March 19, 2010 - April 1, 2010
Last contest period's winners were Ellen, Josh, Larry, Mary Ann andShelley, who each received a copy of HELL GATE by Linda Fairstein,NEVER LOOK AWAY by Linwood Barclay and THINK TWICE by Lisa Scottoline.
| Jackie Ferrell |
| House Rules by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Jodi Picoult has never disappointed me with any of her books but I think House Rules is her very best work so far. The book is what I call a "smart book" because I was educated about Asperger's. This book has mystery, humor, grief fear, anguish- almost all emotions along the human spectrum. I liked the ending. I have told my daughter that the best place to hide something is right out in front of you and Jodi Picoult did exactly that. Her book endings always surprise me. I never know what is going to happen up until the last few pages. I like unpredictable books and Jodi Picoult is a master at the unpredictable. |
| Kaye |
| The Girl from Junchow by Kate Furnivall |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Once again, Furnivall managed to captivate me with her story of Lydia Ivanova. This story picks up where The Russian Concubine left off as Lydia, her half brother Alexei and Lydia's Cossack friend Popkov board the train from Junchow to Russia in search of her father, Jens. Lydia has not seen her father since she was five years old but what memories she has of him are loving ones. To think that he is still in a labor camp in Siberia is heartbreaking to her. Being a stubborn willed seventeen year old, Lydia sometimes acts before she thinks. Fortunately for her she has the intrepid Popkov, a great bear of a man, to watch out for her. It's a good thing too as he manages to get Lydia out of some very dangerously sticky situations. Although Alexei secretly thinks their father could not possibly have survived the brutal labor camps, he travels with Lydia in the off chance Jens is still alive and that they could possibly rescue him. Alexei manages to get into his own sticky situation, namely getting involved in the Russian mafia through no wish of his own. Meanwhile back in China, Chang An Lo, Lydia's Chinese lover, has become more embroiled in the Communist Party moving up through the ranks. Chang manages to get a committee sent to Russia to view the new factories being built by the reigning Stalinist regime. Chang is a member of the committee and against all odds, he hooks up with Lydia no matter what the danger and tries to help her rescue her father. At one point in the story while searching for Jens, Chang An Lo and Lydia have been separated under extremely horrifying circumstances. Chang agonizes over not being able to find her again. Furnivall shows us his emotion in the following gorgeous and passionate writing. "Chang would not give up. He'd find her. Or die. There was no middle path. He called her name without ceasing,but the flames swallowed his words. The smoke suffocated life. He could feel it dying in his own lungs, and his fear for Lydia tore his heart into pieces. He called out. He roared her name into the fire and the flames roared back at him, their laughter in every crackle and explosion that they spat in his face. He could see nothing beyond the inferno towering around him whichever direction he turned, and quite suddenly he realized he was looking with the wrong sense. Eyes could lie and confuse and panic. So he closed them. He stood totally still and exhaled the poisons from his lungs. He listened for her again. But this time he listened with his heart." I just love Furnivall's writing. She manages to get me invested in the characters' lives so completely that it is almost hard to believe it is all fiction and to come back to the real world. Combined with beautiful writing, the addition of interesting, multi-faceted characters, heart stopping moments, and an historical overview of Russia during early 1930 made this book very difficult to put down. The ending leads me to believe there will be a sequel. If so, I will be eagerly anticipating it. |
| Jane Squires |
| Angel Lane by Sheila Roberts |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Emma, Sarah, and Jamie are all shop keepers trying to make a different in their community and make a business at the same time. Their lives are so different but the impact they have on each other is profound. Josh, a cop, has lost his wife and is raising two girls with the help of his Dad. Jamie and him meet because she has a tail light out. But life throws us opportunities and sometimes it is what we do with them that makes a difference. The book really shows how a community can come together because of the efforts of a few. It shows how people impact other people's lives in every day situation. You'll laugh, you'll want to weep but you will keep reading and reading as it is so entertaining. |
| Jackie Ferrell |
| House Rules by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Jodi Picoult has never disappointed me with any of her books but I think HOUSE RULES is her very best work so far. The book is what I call a "smart book" because I was educated about Asperger's. This book has mystery, humor, grief fear, anguish- almost all emotions along the human spectrum. I liked the ending. I have told my daughter that the best place to hide something is right out in front of you and Jodi Picoult did exactly that. Her book endings always surprise me. I never know what is going to happen up until the last few pages. I like unpredictable books and Jodi Picoult is a master at the unpredictable. |
| Renee |
| Roses by Leila Meacham |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Glad it lived up to its hype. |
| Harriet Stay (hstay@hughes.net) |
| Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indridason |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Unlike his previous books, this sixth in the series centers primarily on Detective Inspector Erlendur as he decides to unofficially investigate the suicide of a young woman, Maria, to determine why she chose death at such a young age. Crime in Reykavik, Iceland, does not compare to NYC or LA. Inspector Erlendur has time on his hands. Two disappearance cases from almost thirty years ago, still unsolved, believably blend into the mix. As always, there is firm plotting of an original story told through well-drawn characters. In this, there was only a cameo appearance of Erlendur's CID team, Sig Oli and Elinborg. I found the author's approach to reveal snippets of Maria's life from her point of view was a clever devise to reel the reader in to root for the detective. Okay--this is a murder mystery series, but I don't want to reveal too much. Indridason has been awarded the CWA Gold Dagger for his excellent writing and this, again, is no exception. If you've not read his books, do begin with his first, JAR CITY. |
| Paula Bates (ps.bates@yahoo.com) |
| The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A delightful read. |
| Harriet Stay (hstay@hughes.net) |
| Dark Places by Gillian Flynn |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
My introduction to Gillian Flynn was her debut, SHARP OBJECTS. Talk about dark, but the kind of story so compelling I could not stop reading it. It was short-listed for the Edgar Award. And it appears she's done it again. Libby Day at age 31 narrates the chapters in present time. Libby was seven when her whole family was massacred --- except her brother Ben. Ben was sent to prison for the deed, for life. It has been almost 25 years. In alternating chapters is the voice of Ben and then mom, Patty Day, where the reader is lead through the final two days right up to the murders. The characters feel real, their behavior effected by their way of life as dirt poor farmers. Interesting to hear the same situation or comments from different points of view. The momentum of the story is driven by the question "Is Ben really guilty?" Some groupies seem to think not. Libby isn't as sure anymore. I'm not telling. Fantastic story writing: crisp and sharp and it made sense. I think it has that WOW factor! |
| Mary Ann |
| Mudbound by Hillary Jordan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Very very good book about life in the delta of Mississippi after World War II. Henry moves from city life in Memphis with his wife and two children to a farm. Blacks are still very much alienated. Henry's little brother comes after the war as does black soldier Ronsel, from the sharecropper family of the Jacksons. There are many dynamics of family including a mean father, a kind-hearted midwife, and Laura, the wife of Henry, who is attracted to Jaimie, his younger brother. The KKK gets involved and life beholds a lot of tragedy and misfortune. A good look at racial relations of the deep south in the 1940s; and a reminder that thankfully (hopefully) it has changed. |
| Tanya |
| The Color of Light by Karen White |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This was a great read. Jillian Parrish, newly divorced and pregnant with her second child, returns to the only place she has happy memories to start her life over. This book has love, mystery and secrets to keep the reader interested. |
| Linda M. Johnson (tcheer4life@yahoo.com) |
| Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Three stories told in alternating chapters. About halfway through the book I began to wonder when the stories would converge. Two of the three do toward the end of the book. It is the last page before they all merge. This is the first of Mr. Chaon's books that I have read, but it won't be my last. He is a confident voice without being formulaic. |
| Ruth |
| Where Are You Now? by Mary Higgins Clark |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Another great suspense story that kept me turning the pages. I always wish I could read this author's book in one sitting. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| The Mangler of Malibu Canyon by Jennifer Colt |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The twins are back having to solve the murders that their aunt and cousins are arrested for so they need to find the real killer or killers before the trial or they themselves get killed. The second book in this series great read fun and keeps you guessing. The author really knows how to make the characters come to life. |
| Judy O. (joswood@msn.com) |
| Born Under a Million Shadows by Andrea Busfield |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a wonderful story about an eleven-year-old boy named Fawad. He lives in post-Taliban Afghanistan with his mother, aunt, and cousins in a 4-room shack. Fawad makes money to help his family by begging and stealing from tourists. When his mother gets a job as a housekeeper for 3 expatriates, Fawad's life changes drastically. His new friends, James, May, and Georgie, become a family to his mother and him. We get an intimate look at daily life in Afghanistan and come to appreciate the country's beauty. The author actually lived there for 2 1/2 years, so she writes from experience. A book to savor. |
| Linda M. Johnson (tcheer4life@yahoo.com) |
| All I Know About Animal Behavior I Learned in Loeh by Erma Bombeck |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Humorous essays in which Bombeck names animals then illustrates how human beings act like that species. I listened to this. Barbara Rosenblatt was good, but I think I would have appreciated the book more if I had physically read it. I still love Erma, though. |
| Linda M. Johnson (tcheer4life@yahoo.com) |
| Portuguese Irregular Verbs by Alexander McCall Smith |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
The protagonists (with the long, complicated name) is an authority on and written a book about Portuguese Irregular Verbs, but is completely clueless about appropriate social behavior. This was an audio book wonderfully narrated by Paul Hecht. How does McCall Smith have time to write all these books and do it so well? |
| Bonnie |
| Little Bee by Chris Cleave |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Novel worth reading about survival. Telling any more wouldn't be fair. |
| Harriet Stay (hstay@hughes.net) |
| The Man From Beijing by Henning Mankell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This story begins hushed on a snow-covered Swedish landscape. You meet a natural predator, a wolf, later a domesticated one, a human. No matter how much detail I try to conceal about the story, it would still be too revealing and spoil the surprise. This is a standalone, perhaps almost considered a thriller, but highly effective by not racing at a neck-braking speed. I was immediately hooked. Mankell's sense of place is evocative whether a hamlet in Sweden today, the docks of 1863 Canton, China, or the Transcontinental Railroad crossing the Sierras in Nevada. What drives this story is obsession, not just that of the antagonist, but the heroine, as you'll discover she, too, in her own way, is obsessed. I learned to care and worry about District Judge Birgitta Roslin, admire Hong Qui, and felt embarrassment as a fellow human being over the plight of San, Wu, and Guo Si. Hatred was reserved for JA and Ya Ru. This is not the first story Mankell blends a touch of history with his mystery (The White Lioness) and makes the whole believable. Stirring emotions is what Mankell does so perfectly. He has received many awards including the CWA Gold Dagger for Sidetracked, part of his Kurt Wallander series. I just love his stories. |
| Linda Bentzen |
| True North: A Journey into Unexplored Wilderness by Elliott Merrick |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Interesting story of abandoning civilization and heading into the wilderness in the winter. |
| Sean from OHIO |
| Fool's Run by John Sandford |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I don't know if I could have been more surprised. I have literally loved almost every John Sandford novel I have ever read. I was really looking forward to this first chapter in the Kidd saga. What I got however, seemed like it was written by a completely different author. Maybe it can be chalked up to it being an early novel of his or the "cutting edge" technology of the time is so outdated now, I don't know. The Prey series has always impressed me but this might put me off the rest of the Kidd series. The characters were so hodge podged and lame. It was weird compared to Lucas Davenport, Virgil Flowers, etc. If you want good Sandford you might want to skip this and look for the Prey novels. |
| Crystal |
| Hell Gate by Linda Fairstein |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another story featuring Manhattan ADA Alex Cooper, Detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace. A well-written but gritty and disturbing storyline. |
| Sean from OHIO |
| Jurrasic Park by Michael Crichton |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Michael Crichton delivers another science-related thriller, this time with DNA and genetics as the main theme. The ideas presented here are still relevant over twenty years later. The movie was much more awe-inspiring and with dinosaurs as the subject matter that's perfectly understandable. The characters are a little flat and the math angle is overdone and drags the book down at times. The idea of the amusement park is a fantastic one, though, and is totally believable, considering the financial implications. Overall, its a decent book but is much better as a movie due to the special effects possible. |
| Larissa (larissa_hawkins@yahoo.com) |
| Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning T by Rick Riordan |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I bought the series for my children. We recently watched the movie. the book has a different take on the story and so far it is not too bad. I think my junior high daughter will enjoy the book. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| Shroud for a Nightingale by P. D. James |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is an Adam Dalgleish mystery set in England. This story is set at a nursing/hospital, and the training nurses are dropping like flies. Dalgleish and the Scotland Yard are not called in until the second death. James does a wonderful job of exploring the personality of the characters, as well as developing the setting. Modern writers seem to skip all this information and head right into the action with little attention as to the why. |
| rose |
| Les Misérables by Victor Hugo |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book was chosen by our book club. It is a timeless classic written in 1852. Most of us read either the abridged or unabridged version. Our discussion of the book was most interesting. |
| Becky |
| My Wife's Affair by Nancy Woodruff |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I just finished MY WIFE'S AFFAIR by Nancy Woodruff, and I must say I enjoyed it very much. It was made interesting by having the story told from the point of view of the husband, which is apparent by the book's title. Peter kept me guessing through much of the story.was the actual affair referring to the relationship that Georgie had with Mrs. Jordan? How could it be otherwise when Peter's wife seemed to have it all.a wonderful family, a job she loved, a vibrant place for her to live? The ending was quite surprising and leaves one to wonder what becomes of the remainder of Georgie's family. It is definitely a book I can recommend. |
| R. Honey (meenmom714@gmail.com) |
| Breathless by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
So far I have not a clue what is going on and that is the mark of a great thriller to this "jaded" reader! |
| Larry Keith (lkconsult@yahoo.com) |
| Madam, the Grass Is High by Dennis H. Christen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The best read of this type of genre I've seen. I'm over 50 and it is obvious that this story was written for the 40 plus crowd but I recommended it to my niece and she told me she enjoyed also. She is in her mid-twenties. It's an American Romeo and Juliet with a brilliant twist at the end. It's interesting just how far good health will take our Senior Citizens. |
| Joyce Harmon (j.harmon.in.florida@gmail.com) |
| The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
My husband fought in the Vietnam War, and on occasion, I've read novels and collections of short stories about it. I think that THE THINGS THEY CARRIED is my favorite of all of these works. It's a beautiful collection of stories. Very powerful and full of meaning. A work that gets to the essence of the war. |
