending is so good that you won't believe it, you just have to read it again to make sure that you read it correctly the first time. Wow! A book that will knock you off your feet. Read it to find out about the reference to "7th heaven"! |
| Carol Newey |
| The Appeal by John Grisham |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A great book that came out at an appropriate time with the upcoming election. |
| Sherrie English |
| The Red Tent by Anita Diamant |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
It is a wonder historical fiction taken right from the Bible --- Genesis, in fact. Diamant draws a beautiful story, one that captures you right away and keeps you there. It is a never-put-this-down book. I had read it some years ago, and I am enjoying very much reading it again, at its 10th anniversary. I have also given many copies of this book to my friends; it's my number-one favorite. |
| Mary B. |
| Big Boned by Meg Cabot |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The story of washed-up pop rock idol, Heather Wells, continues. Yep, another murder at the "Death Dorm"....wait, that is "Death" Residence Hall. Heather is on the lookout to find out who and why someone killed her newest boss at the Residence Hall. Read the book to find out; it's a great page turner, and in general, a great fun read. |
| L. Merrill |
| Even Cat Sitters Get the Blues by Blaize Clement |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A light read, but funny and interesting. |
| Bridget |
| Never Deceive a Duke by Liz Carlyle |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
A bodice ripper that tries to be something more. It doesn't quite succeed. |
| Kathie (khackney@triad.rr.com) |
| Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This was a delightful book that kept me reading and reading. It's full of humor and is a wonderful love story. |
| Kathy |
| Welcome to the Great Mysterious by Lorna Landvik |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
From the start, this story takes hold of you, from New York to Minnesota. The characters are very real and the story is one you get immersed in. |
| Coral |
| Odd Mom Out by Jane Porter |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I read this book due to a good report on Word of Mouth. I was not lead astray. It is a good book with a different twist. Morta Zinser is in advertising. She has a 9-year- old daughter from a sperm donor since she didn't want to marry, but wanted a child. Eva is very precocious. They have moved from New York back to Seattle as her mother is ill. She now runs her own advertising business at her home. It is fun to read. |
| Gale |
| Half the Blood of Brooklyn by Charlie Huston |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Joe Pitt is back in Charlie Huston's third novel of vampire life in Manhattan, and he has a ton of reasons to be dangerously angry: he hates his job as chief enforcer for the Society; a Van Helsing is on the loose, killing people; and Pitt's human girlfriend, Evie, is dying of AIDS. When political unrest among the vampire clans means he has to go to Brooklyn, Joe already is at the boiling point, and that's never healthy for folks around him. Huston's sparse prose continues to pack a wallop in this inventive noir series that is unlike anything else. |
| Geraldine Zwergel |
| Some Survived by Manny Lawton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I am reading this on a whim. I didn't think it would be interesting, but I am finding it impossible to put down. It writes of the cruelty of man to man when there are no rules in effect. I am left with the feeling that a nation can do anything --- repaying for nothing --- if they are the conquerers. I hope by the grace of God that we never get involved in another such war. |
| SuzannefromTexas |
| Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is the first of Karon's new Father Tim series about Tim Kavanagh from theMitford series. The book is enjoyable, but I think you would have to have read and loved the Mitford series to get into it. |
| Bridget |
| First Families by Bonnie Angelo |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
An interesting look at what it was like to live in the White House, from the Adamses to current residents. Many of the stories were entertaining and enlightening. |
| Phyllis |
| The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
The story of marriage and betrayals in the lives of neighbors --- a young wife and mother and an older wife and mother. It was hard for me to care about either character. |
| T. Thomas |
| Touchstone by Laurie R. King |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I waded through this and finally finished. |
| Joan Coussoule |
| Purity In Death by J. D.Robb |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
It was so exciting. I could not put it down. One of her best. She is one of my favorite authors. |
| Doro |
| Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a powerful book about the agonies experienced by German survivors of World War II. A compelling story of Anna, who lived through the horrible days of the Nazis in her country and how she managed to "escape" and carry on with her life. Jena Blum is a new and truly gifted author. |
| Julie Towson |
