February 1, 2008 - February 14, 2008
Last contest period's winners were [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected], who each received a copy of THE APPEAL by John Grisham and DUMA KEY by Stephen King.
| Judy O. ([email protected]) |
| Hand of Evil by J. A. Jance |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Jance never disappoints in any of the books from her several series that she writes. There were several mysteries going on here, with Ali Reynolds right in the middle of all of them. Suspenseful and fun to read. |
| Laura |
| Killer Takes All by Erica Spindler |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the sequel to SEE JANE DIE. Great mystery. I loved the character interaction and plot. Just like the other book, I didn't figure out who the killer was until the end. Super author. |
| Laura |
| See Jane Die by Erica Spindler |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Excellent! I had never read Erica before and now I plan to go back and find her other books. The characters are great, and the mystery kept me guessing until the end and then I was STILL surprised. Super reading! |
| Laura |
| The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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A bit different than Tess's previous books but definitely a page turner. It kept my attention from page 1. |
| Barbara in Jackson |
| Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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A beautifully written love story from a different time and place. The characters are all unique and interesting, and is a true love story to end all love stories. |
| Anne |
| Creation In Death by Nora Roberts |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Lieutenant Eve Dallas is searching for the Groom, a serial killer, that eluded her once before. This mystery is set in New York in the year 2060. Eve and her husband, billionaire Roarke, are determined to stop the killing. This mystery is fast paced with interesting characters and settings. Because it is set in the future, this book is filled with ideas of new technology and some amazing gadgets. |
| Dale |
| Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwell |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I thought the book was okay, but not one of her best. There were so many characters and settings that none of them were described as well as the author has done in her other novels. |
| Shawnee |
| All The Numbers by Judy Larsen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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I had to keep putting the book down because it made me cry so much. A heartbreaking and beautifully written story. I can't believe this was her first novel. It's going on my all-time favorites list! |
| Jen Mulsow |
| Mockingbird by Charles J. Shields |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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This was a great book on Harper Lee. He didn't have much to go on, but did a wonderful job of writing about her life. My book club had a very good discussion about this book. |
| Anne |
| Shoot Him If He Runs by Stuart Woods |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Stone Barrington and Holly Barker are in St. Marks, a vacation paradise...except this is no vacation for Stone and his friends. The CIA wants Stone to find a fugitive and the local authorities are not helping. Everyone appears to be hiding something. Although I am a fan of Woods, this book did not catch my interest. I found the plot drawn out and, at times, senseless. |
| Kellie ([email protected]) |
| Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This was a book my mother recommended to me. She read it several years ago and remembered how good it was. And oh, how good it was. This is a great story that is told over about 60 years from Europe to America. Archer tells 2 parallel stories, oe about Abel Rosnovki and one about William Kane. The story is so well told and so interesting that I felt torn between the two main characters and their stories. You feel pulled away from one story line when Archer takes you to the next. I enjoyed Archer's historical weave throughout each chapter, especially the history of Poland and the part it played in both World Wars. Fascinating! Each character is developed from birth by the author and he does an outstanding job of taking you through their childhood, teenage-school years and then adulthood. So, as a reader, you really get a feel for what they are made of and why they made the decisions they made throughout their lives. The stories cross paths throughout the book and the ending is a masterful surprise. I have already mooched the sequel, THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER, which I can't wait to read. |
| Martha E. |
| Barely the Bride by Rebecca Hagan Lee |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Set in 1813 England this is the first of a series featuring "Free Fellow League" confirmed bachelors, and how they fall in love. I listened to the first on Audible. It moved along well and was very enjoyable. I liked the characters but found the ending on this one was a little abrupt. Still, a fun series. |
| Martha E |
| Merely the Groom by Rebecca Hagan Lee |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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2nd in the Series, this continues the fun adventures in love, society and "spying" of the Free Fellows League. Fun, quick romance reads. |
| Martha E |
| Hardly a Husband by Rebecca Hagan Lee |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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3rd in the Free Fellows League series set in 1813. Still a fun romance read, but it seems that the author may have been rushing through these a bit. |
| Martha E |
| Truly a Wife by Rebecca Hagan Lee |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Okay --- I had to read them all since I started the series this month! This fourth dealt with the first of the "fellows" added to the bachelor's pack as an adult, not a child. Still, he gets caught in scandal, but not unhappily! Not sure if there were to be any more after this (there are other members) but the group is left exposed at the end. Very quick, easy reads. |
| J. Kaye Oldner ([email protected]) |
| Junk to Jewelry by Brenda Schweder |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Over all, there are 31 remarkable projects, plus additional information in the back. The eight-page gallery features stunning examples of artful jewelry to give you more ideas as well as resources available where you can find all sorts of doodads. |
| Alex Shelby |
| Five Days in Autumn by Langston Keane |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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I really enjoyed this book but probably never would have heard of it if it had not been loaned to me on a flight from Tokyo. I love stories with a simple but deeply explored meaning, and this one did it for me. I felt as if I were inside of each character (there were only a few in the story) and being the sappy person I am, was feeling it all especially towards the end of the book. If you can find it, read it as I don't think you'll be disappointed... especially if you like unexpected twists. |
| Daryl Sedore ([email protected]) |
| The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Unbelievable. This is the book of the year for me. I was in tears most of the way through it due to its sense of human worth with the underlying theme of hope. Kudo's for this book, a thousand times over. |
| Anne |
| True Evil by Greg Iles |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Dr. Chris Shepard finds out his wife has hired someone to murder him. The FBI has told him this but the FBI has no idea how, why, or when. Worse yet, The murderer has gotten away with it before. Agent Morse wants Chris to act as bait and he reluctantly agrees. TRUE EVIL is a stormy night book. You may want to hide under the covers but you will want to finish it. |
| Anne |
| Home To Holly Springs by Jan Karon |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Father Tim is going home. Home to find answers and to find surprises. As usual, the characters are delightful and humorous. Jan Karon writing makes you feel part of the family and leaves you waiting for the next book. |
| J. Kaye Oldner ([email protected]) |
| No Experts Needed by Louise Lewis |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Armed with faith, a journal and her lucky pen, Louise set out on her quest. Her search was to ask a special question. What was the question? What is the meaning of life according to you? She posed this question to numerous people she met on her journey, which is recorded in her book, NO EXPERTS NEEDED. Each encounter comes with an insightful story, like a treasure box of wisdom for the reader to absorb. Also, the author shows us that people can be profound if given the opportunity. |
| Janis Apgar |
| Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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I highly recommend this book, especially for fans of GONE WITH THE WIND and/or Rhett Butler. It gives insight/detail into Rhett and background about him. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about him and "his people" as we say in the South! It also goes on beyond what happens after he "doesn't give a damn"...haven't you always wondered? Enjoy! |
| Stacia Helpman ([email protected]) |
| Flesh and the Devil by Devyn Quinn |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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This was the first book I've ever had the pleasure of reading by Ms. Quinn and I thoroughly enjoyed it. She has such a vivid imagination and really lets you feel like the world and characters she has created are real. She has a unique take on vampires. And look out --- this book is spicy! Her loves scenes are amazingly written, very sensual, and just plain hot! |
| Stacia Helpman ([email protected]) |
| The Keeper of Eternity by Devyn Quinn |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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This is a story of a young woman who comes home to a family she doesn't know after going through some very tough times. A lot of mystery surrounds her family and she is thrown in the middle of it. Great elements of horror and mystery mix well with the blooming romance of the tortured hero and somewhat naive heroine. I'm very much looking forward to the second book in this gripping series. |
| Stacia Helpman ([email protected]) |
| Karma Girl by Jennifer Estep |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a silly romantic comedy about a world where superheroes and uber-villains are a natural phenomenon, and each city has their own set. A woman scorned by her superhero fiancé and uber-villain best friend sets out to unmask the superheroes & uber-villains all over the country, encountering danger and laughs. |
| Ashley Brewer ([email protected]) |
| Night by Elie Wiesel |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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He gives a first-person account of his horrible experiences in the camps in Germany. He is a strong writer with a lot of passion in his written voice. We liked this book because of the realism and the way he spoke of his memories. After all he has been through, he still hasn't succumbed to the terrifying disaster that it was. |
| Ashley Brewer ([email protected]) |
| Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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This is the story of a microcosm on a small farm. They are all different in a way and there are outcasts. I especially love Lennie. He is such a child at heart but he doesn't even realize it. He is so innocent yet not it seems. Also, he doesn't even realize how much George cares for him. George has tried to shelter him and save him from the harsh realizations that being a grown up adult sometimes brings. |
| Patricia in Calgary |
| Double Cross by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Kyle Craig is back! This is another great Alex Cross thriller by James Patterson. I really prefer books that he has written on his own. The Alex Cross books are the best of the best. I have read every one and have never been disappointed. This one is no exception. I couldn't put it down once I started it. The mix of characters, including the new girlfriend, is the most exciting out there! The twists and turns keep you hanging on for the next one in the series. I, for one, can't wait. |
| Alice |
| Oil by Upton Sinclair |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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I saw the movie There Will Be Blood and just had to get the book and read it. I've never read Sinclair and am enjoying it. |
| Carol |
| Hangman by Michael Slade |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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A psycho-thriller that takes place on both sides of the border: Seattle, WA and Vancouver, British Columbia. The story is both riveting and tightly written. A serial murderer playing the hangman's game .... backwards. |
| Sharron |
| The Gathering by Ann Enright |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
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An easy read of reflections on a dysfunctional Irish family of 12 when one brother dies. A different approach and writing style but I'm not sure it is worthy of all the accolades. |
| Thomas |
| Firetrap by Earl Emerson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Trey Brown is a black captain on the Seattle FD. When a fire in a nightclub claims the lives of several African Americans, Trey is assigned to investigate the arson with a beautiful news reporter. She soon discovers that Trey was adopted by a white family when he was four, and disowned in his teens. His former brother is not the mayor of Seattle, and hostilities run deep between Trey and his former family. |
| Readingrat |
| Tears of the Giraffe by Alexandar McCall Smith |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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This is more of a character-driven story than you usually find in a traditional cozy mystery story, which is probably why I like this series better than I like most cozy mystery series. |
| Anne |
| The Race by Richard North Patterson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Corey Grace is in the race to be President of the United States. He wants to follow his own moral beliefs and not the party line. This is a fast-paced novel about party politics, moral choices, lust for power, and the brutality of politics. I liked this book because I thought it was intelligent, informing, and certainly timely. |
| Jill |
| Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
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Rather easy read, but some of the long names and places make it a bit of a challenge. |
| Anne |
| Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
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The Waverlys have an unusual garden in their backyard. It makes them outsiders even in their small town and it may tear their family apart or bring it together. Generations of Waverlys have put this garden of plants and fruit trees together. The fruits and plants are said to have magical powers. But can it bring sisters back together and heal old wounds? This was a sweet and charming book of the South, but it dragged in many places and the characters seemed very dull. I picked this book up many times to read and it took a long time to finish it. This is the writer's first novel and it shows promising talent. |
| Anthony Romano ([email protected]) |
| Crisis, Pursued By Disaster... by Mike O'Connor |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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A true story of a family living a life on the run. It's very well written, and a life experience one will not soon forget. I found this book very hard to put down, and would read well after midnight. |
| Linda Smith |
| Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Beautiful novel about a women's life during the 18th century after being captured and made into a slave, her education and her travels throughout three continents. |
| LouBabe |
| Where or When by Anita Shreve |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
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I was very disappointed in this book, having read a couple of Miss Shreve's others (ie: THE PILOT'S WIFE). At first, it reminded me of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, and I expected to find it warm and comfortable. The comfort soon fled, though, as I read of two people willing to sacrifice their spouses and innocent children to pursue a love affair from a few weeks' period at summer camp when they were only 14. I only persisted in reading to find out how it ended, and I was very disappointed, although it may be some kind of warning to others contemplating the same stupid moves. |
| LouBabe |
| Footloose by Leanne Banks |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
ThIS last of a trilogy about the prominent Bellagio Shoe Company features another employee, one who has been badly jilted by her fiancé. On a business trip to Florida, she meets an intriguing man in a bar who helps her with her adventurous list of things to do to change her life. To her, he was a stranger. She had no idea he might have a secret interest in Bellagio and could be pumping her for inside information. |
| Gerald Rosen ([email protected]) |
| The Betrayal Game by David L. Robbins |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Robbins' previous book, THE ASSASSINS GALLERY, is one of the best historical fiction "what if?" books I have ever read. This latest effort, although not on a par with the prior book, is still a good read. It deals with assassination plots against Castro in Cuba in 1961 just before the Bay of Pigs disaster. The mixing of real and fictional characters is exceptionally done; and craftily shows the very thin line between what was, and what might have been. |
| Judy O. |
| What Remains by Rosemary Poole-Carter |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a mystery set in the south shortly after The Civil War. People are being murdered at the Belle Ombre Plantation, and a young man named Paul Delahoussaye is asked to stay at the plantation and try to solve the murders. I loved the sense of time and place. This author has also written WOMEN OF MAGADALENE which takes place in the south about the same time. A good "change of pace" mystery. |
| Anne |
| Beverly Hills Dead by Stuart Woods |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Set in the 1940',this novel is about the producers, actors and writers of a movie studio. Rick Barron, a former cop, is married to Glenna Gleason, a beautiful leading lady. They are happy, rich, and involved in several award-winning movies when a young actress working for them is murdered. The famous, the infamous, and those who want to be stars, are all pulled together in a mystery of twists and intrigue. But behind the scenes is an even deadlier omen. Lives and careers will be ruined; reputations will be lost and anyone is fair game. The Red Scare is starting and no one knows who will be blacklisted. I enjoyed this book and its characters. It is a book you will not want to put down. It's a mystery story that intrigues you and puts you in a time and place when everyone had a right to be scared. |