| Joyce Harmon (j.harmon.in.florida@gmail.com) |
| Dragon House by John Shors |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A beautifully written novel that takes place in today's sprawling, vibrant Saigon. This novel is about street children and two Americans who try to help them. I laughed and cried in this book many times. It's quite special. |
| Carol |
| My Wife's Affair by Nancy Woodruff |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The story is written from the husband's point of view. The husband, Peter, is a failed writer turned account. The wife, Georgie --- mother of three boys under the age of six --- is an on again off again actress off Broadway. Peter, getting transferred to London, packs his family up to begin a fairy tale life with the family in a new country. After getting settled in and the boys start their new school, Georgia gets the role of Dora Jordan in an one woman's show. Dora Jordan was a famous actress from the 18th century and mistress to the Duke of Clarence, later William IV (the play closely follows their real life). The play also follows Peter and Georgie's life together as Georgie tries to examine her own life while living Dora's life on stage. A fantastic book which I am going to recommend to my book club as a future selection. |
| Brenda |
| The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
An interesting read. A wee but overly drawn out, but a nice read nonetheless. |
| ck |
| The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A young man and a young woman are chosen from the 12 districts that remain in a post-apocalyptic world --- they will fight each other until one survivor is left. Contestants are shown throughout the districts on television. Each night pictures of the dead are reflected in the sky so the remaining contestants know which still need to be eliminated. Lots to think about in this "reality TV" story --- moral choices, values, the celebrity culture. |
| Enid Grabiner |
| Jaclyn's Journey by Lori Kaplan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
It seems natural for all young couples to have expectations of starting a family and producing a healthy child. Lori and Alan, young, bright and accomplished individuals were just that. Well-educated and set in their careers, they decided it was time to have a baby. Enjoying all the excitement that surrounds the event, they shared the news with family and friends, chose furniture and baby paraphernalia and prepared themselves for Jaclyn's birth. Never did they anticipate how life can turn in a moment. Lori's gut told her things were not right with the baby. She seemed to sleep too much and worked to hard to breathe. Was it a first-time mother's panic or symptoms of a greater problem? Unfortunately this beautiful baby was diagnosed with Complex Congenital Heart Disease, leading to multiple surgeries and complications. In this beautiful memoir to her daughter, Lori Kaplan chronicles her experience of trying to maximize Jaclyn's quality of life while fearing loss of her own self in the process. Excitement, followed by anxiety, anger and resentment are some of the raw emotions she underwent. The reader quickly understands the impact of a chronic disease on the whole family, how loving and giving can still carry the burden of rage and bitterness. Despite complete focus on feeding tubes, numerous surgeries, and other obstacles, Lori learns lessons from her daughter about dedication of family, self-assertiveness, and the acknowledgement and enjoyment little accomplishments. Most of all she learns the lesson of unconditional love. |
| Stanley Suwinski (soundtrackstrk@aol.com) |
| Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie / Bob Mayer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Thoroughly enjoyable. Very funny from the first page to the last. The only time I put this book down was to wipe my eyes, I laughed so hard I was crying. The way these writers speak to you from the characters mind is very creative and keeps your interest. I highly recommend all of Jennifer Crusie's books --- you can have a depressing day and her writing will lift you up. |
| Lori |
| The Broken Teaglass by Emily Arsenault |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Who knew that working as a lexicographer could be so interesting! This story within a story unfolds in an unusual way in an unusual setting. I found the descriptions of how words come about being in a dictionary almost as intriguing as the unfolding mystery told through the story. |
| Elizabeth (meadowmist@comcast.net) |
| Surfacing by Margaret Atwood |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
*Strange*....easiest way to describe it. The nameless character goes back to her childhood home on a remote island looking for her father, and she brings all kinds of emotions and "hangups" with her. She spends little over a week with her boyfriend and another couple...they all start getting on each other's nerves. When it is time to leave, the nameless heroine hides and doesn't go with them. Even stranger things happen when she is there alone. While there with her friends, she is constantly worrying that her widowed father will return and be enraged that there are people in his home. She finds things from her childhood while in the house and things that make her think about feelings and obligations. She seems to be looking for answers about her life then and now. It has excellent character descriptions and descriptions of feelings.....it takes a few pages to get you interested, and it is a deep, thoughtful book with a lot more "underneath" that comes out --- must be why it is called surfacing? |
| Marsha |
| A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This charming memoir by the author of the blog, Orangette, features recipes, as well as an account of her experiences with life, love and travel. |
| Ellen |
| The Dark Matter by Peter Straub |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I love Peter Straub --- my favorite books of all time are GHOST STORY and MYSTERY --- but I am having trouble getting through this one. |
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
| The Help by Kathryn Stockett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
What an incredible book this was. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started to read this. A lot of my reader friends have recommended this so I know it was going to be good. I just didn't realize how good. The story is about living in Jackson, Mississippi in the early '60s. When white women hired black women as their housekeepers. A young lady, recently graduated from college, comes back to Jackson and her family and longs to become a writer. She gets this idea, with the suggestion from a New York publisher, to interview some of the "Helper's" and turn it into a book. This is extremely dangerous, especially during this tumultuous time. Stockett creates such complex, beautiful characters you can help but feel like you know them. This book moved me. I would love to see this book made into a movie. I will never forget this book. It goes right up there at the top of my "best books ever read" list. Can't wait to talk about this in my bookclub. I recommend this to everyone. It should be required reading. |
| Jean |
| Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Not to be missed! This is a fabulous read. It has a very similar feel as THE HELP. You will fall in love with the main character, a young girl by the name of CeeCee. I highly recommend this book and guarantee you won't be disappointed.. |
| Judy Stein |
| Bad Things Happen by Harry Dolan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
What could be better than a mystery about mystery writers! Low-key, with twist upon twist. Well-drawn central characters, with sly, literary in-jokes that mystery enthusiasts will chuckle at. And a hero who can juggle --- sweeeet! A fine first novel. |
| Allison |
| Dower House by Anabel Davis-Goff |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A great story about family dynamics in an Anglo-Irish family. |
| Shelley Quezada |
| The Man From Bejing by Henning MankelL |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Mankell, the internationally acclaimed author of the Kurt Wallender series turns his attention to a savage massacre in a quiet Swedish village in this stand-alone thriller. Judge Birgitta Roslin hears of the killings and soon realizes there is a family connection. She resolves to get involved in the investigation. The clues she uncovers stretch back to the 19th century and an international web of corruption and a story of vengeance. Told in Mankell's compelling yet literary voice, this is a page turner that should have wide appeal. |
| Jud Hanson |
| Slip of the Knife by Denise Mina |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Irish newspaper reporter receives shocking news: her longtime friend Terry Hewitt has been found murdered. Her investigation reveals secrets that some would kill to protect and she risks her life to find the truth. All in all a good book but a little hard to understand the Irish slang. |
| Shelley Quezada |
| Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonsen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A true British original, Major Pettigrew lives in a small English village where his blossoming friendship with Jasmina Ali, a Pakistani shopkeeper allows them to share their love of literature. Going against convention that he is a local and she a foreigner this is a gentle story of cross cultural relationships wrapped up with hilarious dialogue and memorable characters. |
| Shelley Quezada |
| The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
In Paris, uneducated and unlovely Rene Michel has been the concierge of an apartment building for many years. She hides her cultural taste for philosophy, literature and film under a masque of subservience. Likewise, twelve-year-old Paloma, a child of tenants in the building enjoys similar tastes but also harbors thoughts of suicide until a Japanese tenant detects their interests and coaxes them into an unlikely friendship. Unlike anything I have read recently, this is beautifully written and profound. A very European tale that was thankfully translated from the French to reach a wider audience! |
| Jackie |
| Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This was another tearjerker from Kristin Hannah. I would give it 4.5 stars. I loved the book. |
| Phyllis |
| The Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I have loved reading about the Spellmans since THE SPELLMAN FILES; the latest book about them didn't disappoint. Isabel and her family are still funny and irresistible. |
| Jean |
| The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A good read about slavery and the South in 1810. This novel is very engrossing by this debut author. |
| Debby |
| The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The Washington DC setting is great. Action packed. |
| Rosemary Sobczak (rosemarysobczak@hotmail.com) |
| Money to Burn by James Grippando |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Almost makes you fearful of Wall Street. |
| Julie |
| The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I'm less than halfway through this book so I can't give it four or five stars yet. The first 200 pages are rather slow but I'm told by my friends who have read it to stay with it. The description on the book jacket tells me the story should get better. The story "combines murder mystery, family saga, love story and financial intrigue into a complex and atmospheric novel." I'll keep you posted |
| Virginia Weber |
| Deep Shadow by Randy Wayne White |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
My heart is still pounding from this thriller. I've read the whole Doc Ford/Tomlinson series & recommend them. |
| Melissa |
| The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is probably one of my favorite books of all time. Very old fashioned and emotional. Nicholas Sparks is such a talented author. |
| Judy O. (joswood@msn.com) |
| In Their Blood by Sharon Potts |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
D.C. and Rachel Stroeb are murdered in cold blood in their bedroom in Florida. Their daughter Elisa finds them and is traumatized by their horrible deaths. Their son Jeremy, who has been hiking around Europe, comes home and takes guardianship of his teenage sister. Jeremy also sets about trying to find the killer of his parents. This is a decent, not great, thriller. The ending gets really muddy and rather implausible, but the book entertained me. I guess that's the purpose of reading anyway. |
| Barbara S |
| One Good Dog by Susan Wilson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
After I got past the first chapter of the dog's thoughts, I actually looked forward to them. I judge a book by how it affects me and tears rolling down my face at the end, rates it a 5. As the author says, a man who needs someone to lean on and a dog who found he needed him too. |
| Carrie R. |
| The Help by Kathryn Stockett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Fabulous read! Gives you a real sense of everyday struggles in early 1960s Mississippi --- whether or not the people involved realized they were struggles. The characters become friends (or maybe enemies, for a couple of them) and I found it a real page turner. |
| Carrie R. |
| The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
Dreadfully drawn out and boring! The concept of the story is a good one or could be, but it's about 300 pages too long. There are so many details and stories told that have nothing to do with the main plot. I would have given up if I weren't reading it for a group assignment. |
| lizm |
| Warning Signs by Stephen White |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Love the plot and the characters (even have some sympathy for the villains). Also, because I have lived in the Denver metro area all of my life, I love the setting (Boulder - Denver) |
| Marion Miller (lamamil@aol.com) |
| A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a wonderful "coming of age" story of a young college girl and her formative years. The characters are well-developed and you find yourself becoming part of the story. |
| carol |
| La's Orchestra Saves the World by Alexander McCall Smith |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
How does he continue to surprise and delight his readers? McCall Smith has done it again. This is a charming read about a woman in WWII. A friend suggests that she start an orchestra. The orchestra contains service men and local country people in Suffolk. But the real story is about a German/Pole stuck in England due to the war and this woman. The author's language is so delightful. |
| Marsha |
| The Buffalo Soldier by Chris Bohjalian |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
After the death of their twin daughters, a Vermont couple takes in a foster child who is African American and 10 years old. The child has been passed through several foster families and hopes that this one will be his last. An elderly neighbor befriends the child and inspires him with tales of the Buffalo Soldiers, the black cavalrymen of the old West. This is a moving portrait of a marriage and the need for love. |
| Margi |
| Deeper Than Dead by Tami Hoag |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
For fans of Hoag, this latest novel does not disappoint. It's a fast-action page-turner. The story takes place in the early '80s before computers, cell phones, and DNA evidence were commonplace to investigators. A detective believes that there is a serial killer operating and he calls in an FBI profiler for help. They believe that one of the towns prominent citizens is the killer, but which one? I recommend this book. |
| Tanya |
| The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Another great mystery starring Flavia de Luce. Flavia is 11 and just can't stop solving murders in her hometown. Her knowledge of chemistry makes her even more entertaining. |
| David Cyr (davidbcyr3@hotmail.com) |
| On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I've read the book 3 times. |
| Miriam |
| Showdown by Larry Elder |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I have found it a great read. I am very excited about Elder's views, discussions and conservatism. However his method of presenting views I believe is very well suited to conveying political choices, belief systems, economic approaches etc to both those of already similar choices or opposing views. His various chapter concepts in this book are delved into and developed in a manner that provides for thought-provoking review of circumstances and ideals etc not adamant preaching or admonishing of any position. |
| carol |
| Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I read this book by reading the recommendation on Bookreporter and was glad that I did. It was a delightful read about a child starting a new life in Savannah. The child's mother had been mentally ill for years. When she is killed, there is guilt because the child is glad to not have to continue to deal with her mother. A new life in Savannah makes this child blossom. Not all is wonderful, but the bad is offset with the good. |
| Irene - Saratoga Springs NY |
| The Russian Dreambook of Color and Flight by Gina Ochsner |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
THE RUSSIAN BOOK OF COLOR AND FLIGHT offers provocative insight into what has happened in post-Soviet Russia. As it continues playing "King of the Hill" by fighting wars with Cheynya, Bosnia, Afganistan, Georgia, etc. (not in a historical timeline), the ordinary Russian bears the brunt of such folly. Muslims, Jews, and Christians circumspectly inhabit a condemned building. While there is no plot per se, the narratives are provided by the main characters in the building. How they live (totally influenced by their various religions), their jobs, the absolute lack of sustainable goods, e.g., fuel, ink, money, and food. Though plausible, it is absurdly unreal. Dystopian fiction with huge satirical swathes. Tanya, abandoned by her mother and raised by her cynical grandmother, "re-creates art" in the museum in which she works. Tanya also incessantly writes in her blue notebook, her constant companion. What is notable about her style of writing is the recurring inclusion of her view of the extraordinary colors visible despite her bleak surroundings, and how one would create such colors, e.g., a "Prussian blue" versus a "French blue," etc. I found her to be one of the most interesting characters in the book. The least enjoyable part of the book was the recurring references to the significance of the communal outdoor privy, its occupants and their daily business within its confines. There also is a mystical component with Azade, the privy attendant who is able to divine the troubles of the occupants by their gaseous emissions and their meager ordure. Despite this continuously annoying segue, I could not stop reading this book. The author's writing is phenomenal, and I would like to read more of her work. |
