May 14, 2010 - June 3, 2010
Last contest period's winners each received a copy of FEVER DREAM by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, INNOCENT by Scott Turow and THE LONELY POLYGAMIST by Brady Udall.
| Jud Hanson |
| Malthusian Catastrophe by Ernesto Robles |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
What would happen if the answer to eternal youth was discovered? What would you be willing to sacrifice in order to buy it? This novel, although fiction, gives a very real glimpse into such a future. |
| Lorna |
| Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I though the writing was horrible. Didn't hold my interest at all. The interactions between the characters was too ridiculous. I didn't bother finishing the book. |
| Sean from OHIO |
| Practical Demonkeeping by Christopher Moore |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I have loved every piece of Christopher Moore's work I have read, until this. Here, in PRACTICAL DEMONKEEPING, you can really see how much Moore has evolved into the comedic storytelling master that he is now. In this novel he needed more room to let these characters take more shape. The comedy was there but it was much more subtle as opposed to his next novel taking place in Pine Cove (LUST LIZART OF MELANCHOLY GROVE). Overall it was a good book but the author has spoiled me with his later and funnier works. This is a good place to start but not where I started! |
| Jud Hanson |
| Palos Verdes Blue by John Shannon |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
First Jack Liffey novel I have read. It has a good plot but rambles a little, A very average read. Basic plot is trying to find a missing teenager who may have run afoul of a group of rich kid surfers. |
| Judy O. (joswood@msn.com) |
| Caught by Harlan Coben |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Seventeen-year-old Haley McWaid goes missing one day. This book tells the story of Haley, the predator who may have taken her, and the TV news reporter who is trying to find the truth. This is an exciting, compelling story with a satisfying ending. |
| Jud Hanson |
| The Jesus Family Tomb by Jacobovici/Pellegrino |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Excellent telling of the discovery of a tomb in Israel that evidence suggests could have belonged to Jesus and his wife and son. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a Maisie Dobbs mystery set in England in 1932. Many interesting details are revealed in this installment, but Winspear leaves the reader wondering about the choices Maisie will make in regards to love and career. This story involves the discovery of English WWI soldiers in a buried bunker. This was a special group of soldiers that were involved in mapping the land. One of the cartographers is the son of a wealthy family in the United States. Maisie must deal with the American cartographer's mystery, the illness of Dr Maurice Blanche, and the attentions of Viscount James Compton. All three issues are not fully resolved when the story ends. Jacqueline Winspear does a wonderful job relaying the horrors of WWI, the problems of a society after the war, and the plight of the common folk. I relish her stories and then feel remorse when the book has been read, and I must wait for the next story. |
| Tanya |
| The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
In a little Southern town, two very different women discover how to find their place in the world, no matter how out of place they feel. The characters are great and the story is too. |
| T. Thomas |
| Pickford: The Woman Who Made Hollywood by by Eileen Whitfield |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This book was quoted in another book I read and sounded interesting. However, it was laborious. |
| Reva Wamsley (prwamsley@roadrunner.com) |
| Blood Game by Iris Johansen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Another great Eve Duncan thriller. Someone is killing young women and draining their blood. And he wants Eve. I loved this book just like all the others Iris Johansen writes. |
| Marsha |
| Powder Necklace by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This unusual coming-of-age story shuttles a young girl physically and emotionally between three different countries with three different cultures. Divorced parents are trying to decide what is best for protecting their daughter from bad influences in London to the hardships of Ghana to New York City. |
| Reece |
| Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
One of best books --- high on my top ten lists. Good look at the unexplored time period of the 1940s and how incidents still influenced others in the 1980s. Good insight into father-son relationships as well as a poignant look at love. Good interesting read that captures the reader's attention and holds it. Good book for reading group discussions. |
| Reece |
| Every Last One by Anne Quindlen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
An engrossing, heart-thumping book which is both suspenseful and a tear jerker. Quindlen explores various issues of motherhood: teenage daughters, differences between twins, family unity. And she adds in mother as an individual, remaking of one's self after an empty nest and how to overcome an overwhelming change in one's life. |
| Reece |
| Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
For Hannah fans, this has the same intense relationships and emotional tug she is noted for. This book focuses on the unusual friendship between two dissimilar women A plus to the author for using a novel to educate folks about Inflammatory breast cancer. an often overlooked cancer. The ending is somewhat disappointing; it is predictable and sappy. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the second novel in a trilogy that Stieg Larsson turned in just before he died. The story is set in Sweden with quite a cast of characters. The story centers on Lisbeth Salander, a 26-year-old math whiz and tough individual. The story involves Swedish law, sex crimes, journalist, the police deparment, and many other topics. The setting and characters are first-rate, but I felt that a few story lines were not completed. Maybe, the next novel will explain. The twists and turns of the story are done well, and even though this is a long book, 503 pages, I was compelled to keep reading. I look forward to reading the two other books. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| Fed Up by Jessica Conant-Park & Susan Conant |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I just love this series and hope the author keeps writing the. In this book Chole's boyfriend has been chosen to be on a TV competition for the best chef. But things go extremely wrong during his taping while he makes a dinner for his chosen couple. Of course he is being set up, but by who? To save her boyfriends career she must find the killer. Recipes included. |
| Reece |
| Heat Wave by Richard Castle |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
If you are a follower of the television series, "Castle", you will love this book. In the series, Castle is an author who pens a mystery series. HEAT WAVE is "the book" from the series. Both humorous and suspenseful; it is a great additional to the television series. |
| Irene - Saratoga Springs NY |
| Radium Halos by Shelley Stout |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
RADIUM HALOS is not only a fascinating read but also a beautifully written narrative based on young women employed by The Radium Dial Company in the 1920s, to paint dials on watches and clocks with luminescent radium paint. Neither aware nor informed they willingly sought to attain perfection in the precise art of such labor, which involved swallowing a smidgen of deadly radium whenever a brush was "tipped" to a perfect point. The unlikely narrator Helen weaves her commemoration tapestry with sparse but effective words in the powerful telling of her participation in leaving her rural home to become a "city" girl with money in her pocket, and numerous adventures not only to savor but also a few to harbor within the deepest recesses of her mind. Shelley Stout's seamlessly taut prose discards sentimentality for truth, and presents a compelling account of yet another manifestation which demonstrates how women were sacrificed at the industrial altar as dispensable commodities. |
| Irene - Saratoga Springs NY |
| Elysiana by Chris Knopf |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Set on a mythical barrier island off New Jersey in 1969, Elysiana suggests an idyllic summer retreat. The welcome mat belies the genuine point of view of a socially maladjusted town whose disillusioned inhabitants begin their annual war with tourists, surfers, hippies who missed the ride to Woodstock, and specifically each other. Unconventional conglomeration of town council president, mayor, beach patrol, and drug dealer volley for exalted status with cavalier contempt thrust upon calculating usurpers. If such a diverse assortment fails to adequately provide the appropriate entertainment, the inclusion of a drugged-out Midwestern semi-amnesiac young woman who washes up on shore, a constantly disappearing parentally challenged young girl, a brain-damaged, but brilliant lifeguard offer sufficient distraction to muddle the endless sub-plots in this comic tragedy. Chris Knopf's impeccable choice of words, flawless writing, and amazing ability to tie this amorphous bundle of bumbling characters through the eye of a wildly unseasonal hurricane, and offer a gratifying cohesive conclusion provides an exhilarating reading experience. |
| Jeanny House |
| Diamond Ruby by Joseph Wallace |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
DIAMOND RUBY is a beautiful first novel by Joseph Wallace, author of many non-fiction books. Set against the backdrop of New York in the 1920s, it tells the story of Ruby Thomas, a teenage girl left to raise her two young nieces. With an indomitable spirit, fierce determination, and a burning-hot fastball, Ruby moves from Coney Island carnival show to professional baseball, encountering organized crime, sexism, antisemitism, and the Ku Klux Klan along the way. This page turner is a grand slam home run for Joseph Wallace and his readers. |
| Kristie |
| Winter's Awakening by Shelly Shepard Gray |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
An Amish fiction series that's realistic and also shows Amish interacting with Englishers. Nice perspective. Good story with enough different plots but they are not confusing or boring. |
| Marsha |
| Lucid Intervals by Stuart Woods |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A Stone Barrington novel that doesn't disappoint. Unending fascinating women and clients drift into his life to intrigue and entertain us. |
| Reva Wamsley (prwamsley@roadrunner.com) |
| I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I loved this book. Kay Lansing's father was a caretaker for the Carrington Estate. 22 years after he dies, she meets Peter Carrington. After a whirlwind romance, they arrive home from their honeymoon. Shortly after, a body of a missing girl is found and he's charged with murder. |
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
| Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
First, I want to set the record straight. This book is not in the same echelon as THE HELP. It's an enjoyable read and it does have a similar theme. However, THE HELP is in a league all its own. This book reminds me of a Fanny Flagg novel. Southern setting, conflict is mild, humor is widespread and it's a nice, copacetic story. I enjoyed it. I just thought there would be more to it. The story is about CeeCee. She is rescued from an unhappy situation in Ohio by her great aunt who whisks her down to Savannah. CeeCee has a hard time adjusting to life in the South at first, but soon develops strong relationships with the women in her aunt's life. There are some funny scenes throughout the story and I found myself laughing out loud. There are also some great words of wisdom spoken by the female characters that are worth remembering. "It's how we survive the hurts in life that brings us strength and gives us our beauty". One of many. I can't say I was disappointed in this book. I guess I expected a lot more. |
| Lorna |
| The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Great story about a seventeen-year-old girl who goes to spend the summer with her father, whom she hasn't spoken to in 3 years. While she is there, she meets new people in a world that is so different from her own and discovers a lot about her self and relationships. To me it is more of a YA novel but all ages will enjoy it. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| Dragons Wild by Robert Aspirin |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I'm not giving this a 1 for two reasons. First, I only made it to page 50 --- that's my rule --- then I abandoned it. I had to work to get it to 50. Second, I just don't seem to enjoy this kind of book lately but I know many people do. The character and the whole family were all out for themselves for the most part. The premise that they were dragons in human form might have worked but not these wimpy scaredy cat types. For me they would have had to embody totally different qualities. Maybe that happened later. Maybe Aspirin is just not my cup of tea. |