| Bonnie Margay Burke |
| Hunger's Brides: A Novel of the Baroque by Paul Anderson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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A book as monumental and exquisite as its central figure, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. A delicious workout for your arms and brain! |
| Amanda |
| The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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I loved this book! It was a wonderful story and I could hardly put it down. I will definitely read more of Philippa Gregory's books and I look forward to seeing the movie that comes out in February, with Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson as well. |
| Readingrat |
| The Missing by Chris Mooney |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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A fast-paced thriller about a serial killer and the race to capture him before he kills again. |
| Anita |
| With No One As Witness by Elizabeth George |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
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I have read all of this author's books, and loved most of them. This one was a total disappointment. It was much too long --- almost 800 pages and could have been told in about 300. It just went on and on with no proper conclusion. The killing of the main character's wife left me wondering, if Ms. George has ended this wonderful series which has also been made into movies on PBS. |
| Anne |
| Justice Denied by J. A. Jance |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Seattle homicide detective J.P.Beaumont and his girlfriend, policewoman Mel Soames, are involved in some unusual cases. Someone is disposing of registered sex offenders and a reformed drug dealer, with some strange religious connection, is shot. Beaumont and Soames are detectives, but their personal relationship is being pulled apart by their professional roles. A very good mystery with a realistic approach to human behavior and relationships. |
| Bonnie |
| Glamour, Interrrupted by Steven Cojocaru |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
If all you know of "Cojo" and his appearances on "Entertainment Tonight," pick up this memoir where he tells of his kidney disease and two transplants with his own witty, inimitable style and sense of humor. |
| Pat in MO. |
| No Country For Old Men by Cormac McCarthy |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Somewhat violent but really interesting book. I listened to it on CD at work and I don't know where the day went. |
| Laura A. Adams ([email protected]) |
| The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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I liked this book. It was a quick read and gave you insight into the life of a child with autism. Interesting. |
| Thomas |
| The Forgotten Man by Robert Crais |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Private detective Elvis Cole gets a phone call saying that a man has been murdered, and before he died said that Cole was his son. Elvis then becomes obsessed with finding the true identity of the victim, learning the man did have a son who was a psychopathic killer. As Elvis hunts for the son, the son is hunting him. Good read. |
| Anne |
| Why Mermaids Sing by C. S. Harris |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Lord Devlin and his mistress Kate are trying to discover why sons of lords are being brutally murdered. Lord Devlin uses his education and social position to find clues while Kate uses her social insights. This is a good historical mystery with maybe too much history for some readers. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| Bones to Pick by Carolyn Haines |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
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A simple Southern mystery in the Janet Evanovich yarn. No in-depth exploration of character or plot, just a mindless read. |
| Kimberly |
| Josie and Jack: A Novel by Kelly Braffet |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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A dark story about a teenage brother and sister who have a disturbing relationship. I couldn't put this book down and am still thinking about it weeks after I read it. Not for people who like "happy" books! |
| Crystal Adkins ([email protected]) |
| Dead Perfect by Amanda Ashley |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Shannah Davis did not wish to die although it seemed inevitable. The doctors could not find a cure, resulting in 24-year-old Shannah's failing health and impending death. In search of the one thing that could save her from death, what would she do once she found him? Pass out on his doorstep? After following her mysterious, dark-clothed stranger for almost 5 months, she tempted fate. If he truly was a vampire, he would be able to make her immortal, but if he was just a regular man, she was doomed to die. If offered the Dark Gift, would her mortal heart accept? Ronan knew he was being followed by the girl, he just didn't expect to see her at this time of day. When Shannah fainted on his doorstep, he braved the sun to bring her inside. The droplets of blood from the fall were all too tempting; when he tasted her, he tasted death. Ronan needed Shannah and it was obvious Shannah needed Ronan. He offered her a tempting deal, in which she accepted. Pretended to be his pseudonym as a romance author, go on tour and do book signings as it was hardly believable that a man could write such enticing stories. Shannah enjoyed the fame for a time, until the hunter showed up. Love finds Ronan after 513 years, but she is a mortal and dying. Shannah does not know the truth about Ronan, he never admitted to being a vampire, but does the heart care? When you go in search of something, make sure you're willing to accept the consequences. How will Shannah feel when Ronan makes a decision for the both of them that can possibly drive Shannah away? Will Ronan be able to live with his breaking heart? Amanda Ashley's vampire romance novel, Dead Perfect is compelling! Ms. Ashley has the thrall of a vampire on her side. I started reading Dead Perfect right before bed, and my very first thought when I awoke was, "I need to finish that book!" Amanda Ashley's vivid characters and fantastic storyline were remarkable! Ms. Ashley has been a favorite of mine for years, and never once has she let me down. Dead Perfect has just raised the bar on Vampire Romance. 5 Hearts Amanda Ashley on myspace: www.myspace.com/madmandyz |
| Crystal Adkins ([email protected]) |
| Silk Dreams by Diana Groe |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Valdis found herself sold into slavery by her family after a horrible affliction stopped the wedding her family was banking on. She possessed the knowledge of seid but did not truly believe she had the Sight. As time would tell, Valdis was more skilled than she could ever imagine. Recurring dreams plagued her, and if they were correct, the love she is soon to find will meet his death. Damien and Erik both began to bid on Valdis as she stood on the auction block; being a virgin could make the right man very happy. But what about a man who didn't want a woman? Erik was in her thrall; something about her called to him. Was it the two different-colored eyes known to be two souls inhabiting one body, or was it the beauty and strength of the woman before him? Being outbid by at the eunuch Damien, he finds himself curious as to why a ball-less wonder would want such a treasure as Valdis. Damien needs Valdis to feign all knowledge of the seid and Sight in order for his plans to work with the silk merchant. When he requests the best tutor to teach Valdis Greek, he is appalled at the man standing before him. Erik, the Northman, the other bidder. Warning Erik to keep his distance only added temptation to the fire. Erik was falling hopelessly in love with Valdis but he knew she must keep her purity in hopes to ever regain her freedom Valdis is sold to the silk merchant, he is a vile man and the only thing that gets her through the day is knowing Erik has found a way to be with her. A vow of love bonds two souls, only it seemed everyone tried to keep them apart. A battle is to come and bring the death of her lover, what will Valdis do? It seems she does possess the Sight after all. Silk Dreams by Diana Groe is a tantalizing epic-tale of love, honor and sacrifice. A true love story at its finest. Ms. Groe has the ability to make you fall in love with the characters from the very start. Once you start this novel, be prepared not to put it down. 5 Hearts |
| Valerie |
| Twice Born by Pauline Gedge |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
It's been a long time since her last novel, but this was well worth the wait. TWICE BORN is an exciting captivating book from the first page to the very last. This author has the ability to transport the reader to the time and place of her books --- she is truly gifted and it is a joy to read anything she writes. |
| Susan Kellett |
| The Senator's WIfe by Sue Miller |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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I really enjoyed this book. I loved how she compared the young and the old. It kept me reading. |
| Catie 75 |
| Across a Hundred Mountains by Reyna Grande |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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With illegal immigration being the hot topic that it is today, this is a good book to read about the families left behind. Had a great discussion about the subject at book club. |
| Peggy |
| 6 Rainier Drive by Debbie Macomber |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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The continuation of the Cedar Cove series. If you want to find out who burned down the Lighthouse restaurant, you will in 6 RAINIER DRIVE. You will be surprised as to who done it. Let us not forget about the rest of the residents in Cedar Cove and their affairs. |
| Norma Vieweg |
| Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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This is the first book by Ken Follett I have ever read, and I cannot seem to put it down. I will no doubt read his other books and hope they are as well-written. |
| Norma Vieweg |
| Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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This is the first book by Ken Follett I have ever read and I cannot seem to put it down. I will no doubt read his other books and hope they are as well written as this was. |
| Mary West |
| The Thirteeth Tale by Diane Setterfield |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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The best book of 2007, in my opinion! |
| k |
| The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picolt |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The storyline and the beginning of this book were great, but it seemed as though she rushed through the ending and just wanted to finish it. It was so well written in the beginning and had such great detail and conflict that the end just seemed far-fetched. |
| Adrienne Novak ([email protected]) |
| For One More Day by Mitch Albom |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Mitch Albom's books are uplifting; they contain wisdom and hope. I am in the beginning chapter of the book, but already I know that I'll treasure it, as I do his previous books. |
| Karen Terry ([email protected]) |
| The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This a great book. It is a murder mystery and love story, full of secrets that come to light, and interesting facts about the medical profession and medical school during the 1880s. You will not want to put this down. The ending has a big twist that leaves you breathless. It is a winner. |
| Michelle |
| The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I just finished this amazing book and I am so glad that it has a sequel because I don't want to leave the world of Fiona and Joe. This is a wonderful love and rags-to-riches story; there's murder and mayhem, and unexpected twists and turns, and just an fantastic great read. I couldn't put it down, it was well worth the 10 years that it took Mrs. Donnelly to write it. Absolutely loved it, a must read! |
| Martyph |
| Watchers by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
My first Dean Koontz read had an amazing, almost-human golden retriever in the starring role. A horror of horrors and a ruthless killer are stalking him and the couple who have fallen in love with him (as well as each other). You will fall in love with "Einstein", too. In this book, there's a strong hint of the horror tales Koontz tells in his many novels. I am not sure I will be able to stomach them. |
| Shawnee |
| North River by Pete Hamill |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I absolutely love Pete Hamill's writing style. FOREVER was the first book of his I read and still my favorite, but NORTH RIVER is a wonderful story. A historical fiction set in New York City during the depression, Hamill makes the setting come alive and creates characters who are flawed and yet beautiful. |
| Readingrat |
| Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I have a tendency to lose interest in a thriller once I figure out what is coming at the end. Unfortunately, in this book, that point occurred quite a bit before the actual end of the narrative. The story was quite good until then, and had me thoroughly interested. However, I never really connected with the main character or her dilemma which, taken together, adds up to just an okay read. |
| Jinx |
| The Freakshow by Brian Smith |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I read this book in two days! Alien freaks doing unspeakable things to humans? What's not to love! If you fear clowns, and I do, you'll really dislike them after this horror novel. |
| Circe |
| A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
An excellent story about a young girl with powers she doesn't understand and a destiny to fulfill. This is the first in a series for young adults, but adults will enjoy it as well. I can't wait to read the second book in the series! |
| Gerald Rosen ([email protected]) |
| The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A fast-paced, action thriller with a historical fiction background. It's not on a par with Berry's best. The plot is very convoluted and can become confusing. Typical megalomaniac out to rule the world with the use of biological weapons. |
| Readingrat |
| A Day of Small Beginnings by Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
An amazing story that will get you thinking. This is the kind of book that sticks with you long after you have finished reading it. |
| Joe F ([email protected]) |
| Robert Ludlum's The Arctic Event by James H Cobb |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is a fun read that stays true to the Ludlum style --- plots within plots within plots. Mr Cobb does a good job of taking the main characters of theCovert One series and developing them even further by adding a new main character. He also has the central main character, John Smith, move on from the limbo he has been in. Good action sequences mixed with character-driven scenes give this book a good mix of adrenaline and intimacy. The only real negative that I have is that the secondary characters tended to be stereotypical. |
| Jeanne K |
| Tokyo Year Zero by David Peace |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Set in the year after Japan surrenders, the novel details the workings of the police department, trying to cope with food and man power shortages, while trying to solve murders of young women. It is an interesting look at how the Japanese regarded the American occupiers. |
| Prancer |
| A Town Called Christmas by Carrie Alexander |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love Carrie Alexander's books as they are well written and not sappy. In A TOWN CALLED CHRISTMAS, a Navy pilot travels to Christmas, MI with his buddy for the holidays and finds love with his buddy's pregnant sister. If you enjoy Super-romances, as well as Christmas-themed reads, don't miss this one! |
| Anne |
| They Did It With Love by Kate Morgenroth |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A mystery with twists, turns, and dead ends. This tale involves an elite suburban book club, a detective who loves crossword puzzles, and a book club member found hanging in her own front yard. I stayed up to finish this book and it was well worth it. |
| Anne |
| Boom! by Tom Brokaw |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A walk down memory lane with journalist Tom Brokaw as he recounted the people, the events, and the legacy of the sixties. For those who lived through it and for those who want to learn from it, this is the book to read. I really enjoyed it and probably will read it again. Even though I remember many of the events, I was not aware of the many details that are in this book. This is history and it is entertaining, thought provoking, and maybe prophetic. |
| Ozarks Anne |
| Liars and Saints by Maile Meloy |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This has to right up there with my most favorite books ever. It started a bit slowly, but then suddenly on nearly every page, there's a huge surprise. The story centers around several generations of a very interesting but slightly dysfunctional family. Put this one on your "gotta read" list. |
| Pam C |
| The Expected One by Kathleen McGowen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
THE EXPECTED ONE is a powerful book of "what could have been" between Jesus, Mary Magdalene, John the Baptist, and Judas. It puts a different but very "real" slant on the history of all these people. Could it have happened this way? You will have to judge for yourself. Excellent! |
| Andrea West |
| Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Very well written, with great character development and an engaging story. If the book had actually been completed and edited, it would have been a 5. Nemirovsky was a brilliant writer. |
| SharonMaggie |
| The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a complex and compelling read that propels you to an inevitable and unavoidable sad conclusion after intertwining events throughout the whole book that culminate in the ultimate tragic event. I know this is a great book when I regret having finished something that compelled me to continue reading it in the first place. |
| Anne |
| A Murderous Glaze by Melissa Glazer |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A quiet Vermont pottery club is the setting for this first book in a series. "Fire At Will" is the name of the shop and the members are "The Firing Squad". When a dead body is found in the pottery shop, the owner must find the killer before she is arrested and loses her business. Although I liked the book, I found myself wanting more details about the characters and the town. Perhaps the following books will round out the characters. |
| S.Thomas |
| Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder by Ann Rule |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a collection of true crime cases that are really puzzling. It is hard to know what REALLY happened. The cases are named "The Minister's Wife," "The Painter's Wife," "The Deputy's Wife," "The Truck Driver's Wife," "The Convict's Wife," "The Antique Dealer's Wife," and "The Chemist's Wife." You can't predict the outcome of some of these cases. |
| Anne |
| Some like it Hot-Buttered by Jeffrey Cohen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Murder by popcorn in a semi-restored movie theater! This is a first in series about a movie theater owner who becomes a detective to save his theater after a patron dies of poisoned popcorn. It is a comical and thrilling mystery. |
| D L Gillespie ([email protected]) |
| Bones To Ashes by Kathy Reichs |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This 10th book in the Temperance Brennan forensic thriller series is a top-notch read. Reichs --- who, in real life, is VP of the American Academy of Forensic Science, as well as producer of TV's Fox network hit series "Bones" --- continues her top quality superb writing. I found it extremely true to detail and worth reading and rereading. I highly recommend it as a very engulfing read which does not falter in any way, constantly keeping you hooked. |
| Anne |
| Blood Dreams by Kay Hooper |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
It's the psychic cops against a psychic serial killer. Agent Bishop and his FBI Special Crime Unit have to battle a gruesome killer and try not to anger the new Director of their Agency. A special group of civilians is brought in to help the unit. This book is about fear and evil, psychic talents, and relationships. It had good characters and an interesting plot. |
| Anne |
| New England White by Stephen L. Carter |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A murder in a small New England university town has profound implications, not only on the university itself, but also on a high political level. There are racial complications, secrets of the past, and most of all, the exploration of the differences between what we believe and who we love. I thought NEW ENGLAND WHITE was a compelling book with interesting characters, but at times the novel seemed to get bogged down in descriptions and conversations. I would recommend it because it is well worth your time. |
| Shawnee |
| One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction novel. It is written as an autobiography of a woman named May Dodd, who was in mental institution until she agreed to participate in a secret government program to marry one thousand white women to the Cheyenne tribe of Native Americans. I found it to be a wonderful adventure, funny and sad and surprisingly very believable. |
| Jennie |
| The Maytrees by Annie Dillard |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is written in a style not often found. I loved the characters and once I got used to the flow and sentence structure Ms. Dillard uses to tell this story, it was just a wonderful ride. The story is about a couple, Lou and Toby, who are true friends. |
| Julie |
| Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine by Several |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
These are all short stories for when you don't have the time to get involved in a long book. It also gives you a chance to "sample" many different authors. |
| Anne |
| Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is a quick fun read. Abby Cooper is a psychic, who finds herself reading tarot cards for a friend's wedding. She reads cards for a Mob hit man and finds herself working for the Mob and the police. Totally unbelievable and funny. |
| Anne |
| The House at Riverton by Kate Morton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book is a novel about a servant girl who works for a wealthy family during the pre-First World war era. The servant girl, Grace Bradley, is now in her nineties, and reawakens her memories of Riverton House and the young man who shot himself. This is a novel about passion, hidden secrets, the privileged class, and the terrible war. I loved the characters in this book as well as the plot, and I am looking forward to reading more books from this author. Anyone who enjoys du Maurier will surely enjoy this book. |
| Genie |
| The Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Dr. Hoenikker's whose contribution to the scientific community was developing the A-Bomb. Many referred to the day it was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan as the day the world came to an end. For this reason, a young writer named Jonah, decided to write a book about the life of Dr. Hoenikker and call it THE END OF THE WORLD. As research for his book, Jonah interviews those who knew the scientist the best --- co-workers and family. While reading over the interviews, Jonah realizes the three half- witted offspring have, divided among them, a compound called Ice-Nine. This compound could literally cause the end of the world. He decides to confront them with the facts and begins the journey to track them down. As fate would have it, he finds himself on the same plane with two of the siblings traveling to the home of the eldest brother on an island in the Caribbean. Does he succeed in saving the world? Read the book and find out. |
| D L Gillespie ([email protected]) |
| The 6th Target by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another installment in the Women's Murder Club series. When one of the four is horribly attacked, the others go into action. In my opinion, these just keep getting better --- the same excellent writing by Patterson, which keeps you on edge and does not let you down. |
| Lauri |
| Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'm appreciating it much more now than when it was first published. |
| Riba ([email protected]) |
| My Darling Elia by Eugenie Melnyk |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
One of the best Holocaust books that I have ever read |
| Margaret |
| Away by Amy Bloom |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This was one of the best historical fiction books that I have read lately. It takes the main character, Lillian, from New York in the 20's to Siberia in search of a missing daughter. Lillian is such a sympathetic character that you cannot put the book down. You keep hoping for her to succeed in this journey until the very last page. |
| Kathy Minnetonka |
| When Charlotte Comes Home by Maureen Millea Smith |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A great coming-of-age book with a story of love and loss. Smith won the Minnesota Book Award for her debut novel. A wonderful read. |
| Kathie ([email protected]) |
| The Summer I Dared by Barbara Delinsky |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book was exciting at the beginning, got a little slow, but picked up again halfway through. A great mystery and love story rolled into one. |
| Reva Wamsley ([email protected]) |
| The Search by Iris Johansen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Iris Johansen always writes terrific mysteries, and this is no exception. I throughly enjoyed THE SEARCH from cover to cover. It's about A woman and her dog who do search-and-rescue work. She's hired to find a kidnapped man and almost gets killed herself in the process. Meanwhile, her dog falls in love with an injured wolf. You have to read it to find out what happens. |
| Michelle Goedert |
| The Devil in the Junior League by Linda Francis Lee |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Fluffy chick lit. |
| Kelsey |
| Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Written with humor and delicacy, the author offers the reader a glimpse of the people and experiences that gave birth to a food writer. The format makes it nice to read in bits as time allows, but this is such a delicious read it's difficult to set aside for long. |
| Coral |
| Now You See Him by Eli Gottlieb |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is a well-written book, but I didn't like it very much. You do not completely figure out the end until you get there. There are lots of different angles. |
| Kathy Minnetonka |
| Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a book about a true hero. I wish we could all have a passion and live it out to its fulfillment as he has. What an inspiration. |
| Rita Sheppard ([email protected]) |
| Wild Fire by Nelson DeMille |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a gripping, edge-of-your-seat story in the aftermath of 9/11. It is about a club of right-wing extremists who hatch a plot that will kill millions of Americans supposedly by Muslims, just so our country can obliterate all Muslim countries. The scary thing to realize is that this could really happen. This book will really get you thinking. |
| Wendy Catalano |
| Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A woman disheartened by what life has dealt her travels to Italy to eat, India to pray and Indonesia to Love. An amazing read! |
| L. Hann |
| Cover-Up by Michele Martinez |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Excellent. Watch out readers, Michele Martinez will have you at the first page. Television reporter Suzanne Shepard is found dead. Is it a plastic surgery cover-up or is something else going on? Could it be a serial killer? A great read! |
| Linda Ann ([email protected]) |
| No Time For Goodbye by Linwood Barclay |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Love it! A great read. |
| Mary Lebel |
| How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gill |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
How refreshing it is to read that anyone willing to work hard can change his or her life after having career and personal setbacks. |
| Leslie Kiesel |
| Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
MIDDLESEX had some fascinating historical parts, some slower middle-to-end parts, but a great ending. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of early Detroit and the car industry. Eugenides is an extremely talented storyteller. |
| Ron Green ([email protected]) |
| Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
Great book. Reich appears to be writing what she knows best, forensic science. I always look for her next book. |
| Ron Green ([email protected]) |
| The Bourne Legacy by Eric Van Lustbader |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
Lustbader does an excellent job of carrying Ludlum's Bourne series forward. Can't wait for the next one. |
| Ron Green ([email protected]) |
| The Sinner by Tess Gerritsen |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Don't start on a night when you have to work next day. |
| Ron Green ([email protected]) |
| Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'm sorry to hear of Jordan's death. This is a great series, and I hope the 12th and final book gets published. |
| Lorna |
| Sullivans's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This took me a long time to read, but I was determined to finish it. It's about a family from the South Carolina Lowcountry, so all of that was interesting. It covered the life of one woman from childhood through adulthood. Each chapter went back and forth from her past to the present and I enjoyed that. It's also a wonderful mother/sister/daughter tale. I would have rated it higher, but sometimes I had a hard time reading it because it was so long. |
| Joyce |
| Mind In Comfort And Ease by The Dalai Lama |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The Dalai Lama explains that we can transform our minds and avoid suffering through love and compassion towards all sentient beings while understanding the true nature of reality. |
| Lisa Richardson ([email protected]) |
| Cooking Up Murder by Miranda Bliss |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I really enjoyed this culinary mystery. The way the two women play off one another is hilarious. While some of the story is a little far fetched, it held my interest, and I didn't figure it out until the very end. I've already ordered the second in the series. |
| Ron Green ([email protected]) |
| The Dark Tower by Stephen King |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Loved the Dark Tower series. It's King at his best. |
| Sue Wargo ([email protected]) |
| The St. Patrick's Day Murder by Leslie Meier |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
When an author writes a series, you keep wondering if they can keep up the story line, but this is another winner. This reminded me of Agatha Christie novels, when the murderer is definitely not whom you expect. I am already looking forward to seeing what Lucy Stone is up to next! |
| Claire in Royal Oak, MI ([email protected]) |
| The Shooters by W. E. B. Griffin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the 4th book in the Presidential Agent series. It is set once again in Argentina and Paraguay and features Castillo and his group as they try to rescue a DEA agent. There are so many intrigues and power of command to keep you on edge. While this book is not quite as exciting as the prior ones, it definitely keeps your interest. There are some new revelations that will lead to more follow up. I can't wait. If you have not read the first three, I suggest starting there as Castillo has a fascinating background. The others in the series are: BY ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT, THE HOSTAGE, and THE HUNTERS; all receive 5 stars from me. |
| Marsha |
| Last Call by James Grippando |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This was much grittier than his previous Jack Swytek novels, so read the early ones to prepare you for the violence in LAST CALL. |
| Jeanie |
| The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I finally finished reading THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett, all 973 pages of it. It was a good book, but I think the Reader's Digest condensed version would be more enjoyable. It's kind of like a preacher who takes 2 hours to say what he could have/should have said in 30 minutes. |
| Margaret Dunson |
| The Reef by Nora Roberts |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A thriller, as always, by Ms. Roberts to the very end. I just couldn't put the book down until it was finished. |
| Audrey Burke |
| Cold Moon by Jeffery Deaver |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I only had read one Lincoln Rhyme book before this one. I really enjoyed it --- a great twist in the book leaves you trying to figure out the truth. Very good read. |
| Linda M. Johnson |
| Hoot by Carl Hiaasen |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Hiaasen's first book for young adults concerns a new boy in a Florida school who crosses paths and punches with the school bully. With his head smashed against the bus window, Roy sees another boy running away. Another student, Beatrice has seen the running boy but refuses to acknowledge this to Roy. In the mean time, a construction site is continuously subjected to sabotage --- including alligators in the porta-johns. All will eventually link together to protect owls nesting on the constructions site. |
| Mary A. Hebda ([email protected]) |
| Marley & Me by John Grogan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I just started this book and I am enchanted by the adventures of this dog and his family! |
| Dorothy Gordon |
| Long Time No See by Susan Isaacs |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I haven't read a lot of Susan Isaacs's books, but this one is pretty good. I did read the original story in which the main character was introduced, COMPROMISING POSITIONS. This offers a story 20 years later that is entertaining and fairly clever. |
| Terrytracy Watts |
| Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
One of the best books ever. |
| Helene Simpson |
| Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A great book, as usual, but I'd like to know what happened to Marino. The female as the killer was a great idea also. Can't wait for the next book. |
| ck |
| Coal Black Horse by Robert Olmstead |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
In May, 1863, Robey's mother sends him to find his papa, who went off to fight in the Civil War. A neighbor gives him a beautiful stallion that takes him on the long journey. Along the way, Robey has encounters with soldiers and some strange wayfarers. This is not for the fainthearted. The war was horrendous. Isn't all war? Olmstead is an eloquent writer. His book was chosen for On The Same Page, the 2008 city-wide reading program in Cincinnati. |
| Carol H. |
| Last Night At The Lobster by Stewart O'Nan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Manny De Leon, manager of a Red Lobster restaurant, takes us with him on the last day before the restaurant closes. |
| Carol K Bajor ([email protected]) |
| Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the first Trigiani book I've read, and it is our Book Club's choice for this month. I loved the characters in this book! All were so typical of a southern mountain town and there were many funny but also poignant moments. I had tears when I read some passages because I could relate to them in my own life. I definitely will read Trigiani's sequels in the future. |
| Rita Carter ([email protected]) |
| To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This first book in the Riverworld Saga is good sci-fi reading. |
| Caroline |
| Gone by Lisa Gardner |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Extremely good and suspenseful. GONE is a high-adrenaline page turner! |
| Sue L |
| No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Great read, with a twist you won't see coming. |
| Kate Green |
| Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
2 novellas about the occupation of France during World War II, written by an author who later died at Auschwitz. They are very compelling, especially when describing the class differences when confronted with adversity and tragedy. I read it with one of my book clubs and I highly recommend it. |
| Kate Green |
| Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Some people have loved this book and others have disliked it. I am in the middle, I am reading for my book club, but it would not be a story I would have chosen. |
| Chris Jaquint |
| Half the Blood of Brooklyn by Charlie Huston |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love hard-boiled mysteries and supernatural stories. This series contains the best of both worlds with vampire tough-guy Joe Pitt. I've read the other two in the series, and it just keeps getting better! |
| Marsha |
| Make Them Cry by Kevin O'Brien |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I won one of O'Brien's books from Bookreporter and am now working my way through all of his books. |
| Chris Jaquint |
| Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I loved the first two books in the series; this one, however, was not quite as good. The book centered around a crime involving the fey and lacked the excitement and intensity of the first two books, which focused on vampires and werewolves. |
| Ricki ([email protected]) |
| The Forgery of Venus by Michael Gruber |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Very, very engaging psychological thriller. At times, I was just as confused as the main character, which is a good thing. |
| Karen |