| Linda Maxine Williams (mxwms@msn.com) |
| The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I was hesitant to try this series again since I was very disappointed in SCARPETTA. However, THE SCARPETTA FACTOR eased my mind. It is back to the old formula and characters I loved so much --- Lucy, Marino and many new ones. This is much better written than SCARPETTA and has a much better storyline. Take a chance on Cornwell again, she's back! |
| Denée |
| House Rules by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Interesting view of a reality that many deny exists. |
| Helkat |
| While My Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Jealousy among siblings, regret, guilt, and then the ultimate...to decide when life is no more and pull the plug. A great read with tough issues. |
| Crystal |
| Butter Safe Than Sorry by Tamar Myers |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The latest installment in the Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery series. A good mystery, plus it's laugh-out-loud funny. |
| Susan J. |
| Superfreakonomics by Steven Levitt, Stephen Dubner |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Covering everything from prostitution to global warming, this book is nothing if not thought-provoking. I have not read its precursor, FREAKONOMICS, so can make no comparison to that, but very much appreciated this one. This book challenges much of mainstream thinking on various subjects. Is chemotherapy helpful, how effective is profiling, is your child safer in a car seat, should you compare your Realtor to a pimp? I've read some of the other reviews, and it seems that quite a few people are personally offended, especially by the section on global warming. The book doesn't depute that climate change exists, it addresses some different thinking towards it. Therefore, it makes enemies from both camps: those who think there is no detrimental climate change and those who think the proposed and mostly unsuccessful mainstream fixes are the only way to go. Whether people love or hate the book, I don't think anyone can read the whole thing without at least challenging or defending what they have been thinking, and there is a great deal of worth in anything that makes us think. On top of that, SUPERFREAKONOMICS a thoroughly entertaining book. |
| Susan J. |
| Money to Burn by James Grippando |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Wall Street hotshot Michael Cantella is having a really bad 35th birthday, and it is only going to go downhill from there. In the first 50 pages of this novel, there are two mysteries: a woman and a fortune have both vanished, although not at the same time. I guessed one of the surprises early into the book but won't spoil it but telling you whether my guess was correct. There were lots of unexpected twists and turns in the book. Backstabbing financiers, shock-jock TV financial reporters, less-than-honorable people everywhere, the all-too-familiar collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market. The characters I liked best were Papa and Nana, the down-to-earth grandparents who raised Michael, ants instead of grasshoppers who never trusted those "Fonzie" schemes. For a mystery, this is a relatively non-gruesome story except for a character named Burn who had a little too close a relationship with gasoline. I even learned more about the reasons for the financial world's meltdown. Overall, this is a mystery I thoroughly enjoyed. |
| Jean |
| The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is a little hard to get involved in, at first, but it gets better the farther you read. It is set in Sweden and is a mystery about a 40 yr. old missing person case. I had no idea where it was going or how it might end. |
| CindyF |
| The Abduction by James Grippando |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I am only about 3/4 of the way through the book but it is a gripping read. The story holds your attention and makes you want to keep on reading. This is the first time I have read books by James Grippando and I will definitely try some more of his books. |
| Brenda Rupp (dancealert@aol.com) |
| The Woman Who Named God by Charlotte Gordon |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I haven't given up on this book, but it is a difficult read. There are many references to portions of the bible, the torah and the koran. I'm not as interested in the bible as some are, my grandmother will probably love the book. I will pass it on to her. I know someone else who won the book and they also thought it was a "difficult" read. |
| Sue |
| Never Wave Goodbye by Doug Magee |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A mother sends her daughter off to camp for the first time. After the daughter leaves in the camp van, another van arrives to take her to camp. Four children are taken and nobody knows what has happened to them. A heart-wrenching story with a few twists along the way. |
| Sue, Saratoga |
| The Professor & The Housekeeper by Yoko Ogawa |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A Japanese housekeeper and her young son befriend a brain-damaged Mathematics Professor who she works for. They mostly relate to him through numbers, as his world has shrunk to include only Math. Touching, beautiful story. |
| Susan J. |
| What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Malcolm Gladwell's essays cover everything from ketchup and Ron Ropeil to the profiling of serial killers, terrorist, and vicious dogs. Each essay gives us the opportunity to look at people, products, corporations, decisions through different eyes and a fresh perspective. As an animal lover, I was most interested in the essay about Cesar Millan and his method of working with dogs (What the Dog Saw) and the essay about pit dog and vicious dog profiling (Troublemakers). Despite the lessons to be learned, I don't care about Enron and its SPEs (special purpose entities) or the best way to choose football draft choices. Even though I am not likely to ever hire or be a teacher, I was very much interested in how to tell the good ones from the bad ones. The parts on profiling were fascinating to me although the description of a murder victim was especially barbaric, even to a mystery- and true crime- reader like I sometimes am. So, in the end, this book was hit-and-miss with me. Some parts completely engaged me and some I just rushed through in order to move on. It seems there is something for everyone in this book but also the other side of the coin is there may be an essay or two that each reader will find less valuable or relevant. |
| Janice Hoaglin (jhoaglin@sbcglobal.net) |
| Beyond the Mountain by Elizabeth Arthur |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
There are some beautifully written passages in this book, and I have added a couple to my list of "favorite quotes". However, the relationships in the story are difficult to understand; they are of such intensity, and sometimes violent, but I never felt connected to the characters or much cared about their ways of relating to each other. This is mostly a book about mountain climbing, and I did really like the descriptions of both the landscape, and the challenges faced by the climbers. I do want to try other books by this author. |
| Janice Hoaglin (jhoaglin@sbcglobal.net) |
| Life Sentences by Laura Lippman |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Several themes are explored in this stand-alone book by Laura Lippman; most obviously, the role of memory and perception in how we understand our lives and what has shaped them. It also touches on racism, marriage, infidelity, loyalty among friends (or lack thereof). And there is a mystery to be solved, as the main character researches for a book she is writing, the truth about what really happened to the infant son of an old friend, a friend who spent 7 years in jail for refusing to reveal what happened to her child. Did she kill him, is she protecting someone else? The lead character, Cassandra, turns out not to be a very likable person, for me, but the book certainly held my interest. |
| Jean M |
| The Silent Man by Alex Berenson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the third book in a series featuring John Wells, a maverick CIA agent. If you like thrillers, try this series. |
| joannew |
| The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Very good book that had me hooked from the beginning. It compares greatly with ANGELS AND DEMONS. |
| E.Rey |
| Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Historical Fiction. Excellently researched. |
| CindyF |
| The Abduction by James Grippando |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I am only about 3/4 of the way through the book but it is a gripping read. The story holds your attention and makes you want to keep on reading. This is the first time I have read books by James Grippando and I will definitely try some more of his books. |
| Pattie Berryhill (pattiberr@aol.com) |
| The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I'm tired of the same story of Kay Scarpetta and her niece, Lucy. |
| Kathleen |
| The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel by Maureen Lindley |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Captivating...informative...unpredictable. Can't wait to see what will happen next! |
| Kathleen |
| Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A great read.... |
| Gail from Matthews |
| The Help by Kathryn Stockett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This was a book that was hard to put down. The narrative alternates between a young privileged,white woman who decides to write a book to shine a light on the treatment of "the help" in the early 60's and the African-American maids of her friends who help her with the project. This was well-written and presented an interesting, sensitive look at the beginnings of the civil rights movement. |
| Becky Chome |
| The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloots |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a wonderful non-fiction book that reads like a novel. Henrietta Lacks was an entirely unknown historical figure to me, one who has probably affected the life of each and every reader in some way. Henrietta's life, and subsequently the life of her family, is revealed in this great read. |
| Judy O. (joswood@msn.com) |
| House Rules by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Jacob Hunt has Asperger's Syndrome, which is similar to Autism; but the person is higher functioning. He is accused of a terrible crime and brought to trial. He does not handle this well at all, and his mother fears that he will be lost forever. For 3/4 of the book this was a good read, but I found myself getting very tired of the constant information about Asperger's Syndrome. The same information was repeated over and over, until I started skimming. Seventy five fewer pages would have made this a much more readable book. However, the underlying story is fantastic. |
| Becky Chome |
| One Amazing Thing by Chetra Banerjee Divakar |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Situation...will you and those around you die very soon? The author takes a group of people, most unknown to the others, and puts them in danger. How do they react? How do they pass the time? What do they learn about themselves? ONE AMAZING THING is based on the premise that we each have a story within us...have we ever shared it with others? A good book which helps answer these and other questions. |
| Dorothy |
| The First Annual Grand Prairie Rabbit Festival by Ken Wheaton |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
A complete waste of time and definitely anti-Catholic. The story of two priests, one an alcoholic and the other gay. |
| Dorothy |
| Worst Case by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
As with all of his books, it is a real page turner. |
| Dara Berryhill (dara34293@aol.com) |
| The Postmistress by Blake |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
THE POSTMISTRESS shows a good history lesson in Europe during World War II and the start of the Jews being rounded up to go to camps. Individual cases are interesting. |
| Ruth |
| Shanghai Girls by Lisa See |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Enjoyed this book almost as much as SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN, but thought the ending was a bit abrupt. |
| Carol G |
| Chains of Fate by Pamela Belle |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is an older book that I have had for ages and am just getting around to reading, 2nd in the series. Set in the period of the English Civil War, the storyline is good, but without a better grasp of the historical facts, I am having a little trouble keeping some of the real (although peripheral) characters straight. |
| Reeta Harrison |
| Shanghai Girls by Lisa See |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I loved the story of these two sisters from their youth in China to their lives in the United States. Their struggles all along the way are fascinating and sometimes difficult to read. When I came to the last page, I didn't want to leave them and I'm hoping for a sequel. |
| Reeta Harrison |
| One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The nine characters are trapped in a passport and visa office after an earthquake. This situation affects each one differently and shows how it changes each person's outlook on life. I really enjoyed reading it. |
| Ivy Pittman (ipittman26@yahoo.com) |
| One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A well crafted story about the interwoven stories told by several individuals who are stuck together in what seems like a deadly situation. The amazing thing is that the amazing thing is interwoven in one of these individual stories, bring the story to an unfortunate conclusion. |
| Reeta Harrison |
| September by Rosamunde Pilcher |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This novel by the author of THE SHELL SEEERS takes us into the lives of Scottish families during one summer. I loved being there with them and didn't want to leave. This is the second time I've read the book and enjoyed it even more than the first time. |
| Cheryle |
| Money to Burn by James Grippando |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book could be taken from the headlines of current newspapers! Very timely, extremely well written, and exciting! |
| Kathy Boucher (kboucher@cableone.net) |
| The Bestseller by Olivia Goldsmith |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I found this book in a used-book store, It was published in 1996. I simply could not put it down! What a tour of the world of publishing, authors, editors, agents, etc.! I will never look at the display at Barnes & Noble in the same way as before...you really feel a part of the whole process; what an author goes through to get a book published, the politics "at the top", the greed, selfishness, that can be there....it all rolls into one VERY interesting novel!! |
| Lor |
| The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This book reminds me of THE DA VINCI CODE, only regarding Dracula --- lots of running around looking for clues in old libraries and out-of-the-way places. There are no real scary part,s but plenty of sleepy ones, lol. |
| Kathryn (txtiger@verizon.net) |
| Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Intriguing story, based on true facts, of young girl who discovered ammonites on shores of Lyme Refis area of England. The story takes in more levels of the times, feminism, the start of Darwin's evolution theory, Victorian mores and more. I find myself recommending it often, and still thinking about it weeks later. |
| Kathryn (txtiger@verizon.net) |
| Shadow Tag by Louise Erdrich |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Life for two marrieds of Native American descent, their 3 young children, and their own separate tortured lives in art. She handles married love, responsibility, co-dependence, ineffectual parenting, etc....and with a twist at the end. This, too, I'm pondering as the days go by. How autobiographical is this one?? |
| Kathryn (txtiger@verizon.net) |
| Brava Valentine by Adriana Trigiani |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is second of the trilogy about the Roncalli/Angellini families and shoe company. I found this not as interesting as the first. I enjoyed learning more about the shoe designs, leathers, cuts, construction and business. And I also like to 'travel' in my books, to the Isle of Capri, and looking at the villa and restaurants and shoe designs on the internet made the book 'come alive' for me. Sadly, I missed that this time, but look forward to book number three! |
| Kathryn (txtiger@verizon.net) |
| Rooftops of Tehran by Mahrod Seraji |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This was an interesting read just from the story itself. I passingly remember the time of the Shah in the 1970s and ironically, there was the same sort of news from Tehran on the evening news the day I turned this in at the library. We all know these things 'took place in history,' but in actuality, it continues every day somewhere in our world! |
| Julie H. |
| Drive Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I love this series! Charlotte McNalley is an investigative reporter, in her late 40s, newly engaged and embarking on step-momhood too. With all that on her plate, the big story for February sweeps turns out to be a timely automobile expose that moves from being just about recalled cars not being fixed to cloned cars. Charlie is delightfully real, she takes her relationship with young Penny very seriously, creating a bit of a rift with Franklin at work when Josh's Bexford school has secrets of its own to discover. |
