What did you read over the holiday?

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The best book I read was Northern Lights by Nora Roberts. It's reminiscent of "Northern Exposure." Another one was by Luanne Rice called Dance With Me, about adoption and reunion. I give them both 5 stars.

In the nonfiction genre, I am reading Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea by Gary Kinder. It's the story of the Central America that sank off Cape Hatteras in 1857 loaded with millions of dollars in gold from California. I'm only halfway through, but I give it 4 stars.

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The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gullard.
This is the first of a trilogy and I am eager to complete the list. Her life as a young girl is fascinating. She is a much stronger character than I imagined.

Ireland by Frank Delaney.
Sure, and this is a grand telling of the history, legends and myths of Ireland. If you've a drop of Irish blood in your ancestry or are simply a lover of well-told tales, this is the book for you. Delaney nourishes your knowledge with an enchanting account of the glories, blessings, curse, and beauty of the history of Ireland. What a grand treat.

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Over the holidays I read Wish You Were Here by Rita Mae Brown and A Home of Her Own by Brenda Novak.

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So Help Me God by Larry Thompson. A gripping courtroom drama!

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If Chins Could Kill by Bruce Campbell
Classical Whodunits edited by Mike Ashley
Levine by Donald L. Westlake
Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich

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I started reading Tami Hoag. I have found her early writing rather limited, but I enjoyed A Thin Dark Line.

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The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

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A Salty Piece of Land by Jimmy Buffett

Peggy Carlin, Hurst, TX
Over the holidays I read Amagansett by Mark Mills and The Hour Game by David Baldacci, but my most delightful find and the book I most enjoyed is Lowcountry Boil by Carl T. Smith. It was impossible to put down. I cannot recommend it enough to those who like a well-plotted mystery, intriguing characters and a great sense of place --- it is set in the low country of South Carolina. Reading Carl T. Smith's prose is like talking to someone. He is a wonderful storyteller. I was disappointed to find that he had published only one other novel.

Lee
I read Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. I bought it because it kept coming up on my Amazon recommendations list. It was much better than I thought it would be. It almost makes you feel like it's okay to marry your sister...almost.

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The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Both of which I highly recommend!

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Surviving Christmas by John Grisham.
Very good book. So unexpected that Grisham was the author.

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I read The Killing Hour by Lisa Gardner and Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles.

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Spanish Steps: One Man & His Ass on the Pilgrim Way to Santiagoby Tim Moore.
A really good read --- a bit like Bryson, but far less cynical.

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Over the holidays I read The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore. Loved it!!

BJ
One of the books I read over the holidays was John Dunning's The Bookman's Promise. Looking forward to his newest The Sign of the Book.

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No Angel by Penny Vincenzi
Los Alamos by Joseph Canon
Chindi by Jack McDevitt

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Since I am traveling to Alaska in March, I read Travelers' Tales Alaska, which is a collection of true stories. All were well-written and insightful about that distant, different state. It will be a great introduction to my trip.

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The book that I read over the holiday's was Beyond Suspicion by James Grippando. I would recommend this book to anyone.

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Two of may favorite authors had new books out. Fannie Flagg's A Redbird Christmas was charming and not just for the holiday season. If you enjoy her look at small Southern towns and their "interesting" residents, you'll love this one.

Margaret Truman's Murder in Union Station takes some interesting twists and turns. The victim is a Mafia king, returned from the witness protection program in Israel (?) to testify at a Senate hearing that could potentially destroy a presidency. There's a character for everyone to like and/or hate: senators, detectives, authors, girlfriends, and of course, the Smiths. Not the best in the series but certainly enjoyable.

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I read City of Light by Lauren Belfer. It was a great read taking place in the late 1800s in Buffalo with the new discovery of electricity and harnessing the power of Niagara Falls. The story had politics, intrigue, romance and plot twists. I rate this book 4 1/2 stars.

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I read Shem Creek by Dorothea Benton Frank, Trace by Patricia Cornwell, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Timeby Mark Haddon.

Laurie Sharon, Dublin, Ohio
What did I read over the holiday? Thank you for asking!

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld.
I received an advance reader's copy. The book hit very close to home and brought back uncomfortable feelings of what it was like when I was in high school. I managed to complete the book, but at the end I felt pained and depressed. I think that's how the author wanted me to feel, and as such, I believe this book will do well. I am looking forward to reading more from this author, but in my own small way I hope she uses her writing powers for more positive works.