| Linda Bentzen |
| Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Henry, a successful author, is pulled into the world of a stranger --- a taxidermist, who is writing a play and wants Henry's help. He becomes more and more involved in the lives of Beatrice, a donkey, and Virgil, a howler monkey. Many questions are asked about life and art, truth and deception, responsibility and complicity. It took me awhile to figure out where this story was going. My ideas on the story's direction were finally proved true. It is not an easy read, but some will enjoy figuring it out. Others will be very saddened by the end. I felt THE LIFE OF PI was a better book. |
| trek |
| Changes by Jim Butcher |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Great character development --- moving along into entirely new areas in the series. |
| Judy O. (joswood@msn.com) |
| Right of Thirst by Frank Huyler |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Charles Anderson, a noted cardiologist, is totally bereft after his wife dies of a protracted bout with cancer. He volunteers to assist with earthquake relief in an Islamic country --- an area that is in constant strife with its neighbor. What happens when the refugees don't come to the camp as expected? Something quite unexpected happens instead, and the people at the camp need to flee. This is a very well-written, fascinating story about good intentions and healing from grief. |
| Allie |
| Emmeline by Judith Rossner |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
An interesting story about a young girl from Maine who is sent to work in the mills of Lowell, Massachusetts. |
| Marsha |
| Innocent by Scott Turow |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a sequel to PRESUMED INNOCENT so it would make more sense to read them in sequence. However, this book can stand alone even though we need to know the back story of several characters to fully appreciate the novel. Rusty Sabich, now chief justice of an appellate court, finds his wife dead under mysterious circumstances and ends up on trial for her murder. Good courtroom drama and family dynamics. |
| F Tessa Bartels |
| Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter by Blaize Clement |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
Promising debut but weak plotting. She wraps things up a little too neatly at the end, and without enough explanation. I'll try another, because she shows promise. |
| Tanya |
| Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
July 1942, Sarah is taken with her parents by the French police as they go door-to-door arresting Jewish families in the middle of the night. Her story will touch your heart and is uncovered by an American journalist sixty years later. |
| Marjorie Clark (marjorie_clark2000@yahoo.com) |
| The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Still reading but this is a great book for both adults and young adults. |
| CC |
| Every Last One by Anna Quindlen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Excellent book --- very well written. Makes you think how you would deal with unimaginable tragedy. |
| Julie H. |
| Our Lady of Immaculate Deception by Nancy Martin |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
With a nod to her Blackbird Sisters series, Martin introduces us to Roxy Abruzzo, a slightly mob-connected, sex-obssessed, architectural salvage specialist. She and soon-to-be-off parole assistant, Nooch, stumble onto a murder mystery after "salvaging" what turns out to be a priceless Greek statue from the Hyde estate. There are only so many incarnations of Stephanie Plum possible and although the mystery was fine, I don't know if I'll bother checking in with Roxy again. |
| Julie H. |
| The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
In summer 1855, the Alcotts are on the move again, this time to Walpole, NH, where an uncle has kindly given them use of his empty house. It's tough to separate oneself from the story of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy --- -many of the events that we have come to know from LITTLE WOMEN make small appearances here and there in this story. I was really interested in McNees' take on Bronson Alcott, the transcendentalist. His views on life and what one truly needed for sustenance didn't always mesh with what a family with four children would need. I really enjoyed spending a summer with Anna, Louisa, Lizzie and young May. McNees has written a really nice piece of historical fiction. |
| Brenda R |
| Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Very sweet Pollyanna story. Loved the Savannah setting. I would recommend this book to a female book club. |
| Phyllis |
| H.E.A.V.E.N. by Nan BBecklean |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
H.E.A.V.E.N is a short book but certainly an amusing one. You'll really enjoy the hours you spend in 2073 with Sarah, Lionel, Zack, Melody, Huxley and Ben. In 2073, Sarah is 95; ten years earlier, her husband, Jeff, talked her into joining H.E.A.V.E.N. Once you apply for H.E.A.V.E.N., you are free to live the rest of your life in luxury with no worries of bills or illness and you can give all your possessions to anyone you wish without them having to pay taxes. Your residence, meals, and healthcare (even extensive remodeling of your body) are all free. However, when you sign to join H.E.A.V.E.N., you are also agreeing to have your life terminated at age 95. Sarah has turned 95 and does not want to be put to rest yet; she's determined to sneak away from H.E.A.V.E.N. and live the rest of her natural life in hiding. Lionel, an older, handsome man, Zack, a young pilot who thinks he's in love with Melody who prepares the dead bodies for transport but wants to write songs and sing, and Ben, a talking robot crocodile who is writing a dissertation on the human species, all become involved with her escape. The quirky book involves love, murder and fun. It's thought provoking and filled with futuristic technology and the scenarios could definitely happen. Nan Becklean has a very entertaining novel with H.E.A.V.E.N. |
| Sandra F. |
| The Book of Human Skin by Michelle Lovric |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
THE BOOK OF HUMAN SKIN by Michelle Lovric is a reading experience not to be missed. The narrative voices of Marcella, Minguillo, Doctor Aldobrandini, Gianni and Sister Loreta are some of the most unusual characters ever encountered in a novel. The use of the variety of voices telling the story speed the action of the novel and leaves the reader breathless. The most fascinating aspect of the book is the wonderful imagery --- some of which can make the reader feel physically revolted. This book is deserving of many literary prizes. |
| carol |
| Perfect Poison by amanda quick |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
It is funny, but I like when Jayne Ann Krentz writes Amanda Quick novels, not her other books. Strange but true. This Arcane Society is a bit like others. Really enjoyed her earlier Amanda Quick, individual historical romances. |
| Jud Hanson |
| Relics of the Christ by Joe Nickell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Examines the various relics supposedly connected to Jesus. |
| Crystal |
| Shoot to Thrill by P. J. Tracy |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another great story featuring the Monkeewrench crew and and assorted colleagues in Minneapolis area and beyond. There's mystery, suspense, police work and computer stuff-something for everyone. |
| Dorothy |
| Return to Sender by Fern Michaels |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is just a quick, enjoyable, easy read about a young woman who was abused as a child and thrown out at the age of 15 when she told her parents she was pregnant. All the letters that she wrote to the father were returned to sender. She overcame all obstacles and raised her son. She then tried to get even with the father for abandoning her. Enjoyable. |
| Terri |
| Pearl of China by Anchee Min |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
PEARL OF CHINA is an historical novel of the life of Pearl S. Buck as seen through the eyes of her best friend, a fictional Chinese girl named Willow. Pearl and Willow meet as children, and after a rocky start, they become the best of friends. Pearl's father is a missionary and Willow's father becomes his "second-in-command," a liaison between Absalom and the Chinese people of Chin-kiang. We follow the lives of Pearl and Willow from their meeting until Pearl's death and Willow's visit to her grave. The story was interesting to a point. I enjoyed learning about China in the late 19th/early 20th centuries, and I was frequently reminded of THE GOOD EARTH. However, I was never really sure where this book was going. Pearl would disappear from the story for long periods of time, and although I think the author was trying to establish the reasons why Pearl couldn't come back to China, Willow's life story wasn't nearly as interesting. Chinese history is not my strong point, and I felt like the historical events were thrown in haphazardly. |
| Librarylady (lluteri@yahoo.com) |
| Tomorrow River by Lesley Kagen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
For those who read and enjoyed Lesley Kagen's WHISTLING IN THE DARK, they will very much enjoy her new book, TOMORROW RIVER! Once again, she has told a spellbinding little mystery through the eyes of a child --- or in this case, eyes of a set of twins --- Shennandoah Wislon and Jane Woodrow Carmody. Set in Virginia the week that the first man set foot on the moon, the girls struggle to solve the mystery of their mother's disappearance which has left Woody mute with grief. Or not. The kind of story that keeps you guessing until the last chapter and wishing you could do something to help the girls. |
| carol |
| Days of Gold by Jude Deveraux |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I haven't read a Deveraux book in a while, and had forgotten how much humorous dialogue she uses. It was so much fun to read. Her stories are always improbable so one gets lost in the story. This book, like some others, goes from the old world to the new. This time she stays in the same time period though. Two people escape from Scotland (one via England) and come to America under the name of husband and wife. Not sure which I enjoyed most, their adventures in Scotland or in America. |
| Jud Hanson |
| Murder at Golgatha by Ian Wilson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Examination of the world's oldest "cold case." |
| Jud Hanson |
| The Bourne Objective by Eric Van Lustbader |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Bourne races his arch-rival Arkadin in a search for King Solomon's treasure. |
| Bonnie |
| Devotion by Dani Shapiro |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Non-fiction about the author's search for god, personal enlightenment, peace or something like that. I'd thought it would be more helpful to others, but it's more memoirish. I did learn a lot about Jewish traditions, however, and about some killer yoga moves. |
| Fran |
| Naturally Thin by Bethenny Frankel |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
The premise of the book is don't overeat and don't eat processed food and you won't have to diet. If it were really that easy... not sure if I'm going to be finding my inner skinny girl... but maybe it'll work for someone. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| The Exile of Sara Stevenson by Darci Hannah |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is an advance copy of a novel to be published in July 2010. The story is set on Cape Wrath, an actual lighthouse, built by author Robert Louis Stevenson's grandfather, in Scotland. The novel takes place in 1814-1815, whereas the actual lighthouse was not built until 1823. The story encompasses two wars: the Napoleanic Wars of 1793 to 1815, and Worl War I from 1914-1918 via a ghost/angel that transcends the years. While reading the story, I thought of Robert Nathan's THE PORTRAIT OF JENNIE. Both novels deal with leaps or distortion of time, also like The Time Traveler's Wife. Darci Hannah does an excellent job with her description of characters and setting. Of course, the outcome with Sara Stevenson and William Campbell finished as expected. The story of Alexander Seawell and the appearance of Thomas Crichton were"the stuff of dreams". I enjoyed the little bits of quotes from dead, popular writers, and also the glimpse of Walter Scott as a companion to Sara on a voyage. Darci Hannah has the gift of weaving an interesting story. |
| Jean M |
| Down To The Wire by David Rosenfelt |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is the second stand-alone book by Rosenfelt. It is better than the first one but neither of them hold a candle to his Andy Carpenter series. |
| Kristie |
| The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
It's an Amish fiction novel. I think it's very well written and the characters are very three-dimensional, complex and realistic. I can't wait for the second book in the series. |
| Louise |