| Kathryn (txtiger@verizon.net) |
| The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The was a good book to 'sink into' for several days,just for the atmosphere and good details to feel! I could almost smell the garden, and was ready to walk the maze. I enjoyed this as just pure entertainment. I am eager to hear the bookclub's take this week. |
| Kristen |
| Swimsuit by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
As always, James manages to capture your attention and hold it until you are working extremely hard to keep your eyes open so you can finish the book. |
| Elizabeth V |
| Provenance by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
As I recently read PROVENANCE: HOW A CON MAN AND A FORGER REWROTE THE HISTORY OF MODERN ART by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo, I thought it could have been a thriller if it had been written by Robert Lindsey, author of A GATHERING OF SAINTS. Both books tell important and interesting true stories, PROVENANCE about forging the works of famous artists, A GATHERING OF SAINTS about forging old documents. Yet PROVENANCE, while interesting, was a yawner for the first half of the book, making me wonder, why should I care? But A GATHERING OF SAINTS was told as a thriller so was impossible to put down from beginning to end. PROVENANCE tells of the decades-long art scam of John Drew, the con artist, and John Myatt, the artist-forger in England during the 90s. I should have cared; art crime is not only just about as profitable as drug smuggling; they are both often intertwined with terrorism. But the story went all over the place; it didn't stay on topic. PROVENANCE would be about what its subtitle promises, then go off on a tangent about something else. While it was obvious that the authors did a lot of research, it was also obvious they felt they had to relate every bit of it to the reader. Ho hum. |
| Sue K. |
| House Rules by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I am really enjoying this book. It is informative and gives a person an understanding of Asperger's. |
| Ivystone (arianeaparis@yahoo.com) |
| the Dowry of the Fiancees by Shmuel Agnon |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Israeli author born in galicia, then went to Israel. This book was written in 1919, and relates the story of a rabbi who tours villages to find money for the dowry of his 3 daughters. Life of Jews at the time when there were still many. This won the nobel prize in 1966. |
| Dusty (bjohnson-att@comcast.net) |
| The Race by Richard North Patterson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Very interesting tale of a US senator running for President; not an unknown plot, but in this case, the Senator is a liberal Republican fighting a conservative rival who will stop at nothing, and a fundamentalist preacher for their party's nomination. Oh, and he is also single and in love with a black actress/model to add a little spice to the race. |
| CC |
| The Help by Kathryn Stockett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
If I could give this book 10 stars, I would. I was captivated by the characters and hated to see the book end. The writing was excellent and the book gave me a new perspective. |
| Mary |
| The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another good mystery by Stieg Larsson. This is the second book in the series. |
| Tom Carrico |
| Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
An eye-opener. |
| C.Curd (cacurd21@yahoo.com) |
| The King and Dr Nick by George Nichopoulos MD |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the straight story from Elvis's Dr Nick,Wow The King was a much misunderstood man with a generous soul and failing health even from a fairly young age. A "must read" for an Elvis fan like myself. |
| C.Curd (cacurd21@yahoo.com) |
| Bones by Jonathon Kellerman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I love these books ,because the author knows what he is speaking about (clinical psychology) this book seems grounded although I am able to lose myself in it,I have another 2 on my to be read pile of this same author |
| Kristen |
| Fledgling by Octavia Butler |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This explores the concept of racism through the use of vampires and cross breeding and how some people will stop at nothing to kill those that are different. I got this book at the library after reading the jacket and I loved it. |
| C.Curd (cacurd21@yahoo.com) |
| Deadly Intent by Lydia Laplante |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
the author of PRIME SUSPECT never lets me down burning the midnight oil to finish, and then complain until her next book comes out. |
| Rhoda MacMaster (Tiggi47@aol.com) |
| Circle of Quilters by Jennifer Chiavereni |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I liked this so much that now I have to go the library and get the first three books in her series. You can identify with the characters in the book --- very lifelike. The Quilting group needs new teachers and they interview candidates. A bit of mystery in it. |
| Kris |
| The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
While I appreciated the number of literary allusions, I felt the story dragged in some parts. I was not so interested in the dog training and naming of dogs. |
| Debi |
| Alabama Moon by Watt Key |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
For a YA book, this one is very good! I read it for our student book club, and I can't wait for the discussion. A young boy is left homeless after the death of his father. Considering that he was raised in the woods with no outside contact, he is remarkably resourceful! I highly recommend it! |
| Karen Terry (mi3sons@mchsi.com) |
| The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This 2nd book in the series is so good, it is better than the first one. The first one was good also. Lisbeth's past is revealed and you learn why she is the way she is, when she appeared in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. Mikael also comes to her rescue, when she is accused of murder. This book will keep you engaged until the very end. |
| Rosalie Sambuco (crimekitty763@yahoo.com) |
| The Royal Harlot by Susan Holloway Scott |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
An interesting story of Barbara Villier, Lady Castlemain, and King Charles II. Barbara is his mistress and the mother of 5 of his children. Charles has regained the English throne from Cromwell and the Reformists. This is the period for the Great Plague and the Great London Fire. Court life is very real and decadant. Some readers may find the graphic sex unsettling. |
| Rosalie Sambuco (crimekitty763@yahoo.com) |
| The Perfect Royal Mistress by Diane Haeger |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Another view of King Charles II of England. Barbara Villiers, Lady Castlemain, is his mistress; but he is tiring of her. He meets Nell Gwynne, an actress, hoping to replace Lady Castlemain. It was very interesting to me to read these stories plus THE COURTESAN and compare the various ideas. It also tells of the decadance of the period; but not as graphically as THE ROYAL HARLOT. |
| Betty Cryder (base982@aol.com) |
| Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love the adventures of Rachel Morgan and her great circle of friends. If you like supernatural, magic, vampires, witches, pixies, etc., you'll really like Rachel's adventures. Kim Harrison writes in an easy- to-read & get-into-flow style. I would recommend reading all her books. They are great. |
| Linda H. (linda604b@yahoo.com) |
| Black Friday by Alex Kava |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year and the Mall of America is the largest shopping mall in the country. What would happen if a bomb were to go off in this mall on Black Friday? Not one but three bombs went off and FBI profiler Maggie O'Dell is on site with Assistant Director Ray Kunze. Also on hand are Charlie Wurth of Homeland Security and Senator Allan Foster of Minnesota. As they sort through security tapes and debris, they find that the bombs were detonated from outside the mall. Maggie then receives a stunning phone call implementing higher placed government officials were involved. A gripping novel that is hard to put down. |
| Linda H. (linda604b@yahoo.com) |
| Long Lost by Harlan Coben |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Myron Bolitar hears a call for help from a former girlfriend he has not heard from in ten years. She wants him to drop whatever he is doing and come to her aid in Paris but she won't tell him why. When he does go and meets Teresa, they are surrounded by the French police who believe that she has killed her ex-husband. He had called Teresa and asked that she meet him in Paris and said that he had information that could change her life but wouldn't tell her what over the phone. Now the French have them as well as other unsavory characters under surveillance. A great story with an eerie ending |
| Linda H. (linda604b@yahoo.com) |
| Deadly Gift by Heather Graham |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
As Sean O'Riley arrives in Ireland with his trophy wife, Amanda, he is taken to the hospital with symptoms of a heart attack. Thinking that his new wife has tried to kill him, his family sends Zack Flynn to watch over him until he can return to the States. An Irish nurse accompanies him back home and Zack is attracted to her and realizes that there is more to her than everyone knows. Back in the States, he is soon involved in finding Sean's partner, Eddie, who is missing after taking a mysterious stranger out on the water. Neither Eddie nor his passenger can be found. Then, Zack finds clues that Eddie has found the mysterious fortune believed to have been buried by a patriot during the Revolutionary War. What happened to Eddie and who is the murderer? Did Eddie find the fortune? A good book. |
| Cheryl K |
| Fantasy In Death by J. D. Robb |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
30th full length Eve Dallas/Roarke novel. The development of the characters over the books is amazing to read. |
| Elizabeth V |
| Echo Park by Michael Connelly |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Harry Bosch, an L.A. police detective back from retirement, becomes involved, at the request of the DA, in the case of a confessed serial killer, Raynard Waits. According to Waits, he is responsible for the death of Marie Gesto, who went missing 13 years ago. Bosch had investigated this case, and it is still unsolved. No body was ever found. Waits has made a deal with the DA: he'll confess in exchange for life in prison rather than death. The DA wants Bosch to hear the confession and decide whether it's authentic. Enter, of course, Bosch's old girlfriend, an FBI investigator. She isn't integral to the story, but she does assist Bosch when he's supposed to be staying home. She also criticizes him for doing what she's helping him do. Bosch can't authenticate Waits's confession until Waits can lead him to the body. It's at that point, on their way to the body, that this story gets thrilling. Now Bosch (and the reader) start putting pieces together and coming up with possible scenarios, with a surprise that didn't occur to him. This book is apparently one of a series about the crime-fighting Harry Bosch. I haven't read the other books in the series but have read another Connelly book, THE SCARECROW, a stand-alone thrillert. The books are unalike. ECHO PARK is more realistic than SCARECROW. I would also say ECHO PARK was less thrilling, but that's not really true; ECHO PARK just took a longer time getting to it. Some readers will really enjoy this. Even those who aren't thrilled about it will admit that it is well thought out and well written. My problem with it is the subject matter. It's been done over and over. |
| Debi |
| Bloodroot by Amy Greene |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Greene's storytelling abilities are just wonderful! She draws you into a family saga, and, before you know it, you are finished! It's heart-wrenching and fulfilling at the same time. What a perfect, bittersweet ending, too! |
| Anne G. Edwards |
| Split Image by Robert B. Parker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This was sad for me to read, knowing that it was Parker's last novel. Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall come together in this mystery, starting with a body in a trunk. Parker's dialogue doesn't disappoint! |
| Debi |
| Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. I kept waiting for something to happen, but I was disappointed...very disappointed. |
| Kris |
| People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
As a book lover, I found it intriguing to read about an ancient book of sorts. What an ingenious idea! |
| Kris |
| The Blessed by Lisa T. Bergren |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
An awesome piece of Christian fiction . . . I loved reading about The Gifted and appreciated the many Biblical connections. |
| Ruthie Bloszinsky (ruthiekb72@yahoo.com) |
| The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Societ by Annie Barrows & Mary Ann Schaffer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A wonderful book told through letters during the Nazi occupation of the Guernsey Islands off the coast of England. Funny, sad and thought provoking! |
| Ellen |
| Sunday List of Dreams by Kris Radish |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This woman knows women! Sometimes I feel like she has been standing over my shoulder taking notes!! |
| Liz |
| Devil in the White City by Erik Larson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I enjoyed this historical fiction, with fascinating information about Chicago's 1893 World's Fair and the serial killer who masquerades as a doctor. |
| Coral Harrison |
| Grace by Richard Paul Evans |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A short book, but mighty. Evans writes very well so you understand the story easily. It is about an abused girl written in 1962 and how a bashful boy helped her when no one else could. |
| Coral Harrison |
| Just Breathe by Susan Wiggs |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Cartoonist Susan Moore is married to Jack. She thinks she is happily married. Her husband is cancer survivor and is a builder. She goes to the house he is building and finds him in bed with a co-worker. She goes from Chicago to a small Northern Coastal Town. It is interesting and easy to read. |
| Ed Hahn (ed_hk@yahoo.com) |
| Night Manager by John le Carré |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another tour de force from one of the masters of the spy genre. Le Carre' manages to invest this novel with the smallest details, yet keep the reader enthralled with the sweep of the overall story. In this case the British night manager of a Swiss hotel, Jonathan Pine, is recruited for an undercover mission against "the most evil man in the world", an arms dealer named Dickey Roper. Explaining his motivations would be a spoiler but suffice to say they consist of both patriotism and revenge. Pine carries out his part of the bargain very well but is unknowingly caught up in a political situation in Whitehall and Miami that puts him at tremendous risk. The story's unfolding is a joy to read. As usual with a Le Carre' novel there are sub-plots galore and plenty of heroes and villains on both sides, most of whom pretend they are doing the right thing when all they are really doing is pursuing their own self interest. To which, in most cases, patriotism must take a back seat. There is more than one love story here and both are tenderly described. Both are also integral to the main plot. As is usually true with Le Carre' novels, it took me a while to get into "The Night Manager" but once I did, I was swept along by Le Carre's well-written prose to a satisfying conclusion. |
| Ed Hahn (ed_hk@yahoo.com) |
| The First World War by John Keegan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I am not a big fan of military histories. They tend to be much too detailed for my taste. They require a familiarity with the geography they cover and often do not provide good maps of the area being written about. They often do not provide the author's opinion of the events being covered. This book meets none of the above criteria. While it is detailed, nevertheless the details are usually necessary to understand the nature of the battle being described. The details also help the reader understand, fully, the horrors this conflict visited upon the average soldier. The geography covered in this account is immense. It was after all a World War. However, the maps provided managed to keep me connected to the events I was reading about. Keegan interjects his opinion whenever he thinks it's called for. Usually at an appropriate point in the narrative. He also ends the book with a well stated soliloquy that does a good job of summarizing why this war was unnecessary, why WW II was just an extension of WW I and shares his perplexity with why these nations went war in the first place while also questioning the concept of "National Pride" by equating it with "National Arrogance". I think for the first time in my life, I have a picture of the entire War as well as its major battles and its geopolitical underpinnings. Keegan is a renowned historian and author and after reading this book, I understand why. |
| Ed Hahn (ed_hk@yahoo.com) |
| Code to Zero by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Not one of Follett's best but an entertaining read. Taking place during the cold war, it describes an effort to frustrate the U.S. effort to place a satellite in space and so to compete with the Russians who had already launched Sputnik and sent Laika, a dog, into space. The most interesting twist was the use of amnesia to set the stage and introduce us to both the protagonist and his main antagonist. The characters were drawn fairly well, although more could have been done with their motivations. The plot is clever and has a few twists that were unexpected but also a few that could be seen from afar. The ending is a little too neat for a novel. It was more suitable for a nail biter of a movie. As usual, Follett does a good job of describing the era he is writing about, particularly the foibles of the characters. Having been born in the 1930's, I was struck with how accurate his take on people's attitudes in the 40s and 50s, toward sex, marriage, family, and social status was. All in all, this was a nice piece of mind candy and fun to spend two or three days with. |
