January 6, 2012 - January 20, 2012

Linda Johnson
Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

The story of a 4-year-old who becomes deathly ill, undergoes surgery, recovers then startles his Pastor father and mother with reports that he has been to heaven. Interesting read, but I question so many things that the young boy reported - heaven paved with jewels and gold sounds like man's concept of value to me - not sure it would be my God's value. There were other things, like meeting his great grandfather and sister - that I can accept. Food for thought.

Anita Nowak
Vanished by Joseph Finder

I have read a few of Mr. Finder's books, and have enjoyed them all. Vanished is a thriller that grabs your interest from the first page and keeps it. It is a real page turner, as we try to figure out why Victor Heller has disappeared. Anyone looking for a fast-reading mystery will not be disappointed.

L Phipps
Happiness Key by Emilie Richards

This book is very well-written. It starts slow but gains momentum. This is a story that you get lost in. This is a fun read.

Dorothy Boyum
Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

I enjoy her Stephanie Plum series much more.

Gord Wilson
The Girl Who Kicked a Hornet's Nest by Steig Larson

This third book of the trilogy is perhaps the best of the "Girl Who. . . " series. Lisbeth Salander is in big trouble and, much as she hates to admit it, she needs help and finds that she does, indeed have friends that she never suspected. A great story and interesting history of Swedish politics.

Gord Wilson
A Highland Christmas by M. C. Beaton

While I enjoy any of the Hamish MacBeth series this story was way too short! It was my first downloaded eReader book and found that it ended much too soon - only 69 pages! Not great value for the money. The story itself was fine with the usual cast of unusual characters plus a new love interest for the tall, thin red haired police constable.

Beverly Wiese
11/22/63 by Stephen King

I am not very far into it,but I always enjoy his books I can't believe this one will be any different. He's one of my favorites.

Susan Johnson
Defending Jacob by William Landay

This is a taut, suspenseful courtroom drama reminiscent of Scott Turow's "Presumed Innocent". This book had me guessing to the very end and I didn't come close to suspecting the finale. Well written and kept me on the edge of my seat.

Shana Skaletsky
The Girls of Murder City by Douglas Perry

I'm currently reading this, and I can't put it down! I can't get enough of these gritty stories about murderesses in Chicago during the Prohibition era.

Allison Gardner
Call the Darkness Light by Nancy Zaroulis

Great story about a mill girl living in Lowel, Massachusetts & her involvement with all the things going on at the time -- Shaker movement, Irish prejudice, Know-Nothing movement, abolitionism, & the oncoming Civil War.

Steven A. egger
The Sex Club by L. J. Sellers

Excellent read about a very human detective and a homicide investigation.

Cheryl English
Dani's Story: A Journey from Neglect to Love by Diane Lierow, Bernie Lierow and Kay West

It's so great to learn how this 6-year-old was abused so bad by her own mother and how when she was adopted by Diane & Bernie Lierow; how her life changed for the better. A very touching story.

Judy K Burgi
Missing Your Smile by Jerry S. Eicher

Jerry is one of my favorite Amish fiction writers. Missing Your Smile promises to be another good read!

Mary Ann Woods
Blood Red Road by Moira Young

A great post-apocalyptic novel. It is written using the speech patterns of the main character. Although somewhat difficult to adjust to, it is this device that helps develop the atmosphere of the story. I can't wait until the next novel in the series is published!

Elizabeth V
MOTOR CITY SHAKEDOWN by D.E. Johnson

MOTOR CITY SHAKEDOWN by D.E. Johnson takes place in Detroit, Michigan in the early 20th century, an uncommon but prime setting for crime fiction. Johnson’s accurate descriptions of people, places, and things there during that time reminded me of Dennis Lehane’s descriptions of Boston in his book THE GIVEN DAY, which also takes place during the early 20th century, although about a decade later. Unlike THE GIVEN DAY, though, MOTOR CITY SHAKEDOWN is the second book in a series. And that may be a problem because it cannot stand alone. Without having read the first in the series, THE DETROIT ELECTRIC SCHEME, the reader will not understand much of the first 50 pages of MOTOR CITY SHAKEDOWN.

Lynn Tamms
BURY YOUR DEAD by Louise Penny

This is Penny's sixth book. Inspector Gamache is in old Quebec City recuperating physically and psychologically from an on the job injury. He gets involved in a murder as a result of the age old hunt for the body of Samuel de Champlain. Penny's works are compelling and spiritual with a wonderful dash of humor. I'm addicted!

Gina WIlls
Sister by Rosamund Lupton

Interesting mystery. I recommend that you do not read the book jacket synopsis which gives away too many clues. Better just to start on page one and let the mystery unfold. This is well written and has a lot of red herrings.

Maxine Urso
Tough Customer by Sandra Brown

Very gripping! Hard to put down.

Marcia Rutten
Alone by Lisa Gardener

This book grabbed me right from the beginning and left me running to grab the next book in the series.

Sharon Elliott-Fox
Tangled Lives by Margot Dalton

Fascinating story of a woman who wakes up after an accident, being called one name, but insisting that is NOT her name. A psychiatrist thinks that this exploration of Multiple Personality disorder is one that will top her career and bring her professional acclaim. The untangling of the story makes for a good mystery and psychological discourse.

Mary Rodriguez
A Year On Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball

I just discovered the book at the library and will definitely read more of her books.

Sharon
Maude (1883-1993): She Grew Up With the Country by Mardo Williams

Not a very exciting memoir of Mardo Williams' mother, Maude. It seemed to me that it was often little vignettes of life in the early 20th century and dealt more with his father, Lee than with Maude. The author had done quite a bit of research I believe in order to detail the price of items and the income of people at that time, but I never felt like I "knew" Maude, that she was an ever present shadow in the book. The author was a reporter for many years and that has most likely colored the writing style which did little to give me a sense of connection to the characters.

Brian McClafferty
The Poison Tree by Erin Kelley

From the first page you are drawn into a tale of friendships, love and a killing. Layers of the story are stripped away as the narrative alternates between flashback and present. Reminiscent of Donna Tartt and Tana French. Immersive, engrossing and highly recommended.

Karen Haas
When Gods Die by C. S. Harris

This is the second book in the author's Sebastian St. Cyr Regency Mystery series. I read the first book and loved it. This one is standing up well for a 4 - 5 star rating. I have 5 of the 7 books in this series. It's interesting to read what kind of crime solving techniques were available in the early 19th century.

Pat Pascale
Hotel Vendome by Danielle Steel

Never tire of her characters and you feel you are staying at this beautiful hotel. Light reading but with a "good feeling" ending.

Tessa B
Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovitch

Audio very capably narrated by Lorelei King. Fun return to a popular series. This book focuses more on Ranger.

cheryl stillwell
MWF seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche

Humorous memoir.

Richard N Bartels
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

Audio read by Paul Michael, which is about the only redeeming quality to this book. It's trite and tiresome. By disk 9 (of 14 disk) I didn't care anymore. Every time the villain said he was about to kill someone, I was thinking, "good then the book is over." So why give it 2*? Brown CAN craft a decent suspense thriller. The action keeps moving, even if it is formulaic.

Sarah Horwitz
Pug Hill by Alison Pace

I just finished reading Pug Hill. Myself being a dog lover, I can really relate to the main character, Hope. The story drags a little bit, it really picks up in the last third of the book. After reading this, I feel that I need to make a trip out to see Pug Hill!

John Dallal
The Chair by James L. Rubart

This book, I find, is quite engrossing regarding the characters and storyline. I'm enjoying it very much.

Shirley Younger
This is Herman Cain by Herman Cain

Very fast read and you definitely get to know Herman Cain, his beliefs and what his plans were if he had become President of the United States

Rosanne Sharkey
The Time In Between by Maria Duenas

Not quite finished yet, however, I feel I have read enough to make an opinion. While it started off well, it had dragged through to the middle. I am sticking with it and can feel the turn to great is coming soon.

Trez L. Brooks
The Healing by Johnathan Odell

Wonderful book. Provides a good idea what life might have been like for slaves prior to the Civil War. Beautifully written with great development of the characters.

Amy Romanczuk
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Wow. Just WOW! I need to digest, and let the flavors of the circus linger in my mind. Imaginative, creative, compelling, enchanting. Others have described it better, so rather than try, I will just let the pictures keep playing inside my head. Then, I will probably re-read this marvelous book, because I am sure in my haste to devour the stories of the circus, I probably missed some references, illusions, and allusions that I'd want to know. Maybe I'll re-read it wearing the red scarf of a Rêveur.

Paisley Rossetti
11/22/63 by Stephen King

I'm not quite finished, but it's a real page-turner!!

BJ Simon
The Innocent by Taylor Stevens

A good sophomore novel which delves more into the problems of being a female killing machine.

Rena Tobey
11/22/63 by Stephen King

So far, I'm enjoying the world view. The pacing is a bit leisurely, but probably appropriate for the size of the book.

Linda Hitchcock
Curiosity by Joan Thomas

Fascinating historical fiction, as accurate a depiction of the first quarter of the nineteenth century as I have read with a vivid imagined biography of Mary Anning, the preeminent amateur paleontologist of the Lyme Regis coastal region of England responsible for significant fossil finds. It was published shortly after Tracy Chevalier's "Remarkable Creatures" and is the more in-depth of the two novels.

Jean Lesslie
The Affair by Lee Child

This book gives us the genesis for elite military cop Jack Reacher, that began way back in 1997 in Mississippi. A young woman is dead, and solid evidence points to a soldier at a nearby military base. But that soldier has powerful friends in Washington. Reacher is ordered undercover to find out everything he can, to control the local police if necessary to prevent a cover-up. This is a novel of unrelenting suspense as usual for the team of Child and Reacher.

Linda Barraclough
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Mitch Albom completely draws you in to the chronicle of his weekly visits with his old college professor. Morrie becomes the sage we all wish we could have in our own lives. The story builds and develops a deep friendship between the two men, and shows an enduring love for humanity that few will achieve.

Jean Lesslie
Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith

I had difficulty reading this book because I don't know enough about the Soviets. The main character in the book seems to be the only one who tries to do what is correct. He is finally able to solve the mystery of who is responsible for the deaths of three people in Gorky Park.

Jean Lesslie
The Litigators by John Grisham

This latest from Grisham is, in my opinion, his best yet. If this is any indication, we can look forward to more and more better and better books from him. This one has more humor in it than have his earlier works.

Jean Lesslie
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson and Laura Cornell

This is a wonderful old small (80 pages) book. It would be a good one to read and discuss with your family each Christmas. I intend to share it with my grandchildren and their children.

Betty Jo Harris
The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

Wonderful concise story about brides arriving in California to meet the man they are to marry ... a sight unseen. A great read.

Jean Lesslie
Killer Weekend by Ridley Pearson

One reason that I decided to read this book is because of the author's name. He has apparently written under several names in the past. I enjoyed this book very much. It is the first in a series about Walt Fleming, a sheriff in Idaho. I intend to read more books from this series.

Marie-Louise Molloy
VANISH by Tess Gerritsen

Rizzoli & Isles series are thrilling and I like the idea of 2 strong female leads from different background bonding over the most uncomely circumstances!

jane gaulton
The Healing by Jonathan Odell

Beautifully written, heart-wrenching and full of hope all at once.

Jean Lesslie
Close Case by Alafair Burke

I find that I like Alafair's writing much more than her father's. This series features Samantha (Sam), a prosecuting attorney in Portand, Oregon. The fact that her boyfriend is a cop makes life very difficult for her.