| Moment to Moment by Barbara Delinsky |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The story was heartwarming and the writing was good, but I only gave it 4, because, as an asthmatic myself, it didn't seem realistic to me. Dana Madison, who has suffered from asthma since childhood, has been babied and pampered by her family and those around her, making her out to be an invalid. They took her medical condition way too seriously, while Dana left home to get away from them and didn't take it seriously, enough. She wanted to act like she didn't have a health problem at all and did some rather foolish things, in my opinion. But everyone is happy in the end (well, maybe not her parents). |
| Pam Adamovich |
| Final Gifts by Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I just lost my Dad and this book, written by hospice nurses, is helping me to understand what my Dad's final days were like and what he and others who are dying can teach us about helping them to die in peace. |
| Anne |
| People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Wonderful and enthralling novel that was unforgettable. |
| ruth |
| Serendipity by Louise Shaffer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Engrossing and emotional novel, which was heartrending. |
| Sharon |
| Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love novels about Southern women and this is one of the best. CeeCee, as a young child, is deserted by her father and resides with her mentally ill mother. She has no friends with the exception of her elderly neighbor. After tragedy strikes, she is forced to live in Savannah with her great aunt. Between her aunt and her cook Oletta, they show CeeCee that life can be a very special experience. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| Straight from the Horse's Mouth by Amielia Kinkade |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
Subtitle is: How to talk to animals and get answers. She talks, they answer; give advice and predict the future. My animals just aren't talking. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| The Hummingbird Wizard by Meredith Blevins |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I finally got around to reading it this after it was on my shelf for over a year. I am so glad I did and thanks to whomever recommended it. This is a mystery. The person trying to solve it is a reluctant member of a zany gypsy family by marriage. The story is intriguing. The writing is refreshing. As it says on the back of the book: it's a lively high-energy romp. The characters are wonderful and outrageous, loving and manipulative. Besides mystery and fun there is some romance, and it is done with taste even though it seems this family likes to hop in and out of bed - sometimes each others. Blevins is really talented and I was so happy to see that she has two more books after this one. Wonder if there will be more. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries and/or Stephanie Plum's escapades. |
| Marcy G |
| Plea of Insanity by Jilliane Hoffman |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Julia Vacanti, a not-very-experienced assistant state attorney gets to 2nd chair the prosecution of David Marquette, a Miami surgeon accused of brutally murdering his family. David's insanity plea brings into question whether or not he is faking his illness and whether Julia, whose own family history includes murder associated with mental illness can handle it. I thought this legal thriller became somewhat melodramatic and contained many "too stupid to live" actions by Julia. In my opinion, Plea of Insanity was somewhat of a disappointment after reading Hoffman's earlier book RETRIBUTION. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| Storm Thief by Chris Wooding |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a YA novel that one of my reluctant readers has been talking about as the best book he every read and nothing else he's picked up has been to his liking. I saw it at a used book store and got it to read to help me bead in on what he liked. His description was pretty confusing. It drew me in right away. It's a fantasy and the two main characters are a young man and girl who are very different in their view of the world but who are both part of the outcast group in society in their world. The boy just wants to make life prosperous so they are never hungry and she dreams of another country where things are different. On this world they have something called probability storms. These storms cause random chaos. A person can be in one place and suddenly they are in another. A person can suddenly have 3 arms, or buttons instead of eyes, or get smarter. They are trapped in this world as automatically any boats or air transports are shot down so no one leaves and no one can come in. They also meet up with a 3rd character --- a golum. Half human and half machine. The three of them are searching, each for something different. This book takes you on their search and how it ends, and introduces you to a very different reality in which the Storm Thief is the explanation to children for the storm chaos. It was very good. I'd call it a fantasy action adventure and a I enjoyed it a lot. |
| Elizabeth V |
| Solar by Ian Mc Ewan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I have not quite finished this book but have read enough to rate it and comment. br> Although the two reviews of SOLAR that I read would put off a less die-hard McEwan fan, I find it to be a comical view of the irony of global-warming and environmental activism. The reviewers at The New York Times and Amazonapparently did not like McEwan's insinuations. br> The comedy is shown through the ironic life of a nobel-prize-winning scientist. He is the head of a center bent on exploring some discovery even if they know it is useless. But he doesn't really run the place, anyway. br> Besides, he has more urgent matters to attend to such as his fifth marriage to a gorgeous woman who seems to be running around on him. He cares when the tables are turned. br> I'm liking this book and am suspicious of those reviews that don't rate it well. |
| Marcy G |
| Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
In this English debut of the Kurt Wallander series, an elderly farm couple has been brutally murdered and Wallander, a very sad, yet compelling character, is determined to find the killers despite his many personal problems. Interesting plot twists, the many observations about Swedish society and some very good writing made this a good introduction to a series I'll keep reading. |
| Marcy G |
| Line of Vision by David Ellis |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Investment banker Marty Kalish is prosecuted for the murder of his married lover's abusive husband and throughout this great courtroom thriller, I wondered who or what to believe. Interesting plot twists kept me reading late into the night. A book blurb I read compared the main character to Patricia Highsmith's Ripley --- an apt comparison considering Marty's devious ways. Highly recommended. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| Blood Noir by Laurell K. Hamilton |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is an Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Novel by Laurell K. Hamilton. This is not a series to share with young adults. It is very violent and also halfway through the series became more and more sexually explicit as she evolved into a Succubus. She is a modern Annie Oakley type who gets involved with both the vampires she hunts and other beasties. Much like True Blood only more so. This could not be televised except after midnight on certain channels I think. For me, I liked it better when the books were around 200 pages instead of 400 pages - 100 of which has got to be love scenes. I'm hooked on the characters, though, so I do a lot of skimming. Any writer who can do a 29 page love scene has to be admired, even if you do skim 90% of it - and that's how this book begins. In this book she is doing a good deed and, since no good deed goes unpunished, manages to get herself and the deed-ee almost killed as well as jeopardizes the Master of the City who is her lover. She also gets the Master of another city killed. Meanwhile, the mother of all the vampires is waking and using her to come alive again, putting every vampire on Earth into a state of fear and dread making them wonder who to try and kill - Anita Blake, or the mother of vampires before she is fully awake; and if they kill her, will they all die with her? Those are the questions we are left with. Never a dull moment She's evolving as the series goes along, so I'm hopful she'll evolve out of the succubus thing as it's very exhausting - hence all the skimming. Hamilton is a very good writer. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| Nine Princes In Amber by Roger Zelazny |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is an oldie by Roger Zelazny. Amber is the name of the city that is the center of all things and the 9 princes each are driven to rule. Therein lies the problem that keeps me from really loving this book --- they're brothers all out to get each other. They also have sisters that are constantly doing a jig to be in favor with the one who is at the top of the heap currently. The other thing I didn't love is that they are totally disdainful of the lives of others --- not just within the family. They can move in and out of "shadow" which seems to be the real world. They can also pop from one place to another by means of a magic deck of cards very like tarot cards, but with their visage painted upon the cards. The main character does seem to have a little more "heart" than the others, but not quite enough to make me want to continue with this series. If you like sci fi/fantasy it's worth the read. Just missed the mark for me. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| Nightingle's Lament by Simon R. Green |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A Novel of the Nightside series written by Simon R. Green. Once again, we visit the dark place under London that is far more fantastic and dark than Harry Potter is used to. John Taylor is a detective and has returned to the Nightside, his stomping ground, righting wrongs and solving problems. He has a gift --- he finds things. This time he sends a friend to his reward and endeavors to ascertain what has changed a young singer so her sad songs push people to commit suicide. He uses his third eye, but when he does he alerts his enemies to where he is. They are after him because he is his mother's son. Who his mother is and where she is he doesn't know. Only that when his father found out he drank himself to death. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| Dragon Tears by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The title attracted me - but it has nothing to do with dragons. This is a story about a bogey man type that is tormenting helpless people and threatening to kill them within a certain number of hours. By the end of the first chapter this book had me as it opens with two policemen who stop at a diner and in walks a man that touches off both their cop instincts. I had to read on to see if their instincts proved correct. In chapter two the action and suspense begins and it doesn't let up until the last chapter. I almost stopped reading it because it began to look like it was going to be an endless trail of innocent helpless victims whose slaughter would be described one by one. Then, just in time, someone got some backbone and decided to fight back. I was on board again. With help from a good old dog, they begin a hunt against time to find him and his weakness before he comes for them and makes good his promise. This was a heck of a good thriller with a kind of mad scientist twist only the mad scientist was a drug toking hippie and not a scientist at all. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| The Barrakee Mystery by Arthur W. Upfield |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is the first in a series written in 1929 by an Australian. I almost stopped on page 29 because it's a whodunnit and I thought I already knew whodunnit. I had not, however, been introduced to the main character of the series. That would be Inspector Napoleon Bonoparte, half white and half aborigine. I decided to at least make his acquaintance and I am so glad I did. He is like an Australian Sherlock Holmes. In some ways this book was a challenge as not having lived in Australia there were a lot of terms I wasn't sure of but it was kind of fun trying to figure them out. Of course when I finished the book I found the glossery in the back. I kept thinking of Crocodile Dundee as I read = my only source of connection. The twist took me by surprise. The characters are very rich and become real. I love the sense of fair play in all things but in their dealings with the natives - but that is how is was. Mr. Upfield spins a good yarn and I intend to visit Napoleon Bonaparte again in the next book of the series. |
| Linda M. Johnson (tcheer4life@yahoo.com) |
| The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
The true story of John Gilkey who steals collectible books and the used book seller who helped make other dealers and sellers aware of this man. Many sellers would not acknowledge the thefts for fear their own reputations would be tarnished. |
| Marsha |
| The Finishing Touches by Hester Browne |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Twenty-seven years ago our heroine as an infant was left on the doorstep of a finishing school and lovingly raised there. Now she returns to find the school barely surviving and in great need of updating. She is also curious to find clues about her biological parents. A rather charming light read. |