| Kay |
| The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book (non-fiction) is both fascinating and horrifying. The case of Henrietta's cancerous cells (HeLa cells) served as the basis of the development of patient's rights, informed consent, internal review boards, and the education of the public regarding these issues. It also tells the story of how the uninformed removal of the cells and the ensuing story affected Henrietta's family. |
| Bonnie |
| One Good Dog by Susan Wilson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you're a fan of MARLEY & ME or THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN, this is the novel for you. Believable characters and well-written too. |
| Kenneth Czarnomski (lindasites@yahoo.com) |
| Split.Image by Robert.B.Parker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Jesse Stone has to be at his best behavior when he interviews the bang bang twins about a killing, see why when you read the book. |
| Rebecca |
| Whispers of the Bayou by Mindy Starns Clark |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Unique story that was original and intriguing; a real page turner --- I couldn't put it down. I liked the characters and the plot twists. The story could have been a lot longer and more complex, but it didn't have to be. |
| Reva Wamsley (prwamsley@roadrunner.com) |
| Woman On Trial by Lawrencia Bembenek |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I hadn't heard of the author before someone gave me this book to read. I thought it was very interesting, a tale of justice gone wrong. She was convicted of murdering her husband's ex-wife with evidence and an eye witness saying she didn't do it. I looked her up on the internet and found out that she did eventually get out of prison. |
| Sandy |
| The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the story of two brothers, Arthur and Jake, which takes place in Canada during World War II. Arthur and Jake are as different as two brothers can ever get and I enjoyed this story very much. |
| Sandy |
| Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I enjoyed this one very much. |
| EC |
| Home to Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
If you are a fan of Adriana Trigiani, you will continue to be one after reading this novel. Old characters and new situations help make this book a worthy sequel to her other Stone Gap novels. |
| Paula |
| Dune Road by Jane Green |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A suspenseful book, but not in a scary way, with twists and turns that I didn't anticipate. This is the first book I've read by Jane Green, and I think I'd like to try another. |
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
| The List by Steve Martini |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'm not exactly sure how I really feel about this book. It was definitely full of suspense. Good story. But, it was missing something. I can't put my finger on it. The story is about a woman who writes a best seller but she uses a gorgeous guy to pretend he wrote because she doesn't think anyone would publish it with her as the author. The problem is, how is she going to keep the true identity of the author a secret? There are definite twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat but I found myself getting slightly bored in some parts and the ending was kind of predictable. However, the book did keep my interest and I couldn't wait to get through it. I'm just not sure if this book is going to be memorable for me. |
| Rebecca |
| The Guardians: Loving Eyes are Watching by Richard Williams |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
It's a romance mystery where two people's (a sister and brother) lives are turned upside down and they find out where true help comes from. Two dogs will help them find their way back to the path of God's love. |
| Rebecca |
| Forbidden Falls by Robyn Carr |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another in the Virgin River series. |
| Ana Marie |
| Dear John by Nicholas Sparks |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Read the book and recently saw the movie. I was worried that the movie would ruin the book as so many books made into movies do but both were excellent. What can I say about this book? Just that if you are a romantic, Nicholas Sparks never disappoints. |
| Jean M |
| The Silent Man by Alex Berenson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Good exciting spy thriller. |
| Chris Lenton |
| Flight From Miami by Daniel Barlow |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
There was a lot of action, and I was never bored with it. Pretty good book. FLIGHT FROM MIAMI by Daniel Barlow is for sale on Amazon.com and at Rosedogbooks.com. |
| Metalfiend11 from Rocksprings, TX (metalfind11@yahoo.om) |
| The Host by Stephenie Meyer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
After reading her Twilight series, I really wasn't sure what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised! This is a great sci-fi read about an alien form implanted in a human host, but the host is so strong that the alien is not able to take complete control of the body. The alien/host is taken prisoner by a group of humans living in the desert and the relationships that develop are truly amazing. The ending is also very unpredictable. I am most definitely a Stephenie Meyer fan! |
| Ellen Heckler |
| Widow of the South by Robert Hicks |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Compelling; draws you in with a personal story set in a perplexing/ fascinating historical era. |
| Cynthia Plaza-Harney |
| Cold Pursuit by Carla Neggers |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a good read and also a serious one. COLD RIVER is the 2nd book and I will read it too. Carla Neggers keeps you wondering still why the murders take place and who committed them. She has some romance and I expect the same with the 2nd and 3rd book. |
| Tanya |
| Ice by Sarah Beth Durst |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is a young adult fantasy based on a fairy tale told to the main character by her grandmother. It is quite entertaining. |
| Ana Marie |
| The Help by Kathryn Stockett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I took my time reading this book because I did not want it to end. An excellent read. This book will touch all your emotions --- sadness, anger and even laughter. My husband gave this book to me for Christmas because he had heard me say many, many times that I needed to read this book. It's the best gift I received from him this past Christmas. Please enjoy this book. |
| Fran |
| One Small Boat by Kathy Harrison |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A foster mother shares her experiences raising the children she is entrusted to care for. If all foster mothers were like her, the system may actually work! Interesting and compelling. |
| Suzanne G., Tucson |
| Animals Make Us Human by Temple Grandin |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I bought this book because my cat has some issues. I hoped to find out what to do. After reading the cat section, I read the rest of the book. All animals have emotions; gentleness becomes positive for an animal. (My cat still has his problems, although I try to stay positive.) |
| Abbi Williams |
| Split Image by Robert B. Parker |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
As usual, you come to expect a flowing storyline and characters that keep you guessing, but with this book and his recent death, will this be a cliffhanger??? |
| Hedi |
| The City of Beasts by Isabel Allende |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the first in a 3-book YA series translated from Spanish. Book 2 is THE KINGDOM OF THE GOLDEN DRAGON, and Book 3 is THE FOREST OF THE PYGMIES. Set in the Amazon,Tibet and Africa, it tells the story of two young people's (Alex and Nadia) adventures. A little magic included. It was great to watch these two young people grow into their own. Some good info on all the places mentioned. |
| Hedi |
| Dark Matter by Peter Straud |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Not his best. Had a hard time following the characters in the story line. Disappointing, as I always look forward to his books as he does not write that many. |
| Hedi |
| The Ghost by Robert Harris |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Great read about US/English politics. Soon to be a movie near you. Robert Harris can take true events and rework them into great fiction with different endings then that actual historical events. |
| Laura Busch (labusch1@verizon.net) |
| The Postmistress by Sarah Blake |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Fabulous book with 3 wonderful, strong female characters. It will make a wonderful book club discussion. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| The Butcher Of Beverly Hills by Jennifer Colt |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Twins Kerry and Terry are PIs in Beverly Hills --- the only problem is that they are not very good at it. The author is so good at making her characters come to life. It's funny, and a page turner. I loved the book and cannot wait to read the other two in the series. |
| Tanya |
| Bloodroot by Amy Greene |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This book is about the lives of a family from the Great Depression to today. It revolves around Myra and John and is set in the Appalachia. I will give it 3.5 stars. |
| La Bookie |
| Mudbound by Hillary Jordan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Page-turning book. Writing was excellent with the story told from many perspectives. |
| T. Thomas |
| The Girl Who Played with Fire by by Stieg Larson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Better than the first in the series, moves quickly. I'm looking forward to the third one. |
| Gil |
| Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The book is about a homicide/suicide in a small town in Vermont, where a wife abuser kills his wife and apparently takes his own life. Other important characters get into the story, casting a shadow of doubt on what actually happened. Central characters are the orphaned daughter and a clergyman; and an author who experienced the same thing in her young life. Another good read from Chris Bohjalian. He never disappoints and keeps you guessing until the very end. |
| Laura Busch (labusch1@verizon.net) |
| The Summer We Fell Apart by Robin Anatalek |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Four siblings struggle with life after the death of their father. Each one has their own very intense story. It's very readable and will lead to lots of discussion. |
| Jacqueline in Atlanta |
| Creating Community by Andy Stanley & Bill Willits |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
It's nonfiction, so it's not exactly heart-pumping fun. Good info about starting a small group ministry or working out the kinks in an existing small group ministry in your church. Stanley is pastor at North Point Church in Alpharetta, GA, which has seen tremendous success. Willits is the small group director/pastor. It is an easy read and is not filled with nonsense, made up words, which I found refreshing. |
| Jon |
| Hard Evolution by George Pelecanos |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another sensational book by George Pelecanos. No one writes about Washington DC like Pelecanos. Highly recommended. |
| Lorna |
| Beach Girls by Luanne Rice |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Great friendship story about 3 woman who met each summer as young girls and what has happened over the years. One has died and her husband and daughter come to the summer place and meet up with one of the other girls from the trio.. I don't want to give too much away. This book is a first for me for this author and it won't be the last. I can't wait to read another book by this author. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| The Tomb of Zeus by Barbara Cleverly |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is the first of the Laetitia Talbot series about a young woman drawn to archaeology, this one is set in Crete. I have read the second of the series, and feel that the first is a hodgepodge of information. Many times, a reference is given to some other character, who has not been identified. I enjoy Cleverly's novel, usually for the historic musings. The mystery goes full cycle, as the initial suspect is the actual killer. Also, Cleverly neatly ends the story in both books with the killer dying. Still, this story runs amok with references to Greek mythology and Greek plays, so the reader needs a little background in that literature to understand the nuances. |
| Donna P. |
| The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Save your money. |
| Sunnie |
| The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I am a big Dan Brown fan so I hate to say this, but I was a little disappointed in this one. It was good, but a bit too much dwelling on the symbolism of absolutely everything. So, while ANGELS AND DEMONS and THE DA VINCI CODE were 5 stars to me, I think this was a 3.5. |
| Sunnie (sunbug5505@yahoo.com) |
| The Pirate by Linda Lael Miller |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
After reading a couple classics, Dan Brown's THE LOST SYMBOL and a Scott Nicholson horror book, I thought, time for romance! And who does it better than Miller? A likeable female heroine, hunky hero who may be a pirate or good guy, time travel... What more could you want? Got my romance fix. |
| B. Ekeberg |
| Open by Andre Agassi |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Eye-opening, heart-wrenching background of a tennis star. |
| Julie |
| The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I hadn't read this book in over thirty years and with the recent passing of the author, I thought I would re-visit it. I'm thoroughly enjoying it now probably because I don't have to read it for homework. It's truly a classic and I highly recommend this story narrated by Holden Caulfield about the turmoil in his teenage life. |
| Sunnie |
| The Farm by Scott Nicholson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
If you're a fan of Stephen King and Bentley Little you will enjoy Scott Nicholson. After Katy marries Gordon, she and daughter Jett move to Gordon's family farm in the small southern town of Solom where a phantom preacher who died 200 yrs ago has come back, a scarecrow may be alive and Gordon is not who Katy thought he was. Typical creepy story but so well written with characters you like and dislike, that it IS a page turner, which is what a horror book should be. I have read a couple other books by Nicholson and, though this wasn't my favorite, it is still a good read. |
| Jud Hanson |
| Darker than Night by John Lutz |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
First in the Frank Quinn series, a retired cop is brought out of a forced exile after being framed for rape. He's called on to catch the "Night Prowler," a serial killer who leaves yellow roses and gifts at each crime scene. Excellent read, not very graphic, very engaging. |
| Lora |
| Unquiet Bones by Melvin Starr |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is not a book I would usually read but it was recommended by a good friend and I loved it. A medieval murder mystery written by an expert in this period of history. Sounds dry and boring... but I assure you, it's not. You will fall in love with the main character Hugh de Singleton, the fourth son of a minor knight. Better yet --- a sequel is coming this month and I already have it on order. These are two books I want for my personal library. |
| Glenn |
| The Secret River by Kate Grenville |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
3.5 stars. William Thornhill was an engaging character, right from the opening chapter. Kate Grenville did a great job of making the reader feel empathy for him and his family, by depicting what their lives were like in the late 1700's while growing up in London, and into the early 1800's after he was married, convicted of stealing, pardoned and tried to make a life as a boatman and farmer in Australia among the Aborigines. |
| Allison Gardner |
| THe Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a great story about women's friendships. |
| Sandra Dickey |
| Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson and Richard Dilallo |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Ben Corbett, a Harvard trained DC attorney is sent by President Theodore Roosevelt to investigate lynchings in the small town of Eudora, Mississippi. He meets Abraham Cross, Alex Cross's great uncle. Together, they work together in the search for justice regarding the lynchings of blacks by the KKK. This book is not the usual Alex Cross book, but it is still very exciting. It is much more moving and inciteful than any of Mr. Patterson's books that I've read. I highly recommend this book. |
| Ali |
| South of Broad by Pat Conroy |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I love the way Conroy writes and was not disappointed with this story about a bunch of misfits and how their lives intertwined for many years. |
| Julie H. |
| At Witt's End by Beth Solheim |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Sadie and Jane Witt aren't your average 64-year-old twin sisters. They lead busy lives running the Witt's End resort in Nothern Minnesota, while trying to figure out how save said resort from an unscrupulous businessman who feels they came into ownership in an undeserving manner. Sadie also has another calling, as a death coach. Turns out Cabin 14 houses people who are having trouble making it to the other side. Add in an on-site funeral parlor, a suspicious death and this mystery comes alive with all sorts of fun, quirky characters and a very good story. I really enjoyed AT WITT'S END and hope it's just the beginning of this paranormal-cozy series! |
| Eric |
| The Cost of Living by Mavis Gallant |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