Sammy's Hill by Kristen Gore.
I listened to the audio book as I drove in perilously icy and snowy conditions. The 13 hours passed quickly and it was a great distraction from the horrid weather. I loved the book and appreciated the honest self reflection, neuroses, and humor of the heroine. I can't wait for another installment.

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A Widow for One Year by John Irving because of a life-changing event in my life in 2004 --- becoming a widow. Do most readers wish to become writers? There is a profusion of books about authors popular now and many authors in this book. It seems that Irving involves reader in relationship with writer, and this book is no exception.

Reone from Stowe
I read Night Fall by Nelson DeMille, one of my favorite writers. It was excellent. We used to live on Long Island and were there at the time of that plane crash. I always felt that it needed further investigation. He is such a good writer; he pulls you right into the plot and never lets go. The book is well-written, has a fast pace, and is one of those books that you can't put down.

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I indulged in some fun reading: The Red Hat Club by Haywood Smith, Death at the Spring Plant Sale by Ann Ripley, and Skeleton Man by Tony Hillerman. I enjoyed all three.

Sally B., San Antonio TX
The Last Noel by Michael Malone. 5 stars.
A very, very good book.

The Christmas Blessing by Donna VanLiere. 3 stars.
The sequel to The Christmas Shoes.

All Over But the Shouting by Rick Bragg. 4 stars.
Audiobook.

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Over the holidays I read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini andThe Red Hat Society: Fun and Friendship After Fifty by Sue Ellen Cooper. Khaled Hosseini is going to be at our local library February 10th. I am going to talk to my book club and see if anyone else is interested in going to see him speak. The Red Hat Society was a gift. At our December book club meeting, everyone bought a paperback wrapped up and we all drew a book. I drew that book. I am a member of the red hat society, so the book was appropriate. I enjoyed reading it.

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I'm reading and have been for a month now, Philip Roth's The Plot Against America. I like it, but find it slow going.

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I surprised myself by finding time to read (and finish) two books. One was The Da Vinci Code and the other Angels & Demons. I wonder what took me so long to discover Dan Brown? I got hooked on the Code and devoured Angels & Demons. I guess the busier you are the more time you find. I highly recommend these two books for a magical, taunt ride.

T. Shaw
Divining Women by Kaye Gibbons was a fascinating look at dysfunctional families in Victorian times. It tells the story of a pregnant woman beaten down emotionally by her controlling, twisted husband. The man's niece comes to live with them thinking she will be taking care of a baby when in fact she gives care to the wife. Clever story.

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I read Change Baby by June Spence, a new author, and the book was excellent, well-written and an interesting take on a disenfranchised 24-year-old who returns to her home to take care of her ill mother. She was a "change-of-life baby" and while helping her mother learns family secrets and sibling secrets --- things that help her understand who she is.

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The Treasured One by David and Leigh Eddings. Great book.

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A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg.
A very cute story for this time of the year, full of hope and the belief that we can make a difference.

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Four Souls by Louise Erdrich. As always, excellent.

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The book that I read over the holidays was Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons. I really enjoyed the book, which is about how friendships formed through the years of a book club. The character developments were good and our book club is reading a few books mentioned in the years that this book club ran. Highly recommended.

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I read Jan Karon's In This Mountain.

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Over Christmas I read The Christmas Train by David Baldacci and enjoyed it a lot. It was light reading, suitable for the holidays.

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Charming Grace by Deborah Smith
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Night Fall by Nelson DeMille
Whiteout by Ken Follett
Under Fire by Oliver North

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For our book group, we read the Truman Capote stories A Christmas Memory, One Christmas and A Thanksgiving Story. On my own I read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke.

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I just finished reading a fascinating mystery by Ruth Francisco,Good Morning, Darkness. This book is beautifully written, with characters who come to life in just a few, short sentences. You are immediately drawn into the story line and don't want to put the book down until you finish it, yet you don't want the book to end. As an avid reader, I especially enjoy a book that will challenge me, and this one did. I highly recommend it.

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I read The Bookseller of Kabul by a Norwegian author Asne Seierstad over the holidays. This is a marvelous insight into the workings of an Afghani family after the fall of the Taliban. A very informative and quick read, recently translated into English.

Note: The family patriarch who invited the author to live with his family for the purpose of writing about the culture has gone to Norway to sue the author because she described his mother as "fat."