| Lorna |
| Hold Tight by Harlan Coben |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
What happens when a couple decide to "spy" on their sixteen year old son. The get much more than they bargained for. Several stories going on but of course in the end they are all connected in a way that will catch you by surprise. Love this author. |
| Julie H. |
| Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Vivien Armstrong Gray is reaching that certain decade in broadcast journalism that can be a little difficult to breach. As one of her investigative pieces winds up more popular on You Tube and her body is becoming a hormonal mess, Vivi heads home to Georgia. This suburban life of her sister Melanie is very foreign to Vivi, but the sisters adult relationship eventually begins to flourish. Many of the nuances of any Southern novel are here, but Wax does a gentle job with her characters and they are not typecast. It's always nice to read chick-lit of women of a more realistic age and place in life. |
| Juile H. |
| Shoot To Thrill by P. J. Tracy |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I waited a long time for this Monkeewrench installment and was generally pleased with the taut, slightly sinister story as usual. I was, however, left with a bit of a "huh" throughout the book, especially as I closed it. I like to support MN authors and certainly hope there will be more from this mother/daughter team! |
| Meme |
| Little Bee by Chris Cleave |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Two principal female characters whose lives intertwine. One character makes a choice that affects both of them forever. Though I didn't like almost all of the people in the story, LITTLE BEE shows courage and fortitude. |
| Sean from OHIO |
| A Drink Before The War by Dennis Lehane |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Dennis Lehane, who's now had many books turned into movies, started here with A DRINK BEFORE THE WAR starring Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. These two Boston bred best friends own and operate a detective agency. Lehane's use of these characters, their own demons, and overall grittiness of every aspect of early nineties Boston is phenomenal. Lehane is able to make the lead characters likeable but seriously flawed and not by any stretch of the imagination, straight laced "good guys". The racial overtones ring true and the antagonists are deplorable but sadly believable. I now look forward to reading each of Lehane's novels. A fantastic writer! |
| Linda M. Johnson (tcheer4life@yahoo.com) |
| Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
The third in the Anne of Green Gable series. I've been listening to these books that I missed in my childhood. They are nice "detox" books to listen to on the way home from work. In this book, Anne and her friends have beau "issues." |
| Linda M. Johnson (tcheer4life@yahoo.com) |
| Cruel and Unusual by Patricia Daniels Cornwell |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Another Kay Scarpetta, another audio book. C. J. Critt does her usual excellent job narrating this story in which numerous people are killed apparently in an attempt to confuse the authorities about who actually was put to death by the state of Virginia for a murder committed years ago. Even Scarpetta is suspected of wrongdoing. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| The Turkish Gambit by Boris Akunin |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
This is another of the Erast Fandorin series sets in the 1870's in Russia and Turkey. In this installment, Turkey and Russia are battling one another, and so some reason the Turks seem to always have the upper hand. A spy must be in the Russians camp, and Erast must discover that spy before Russia loses everything. This story contained many long discussions of the battle, and like other Akunin novels, little stories pop up. I did not enjoy this book as much as the other two novels. I found the mention of battles, and all the various names of each person very confusing. I finished the novel, but felt I wasted my time. |
| Phyllis |
| Lay The Favorite by Beth Raymer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Beth Raymer's entertaining fast-paced memoir takes the reader into the quirky world of sports betting. I've never been much of a gambler and the only sports betting I've ever done is enter a football pool but I've had friends that love to bet on sports. After reading Beth's book, I know much more about their addiction to it. br> Beth went to Las Vegas hoping to get a job as a cocktail waitress in one of the big casinos. While waiting tables at a Thai restaurant, one of her regulars sent her to see Dink of Dink Inc about a job - this was her introduction into the high stakes, adrenaline packed gambler's life and it took her from Las Vegas to New York City and to the Carribean. She introduces us to memorable characters, some good and some scoundrels but all are junkies for the action, and lets us see inside the sports gambling offices and set-ups in her very unconventional coming-of-age memoir. |
| Daryl Sedore (darylsedore@gmail.com) |
| The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Good read for the era it was written in. Overall fun and inventive book. Not a five star only because it's not my normal taste in books, but enjoying it just the same. |
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
| Hard Rain by Barry Eisler |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
#2 of the Rain series- I am definitely on the fence on this one. First, the good things.Eisler is a master at describing fight scenes so that it's almost like watching it on a TV screen. He walks thru moves like a color commentator. I enjoy reading about Japan, it's culture, the language. You would think the author is a native. He is American. What bothers me is what happens with a lot of authors who write series. They don't give recaps about the history of the series. This is frustrating for those of us who read the previous books long ago and can't remember what they are about and for those of us who are jumping into the middle. There should be a rule. If you are going to write a series, give us a recap of what has happened before. Eisler's plot in this book was a bit complicated to follow. I enjoyed the story and I like the main character, I just thought there were parts of the plot that were a bit far fetched. I don't think I'm going to give up on the series just yet. I like this character and this is the only set of books I have read about Japan. |
| Linda Bentzen |
| The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This Brazilian writer has written several bestselling books popular around the world. His books have had a life-enchanting effect on millions of people. The young boy Santiago searches for his treasure revealed in a dream. It turns into a journey to discover the treasure within. He meets many characters who point him in the direction of his quest. It could be considered a religious book as he searches for God. I enjoyed this quiet, enchanting novel. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I have read two other of Sandra Dallas's books, and I enjoyed this as much as TALLGRASS. I found PRAYERS FOR SALE to be a little slow. WHITER THAN SNOW is set in a mining town, as is PRAYERS FOR SALE. An avalanche falls in April 1920, in a small mining town in Colorado and buries nine young school children. The story begins with the avalanche and then quickly turns to describe the life of each parent or caregiver of the nine children. In the various stories are two sisters who have not spoken to one another in years, a Jewish prostitute saving money to open a dress making shop, an old Civil War veteran fighting with guilt, the mine manager and his wife, and the only Negro in the town-a single black man with a 6 year old daughter. As usual in Dallas's stories are the multitude of human emotions and existence; and the secrets that people hide. The story ends with the community coming together to dig for the children in hopes of finding survivors; as the reader waits to learn the fate of each of the nine children. |
| Sandy |
| The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Almost 4 stars, but not quite. This is a novel about several men and women who will be reconnecting with one another at their 40th high school class reunion. Some of them are very interesting characters with a few exceptions. So much has happened in their lives and so much can still happen. Not a bad story at all. |
| Linda H. (linda604b@yahoo.com) |
| The Other Daughter by Lisa Gardner |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Melanie Stokes is the pampered daughter of a wealthy Boston surgeon and his socialite wife who was adopted when she was nine years old. Found abandoned in a hospital room, Melanie had no remembrance of who she was or where she came from. Now, twenty years later, her perfect life is seeming to unravel. A seedy newspaper reporter arrives from Texas with proof that Melanie is the daughter of a convicted child killer but he is murdered and the "proof" stolen before he shows it to her. With the aid of FBI agent David Riggs, Melanie searches for her past. But can she face the truth? A good book. |
| Judy O. (joswood@msn.com) |
| After You by Julie Buxbaum |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Ellie Lerner's best friend, who lives in London, was murdered by a mugger right in front of her small daughter on the way to school. Sophie, the daughter, is traumatized; and Ellie goes to London to take care of her needs through this difficult period. After a few weeks Ellie's husband Phillip wants her home, but she is not sure that she wants to go back to Boston and be married to him any longer. A difficult decision ensues as Sophie needs her, but so does her husband. This is a great story about deep friendship and the trials of love and marriage. |
| Linda H. (linda604b@yahoo.com) |
| Heart of Ice by Gregg Olsen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Mandy Crawford has disappeared and no one knows where she went. Her husband, Mitch, owns a car dealership but says that she has gone shopping. No one at the mall has seen her. When her body surfaces several weeks later, Mitch is arrested but swears he is innocent. Sheriff Emily Kenyon believes he is guilty but needs to find proof. Emily's daughter Jenna works with a college sorority and handles colleges in the southern U.S. Several sorority members have been killed and the latest kill occurred at the sorority house where Jenna was staying and in the room where she originally stayed. As she relates these facts to her mother, Emily feels that her daughter is in danger and urges her to come home. As Jenna returns home, the killer follows her. Meanwhile, Emily finds out who Mandy's murderer is. A great book that will be hard to put down! |
| Linda H. (linda604b@yahoo.com) |
| Blood Red by Heather Graham |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
When Lauren Crow has her fortune read by crystal ball, she sees a man's image in the crystal and hears cruel laughter followed by the words "I'm coming to get you". As she and her friends walk back toward their rooms in the French Quarter, she has the feeling that she is being followed. When she turns around, she sees no one. Later, when looking out of her room, she sees a man standing on the sidewalk. Who is this? Is this the man she saw in the crystal ball? A suspenseful book. |
| Linda H. (linda604b@yahoo.com) |
| McKettricks of Texas: Tate by Linda Lael Miller |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the first book of a series and is about Tate McKettrick, the oldest brother and the one who manages the huge ranch. Tate and Libby Remington were an item at one time and Libby still loves Tate. He had married Cheryl and had a set of twin girls but was now divorced. Now he wants to date Libby again. But Libby is not ready for her heart to be broken again. Can she trust Tate? A good book. |
| Linda H. (linda604b@yahoo.com) |
| Kiss of Darkness by Heather Graham |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Jessica Fraser is a psychologist in New Orleans and travels to Romania for a conference. While there, she meets a group of young people. When the group travels to a party at a lonely castle, one of them leaves a note for Jessica letting her know where they went. When Jessica receives this, she notifies the police who surround the castle. But one of the group is in a catatonic state as a result of the so-called vampire party. As they return to New Orleans, Jessica feels that she is being stalked and is in fear of the Master. She meets Bryan McAllister, a professor who is leading seminars on the vampire legends. But neither is who they seem. |
| Brenda R |
| Wish You Well by David Balacci |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Not a new book, nearly 10 yers old, but I just got my hands on it now. I read it for a book club and fell in love. I was captivated from the get go and couldn't put it down. The story of two young children nearly orphaned after a car accident. Father dies, mother in a vegetated state, they are shipped off from NYC to the rural Appalachians to stay with their paternal great-grandmother. The story is compelling, the characters are truly enduring. This book as become one of my top 5 favorites. |