THE COST OF LIVING collects Mavis Gallant's early works and showcases her skills for the short form. None of the 20 stories here are a disappointment as they explore the inner lives of women whose life has gone secretly awry. Gallant's insight is dazzling; her prose the type that writers can only dream of writing. Gallant is the forgotten writer you are not reading. |
| Marge |
| Unexpected Blessings by Barbara Taylor Bradford |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I like this author and the way she tells the story. |
| Elizabeth V |
| Provenance by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
As I read PROVENANCE: HOW A CON MAN AND A FORGER REWROTE THE HISTORY OF MODERN ART by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo, I wished again and again it had been written by Robert Lindsey, author of A GATHERING OF SAINTS. Both tell important and interesting true stories, PROVENANCE about forging the works of famous artists, A GATHERING OF SAINTS about forging old documents. Yet PROVENANCE, while interesting, was a yawner for the first half of the book, making me wonder, why should I care? But A GATHERING OF SAINTS was told as a thriller and was impossible to put down from beginning to end. PROVENANCE tells of the decades-long art scam of John Drew, the con artist, and John Myatt, the artist-forger in England during the 90s. I should have cared; art crime is not only just about as profitable as drug smuggling; they are both often intertwined with terrorism. But the story went all over the place; it didn�t stay on topic. PROVENANCE would be about what its subtitle promises, then go off on a tangent about something else. While it was obvious that the authors did a lot of research, it was also obvious they felt they had to relate every bit of it to the reader, even if it was only slightly related to the story. Ho hum. On the other hand Robert Lindsey wrote A GATHERING OF SAINTS so well it is engrossing. I wish I could remember details of this book, but I read it 20 years ago. I do remember that it had to do with a Mormon who found and sold very old documents and eventually forged some of them. When one of his forgeries threatened the basic beliefs of his Church, it led to murder. I obviously recommend one but not the other. And I�m going to contact Lindsey and ask him to rewrite the story of the biggest art fraud. |
| Christine Boulanger |
| Plum Island by Nelson DeMille |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I just love DeMille's books, especially the ones with the character Detective John Corey. He's so funny! The intrigue is great, with just a hint of romance, and the ending is always a surprise. Great suspense/mystery modern day story.Worth reading, it was a page-turner for me! |
| Elizabeth V |
| Echo Park by Michael Connelly |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Harry Bosch --- an L.A. police detective back from retirement --- becomes involved, at the request of the DA, in the case of a confessed serial killer, Raynard Waits. According to Waits, he is responsible for the death of Marie Gesto, who went missing 13 years ago. Bosch had investigated this case, and it is still unsolved. No body was ever found. Waits has made a deal with the DA: he'll confess in exchange for life in prison rather than death. The DA wants Bosch to hear the confession and decide whether it's authentic. Enter, of course, Bosch's old girlfriend, an FBI investigator. She isn't integral to the story, but she does assist Bosch when he's supposed to be staying home. She also criticizes him for doing what she's helping him do. Bosch can't authenticate Waits's confession until Waits can lead him to the body. It's at that point, on their way to the body, that this story gets thrilling. Now Bosch (and the reader) start putting pieces together and coming up with possible scenarios, with a surprise that didn't occur to him. This book is apparently one of a series about the crime-fighting Harry Bosch. I haven't read the other books in the series but have read another Connelly book, THE SCARECROW, a standalone thriller and a gift. The books are unalike. ECHO PARK is more realistic than SCARECROW. I would also say ECHO PARK was less thrilling, but that�s not really true; ECHO PARK just took a longer time getting to it. Some readers will really enjoy this. Even those who aren't thrilled about it will admit that it is well thought out and well written. My problem with it is the subject matter. It's been done over and over, and that cheapens it. |
| Julie H. |
| Brava, Valentine by Adriana Trigiani |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The Roncalli family and Angelini Shoe Company return in a wonderful sequel to VERY VALENTINE. After Grandma's wedding in Italy, Valentine learns her brother Alfred will be a partner in their custom shoe business. Valentine's ideas to grow their brand with a basic shoe continue, and her personal life is as messy and real as ever. I always like Trigiani's melding of so much of the family in her novels. This one has an old family secret that really shakes things up. Can't wait for the continuation of Valentine's story. |
| Chris |
| Brava, Valentine by Adriana Trigiani |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Valentine is back, and her life is a hot mess, as usual! She has inherited her Gram's shoe business and is forced to work with her brother Alfred, a task she resents; her love affair with her hunky Italian is on-again/off-again, and she discovers family in Argentina who happens to be of another race. Add to this her best friend Gabriel, who moves in and redecorates the apartment, and we have a wholly satisfying read with everything good to keep the pages turning! Brava, Adriana! |
| Bonnie |
| The Plot Against America by Philip Roth |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Charles Lindbergh, known Nazi-sympathizer, aviation hero and charismatic speaker, wins presidential election over FDR. Such is the premise of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Roth's novel. How it impacts the Roth family of New Jersey and the rest of America is the all-too-possible scenario. Well-written, topical with great attention to details of the 1940s, this is a keeper. |
| Deb Rogers |
| At Home In The World by Joyce Maynard |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I admit it --- I started reading this book after J.D. Salinger's death, just from morbid curiosity. But, instead of a sleazy tell all about her "catching some rye", it is a well-written, honest look back at the entire life of a very gifted woman. |
| Elizabeth V |
| Devil's Corner by Lisa Scottoline |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
In Lisa Scottoline's DEVIL'S CORNER, Vicki is a U.S. prosecutor trying, first, to find the killers of her partner and of a potential witness. Then somebody else is murdered, and she takes it upon herself to find that killer, too. She's aided in her quest by Reheema, a gorgeous woman who just got out of jail. The majority of DEVIL'S CORNER involves Vicki's and Reheema's exploits. Scottoline does a great job with their dialogue, and you've got to enjoy the book for that. But it's not her best. Another story going on in the book is the romance between Vicki and another prosecutor, Dan, a married man she spends too much time with after work. It's predictable. Overall, I'd say it isn't a bad book, but it is disappointing. I know Scottoline can do better --- and she does. DEVIL'S CORNER is a 2005 book. But I started reading Scottoline's latest (at the time) book, LOOK AGAIN, which is a great thriller and a not-put-downable book, a thriller like a thriller should be. That made me want to read her older books. Those that I've read since then, such as DEAD RINGER, have also been good thrillers even if not as good. But, although DEVIL'S CORNER is a who-done-it with great dialogue, I didn't find it thrilling; it's too put-downable. |
| Fran |
| Talk Talk by T. C. Boyle |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
T.C.Boyle's novel, TALK, TALK starts out strong with a case of identity theft and takes the reader on a thrilling ride across country. Strong character development that grips the reader and pulls them along a fascinating journey..... only to leave them flat and disappointed at the end. The end ruined a perfectly good book! |
| Linda Bentzen |
| Born in the Big Rains by Fadumo Korn |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A memoir of Somalia and survival, the child is a victim of FGM. Things do not go well and she suffers side effects for the rest of her life. Her spirit, virtue, and love for others transform her into a social activist. |
| Tami W. |
| Thorn Queen by Richelle Mead |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'm sure this book would have been five stars if I had started at the beginning of the series instead of number 2! But Richelle Mead has done it again! Perfectly written characters, suspense, drama, laughter, and a few tears to bind it all together. Being a queen is not what it's cracked up to be. Especially when you are hesitant and resentful! Follow Eugenie through her journey of self discovery, love, loss and redemption in part two of this series! |
| Helkat |
| Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A deeper look and understanding of the importance of faith in our lives. Mitch shows that it is not which church you chose to attend, or which religion is better, but the need to believe in order to have peace. |
| Sean from OHIO |
| The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Stieg Larsson's second helping of Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist's harrowing Swedish adventures is just as amazing as the first book. This book definitely focuses more on Salander and her amazingly unsettling past. Mysteries abound and we meet new characters and locations. The ending is left more open than the first book in the series and continues almost directly into the third (which I can't wait for). The villains, and there are many, are despicable and the connections to the past are creepy. The book is tech heavy at times but you never feel lost in it. Overall, another fantastic book from Larsson. |
| linda |
| Oxygen by Carol Cassella |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A real medical thriller that is written like fine literature. This book was written in 2008, but well worth reading. |
| Ruth |
| Sweeping Up Glass by Carolyn Wall |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I'm not sure whether I really liked this book, although it did become a page turner towards the end. |
| Ruth |
| Welcome to the Departure Lounge by Meg Federico |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book almost reads like a novel even though it is the author's real-life experiences dealing with her mother's dementia and final years of life. |
| Linda H. (linda604b@yahoo.com) |
| A Creed Country Christmas by Linda Lael Miller |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
In the early 1900s, Lincoln Creed is a young widower with a small child to raise and a large ranch to work. Realizing that his daughter needs a mother, he advertises for a housekeeper/governess or possibly a wife. While in the mercantile one morning, he meets Juliana Mitchell, the teacher at the Indian school, with several of her students. The school had closed and Juliana is at her wit's end trying to determine what to do and where to go. Lincoln brings her and the children home to his ranch. The problems are solved when Lincoln and Juliana fall in love. A good book. |
| Linda H. (linda604b@yahoo.com) |
| The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
As Cassie looks at the photo of her friend Jill posted on the refrigerator, she is envious of Jill's perfect life. It seems that Jill has the perfect husband, the perfect children, and the photo shows a perfect Christmas. Then Cassie's friend Angie tells her about a matchmaker who guarantees that he can find the most suitable person for everyone and urges Cassie to contact the matchmaker. Cassie meets Dr. Simon Dodson and he gives her some assignments to do before matching her up. As Cassie carries out the assignments and has further meetings with Simon, she realizes that she has met her suitable person but she has to convince him of this. A good book. |
| Marion Miller (lamamil@aol.com) |
| Mudbound by Jordan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is like the prequel to THE HELP. It is about Mississippi after WWII and the injustices between the races that started in the 1800s just kept right on throughout history. |
| Carole Clark |
| The Protector by David Morrell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a great action-thriller. A man is hired to protect a client and everything goes crazy from there. There are so many twists and turns that once the main character, Cavanaugh, is out of one mess he's back into another. Great story. |
| Marsha |
| Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Sweet, tender and charming are some of the words to describe this coming-of-age story of a girl from a dysfunctional family who finds herself taken in by a Southern Aunt who introduces her to a comforting lovely life with real promise. |
| Linda Bentzen |
| 13 1/2 by Nevada Barr |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Departing from her Anna Pigeon series, Barr writes a horrifying story of human nature. |
| Linda H. (linda604b@yahoo.com) |
| Impact by Douglas Preston |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
It took several chapters to get into this book but once I did, it was hard to put down. As several people in a Maine seaside town watch a meteor crash into the sea, one girl, who is knowledgeable about astronomy, thinks this meteor appears different from others she has seen. In Washington, the President has asked a former CIA operative to go to Thailand to see where jewels are being mined, jewels that have been found to be radioactive and that are killing their wearers. As these two stories come together, the girl and the CIA operative try to find out what the "meteor" really was and where it originated. |
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
| Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This was a very unique read. It is a very touching and emotional book about Oskar, who goes on a journey to find the lock that will be opened by the key he found in his dead father's closet. His father died on 9/11 and Oskar is still having difficulty dealing with it. He describes these sad feelings as "heavy boots," which I thought was extraordinary. Parallel to Oskar's story is also the tragic story of his grandparents told by both the grandmother and grandfather intermittently throughout the book. The writing is a bit odd and it took me a while to get used to the words harping at me like a woodpecker hammering on a tree. Oskar's thoughts came out all at once and sometimes I just couldn't catch up. As the story unfolds, however, Oskar grew on me. He is a smart quirky kid but he loves his family and he absolutely adored his father. All of these broken people in his life, and the ones he meets in New York, seem to share a common thread that weaves their lives together. And this one little boy seems to lead them all. Truly fascinating. I stayed in bed this morning to finish it. I'm sad that it ended. |
| Karna |
| An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is by far one of the best books I have read. Written by a professor of psychiatry who has manic depressive illness, she recounts her own experiences with the disease. The skill in portraying her life is done exquisitely. |
| Tanya |
| The Cross Gardener by Jason F. Wright |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is about a man touched by tragedy and the stranger who helps him rediscover the joy to be found in life, love and family. |
| SANDY |
| The First Annual Grand Prairie Rabbit Festival by Ken Wheaton |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A comic, southern novel about a priest and the small town he is sent to. At times, the characters are over the top but the story is amusing and fun. |
| Constance |
| Provocative in Pearls by Madeline Hunter |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
An old fashioned "bodice ripper" romance, but also a fun, light escapist read. The second book following RAVISHING IN RED. The women are thinly veiled 20th century and the men are lovely to look at "cave men" in embroidered frock coats. These are princess stories for "grown-up girls." |
| Constance |
| Pemberley Shades by Dorothea Bonavia-Hunt |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE sequel that is better than most. At least the author has read the book rather than watched the BBC film. Interesting take on Elizabeth's transition from daughter to wife. Of course, Darcy is still a man needing to be cajoled into good humor. Lady Catherine makes her appearance along with other characters from the original novel. |
| Fran |
| Blue Sky July by Nia Wyn |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A mother's memoir of raising her developmentally disabled son. Illustrates the power of a mother's love. I read this book in about an hour. |
| Constance |
| Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book really made me think about what is fair in love and life, and are we so very far removed from the survival of the fittest as a first response. I have finished the book weeks ago and am still thinking about it. I don't know whether to be horrified or... |
| Judy O. (joswood@msn.com) |
| The Man Who Smiled by Henning Mankell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Swedish Homicide Detective Kurt Wallander is in a deep funk at the beginning of this story. He had killed a man in self-defense, and he is seriously thinking about giving up police work entirely. When a lawyer friend of his is found shot to death at his home, Wallander decides that he should go back to work and find the killer. Soon he is embroiled in a series of disasters that almost gets him killed after his car is blown up. You will meet "The Man Who Smiled" during this investigation, and you will not like him. This is a great book, full of suspense and thrills. |
| Asha |
| Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This author is new to me. I was introduced to her by my librarian.. I have to read another for comparison |
| Carolann |
| Suspicion of Deceit by Barbara Parker |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I am reading all of her books. They are set in Miami, FL and they're very enjoyable lawyer books. I am always looking for new authors. She is new to me. |