| Sickened by Julie Gregory |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a good insider's story of living with a sick mother who gets her kicks from making her child sick. This, unfortunately, is a little-known or publicized form of child abuse. The author documents her growing up and thankfully also her growing away from the family and recognizing what was done to her. It reminded me a tiny bit of THE GLASS CASTLE in that the victim did grow away and recognize what was done to her instead of repeating it. |
| Fran |
| Not Buying It: My Year without Shopping by Judith Levine |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I though the premise for this book could have been cute, but the author was far too preachy for my taste. I found myself annoyed. Not my cuppa tea. |
| Gerald Rosen ([email protected]) |
| Boom by Tom Brokaw |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A great read for anyone who lived through the 60's. Brokaw characterizes his version as lasting from the assassination of JFK in 1963 through the resignation of Nixon in 1974. The story is vividly told both through the author's eyes and the eyes of who were there. All of the highlights and low-lights are there: Civil rights, Vietnam, feminists, Haight-Ashbury, the assassinations, the '68 Democratic Convention, the Beatles and the Stones, and on, and on, and on. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has any interest in learning about this turbulent era in our history. |
| Rita Carter ([email protected]) |
| The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A nonfiction book that reads like fiction with two stories that intertwine. One is of the building of the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in the late 1800s and the second of a serial killer on the rampage at the same time. Either story could be a stand-alone book. |
| Sue Beckley |
| Slipknot by Linda Greenlaw |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I greatly enjoyed her nonfiction, and while this is enjoyable, it's not as good. |
| Susan |
| Not Me by Michael Lavigne |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Gripping and thought provoking. Difficult to put down. |
| Susan |
| Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another take on the Holocaust, but it raises issues of heroism, survival and resistance from a new perspective. |
| Connie |
| No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a page turner at its best. Imagine going to bed as a young teenager and waking up the next morning to find your parents and brother have vanished, leaving no clues as to what may have happened. Now, 25 years later, the case is reopened with deadly results. |
| Fran |
| Girls by Frederick Busch |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
I couldn't read past the first chapter of this book. It did not grab my attention at all. |
| Connie |
| The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The book opens with, "Killing my mother was easy." Thus begins a tale of a daughter growing up with a mother who was consumed with herself and not with being a parent to her daughter. She was like a full moon, always a full moon, but sometimes we only see half of it; Clair was always a mother, but sometimes Helen only saw half of what she should be to her. Very good. |
| Sandi |
| Double Take by Catherine Coulter |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I really enjoyed reading the first 2/3 of the book, but the woo-woo and coincidences got to be too much for me. A real disappointment, as I've like all her FBI thrillers. |
| Lori S. ([email protected]) |
| Double Cross by James Patterson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
My favorite Patterson character, Alex Cross, is back. Along with his private practice as a therapist/psychologist, he is drawn back into the police force to find one or two (or more?) serial killers terrifying the D. C. area. Another excellent page turner by one of my favorite authors. |
| Dora Loeffler |
| The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book is a book you can't put down until you've finish it. However, THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK, which I will read next, is said to be even better. |
| Fred ([email protected]) |
| Across the High Lonesome by James McNay Brumfield |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book was storytelling at its best. It follows the goings on at a High Mountain Pack Station. The Drama, the laughs, the loves... the colorful cast of characters is what really made this book for me. It may be fiction, but it comes from a real place. I highly recommend this book! |
| Cheri Coley ([email protected]) |
| Bleeding Kansas by Sarah Parensky |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I've always read Paretsky's books, but the more I read of this one, the more I don't want to put it down. It is very different than her V. I. series, but I can't wait 'til I get to the end!! |
| J. Kaye Oldner ([email protected]) |
| What Color is Your Brain? by Sheila Glazov |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The Brain Colors are based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a well-known and well-used personality assessment that's based on Dr Carl Jung's four personality functions. Myers-Briggs uses 16 letter combinations to identify personality traits. Sheila Glazov developed the four colors in order for make it easy for children and adults to remember. I have taken the Myers-Briggs and forgot much of it the next day. Brain Colors is much easier to remember and deal with and explain to my children. |
| Peggy Haney |
| Obsession by Karen Robards |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I loved this book. There are great characters, a fast-paced plot, and you're kept you guessing what is going to happen until the very end. It's one of those books you shouldn't start reading until you have the time to read it all the way through. |
| Amanda |
| Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I was a little disappointed with this book. The plot was predictable and contrived, and the characters were unrealistic. |
| Amanda |
| Stealing Home by Sherryl Woods |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the first in the Sweet Magnolias series about 3 friends who grew up in the small town of Serenity, SC and have known each other most of their lives. This is a very entertaining, lighthearted book. I plan on reading the rest of the series. |
| Amanda |
| Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small, quiet house in an even smaller town, is an apple tree that is rumored to bear a very special sort of fruit. This is the story of that enchanted tree and the extraordinary people who tend it. A wonderfully written, enchanting story. It's hard to believe it is her debut novel! |
| Amanda |
| Naked in Death by J. D. Robb (Nora Roberts) |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the first in her In Death series writing as J.D. Robb. I love Nora Roberts's books, but this is the first one I have read by her as J.D. Robb. I really enjoyed this book and will read more of this series in the future. |
| Melissa |
| Twilight by Stephenie Meyer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I picked up TWILIGHT and from the first sentence, I was hooked. I blew through TWILIGHT, then NEW MOON, then ECLIPSE and cannot wait for the next book in the series, BREAKING DAWN. TWILIGHT is the story of a teenage girl who moves to a small town to live with her father. She struggles to fit in and once she makes friends, she meets the love of her life --- a vampire. |
| Joan Crothers |
| Into the Deep by Colleen Coble |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the 3rd in the Rock Harbor Mystery series. The other two were BEYOND A DOUBT, and WITHOUT A TRACE. These are books about Bree Nicholls and her search and rescue dog in the northern part of Michigan. I loved the series and highly recommend the books |
| Riba Begum ([email protected]) |
| My Darling Elia by Eugenie Melnyk |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A brilliant and well-written book. The story is set during the holocaust and in present times. The best book that I have ever read, and I've been reading for a long time! |
| J. Kaye Oldner ([email protected]) |
| Target by Kathleen Willey |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Whether you are pro, con, or just don't care about the Clintons, TARGET will move you into forming an opinion. |
| Readingrat |
| Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I think I enjoyed TROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS a bit more than ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND because it has had less thorough media attention, so there were more parts of it that were new to me. |
| Readingrat |
| Shopgirl by Steve Martin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A nice little character-driven novella about 4 people coping with loneliness and making connections. |
| Shawnee |
| Clapton by Eric Clapton |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I was blown away by the musical history that Eric Clapton was a part of as well as all of the fantastic musicians he knew. It was just a shame that the writing was so bad that it was a struggle to read what could have been a fascinating book. |
| Kim Kovacs |
| Beaufort by Ron Lesham |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book won't be for everyone. The writing style is very rough, I guess, for lack of a better word. It's like someone wrote down a New York taxi driver's monologue, particularly in the beginning. The first-person account is written in partial sentences, stream-of-consciousness style. There's lots of vulgarity, and the story feels very non-linear, again, particularly in the beginning. I found it very difficult to get into. The style reminded me a bit of A MILLION LITTLE PIECES. Once I picked up the rhythm of the narration, however, and once the text settled down a bit, I found I enjoyed BEAUFORT immensely. It's become one of my favorite books, and I'm recommending it highly to some (but not all) of my reading friends. I think it's appropriate for someone who reads many different writers' styles and genres, maybe not so appropriate for people who like "traditional" novels. |
| Heather L. |
| Gone for Good by Harlan Coben |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
GONE FOR GOOD is full of twists --- as Coben's books usually are --- that I never saw coming. This was a good, fast read, and in my hurried life, I so appreciate short chapters. I would love to see something new from Coben soon. |
| Whitney |
| Invisible Prey by John Sandford |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Reading a Lucas Davenport novel after a lengthy period of time without it is fuzzy and comforting --- like catching up with an old and dear friend. The dry sense of humor between the characters remains, as does unique and intriguing story lines. The Prey books are one of my favorite long-running series, and one of the few that has not had a "bad" novel! |
| Sharon |
| The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The book continues the saga of Cotton Malone, former spy and now bookstore owner. Who is in the grave at the cathedral in Venice. Is it St. Mark as all believe, or is it perhaps Alexander the Great? And what is the importance of the ancient elephant coins which two men are willing to burn buildings and kill for? Why is the leader of a new nation in Asia so interested in Alexander? Why is the league of Venetian VIPs so interested in this country? And the big question to me as I am about 2/3s through the book --- what does the title mean? Who is going to betray whom? It's hard to put this book down. Great winter reading. |
| Lois |
| The Choice by Nicholas Sparks |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Typical Nicholas Sparks --- easy reading, a wonderful love story with twists and turns, and a predictable ending. |
| Heather L. |
| The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'm a third of the way through this novel and can hardly put it down. Although the subject matter could take place anywhere, anytime, the writer plants seeds to keep you engaged and rooting for the characters. I highly recommend this book. |
| stardreamer7880 |
| The Darkling by Yasmine Galenorn |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The 3rd book in her series is as good as her first two were. Loved the whole series! This book book was written from the point of view of the sister turned into a vampire by a sadistic evil vampire who tortured her. Now, he's invaded earth and is planning to take over and start a war. She goes to great lengths to break the ties that bind her to her sire so she can destroy him. |
| Linda M. Johnson |
| Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This was written in 1958, while Nigeria was still under Colonial rule. It's a story of a man's mistrust of his father and his ways and his resistance to change, especially when many in his tribe are converting to Christianity. Lyrical. Tragic. Human. |
| Allison Bernstein |
| Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is our book club selection this month and I am reading it for the second time to refresh my memory. It is just as good the second time around. |
| Barbara Shaw |
| The Messenger by Daniel Silva |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Though the story kept my interest and I had to finish it, I felt the writing style was just a bit flat. I would have liked to see more depth to the characters and the story. But don't get me wrong, I did finish it. |
| Marcia Jacobs ([email protected]) |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A haunting read with all the incredible storytelling I found in THE KITE RUNNER. |
| Janice G. |
| Wing Nut by Mary Jane Auch |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A young boy tossed from place to place with his vagabond mother finally finds a home when they settle in with an eccentric retiree. I really empathized with the main character and his longing for stability and trust. |
| Toni |
| Tipperary by Frank Delaney |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Great fiction, language, and stories of Ireland and lost love. |
| J. Gum |
| Peak by Roland Smith |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
An exciting fast-paced story of the trek up Mt. Everest from an early teen's point of view. Lots of good character development and plot twists and turns. A real winner. It's written for upper elementary and middle school readers, but there are enough layers to keep adults interested as well. |
| Sabrina |
| The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I always enjoy a Delinsky book, so the 4 stars are kind of anticipatory as I've only just started it. |
| Jill L. |
| The Secret by Rhonda Byrne |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A wondeful positive book.Very inspirational. A ray of light on the road to self-promotion. |
| Jackie Houchin ([email protected]) |
| Thugs And Kisses by Sue Ann Jaffarian |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Third in the series, it's Jaffarian's best so far, with engrossing subplots, returning good and bad characters, and a final decision about Odelia's love life that will leave readers satisfied. A fun whodunit with a strong-minded, plus-sized heroine. |
| P. Morris |
| Atonement by Ian McEwan |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I've only just started this book so I didn't feel I could give it a real honest rating. However, the story is rich and detailed, and it promises to be be worthy of its hype. |
| Crystal Johnston ([email protected]) |
| Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
What J. K. Rowling book gets anything but 5 stars, huh? The word is --- "I haven't met a Harry Potter book yet that doesn't get the same praise," and rightly so. I'm re-reading HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE because it's been so long since I've read it before I go on to the next in line, and just like all the other HP books, I find this one to be engrossing, with all the characters facing unusual challenges and meeting them with style and ingenuity. THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE is completely enjoyable. It is a fascinating tale of the occult, and a most unusual novel with a highly entertaining premise cleverly worked out. he book is not frightening. In fact, it is just the opposite. J. K. has taken a clever idea and given it a great deal of imagination. It is well researched and lively, and the characters keep the reader turning the pages. Settle down for a good read with this one. I was impressed and I know you will be too. |
| D. Lohrding |
| Prior Bad Acts by Tami Hoag |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Very good. Several different sub-plots were woven together. Romance was also present and I found myself cheering on the non-acknowledged relationship. |
| Sally Bowen |
| The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I enjoyed reading this book; to me, it was along the lines of George R. R. Martin's A SONG OF FIRE AND ICE because I felt concerned about what happened next to each character. I do see why he ended with the death of St. Thomas a Beckett; good stopping point! Also, his characters grew old and were obviously terminal; generations will carry on, not the individuals. How normal! The subtraction of one star is due to the storyline not creating a sense of awe in me; building churches doesn't inspire me. However, he determined the good vs. evil of life, and which path men/women choose as they live their lives. There are also what are for him the consequences of the choices ('you could have been happy'). For some people, this would be enough. |
| Sandra Smith |
| Split Second by David Baldacci |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Having read all three books about the Camel Club, I wanted more Baldacci...so I am backtracking and reading the books I've missed. |
| Michelle |
| The Kept Man by Jami Attenberg |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I was interested in this book from the very first sentence. At first, the writing style threw me, but I got used to it. I enjoyed it once I got into the rhythm of the book; a great read. |
| J Gum |
| Elephant Run by Roland Smith |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
More than I ever wanted to know about the Japanese invasion of Burma during World War II. There are some problems with the story jumping around, the time line, and characters are mentioned before they were introduced. This was for upper elementary and middle school |
| Karen |
| The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
After reading Diane Setterfield's THE THIRTEENTH TALE, I was inspired to pick up this Wilkie Collins mystery. What a surprise when I discovered myself chuckling at the characters in a 19th-century novel (never my favorite period). Some rather important information is withheld from the reader, so it's not really possible to solve the mystery yourself, but this was still a delightful read. I'm going to try THE WOMAN IN WHITE next. |
| Janet Stewart |
| Bare Necessity by Carole Matthews |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Cute, but eminently forgettable. |
| Ed |
| Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Wonderful read! Goodkind's Objectivist philosophy becomes more clear the more you read him. The characters only become more likable throughout this series. It's great to actually read about heroic characters that stand for justice and truth. This spectacular series is as magical as Harry Potter, yet not as well known. If you are looking for hope and heroics, look no further. |