Audrey Anderson
The Rite by Matt Baglio

I am rating this a 3 because it is a very troubling read. The author follows a Catholic Priest while he trains to become an exorcist. The first two night after I started reading this I could not sleep well so I stopped for a couple of nights. The next two I slept, but to see if it was because I'd put the book aside or because I was so tired, I picked up the book again and continued to read it. I'll have to say I slept just fine the following night. I think there is a place inside most of us that knows pure evil exists, but bringing it into our conscious reality can be frightening.

Audrey Anderson
Monstrumologist by Richard Yancey

I loved this story about a boy who is orphaned and taken in by his father's employer as his apprentice. The employer is a Monster Hunter. One of the monster's he is familiar with from other continents suddenly turns up in their own back yard. Thus, they embark on two goals, eliminate them and find out how they came to be here. The answer to the former requires the help of a sociopathic monster hunter. The answer to the latter stuns the "doctor." This is written by the young boy in a series of diaries that are being shared with the reader posthumously.

Jane McCown
The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta

I am a huge fan of Perrotta,and this book did not disappoint. It is a fictionalized account of a Rapture like event. There is no reason given for the choice of people who disappear,and Perrotta continues his astute writings about suburbia.

Peggy Busch
V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton

Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone books never disappoint. The series has become even more interesting with the weaving of back story and the new case in this book keep the reader interested. I love hearing about Kinsey's retired baker/landlord, Henry, who's in his 80's. Grafton crafts her stories well.

ann golobic
Tombstone Courage by J. A. Jance

A good "western" mystery with joanna brady. :)

Lesley Fry
Spartina by John Casey

This is an older book (1989) which I came across by accident. Very well written (the author has won The National Book Award) and easy to read, it is the story of a Rhode Island fisherman who is building a 50 foot boat in his back yard. Dick Pierce is a complex character with many good qualities and many just as irritating. The story grows on you and after only 100 pages, I am hooked. Being from Rhode Island and having sailed these same coastal waters may have lured me into reading this book, but I'm sure readers from even mid-America will find it a good read.

Janet Bailey
The Bungalow by Sarah Jio

I loved this story. It's the story of Anne Calloway and her life. It takes us to 1942 and her service as a nurse during the WWII on the island of Bora Bora. There, secrets, love, joy and sorrow are found. The story then follows Anne's leaving and what happens after the war. I hated to put this book down as I wanted to find out what would happen. I really enjoyed reading this and I hope you will, too.

Sandy
Cat and Mouse by James Patterson

An old Patterson book, but still a good one.

Judy hess
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett

Sucked me in as fast as Pillars.

Richard Godsell-Jures
The Unremembered by Peter Orullian

A fantasy you will remember. I promise.

Paul Dimino
The Afffair by Lee Child

Another fine read in the Jack Reacher series (book #16). I can't wait for the next book.

Janet P Bedell
Tell No Lies by Julie Compton

I liked the book, but it irritated me how someone so smart can be so stupid!!

Marion Jures
77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz

Once again Dean thrills us with a supernatural tale that will keep you up at night praying for the light of day. Where does he come up with these ideas to scare us to death. I loved it.

robin fuller
An Invisible Thread by Alex Tresniowski, Laura Schroff and Valerie Salembier

This is our book club book for January and I enjoyed it is a true story that makes one want to go help others.

Carolyn Moy
Barnheart by Jenna Woginrich

This is an inspiring memoir about a young woman starting a farm on her own in northern New England. It's a quick, engrossing read that made me laugh out loud several times. I highly recommend it!

Tamara Randi
The Clash Of Kings by George R. R. Martin

Fun book after reading the first. I wasn't sure I wanted to continue reading the series because it has a lot of war going on. I have to say the Postmistress where I shop raved on and on about the series so I thought I would give the second book a chance. In this second of the series I find it is fun to read more about the characters I met in the first book and seeing what is going on in the kingdom. I really want to see the first book on TV, I don't have HBO so I am waiting anxiously for the DVDs in March.

Lois Lilling
Curiosity by Joan Thomas

An unusual book including information about paleontology and looking for fossils.

Lois Lilling
The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer

The story of a Jewish family in Hungary during WW2. Excellent character descriptions and site depictions all the while having romance and historical references. It was a great read and my entire book club enjoyed the book.

Kathy Iwasaka
The Sentry by Robert Crais

Good plotting, fast read. I am enjoying the mystery and Joe Pike is as compelling as always.

Rebecca reardon
Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Wonderful read and lots of meat for book group discussions.

Phyllis Gronewold
Kill Switch by Neal Baer and Jonathan Greene

Dr. Claire Waters, a forensic psychiatrist, is excited to begin an intern program at New York's Riker's Island prison and work with sex offender Todd Quimby. She has no idea that her work with the prisoner will lead her to new findings in her childhood friend's abduction. Nick Lawler, a homicide detective, has his own skeletons and problems. Nick has been sent to Central Booking after questions concerning is wife's death but is brought back when murders eerily similar to those he had investigated in the past start occurring. Waters and Lawler make a good team as they unearth leads to a pharmaceutical company coverup and to solving the mystery of Water's friend's abduction. Kill Switch is fast paced with lots of twists. It's an enjoyable, quick crime thriller. I received an ARC through BookReporter.com

Bobbie Davis
Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

EVERYONE in our book club LOVED the book. Hard to believe what goes on in India, even today. Destroying female born children is so awful. The book could easily have been non-fiction and it didn't have a perfect," they lived happily ending." Combining 2 cultures isn't always easy.

Anthony Romano
DEAD OR ALIVE by Tom Clancy and Grant Blackwood

950 pages make this novel a challenging read - it does hold your interest with some parts being downright bloody. It is difficult to keep the names of so many middle east characters straight. Bottom line - it has a lot of quality going for the main plot of the story.

Debi Huff
Dandy Gilver and the Proper Treatment of Bloodstains by Catriona McPherson

Very good period piece about the 1920's and a "role change" of an upper class woman to a chamber maid in order to investigate a death.

Julie
The Complete Mystery Novels of Agatha Christie, Vol.1 by Agatha Christie

I am a big mystery book fan. I found these on my kindle and what a bargain. I have eight novels for $2.99. And I am loving them!

Jane Sellman
The Unlikely Spy by Daniel Silva

One of the best spy novels ever -- rich dynamic characters -- you even care about the bad guys. Good dialogue. Replete with information on the ins and outs of the WWII effort to fool the Nazis about the plans for the invasion. Fascinating and suspenseful.

Alaina Lemoine
In Plain Sight by C. J. Box

I love C. J. Box and his wonderful expression of wild Montana and the trials and mysteries Joe Pickett, Wildlife agent, encounters in this beautiful country. He masters the portrayal of Pickett as a tough, smart agent as well as a soft, loving father and husband. Great reading as all of Box's books are!

Marilyn Denington
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahnemen

Fairly difficult to wade through but absolutely fascinating to read about how we think and choose. A book to pick up and read again and again in order to grasp all of the concepts. Picked by our MENSA book club for our January read.

Jill Porco
At Home by Bill Bryson

It's history written for the lay audience about everything and anything connected with home and hearth. Bryson is far-ranging in his reach and it is a delightful romp that will make you re-think your home and the things contained therein in a new way.

Susan Glatki
"V" is for Vengence by Sue Grafton

Sue Grafton continues to surprise. Separate characters & stories all came together to entertain & surprise. I really enjoyed this book.

Karen Terry
The Litigators by John Grisham

If you want to know how not to file a mass tort case in court, join the firm of Finley and Figg. It is a terrific read. I think one of his best. You don't have any feelings for Finley and Figg at first, but you began to cheer them on at the end.

gretchen
Breakfast With Buddha by Roland Merullo

I want the men to just get on with the drive. So far not very intriguing. I am reading it for a book group so must plow ahead.

Phyllis Friedland
We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

From the viewpoint of the mother, this is the story of a family dealing with the upbringing of a child who becomes a serial killer at age sixteen. It is told through a series of letters to her estranged husband and manages to convey the history of this boy and the impact on the family and the relationship between the husband and wife. It is deeply engrossing and gets to the heart and depth of the characters in such a way that they are real, they grow and change and present a very dramatic story that, in parts, left me breathless.

Elaine Baxter
A Good American by Alex George

A remarkable book. Once started I could not put down. It chronicles the life of a Jette and Frederick. Their quest for becoming Americans. I would recommend this book to everyone.

barbara semeraro
Tango's Edge by Carole Bellacera

This is a story of a Russian skating champion enlisting the aid of an American skater to help him to defect to the United States. The story has romance, intrigue and murder. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Bonnie Gluhanich
Bitter in the Mouth by Michele Truong

Interesting enough novel, sort of a coming-of-age story. But the schtick of having words remind the main character of tastes left me cold. I just didn't get it and, actually, found it annoying.

Helen W
COVERT WARRIORS by W.E.B.Griffin & William Butterworth IV

Sadly this book has too many characters and not enough plot development. I have always loved all of Griffins books but lately they are like half a book with a rerun of characters. A huge disappointment but nice to see some old friends again.

Carol
Grave Situation by Alex MacLean

Really good thriller! It reads like an episode of Criminal Minds!

Adreana Maresca
War of The Rats by David L. Robbins

White-Knuckle tension

Mary Ferwerda
I'm Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley

I love, love, love the Flavia De Luce novels. The only thing better is to listen to them on audio. The reader is outstanding.

Peggy Hoffman
The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman

Could not put this book down!!! Unforgettable story occurring during the holocaust.

Pat S.
The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand

I get on "author kicks" - when I like one, I have to find EVERY book written by that author. Thus, just bought 4 older books by Elin and reading them. I love her writings and love that they are set in Nantucket - where I visited this past September.

Debbie M
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

This is a long, wordy book, but I enjoyed the majority of the book. The intricate medical language and discussion of techniques detracted from the story, at times. I felt that some of the scenes rang falsely. The scene between Marion and Dr Stone did not seem real, no emotions shouted or erupted. When Ghosh, this wonderful and caring man dies, again emotions seem stifled. The men all seem to display a stiff, upper lip, whereas the women evoke their emotions, as least, partially. Verghese's story paints a picture of great doctors who sacrifice life to pursue their career, with the exception of Ghosh. Ghosh does not allow medicine to consume his life. The language seems lyrical when Verghese describes Ethiopia. Emperor Haile Selassie is shown as both good and evil. Verghese also explains the reason that so many doctors from India practice in the United States.

Jo-Anne Tyler
Dark Matter by Michelle Paver

A good mystery thriller set in the Arctic. An ill-fated expedition of British amateurs overwinter in a hut in which terrible events occurred, which linger on. She builds up the tension very nicely, starting at zero, and ramping-up till the last chapter.

Elaine Beierbach
The Rope by Nevada Barr

I quite enjoyed this novel, and others will too.

Sharon Oats
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Set in 1950, this murder mystery's protagonist is an eleven year old girl. Very nice return to innocence in a good read!

Shari
Abandon by Meg Cabot

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone ... because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back. But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid. Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away ... especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most. But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

Dennis Beierbach
The Rope by Nevada Barr

Good book. Liked the style of intrigue - hanging - like by a rope.

Linda M. Williams
The Drop by Michael Connelly

Love all Michael Connelly books - his characters are so well-written! Love all the Bosch books!

Rita Herbst
Night Road by Kristin Hannah

This was a very predictable book. It was reviewed by my book club as a result of our winning 15 copies of the book. There were a couple of the 15 participants that liked it, but the majority felt that it was not up to her recent accomplishments.