| Donna |
| Accepting The Psychic Torch by Browne, Sylvia |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love Sylvia Browne and all that she has taught me through her books. This one is about her personal relationship with her psychic grandmother. It's a loving account of how her grandmother helped so many with such a loving soul and mentions the other psychics in her family. It was very touching. |
| Marion Miller (lamamil@aol.com) |
| The Girl With the Daragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book really keeps you enthralled. I can't wait to see the movie. |
| Linda Bentzen |
| The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
After reading THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, I knew I had to read THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE. I enjoyed it even more than Tattoo and look forward to reading THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST. Lisbeth Salander gets more and more involved in learning about her past. and is accused of three murders. Blomkvist has to decide if he believes she is innocent and how far he'll go to protect her. This was a great read and when I got to the end, I wanted more. |
| Marsha |
| Shadow Princess by Indu Sundaresan |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Political power struggles within the family who built the Taj Mahal will keep you interested if you can keep the characters straight. This is the third of a trilogy about the Mogul Empire of India. |
| Pat |
| Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The Pulitzer Prize committee certainly found the right recipient for this year's fiction book. It is a wonderful character study of a woman both curmudgeonly and compassionate as seen by various members of her family and community. Highly, highly recommended. |
| Elizabeth (meadowmist@comcast.net) |
| The Tortilla Curtain by T. Coraghessan Boyle |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I read this for one of my book club choices...fantastic book. br> Cándido and América, Candidido's wife, cross the border looking for a better life in America. The book begins with Candido being hit by a car and then hiding. br> Many heart-wrenching thing happen to the couple...the book totally keeps your interest. You will love it. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| Turn Up The Heat by Jessica Connant-Park & Susan Connant |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Third in the series A Gourmet Girl Mystery, these are so great books the people really come to life with these writers and the books are funny and you find yourself really getting into the characters lives. This book takes right off where the last one stopped, Chole is still going to collage and finds out she really likes it and that maybe she did not pick the wrong subject after all so now her best friend is 5 months preg. and her boyfriend has finally said the big L word "LOVE" so what can go wrong ? Her best friends future husband is being investigated for murder, so Adrianna asks for help. Will she be able to without getting hurt in the process? Recipes included! |
| Linda H. (linda604b@yahoo.com) |
| House of Reckoning by John Saul |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
After Sarah's mother died, her father never got over the loss. When he beat a man to death outside of a bar, Sarah's life changed drastically when she was placed in foster care. While the foster parents appeared nice to the case worker, Sarah's life with them was anything but nice. At her new school, she was treated as an outcast. Here, she met another student who was shunned by others. When these two people got together, weird things happened. A good book but not as good as others written by John Saul. |
| Paul Dimino |
| Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The whole Jack Reacher series is enjoyable. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| Wedding Cake by Lynne Hinton |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is an excellent example of Southern writing with the quirky characters, the iced tea, and the theme of love and family. The characters in this story are many of the same women as from Friendship Cake, with Margaret and Roxie missing, plus Pastor Charlotte has moved to New Mexico and heads a center for battered women. The central theme of love and friendship shows that the path is not always easy, and hardships and problems appear. The reader sees the problem of Beatrice and her daughter Robin, the unresolved issues with Jessie and her husband James, the uncertainty of new love with Donovan and Charlotte, and the love between deceased Roxie and Margaret and their living friends. I thoroughly enjoyed Friendship Cake, and met Lynne Hinton at a library event. She is very similiar to Pastor Charlotte, who still holds her Carolina roots very dear, but must embrace a new life in another state. As many Southern writers would comment, this novel is a good beach read, in words, a fun read that does not dwell on unpleasantness too heavily. |
| Devon (devonm@waukee.lib.ia.us) |
| I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Jujood Ali |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This girl's determiniation and courage is amazing. We in the US and other developed countries should count our blessings every day. |
| Donna Haueter |
| King Of Lies by John Hart |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Just discovered this author. I can't wait to read his other books especially the newest one. |
| Donna Haueter (hhaueter17@earthlinki.net) |
| The Irresistible Henry House by Lisa Grunwald |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Our book club is currently reading this novel. We each said we could not put it down. Great read. |
| Brady (bradylee@myway.com) |
| Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a memoir of a son of a moral leader of Hamas in the Middle East that really is an expose of the Hamas movement and how the population is manipulated using religion as the base of all that is. It is pure politics and responsible for continual unrest among the whole population. If you want to know about the situation in the middle east, read this. 'Tis interesting and eye-opening. |
| Anita Nowak |
| The Book Thief by Markus Zusak |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This was one of the most unusual books I have ever read. That being said, it was also one of the BEST. If possible I would give it a much higher rating than 5 stars. It tells a story (narrated by death) of the life of a young girl in Nazi Germany during World War II. It is filled with horror, as well as love and compassion. There is also humor among the pages, and I loved every minute of the over 500 pages. There was never a boring part to this book. Mr. Zusak is one of the most prolific writers I have every come across. I recommend this book very highly, but be forwarned that it has many many sad and horific moments. |
| Rita Powell |
| Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
It is hard to put this book down; I am being brief because I want to continue reading it. Twins usually love each other, but in this case one of them is not loving at all and she does the most evil things to her twin. The good twin (sometimes it's hard to tell which one that is) cannot get anyone to believe her story. |
| Jean |
| Pursuit of Honor by Vince Flynn |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A good political thriller with a right wing perspective. |
| Mary Lynn |
| The Beach House by Jane Green |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is not the first book I have read by her. Everyone I have read so for has been good. Will read her again. |
| Reva Wamsley (prwamsley@roadrunner.com) |
| Eleventh Hour by Catherine Coulter |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
One the the FBI series. FBI agent Dane Carver learns his identical twin brother, a priest, has been murdered. The only witness is a homeless woman. A very good story that you will want to read to the end. |
| Phyllis |
| Love In Mid Air by Kim Wright |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Elyse Bearden did a good deed by changing her airline seat so a son could sit by her father and she ended up seated next to a man who changed her. She started questioning her staid life and marriage. The dynamics between Elyse and the other characters seemed very true to life. Overall, I thought the novel very well written. |
| Jud Hanson |
| Bourne Deception by Eric van Lustbader |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Bourne plays possum to get to the real reason behind the downing of an American airliner with an Iranian missile. A great addition to the Bourne series. |
| Rosanne |
| The Memory Thief by Rachel Keener |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
THE MEMORY THIEF written by Rachel Keener is an amazing novel about two truly dysfunction families and the journey they take in the process of connecting with the past. Rachel Keener has woven an incredible tale illustrating the power of pride, love, hate, revenge and madness. Initially we meet Hannah, a Holy Roller type, who finds herself at seventeen in circumstances she isn't prepared for. As she struggles to find her own identity she meets Sam a young boy himself who validates her existence as a beautiful young woman. Hannah has been taught that almost everything "good" in life is a "sin" and that her purpose in life is to avoid anything sinful. Meeting Sam leads her down the very path that she has been taught to avoid. When we first meet Angel, we discover another young girl who is being raised by two very dysfunctional, self-centered, alcoholic parents. She lives in a run down trailer with her sister in "redneck" fashion on a tobacco plantation. The Swarms, owners of this plantation, employ her dad and allow them to live on the plantation. They live there in complete and utter poverty in despicable circumstances always in fear of the State coming to remove them from the trailer life. As the story unfolds, Hannah and Angel take on the rolls of good vs. evil only to discover that a little of both resides in each of them. However, what they also will discover is that they are driven by a little "madness" too. The voices they hear, the visions they see drive them onward in search of what they have been seeking their entire lives. THE MEMORY THIEF is a well written and thought provoking novel. You can't help but become fully engaged with the characters and the twists and turns they take in pursuit of their dreams. And you can't put it down until the very last word and even then it will linger with you for days. |
| F Tessa Bartels |
| Once on a Moonless Night by Dai Sijie |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
Very disappointing. Disjointed. I really could not get into it at all. Cannot begin to describe it. There are a few poetic phrases worth 1* |
| Marguerite (Hntrss95@aol.com) |
| The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Amazing story. Can't help but turn to the next page while cringing and expecting something shocking. This author spins a story about two inncocent girls who go missing one day. How they go missing and the background story is riveting. I recommend this to everyone! |
| Dorothy |
| Exclusive by Fern Michaels |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is the second in the Godmother series. Start with the first, THE SCOOP. They are a quick easy read and hilarious. You don't have to think when reading it. Just enjoy. |
| Glenn |
| The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
3.5 stars. I wasn't sure how the telling of a story totally through letters would work, but it worked pretty well. This was a story told with warmth and humor. For me, the book got better as it went along and you got to know the various people writing the letters. |
| Donna Marazzo |
| Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Scottoline keeps you on the edge of your seat and it is a great ride! Bennie's back in a book that you can't put down. |
| Bernadette (bernadette@hollandparkpress.co.uk) |
| The Lonely Tree by Yael Politis |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