| Linda M. Johnson |
| One Red Paperclip by Kyle MacDonald |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a memoir of what started as an adult version of a game he played as a child, Bigger and Better, turned into a wide-ranging game redubbed One Red Paperclip. MacDonald started with one red paperclip and through Craigslist, the internet, and media coverage, was able to trade until he had a house. And it all started with that one red paper clip. |
| baker7 |
| Stone Cold by David Baldacci |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
The Camel Club members are at their best; I love the eccentric group of members in these books. As always, STONE COLD is a good read by David Baldacci, full of mystery and action. |
| Lynn, Harrisburg PA |
| Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I read over 100 pages the first time I picked up the book. It is a story of friends and growing up together. A wonderful read. |
| Patricia Roemer ([email protected]) |
| The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This author lays his soul bare, all the terrible traits and things he's done and thought that would embarrass another person into silence. The way life works itself out somewhat throughout the book is what makes this tome not depressing to read. I did not always enjoy reading it because what he wrote about is hard, often violent reality, but he wrote it in a way I wanted to keep on reading. |
| Gale Kearley ([email protected]) |
| 2nd Chance by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I always enjoy James Patterson's books. I've just started reading this one but it promises to be a thriller like all his other works. |
| Becky Wreyford ([email protected]) |
| Blue Heaven by C. J. Box |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A great story with characters you care about, and a beautiful setting that's a character itself. This absolutely grabs you from the first page and doesn't let you go. |
| Kathleen |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I didn't think Hosseini could do it again, but I think this book is actually better than THE KITE RUNNER. It revolves around Afghanistan over the last several decades. It was wonderful and so very sad. |
| John Warner ([email protected]) |
| Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Twelve Greek gods crammed together in a London town house find themselves forgotten by the modern world and trying to eke a living. If you like Terry Pratchett or Carl Hiiassen, you will enjoy GODS BEHAVING BADLY. |
| Dot L. |
| Peony In Love by Lisa See |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Another look at an oriental culture written from the perspective of the protagonist's soul wandering in the afterlife. Very thought-provoking. |
| Kim Kovacs |
| The Savage Garden by Mark Mills |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Not your typical mystery! This is not so much a "whodunit" as a "why." It's beautifully written, with lots of references to art and literature. The characters are rich and fascinating. My only gripe is the author seems to feel the need to throw in two or three gratuitous sex scenes. (It's not that I mind sex scenes, it's just that they weren't very good, nowhere near the caliber of the rest of the novel. Plus, they were just simply out of place.) Overall, though, a highly recommended read. |
| Carmie Peters ([email protected]) |
| Atonement by Ian McEwan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Not only is the book elegantly written, the plot is spellbinding. In addition, the movie does justice to the book, which is so rare. |
| Mary Jo Whitehead ([email protected]) |
| The Way the Crow Flies by Ann-Marie MacDonald |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
At over 800 pages, it takes a while to read this book, but I have enjoyed it. It's told from the viewpoint, for the most part, of a young child and yet is a very complex novel. |
| J. Kaye Oldner ([email protected]) |
| Kaizen and the Art of Creative Thinking by Shigeo Shingo |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
KAZIEN AND THE ART OF CREATIVE THINKING by Shigeo Shingo is a book about change, and how to make it happen. This book is designed to shake up the status quo. It is self-help for organizations, and has much information that can be used by individuals. While the examples are from manufacturing, these principles can be used, and are being used, in many different organizations. If you are a supervisor, shift leader, manager, or a worker looking to improve work, you need to read this. If you are a business consultant and haven't read this, shame on you! |
| Diane Pollock ([email protected]) |
| Wolfskin by Juliet Marrillier |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Not as good as the Sevenwaters Trilogy, nonetheless I've come to love this good hearted Viking and the mystical priestess he longs for.... |
| Heather |
| Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Surprisingly easy to read. I was intrigued by the subject matter, but worried that I would be bored with a 19th-century Chinese story, but so untrue. Great story of love, loyalty, friendship, tradition and what is truly important in life. |
| Lynn |
| Now You See Him by Eli Gottlieb |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The first third of the book was great, then it started to drag a little. I didn't like Lucy --- she was too whiny. Then I got to the last third of the book and stayed up much too late to finish it. I was totally unprepared for the revelations. Excellent! |
| Vicki Simon |
| We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A well-written, albeit disturbing book that promoted great discussion in our book club. |
| Shauna |
| Last Seen Alive by Carlene Thompson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A story about young girls who go missing, and the town wanting to blame Chyna --- a woman who has visions, sometimes of the past and future. This book kept me guessing right to the end. I would jump back and forth trying to figure out who actually was the kidnapper/murderer. I was shocked in the end at who it was, which is how a book should be. I didn't put it down 'til I was done. |
| Rita C. |
| The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
At first, I thought it was just another memoir. However, this true story of a dysfuntional family is told in a light and humorous way. The story is actually fun to read without being totally depressing, all the while sharing a deep message. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| Mermaids in The Basement by Michael Lee West |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A great book, oozing with Southern charm and good food. It is a joyful, yet sometimes bumpy ride as Renata returns to the Gulf coast of Alabama, the home of her paternal grandmother, Honora. Reeling from the loss of her mother, Renata returns to learn more about the father she barely knew while growing up. I fell in love with the quirky Southern belles. A great read! |
| Anita |
| Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a wonderful story of what happens in Germany during the war and to what lengths people went to save others --- it is a book that is worth reading over again many times. |
| Marsha |
| The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is a quirkly novel which I had to force myself to finish. Helen Knightly has given her all as a daughter, mother and husband and she finally crosses the line with her Alzheimer victim mother. The ensuing 24 hours flash back and forth with memories and the fine line between love and hate. It's not an easy read but somewhat rewarding if you can stick with it. |
| Kimberly |
| The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A real page turner! I was never interested in Dracula or the story behind it, but I could not put this book down. |
| Sandy |
| Isabella Moon by Laura Benedict |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The ghost of Isabella Moon comes to Kate Russell, and Kate has to convince the sheriff that she knows where the child's body is buried. This is a very thrilling and haunting book that is a good read for a winter night. |
| RitaB |
| Playing for Pizza by John Grisham |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
A quick, pleasant read, but definitely not his best work. |
| RitaB |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The lives of two Afghani women unfold here. It is beautifully written, as was THE KITE RUNNER. This is a novel about hardships, courage and, ultimately, hope. |
| Kellie ([email protected]) |
| A Lifetime Burning by Linda Gillard |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This author is starting to really grow on me. And why hasn't she been picked up by an American Publisher? This lady is really good. A LIFETIME BURNING was a cross between V. C. Andrews and Anne Rivers Siddons. A very tangled story about love and family, but with a twist --- an evil twist. There were several parts that stood out for me. Hugh's speech to Rory in the hospital was memorable. I loved the wildlife journal --- it makes me want to start one. Being a music lover, I loved Ettie's lecture to Rory about music: "Music doesn't need you, it's you who needs the music. Never forget what you owe the music and always treat it with respect. It has been lent to you for a while. For your lifetime. You don't own it so don't play as if you do." Words I will never forget. I also enjoyed Flora's description on how to play Gertrude and Hamlet in the closet scene. This is a book I will not forget. It is very well written and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read it. This author is going to be added to my favorites list. |
| Antoinette Carr |
| The Woodcutter's Wife: A Stepmother's Tale by Dolla S. Merrillees |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love this book --- it's bracingly honest, funny and well written. The best thing about this book is that it doesn't simply refute the bad press stepmothers have traditionally received. Dolla Merrillees is all too aware of her "inner" wicked stepmother as she recounts her struggle to bond with her partner's son, cope with the boy's off-stage, drug-addicted mother and adjust to the emotional tug-of-war that occurs when her own child is born. I was completely unable to put it down. |
| Betty Jo ([email protected]) |
| Loving Frank by Nancy Horan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I am completely obsessed with the characters in this historic fiction novel. Mamah Cheney was born about 100 years too early. |
| Readingrat |
| The House at Riverton by Kate Morton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book tells the tragic story of a grand English family through the eyes and ears of one of their servants, Grace. The book opens when Grace, age 98, is contacted by a woman who is in the process of making a movie that will depict the history of the House at Riverton. Grace is asked to be a consultant on the movie based on her experiences with the family and the house. While visiting the studio sets for the film, long-hidden memories are awakened in Grace, who later decides she must record those memories for the benefit of her grandson, Marcus. This story of the House at Riverton begins in 1914 when a 14-year-old Grace is hired n as a servant girl in the house. She soon meets the Hartford children, who are all about the same age as her, and she is immediately smitten with them. All the children grow older as the country enters into World War I, which takes an immeasurable toll on the family. As the Hartford girls go on to make their debut into society, they wrestle with the new post-war attitudes and expectations of what it means to be a modern woman verses what has traditionally been a woman's role in society. The entire Hartford family history leads up to a very mysterious, very public tragedy that gradually comes into focus as the story fleshes out. In the book, Grace's memories of the Hartford family are interspersed with glimpses of Grace's life since her time in service to the Hartford family and her present-day life as an elderly lady in a nursing facility. The reader is drawn back and forth between the present and the past, constantly discovering little pieces of the puzzle, sometimes in the past and sometimes in the present --- a convention that keeps the story fresh and alive throughout the book. Ms. Morton has done a wonderful job not only of representing the early 20th century in both events and social attitudes, but also in creating a truly believable cast of characters with which to populate her creation. |
| J. Kaye Oldner ([email protected]) |
| I've Got This Friend Who. by KidsPeace |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a great book for teens. It has an easy- to-read format and excellent explanations on each topic. For you parents, this is a must read. You need the background information and support sources it has to make those talks with your teen meaningful. Anyone who works with teens should read this for those same reasons also. |
| Patricia Ezzell ([email protected]) |
| The Devil in the White City by Eric Larson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I don't know how I did not know about this book in 2003 when it was published. This was, without a doubt, one of the best reads I've enjoyed in a long time. I feel like I actually atttended the Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The visuals were outstanding. Larson captured the excitement of the city as well as the terror wrought by the serial killer who lived among the citizens of Chicago. It was truly frightening to think that this crazed killer went undetected for so long. I love historical fiction, but this was actual history. I can't wait to read his other work. |
| Judy O. |
| Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a remarkable novel about the German's occupation of France in World War II. The author's notebooks were found by her two daughters many years after her death in Auschwitz. They were astonished to see that the notebooks were not mere diaries, but a vivid masterpiece of a story about this historic event. This has been a bestseller for many months, and I'm glad I finally picked it up. |
| Fran |
| Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
From the author of THE DOGS OF BABEL, the reader is drawn into the lives of the most recent contestants on the reality tv show, "Lost and Found." Carolyn Parkhurst's compelling characters and fluid writing style has a way of drawing in the reader and keeping the pages turning. Even non-fans of reality television (myself included) will find something in this book. An all-around fun read! |
| 3M |
| The Cloud of Unknowing by Thomas H. Cook |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Actually rated at 3.5 THE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING by Thomas H. Cook is a 2007 Publisher's Weekly Best Mystery. Cook is a favorite author of mine, so I was looking forward to reading this book. David and Diana are brother and sister whose father had schizophrenia. Diana's son has recently drowned, and her behavior is becoming more and more erratic. She starts researching about strange ancient murders and starts suspecting her husband in their son's death. David is worried that she is starting to develop schizophrenia as well. He even begins to wonder if he should put her away for her own good. Was Diana's son murdered or was it an accident? I was a little disappointed in this book. My two favorites of his are BREAKHEART HILL and the Edgar-winning THE CHATHAM SCHOOL AFFAIR. If you've never read Cook before, I suggest you start with one of those two. |
| Readingrat |
| Faking It by Jennifer Crusie |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
My first Jennifer Crusie novel, but not my last. This was a really fun, light, little read. |
| LuAnn Morgan ([email protected]) |
| East of the Mountains by David Guterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Two things first attracted me to this book --- the setting is where I live and the author is one of my favorites. Ben Givens is dying of colon cancer. Rather than put his daughter through the final throes of agony he will endure, he decides to go home --- to where he was born and raised --- and take his own life. Yet, circumstances keep postponing his suicide. In the meantime, he has a chance to reflect back on key events in his life --- learning to hunt with his father, meeting his wife, his service in World War II, etc. The story is so well written and poignant that I will see this area I call home a little differently than before. |
| Bonnie |
| The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A rip-roaring story that takes place in the 12th century, but is timeless. It's a very long book, but a quick read nonetheless. |
| 3M |
| Strangers by Taichi Yamada |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Rated at 4.5 This book is very atmospheric. I found myself thinking about it long after reading the novel, and the story somewhat reminded me of an M. Night Shyamalan movie. Harada lives in a building on a very busy street in Tokyo. However, most of the units in the building have been converted to office space and, consequently, there are only two tenants there after hours. He's a little spooked by the quietness in the building at night, but chalks it up to being recently divorced and unused to being alone. One night he decides to go to his hometown where he meets a couple who are the spitting image of his long-dead parents. He keeps going back to see them to try to determine who they really are. There are other strange happenings in his life that I won't spoil for you here. It's a short book that can be read in a few hours, and I encourage anyone interested in world literature to read it. The 'quiet suspense' of the novel impressed me and made me want to read more by this author. |
| Cheryl |
| Death Game by Cheryl Swanson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
An interesting novel about how an online internet game can be used to manipulate people into doing what they would normally never dream of doing. The novel starts a little slowly, but once into it, it became a real page turner. |
| M. Pomroy |
| Judas Child by Carol O'Connell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Very suspensful --- this book keeps you wondering until the very end. |
| Sandra Hughes |
| Away by Amy Bloom |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I just finished this novel and thought it was very good and well written. I had read LOVE INVENTED US a year or so ago and enjoyed it also. I will definitely go back and read some of her other novels. |
| Lisa Madstar |
| Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A thought-provoking read; the action is nicely timed. I didn't like the ending much. |
| Kay Keller |
| Blasphemy by Douglas Preston |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Twelve top scientists are working in Arizona on a $40-billion dollar government project called Isabella. There is trouble from within the group of scientists and also trouble with the local Navajos, as well as from Christian pastors. Then the scientists contact GOD, who gives them a task to complete. The Christian pastors believe that Armageddon has begun and call up the followers to fight the Antichrist and the Beast. This is one of the very best Douglas Preston books I've read! |