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The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood

Ruth Ross
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth

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My book club chose My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult as the January selection. Excellent book! I plan to read some of her other books.

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I read Lucia, Lucia by Adriana Trigiani and I thought it was the most heartwarming book I have read in a long time. I recommend it certainly to anyone who came from an Italian family. I enjoyed it so much I bought it in large print for my mother and mother-in-law to read.

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Over the holidays I read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, a wonderful tale of a young shepherd's search for his Personal Legend in which he discovers not only his treasure but also himself and his relation to the universe and the people in it. From being robbed, to working in a crystal shop, to journeying through a desert, to being in the heart of a battle between warring desert tribes, the shepherd boy never loses sight of his goal thanks to the wisdom he gains from the those who assist him in his quest: a mysterious old man, the crystal shop owner, a lowly camel driver, and the alchemist. In the process he learns wisdom and what matters most, and how to commune with the Soul of the Universe. Very readable and well-written. Worth reading again and again.

Mimi
3rd Degree by James Patterson & Andrew Gross.
I really loved this book. The character development was just right and the story kept me reading as quickly as possible! I was sad to see it end!

Anonymous
I read One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, and The Hot Flash Club and The Hot Flash Club Strikes Again by Nancy Thayer.

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Over the holidays I read The Darling by Russell Banks, The Plot Against America by Philip Roth, and Runaway by Alice Munro.

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Hit Reply by Rockie St. Claire

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I read Mercy by Jodi Picoult. I planned on reading a holiday book (The Christmas Train by David Baldacci), but this one took me longer than I expected.

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Blowout by Catherine Coulter
Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs

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I read The Hour Game by David Baldacci. He is a local author, and I have read all his books. This book kept my attention until the last quarter, when it started to drag and I really didn't care who the murderer was. Maybe it was in the editing. Maybe it was just my state of mind or even the weather. Try it for yourself and you judge.

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Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.
My 13-year-old niece had to read a classic over the holidays and discuss it with someone other than her parents. It was a wonderful seasonal choice since it begins at Christmas and we loved talking about the March sisters.

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Black Wind by Clive Clusser.
Entertaining. New characters and new roles for old characters. New characters will keep this series interesting for years to come.

Skeleton Man by Tony Hillerman.
Short on story line but a fun read.

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A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg
London Bridges by James Patterson

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I read Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks. Wonderful book!

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Glass Lake by Maeve Binchy
Lady Chatterly's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
Keeping Christmas by Kathleen Stokker
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

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I read A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg, Before You Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian, The Christmas Thief by Mary & Carol Higgins Clark, and Winter House by Carol O'Connell.

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Light on Snow by Anita Shreve. 4 stars.
An Unfinished Life by Mark Spragg. 5 stars.

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Once Upon a Time by Slim Aarons.
A retrospect in photography of the lives of the leisure class. The rich, set in amber.

The Godfather Returns by Mark Winegardner.
Fuggiddaboutit.

Cluniac Monasticism by Noreen Hunt.
The power of the medieval monastic community on its culture and time.

Bebe in Texas
A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg
The Year of Living Famously by Laura Caldwell

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The Red Hat Club by Haywood Smith and I Am Charlotte Simmonsby Tom Wolfe. Loved the first, liked the second.

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Over the holiday I read Body Double by Tess Gerritsen. I absolutely love her and her books.

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The Mammoth Cheese by Sheri Holman
A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg

Sandra
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
A beautifully written novel that has some mystery elements. I would've chosen this for the best book of 2004 had I finished it on time.

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Serving Crazy with Curry by Amulya Malladi.
It was ok. Not one of the best books I have read, but it was an easy read.

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Over the holiday (and what a relaxing holiday it was) I readRebecca's Tale by Sally Beauman, The Romanov Prophecy by Steve Berry, and The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason. I didn't want to put Rebecca's Tale or The Rule of Fourdown. A great way to end the year!

Nancy Groves
I read one small book that I re-read every Christmas season: The Story of the Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke. I also read Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy in a new translation released several years ago. I'd had a copy for a year or so but had never had the time to get around to it, since it's extremely long.

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Over the holidays I read everything by Larry Brown.

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I finished The Eight by Katherine Neville and started Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, which I am thoroughly enjoying. The Eight was good but could have benefited from some editing.