Linda H
Zero Day by David Baldacci

John Puller is an investigator with the Army’s Criminal Investigative Division. Although he is a decorated veteran and has been up for many promotions, Puller has turned them all down. Now he has been assigned a case termed “unusual” by his superior and one in which he will be acting alone. An Army officer and his family have been killed in a small town in West Virginia and it is up to Puller to find out why they were killed and by whom.

Linda H
The Garner Files by James Garner, Jon Winokur and Julie Andrews

James Garner was born in Oklahoma and lived in poverty most of his young life. Leaving home at a young age, he took what jobs he could to survive. Returning from the Korean War, he took a modeling job for the money. From there, he went to acting and fame came with the series Maverick. Garner offers no apologies for his life and has lived it as he wanted to. He has had a long marriage, two daughters, and a lengthy career. Even though others claim the name “Maverick”, there will always be only one and that is James Garner.

Linda H
Now You See Her by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

Jeanine thinks her life is perfect. She is married to Peter Fournier, a cop in Key West. They live in a beautiful home and Jeanine has everything she ever wanted. That is until she finds out that her life is based on lies. Peter is not who he seems to be. Finding out that he murdered his first wife, Jeanine fakes her death and runs to New York. There, she assumes a new identity and becomes a well-respected lawyer. Peter is in New York and sees her and recognizes her as his dead wife. Then, she sees him. It becomes a game of cat and mouse as she tries to escape from Peter.

Linda H
Devious by Lisa Jackson

This is a mystery to be solved by New Orleans police detectives Rick Bentz and Reuben Montoya. While investigating the murder of a nun at a local convent, another nun is found murdered. Both have been garroted while dressed in old wedding gowns. Then a prostitute is found murdered in her apartment. This murder has all the earmarks of murders committed years ago by a man called Father John. Bentz shot him and all thought he was dead even though a body was never found. Now it looks like he’s back but is he the one killing the nuns or is there another murderer on the loose?

Linda H
Edge of Sight by Roxanne St. Clair

Samantha Fairchild is sent to the wine cellar to obtain a bottle of wine for a particular guest at the fancy restaurant where she worked. While in the cellar, she sees a man being killed. When she gasps, the killer looks up and sees her. Samantha runs out of the basement. When she talks to the police, she is told there is no tape in the video camera and she realizes that the killer has the tape with her image. Samantha is assigned a bodyguard named Zach, a man she dated before he left for the Army. Of all people, Samantha does not want Zack for her bodyguard. Samantha and Zack must find the killer before he finds Samantha.

Joan
Man Seeks God by Eric Weiner

An enjoyable, not very profound read about a few of the world's religions. The book is (sometimes) thought provoking and often very funny version of a comparative religion class. The humor is mostly the author laughing at himself and the more inscrutable statements by a religion's practitioners.

Joan
Man With A Pan by John Donohue

This collection of essays by male writers who cook for their families includes recipes and lists of favorite cookbooks. The stories are all well-written and entertaining, the recipes varied in their appeal and most of the cookbooks (old and new) sound interesting.

Francisca E B
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by Oscar Hijuelos

Cesar Castillo, the Mambo King himself, is an old man, and is remembering his life (and loves) in Cuba and New York as he approaches death. In the middle of the book is a quote that perfectly describes Cesar’s life: “Me siento contento cuando sufro,” he sang one day, “I feel happy when I’m suffering.” Cesar and his younger brother Nestor arrive in New York full of ambition and desire to be musicians. They are talented and willing to work hard, and with some luck, put together an orchestra (The Mambo Kings), riding the popularity of the mambo craze of the late 1940s. They achieve a measure of celebrity and sell several records, but true fame is just beyond their reach. Ultimately this is a melancholy story, but lyrically told and impassioned. Cesar’s reflections on his life give us a moving portrait of the man, his community and the times. Hijuelos writing is evocative and moving; the book leaves my heart aching for Cesar and Nestor.

Tessa B
Under the Sabers by Tanya Biank

Nonfiction account of 4 Army wives and the men they love (or love to hate). Biank was an Army brat and is married to an officer, so she knows what she's writing about.

Fran
The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley

As Ann and Peter Brooks start to sort through the fallout of their failed marriage, an outbreak of H5N1 flue breaks out. Written in a mesmerizing fashion, this debut novelist depicts one families journey through a pandemic flue outbreak, where 50 out of 100 people are dying. The writing style was so compelling and the characters were amazingly relatable. You find yourself routing for this family and on the edge of your seat waiting to see what fate would befall them next. Also an interesting look at what happens to mankind, when every decision you make could have life and death implications ... and nothing/or no one can be considered safe! Wow! An amazing book that will stay with me for a long time!

Sandy
But Inside I'm Screaming by Elizabeth Flock

Read this one in two days. While breaking the hottest story of the year, broadcast journalist Isabel Murphy falls apart on live television in front of an audience of millions. She lands at Three Breezes, a four-star psychiatric hospital nicknamed the "nut hut", where she begins the painful process of recovering the life everyone thought she had. But accepting her place among her fellow patients proves difficult. Isabel struggles to reconcile the fact that she is, indeed, one of them, and faces the reality that in order to mend her painfully fractured life she must rely solely on herself. This book is one woman's unforgettable story about what it is to lost control as the world watches, to figure out what went so very wrong and to accept an imperfect life in a world that demands perfection. I loved it!!!!!

Marsha
Full Black by Brad Thor

Covert counter-terrorism operative, Scot Harvath, is back again saving the U. S .from demolition by terrorist cells. The plots thicken as the author throws in a lot of political and social issues that the Americans don't seem to notice. Are we being insidiously weakened bit by bit by the socialism that creeps into our government? Much to ponder here.

Bonnie Gluhanich
Juliet by Anne Fortier

If you like historical fiction or Shakespeare, then this is the book for you. Juxtaposes a contemporary mystery/romance with the true tale of Romeo and Juliet which took place in Siena, not Verona.

Sherman Hughes
Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero by Chris Matthews

One of the best books I read in 2011 and definitely the best book on President Kennedy. Starts with his early years when he was sick a lot as a child and then his marriage to Jacquelyn and their life in the White House. He was his own man and made his own decisions and loved life and looked forward to every day. A very inspiring book that you will truly enjoy.

Dianne
Heaven's Keep by Willian Kent Krueger

While enjoyable I found this story weaker than others in this series.

Dianne
The Lightkeeper's Ball by Colleen Coble

The characters were enjoyable and the story line interesting in this historical, Christian. romance/mystery. This is the third book in a series. Character development depends on prior knowledge which was problematic for me as I had not read the two preceding books. The ending was very disappointing. The author sprung minor, barely mentioned characters into the last pages to solve her mystery.

Irene Berton
Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay

A great read I didn't know a lot about the Vichy government. When I was young I had heard the name`Vichy and Petain' but I was very young. Be sure you have plenty of Kleenex on hand. Very sad but I loved this book and would recommend it.

Coral Harrison
The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

In 1984 students Amanda Collier and Dawson Cole fall in love. She goes on to college and he joined the service and then when he got out worked on oil well rigs. She married Frank who is a dentist. They have 3 children. Tuck had helped Cole and later when Amanda goes home to visit her mother she goes to visit him. When he died he instructs his lawyer to send them letters to come home before his funeral. It is very interesting how this book turns out.

Coral Harrison
Bel-Air Dead by Stuart Woods

A good Stone Barrington novel. If you like a good fast paced mystery you will like this. I read all that he has written and enjoy all of them.

Sharon Norton
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In a post-apocolyptic world, each of 12 territories in what used to be the United States have to send 2 children to fight to the death in front of live television.

Donna
11/22/63 by Stephen King

Haven't revisited King's books for years but am glad I did. Great suspense in both the plot to save Kennedy and the love story. What happens is really interesting and the ending is surprising.

Dorothy
Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan

I really enjoyed this. It is about a poor Irish Catholic Family living in Boston who win a summer home in Maine on a bet. It is typical Irish they are all fighting and drinking. I an Irish Catholic from Boston really enjoyed it. If you're from Boston you will also because you will recognize all the names and places. I is funny and good.

Jo Anne Vincenti
Red Mist by Patricia Cornwell

Another winner for all of you Kay Scarpetta fans

Diane Castiglione
Mary in Transit by Don Bemis

A wonderful little book and well written. It has a great flow to it and holds your interest. From the start I was taken into the story and given a insight into the lives of the characters. The author has given a mixture of history mixed into fiction in this story. He given us a look at how life was back then. We are given a look into how Mary and Joseph must of felt at the news that they where chosen to be the parents of the son of God. This is a book that I would recommend to others to read.

Debbie M
The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey

Of course an English mystery is the perfect companion on a rainy day and The Franchise Affair is a book easily completed in a day. The story centers on a stodgy, middle-aged lawyer whose life takes a drastic turn when a woman and her mother ask for his assistance. Marion Sharpe and her mother, Mrs. Sharpe, become the witches of The Franchise, a run-down country house, when a teen-age girl accused them of kidnapping and assaulting her. Robert Blair and his family and friends jump into the melee to defend the Sharpes against this vicious accusation. Tey simplistically tells the story with many moments of comic relief. The house remains as the symbol of the Old Guard that is incapable of change. A delightfully fun story.

Linda
Creep by Jennifer Hillier

This is Hillier's debut novel and a sequel is planned for Aug. 2012. A friend recommended this book to me and I finished it in a weekend. It's a great suspense novel, and the best part is you won't be able to figure out the ending.

Judy O.
The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair

India is the setting for most of the book, and I really liked that as it has a strong sense of place. The summer that Rakhee Singh is only 10, she goes to India with her mother to see the home where she grew up and meet the relatives that still live there. Rakhee is not prepared for the secrets that are obviously lurking in the minds of the family. This was an okay book by a first-time author.

Rebecca Murray
The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

Not a book I would have picked up on my own, but a friend recommended it to me. Starts out as a story about baseball, but becomes so much more - friends, relationships, stress, love, struggles. I really liked the book, some of it was predictable but overall a very good book

Colin Beierbach
The Rope by Nevada Barr

I found it to have certain charm ... not ballsy like a man's novel though.

Denise Beierbach
The Rope by Nevada Barr

I will have to read more of her books now. I really enjoyed this tale.

Kathy Vallee
Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs

Tempe gets into so much hot water and she attacks the local serial killer when she finds the wrong clues at a plane wreck she was asked to help work on. Will she escape this one? One of the best in this series, so far.

Debbie M
The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

I have read Sarah Addison Allen before, when I read The Sugar Queen. I feel that The Peach Keeper is written better. Both novels do not delve into intricate characterization or setting. Both books deal with loneliness and trying to find self. In The Peach Keeper, Allen expounds more examples of Southern writing such as the quirky characters and ties with the past than in The Sugar Queen. The Peach Keeper's central theme rests on friendship and how as we grow older, many seem to withdraw from these childhood friendships. The story also dwells on preconceived labels given to individuals and the difficult road to correct these unwarranted perceptions.

Susan Yoneda
The Girl Who Disappeared Twice by Andrea Kane

I enjoyed reading this book but overall felt that it did not quite come together. I guessed the villain very early on in the plot & I like being surprised. The basic premise is that a twin is kidnapped at age 6 and 30 years later the other twin's 5 year old daughter is kidnapped. The original detective for the first kidnapping joins the search for the missing 5 year old.

Becky Chome
The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney

I have just finished reading Stef Penney's second book, Invisible Ones, and thought that it was EXCELLENT. It begins mildly enough with an investigator asked to find a missing girl, a Gypsy. As he searches, Ray runs into many cultural, secretive blocks. All the clues are there, but guessing along the way really stimulates those thought processes of your own. It was one of those books that you can't put put down, hate to be coming to those last few chapters, come away with a sense of real resolve.