| Shawnee |
| Oh, The Humanity! by Jason Roeder |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
OH, THE HUMANITY! is a hilarious parody of all the "self-help" books inundating the bookshelves. Jason Roeder attempts to help the socially inept learn some social skills and how to make friends. He definitely takes the tough love approach and doesn't hesitate to be a bit adult rated. I found myself laughing out loud and becoming one of those annoying readers who tell family members, "Wait, you have to hear this!" |
| Ruby Meredith ([email protected]) |
| Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This 3rd book in the 7-part series is excellent. It's not just for kids! I couldn't put it down. |
| T. Thomas |
| Last Known Victim by Erica Spindler |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Good mystery. Exciting and keeps one guessing as to who the killer really is. |
| Michele ([email protected]) |
| The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a wonderful book! Taking place in Barcelona, it is a historical mystery. It is a story about the power of books and authors. A great read. |
| Carole |
| Peter Jennings: A Reporter's Life by Edited by Kate Darnton, Kayce Freed Jennings and L |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A wonderful book and an easy read. I learned a lot about the man I had always watched on t.v. He was indeed "our voice". |
| Melanie ([email protected]) |
| Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
If you like the Stephanie Plum novels then you'll enjoy this book. It's a clever and amusing read --- perfect for when you want a light read. |
| Jane ([email protected]) |
| Protect and Defend by Vince Flynn |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a very good book. It is a great thriller about Iran and a nuclear program. Vince Flynn is a great author who I would recommend to anyone. |
| Melanie ([email protected]) |
| SINS OF BROTHER and DOG ISLAND by Mike Stewart |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Both of these novels are totally engrossing and frankly had me completely stressed out during their very gripping endings. I love the main character, attorney Tom McInnes --- who is a wicked smart guy with a wicked smart mouth. I highly recommend both books, and I am just starting the third in the series, A CLEAN KILL. |
| Cynthia Baxter |
| Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Very rich in detail. I had to go to the library and check out every book I could find on Marie Antoinette and Versailles. Naslund has done a wonderful job in her research of this tragic historical figure. |
| catmat |
| Plum Lucky by janet evanovich |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Her in-between-the-numbers books never let me down. Only problem...all her books are way too short, I finish them in no time and am left wondering how much longer it'll be 'til her next book is published! There are some laugh-out-loud sentences, and the visuals you get from her descriptions are spot on. A quick read, and a fun one. Can't give it a 5 for only one reason...like I said, they're way too short for my liking! |
| Sal W. ([email protected]) |
| Loving Frank by Nancy Horan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The "Frank" in the title is the architect Frank Lloyd Wright.The "Loving" came from his scandalous inamorata Mamah Borthwick Cheney, who left her husband and two young children to flee to Europe with Wright, who left behind a wife and six children of his own. The two fell in love while he was building a home for her and her husband. Contemporary press accounts in the narrative show society's view that while Wright was merely philandering, Mrs. Cheney was acting like an unnatural mother. This novel does a fine job of tracing their life together and describing the weight of public opinion against her. Its an interesting case of a woman seeking and justifying her own actions against the weight of social mores. |
| sal w. |
| In The Woods by Tana French |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This venture into psychological suspense begins when three children do not return home after dark. The police find only child alive.Twenty years later, the found boy is a detective who keeps his past secret. But when another child is murdered in the same woods, he investigates. He uses his long-forgotten memories to guide him as he solves the mystery. This is well plotted and enthralling with a jolt of an ending. It's as good as --- if not better than --- THE LOVELY BONES. |
| Pattie McClimans ([email protected]) |
| Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Ms. Evanovich has done it again in this between-the-numbers novel staring Stephanie Plum, and of course, Lulu too. It all gets started on St. Patrick's Day when that lovable hunk Diesel "pops" in on Stephanie. When they are of to breakfast, they run across grandma lugging a duffel bag stuffed full of something down the street, battling off a short guy in green pants. See were this is going? As soon as the little person sees Diesel, he takes off with out the bag and grandma accepts a ride but declines to disclose the contents of her bag. This story has everything from a broken down racehorse to the casinos in Atlantic city in it, and as all the Stephanie Plum books do, wraps up with the reader laughing out loud in spite of themselves. It is a must read! |
| Katie Dugas |
| Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I don't know how many people have told me that they dislike this book, but I love it! It is so true to human nature, and leaves out nothing. Embrace this book for what it is and read it! |
| Jeannie ([email protected]) |
| The King Of Lies by John Hart |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I could not put this book down. It's an amazing story about an attorney in a rich family with problems. You felt his pain, anger, love and discouragement as he found out about himself and those around him after the death of his father. There are interesting people in the town, and his love of his sister and hers for him, his strength when things got tough and his courage to find out the truth were amazing! Amazing story and I want more!! |
| Genie |
| The Wizard's Daughter by Barbara Michaels |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A 19th-century period piece complete with all the parlor room activities popular at the time (table tipping, seances and a Ouiji board) used at the insistence of an elderly Duchess. In ill health, she was determined to contact the love of her life for the last time. Although most of the effects were proved to be "balderdash", there was at least one actual ghost in this complicated tale of a young orphaned girl named Marianne. |
| Katie Dugas |
| The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
If you love Austen's books, than you will love this digest of her modern characters. It was fun to pick out the similarities between the characters. A good read! |
| Katie Dugas |
| The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
If you love Jodi Picoult's books, than you'll love this one. It gives the reader the "what if" theory that makes one think about what they would do in the same situation. |
| Katie Dugas |
| Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This was my first Austen read and wow! This book is enchanting and truly spellbinding. If you haven't read it, I suggest you get a copy right away! |
| Katie Dugas |
| The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book will keep you guessing until the minute Hercule Poirot unveils the answer! An excellent read! |
| Shawnee |
| An Absolute Gentleman by R. M. Kinder |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I loved this psychological thriller! It is fiction, but is written like an autobiography of a serial killer. It isn't full of gore but the way the author gets the reader into the head of this killer is very chilling. This is one of those suspense novels that will stick with me for a while. |
| Esty |
| World Without End by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Every bit as good as PILLARS OF THE EARTH. It takes place 2 centuries later in the same place in England. This century saw the start of the plagues and tells how one woman, a nun who cared for the sick, figured out what to do. Again, a very worthwhile and unforgettable read. |
| Marsha |
| Free Fall by Robert Crais |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Elvis Cole and Joe Pike are again up against the bad guys, and this time, it includes a unit inside the Los Angeles Police Department. They are running from both the LAPD and the South Central Gang bangers. Never a dull moment. |
| Shannon |
| A Killing Rain by P. J. Parrish |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A great installment featuring Private Investigator Louis Kincaid in Captiva, Florida. It introduces a new character, Detective Joette Frye --- Joe for short --- and things heat up between her and Louis. I'm looking forward to the next book featuring the two of them. |
| Wayne Fisher |
| His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I am finally reading the young adult's fantasy series that has been sitting in my rather large "to be read pile," and am enjoying each and every moment. Pullman deftly portrays a fascinating world that appears to be a mirror image of our own, with a few rather surprising developments. Pullman drew quite a bit of criticism from the religious right for his rather acid portrayal of organized religion, but I find his views rather refreshing and find his world (and characters) deliriously enchanting. |
| Gerald Rosen ([email protected]) |
| The 6 Sacred Stones by Matthew Reilly |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a sequel to 7 DEADLY WONDERS, and will be followed by another book in the ongoing saga of Jack West Jr. The hero is a combination of Indiana Jones and Spiderman. The book is a non-stop action/adventure quest/myth which is both unbelievable and outrageous. If you're looking for reality, look elsewhere. |
| LouBabe ([email protected]) |
| Cross by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I finally got to read this one that was hyped as revealing Alex Cross's wife's murderer. Perhaps the biggest appeal to me is that a new reader could pick this one up and still be able to figure everything out without having to have read the previous AC stories. I highly recommend it. |
| Tamara |
| Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I couldn't put this young-adult book down. The discriptions of Aix, France are wonderful. I love the suspense and other-worldliness of the characters. Fun way to pass the time. I am so glad I found this author. |
| Jon W. |
| Die Trying by Lee Child |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is about the tenth Lee Child book that I've read and it was one of the strangest stories. It involves militias in Montana and the FBI and other government organizations. It's overly convoluted in terms of plot and the main character is utilized as usual as a source of retribution. I found it difficult to retain my interest as the believability factor was pushing the envelope in a big way. |
| Peter ([email protected]) |
| A Tourist in the Yucatan by James McNay Brumfield |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I guess this book came out a few years ago, and while not a best seller, it has developed quite a cult following. It's the tale of a gringo couple who get into trouble down Mexico way. A pretty cool thriller wrapped in the mystery of the Maya. There is a little bit of everything here: action, drama, adventure, sex, and violence! It kept me guessing. This book is better than 90% of the best sellers in this genre, I highly recommend it! |
| LouBabe |
| My Secret Valentine by Marilyn Pappano |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Marilyn's books are all fun, and all I've read have been family-oriented. This one tells the story of a couple who fell in love, but the guy was afraid of commitments. About six years later, they meet up again and get a second chance. |
| Louise |
| The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Belva is a great author, but this wasn't one of her best works. It's a heartwarming family story which starts out in 1907, but I don't believe I will add it to my Belva Plain collection. |
| LouBabe |
| Feet First by Leanne Banks |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A cute story about a shoe designer and her relationship with the VP of the company. It had too much graphic sex for my tastes. I wish they could rate books like they do movies before we waste our money. |
| Jennifer Anne |
| Glory in Death by J. D. Robb |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A good, fun, easy-to-read mystery/romance. This is the second book in Robb'sIn Death series and I liked it better than the first book. Recommended if you're looking for something light, fast, and steamy to pass the time. |
| Lisa Alexander ([email protected]) |
| Wonderful Tonight by Pattie Boyd |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
Pattie spends most of the novel name- dropping about who she partied with and where she met them. There were some interesting parts about her relationship with George Harrison that I hadn't read about before but otherwise, it was a rather dull read. It was more like a gossip column and did not have a very flattering picture of Eric Clapton either. |
| N. Smith Scott |
| Notes From the Mothership: The Naked Invisibles by Adrienne Zurub |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A compelling and seductive read. This author's search, longing and mining of her varied careers and interest for her true identity resonates with anyone seeking the personal and greater identification of themselves without the noise of culture. The book is imbued with a poetic and conversational timber which allows the reader to be deeply touched by the most personal of revelations. I experienced an emotional transformation while reading this book; as I ventured where this author courageously took me. |
| Isaac Harvey ([email protected]) |
| Precedent of Justice by Patrick Raley |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Why do so many authors write stories and characters that are unrealistic and improbable? I was glad to finally find a story that followed a real person. Detective Charlie Peppers is a guy who I would like to hang out with. Simply put, he is human. Throughout the novel, he stumbles his way through a budding relationship while trying to solve a hideous crime. It seems like so many writers want readers to follow an extraordinary superhero as they solve the impossible murder that only they can track. Sure, the murder in this story is a challenge, but Charlie is simply an ordinary person like the rest of us. Nothing magically comes together but he works hard to solve the case. The best part of the book came at the end. I love it when a story wraps up and everything works out; however, I definitely didn't see what was coming. Personally, I think everyone got what they deserved, but not in the normal way. (I don't want to give away the ending, it really makes you think.) If you are looking for a novel without all the unnecessary wording and unbelievable storylines, this is the one for you. The author keeps the story moving and I felt that I was right alongside Charlie Peppers the whole way. The most unexpected element was that I found myself laughing throughout the book too. I couldn't put it down. Raley is definitely a new author worth reading. I can't wait to see what happens next. |
| Lori S. ([email protected]) |
| Mina by Marie Kiraly |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a continuation of Bram Stoker's DRACULA and surprisingly, not a bad story. This follows Mina Harker and the other main characters in their search for the vampire king to once and for all break his hold on Mina. Kiraly writes in the same Stoker diary form, which makes this a more believable sequel than I thought it would be. |
| T. Brown ([email protected]) |
| The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a very fat book...973 pages. I thought about putting it back on the shelf, but had heard so much about it that I bought it anyway. I could not put it down. I usually don't care for medieval books, but this one just pulled me in. I think you will like it. |
| Quinn ([email protected]) |
| The Complete Novels by Jane Austen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Now that PBS has a wonderful series on Jane Austen, I am reading all of her works again. She is such a wordsmith and expresses herself with such detail. I feel like I've just eaten a good meal after I read a few pages, but I never get full. PBS started with Northanger Abbey and that's where I started reading! The sections on love are so tender and the characters are so well developed. |
| Madeline |
| The Chameleon's Shadow by Minette Walters |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I am a big fan of this author's work, and this latest release will keep me coming back for more. The suspense is not so much in-your-face as it is a palpable undercurrent moving throughout the whole book. |
| Judy S |
| The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Wonderful escapist fare. Cotton Malone and Cassiopeia Vitt are back in this thrill-a- chapter roller coaster ride. The backdrop is a new federation risen from the ashes of the former USSR, a secret league of powerbrokers from around the world, the US Justice Department, and a bookseller. Biological agents, possible cures, and the search for Alexander the Great's remains all play a part in this fun-to-read novel. I really like that Berry (after the end of the story) separates fact from fiction from conjecture. |
| Salby |
| The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I read this after reading Hosseini's second book, A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, which is a great book. This book, Hosseini's stunning first novel, is wonderful and deserving of all the accolades it received. For me, it would have received 5 stars if the last portion of the book had been a little stronger. Without giving away any plot lines, I thought it was a bit too easy that the main character would have quickly broken a promise which then had such (deservedly) dire results. It seemed a convenient way to make the story even more horrifying and dramatic. But all that said, it's an amazing book. |
| Madeline |
| Slam by Nick Hornby |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This YA novel is like a modern-day male- oriented version of those Judy Blume books I loved as a kid. And, like those books, it should also be read by adults! |
| Jennifer L. |
| From Here, You Can't See Paris by Michael S. Sanders |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This gives an appealing look at life in the French countryside. It's like taking a vacation there. |
| Brady ([email protected]) |
| The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Any reader aspiring to go to a professional cooking school should read this book as it gives you a good feeling about what will happen and how it will change you...without question. The author is from the U.S., however is working in London (for adventure) and then gets fired from an executive position. She doesn't know what to do when her boyfriend reminds her how much she has talked about attending Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France. She does just that, and this book is an excellent rundown of that experience. |