| Hotel Riviera by Elizabeth Adler |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A murder mystery set on the Cote Azure. The descriptions of the scenery and beautiful people make this book worth the read. The author takes you into the richly described and luxurious world of the French Riviera. |
| Dorothy |
| The Seduction of Crimson Rose by Lauren Willig |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This latest in the Pink Carnation series is a winner. This is a fun and witty book about espionage during the Napoleonic years in England. You must start at the beginning of the series to follow the characters and plots. A great read! |
| Deborah Wellenstein |
| Duma Key by Stephen King |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Just about perfect Stephen King --- his best in years. The protagonist is damaged (of course! Autobiographical?), which renders him more than slightly psychic. This is classic, character-driven Stephen King fun! |
| Cynthia C |
| My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A very interesting read that examines various aspects of an emotional and controversial issue. |
| Patricia Skinner |
| Apocalypse 2012 by lawrence E. Joseph |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I enjoyed this book as it looks at the Mayan prophesies with a scientific view. I learned some things I didn't know! |
| Susan (bookmark60@sc.rr.com) |
| Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a great story that deals with women, submission in the Chinese culture, foot binding, and how women were treated by society. The secret language, and the sexual desires of women make for a good book discussion. |
| Janice G. |
| 1776 by David McCollough |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A gripping tale of the beginnings of the revolutionary war. Especially enlightening was the behind-the-scenes explanations of how George Washington made decisions or didn't and the men near him who influenced the course of the war. |
| Phyllis |
| Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A fun interval with Stephanie and her friends. Although short, it does provide a few hours of entertainment. |
| Valerie Furr (BahamaValF@aol.com) |
| Ghost Walk by Heather Graham |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
She is one of my favorite writers. This is a great ghost story that keeps you on the edge. She made you feel like you knew the characters so well. Good read. |
| Phyllis |
| Savor Me Slowly by Gena Showalter |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Lots of action and hot sex. Pretty predictable, though. |
| Phyllis |
| Big Boned (Heather Wells Mysteries) by Meg Cabot |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This third book in the series is a quick, easy read, but there is little mystery and a predictable storyline. |
| Anne |
| The Anatomy of Deception by Lawrence Goldstone |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Dr. Ephraim Carrol comes to Philadelphia in 1889 to study with a brilliant medical professor. Dr. Carrol uncovers two deaths with the use of forensic medicine and finds himself thrust into secrets, horrible crimes, and the politics of the medical world. If you like history, crime, and medicine, you will like this novel. |
| Susan (bookmark60@sc.rr.com) |
| Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
In this memoir, you are given the perspective of a female black Muslim. If you have no idea what being Muslim entails, this book will give you a better understanding. This, particularly, is about African Muslims, and I'm not sure if this is any different from other regions. In this memoir, she talks about how cousins marry cousins, and how important it is to marry into the same clan. Most of the book takes place in Somali, Saudia Arabia and in Kenya. She talks of the resistance of the powers that try to take over her country, how she became religious, and answers the questions of why men can show skin but women can't. She is fully covered in the garb, and slowly decides this is not how she interprets the Q'Ran. A very interesting read so far. |
| Jessie |
| The Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
One of my favorite books was Berg's TALK BEFORE SLEEP --- and I had hopes of this being as good, but sadly was disappointed. I was let down most by how it lead up to what needed to be mended, and then crammed the "mending" in at the very end. Even so, I liked that it was positive in terms of the mending you knew would happen in the future. |
| Amee B Enders |
| 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Maureen Johnson just keeps adding wonderful books to her career. This is her third novel out of five with a sixth and seventh on the way. She is definitely an author to keep track of. |
| Mel B |
| Fast Friends by Jill Mansell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love Jill's books, they are amazing. She is a brilliant British author and I would recommend her to everyone! I have 4 of her books but I'm doing my best to get more of them. They are quirky and funny and you will really enjoy them! |
| Tasha t |
| Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A very good book! Nice, deep and dark. |
| April Ardito (sera1231@yahoo.com) |
| Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A quick read --- very funny! |