Karla Sanders
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Mystery until late in the book kept me rapidly turning the pages. This book was so different that I was never bored nor skipped pages. Loved the ending.

Marjorie Clark
The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson

Half-way through. So far a good story.

Marion miller
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

I am still breathless from this story. The author did an amazing amount of research for this incredible story. I couldn't stop reading!! I truly understand why it is a best seller. Louis Zamperini had the fortitude to survive the worst ordeals. Cheers for him!! He deserved to have a long and wonderful life.

Reva Wamsley
Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark

A famous actress is murdered & her husband is on trial for her murder. Of course he says he didn't do it. Emily Wallace is prosecuting the case & even she isn't 100 % convinced. Meanwhile, her creepy next door neighbor is spying on her. This book will hold your interest all the way through. Great book.

Crystal B.
Mr. Monk on Patrol by Lee Goldberg

The latest title in the Adrian Monk series has Monk and Natalie flying to NJ to help their old friend, former SFPD lieutenant Randy Disher, now chief of police and acting-mayor in Summit, NJ. Monk is still a mystery-solving machine. And he and Natalie make some unexpected friend and enemies. The story was so good that I read it in one sitting!

Craig
The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis

An alien of advanced intelligence comes to Earth planning to send a ship home with supplies for his dying world. The longer he stays on Earth the more depressed he becomes succumbing to alcoholism and loss of sanity. More of a statement about humanity than science fiction, it is a quick and very good story told by an author often overlooked. Deserves to be a classic.

Laura Beierbach
The Rope by Nevada Barr

The book is going around our home as something you might want to read. Therefore, I will pass that message on as I fell others may enjoy it as much as I did.

Elaine Beierbach
Bond Girl by Erin Duffy

I enjoyed it to a certain extent. Just not my type of book.

Marcia Sailer
Night Road by Kristin Hannah

This was a story that keep me reading. Deals with love and loss, friendships, family and consequences. The mother was a little over-the-top, but the other characters were very good. I think both teens and adults will like this book.

JoRN
One Call Away by Brenda Warner and Jennifer Schuchmann

The wife of Superbowl MVP Kurt Warner writes an inspiring book about life before & after marrying Kurt. A good book.

JoRN
Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow and Nathan Whitaker

It is true, nice guys finish first. A talented football player is not ashamed to give thanks to God for all of his gifts. I am glad I read this book. I found it to be inspiring & made me want to be a better person.

Jeanette Mateer
Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Our group won copies of this title and will discuss it next month. Last week, I read it in two days, very much a "could not put down" book. Night Road is a wonderful story, great characters, enough tension to keep me glued, and an overall "nice" read. I would love to know these characters and visit the wonderful sounding house. As a retired school librarian, I feel this book should be in every high school library.

JoRN
Dewey The Library Cat/Dewey's Nine Lives by Vicki Myron

Yes I am an animal lover & yes I cried like a baby. It is bad enough that we treat our fellow man poorly, but to be mean to an animal is beyond me. I found these books to be uplifting.

Stacey K
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson

Another fantastic novel by Erik Larson! If you love reading about the Hitler era in Germany, you will love this book. It gives an American perspective by telling the story of Ambassador William E Dodd & his family, who spent 4 1/2 years in Nazi Germany from 1933 - 1937.

Linda McFarland
The Keeper by Suzanne Fisher Woods

Loved this book about a wonderful Amish family with life changing issues and with the well of God and there steadfast faith. Love finds the answer. Look forward to the next book of Suzanne Woods Fisher.

Paula Blake
I'll Walk Alone by Mary Higgins Clark

I couldn't wait to pick it up again to read.

JoRN
11/23/63 by Stephen King

11/23/63 is probably one of King's best books. I have read a few of his books. There are some I like & some I don't. This book was thought provoking & a real page turner. This is an 800 + page book I read in 2 days. I could not put it down. Even if you "don't like" King's books, read it. I am glad I did.

susan atkins
The Drop by Michael Connelly

One of his best books.

Katherine Tufts
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Terrific period work showcasing New York City from 1938 to 1941. Low brow meets high brow and steamy jazz tolerates the symphony. Money, or lack thereof. Ambition, or lack thereof. Love and sex and not always with the same person.

Jud Hanson
Edge of Honor by P. T. Deutermann

Set in the era of Vietnam, this book is the story of Lt. Brian Holcomb in the Navy working toward his promotion to Lt. Commander and his wife Maddy keeping the home fires burning back in San Diego. Holcomb must come to turns with what the politics a Navy ship are and Maddy must fight her temptations to break her marriage vows while struggling with Brian's long deployments. Good book, although a little slow in spots.

Jud Hanson
Ghost Dancer by John Case

Like other books by this author but not this one. Made it through about 1/3 of it before setting it aside. I liked the plot but it was taking way too long to tie the main characters together.

Dennis Beierbach
Bond Girl by Erin Duffy

A good choice for a reader's list.

Lynn
Black Ice by Michael Connelly

I enjoyed some recent books by Michael Connelly so decided to go back and start the Harry Bosch series. This is the 2nd one and I do enjoy them :)

Sean Penrose
Fluke by Christopher Moore

Christopher Moore is without a doubt my favorite author. After reading Bloodsucking Fiends I have done everything in my power to read all his other novels. I have now almost read them all and loved them until Fluke. While the typical Moore humor is in place this story is maybe too weird for me to get into. The quirky characters that are always present in his work are still in here but not as memorable as other books. Overall, the story is funny but not enough for me to enjoy, sadly.

Elizabeth V
THE WINTER PALACE: A NOVEL OF CATHERINE THE GREAT by Eva Stachniak

THE WINTER PALACE: A NOVEL OF CATHERINE THE GREAT by Eva Stachniak is historical fiction. The historical part is about Catherine, so I guess that’s why Stachniak put her in the subtitle. But the story is told by one of her fictional maids, Barbara, and is very much about her. Barbara was like a Dickens character in that she began as the lowliest of lows and eventually became a great friend and confidant of Catherine. The two were together from the time Catherine was Sophie, a poor princess trying her best to marry the next Russian emperor. Barbara saw Catherine accomplish her objective but then become nothing more than a vessel to produce the next heir to the throne. And then when she did, the baby was immediately taken away from her. Barbara’s is probably a good example of a palace employee and of all the spying and deceit that went on there. But this (spying and deceit) were the subjects more than Catherine. Eventually, as we know, Catherine takes the throne. But, as with all historical fiction, it’s difficult to know what is fiction and what is fact about how that came to be. This book is a good example of historical fiction, but, honestly, it bored me for the most part. Yet, I couldn’t make myself skip paragraphs or chapters. I wanted to know what would happen next, so that’s a good sign, right?

Rosalie Sambuco
A WALK ACROSS THE SUN by Corban Addison

A wonderful, but very thought provoking, story about sex trafficking across the world - especially India. Starting with an earthquake then a tsunami, this is the story of 2 young sisters and how their lives are totally changed. The sex scenes are not too graphic; but compelling. I highly recommend this book.

Debbie M
Three-Day Town by Margaret Maron

This novel, unlike all the other novels of the Deborah Knott series is set in New York City. The time is January and a snowstorm has encased the city, but murder continues. Maron also wrote a series set in New York with Sigrid Harald as the main character. Maron penned the last Sigrid mystery in 1995, but this novel seems to predict the reemergence of Sigrid. Sigrid seems the main character of this novel. Sigrid leads the police investigation, while Deborah and Dwight seem to be by-standers. The Southern format is replaced by the fast-paced format of New York. The crime does not linger for days, but is quickly solved. Maron appears to be following Michael Connelly's scheme of intertwining figures from different series. While Connelly's grouping works, Maron's meetings seem stilted and flat. The story seemed boring and not climatic, even though some of the characters were quirky.

Cheryl R
Bond Girl by Erin Duffy

Easy and fun read ... for a weekend away or a day at the beach.

Paula Corwin
The Forgotten Affairs Of Youth by Alexander McCall Smith

More of a mystery of family and sense of belonging. Great dialogue and philosophy. Not to ruin the ending for anyone, but it is a good one!

Sharron
22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson

Tragic story of Warsaw family separated by WWII and reunited in England 6 years later. Will they be able to overcome their individual experiences to become a true family again? Read and see!

Fran
Chosen by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

The third book in the House of Night series. Although technically considered a young adult series, I feel that it is written for anyone to enjoy. I love the character development and path of this storyline. Great writing and an all around fun twist on vampires!

Sandra F.
Divergent by Veronica Roth

This is the first book in a trilogy for young adults and it is a terrific read. I loved the way the author portrays the divisions of society after an unspecified event that all but destroyed humankind. The characters are wonderful and the story is one that adults will enjoy as well. I look forward to the next installment in the story.

Sandra F.
Cursed by Carol Higgins Clark

I picked this book up as a nice light read and I was very pleasantly surprised. It is a fast read, but the story and the characters are very appealing. This is the first book by Carol Higgins Clark that I have read, but I will read more.

Sandra F.
The Witch of Babylon by D.J. McIntosh

I was looking forward to reading this book, but I was a bit disappointed. The history of Babylon that forms the background was terrific - the author is very well acquainted with this period in history. However, my dislike for the main character made the reading tough.

Judy O.
The World We Found by Thrity Umrigar

I loved this new book, as I have loved all the other books written by this author. In the 1970s in Bombay, 4 young women were inseparable. There names are Nishta, Kavita, Laleh, and Armaiti. Armaiti married an American, now lives there, and is dying of a brain tumor. She contacts her 3 friends in India to come and see her one last time. Nishta is married to a very strict Muslim and he will not let her go, even though the other 2 are ready and willing. This is the plot that is so compelling, and it has a very satisfying ending.

Amanda Teague
Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Awesome sci-fi fairytale where Cinderella is a Cyborg (human but with some tech parts because of an accident). She is a mechanic to make ends meet for her wicked step-mom. The Prince is awesome, it's set in New Beijing, and there's going to be more fairytale characters come up in the next books in the series. Cliff-hanger ending.

Debbie M
Autumn's Promise by Shelley Shepard Gray

Whenever I read one book of a series, I usually succumb to reading the remaining books of the series. This is labeled the Seasons of Sugarcreek, stories set in Ohio about an Amish community and the interaction with the English or non-Amish people. The story is written simply, but with wonderful friendship, understanding, and love. In this story, a sixteen-year-old Amish boy must decide his future. Will Caleb remain an Amish farmer or venture into the English world? This story also centers on the budding friendship between Robert, a 24-year-old Amish widower, and Lilly, a 19-year-old non-Amish girl. Yes, even Amish children have trouble with their parents and run amok at times. The central theme is that God watches and gives each person choices

Sandy
Me & Emma by Elizabeth Flock

This book was very good. The ending was partly what I expected and partly a surprise. Mainly about a little girl named Carrie and how she copes with her mean stepfather.

JoRN
Heart of Ice by Lis Wiehl and April Henry

This is the 3rd book I have read of the author's. The books are a quick read & pretty good.

JoRN
Death In the City of Light by David King

True story of serial killer in Nazi occupied Paris. This book was pretty good but dragged a little.

JoRN
Prairie Tale by Melissa Gilbert

Half-pint writes a pretty eye opening & honest book about herself.

Tricia Douglas
Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Another amazing story from Hannah. Does perfect parenting make a perfect child? How does money affect a child growing up? How does the death of a child affect a family? The characters make this a definite page-turner, not to be missed.

Tricia Douglas
Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr

Robyn has another winner, the 17th in the Virgin River series. She has a knack for developing strong characters that make a story believable. Be sure you read all of the books in this series.