| LouBabe |
| Underfoot by Leanne Banks |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The second in the series about the Bellagio Shoe Company, I enjoyed this one quite a bit more than the first. A one-night drunken stand that took place after an event in the first book brought all kinds of consequences down the line. |
| Lucy Portland |
| The Dive From Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I've had this on my bookshelf since it was published, but never read it. I wanted to read this book before I read Packer's latest. The crisis occurs before Chapter One. Then I couldn't put the book down until I knew how Mike would be. The struggles of Mike's girlfriend Carrie then kept me reading. The book illustrates how uncertain our lives can be. |
| Bob Wigdor |
| The Face Of Death by Cody McFadyen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
THE FACE OF DEATH proves that Cody McFadyen's excellent first thriller, SHADOW MAN, was no fluke. Once again, McFadyen delivers a big-time plot filled with suspense, characters that are believable and descriptive passages that "come alive" on the page. THE FACE OF DEATH will make you want to turn the pages as fast as you can to find out what happens next. With now two excellent back-to-back thrillers (although I found SHADOW MAN to be just a little more exciting), Mcfadyen has earned the right to be considered one of the best of today's thriller writers. His books aren't just good, they are memorable. Do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy of THE FACE OF DEATH. However, if you haven't read his previous book. read it before THE FACE OF DEATH. Enjoy! |
| Pammy760 ([email protected]) |
| Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I didn't think I would like this book, but when I started, I couldn't put it down. Mitchell's writing is beautiful. She writes a lot about the history of the Civil War, which I thought I would hate, but Mitchell makes it so interesting while staying with the fictional storyline about Scarlett O'Hara. I just started the sequel, SCARLETT, and I am not all that impressed. But GONE WITH THE WIND is a must read! |
| Darcy ([email protected]) |
| Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Joe Hill was clearly raised in his father's house (he's the son of Stephen King), but he still has some dues to pay. This horror story had too much repetition, and almost too much horror in each chapter to allow for a build-up of anticipation for the reader. Give it to us a little more slowly, Joe, so that we can savor thoughts about what might be coming next. |
| Jessica |
| Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A book about one thirty-something woman's discovery of who she is and how she can reach what/whom she believes God is. After a bitter divorce and a failed relationship, Gilbert travels to Italy to learn Italian. She spends 4 months in Rome and gains 23 pounds. During this time, she discovers what she likes and begins to experience happiness. Following Italy, she goes to an ashram in India where she begins to have religious experiences. She thinks back on her life and begins the process of letting go of some issues that have plagued her. Instead of prayer, I'd label this one Peace. It's where I saw the author finding peace. Lastly, Gilbert spends 4 months in Bali with a medicine man. She begins to feel capable of love again. It is a fascinating book that has the tendency to make the author seem completely self-absorbed at times. However, I think it prudent to remember the entire book is supposed to be about her. |
| Darcy |
| Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This one didn't quite measure up to Russo's usual. Though the characters were engaging, the author somehow failed to make the switches between the Italian story and the small-town America story mesh properly. |
| Tommy Nichols ([email protected]) |
| Gray Ghost by William Tapply |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Intelligent and interesting characters. Good mystery. |
| Bob Wigdor |
| The Nazi Hunter by Alan Elnsner |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
THE NAZI HUNTER is a very enjoyable book that kept me engrossed from beginning to end. Elsner provides a good blend of character development, historical research, romance, insights into orthodox Judaism, Washington politics and, of course, suspense that will have you turning the pages at a rapid pace. |
| Bob Wigdor |
| Black Widow by E. Duke Vincent |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
After reading E. Duke Vincent's excellent first book, MAFIA SUMMER, I couldn't wait for him to write another one. But, as the saying goes, 'Be careful what you wish for.' Vincent's new one, BLACK WIDOW, is extremely disappointing and one of the worst books I've read in a while. The plot is paper-thin, the characters are one-dimensional at best, and the dialogue is unrealistic. If that's not enough to dissuade you from wasting your time and money, then try this on for size --- all the action is totally predictable. |
| Julie Towson |
| The Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Even though this book is over 500 pages, I find myself flying through it. It's one of those wonderful novels you can't put down! |
| Bob Wigdor |
| World Without End by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH has been one of my all-time favorite books, and so I was a little skeptical about how good its sequel could be. My concern was totally unnecessary. WORLD WITHOUT END, which takes place in the same town of Kingsbridge almost 200 years later and has the cathedral as its backdrop, is an excellent book and I expect that in time it will also be considered to be a masterpiece. Not having read THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH will not deter you in any way from enjoying WORLD WITHOUT END, as other than the common thread mentioned above, it reads like a stand alone. Follett packs it all in this 1,024 page book --- love, greed, pride, ambition and revenge. Do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy of this very entertaining and memorable book. But, be aware that your enjoyment won't come cheap --- the retail price of WORLD WITHOUT END is $35. I think you'll find, however, that it is worth every penny. |
| Bob Wigdor |
| Power Play by Joseph Finder |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
POWER PLAY is a book you don't want to miss. Its plot --- involving an off-site meeting with a company's top executives and one junior executive at a deluxe desolate lodge that is invaded by a group of armed intruders --- will keep you on the edge of your seat. You won't be able to turn the pages fast enough to see what happens next. Beyond its strong plot, Finder's characters are multi-dimensional and very believable. With POWER PLAY, Finder further reinforces his credentials as one of the premier thriller writers. |
| Lori S. ([email protected]) |
| Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I think all of Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books are 5 stars and this, though one of her shorter in-between-the-number books, is no exception. This one puts Steph, Diesel, Lula and Connie on the trail of a missing bag of money that Grandma now has and is on the run to Atlantic City in a Winnebago to hit the slots! Turns out to be quite a St Patrick's Day for all of them! Lots of fun, even if you've never read a Stephanie Plum book. Enjoy! |
| Lori S. ([email protected]) |
| Hollywood Station by Joseph Wambaugh |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Nobody knows the dark underside of Hollywood and L. A.like Wambaugh, and no one writes a cop drama like Wambaugh, who has been doing it for 30 years. This combines both in a very tense yet entertaining read. |
| Bob Wigdor |
| The Color Of Law by Mark Giminez |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Mark Gimenez's legal thriller is very fast paced and highly entertaining. With the exception of the two nine-year-old girls (who are too "cutesy" and knowledgeable to be very credible), most of the characters are well-developed and believable. The plot is interesting and exciting, and Giminez's cynical description of what being a top corporate lawyer is like seems very accurate. THE COLOR OF LAW, although ultimately mostly predictable, will keep the pages flying through your fingers. If you are into legal thrillers, I think this is a book you will enjoy. |
| L. Hann |
| Please Don't Come Back From the Moon by Dean Bakopoulos |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The summer Michael Smolij turns 17, his father disappears. He is going to the moon. One by one, other fathers disappear also. How will these boys find their way, and what will happen to their mothers? As these boys grow up to be men, will they follow the same path of their fathers or will they start to understand the reason they went to the moon? |
| Lori S. ([email protected]) |
| The Terror by Dan Simmons |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Wow! As if being marooned in the arctic with only your shoes and each other to eat isn't horrific enough, throw in an unseen white monster stalking you at night and you have a heck of a horror story with some history thrown in. Very good. |
| Marlie Warren ([email protected]) |
| Queen of this Realm by Jean Plaidy |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A friend recommended this book and anything by the author. So far, I'm enjoying it and find it difficult to put down. I'm sure I'll be seeking out other novels written by Jean Plaidy. She certainly knows her stuff!! |
| Coral |
| The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a story of a family named Cooper. Jack, the father, wrote a letter to his wife every Wednesday as long as he lived. The 3 children found the letters after they both died. It is sad, glad and generally a good book. |
| Valerie |
| Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
It was okay, I just didn't find it all that interesting until the last couple chapters. |
| Valerie |
| The World Without Us by Alan Weisman |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I picked this up only because of all the hype and I was curious about it. I enjoyed it and learnt quite a bit from reading it. I would have preferred if the author would have used footnotes and listed his references instead of only putting a bibliography at the back of the book. |
| Cheryl Thompson |
| The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Even better than THE TEA ROSE, I had to write to Donnelly to tell her to write faster!! THE WILD ROSE will follow Seamus in his endeavors!! I just can't wait to read the third one now!! |
| Berna LaFortezza ([email protected]) |
| For One More Day by Mitch Albom |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This was a very thought-provoking book. I found myself totally engrossed by its insights and messages. I lost my own mother in April of last year, so it really resonated with me. This book will inspire you to express your appreciation for and understanding of your significant others before it's too late. |
| Melissa Ensing |
| Souvenir by Therese Fowler |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I was given the opportunity to read this ARC and it really blew me away. I felt a personal connection to it, and had a hard time putting it down. It was one of those books you didn't want to end. I'm hoping we see a lot more from Therese Fowler in the future. |
| L. Hann |
| Cross by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Cross is on the hunt for his wife's killer. James Patterson takes you back to the day that Cross's wife was killed, and his search for her killer. |
| Dale A. Wellman |
| World Without End by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Follett has the ability to immerse the reader into a pivotal time period. What I found most interesting in the book was how life was experienced from the rich to the very poor. Although I don't think this novel was as quite good as PILLARS OF THE EARTH, it is well worth reading. |
| Carol Hoyer from VA ([email protected]) |
| The Brutality of War: A Memoir of Vietnam by Gene R. Dark |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Gene Dark's THE BRUTALITY OF WAR: A A Memoir of Vietnam is one of the most honest, sincere books I have read about our young soldiers going to war. Dark did not make sarcastic remarks or light of his tour of duty with the Marine Corps. At the age of nineteen, Gene felt he had no direction in life and really wanted to get out and experience the world. He talked another young man in signing up for the Marine Corp with him. During the grueling training at boot camp and advanced training, he vowed he would never "run away." This was something his father had taught him. When he arrived in Vietnam he was not ready for what he saw or felt. No amount of training could have prepared him for what was about to happen to him. During his tour he realized that none of the young men were ready. Watching his close friends die in his hands or look for their body parts was so traumatic he couldn't let it go. Dark relates during this story that he wishes those in power would have the same experience all of the soldiers did so they could realize what it was like for the young innocent men. One of the most striking things the reader got out of the book was you can go home but never leave the war behind. So many soldiers came back with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and psychology didn't know what to do with them. Families had a hard time dealing with the nightmares, anger and depression. Soldiers returning were treated with hate, anger and threats. Was this something that a person who put their life on the line expected? This is a must read for all of those in the helping field, as well as for families of our Vietnam veterans. It may not answer everything one wants to know, but it will give one an idea of what each individual soldier faced. An excellent read. |
| Carol Hoyer from VA ([email protected]) |
| The Painter's Brush with Death by Nancy A. Lindley-Gauthier |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
How could two sisters be so different and still live in the same house and get along? Sarah is younger, arrogant, pretentious and her goal is to get married before she becomes a spinster at age thirty. She expects everyone to notice her beauty, admire her art and stop what they are doing when she enters the room. Rebecca, the older sister, is more down to earth, responsible and unflappable. She cares not about her looks, outdated clothes or men in general. She is just as happy throwing caution to the wind or sit and read in the drawing room. As the dreary winter weather starts to roll in, the sisters return from the beautiful town of Berwick, Maine. Sarah does nothing but complain about the weather and the horse just plodding along in the muddy ruts. In between complaining, she dreams of a man she just recently met at a social event in town. He is handsome, dressed in the recent fashion, is articulate and educated --- just what she thinks she wants in a future husband. Yet, she doesn't know much about him. Rebecca, the more practical person, doesn't have time to listen to her sister whine. She thinks Sarah is spoiled and wonders how she will ever take care of herself if something happens to Rebecca. Just as they pull into the lane to their house, the horse doesn't turn as he should and their carriage slides and ends up on 2 wheels. This scares Sarah, who is convinced she just had a "near death experience!" Her sister thinks this is craziness and says, "The carriage just tipped a little." Nonetheless, Sarah has decided that things must change and she must be adamant about obtaining a husband. During the next few weeks, Sarah is determined to see the handsome man again and decides to have a little party. She invites several of her friends including the O'Rourkes with their two unmarried daughters and that old Mr. Oldfield who was pushy and quite annoying. Although she knew the two did not get along, that wasn't her concern --- she just wanted to get the handsome stranger to her house. Needless to say, the dinner party is not what Sarah had expected. Tensions fill the room and no one pays her the slightest attention. Mr. Roberts, the man she visioned as her Prince Charming, is not what she thought. And to add to this matter, he has his sight set on her sister. What happened at the party? Who was this Mr. Roberts? Did Sarah become less demanding? Ms. Gauthier's story is easy reading, light hearted and gives the reader the opportunity to really get to know her characters. At times, this reader wanted to just shake Sarah and tell her that the world didn't revolve around her and push Rebecca to pay more attention to her appearance and seek out a life of her own. This is a great book to read on a rainy day. |
| Janice Hoaglin ([email protected]) |
| View From Mt. Joy by Lorna Landvik |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I just finished this book and really enjoyed it. Though tragedies occur, it is essentially a "happy" book. The main character is the almost-ideal husband, but then the author is a woman! |
| Janice Hoaglin ([email protected]) |
| Interred with Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I just started this book, but am finding it well written and intriguing. This is the author's first novel, I think; she is a history and literature professor, and has directed Shakespeare, which makes me want to see where this is going. |
| Miriam |
| Dispatches From The Edge by Anderson Cooper |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a good book, if a somewhat difficult one to read. I say difficult because the feelings and experiences detailed in Anderson's book are not all warm, fuzzy and happy; actually, they're much the opposite. However, they are very real, insightful, candid and genuine. It is truly a current memoir written in a manner easy to engage in and absorb by a deeply emotional, driven and intellectual news professional. The title of this book is superbly accurate and telling as a description of its theme and content on both a personal and world perspective. It can open any reader's eyes to knowledge of the personal and world experience even if one happens to shrink from the medial onslaught of current events or doesn't know Anderson Cooper or his work. Alternatively, for anyone who is an Anderson Cooper fan or drawn to a heightened understanding of world news and reporting, this book is a must read. |
| Lea Ann in Seattle ([email protected]) |
| Mozart's Sister by Rita Charbonnier |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book has many different levels in revealing life for Wolfgang A. Mozart and his sister, Maria. Maria is 5 yrs. older than Wolfgang and just as talented at both playing and composing music. They are inseparable when young, and then their father forbids Maria to play or to compose and forces her to teach piano to earn money to further Wolfgang's career. As you can imagine, they drift apart until, at the time of his death, they are no longer speaking. Many family letters have been used as the backbone of this story (historical fiction) plus other research by the author. A compelling work; a fascinating book to read. |
| Michele |
| At Weddings and Wakes by Alice McDermott |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