THE LONELY TREE is a great love story set against the violent birth a nation and a moving novel about the soul of Israel. It is seen through the eyes of a rebellious teenager, Tonia, who describes the place in which she lives as: 'this wretched not-even-a-country' The story starts in 1934 in British Mandate Palestine when little Tonia arrives in Tel Aviv with her family from Poland. Her father is determined to help build a new country and takes his family to the Kfar Etzion kibbutz. There Tonia falls in love with Amos a handsome exotic Yemenite who fights in the Jewish underground, something her father doesn't approve of. Tonia has always longed for peace and comfort so she leaves Amos behind to make her way to Michigan in the USA. However she soon realises she cannot live and belong in Grand Rapids without her family. So she returns home and discovers her father's legacy shortly after the end of 1967 war. THE LONELY TREE is gripping, thought provoking and you can't put it down. It's a book you can read over and over again. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| Amish Grace by Donald B Kraybill |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I saw the movie on television, AMISH GRACE, and wanted to learn more about what happened, and I found this book. The book does not dwell on the chilling events that happened in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, in October 2006. The theme of the book is forgiveness as asked in The Lord's Prayer, and in many of the Gospels of The New Testament, mostly in Matthew. The Amish firmly believe that in order to receive God's forgiveness, they must forgive any ills that other people inflict upon them. I am amazed with this total act of forgiveness, yet in the same breath, the Amish community will shun wayward members. The movie showed more of the struggle to forgive, than the book mentioned. The Amish believe in the teachings of Jesus-of forgiving and turning the cheek. What a wonderful principle, but one so difficult for the majority of people to follow. |
| Holli |
| Divine Misdemeanors by Laurell K Hamilton |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The latest installment in the Merry Gentry series, feels like an ending, am hoping not, but it feels like that. There has been a long lag between the books in the series this time. Though her latest two Anita Blake ones - SKINTRADE and FLIRT were great. (5 stars for SKIN trade and 4.5 stars for FLIRT). All three have the action, romance, suspense, and the kicking butt and attitude that we expect and love from her. |
| Marsha |
| The Lion's Gate by Nelson DeMille |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a fabulous book which I read in anticipation of his upcoming book THE LION. Members of the Anti-Terrorist Task Force including John Corey and Kate Mayfield are pursuing a Libyan terriorist known as "the Lion" as he avenges the death of his family from a 1986 bombing by the U. S. It is no stop action with heart-pounding suspense. |
| Cheryle |
| House Rules by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Well written book about the trials of living with someone with autism. I am only just getting into the "meat" of the story, but am hooked. There might be a little too much information at times, but I am taking it that this is the author's way of "living" the story. |
| Lynn Clifford |
| South of Broad by Pat Conroy |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
SOUTH OF BROAD was too contrived for my taste. The author took every tragic situation imaginable (teen suicide, pedophilia, incest, homosexual AIDS crisis, mental illness, orphans, runaways, teenage angst, under belly of Hollywood, and hurricanes, to name a few) and threw them into the lives a few high school friends. Not only did he include them, but he warned you every time a new tragedy was about to unfold. Some strong handed editing would have improved this book greatly. |
| Serena Pena |
| Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'm still reading this one but am enjoying it so far. |
| Tanya |
| The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A haunting novel of art and obsession. A psychiatrist is determined to understand why a renowned painter would attack a painting in the National Gallery of Art. The first half was slow but the second half made it worth reading. |
| Brady (bradylee@myway.com) |
| The Italian Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a book I found at my local library, took it out and made a few dishes following it. This is a great recipe book and quite different from other slow cooker books I have. It is so good I bought it and think you would find it interesting if you like to slow cook meals. |
| Jane Squires (jrs362@hotmail.com) |
| A Daughter's Legacy by Virginia Smith |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love Love Inspired books. Usually Virginia writes fiction but she did just as excellent job here as she has with all the books she has written. If you do not read one of her books, you are missing out. They will uplift and encourage you in your faith. I already knew this author's work and as usual she performed as I would have expected. Kelli is battling fears from her past and a Mother's death that she barely knew. Her Mother leaves clauses in a trust so that Kelli will face her fears and realize she did love her even if she lived with her Grandmother. Kelli is suspicious of Jason because he is made Zookeeper and she must work for him if she is to get much of her Mother's inheritance. She fights her attraction to Jason believing he is out to just enlarge the zoo. She doesn't know Jason has made mistakes he is dealing with too. As each of them come to grips with things from the past, they are drawn closer together and Halli learns why her Mother could continue as Zookeeper when her Dad died because of it. Her Mother had faced her fears. A book you won't be able to put down. I know as I read it in two days. |
| Jean |
| The Spellman's Strike Again by Lisa Lutz |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Another fun filled mystery about the Spellman family. Unfortunately, this is the last in the series about the quirky Spellman family. The book will lighten your mood and have you laughing out loud. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| Simmer Down by Jessica Connant-Park & Susan Connant |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The secound in the series ( A Gourmet Girl Mystery ) Chole is doing well in collage and loving every minute with her new boyfriend so what could go wrong? Well for starters his ex shows up in town and wans him back, then there's a murder which the ex might or might not be invoulved in. He boyfriend which is the best Chef around town is setting up a new resturant with his new boss. While Chole's best friend has a few surprises of her own. Great book and recipes included just like the first one. |
| Bonnie |
| Divine Justice by David Baldacci |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Fun, page-turner mystery...CIA, FBI, drug-running, maximum security prison with evil warden..it's got it all. |
| John |
| Burnt Cookies by Arny Alberts |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is one of the most emotional and heart pounding books I have every read. A sexual abuse story has never been told like this - hold on to your butt when you read this! |
| Elizabeth V |
| Caught by Harlan Coben |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Dan Mercer is set up; he is lured to the home of a troubled teenager only to be accused of pedophilia. Although a judge throws out the case in court, the accusation, alone, has ruined Mercer's life. Or so it seems. And, although they are all now in their 40s, it seems that Mercer's old college roommates are similarly accused of crimes they did not commit, each similarly ruined as a result. Wendy, a TV news reporter, tries to get to the bottom of this. She's the person who caught Mercer in the act, but now she's not certain that she really caught him in the act. As usual with Harlan Coben's books, CAUGHT is full of twists and turns that I just condensed to three little paragraphs. It's really not short and simple. It's about blame and revenge and forgiveness. It's up-to-date, involving the Internet, Google, Facebook, GPS, etc., unlike so many other authors' thrillers that have only begun mentioning cell phones. It is honestly a book you won't want to put down. My only criticism of CAUGHT is when Coben describes one of the former roommates, Phil. He has been laid off his job and has been unemployed for a long time but not for lack of trying. Each morning he dresses in a suit and tie and sits at a restaurant perusing the classified ads in the newspaper. There's my problem. It's obviously been a long time since Harlan Coben has had to search for a job. Harlan: a college graduate no longer searches a newspaper's classified ads for a job. Harlan: consider rewriting that paragraph in later printings so that Phil brings his laptop to a restaurant where he can get on the Internet and search for a job. In spite of that one gaffe, if you haven't read a Coben book before, CAUGHT might be a good one to start with. |
| Donna Watts (myddinc@comcast.net) |
| The 9th Judgment by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book had a psycho, a cat burglar and a murderer. I couldn't put it down. |
| Linda Ann (pinkheart4455@yahoo.com) |
| Saving Ceecee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A wonderful book. Read it in one day. Could NOT put it down. Am gonna have to admit, I cried while reading parts of it. I would recommend this book. |
| Linda Ann (pinkheart4455@yahoo.com) |
| The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A great read... |
| Christina P. |
| Kitchen Chinese by Ann Mah |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is an awesome first novel of relationships, food and everything in between. Set in modern China, the story follows two Chinese-American sisters as they explore their reasons for leaving New York to live in Beijing. Claire, an attorney, and Isabelle, a budding journalist and Claire's younger sister, discover themselves and each other in this smoothly crafted work. I couldn't put it down. The reader's knowledge of China will pleasantly increase through Ms. Mah's superb research. The recipes, discussion questions and author interview are the best I have seen in a long time. |
| Donna Cruze |
| Eats, Shoots, and Leaves by Lynne Truss |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I'm a journalist, so I adore this book. She gets the rule across with a wonderful sense of humor. |
| Bonnie |
| The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Wonderful, beautiful, thoughtful novel about people. It's universal. |
| Linda M. (pinkheart4455@yahoo.com) |
| Your Heart Belongs to Me by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Not his best, but, still a good read. |
| David W |
| Lierary Hoaxes by Melissa Katsoulis |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
An enjoyable collection of literary hoaxers from the early days of the printed word up through recent works by authors such as James Frey. This book examines and explores motivations for each hoax whether it be for money, fame or some complicated other need. |
| F Tessa Bartels |
| One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
2.5 stars He's a brilliant writer, but I just could not get into this book. I found myself skimming and finished it only because it was a book club selection. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| The Barrakee Mystery by Arthur W. Upfield |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is the first in a series written in 1929 by an Australian. I almost stopped on page 29 because it's a whodunnit and I thought I already knew whodunit. I had not, however, been introduced to the main character of the series. That would be Inspector Napoleon Bonoparte, half white and half aborigine. I decided to at least make his acquaintance and I am so glad I did. He is like an Australian Sherlock Holmes. In some ways this book was a challenge as not having lived in Australia there were a lot of terms I wasn't sure of but it was kind of fun trying to figure them out. Of course when I finished the book I found the glossery in the back. I kept thinking of Crocodile Dundee as I read = my only source of connection. The twist took me by surprise. The characters are very rich and become real. I love the sense of fair play in all things but in their dealings with the natives - but that is how is was. Mr. Upfield spins a good yarn and I intend to visit Napoleon Bonaparte again in the next book of the series. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| Storm Thief by Chris Wooding |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a YA novel that one of my reluctant readers has been talking about as the best book he every read and nothing else he's picked up has been to his liking. I saw it at a used book store and got it to read to help me bead in on what he liked. His description was pretty confusing. It drew me in right away. It's a fantasy and the two main characters are a young man and girl who are very different in their view of the world but who are both part of the outcast group in society in their world. The boy just wants to make life prosperous so they are never hungry and she dreams of another country where things are different. On this world they have something called probability storms. These storms cause random chaos. A person can be in one place and suddenly they are in another. A person can suddenly have 3 arms, or buttons instead of eyes, or get smarter. They are trapped in this world as automatically any boats or air transports are shot down so no one leaves and no one can come in. They also meet up with a 3rd character - a golum. Half human and half machine. The three of them are searching, each for something different. This book takes you on their search and how it ends, and introduces you to a very different reality in which the STORM THIEF is the explanation to children for the storm chaos. It was very good. I'd call it a fantasy action adventure and a I enjoyed it a lot. |
| Karen Terry (mi3sons@mchsi.com) |