Tricia Douglas
Tuesday Night Miracles by Kris Radish

Wow! What an amazing story Kris has written! There is a group of four women trying to control their anger issues. The psychologist leading the group presents a "different" kind of therapy in hopes that "curing" these women will be more successful. I can't imagine the research that must have gone into this story. Radish writes an original and believable story. It left a strong impact on my thinking and life. Be sure to get a copy for your shelf and don't forget to check out her other great books. This is a one-of-a-kind author!

Tricia Douglas
Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron and Bret Witter

I have had this book on my shelf for a long time, but I am afraid to read animal stories because I know the animal always ends up dying! I finally had the time and the courage to read Myron's story. She did a great job, not just relating the story of Dewey, but also the history of the farming area of Iowa and past difficulties that farmers have had there. Dewey was truly special and, if you don't like cats, this story might change your mind!

Rena Tobey
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente and Ana Juan

Although not original (Alice in Wonderland meets the Hero's Journey), the book is beautifully written.

Melanie S.
Tiny Songbirds, Far Away by Christie Watson

This was a story of Nigeria and its political corruption and social problems such as female genital mutilation, told through the eyes of a 12-year-old girl being trained by her grandmother to be a midwife under the most primitive conditions. It was a fictional account of many issues which I'm sure actually occur in African countries. I found it an engaging read told from the point of view of a young female voice.

Kim Silva-Lepe
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

True story - very well told, definitely keeps your interest. Definitely recommend.

Judy Burgi
Missing Your Smile by Jerry S. Eicher

This book is Amish fiction. I really liked it because it had a new twist instead of the same old storyline. I thought it was very interesting that the author chose to tell the story of an Amish girl who left for the English world. He took us through her feelings, thoughts, emotions, etc. It was just a great read! The best part is we won't know what completely happens until we read book 2 in this series!

Gail
Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt

Not sure where this one was going, but it is good. Interesting, with a hint of historical fiction and an important subject of depression.

Marcie Case
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

A little confusing at first with the back and forth between the United States and England, but the contents are riveting. I can't put the book down. I identify with Frankie and her mission to try to get the word out about what is going on in Europe and her frustration at not being able to accomplish her goal. I feel for Emma being left in a town she doesn't know with people she doesn't know with a future that is unknown. They are separated by distance but are going thought the same experiences on a different level.

Eileen Palmer
Among Others by Jo Walton

A fabulous book about books and reading (and fairies and witches). It is hard to write well about the spell that books can cast on readers, but Walton does a fantastic job.

Becky Haase
The Litigators by John Grisham

This the first time I have laughed my way through a Grisham novel. He might not have meant it to be funny, but the lawyers in this book are hysterical. The story is vintage Grisham although a bit a slow to start. A great character study of "ambulance chaser": lawyers and one idealist novice.

Becky Haase
Kill Alex Cross by James Paterson

Two crimes converge, then separate, then merge. A kidnapping and a terrorist cell - what more could one want. REALLY short chapters, each with a cliff hanger. Finished it in one day!

Beth Welshons
Zoo Story by Thomas French

This is a 2010 title. I am halfway through it and am finding it pretty compelling. It is non-fiction and tells of the animals and people at a zoo in Florida. Covers ethical issues in an interesting way.

Linda Johnson
Night Road by Kristin Hannah

One of the worst books I've ever read. Characters were stereotypical. Story was predictable. Think the book was written for product placement.

Peggy
Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Interesting story about a misfit orphan who moves across the country to live with her aunt and a pair of twins she grows to love. Tragedy strikes midway through. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens with the remaining two friends.

Roseann Jones
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

This book was one I couldn't put down since weaving through the story of an orphan who is trying to find her true self, there are definitions of flowers that define every emotion and feeling the characters feel. When she comes to work in a flower shop, the main character, Victoria delves into her own with a natural talent for flower arranging.

rhonda lomazow
Home Front by Kristin Hannah

Beautiful book should be a bestseller.

Mary M.
The Wise Man Returns by Kenny Kemp

Melchior, one of three "wise men" who foresaw the birth of Jesus Christ, faces a spiritual battle within himself as the events of his own life play out. As he grows old, he finds himself wondering whatever happened to the young boy, Jeshua, who inspired him so. A fantastic fictional take on events described in Scripture.

Susan Johnson
Defending Jacob by William Lanaday

A great journey in how far a parent will go to protect their child and if you can clearly see the person your child is. As a parent it really made me examine my relationship with my children.

Mary Healey
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

To glimpse into a lifestyle that seems outlandish but so realistic when you know the two main characters are Ernest Hemingway and his first wife Hadley,leads to an understanding of not only their character but also that of so many of the "art set" in the Jazz Age. It is an entertaining novel and historical as well.

Dianna Dyke
Orchard by Larry Watson

I really like this author; I feel that I really know his characters. This is the second book of his that I have read and plan on reading more. In this novel a women models for a famous painter and bares more than her clothes.

Dianna Dyke
The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry

Set in Ireland, a 100 year old woman that was placed in a mental institution by people who meant her harm and wanted her quiet, finally has her say and opens new awarenesses. Lots of history on Irish conflicts.

Fran
The Mango Season by Amulya Malladi

Priya Rao returns to her family in India, with the hopes of informing them that she would like to marry her American boyfriend. NIck, her American boyfriend is only portrayed through a series of e-mails to Priya, who is already in India. When Priya arrives in India, she is conflicted about how to tell her traditional Indian family this news, which may cost her their love and approval. Her mother and father are planning to introduce her to a nice Indian man from a good family with the hopes of an arranged marriage. Overall, an interesting look at Indian culture, marriage customs and what happens when a child becomes Americanized. Cute, despite it's predictable outcome!

Susan
Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy

This has to be the best book I have read, and the year just started. You get totally engrossed, and the author stops the momentum, she starts another subject, builds the tension, and continues like this through the entire book. You don't want to stop, but life like, work and children, and husband, get in the way. I had to stay up all night to finish. It is rich in historical events of WW 2, and then goes forward to present day, El Paso Texas and the border patrol. Just a good read.

Donna Costanza
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson

This author's writing reads like fiction. I loved this book, but then, I am a big history buff.

Susan Vasi
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This is supposedly a young adult novel. By everything I've read about "The Hunger Games" it has sort of a cult following with readers anxious to read all three books in the Hunger Games Trilogy by the author. It's certainly well written and moves very quickly, but it's just not really my "cup of tea". I prefer stories that are not so violent.

Jo Beth Dempsey
Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

I received this book from your Holiday Giveaway and couldn't put it down. I thought that was the most excellent Jane Austen mystery I've read so far--it really is just like reading Austen herself! P.D. James does an awesome job with Austen's world, devising a great mystery with its characters. Highly recommended!

Mary Rodriguez
The Sleepwalkers by Paul Grossman

A great mystery read.

Jan Atkins
Here Comes Trouble by Michael Moore

Forget about your politics or what you think you know about Michael Moore. This is a funny, surprising and relevant memoir about a man who at one time was "the most hated man in America". I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book, which was read by the author. Each chapter is a "story" from his life. My favorite is when he was paddled by the assistant principal in high school, so he ran for school board on the promise to fire the assistant principal. You won't be bored reading this book.

Brian McClafferty
The Night Swimmer by Matt Bondurant

An American couple wins the deed and business rights to a pub in Ireland. This novel quickly draws you in, mixing past occupancies, ghosts, and mysterious doings along the rugged Irish coast.

Kay Keller
CODEX by Lev Grossman

Wonderful read!! If you are a bibliophile, you'll really enjoy this literary thriller!!

kathy patton
The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

Stayed up late last night to finish the story. I was very attached to the main character and could almost see how she had been so attracted to the enemy! The book is well written with descriptions of Guernsey.

Jan Hummel
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

After reading all the accolades on Bookreporter.com about this series and even tho I was afraid it would be too raw for my taste, I decided to read this. All I can say is WOW. The book has a grip on me and I find myself thinking about what might happen next. The writing brings me into the story in an enthralled way and keeps me there. You were right. Great story. Now I have to see the movie and read more about Lisbeth.

Jayme Gruden
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

The History of Love is a very good book. There are extraordinary passages that will catch in your throat. As a young man Leo fell in love with a girl named Alma and wrote a manuscript called The History of Love which he gave to her. But the war (WWII) tore Alma and Leo apart. The only thing that kept him going is the love he had for Alma who escaped to America during the war. While recovering from an illness in Poland after the war he gave his copy of The History of Love to a friend when he thought he was going to die. The friend moved to Chile and published the book under his own name while Leo went to New York to search for his lost love Alma. But Alma had married someone else when she found out that she was pregnant with Leo's child and thought Leo was dead. That is only the beginning of the story. What beautifully unfolds in this heart-wrenching novel is the impact that the published novel The History of Love will have on the past and present and finally on Leo himself. The History of Love is not an easy read, but it is an enriching one. It will leave you wondering about how lives are interwoven and the characters will capture your heart.

Jean Lesslie
The Reversal by Michael Connelly

This is a very well-written book by a very good story teller. It features characters from three of Connelly's series: Rachel Walling, Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller. They work together to bring a child killer to justice. I really liked the book.

Jean L
The Adventuress by Carole Nelson Douglas

This is the second in the series featuring Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. It is well-written with a good storyline.

BJ Simon
The Retribution by Val McDermid

Starting out with a bang! What a great series!!

Paula Barclay
The Tea Rose / The Winter Rose / The Wild Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

Part historical fiction beginning in 1888, the author brings to life a family struggle and successes during hard times in London. Lots of action..a real page turner.

Henrietta Blair
The Cat Who Turned On and Off by Lilian Jackson Braun

I just love all LILIAN'S books! The Cat Who books are my favorite!

Ali
The Moonflower Vine by Jetta Carleton

This "neglected classic" is a fabulous family saga that takes place in a simpler time. Each family member has secrets and struggles with their own "sins". It is well written and has so much to offer. While some think the book was slow to start, I loved it from page one. It is one for the shelves to go back and re-read. It is Carleton's only book and is often compared to "To Kill a Mockingbird". I hope you love it as much as I did.

Allison Gardner
The Land of Painted Caves by Jean Auel

Another great book by Jean Auel continuing the saga of Ayla & Jondalor. Although part of a series this book can be read on its own.

Ann Hill
The Tehran Initiative by Joel Rosenberg

Interesting book about modern day Middle East issues. It was a page turner and really kept my interest. I did not like the ending as it seemed to definitely leave the door open for a follow up book.

Amy Romanczuk
Purge by Sofi Oksanen, Lola Rogers

I was drawn to this book because of the review of a goodreads/BookCrossing friend. She thought it a strong read, filled with the smells and tastes of the Estonian world, but I was unprepared for how powerful the stories actually were. I say stories because the book braids together the lives of two women, Aliide Truu, an old Estonian woman living alone in the country with her memories and her secrets, and Zara, a girl running from her pimp and her life of compelled prostitution in Russia. Aliide finds Zara crumpled, dirty, and wounded in many unseen ways, in her backyard one morning. The lives of the two women unfold, only to twine more intricately together, weaving hope, longing, fear, and love, though not in the way one might I often am cautious reading translated books, but the very visceral feel of this book makes me believe the translation is a good one. The shifting perspective of the story from the 1940's to 1990's threw me at first, but I fell into the rhythm after a bit. Though Aliide's basic story was not too hard to anticipate, the way the author built the characters, complete with smells and tastes made it a very visceral experience, and not one for the fainthearted. My only exposure to Estonia has been of the more modern sort -- a friend of my son's lives there, his father very prominent in Estonian government, and my son and some other university friends went to visit a few summers ago. I have a beautiful piece of Estonian amber jewelry that somehow seems at odds with the onions, horseradish, and harshness so prevalent in this novel. But I shall treasure it more knowing more about the history of the country now.