| Ivy |
| Other People's Skin by TaRessa Stoval & Tracy Price-Thompson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
An insightful and entertaining collection of stories on the issue of color among Black women. If you've always looked at color as merely black and white, this collection will educate you on color within the Black community. |
| Ivy (ipittman26@yahoo.com) |
| The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is an absolutely wonderful story infused with Dominican culture and history. Oscar Wao is a brave soul who you will remember long after you have finished the last page, for there are many Oscars moving around us that we see and do not see. |
| Jen Mulsow (jmulsow@kuendowment.org) |
| Native Tongue by Carl Hiaasen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love his stuff. It is funny and very clever. |
| Marsha |
| Song Yet Sung by James McBride |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This amazing book takes us to the shores of the Chesapeake prior to the Civil War where escaped slaves, slave catchers, plantation owners and oystermen weave a web of intrigue and adventure. The "Code," which is a cryptic means of communication for slaves on the run, is fascinating. A couple of the characters are based on Harriet Tubman and Patty Cannon, a ruthless criminal who hunted escaped slaves. This will open your mind to the lives of the people of both colors who are faced with moral choices that could lead to a life-or-death situation. |
| Sandra |
| Traveler by Ron McLarty |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The first chapter of this book is the past, the second is in the present, and it goes back and forth like that all the way though the text, and it works. Jono Riley is an aging bartender and part-time actor in Manhattan. As the novel opens, he learns of the sudden death of his childhood friend, Marie, and he returns for a few days to the place he grew up. As usual, the ending is a big surprise. I loved it! |
| Nicole (mike810nicole@aol.com) |
| New Moon by Stephenie Meyer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A great novel. I couldn't put it down. Who would have ever thought that vampires and werewolves would seem so real --- not to mention likable. |
| Fran |
| Like the Red Panda by Andrea Seigel |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Andrea Seigel does a nice job depicting life as a teenager. Her topic, suicide, is a bit depressing, however the author manages to pull off a decent novel. |
| Amber Porter |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a great book. THE KITE RUNNER will always be my favorite by him, but this second book is great too!! He's not a one-hit writer. He followed it up with a beautifully written second novel! |
| Dorothy Lechmanick |
| Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I'm reading this as an assignment for a Creative Writing Workshop. It is bringing back so many memories of my childhood that I feel I will be able to write about my life history. |
| Amee B Enders |
| The Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This starts out slowly and has virtually no plot, but it is very entertaining once you get into it. The writing is wonderful and enough to keep the reader interested. |
| Janet Stewart |
| Have You Found Her by Janice Erlbaum |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'm not quite finished yet, but I'm very much enjoying this memoir of addiction and recovery. |
| Lyla D (dragonqwester@hotmail.com) |
| The Amber Spyglass by Phillip Pullman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This novel is the third in the Golden Compass series. It is a continuation of Lyra's oddessy, which started out as a rescue mission. Children in her world were being kidnapped by the Church and having their daemons-souls severed. Lyra, 12 years old, precocious and rebellious, begins searching for her friend, Roger. She meets Gyptians, armored, intelligent bears and a myriad of others, including her father --- whom she thought was her uncle. She starts traveling from one world to another with the help of Will, the bearer of the "subtle knife", which allows him to open windows into each world. As the children move from world to world in their search for the ultimate truth, they are pursued by the mysterious Mrs. Coulter, Lyra's mother; the Church and her father's followers. The concept is interesting, Lyra is an engaging heroine and Will a courageous hero. Well worth the time to read all three in the series. I am halfway through the third and find it as engaging as the first. |
| Debbie |
| Born in Death by J. D. Robb |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is one of the latest in the series of books by Nora Roberts, writing as J.D. Robb. Now I am wondering why I took so long to finally pick up one of these book. The characters are engaging, the pace is quick, and every once in a while, even in the middle of mystery, one of the characters will say something that will make me smile or chuckle out loud. Now I can't wait to get my hands on some more of this series and see what I've been missing. |
| Linda (pinkheart4455@yahoo.com) |
| The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
I was so disappointed in this book. |
| Linda L |
| Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I'm only a little ways into the book but am enjoying the author's voice and her storytelling (as usual). I don't love the boxes with material by her husband or daughter, which interrupt her text --- I'd rather read straight through one author, then see the other parts after she's done at the end of a section or chapter. But otherwise, it's very enjoyable and a nice break from some of the heavy fiction I've looked at lately. |
| Dayna |
| Matrimony by Joshua Henkin |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This book follows the lives of 2 couples that have been friends since college. A good, but very slow, story. |
| Anita |
| The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a wonderful sequel to THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL. It continues the story and tells of the next 2 wives of Henry VIII, and what happens to them over the next few years. It really gives a wonderful insight into history even though it it labeled as fiction. |
| Gale |
| The Appeal by John Grisham |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
THE APPEAL is another great read from John Grisham, with inviting characters and a compelling story. At times, the action is somewhat reminiscent of both THE PELICAN BRIEF and THE RAINMAKER, two of his earlier legal thrillers. And one has to wonder about Grisham's consistently bleak outlook of both corporate America and the U.S. legal system. Doesn't anything good ever happen in Mississippi? |
| Brita B. |
| Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Compelling insight into the lives of little girls from two families in China during the 19th century. The horror of having their feet broken and bound in order to obtain true "beauty" and a chance for a wealthy husband shows a side of history totally unknown to many of us. |
| Margaret Ball (kcqueenm@yahoo.com) |
| Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Oh Ye Gods! Marie PhillipS's novel, GODS BEHAVING BADLY, will make you laugh out loud. Imagine Gods living in a crowded London flat, each with their own quirks and strengths. The Gods are losing their powers and must conserve their energy by not wasting them on silly things like turning mortals into trees. Mayhem breaks out when Apollo, who has taken a job as a television Physic, becomes smitten with love for a mortal woman, Alice, who is sitting in the viewing audience with her close friend, Neil. Alice unwittingly breaks one of her company's policies, is fired from her job, and is forced to go from door to door looking for a new one. When her search lands her at the doorsteps of Apollo, she is hired by Artemis to keep the decaying flat clean. Alice is given two rules: not to talk to the other flat inhabitants and not to go up to the third floor. When Apollo finds Alice in their flat cleaning, he does everything in his power to gain her affections but none of it works because Alice is secretly in love with Neil. All of the extra attention that Apollo bestows upon Alice makes her nervous, and she goes to Neil wanting to discuss her problem with him. But, she cannot, since she promised not to talk about anything that goes on in the flat. Sensing that something is wrong with Alice, Neil goes over to the flat to see what is making Alice so nervous, but only makes Apollo angry that Alice could prefer Neil to him. Athena confronts Apollo and tells him that he should apologize but this causes major calamity. I truly enjoyed reading this and I found it to be different, fun and invigorating. I loved the personalities of the Gods, each one behaved as I imagined that they would under the given circumstances. I hated that the story had to come to an end. This novel had a great ending and left this reader satisfied. If you enjoy mythology you will love this book. It was a refreshing change of pace. |
| Eileen Quinn Knight |
| The Mathematics of Love by Emma Darwin |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The number of stars is hard for me as I only read books I love! With that said, this is another book in that category. The author, Emma Darwin, is a relative of the great Darwin. She writes with finesse and clarity! It is the amazing story of two people born centuries apart.The themes of memory and the enduring power of love are evident in this work. |
| Chris |
| Stolen by Kelley Armstrong |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I had exhausted my favorite authors (Laurell K. Hamilton, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kim Harrison, etc.) and was looking for something new and different. This book gave me what I wanted. It is a world filled with supernatural women. It is exciting, funny and sexy. Check it out. I plan on getting the rest of the series. |
| aliadam |
| The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Loved this book about a quirky family who drive each other nuts, yet obviously love each other dearly. A very funny book I couldn't put down. |
| Catrina Pomerleau |
| Twilight by Stephenie Meyer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the story of a teenage girl, a magnet for trouble, who moves from Phoenix, AZ to a small town in Washington. She expects her life to be boring and uneventful, but it is anything but when she finds herself falling head over heels for a vampire. |