| The 13th Hour by Richard Doetsch |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book has a great plot that involves Nick Quinn whose wife is murdered, and he is accused of the murder. But all is not quite what it seems. He is giving a watch during his interrogation by a mystery man who tells him that he can go back in time to save his wife in 13 hours. It will keep you on the edge of your seat. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| The Hummingbird Wizard by Meredith Blevins |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This was another book I got because I am sure I read about it from this group more than a year ago. I finally got around to reading it. I am so glad I did and thanks to whomever recommended it. This is a mystery. The person trying to solve it is a reluctant member of a zany gypsy family by marriage. The story is intriguing. The writing is refreshing. As it says on the back of the book - it's a lively high-energy romp. The characters are wonderful and outrageous, loving and manipulative. Besides mystery and fun there is some romance, and it is done with taste even though it seems this family likes to hop in and out of bed - sometimes each others. Blevins is really talented and I was so happy to see that she has two more books after this one. Wonder if there will be more. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries and/or Stephanie Plum'sescapades. |
| Tricia |
| The Last Child by Hart |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Awesome mystery, suspense, thriller! I couldn't put it down! I love that the main character was a boy who was 13 trying to solve the mystery of his twin sister who had been missing for a year. This is a must read! |
| Tricia |
| Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book is similar to TWILIGHT and the young adult novels like VAMPIRE ACADEMY, BLUE BLOODS etc, except it is about a fallen angel. Good feeling read and romance involved. Sequel coming out later this year. |
| Jorn |
| Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Laugh out loud at times with some suspense. I have read all of the Sookie books. |
| Betty Jo |
| Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddens |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I have enjoyed her books in the past. This audio recording is so sweet...and very predictable. This is not her best. Set in Washington, DC, the Virginia tidewater area, and the coast of Maine. Will finish it on my commute but would have put this one down a while back. I enjoyed SWEETWATER CREEK much more. |
| Jessica Brown |
| Imago Book 3: A Warrior's Tale by L. T. Suzuki |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I met Lorna through Twitter and downloaded her books from Smashwords. She recommended reading the third in the series first. I love it. Yesterday I cried reading an entire chapter, and constantly wonder what will happen next. |
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| The Winter Queen by Boris Akunin |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is the first in the Erast Fandorin series, translated into English, set in Russia in the 1870's. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Erast is a young civil servant, just starting his job, but through his luck and diligence, he quickly receives promotions. Erast is intelligent, but very gullible in this first novel. Many times, the supposedly "good" person pulls the wool over Erast's eyes, and only Erast's good karma keeps him alive. Akunin displays the Russian society and the plight of the average citizen with ease. The story has a heart-breaking ending, but this is a course that sets Erast on his journey. A well written story with realistic characters. |
| barbara s |
| Royal's Bride by Kat Martin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Almost finished reading ROYAL'S BRIDE, the first of three books in a series about the impoverished dukedom of the Dewar family. It is not the typical story of "duke has no funds and marries into a wealthy family for her dowry". This is what happens but with a twist. |
| Rosalie Sambco (crimekitty763@yahoo.com) |
| The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the 2nd book of this series by Ms Chadwick. It is the continuation of Wiliam Marshal's story. I am almost finished with this book and I am enjoying it. The first book THE GREATEST KNIGHT had more action and battle scenes; but this sequel is Marshal's life as a knight for King John. |
| Christine Zibas (czibas@mail.com) |
| Every Day in Tuscany by Frances Mayes |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Mayes continues to enchant readers with her tales of Tuscany, and this time around, she has included some outstanding recipes as well. Don't miss it! |
| Harriett |
| People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A important text lost for hundreds of years,than found, is being restored. It's a split narrative that explains the present by delving into the past; cause and effect. Entrancing reading by an author whose prose is poetry. |
| Sue |
| The Postmistress by Sarah Blake |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is not a "happy" book by any means. However, it is powerful, the characters are really fleshed out, the story lines all converge into a satisfying ending. So many books ruin the end of the story. I especially liked the last sections of the book - Notes, Acknowledgments and The Story Behind The Story. I highly recommend this book as a personal read or a book club read. Lots to discuss & ponder. |
| Frankie |
| Hide in Plain Sight by Marta Perry |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This book was okay. I considered not finishing it several times, but had to find out who was creating all the chaos for the Grandmother in the book. I enjoyed the mystery part of the book, but have come across a few books lately that I feel are preaching to me either about religion or politics. I guess that I prefer more subtlety in storytelling, rather than feeling like the author is forcing their argument for their religious and political views on me. I did make my way through it. |
| Frankie |
| In the Sanctuary of Outcasts by Neil White |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a book full of information pertaining to events and locations in Louisiana and Mississippi that I was unaware of in spite of having lived in the area. I enjoyed the book, but it left me wanting more information about leprocy in this country and whether or not Neil White will ever truly take responsibility for his behavior. Still a worthwhile read to start you on a path to further reading. |
| Carolyn |
| The Once and Future king by T.H. White |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is an old classic but a very good one. It centers around the story of King Arthur and features Merlin, Robin Hood, Lancelot and many other well-known characters. Its epic in scale and filled with magic. |
| Frankie |
| Younger Next Year for Women by Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
An excellent book to guide us to better health. They explain exercise and what it really does for us in a way that I have never read before. This book was recommended by one of my doctors. While it gives us a lot to live up to, it is very motivating and gives the reader something to strive for. |
| JoRN |
| Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Interesting book that kept me guessing. |
| Andrea S. |
| Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Not much of a love story here. This book may be billed as one, but instead the reader finds macabre, unsettling, odd interactions. This was an unexpected departure from Niffenegger's first innovative and heart-rending novel, THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE. After their estranged aunt Elspeth dies, two identical twin sisters from America go to live in their late aunt's flat in London. In their early twenties the sisters are excited for adventure and therefore travel across the pond due to their aunt's request in her will for the nieces to live in her flat for one year. Their year-long commitment is a prerequisite to selling the flat and reaping the monetary rewards. After a yawningly tedious turn of the pages the sisters Julia and Valentina finally meet their aunt's lover, Robert, who lives in the rooms below. Thus follows disjointed and illogical leaps of emotion when Robert begins to obsess over one of the twins and fancies that he loves her. Robert's bizarre relationship with the twin of his desire did not feel genuine; in fact it came across as borderline molestation with the emotional age and virginal state of the twin in mind. All familial bonds and relationships were disturbing within the novel. Although there were redeemable qualities within HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY, such as the crisp description of Highgate Cemetery (Niffenegger was a guide there), the believability of Robert's grief and the uncanny haunting of the flat, overall this novel did not leave a favorable impression. |
| Frankie |
| The Postmistress by Sarah Blake |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Loved this book. As it began I was not sure if I had made the right decision recommending a book to our group not having read it in advance. The feedback from the others was excellent before I finished the book. This book makes you think about so many things...like keeping information from someone to protect them, and should we do that. At the same time the book is so much deeper than that and thought provoking on many levels. Thank you Sarah Blake for such a wonderful book. |
| Patty Magyar (pattyden2@aol.com) |
| The Sweetness At The Bottom Of The Pie by Alan Bradley |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I just finished this book and I am about to finish the second in this series...Flavia de Luce is a truly exceptional character....quirky, inquisitive anD charming...I love these books. |
| Andrea |
| Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
Terrifyingly monotonous read with zero moments of brilliance. This book didn't have any bite to it. The introduction of events and places were disjointed and felt out of order. This would be better filed as a Young Adult novel as I've read better Berenstain Bear books with plot lines and conversation more riveting. The inaccuracies (Internet people search engines and grief chat rooms in 1986, among others) were distracting. There was no connection between the reader and the characters with stereotypical, one-dimensional characters peppering the novel. The bully having a "flat top" and face that was "pimply." A father who has been left "frail" after a stroke (the "fraility" which the author reminds us four times in less than ten flips of the page.) The "thin" sweetheart who has a "sparkle" in her eye. Spare me. The author could have exchanged any dialogue amongst any other and no one would have noticed. The romance that began with two twelve year olds falling head over size 2 shoes in love smacked of author manufacturing. The reader never gets a feel for how long these two smitten kittens were even building a relationship. The subject matter of Japanese internment, young unrequited love, communication roadblocks between father and son, and Seattle's International District landmarks would have potential to be absorbing reading material if written well. Unfortunately here it is not. |
| Sylvia |
| Caught by Harlan Coben |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Once again, Mr. Coben has outdone himself. An accused pedophile is released from custody because of lack of evidence and is then murdered. A high school girl goes missing without a trace and then it is revealed that she had ties with the murdered man. Twists and turns abound as well as conspiracies. This is the kind of book you can't put down once you start reading. |
| FOH |
| Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A mesmerizing love story of a young who meets and falls in love with a Japanese girl during the time of Japanese Internment in the U.S. Beautifully written, compelling and poignant story which captures the cultural and social implications of the two ethnicities at this time in American History. |
| Robin Brodsky (Robin_Brodsky@hotmail.com) |
| The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I spent many bleary-eyed nights trying to put down this book because I had work early the next morning, but fighting it with "one more chapter". It's a captivating look inside the violent brotherhood of cadets at "The Institute", and how one boy turned into a man he never knew he had inside him. |
| Ilene |
| Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Describes the lives of ordinary people whose lives are tied together on a day when someone is walking a tightrope between the World Trade Center Buildings, just after the Vietnam War. The characters include a group of mothers who lost their sons because of the war. The story is haunting because the tightrope walk is a remarkable feat (based on actual fact) that still lives on even though there are no longer the Twin Towers. |
| Dara Berry (dara34293@aol.com) |
| Things the Grandchildren Should Know by Mark Oliver Everett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Mark Oliver Everett is the founder of the rock band, The Eels. This book is funny and thought-provoking. |
| Elizabeth (meadowmist@comcast.net) |