Linda Barraclough
One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

I am so HOOKED on this series of crime/murder mysteries with the character of Stephanie Plum! It is written in a unique style that combines humor, the techniques of bounty hunting, and a down-to-earth narrative of no nonsense, real life events. I love how she relates to individual family members, and the dynamics of her everyday life. This is a must read book and series recommended to me by my sister.

Marilyn Clement
The Why Cafe by John P. Strelecky

This cute little book will give you pause to think about your life. Depending upon your circumstances, this book could very well change your life. Who would have thought that such a tiny book could be so thought provoking? I didn't, but I was wrong.

Dennis Beierbach
Bond Girl by Erin Duffy

Not my normal read but I went to the end because I wanted the conclusion.

ann golobic
Pie in the Sky by Susan G. Purdy

Yes, i'm reading a cookbook! This is a cookbook for high altitude baking which is much needed.

JoRN
The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

A real page-turner. I liked this book better than the first. I can't wait to read the 3rd book.

JoRN
Gone but Not Forgotten by Philip Margolin

This book is one of the rare ones I read once a year because it is that good. If you like page-turning thrillers this is for you. Women are missing & all that is left behind is a black rose & a note. The notes reads, "Gone, but not forgotten."

Colin Beierbach
The Rope by Nevada Barr

Needed more suspense but I still enjoyed it.

JoRN
Mitigating Circumstances by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg

Lily is a lawyer separated from her loser husband. Alone with her teenage daughter they are brutally attacked. Lily decides to take the law into her own hands. The book raises the question what would you do? I have read all of the author's books & enjoyed all of them.

Marie-Louise Molloy
VANISH by Tess Gerritsen

Rizzoli & Isles series, books are better than TV series (good too!) and if you love suspense/thriller genre this is for you!

NANCY HOLLIS
11/22/63 by STEPHEN KING

I have read all of King's books, but this is completely different from anything else he has written. In my opinion, this is the BEST book of all. It is not a horror story and although its topic is time travel, it is beautifully written and is actually a love story of sorts.

Lesley Fry
Spartina by John Casey

Dick Pierce is a genuine working-class hero, a Rhode Island fisherman bound and determined to build his own 50 foot boat in his backyard. He is a good father, usually a kind man, a hard worker, but very irritating in some ways. This book was published in 1989 and the sequel, Compass Rose, just came out and is on my want list. Being from Rhode Island and having sailed these waters made me pick up this book, but the author is a winner of the National Book Award and I can see why.

Andria Plonka
The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbol

What I found most interesting about this book is that it was translated from Danish by the author. The perspective is different than a translation by another person. Also when characters in the book are speaking the author is careful to indicate what language they are speaking in, and in some cases, why they are using that language.

Krismar Ramker
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John Le Carré

A great suspense, espionage novel. Anxious to see how the mystery unfolds!

Rosemary Sobczak
Death Benefit by Robin Cook

Great read but he failed to satisfactorily explain WHO physically stole and delivered the poison.

Susan Kellett
Snowdrops by Andrew Miller

Booker short list finalist. Modern day Moscow. Great writing descriptive. When the snow melts in Russia bodies are found that are called snowdrops. Short but thought provoking.

Krys Glavin
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I heard so much about this book when it was first published, and I did enjoy reading it. I thought the descriptions were beautiful, and at times I felt I was actually at "the night circus". There were some parts of the book that I found to be "dragged out" which is why I gave it 4 stars.

lanita currin
The Kingdom of Childhood by Rebecca Coleman

Very good book although it tackles some very disturbing material, i.e. child molestation between teacher and student, the main character has many deadly flaws which date back to her childhood. The book details her mental unraveling in graphic detail. Very dark subject but totally engaging.

Betty Chrastka
A Test of Wills: The First Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery (Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries) by Charles Todd

Set right after World War I, a shell shocked detective tries to put the pieces of his mind together while solving a mystery in the English countryside.

Annette Schmidt
The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great by Eva Stachniak

Very informative and entertaining story of Catherine the Great. Full of intrigue, spying, and political decisions that shaped Catherine as she ascended the throne of Empress of All Russias.

Kathy Iwasaka
Live Wire (Myron Bolitar) by Harlan Coben

Have been a fan of Coben and his Myron Bolitar since the beginning, and this one keeps the fun alive. Brutal, quirky, and mysterious, the fast pace and intrigue don't stop, and the family drama adds another layer. Can't wait to see where this one goes --- it's keeping me up nights.

Sheila M.
Pirate King: A Novel of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes (Russell & Holmes, Book 11) by Laurie King

Slooooow mystery and not very well developed for a series that has been around awhile. Everything was backstory until page 175. With a 300 page novel she had to throw in a lot at the end for some semblance of a story. I won't read another in this series. I gave the story one star but added another star for the quality of the writing.

Joanne Bozik
Tough Customer: A Novel by Sandra Brown

Excellent read, love, love her books, true page turners, great characters, suspense, romance. I look forward to reading all of her books and I've already read many.

Judy Quast
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

This has to be one of the best books that I have ever read. I was hooked from the very first page & the characters were definitely brought to life by Mr. Follett's writing. This was the first (but not the last) book I've read by Follett.

Judy Quast
The Goodbye Quilt by Susan Wiggs

Loved reading this book. The relationship between this mother & daughter was at times strained. I was glad that the daughter was able to do her own thing & the mom was able to let her go home & live her own life with her husband.

Judy Quast
The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

This book was wonderful. I enjoy reading about the war years. Vivienne finally had some love in her life with Gunther. The ending made me cry.

Janis Apgar
The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon

Excellent story of a mentally challenged girl and a deaf man...starting in the late 60s and going through 2011. It goes through the thinking of the time of just "putting these people away" and not offering much hope. But it also goes through their lives and the changes in the system over the years. Excellent writing, descriptions and wonderful story... Absolutely loved it!

Jean Vierig
Dial H for Hitchcock (Cece Caruso Mystery #5) by Susan Kandel

I have enjoyed this light mystery packed with Hitchcock trivia.

Muriel Logan
Still Alice by Lisa Genova

The author has written a realistic portrait of the cruel disease of early onset Alzheimer's. It made the book especially sad that Alice was a college professor with a linguistic background. She was someone who gave lectures concerning language and eventually wasn't able to communicate that language well to others. The book left me with a better understanding of what a person with Alzheimer's would go through and the helplessness also of those who cared about Alice.

Carolyn Fagan
The Orphan Master's Son: A Novel of North Korea by Adam Johnson

With North Korea continually in the news I found this book engrossing and enlightening.

Marsha
Damage by John Lescroart

A powerful couple in San Francisco will stop at nothing to protect their son who has been released from prison on a technicality. Although the son is suspected in numerous revenge killings, the family is relentless in making trouble for the D.A, the police chief and homicide investigator and any witness that could testify against him in his new trial. It is the power of revenge vs. the pursuit of justice.

Lynn W
The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by David McCullough

Mr. McCullough gets 4 stars and a great big BRAVO for his book. This is the story of American artists, writers, doctors, politicians, architects, and others who studied in Paris between 1830 and 1900. "The Medicals" was my favorite chapter.

Carol
Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy

I love Binchy's books. They're like visits with old friends.

Paulette Mandell
Lunatics by Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel

I always have a book going at work in addition to the one (or more) I am reading at home. This is the first book that I laughed out loud at while reading. It brightens up the worst day with a good hearty belly laugh on every page.

Pat S.
Pieces of Dreams by Charlotte Vale-Allen

Older book but very good --- felt so sorry for the main character in all that she endured after the accident. Sadly, lots of people in this world have to endure "shunting" by other folks.

Pat S.
The Blue Bistro, Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand

Absolutely LOVED both books. I am reading my way through all Elin Hilderbrand has written and loving each and every one of them. Definitely love that she sets her books in Nantucket. Absolutely can't get enough of them!

J Ipsen
Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton

Fascinating read about owning and running a restaurant/kitchen. Hamilton is direct and very straightforward. A terrific writer.

Susan Myers
The World We Found: A Novel by Thrity Umrigar

I had already read Umrigar's last two books, "The Space Between Us" and "The Weight of Heaven", and loved them both. This new book of hers did not disappoint! Another great read by this author, the story of 4 women, who grew up in India together. This story delves into the clash between traditional Indian attitudes and much more liberal ones. After 30 years, the 4 friends renew their friendship and find out that they have little in common, but the history they share. This is a wonderful story, and again, as in the author's other books, the reader is immersed in the Indian culture.

Valerie Giambona
American Dervish: A Novel by Ayad Akhtar

I love debut novels and American Dervish did not disappointed me. It was beautifully written, the characters unforgettable. This book led me to seek books on Pakistan, and muslims. It also gave me a feel similar to Kite Runner. Not that the stories are the same, just the same insight into how life affects people. I am going to use this book for my book club.

Denise Beierbach
Bond Girl: A Novel by Erin Duffy

I quite liked the style of writing and the story. I may decide to read more of her books.

Laura Beierbach
The Rope by Nevada Barr

I really enjoyed it for a Sunday read.

Kathryn McNamara
When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

I liked this book. A good story and spin on crime and alternative punishments in a futuristic society. The idea of the story is great, but to me, the relationships between the characters was lacking. I think sisters have a tighter bond, friendships run more deeply and women are more capable of standing on their own, even after falling hard for the wrong man.

Elaine McIntosh
The Drop (Harry Bosch) by Michael Connelly

A very enjoyable book. It was fascinating to see Bosch work two cases at one time. One new...one old!

Rosetta Robinson
Forbidden Falls (Wheeler Hardcover) by Robyn Carr

I absolutely love this book so far. I am about half-way through reading it and the characters come alive for me. As Carr describes some of the characters you can actually see them in your mind. If the first half of this book is any indication of the last half, I will be thrilled with this book. Carr is a great author.

Carrie Wall
American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee by Karen Abbott

Great --- now I have to see "Gypsy" again!

Diana Huey
South of Broad: A Novel by Pat Conroy

A very good story about the lives of an unlikely group of friends that come together in high school. Conroy does a great job of developing the characters and giving you a peek into their lives and the secrets we all harbor.

Crystal Blackburn
White House Pet Detectives: Tales of Crime and Mystery at the White House from a Pet's-Eye View by Carole Nelson Douglas (editor)

"White House Pet Detectives" is a wonderful collection of short mysteries involving presidential pets. It is entertaining and interesting. I would love to see another collection or three of this type of stories.

Rhonda Struthers
Six Seconds by Rick Mofina

If you haven't read Rick Mofina, I urge you to give him a try. His books are well written, plotted and suspenseful. This book is more of the same.

Lorna
The Tarnished Eye: A Novel of Suspense by Judith Guest

Great murder mystery based on a crime in the 60's that has never been solved. A family of 6 is brutally murdered at their summer retreat. Somehow the murders seem connected to a killing spree in a nearby town. The local sheriff works with the head investigator from the town where several young woman have been raped and murdered.. Every chapter keep you on the edge of your seat...

Martha Brown
The Tiger's Wife: A Novel by Tea Obreht

Using tales from her grandfather, a young woman doctor gains insight into the history and cultural background of a country divided and wounded by war. A very creative approach to the construction of this novel.

Elaine Beierbach
Bond Girl: A Novel by Erin Duffy

Great choice of book. Should suit many readers.