| Michael Garbarz (jj60103@yahoo.com) |
| The Dome by Stephen King |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This story brings together lots of human conditions that make this work --- good, evil, mystery, and sci-fi. It's a big book told in an engaging fashion. I could not put it down till I finished. |
| Coral Harrison |
| Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A easy book to read about a girl who is left with her great aunt in Georgia. Her mother was insane but did not have good care. She was killed when she was walking across the street during the town's parade. It has lots of humor even if it is sad too. It tells how other can help people get straightened out. |
| Coral Harrison |
| Scarpetta Factor by Patrica Cornwell |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
This book is too complicated and hard to follow. I used to really like her books but she needs to liven them up now or something. |
| Christine |
| The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I believe this is the best out of the series. I love the fact it is set in Washington DC with all its rich history and the mystery of the Masons. A very quick read. |
| Phyllis |
| The Wild Trees by Richard Preston |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
With Richard Preston's usual style, he puts the reader in the middle of the action. The book is full of interesting facts about redwood forests, the tall trees and the few people who have been drawn to climb and study them. |
| Judy |
| Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Interesting theories, but it sounds like a lot of psycho-babble! |
| Audrey Anderson |
| The Hard Way by Lee Child |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This guy just never lets me down. Jack Reacher is one of my favorite characters, and if you like thriller-type mystery stories, I haven't come across anyone who does it better. In this story, he happens to be in the right place at the right (wrong?) time --- twice. That gets him involved with a bunch of mercenaries --- the lead guy is trying to find out who kidnapped his wife. This story takes a couple of surprise turns and never gets dull. I love seeing the thought process that uncovers the clues bit by bit. Jack Reacher is the guy everyone wants around when they're in trouble. This would make a good movie. Maybe they'll do more than one. I decided Bruce Willis could play him --- with hair. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| The Harlequin by Laurell K. Hamilton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is an Anita Blake Vampire Hunter novel. After doing a lot of skimming to skip the love scenes in the last few books --- which lasted pages and pages each! --- I was beginning to think Laurell K. Hamilton was running short on good stories and bulking up her books more than they needed to be with explicit sexual encounters. Since I was already committed to the series before this began to overshadow the actual story line, I decided to go on skimming. I am very glad, as this book was a rip roaring good read. I could not put it down. There is sex, of course - it's vampires, but the story is foremost. I can't wait to read the next and hope she stays back on track. There are some things that are just more than I want to know. |
| Lynette - DelGal's Book Reviews |
| From Beer To Maternity by Maggie Lamond Simone |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A witty, hilarious and poignant memoir. |
| Martha Ann |
| The First Rule by Robert Crais |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
It's great to be back with Joe Pike again. I do enjoy the Elvis Cole series and can't wait to see how Joe solves this one. |
| Dan |
| Admit One by Emmett James |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Emmett James's life from childhood in England to his life now in Hollywood can be summed up with the various movies he favors. Well, at least that is how ADMIT ONE is written. Movies were an escape for him as a child and hard for him to break into as adult. I found his writing amusing and witty. It's a tough world in Hollywood and Emmett takes his punches and lives to write about it. This was a very amusing memoir. And now, I have to go an re-watch Titanic so I can view his greatest accomplishment to date. |
| Anita Nowak |
| Killer Instinct by Joseph Finder |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I just finished this book while on vacation --- it was wonderful! It tells the story of a man who meets someone and befriends him. Then all of a sudden, people are committing suicide and he is getting promotions at work, and his life is just becoming more wonderful every day. Alas, there is a catch and that is what makes you keep turning the pages. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Finder's work. He is a very prolific writer, and anyone looking for a good thriller will certainly enjoy this one! |
| Dan |
| The Desert Hedge Murders by Patricia Stoltey |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I like a story where senior citizens are more than just babysitters or a place to rest. Patricia Stoltey's THE DESERT HEDGE MURDERS is a mystery involving the Florida Flippers; a group of elderly fans of the Miami Dolphins who happen to find a dead body in a bathtub of one of their rooms when they check into a hotel in Laughlin, Nevada. And the adventure starts there. This assembly of feisty octogenarians is chaperoned by Sylvia Thorn (an ex-FBI agent and former judge) and the daughter on one of the Flippers. Willie her brother senses that she and their mother are in trouble and starts snooping himself (And bringing has dad along with him to Nevada). This little mystery is not easily solved which made me enjoy that much more. And I just love the desert! |
| Dan |
| Eternal On The Water by Joseph Monninger |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Joseph Monninger's ETERNAL ON THE WATER is a wonderful love story that begins in the woods of Maine. Jonathan Cobb takes a break from his teaching job to experience nature as Thoreau did. While on his sabbatical he meets Mary, a free spirit and while enjoying their first night by the campfire, a true love story begins. Mary's tales enchant him; her knock-knock jokes not so much. They travel to Indonesia, Yellowstone National Park and back to New England. Mary is a member of the Chungamunga Girls, a secret society of girls who experience life in the forest. Monninger has written a heartbreaking journey of feeling love, experiencing life to its fullest and understanding death. |
| Sharon |
| Shanghai Girls by Lisa See |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I picked it up with anticipation as I had heard so many great comments about See's books, but I was disappointed. It's slow to start, and I could not connect with the protagonists or any of the other characters. Though, I did learn a lot about Chinese culture. |
| Lynne Perednia |
| One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A contemporary retelling of Chaucer that continues to draw the reader in as the most amazing thing that ever happened to each of nine strangers is revealed as they are trapped in an office building after an earthquake. |
| Jan Atkins (weatkins@gmail.com) |
| One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A group of strangers struggle together as they are trapped in the office of the Indian consulate after an earthquake. To relieve tensions, one woman suggests they each tell a story from their lives. In this way, the book becomes a series of short stories of a sort. I am not a fan of short stories because they just don't leave me satisfied; they just aren't enough. But these small stories set inside the bigger one work well because you already know where the people end up --- in the Indian consulate wanting to go to India. This is not a book I'd tell people they had to read, but would tell them they would enjoy it. It's short and an easy read. The best part is not necessarily each person's story, but rather how it got me to thinking about my story --- what would I tell? For this reason, it would be a great book for a book club discussion. If the author came out with another book, I would certainly pick it up. I'd love to know how much of the author's own story is in these stories. |
| Jud Hanson |
| High Flight by David Hagbern |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Great novel with espionage, combat and politics. Rivals the best of other authors I've read such as Clancy, Coonts and Brown. |
| Brenda |
| Little Bee by Chis Cleave |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Great reading! LITTLE BEE is so resourceful and believable to me. |
| Jud Hanson |
| Sanctuary Sparrow by Ellis Peters |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
7th in this great series, kin to a medieval Sherlock Holmes. Cadafel solves mysteries by using his senses and highly deductive abilities. This book finds a traveling minstrel accused of assault and robbery but things aren't always as they seem on the surface. When the minstrel seeks Sanctuary at Shrewsbury abbey, Cadafel must get to the truth before mob justice takes hold. |
| Mary Ann (maksure@yahoo.com) |
| The Siege by Stephen White |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another good one from Stephen White. Kidnapping on Yale campus of many students from prominent families who wanted in to secret society. Some victims killed in different torturous ways,while others were set free, leaving FBI and CIA to figure out the mind of the kidnapper. I was looking for an underground passage that wasn't to be there, otherwise enjoyed the ride. |
| Carrie W. |
| My Dead Body by Charlie Huston |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
#5 in the Joe Pitt series, it's a place you never want to go to, but can't stop reading about. I hope there are more. |
| Susan J. |
| Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Having read and enjoyed Mortenson's very popular THREE CUPS OF TEA, I was afraid that this book might be too similar, but I wanted to see what had happened since its publication. Mortenson and his non-profit agency, Central Asia Institute (www.ikat.org), were more determined than ever to build schools, especially for girls who had little opportunity for education, in the most remote and dangerous parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan, even in Taliban strongholds. I found this book just as fascinating as THREE CUPS, and somewhat better written. The stories of the schools and the people who made them happen, the strength and determination of the locals with whom Mortenson was working were all different, all individual in many ways. But there is a common theme --- people working to make life better through education and not giving up when faced with tasks that seemed insurmountable. I was encouraged when I read of some of the U.S.'s military leaders beliefs and involvement in the humanitarian side of the struggles in that part of the world. It was also interesting and inspiring to see how people have reacted to the CAI organization after publication of the first book. CAI has grown exponentially since Mortenson, a lost mountain climber, originally started it as a shoestring operation. The growth and constant demands have taken a toll on Mortenson and his family. And there are so many who are in the middle of the chaos and know they could easily lose their lives, and still go on day after day for something they believe in. The strength of these people in remote, impoverished, and very harsh areas is remarkable. There were a couple of minor mistakes that I noticed in the book, probably editing mistakes, but nothing that affected the strength of the story. I appreciated the black and white photographs at the beginning of each chapter, maps, and a section of color photographs. While I recommend reading THREE CUPS OF TEA, it is not necessary in order to appreciate this book. It is an amazing story. |
| Jo Ann |
| Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
How GREAT EXPECTATIONS can actually save the lives of those held captive on a small remote island... |
| Celeste |
| Dear John by Nicholas Sparks |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
Too much description, very slow reading. |
| Sandra Segal |
| Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The book is very well written. The story allows the reader to learn some of the history behind the Japanese war with China as well as teaching us the American attitude towards the Chinese at that time. |
| Myrna |
| House Rules by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
First novel I've ever read with Asperger's syndrome as a plot element. It's vintage Picoult --- well written but overwritten. |
| sandra segal |
| While I'm Falling by Laura Moriarty |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The events in the book have been written about before but this time it's from the perspective of a college girl. Being an 18-year-old female in America when your world is shattered makes this a very interesting story. |
| sandra segal |
| Not Me by Michael Lavigne |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book keeps your interest all the way through. Although it is fiction, it reads like a true story. I really had trouble putting it down. I just kept wanting to read to find out what happened. It's really intriguing. |
| Sue, Saratoga |
| Professor & the Housekeeper by Yoko Ogawa |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
My book club picked this and I love it. A Japanese housekeeper brings her 10-year-old son while she works for a Math whiz who has short-term memory problems. How they all interact in his narrow numbers-inspired world is wonderful. |
| ChessaMo |
| The Oath by Frank E. Peretti |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Peretti's books are engrossing from the first sentence. I have re-read his first two books (THE PRESENT DARKNESS and PIERCING THE DARKNESS) for the 3rd time each, and I'll probably read each again sometime in the future. THE OATH is his best book yet. He is a Christian writer who tackles the subject of spiritual warfare. His books absolutely chill your blood and make you think about what's really going on in our world. As a Christian, I think Peretti is one author everyone should read. I recommend his books to everyone. Give him a try. You won't be sorry! |
| Sarah H |
| Pride and Predjudice by Jane Austen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A classic that I have never read and am enjoying every minute of it. Who can resist reading about Mr. Darcy??? |
| Jean M |
| Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the first book in the series featuring Tess Monaghan, a former Star reporter turning investigator. |
| Audrey Anderson (Arosea01@comcast.net) |
| Chill Factor by Rachel Caine |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Book #3 in the Weather Warden series by Rachel Caine. Joanne is trying to stop a deeply disturbed, powerful kid from destroying the world. In the process, she comes across a secret society and someone who is trafficking in djinn on the black market. She continues to write a good tale. I'm looking forward to the next one. |
| baker7 |
| The Woods by Harlan Coben |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Love this author, and I stayed up most of the night to finish this one. One of the best books to keep you guessing right to the end. |
| Carrie W. |
| Smash Cut by Sandra Brown |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
It's been a while since I read any of her books, but this one grabbed me right away and I had to keep reading until I finished it. It really had a smash cut! |
| Linda (lkzabel@aol.com) |
| Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
First of a trilogy of novels about the life of Thomas Cromwell, and it was wonderful. Cromwell managed to survive in the Tudor period of Henry VIII by being a realist and a man of many talents. I particularly liked the depiction of everyday life. He certainly does not get credit for the changes he brought to the government. I anxiously await the next installment. |
| Denée |
| House Rules by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Really makes one think about our mental health system in this country...good book to talk about. |
| Denée |
| The Color Purple by Alice Walker |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Well written, great story. |
| Denée |
| The Eyes of Darkness by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
Written under a pseudonym and recently re-released...dull, no development of characters, not too enjoyable. |
| Denée |
| Gone with the Wind by Margret Mitchell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A classic...what else can you say! |
| lisa |
| Gone 'Til November by Wallace Stroby |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A taut, powerful story about three disparate people whose lives converge when a policeman kills a suspect late one night in what is thought to be at first a 'righteous shooting'. As his colleague and former girlfriend starts pulling at the threads of the story, the truth begins to unravel with far-reaching consequences for all involved. |
| Denée |
| Escape by Carolyn Jessop |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Amazing story, but the book does drag a bit. |
| Denée |
| Playing the Enemy by John Carlin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A good look a brief period of Nelson Mandela's history in South Africa.... |
| John M |
| Horns by Joe Hill |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I would give 5 stars to the best books I have ever read, but 4 stars to me is a very good read. HORNS is a very good read. It is a creepy book, good suspense, a little horror, and best of all, I am about 4/5 of the way through it and don't have the slightest clue on how it will end! Buy it. Read it. Enjoy it! |
| Rita Sheppard (arochel52@hotmail.com) |
| 206 Bones by Kathy Reichs |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The book starts out with a very ominous beginning. Tempe is locked up in a wooden box and tries to remember how she got there. She is in the middle of a number of unsolved murders of elderly women and has a stranger harrassing her and trying to get her in trouble with her profession. This will keep you on the edge of your seat. |