Lynn
I critiqued a manuscript for a friend and read One for the Moneyby Janet
Evanovich, Body of Evidence by Patricia Cornwell, and Death and the Language of Happiness by John Straley.

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The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

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Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. 5 stars.
The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan. 5 stars.
The Translator by Ward Just. 4 stars.
Night Fall by Nelson DeMille. 4 stars.

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A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg

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Over the holidays, I read three of my favorite authors:

David Baldacci's The Hour Game
James Patterson's London Bridges
Nelson DeMille's Night Fall

All three were extremely exciting and page-turners, but that is what I always expect and get from those three superb authors.

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I spent a week before Christmas reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. I found it to be an excellent book and really raises the issues of conceiving a child in a genetic manner to save the life of her sister who is very ill.

I then read during the week between Christmas and New Year's on my trip to Los Cabos, Mexico, a very interesting book calledIceland's Bell by Hallador Laxness. The author has written over 50 books. This is the first book in English. I found it to really stretch my mind and think out of the box. I really enjoyed the article on Iceland today in Departure magazine, the January issue.

I also read A Song Flung Up to Heaven by Maya Angelou to inspire me for the New Year. She is filled with life and the book makes you appreciate how she opens her life and soul to many people.

My most favorite was Mother Theresa: A Complete Authorized Biography by Kathryn Spink. I wanted to start the New Year with a GREAT book. I loved this book. I am looking forward to reading this a second time. I couldn't help but think about Mother Theresa when the tsunami hit in Indonesia and how she would have handled this situation. This is a book for all human beings regardless of religion. A true blessing when you can read a book and it stays with you each day. She helps you to understand all religions in the world.

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Books I read over the holidays and liked a lot were:

Brimstone by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
The Godfather Returns by Mark Winegardner
Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn
Scorched Earth by David L. Robbins

Another book I read but considered to be average at best was The Frumious Bandersnatch by Ed McBain

Richard Mitchell, Atlanta, GA
I just finished One Shot by Lee Child, the latest installment in the Reacher series. It was a BIG disappointment. Silly plot, cardboard bad guys, Reacher not really doing anything interesting. This series had been getting better and better as Child got more comfortable in Reacher's skin. Unfortunately this one takes a giant step backwards. 1 1/2 stars.

B. Shaw
Over the holiday I read the following books:
Blue Dahlia by Nora Roberts
Forever and Always by Jude Deveraux
Holly by Jude Deveraux

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I got tired of waiting for the library to have this book available to me, so I bit the bullet and bought The Da Vinci Code. What an exciting book! I could hardly put it down. In a sense it was reading a religious book in keeping with the holidays! I enjoyed it so much that I have recently purchased all of Dan Brown's other books as well.

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Over the holidays I read several books but the most outstanding were:

Quietus by Vivian Schilling. I LOVED this book --- darkly haunting and thought provoking, it stayed with me weeks after I finished. 5 stars. Another great book I finally got around to reading wasSlammerkin by Emma Donoghue. 4 stars. I loved this historical book MUCH better than two others I also read: The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier (3 stars) and The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant (2 stars). Both of these were very slow and dull, although the writing itself in The Lady and the Unicorn was beautiful.

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Before You Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian

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Over the holidays I read:

Good Harbor by Anita Diamant
Good Grief by Lolly Winston
Kitchen Boy by Robert Alexander

All great reads.

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I read Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin. I know it's a bit old. I never heard of this book until my 13-year-old granddaughter read it and told me I should also read it. I try to read books she is also reading. I am starting the Lemony Snicket series next week. She told me I'm only behind 12 books. hehehe

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The Second Summoning by Tanya Huff.

Anonymous
A friend gave me Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen. My Dad passed away on December 22, and this book helped get me through. Wonderful book.

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I read Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons by Lorna Landvik. It was very enjoyable and easy to read.

Bill McQuaid
I read When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops? by George Carlin. Not a good choice for the holidays. A much better choice was The Rule of Four by Ian Rankin and Dustin Thomason. Also, Dark Fireby C.J. Sansom and The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell.

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Color Blind by Jonathan Santlofer

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Are You Afraid of the Dark? by Sidney Sheldon, only because it was a gift from a dear friend who doesn't know my reading taste and I didn't want to offend.

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Sock by Penn Jillette

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Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons by Lorna Landvik. I reluctantly read this book as it was our book club's choice for the month. What a surprise. It was well done and a good read. I just had to get over the title.