Bonnie Gluhanich
The Adults: A Novel by Alison Espach

Some of the book jacket blurbs describe this as "one of the funniest books I've read in a long time" and "devastatingly funny". I didn't get that. But it's a thoughtful, thought-provoking, coming-of-age, family drama that will be a great book-club read. It's definitely worth reading. I agree more with the reviewers who called it "wry", "fresh", and "razor sharp".

Dennis Beierbach
The Rope by Nevada Barr

An easy read...needed more 'meat'.

Dottie Scott
Sara's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

I really thought this book was interesting. I did not even know that this happened in 1942.

Susan
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Even though this book is the start of a trilogy written for teens, I thoroughly enjoyed it. A futuristic look at life after life as we know it is destroyed and the world becomes a very different place. I could not stop reading . . . the Hunger Games is a required event where children are pitted against each other after their names are drawn from a bowl of names submitted to the government. Age twelve and up they fight to the last of 24 entrants winning their own life and pride for their district. On to the second book . . can't wait to see where this series goes.

Leila Smith
The Survival of Thomas Ford by John A. A. Logan

I loved this novel! Although the interiors are dark, this book has something for just about everyone. It is a thriller, no doubt, with compelling action sequences. I kept reading straight to the end --- it is a "page turner." It is a strange romance between victims, thrown together by proximity and circumstance. For those with a philosophical bent, The Survival of Thomas Ford seriously examines whether or not the universe allows accidents, and why good things happen to bad people (and vice versa). For those interested in the fatalistic Celtic universe of folk lore and legend, The Survival of Thomas Ford is your book. However, the book is really Jimmy's story --- Jimmy is one of the most brilliant characters you will meet in literature, and I use that term advisedly, because this is a literary novel, too. And yet, superficially, Jimmy reminds us of someone we may know. That is part of the terror of this book. Euripides and Jeremiah warn: "The gods visit the sins of the fathers upon the children," and the prophecy is fulfilled. It is, above all else, a deep psychological study. The characters are well-developed, with a depth and realism unusual in contemporary writing. But the landscapes, the atmosphere, the settings also loom large in this book, taking on a life of their own. The prose is a pleasure to read and it ferries the reader quickly along the Styx to the inexorable windswept hill of horrors. Logan is an unusually literate writer. I could sometimes hear the echoes of the ancient Celts who painted themselves blue and danced naked on the battlefield; maybe the echoes of Henry James; vividly feel the warmth of Lorna's comely figure; the iciness of Jack's ambition in the subtlety of the language. You will like Thomas Ford and I hope Logan is already at work on another novel.

Debbie M
Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George

As usual, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this lengthy novel. So many characters and so many lies throughout this wordy tome. I loved the transformation of Barbara Havers, grieved the problems between Simon and Deborah, and forgave Thomas his many sins. The story centers on the many lies we tell others and ourselves, such as the lies of parents, of spouses, of children, and of friends. I felt that George tied up all the loose ends of the story with the exception of Kaveh, the lover of Ian Cresswell. George explores many areas in this novel: the relationship of parents and children, the relationship of spouses, and the relationship of friends. Each character brings a story waiting to unfold. George shows two men and the route traveled by each in understanding their psyche. George also writes beautiful and detailed setting. When one of the characters struggles in quicksand, the reader feels the frenzy and then the acceptance. The novel also shows Thomas/Tommy is ready to change and enter the world following his wife's killing.

Mark Freeburg
House of Prayer No. 2: A Writer's Journey Home by Mark Richard

He was called a “special child”. In the South, this was a term used for mentally and physically challenged children. Born with bad hips and a slow demeanor, raised by an alcoholic, quick-tempered father, the boy’s chances in life looked mighty slim, destined to be another discarded outcast. This astounding memoir follows this “special child”, growing up in rough-hewn Appalachia, subjected to torments from his peers, going through painful surgeries, to correct his deformed hips and finally landing him in adulthood, aimless and confused. After stumbling through a series of jobs --- like disc jockey, fishing trawler deckhand, private investigator and failed seminarian, to name just a few --- he finally settled into the life of a writer. An amazing talent was born.

Mary Vernau
Started Early, Took My Dog: A Novel by Kate Atkinson

I highly recommend Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie series. Her attention to character development is simply the best!

Rita
American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee by Karen Abbott

This is the story of Gypsy Rose Lee, a burlesque star of the 1900's. It is the story of how she survived her mother's extreme stage management of Rose (Louise) and her younger sister, June, and made herself a star. The book had much surprising information and much interesting information about the early 20th century. It's flaw is its structure which keeps going back and forth in time, a technique which does not work well in this book.

Johanna Bouchard
The Stranger You Seek: A Novel by Amanda Kyle Williams

Great book! Terrific plot with a surprise ending I didn't see coming. The book was a blast to read, and I breezed through it in only a couple of days.

Colin Beierbach
Bond Girl: A Novel by Erin Duffy

I am not much of a reader, but this book was recommended to me. Ho-hum...not bad but I didn't find it exceptional either.

Carrie
Rules of Civility: A Novel by Amor Towles

Nice little jaunt through 1938 New York City with a very likable female narrator. As Katey moves through and up in society, you get a real sense of the time and mindset in this chaotic time at the end of the Depression and just before entering WWII. With a bit of jazz and some romance sprinkled throughout, I found it quite enjoyable.

Denise Beierbach
Bond Girl: A Novel by Erin Duffy

A good book. I think this author still has the potential for growth.

Rosemary Saar
The Winters in Bloom: A Novel by Lisa Tucker

I am reading this book because I have had such luck with authors and books from BookReporter. This is a very good read, sad, but how true! Thank you.

Carol Grubbs
The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney

A newly divorced detective takes on the case of a missing gypsy girl married off into another gypsy family. The chapters alternate between the detective and the gypsy family. Really interesting, and what an ending!

marge stembel
The Sixth Man by David Baldacci

This is an exciting futuristic novel of suspense that takes place in Maine and the Washington DC area. The plot has many twists and turns before we find out who the"bad guys" really are.

marge stembel
South of Broad: A Novel by Pat Conroy

This novel gives Charleston flavor to a plot full of unique characters whose lives entwine starting with their teen years. Many dysfunctional lives pulsate through the time periods focused on in this novel.

Trevor Boland
Typhoon by Charles Ryan

If you like detailed action, this is one of the top books to read. It is about the war between the Americans and the Japanese, a thriller that makes you want to never put down the book!

Nancy A. Gingerelli
The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great by Eva Stachniak

And I have just started it! Very well written.

KG
The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

I don't feel this is Sparks' best book, but I am glad I read it. The characters are interesting, but the reader can't help but feel sad for them and the lives they lead. I found the ending very disappointing and predictable.

Laura Beierbach
Bond Girl: A Novel by Erin Duffy

I enjoyed this book. It made me go through a gauntlet of emotions.

Elaine Beierbach
Bond Girl: A Novel by Erin Duffy

I am glad somebody recommended this book. It passed the grade but left me wanting more....It was easy to put down and pick up.

Elizabeth Vollbach
Big Miracle by Tom Rose

BIG MIRACLE is the nonfiction story of a nonevent (Rose’s word) in 1988 that became so huge it captured the attention of the world and just about preempted a presidential election in the United States. In Barrow, Alaska --- “the tip of the world” --- three whales were trapped beneath ice and couldn’t migrate south to warmer waters as they did every year at that time. They would die when a hole in the ice froze over and they were unable to breathe. This was a nonevent, says Rose, because it was not uncommon; whales became trapped under ice and died every year for thousands of years. This was wildlife. But it still became an event because the media made it an event. Rose initially makes the mistake of subjecting readers, who probably expect the story of the whale rescue, to many long descriptions of whaling and the whaling industry and many long paragraphs of historical detail about whaling. While that interests some of us, it isn’t the animal story readers expect. Although Rose could argue that these details are necessary to understanding the story of the three trapped whales, I still insist that he overdid it. He could and should have stated simply that a long-time whaler in Barrow, Alaska discovered, just by chance, three whales trapped under the ice. Rose is a successful journalist. But he wrote this book like he didn’t study journalism in college. Keep it brief, simple. Although Rose continues with stories that were less dull, stories of life at the top of the world and how the media, the rescuers, and the players in the rescue did their jobs there, BIG MIRACLE is still easy to put down. Background information about most participants in the rescue, and even some of the reporters, added context to the story, but much of the historical detail was unnecessary. And so was the repetition. Sometimes I wanted to scream, too much information, Tom! So, if you think this book is strictly about three trapped whales and the efforts to save them, think again. Rose also has a valid point to make: real news stories were ignored in favor of this nonevent. Rose was one of those reporters.

Elizabeth Vollbach
The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great by Eva Stachniak

THE WINTER PALACE: A NOVEL OF CATHERINE THE GREAT by Eva Stachniak is historical fiction. The historical part is about Catherine, so I guess that’s why Stachniak put her in the subtitle. But the story is told by one of her fictional maids, Barbara, and is very much about her. Barbara was like a Dickens character in that she began as the lowliest of lows and eventually became a great friend and confidant of Catherine. The two were together from the time Catherine was Sophie, a poor princess trying her best to marry the next Russian emperor. Barbara saw Catherine accomplish her objective but then become nothing more than a vessel to produce the next heir to the throne. And then when she did, the baby was immediately taken away from her. Barbara’s is probably a good example of a palace employee and of all the spying and deceit that went on there. But this (spying and deceit) were the subjects more than Catherine. Eventually, as we know, Catherine takes the throne. But, as with all historical fiction, it’s difficult to know what is fiction and what is fact about how that came to be. I've read better historical fiction. This book bored me for the most part.

Elizabeth Vollbach
Motor City Shakedown by D.E. Johnson

MOTOR CITY SHAKEDOWN by D.E. Johnson takes place in Detroit, Michigan in the early 20th century, an uncommon but prime setting for crime fiction. Johnson’s accurate descriptions of people, places, and things there during that time reminded me of Dennis Lehane’s descriptions of Boston in his book THE GIVEN DAY, which also takes place during the early 20th century, although about a decade later. Unlike THE GIVEN DAY, though, MOTOR CITY SHAKEDOWN is the second book in a series. And that may be a problem because it cannot stand alone. Without having read the first in the series, THE DETROIT ELECTRIC SCHEME, the reader will not understand much of the first 50 pages of MOTOR CITY SHAKEDOWN.

Elizabeth Vollbach
Vacation by Matthew J. Costello

VACATION by Matthew Costello is a horror story, which, at my age, just seems silly. But surprise: its horror eventually becomes thrilling. I couldn’t put the book down until I fell asleep and it dropped. The story opens at a police station on a night that began quiet but becomes busy as two of the few remaining policemen in New York city arm themselves for another confrontation with Can Heads. Yes, “Can Heads.” That name confirmed for me that this would be silly. No explanation is given for what Can Heads are or where they came from other than a couple vague statements about possibilities; no explanation of the reason so few policemen remain; no explanation for citizens’ unwillingness to leave their homes. And why the heck is the government unable to protect the citizens? Isn’t that the reason government exists? No explanation there, either. All this lack of explanation bugged the heck out of me. But I decided to read 50 pages before I threw the book against the wall. Apparently, there had been a “Great Drought” (the book’s capitalization, not mine). Water became less plentiful and very expensive “like gold.” That affected the food supply, and many people were starving. Then, for some unknown reason (other than “a switch was thrown”), Can Heads showed up and began to terrorize everyone, make them afraid to leave their homes. The Can Heads just rose from the ground and had very sharp teeth. So what, exactly, are Can Heads? At first Costello gives no explanation. But, as the story continues, the reader can gather that Can Heads look and act like crazed animals, but they think like crazed humans. They are “human animals.” They are hungry, and they eat people. So I guess “can” is short for “cannibal.” Anyhow, back to the policemen. Their confrontation with the Can Heads leaves one policeman partly devoured, while another, Jack, escapes with only a chunk bit from his leg and goes on vacation. Up to this point, VACATION seems to be nothing more than a silly story with monsters, like a child’s nightmare. But now comes the vacation in VACATION. I have in my hands the very brochure that Jack is considering for his vacation, a great marketing idea for this book. It’s a brochure advertising a safe vacation spot with lots of good food, the rest and relaxation that Jack and his family (wife and two kids) need. In spite of VACATION’s faults, this vacation does become a thriller. No kidding. It’s anything but R&R, especially for Jack. This beautiful vacation spot surprises with even more horror. VACATION isn’t for everyone. But even I, all set to dismiss it as nothing but silliness, became caught up in this story that turned out to be a thriller.