My book group discussed this on Friday and most didn't like it until we had our discussion. McDermott is a tough author to read, but worth it. |
| Karin |
| Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Great book. Interesting characters, and a real pager turner. I didn't give it a 5 because it was too much like Debbie Macomber's books. |
| Margie |
| There's No Place LIke Here by Cecelia Ahern |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'd give this one 4.5 stars if I could. I found this magical tale about what happens to people and things that are lost and (almost) never found touching and fascinating. Ahern never disappoints. |
| Marlie Warren ([email protected]) |
| Peony in love by Lisa See |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book is very consistent to the author's novel SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN. I'm impressed by how well she makes me "see" everything she writes about. I loved the first novel and love this one equally as well! I would definitely recommend anything you can get your hands on if it's written by Lisa See. |
| Debbie Whittemore |
| Copy Cat by Erica Spindler |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A thriller about a serial killer, a copy cat killer and the two homicide detectives on the trail. Kitt Lundgren was the lead on the original investigation but let the killer get away. A copy cat killer is now killing young girls and the new detective, Mary Catherine Riggio, is determined to find him and the original killer. This is a fast-paced story, with lots of twists and turns, which keeps the reader guessing to the very end. |
| Toni B. |
| Tab Hunter Confidential by Tab Hunter and Eddie Muller |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I am always fascinated by autobiographies. Back in the day, I had a crush on Tab Hunter and it was very interesting to read about his rise to Hollywood stardom and the consequences of being a gay man in that industry. |
| Kathleen G |
| The Rabbi's Girls by Johanna Hurwitz |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a novel for ages 8-12, mostly for girls. It's the story of the daughters of Rabbi Levin after they move to Lorain, Ohio in 1923. There are good things and bad things that happen, just like in real life. This is a good book for non-Jewish kids to learn what it's like to be Jewish. Many aspects of Judaism are explained, like how the Shabbos is celebrated (like the Christian Sabbath), what Rosh Hashanah is all about, the special preparations for Passover and how the Jewish wedding works. It also shows a bit of how life was different in the 20s. Mama is a very superstitious person which I believe was very common in the 20s. She forbids the family to talk of her pregnancy so as not to attract the evil eye. She doesn't like people admiring her children for the same reason. |
| Kathleen G |
| My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
It's a collection of stories by Gary Paulsen all about different dogs he has had in his life. It's written for a younger crowd, I'd say 8 and up. The stories were fun to read even as an adult, although obviously as an adult, I found them a little short. I would have liked to know more about the dogs. I think Paulsen should create an adult version, sort of like John Grogan made a kid's version of MARLEY & ME that was shorter. At the start of each chapter is a small sketch by C.E. Mitchell of the dog being talked about. Although the sketches are cute, I'd prefer a photograph of them. My favorite story was about Caesar, the Great Dane. |
| Lynn M. |
| The Shell Game by Steve Alten |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A thought-provoking book. Even though it's a crackling-good thriller, the author obviously researched this subject thoroughly and really cares about the subject (as we all should)! |
| Donna Tanner |
| Elfhunter by C. S. Marks |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
(Second time I have recommended this novel, in case some missed it before!) First of a trilogy. I am reading the second book now. Fantasy is not my favorite genre and I don't usually search through it to see what's new, but this title caught my eye --- I got it from the library in case I disliked it --- and I'm HOOKED! What a great story. The author just fascinates me with her imagination. Hope you try this one, because you will more than likely want to read all three. |
| Marlie Warren ([email protected]) |
| A Little Bit Ruined by Patty Friedmann |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I'm about 1/3rd through this new novel by Patty Friedmann and I'm loving it! She never disappoints me and I am constantly amazed by her creativity. She truly inspires me! |
| Gale |
| Blood Dreams by Kay Hooper |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Kay Hooper continues her successful FBI Special Crimes Unit series with BLOOD DREAMS, as Noah Bishop and his physic crew search for a particularly terrifying psychopath --- who may be using special powers of his own to continue his killing spree. The action moves from Boston to Georgia, where members of a civilian group known as Haven help in the search. The characters and story are good, but the ending is lacking. |
| Gale |
| Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Oh oh.Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, it looks like Grandma Mazur stole money from a leprechaun (?) and Stephanie, Lula, Connie and Diesel follow her to Atlantic City before she can lose it all. PLUM LUCKY is another fun holiday novella from Janet Evanovich, sure to keep fans placated until FEARLESS FOURTEEN is released in the summer. |
| Paula Morris |
| The Kitchen Boy by Robert Alexander |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
There's been many books written regarding the Romanov family and the tragedy surrounding them. However, I found this book, although very thin, very captivating. With copies of actual correspondence, you felt the story could be possible. I thought I had a good idea how the story was going to end, but I was pleasantly surprised. |
| Lori S. ([email protected]) |
| Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCraig |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Loving the book of GONE WITH THE WIND, as I do and hating the book SCARLETT, I was leery of even opening this one. But McCaig does an excellent job of telling Rhett's story from his youth --- doing slave labor on his father's plantation to his expulsion from West Point, the duel that gets him banished from his family, his long relationship with Belle Watling, his years at sea to meeting Scarlett O'Hara. We get to know the inner workings of this very complex and ultimate bad boy hero and what happens after "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." Yes, I liked it. |
| Debbie Whittemore |
| The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Chabon, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY, tells a story about a police detective trying to solve a murder. But, no one has told a story like this one. From the location --- Sitka, Alaska, occupied by Jewish refugees --- to the murder victim --- Mendel Shpilman, son of the most feared Rabbi in town --- to the homicide detective, Meyer Landsman, Chabon's story is outrageous! Sitka is on the verge of Reversion, which means most of the Jews will have to leave and find a new home. Landsman only has 2 months to close out all his open cases and he has been told that this new murder case is already closed. As he is nearing the end of his career and possible relocation, he decides to keep digging to find out who killed Mendel, and more importantly, why. This story contains dark humor, lost love, and amazingly detailed characters. It is a study of banishment and salvation. |
| Carol K. B. ([email protected]) |
| Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
LOST & FOUND has a current setting, a reality show which a mother enticed her daughter to apply for in order to improve the bond between them. The story jumps from one set of people to another with interesting backgrounds, but it was too short a story to develop much about their character. I liked Parkhurst's last book, THE DOGS OF BABEL, to a greater degree. |
| Katie Schaffer |
| The Girl With No Shadow by Joanne Harris |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I read the English version (LOLLIPOP SHOES) already. Readers who loved CHOCOLAT will be thrilled with her newest novel. She is a master author, I think. |
| Mary in HB ([email protected]) |
| The Nixie's Song by Holly Black and Tony Di Terlizzi |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Very Entertaining! This story is written for young children but it is very appealing to adults as well. |
| Mary in HB ([email protected]) |
| The Chronicles of Spiderwick: A Grand Tour by Tony DiTerlizzi Holly Black |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I thought the trailer for the movie to be released looked fantastic and thought I should read this before I see it. This was an amazing story, but it was too short, so I will have to read the whole series. Although this book is directed at young children, it should appeal to everyone. |
| Lori S. ([email protected]) |
| Eleanor Vs. Ike by Robin Gerber |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
What if, in 1952, the Democratic nominee for president suddenly died and Eleanor Roosevelt was tapped to run against the Republican war hero, Dwight D. Eisenhower? Will the people accept a female president? And will the many enemies of the outspoken Eleanor, especially in the South succeed in killing her? A unique idea that became an excellent book. |
| Mary in HB ([email protected]) |
| Gods Behaving Badly: A Novel by Marie Phillips |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Very witty and delightful story. If you don't know Greek mythology, this book will educate you a bit. I really enjoyed it. |
| Nanci LaGarenne |
| Wonderful Tonight by Pattie Boyd |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
If You loved the Beatles and were there in the late 60s and 70s, this is your book. If You loved George Harrison and want to know all about each Beatle and Mick and everyone in rock back then, read it. The author is the one both George and Eric Clapton wrote famous songs about. Layla, Something, and of course the title --- Wonderful Tonight. I couldn't put it down. |
| Vickie |
| T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Kinsey Milhone takes on elderly abuse in an alphabet mystery that is sure to keep you enthralled as well as outraged at the total destruction of an elderly neighbor of hers. She includes her favorite characters and adds the social commentary that is a welcome addition to the usual mystery drivel. A must read in her series! |
| Mary in HB ([email protected]) |
| Skinny Bitch by Kim Barnouin and Rory Freedman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book gives a great background on the FDA and USDA, why there are so many chemicals in our foods and why we shouldn't eat them. Not really a diet book as an argument for a vegan lifestyle choice. Very funny as well. |
| Dusty Johnson ([email protected]) |
| Entombed by Linda Fairstein |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Great Book! I have read all of Linda Fairstein's books and she just keeps getting better. Very interesting and hard to put down. |
| Nanci LaGarenne |
| Tipperary by Frank Delaney |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Fabulous interesting story. A bit of Ireland's history woven around a love story. The troubles and the IRA, and castles and green fields and suspense and love and healing potions... A great page turner. |
| Mary in HB ([email protected]) |
| Twilight by Stephenie Meyer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Slow start with a too-descriptive beginning, but then the story clicked. Can't wait to read the next one. |
| Katie S |
| The Kept Man by Jami Attenberg |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a marvelous book discussion book. There are so many moral dilemmas within. |
| sue |
| World Without End by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
It's really cold here, and I was looking for a book that would take a while to read. At 1014 pages, I thought this would fit the bill; however, I find that I'm just plowing through it. More than anything, Follett makes life in the Middle Ages come alive again, and it's fascinating because it all seems so REAL. I haven't finished it, but I give it a huge thumbs up! |
| Annie |
| The Worst Thing I've Done by Ursula Hegi |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
Three friends grow up, two marry each other and husband is forever jealous of third. Tedious reading. |
| Annie |
| The Kitchen Boy by Robert Alexander |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This historical fiction novel is the story of Russian Tsar Nicholas and Alexandria's final days, as told by the kitchen boy. A quick but very interesting read. |
| Annie |
| The Tortilla Curtain by T. C. Boyle |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A Mexican illegal couple living parallel to an upscale California couple. They are virtual neighbors but live in totally different worlds. I loved this book! It really brings to light the illegal immigration issues. |
| Linda Bass |
| Eternal Love by Maggie Shayne |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Raven Sinclair and her mom are hung for being witches in 1689, but before she dies, a dark, immortal high witch who's posing as a priest feels her power and sails to the new world called America to cut out her heart and get her powers. |
| Linda K. Jitmoud ([email protected]) |
| The Gravedigger by Peter Grandbois |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book starts out a little slowly but I soon became wrapped up in the characters and their surroundings. There's the gravedigger and his daughter, and their fascinating Spanish village, all providing an enchanting story. |
| Judy O. |
| Protect and Defend by Vince Flynn |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Iraq's huge, new nuclear facility is destroyed by either the United States or Israel. Both countries are denying any involvement. Irene Kennedy, CIA Chief, is kidnapped while in Iraq, and it's up to CIA operative Mitch Rapp to get her back. As usual, Flynn delivers an exciting book. It takes me lots of concentration to keep everything straight, but it's worth it in the end. |
| J. Kaye Oldner ([email protected]) |
| September Dawn by Carole Whang Schutter |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A western Romeo and Juliet story. |
| Book Festival |
| Lipstick Jihad by Azadeh Moaveni |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A very personal and also political memoir about an Iranian-American woman. Ms. Moaveni is an excellent writer and is able to sustain your interest in her life as a young journalist for Time magazine in Tehran. She is a writer to seek out. |
| Sandy Greathouse ([email protected]) |
| Have You Found Her by Janice Erlbaum |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I really enjoyed this honest and heart-wrenching memoir. Couldn't put it down! |
| Fran Custer ([email protected]) |
| The Christmas Angel by Thomas Kinkade and Katherine Spencer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I had no idea Thomas Kinkade could write, as well as paint. This book was loaned to me, and I set it aside, not thinking much of it. It turned out to be a wonderful, well-written, pull you in and remind you miracles can happen kind of book. I highly recommend this enjoyable, possibility-filled read. |
| Mary Pittman |
| World Without End by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book was well worth the wait. We join the people of Kingsbridge 200 years later. The priory and the cathedral are still the main settings, but the characters carry us across Europe and back again. It has intrigue, deceit, violence, love, lust, religion, politics and greed. The main characters are descendants of our favorites from PILLARS OF THE EARTH. It is a wonderful, captivating story and extremely well written. |
| Annie |
| Last Seen Leaving by Kelly Braffet |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A woman searches for her missing 20-something daughter, who left with an odd stranger. Nobody missed her. She is searching for some connections that were missing from her 'disconnected' childhood. |
| Annie |
| Pieces of My Sister's Life by Elizabeth Joy Arnold |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Couldn't put it down! Twin sisters are involved in a childhood love triangle, and one marries "their" love. |
| Malcolm R. Campbell |
| Timekeeper by John Atkinson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A unique coming-of-age novel about a 14-year-old boy who flees an abusive home and ends up on a magical quest to find himself and his true name. |
| Linda Hodgkins |
| Double Cross by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This Alex Delaware novel is one of the best Patterson books I've read in a long time. I'm trying to hold myself back to savor it and is it ever hard! It's an intense and edge-of-your-chair page turner. I think it's time to gather all of the Alex novels together and reread them in order again. |
| Kellie ([email protected]) |
| The Lost Boy by Dave Pelzer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This sequel to A CHILD CALLED "IT"continues the truly amazing story of Dave Pelzer, the little boy who was viciously abused by his mother. Again, I can't come close to understanding the viciousness of this woman and how she could treat her own son this way. It is truly amazing that Dave survived and became successful as he did. Dave is so right about Foster Care and the System. I met a woman at work who became a Foster Parent and I truly looked at her in a different light. It takes an extraordinary person to commit herself to something like that. I really admired her. This book brought tears to my eyes. Truly inspirational. |
| Pam ([email protected]) |
| Playing for Pizza by John Grisham |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Being a John Grisham fan, I was at first surprised by the simplicity of this book. After getting into it, though, I found it to be a delightful read. For those who like to travel (I do), it nearly reads like a travel guide to a wonderful town in Italy. Since it is based on football in Italy, it has lots of football play by play in it. That was fun, too. This was a short, enjoyable read --- a break from the usual legal thrillers that Grisham writes, but I'm ready for a thick juicy book from him next! |
| Sandy Greathouse ([email protected]) |
| Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Definitely a hit for me. I love Ms. Karon's writing and her wonderful characters. I can't wait for further adventures of Father Tim. |
| Christy H. |
| Sexy Devil by Sasha White |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Two great paranormal romances (and a quickie) that are well written, with great story lines and intriguing characters. This was my first read of Ms. White's and I highly recommended this erotic romance. |
| Dayna |
| All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is one of the best anti-war books I've ever read. The best part is that you forget which side the protagonist was on. He was German, but represented a very human element that supersedes race or nationality. |