Celia Henry
Over the holidays, I read The Great Influenza by John Barry and reread Life of Pi by Yann Martel.

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Gilead by Marilynne Robinson! READ IT. Great read for a rainy/snowy winter evening!!!

Eleanor Mesagna
I loved reading Finding Annie Farrell by Beth Harpaz. I was able to relate to much of it, which may be why I liked it so much. I am now reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It's hard to put this book down.

Anonymous
I read The Kite Runner, which was just terrific. The book had sat on my nightstand throughout the holidays and then I read it in one day. I can't wait for Hosseini's next one --- he is such a gifted writer.

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The Red Hat Club by Haywood Smith. Funny and timely!

Mary Burke
Over the holidays I read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It was one of the best books that I read for the year.

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I read Wicked by Gregory Maguire and really enjoyed it. My daughter had just finished it and recommended it. It makes me want to rent The Wizard of Oz again!

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I am reading an older book that my 16-year-old grandson is presently reading in high school. It is The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor. I am really enjoying the character studies of the women involved. I like the author's style. I would rate this 4 stars.

I read The Kite Runner also and loved it, and rate it 5 stars plus. It taught me a lot about Afghanistan, which was a bonus for me.

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Over the holidays, I read Danielle Steel's latest novel, Echoes. The depth of her characters and the impact on their lives during the time period from World War I through the Second World War was both heartwrenching and extremely informative, especially the years from 1933-1945. I've read numerous books covering the Holocaust --- both fiction and nonfiction --- and this was one of the best.

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I read Shoulder the Sky by Anne Perry. I found it very informative and thought-provoking. I am looking forward to the next book in her series.

Jennie Wright
I read Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver and High Maintenance by Jennifer Belle. The first was quite good, the second was readable but not so good.

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The Christmas Thief by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark. A fun read and a quick read.

Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts. A good read. Beautiful descriptions of the Irish countryside. This is the first book in a trilogy and I'm off to the library to get the second and third books.

Laughter from Heaven by Barbara Johnson. A typical Barbara Johnson book. Snippets of laughter to make your day. One hundred and fifteen pages can be read in one sitting!

C. Atmore
What a treat. Two of my favorite writers have come on the market with great new books. These two writers I buy in hardcover because I cannot wait another year for the paperback. Michael Crichton's State of Fear and Nelson DeMille's Night Fall.

I felt that Mr. Crichton's book was not quite up to his extremely high standard. The storyline was somewhat exciting but lacked that rope tightening, edge of the chair necessity I've come to expect. I never got away from the idea that the story was anything but a convenient way of getting the facts across. The factual part was the saving grace. His use of footnotes lent a sense of authenticity and spared us from the labor of having to wade through boring scientific tonage. I'm ready to believe that global warming is being used to bilk millions from a trusting but uninformed public. I've always suspected that we actually only harm ourselves doing whatever it is we do that alters the environment. I mean, after billions of years how much change can we cause in one or two lifetimes?

Nelson DeMille's book, Night Fall, has the same cast of characters, I'm glad to say, that first came together in The Lion's Game. Corey, the central hero, who we've seen back on Plum Island, is still his irreverent and irascible self. Ms. Mayfield is still around and still a believable sidekick and love interest. DeMille's books and characters are as comfortable as mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs. Always a joy and never enough.

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I read Light on Snow, Anita Shreve's latest. I love her writing and, even though the topic was so sad, this book was no exception. I also read a British book entitled The Book Club. While not great, it was interesting and enjoyable light reading.

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Night Gardening by E. L. Swann and The Eight by Katherine Neville

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A Christmas Visitor by Anne Perry. 4 stars.
A great little mystery book around Christmas time. A death that brings a family together. How would your family finish the story if you were ever put in that position? It gets you thinking about morals, integrity and values in the end.

When Christmas Comes by Debbie Macomber. 5 stars.
Fast read. I loved how they described the Christmas town and the neighbor kids coming to visit with the "house swapper." This is a book in which you can laugh out loud and also shed a tear. Thanks Debbie for a fun book.

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Digital Fortress by Dan Brown

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Over the holidays I read Lady Chatterly's Lover by D.H. Lawrence (OK, a book club choice) and Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (I loved it as a book on tape --- great reader).

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Indelible by Karin Slaughter and Lucrezia Borgia and the Mother of All Poisons by Roberta Gellis

I wrapped them up for myself and put them under the Christmas tree!