| Deb |
| Sole Survivor by Marcus Luttrell |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I had trouble getting through this book because I was so often distracted by the poor quality of the writing. But then I would be reminded that it was a true account being written by a soldier, not a writer. I feel I came away with an understanding of this war that I didn't have before. It caused me to search further for other information. I even saw the Hurt Locker, a movie I never would have been interested in had I not started delving into the Iraq/Afghanistan issues. |
| Barbara Beecher (msbarbobee@yahoo.com) |
| Play Dead by David Rosenfelt |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I enjoy reading mysteries. This series with the main character, Andy Carpenter, and his dog, Tara, are very entertaining. Mysteries with a lot of wry humor. A pleasant way to spend an afternoon. |
| Ezmerelda |
| Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Even though this is only the second Brotherhood of the Black Dagger book that I've read, I'm totally hooked on the series. The heroes have lots of rough edges, but are essentially yummy. |
| Barbara S |
| Whisper of Warning by Laura Griffin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I just finished whisper of warning, a story about a young woman who is being set up for the murder of her former lover. The odds are stacked against her in the beginning because of her troubled past. It took a little while to get into the story, but then it became a page turner. |
| Elizabeth |
| Crow Lake by Mary Lawson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
While on holiday I read Lawson's other book, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE, which I very much enjoyed. I was so looking forward to CROW LAKE and thought it was great too. Lawson has a special way of telling the stories of families surviving tragedies and moving on in strength. |
| Louise Pledge |
| We Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus by Brenda Novak |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the book that started it for me. I saw it at Christmastime years ago and was fascinated by the cover and title, seemed like a fun holiday read. That it was, and I've been buying EVERYTHING Brenda writes ever since. The plot has pretty much been done before, but Brenda made it feel new and alive. I read it again, and it still felt new and alive :) |
| Kim W. |
| The Help by Kathryn Stockett |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Really enjoyed this book. As a woman raised in the South during the 60s and 70s, so much of this book rings true to me. |
| Brenda |
| The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Fascinating! A history lesson about race, medical ethics, family, life from rural Virginia to Baltimore area. I could hardly put it down! |
| Louise |
| Unfit to Practice by Perri O'Shaughnessy |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I read this on a long flight, and it managed to hold my interest (which doesn't happen often). I've never read Perri before (who I learned is a combo of two sisters first names who write together. Apparently, she has written quite a few stories involving Atty Nina Reilly, but this is the first I've been lucky enough to read. The plot was quite different, as Nina ended up being the defendant, herself, but how she got there is for you to read for yourself. I will be looking for more Perri O'Shaughnessy books! |
| Carolyn |
| Becoming Jane Eyre by Sheila Kohler |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is a dreamy look at the life of Charlotte Bronte and her sisters, and the writing of Jane Eyre. Great for anyone looking for a quick read. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| Sensing Passion by Christy C Walker |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Even though I am not African American, I enjoyed this book. I feel the themes of abandonment and loss are universal. I can see Lynn in many women, who marry and become that perfect wife for the demanding, egoistical man. We lose our own identity. We kow tow to everything in order to lead a safe and protected life. We need a second wave of the woman's lib movement. Do we all have that one regret-the man who got away? The one who still invades our thoughts? I liked your exploration of the soul mate. An interesting tale of the sensual and spiritual exploration of a 55-year old African American in the throes of divorce and of a job loss. |
| CC |
| Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I didn't really like Olive --- but I was fascinated by her. Great stories! |
| Dara |
| The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is wonderful story that weaves two very strong women together. One is from the present and the other from the past. Both women will touch you and you will think about them long after to finish the book. |
| Sylvia |
| Death of a Valentine by M. C. Beaton |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Poor Hamisch MacBeth. Once again, he has woman troubles along with a complicated murder involving many suspects. A fun, quick read made even more enjoyable if listened to via audio book read by Graeme Malcolm. His reading truly brings out the personality of the characters. |
| Eileen Quinn Knight |
| The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
What a story! A serial book thief and the detective who stalked him until caught. These books that were being stolen were rare antiquarian books of the same genre as THE NAME OF THE ROSE by Umberto Eco. It is a wonderfully written book that is fascinatingly evocative in its plot. |
| Ron G |
| The Confessor by Daniel Silva |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
My first Silva read, and a good one. A top flight thriller involving a plot to kill the pope, hired assassins, both Catholic and Jewish, and a revelation about Pope Pius Xll and his ignoring the plight of Jews during Wll. |
| Ron G |
| The Unbearable Lightness of Scones by Alexander McCall Smith |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The latest in the Scotland Street series is every bit as good as the previous ones. Bertie, Bruce, Angus, Matthew etc. They're all here. Bertie actually joins the Cub Scouts despite his fascist mother. |
| Pattie Berryhill (pattiberr@aol.com) |
| Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Psychiatric thriller about a mental institution for the Criminally Insane in 1954. Very scary in the 'treatments' at that time. This was prior to medications. |
| Pattie Berryhill (pattiberr@aol.com) |
| Miss O'Dell by Chris O'Dell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Miss O'Dell was the first woman tour manager for Rock and Roll bands in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. She partied with the likes of George Harrison, Ringo, Eric Clapton, Pattie Boyd, Maureen Starkey, Bob Dylan and others. She has now been clean and sober for 20 years. |
| Judy (jbates510@comcast.net) |
| The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I've liked all of her others, but this one was not my favorite! |
| Judy |
| With No One As Witness by Elizabeth George |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is one of her best ever! Could not put it down. |
| EC |
| The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a work of non-fiction about the Dust Bowl of the Great Plains circa 1930s. I did not think I would enjoy this work or get through it. It is a read for my book club. Because Egan relates this horrific time in America to real people and real families, the reader becomes interested and empathetic. Also, plenty of history is learned. |
| F Tessa Bartels |
| Red Azalea by Anchee Min |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
3.5 stars. Autobiography of her youth in China as a member of the Red Guard. Chopping writing styles works well here. |
| Patricia Gibby (pgibby1@yahoo.com) |
| The Wild Zone by Joy Fielding |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The ending of this book will definitely surprise. I love Joy Fielding and this book will tell you why. |
| Patricia Gibby (pgibby1@yahoo.com) |
| Split Image by Robert B. Parker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall in one novel. I am sorry that these characters and Spenser have to die along with Robert Parker. |
| Patricia Gibby (pgibby1@yahoo.com) |
| The Night Monster by James Swain |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the third in a series. His books are powerful and leave you wanting another right away. I recommend this series to everybody! |
| Peggy Kincaid (cali_lb@msn.com) |
| The Queen's Lover by Vanora Bennett |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Fictionalized story of the creation of the Tudor line. Beautifully written and detailed. Cozy up to this with a nice cup of hot cocoa and enjoy yourself. Best book I've read about the Tudors and there are so few that actually deal with Owain Tudor. |
| Louise |
| Playing Nice by Kit Daniels |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Move over, Janet Evanovich, you have a rival. Ms Daniels's witticism throughout makes the book very hard to put down, and I would have enjoyed it even without the interesting plot. I'm looking for her other books to buy, since I enjoyed PLAYING NICE so much, but to my surprise, I don't see any others. She doesn't even have a website. I'm gonna have to check this out. Did she die after writing this one, or something? One book was, definitely, not enough! |
| Katie (ktpotat@sbcglobal.net) |
| Drood by Dan Simmons |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'm only half way through the book but I'm totally hooked.The central characters are Wilke Collins (the narrator) and Charles Dickens. It makes me want to go back and read my Collins and Dickens books (the serpent's eye or eye of the serpent). Great job, Mr. Simmons --- it's hard to believe this isn't written by a Victorian. |
| Carolyn |
| U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Sue Grafton always knows how to 'bring it' ;) I have read the entire series and always look forward to the latest book. This one doesn't disappoint. |
| Mary Ann (maksure@yahoo.com) |
| Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Good story and characters. Finished the book day before I saw the movie. As contested, movie followed book almost exactly, although changing some of the scenes forward or backward, otherwise book and movie were the same. This proves the book could not be improved upon. A very good, fast read. |
| F Tessa Bartels |
| The Snake Charmer by Jamie James |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A biography of herpetologist Joe Slowinski, who met his match with a venomous snake bite in the jungles of Burma. Absolutely fascinating! |
| Kathie |
| Shanghai Girls by Lisa See |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Lisa See is a great storyteller and although I'm only 1/2 way through the book I just love these girls and can sympathize with what they are going through. |
| Peggy Kincaid (cali_lb@msn.com) |
| Altar of Eden by James Rollins |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A real roller coaster ride from Mr. Rollins, as usual, but this time the main character is a female vet. As the character moves from place to place she must face a new breed of animal, one that could possibly end her life and everyone else's. Fantastic story plus a situation that will leave you thinking about evolution long after you've finished the book. |
| Betty Jo (harris.bettyjo@yahoo.com) |
| Shadow Tag by Louise Erdrich |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Erdrich chooses her words carefully to describe the family of an artist and his wife/muse and their children. Secrets, alcoholism, and a bit of sheer crazies tear this family apart. This sad story is hard to read if you have ever been a part of a 12 step program. |
| Ramona |
| Tea Time for theTraditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love this series. I feel like I am there. the characters are colorful, real and I love the twists the series takes. I just discovered Smith's other series and am having a great time listening to them as I drive to work! |
| Lynn Marler |
| The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A flu pandemic wipes out most of the earth's population. The novel follows one Ohio family as they deal with the disaster. A real page-turner that really makes you think about the fact that it nearly happened in 1918 and could well happen again. Couldn't put it down. |
| Linda M. Johnson (tcheer4life@yahoo.com) |
| The Imperial Cruise by James Bradley |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Story of a cruise taken by William Howard Taft on a diplomatic mission throughout the Near East. He was accompanied by President Theodore Roosevelt's willful daughter Alice. Alice's presence was a smoke screen to divert attention from Taft's mission to negotiate with countries contrary to the U. S. Constitution. The book didn't follow a chronological path which was difficult to follow. A lot of illicit activity by our forefathers. |
| Linda M. Johnson (tcheer4life@yahoo.com) |
| Body of Evidence by Patricia Daniels Cornwell |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This time, Kay Scarpetta was trying to find the person who murdered a young female writer and the one-hit-wonder male author who had been the first author's mentor. A missing manuscript seems the key to solving the murders. I listened to this book narrated by C. J. Critt who is my favorite narrator. So much better than the narrator of the first book, POST MORTEM. |
| Linda M. Johnson (tcheer4life@yahoo.com) |
| The Grub-And-Stakers Move a Mountain by Charlotte MacLeod writing as Alisa Craig |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A cozy taking place in Canada concerning the death of a local who was known to be up to no good, trying to manipulate perk testing and maps so he may purchase valuable land, thinking the rest of the town folk won't notice. Quick read. |
| Vicki |
| Sworn to Silence by Linda Castello |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love a good thriller and this book had me from the first few pages! I could not put the book down. This is the first time I read this author, and I will be reading all of her past books now. She will have a new book out called PRAY FOR SILENCE in June (the 2nd in this series) and I can not wait for it to come out. |
| Ramona |
| Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X Stork |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I found the story line innovative, and with a couple of unexpected developments in the story, it kept me interested. I would recommend this to reluctant teen readers. |
| Carolyn |
| Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is engrossing and beautifully written and I am enjoying every minute of it. Packed with drama. |
| Maureen H |
| Still Life by Louise Penny |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Excellent mystery. This is the first book in the Inspector Gramache series and was absolutely wonderful. I am looking forward to the rest of the series. |
| Rosalie Sambuco (crimekitty763@yahoo.com) |
| War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I have just started this mammoth book. That is why I am giving it 3 stars, Hopefully the # of stars will increase as I get into the story. |
| Rosalie Sambuco (crimekitty763@yahoo.com) |
| Royal Harlot by Susan Holloway Scott |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
When Charles I returns to England after Cromwell, Barbara Villiers becomes his mistress. This is her story. The characters are very well developed --- some you will like and some you will dislike. The story is about court life and the many political tricks used by all the main characters. The period descriptions are very nicely done. This book contains much graphic sex which some readers may find offensive. |
| Diane Baum |
| The Help by Katheryn Stockett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A thought-provoking book about race relations on a personal level between women in the South in the early 1960s. |
| Bonnie |
| Darkness, Take My Hand by Dennis Lehane |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Sometimes you just want to read a good, well-written, reliable, suspenseful mystery. Then, pick up a Lehane novel...you won't go wrong. |
| Jane Squires (jrs362@hotmail.com) |
| Her Forever Family by Mae Nunn |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The book was excellent as are all of Mae's books. You pick one up and you enjoy it from beginning to end. Issues in this book that surprised me were a treat. I had never heard of Asperger's before reading about it here. So much I could relate to with Ali and Ben's struggles of being unsure in their relationship. I loved the way they prayed about each other. So many reminders of my own reactions when I met my husband 30 plus years ago. Like Ali, I felt not good enough for my husband and almost walked away. But I didn't. Ali and Ben seemed like an unlikely match. But when God brings two people together, he has a reason. Two separate sets of circumstances combined to make one forever family. Ali's dealing with Ethan, Ben's son, and his Asperger's will draw you in as will her repelling and rescue work. Also her work with kids who seem unlikely will amaze you. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| My Wife's Affair by Nancy Woodruff |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
| I enjoyed the book, but the ending is so tragic. I feel that all hope of a reconciliation has been destroyed, like the fire that ended Fergus. The scenes of the play, "Shakespeare's Woman," enhanced the story line. What a life for Dora Jordan --- a mother of 13, but no husband; a career as an actress, and mistress to the future King of England; her solitary life at the end. The story parallels that of Georgie, her career means life to her. A woman cannot seem to have both a career and children. The narrator of the story is Peter, the husband, hence, "My Wife's Affair." Most of the time, Peter's narrative rings true, but many times, I felt that Georgie had stolen the narrative. The personalities of the three boys danced in the pages. I could feel their mock bravery and sense of abandonment and nourishing need. Thanks for providing me a copy, and yes, I would read Nancy Woodruff again. |