Elizabeth Vollbach
A Small Furry Prayer: Dog Rescue and the Meaning of Life by Steven Kotler

A SMALL FURRY PRAYER: DOG RESCUE AND THE MEANING OF LIFE by Steven Kotler is nonfiction. I prefer nonfiction to fiction when it tells a story, which nonfiction doesn't always do. In this case, the book does and doesn’t. It really is about what the subtitle says, dog rescue and the meaning of life. The book begins when Kotler is 40 and wants to do something different with the rest of his life. He falls in love with a dog rescuer, Joy. I loved Joy and the dogs. So dog rescue turns out to be both the subject of the book and the “something different” that Kotler adds. Kotler moves from LA to New Mexico with Joy and her dogs. They live in a home with lots of property and lots of solitude. Joy’s pack of dogs becomes Kotler’s pack as well. And the pack keeps growing as the local humane society gets more unadoptable dogs, i.e., dogs who are sick, maybe dying, retarded, ugly, etc. But freelance writing assignments are much harder to come by in the out-of-the-way place they now live. So money is always an issue, and they make their choices based on that: $20 or $60 dog food? medical treatment for the dogs or euthanasia? rescue 13 or 10 dogs? and so on. Chapters of this book tell stories of their lives with their dogs, with Kotler’s thoughts on particular incidents. This leads to much philosophizing and a lot of research and examination. Some chapters are continuation of examination of issues from the previous chapter. But you could still say that A SMALL FURRY PRAYER does tell a story because the chapters are presented in chronological order. Yet, each chapter of the book could stand on its own. This is a device many writers of nonfiction use, and it is often successful. John Grogan used it in MARLEY & ME. He put together the newspaper columns he wrote about his family’s life with their dog, and look how well that book did. Although that type construction doesn’t entirely work with me, in both cases (both MARLEY & ME and A SMALL FURRY PRAYER) I liked almost every chapter. (In A SMALL FURRY PRAYER, I could have done without a whole chapter on dogs and sex.) But these books came across as what they are: many common but separate stories or (as in the case of A SMALL FURRY PRAYER) stories that lead to thoughtful examinations. The common question running throughout A SMALL FURRY PRAYER is has Kotler chosen the right path for the rest of his life? The book follows his examination of the path he chose: dog rescue. The separate stories of dogs that Kotler and Joy rescue are touching, Igor’s story especially so. You’ll see. The book is not a single, detailed story, my preference. Just the same, I loved the individual stories, and Kotler’s examinations are excellent. His viewpoints are validated by much research that is so much like those of Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, that I emailed Kotler to ask him. Unfortunately not, but I’m betting it will meet at some point. As for my comparison of A SMALL FURRY PRAYER and MARLEY AND ME, it ends with their construction. In my opinion, honestly, A SMALL FURRY PRAYER far outweighs MARLEY AND ME. While I enjoyed MARLEY AND ME because it was often laugh-out-loud funny, I prefer stories that are thoughtful as well as humorous, as those in A SMALL FURRY PRAYER are.

KLG
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick

I read this book right around Thanksgiving which made some of the history particularly poignant. Very informative. Great use of different perspectives. He really made the people come alive. It was interesting to see how important the personalities of certain individuals were in shaping the time period. The only negative about the book is that certain points during the beginning were repetitive.

Tawnya
The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney

Who knew there are still Gypsies living on the road in these modern times? Private Investigator Ray Lovell is assigned the task of finding a lost daughter who was married to such a Gypsy. This book is spellbinding as the mystery unfolds and surprises abound. The culture of the Gypsies is quite interesting and the characters are unforgettable. Well worth 5 stars.

Michelle Archer
11/22/63: A Novel by Stephen King

Stephen King's main character in 11/22/63 discovers a way back in time to 1958. He sets out to change history by preventing the JFK assassination but history does not want to be changed. King's take on time travel will grab your attention in the first few pages and won't let go. Really a fun read.

Michelle Archer
If I Stay by Gayle Forman

A young girl in a coma after a tragic car accident reviews her life, deliberating whether or not to stay. A beautiful YA novel. Well written.

Jud Hanson
Stalin's Ghost: An Arkady Renko Novel (Arkady Renko Novels) by Martin Cruz Smith

While I normally like Smith's books, I wasn't fond of this one. It rambled a bit and was very hard to process in terms of the larger plot.

Jud Hanson
Inferno (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 6) by Troy Denning

Book 6 continues seeing Jacen Solo becoming ever more power hungry and manipulative, hunting his parents hiding on Corellia and gathering his forces for one final power play to establish control of the Galactic Alliance.

Reva Wamsley
The Jefferson Key: A Novel by Steve Berry

I absolutely loved this book. It's action from beginning to end. Cotton Malone stops an assassination attempt on the president and finds out that Steffanie Nolle is missing. At the heart of everything is the Commonwealth, a society of privateers which goes back to the beginning of our country. Cotton, along with with a member of the Commonwealth, is working to decipher a code from Andrew Jackson to find out where a missing document is hidden. The search leads to Nova Scotia. Meanwhile, Cassiopeia is trying to rescue Stephanie.

Nancy Clark
The Tiger's Wife: A Novel by Téa Obreht

I enjoyed the way the author tied the events of the day with old legends from the narrator, Natalia's, grandfather.

Nancy Clark
The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

Loved this book --- it kept me guessing the whole time and kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next.

Debbie M
Grace: A Christmas Sisters of the Heart Novel by Shelley Shepard Gray

I enjoy learning about Amish life and their interaction with other people and with God. In this story, a bitter widower goes to Ohio to an Amish bread and breakfast inn. A young, raped, and very pregnant Amish woman goes to the same inn for the Christmas week. The story unfolds in a tale that life carries bitterness, caution, and jealousy. Many times, the Amish are labeled as "Plain", which in this story translates to a belief in a simple life based on the Bible. The story also exposes the criticism of the Amish amongst themselves. Grace stands as a big word in the Amish vocabulary. Without God's grace, people become like driftwood with no anchor. Characters and setting are simplistic, but the message of hope, understanding, and love shine throughout the story.

Judy O.
Gun Games: A Decker/Lazarus Novel (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus) by Faye Kellerman

This is one of Kellerman's best works. Gabe Whitman is a 15-year-old piano prodigy who lives with Lieutenant Decker and his wife Rina. Gabe meets Yasmine, a young aspiring opera singer, and they fall in love. The two lovers come in violent contact with a student-led group of teens who call themselves a "Mafia". The group has access to guns and drugs, and they are suspected of causing the deaths of two teens. There's a very satisfying ending and lots of action.

Lynn
The Tortilla Curtain: A Novel (Penguin Ink) by T. C. Boyle

I highly recommend this book (as long as you aren't in the mood for a "feel good" book). The author has written the novel so that you see both sides of some of the illegal immigrant issues and can empathize with both. Very well written --- it is a book that will stay with you for a long time.

Constance
Swamplandia! by Karen Russell

Ava Bigtree is one fifth of her family's alligator wrestling team, who own and operate Swamplandia! theme park. They are a kooky yet happy family until a sudden, devastating loss marks the beginning of the end for Swamplandia! Ava does everything in her power to keep her family and Swamplandia! together. It was a bit slow at the beginning, picked up toward the middle. But as the pace got quicker the tone only got sadder and sadder.

K T Scarlett
Caleb's Crossing: A Novel by Geraldine Brooks

A solid historical novel about the first Native American to attend and graduate from Harvard College. This well-researched book covers the events around the 1660s in Cambridge, MA and Martha's Vineyard. Deplorable women's rights, or lack thereof, and the treatment of Native Americans are front and center.

Jud Hanson
Fury (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 7) by Aaron Allston

Jacen Solo is officially dead and Darth Caedus has been born. Determined to maintain his hold on the Galactic Alliance, Caedus will stop at nothing to destroy anything or anyone in his way, including friends and family. What he doesn't count on though is the determination of the Skywalkers and Solos to either bring him back into the fold or see him destroyed. Great book if you are a SW fan.

Marion Miller
The Little Russian by Susan Sherman

Oh, those Russian Revolutions, uprisings etc. An unusual twist but nothing earthshaking. Poverty, war, etc.

Lori Landers
The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon

This touching, thought provoking novel will keep you thinking about it long after you put it down. This book is written by the same author who wrote RIDING THE BUS WITH MY SISTER.

Jane Squires
Picture Perfect Family by Renee Andrews

The perfect family is not always what you expect. As this story unfolds, Mandy Carter has so much grief to deal with. She has lost family. She is raising her nephew. Then Daniel returns home from the Missions field. He feels he has to rescue Mandy from the care of their nephew so she can live her dreams. Only her dream has changed since Kaden, her nephew, arrived as part of her life. She finds dreams can change. God's path can lead through some rough waters. God does not cause the tragedies but God takes bad and turns it to good. The last part was hard for me. As one who has hit a tree, the reminder has been near lately. I know the pain of an accident more than once. Also I know God works through it and heals. This is a book of hope, forgiveness and healing.

Valerie Giambona
American Dervish by Ayad Akhtar

I love debut authors, and I received this book at ALA conference. Beautifully written, with characters you are unlikely to forget. It gives you insight on how hard it is to grow-up muslim for a young person with some much American influence around you. Good Read.

Debbie M
I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley

Bradley writes of England in the 1950's with Flavia de Luce as his 11-year old detective. The week of Christmas is the setting, and Flavia has concocted a formula that will catch Father Christmas. The manor home of Buckshaw has been leased to a filming company. Snowstorms plummet the area. Then the unspeakable happens when the leading actress is found strangled. Flavia hastens to discover the killer before the police solve the case. The story abounds in delightful characters.

Debbie M
Room by Emma Donoghue

I forced myself to continue reading this tome. The story centers on a woman and her young son that are imprisoned in one room. The story explains the daily routine in year seven of the woman's captivity during her son's fifth birthday. Jack, the son, narrates the plight. His language is that of a 5-year old full of wonder of the world and excitement. The captor, Old Nick, comes daily to check on his hostages, and to bring supplies. The situation and repetition wore down my desire to complete the book.

Bonnie Gluhanich
The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

Beautifully written, well-developed characters, story that moves along nicely...makes for a satisfying novel. The use of quotes from Shakespeare interspersed throughout (one of the characters is a Shakespeare scholar) is appropriate and adds to the story.

Paul Dimino
The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

Norwegian author of the popular Harry Hole detective series. This is the second book I read in the series and really enjoyed it.

Ann Carr
No Presumption of Innocence by David Christopher

I just found a wonderful new author, David Christopher, whose book No Presumption of Innocence, was recommended to me by a friend. I was hooked from page one and found it quite easy to read. It is a murder suspense story,about a man accused of killing his wife, and the race to try and find the real killer.