| Lady of the Butterflies by Fiona Mountain |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Eleanor was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, but oh what a strict, boring silver spoon it was for her as a child. As she grows, she wanted her life to be: "A Firework. I wanted to live in an explosion of color and light." Page 319. As the book continues, I believe she gets her wish about her life. Eleanor lived in Tintenbaum with her father...her mother and sister had died of augu....her father then died, and she was left under the guardianship of Mr. Merrill who was even more strict than her father. Tintenbaum was a marshland in England...Mr. Merrill always wanted to have the land drained, but Eleanor's father forbade it. Once her father was dead, Mr. Merrill knew the only way to get the marshland to be drained was to marry Eleanor off to someone who agreed about draining the marshland. Edmund came into the picture, and Eleanor having no experience with men or any social outings, fell madly in love with him. Edmund was very cold and unaffectionate and would leave for long periods of time. Meanwhile, his friend Richard was quite passionate as well as charming, and Eleanor couldn't get him out of her mind. The book focuses on Eleanor Glanville's life and her passion for science, butterflies, her family, and RICHARD. An historical novel and an interesting one for women of today whose careers and interests are an important part of everyday life which wasn't so for our female ancestors. Eleanor was noted as an out-of-the ordinary/strange woman because of her love of butterflies and science and it caused her trouble because of the lifestyle of 1600's concerning the constraints and rules for the conduct of women and the narrow-mindedness of the commoners. The book will hold your interest, and you will cheer at what Eleanor does even though she herself feels guilty about everything and claims things are her fault because of her strict upbringing. Included for all the romantics is a pretty interesting love life for a woman of the 1600's. My thoughts about yearning for something or specifically someone is this: What you yearn for is not always the best or not what it might seem....you can read between the lines. :) You will be glad you read all of the 527 pages. :) I really enjoyed the book. |
| Barry Bennett (barry-bennett@att.net) |
| The Paris Vendetta by Steve Berry |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I give Berry 5 stars based on the start of this book, I'm only 100 pages into it. Over the past few months I've caught up on all of his books and find them very enjoyable. Reading about mysteries and history is very interesting. Dan Brown had two hits but his lastest (long awaited) was a bust. Steve Berry continues to make readers want for the next Cotton Malone book. |
| Jean M |
| The Unlikely Spy by Daniel Silva |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the first of Daniel Silva's books. I decided to read it after seeing a list of all-time best spy books. I had read several of Silva books and liked (loved) them all. I was not at all disappointed. It is a great book and has a really surprising ending. |
| Jan Kanowitz (pooohcat@aol.com) |
| Pearl of China by Anchee Min |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
PEAL OF CHINA is informative as well as interesting. The story of Pearl Buck and her love affair with China involves Pearl and a ficticious friend she made as a child and held for life. |
| Darcy |
| The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Berg's latest is a real pleasure to read, though some have insisted that it is very flawed. Even though I'm a terrible booksnob, I did love this lighthearted beach-read about all the emotions and misadventures involved in returning for a 20th class reunion. |
| Bea Carroll |
| The Lost Summer Of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Conner McNees |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
If you liked LITTLE WOMEN, you will like this historical fiction novel. It is an entertaining read about a fictional lover that Louisa May Alcott may have had. Better than romance novels. |
| Janet |
| Wrecked by Carol Higgins Clark |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
This book is about married couple Jack and Regan Reilly and their first anniversary. The go to the Cape for a weekend and encounter a storm, very annoying neighbors and a missing person. I found it to be a bit lame but stuck with it as it was light and I needed that after a heavy read. |
| Sean |
| It by Stephen King |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Stephen King has this was of making a unrealistically huge novel seem small. I read this pretty quickly as King brought me into the terrifying town of Derry, Maine. The main characters were all so clearly defined that I could tell who was speaking without even being told. The style King used here was at times grating with its denseness but that can easily be overlooked by the overall sense of dread and creepiness these seven kids then adults live through. The ending was at times a little too trippy and weirder than normal King but overall this mammoth novel is worth every penny. Don't be afraid of the size of it. Great stuff. |
| Julie |
| The Girl Who Played With fire by Steig Larsson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is just as good as the first and I can't wait to read the third book in this trilogy. It is such a shame that Steig Larsson is no longer with us. I'm sure that there would have been other great novels he would have written that we will never get to read. |
| Darcy |
| Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I read Kidder's book entitled HOUSE years ago, and decided to check out another of his titles. He writes what he calls "nonfiction narratives," stories about real people and situations. This one is a tale of what happens in the life of a Burundian refugee who escapes to the US, overcoming terrific obstacles to become a doctor. Excellent. |
| Nan Fox |
| Happy by Alex Lemon |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
Book received very positive reviews, but I found the reality very offensive and depressing. College student partying but suffering from brain injury that he ignores. Lots of graphic dialogue with his friends. Doesn't seem to learn from his experience. |
| Pat Schrot |
| Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Bennie Rosato's identical twin sister Alice is back & tries to kill Bennie & take over her identity. This was suspenseful from the first to last page. It might help if you have previously read LOOK AGAIN which introduced Bennie & Alice who had been separated at birth & did not know each other existed. |
| Pat Schrot |
| The Book of Spies by Gayle Lynds |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another great suspenseful thriller from Gayle Lynds. Eva was found guilty of killing her husband in a car accident that she does not remember. She is sent to jail but is later released is asked to assist the CIA in uncovering a secret group. When Eva goes to London she sees her supposedly dead husband. The book jumps from London to Athens, Instanbul, Rome & we even get a brief glimpse of the Carnivore-people who have read Lynds previous books will enjoy his role in this book. |
| Pat Schrot |
| The Common Lawyer by Mark Gimenez |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Andy is an unambitious lawyer in Austin Texas whose main source of income is defending people with traffic tickets. He is hired by local billionaire Russell Reeves & his life changes dramatically. When Reeves asks him to track 17 women who might have had his child, Andy gets suspicious. Reeves has a son who is dying and all the kids he finds are sick in some way. This book by Gimenez while enjoyable was not as good as THE COLOR OF LAW. |
| Pat Schrot |
| The Wrong Mother by Sophie Hannah |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Sally had a one week affair with a man named Mark when she goes away for a Spa week. One year later she sees on TV that Mark's wife & daughter are dead, but the Mark on TV is not the Mark she had the fling with. Sally sets of a chain of events when she anonomously writes to the police while keeping her secret affair from her husband. Lots of surprises in this book right up to the final page. |
| Brady (bradylee@myway.com) |
| Making Rounds With Oscar by David Dosa |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Activity takes place in a hospice so some may want to pass this subject, however, this uncanny cat always visits everybody in the place in and out. For those patients who is spending their last day on earth, Oscar then tends to them by spending time with them and no one can scare him away. Death is part of life and you should know the varying circumstances of that eventful time. You will if you read this book which is a most interesting rundown of life's last moments. |
| Sharron |
| Staying True by Jenny Sanford |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Biographical account of Jenny Sanford and her husband, Governor Mark Sanford, of South Carolina. As with many political infidelities, there is too much "allowance" for the husband to save face or political career. Jenny Sanford is a bit more sympathetic person, but she didn't really "stay true" to her self as she would like you to believe. |
| Barbara |
| Beaded Hope by Cathy Liggett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Four women go to Africa on a mission trip. Each has their own set of problems but goes to help the less fortunate. You can guess who receives the most blessings from the trip. This will be our book club's read for May. It's a very enjoyable book that helps put things in the proper perspective. |
| Carolyn |
| The Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book was a great read. Beautifully written. |
| Lynn Marler |
| Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters by Alan S. Miller & Satoshi Kanazawa |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Fascinating look at human nature through the means of evolutionary psychology, a fairly new field which turns of lot of the tenets of the Standard Social Science Model on upside down. Extremely interesting and thought-provoking. |
| Ozarks Anne |
| Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I loved this book from the first page till the last. Cee Cee's Mom is totally crazy and we worry for a while about little CeeCee since her Dad is also ..shall we say...no good. When Mom is suddenly out of the picture, Dad sends CeeCee to live with her aunt. From there on, the story is simply wonderful...full of delightful characters each of whom is a great influence on CeeCee. Some interesting points to ponder now and then but generally a real fun read. |
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
| Animail Vegetable Mineral by Barbara Kingsolver |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
| So far I am LOVING this book. It is eye opening. Think about this...when you are out in a crowd one day, take a look around you. Count how many people look fat, chunky or obese. I bet it's quite a few. The US currently has an epidemic...that is diabetes. The major reason for this is the way and what we eat. Processed foods, fast foods even the food we buy from the grocery stores are causing this. Not only the food, but the culture of food in the US. If you compare the way we eat to the way some Europeans eat, it's a lot different. A lot of Americans tend to eat on the go. Fast food or quick processed meals are the norm for a lot of people. In Europe, dinner is social. Several people at a table talking and socializing. Several courses to the meal. French people eat french food. Italians eat Italian food...and Americans. We really don't have "American food" unless you want to associate fast food and processed food to our culture. To me, that's insulting. Since I've starting reading this book, I've considered visiting local farms to see about getting my meat and eggs from. My fruit and vegetables will now come from my own yard or a farmers market. The fruit and vegetables in a grocery store are genetically created so that species of vegetable can travel well. Which means, by the time it has arrived at the store from whatever far away place it came from, it hasn't passed it's ripen state. It looks like it was just picked off the vine. The price we pay for that is, no flavor, no taste. I'm not going to settle for that anymore. Another thing I've learned, do you realize the milk we drink is pumped full of hormones? Which has been proven to cause early puberty in our children. It's Organic for me baby! One more thing...If you are ever in the Vermont area, check out the Farmers Diner. A Diner who gets it's food no more than 70 miles away. I think we need more places like this one. I hope MORE people read this and recognize the need for change in the way we eat food. I finished this tonight. It took a while and it DID read like a textbook. I learned a lot and I'm already making changes to what I buy and where I buy it. I really enjoyed the part about the turkey mating. That was probably the best part of the book! I tried to see past some of the political comments about global warming and fuel consumption. But if you enjoy gardening and you are curious about feeding your family the healthiest way possible, this is definitely worth the read. |
