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March 20, 2009 - April 2, 2009

Last contest period's winners were DaleJaniceJoshKelley andRobin, who each received a copy of APOLOGIZE, APOLOGIZE! by Elizabeth Kelly, THE LAST DICKENS by Matthew Pearl and LIFE SENTENCES by Laura Lippman.

 

elizabeth V
Find Me by Carol O'Connell
Rating: 3 Stars
I haven't read much yet, so maybe it will get better. So far, there's been a murder, and it looks like a police detective did it, and she's on the run.
 
Jean
Getting Old is Criminal by Rita Lakin
Rating: 4 Stars
A very fun, cozy series about a group of elderly widows living in Florida who do a lot of private detecting. These novels are fast, easy reads, and spending time with these senior citizens is delightful. Think "Golden Girls"!
 
Debbie ([email protected])
Consigned to Death by Jane K. Cleland
Rating: 3 Stars
I read the third book in the Josie Prescott series a while ago, and decided to complete the series, about an antiques dealer on the New Hamphire coast. Cleland does not use extensive setting, so little is learned about New Hampshire. Cleland's forte is the antique world, which she presents very well. This story involves a mini mansion with many delectable pieces, plus three lost paintings by Renoir, Cezanne, and Matisse. This is a fluff mystery with very little gory, graphic rendering of the crime scene. The story contains a hint of future romance. A very fast read.
 
Elizabeth V
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
Rating: 4 Stars
This book has some very good, insightful comments, and is much better than THE ROAD. The beginnings of most chapters are purposely confusing because he doesn't make clear who he's talking about, but that's McCarthy's style. I give 5 stars only to books that are "unputdownable." This wasn't, although it was very good and I certainly wasn't anxious to put it down.
 
Renee
The Ventriloquist's Tale by Pauline Melville
Rating: 3 Stars
An interesting look into South American life/culture/thought, but the novel got lost somewhere and I have trouble sticking with it.
 
Lori Furan-Schultz
John Dillinger Slept Here by Paul Maccabee
Rating: 5 Stars
The names in this book are familiar --- John Dillinger, BabyFace Nelson, Machine Gun Kelly, Ma Barker and others. This book takes you into nearly 70 of the Twin Cities' most notorious speakeasies, gambling dens, brothels, hideouts and Murder Inc killing sites. It reveals J.Edgar Hoover's unknown friendships with gangsters, the crooked coppers, many other little-known stories and plenty of photos to go with them. Really interesting read.
 
Lori Furan-Schultz
Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 4 Stars
Another Stephanie Plum Between the Numbers book. And, of course, another good one. Stephanie and Deisel are tangled up together and into one adventure after another, this time with Lula and a herd of monkeys! Can't say any more --- you just gotta read it yourself.
 
Debi
Southern Poison by T. Lynn Ocean
Rating: 5 Stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this humorous mystery thriller! Spud is my favorite character! I think the situations he gets himself into are too funny! Read it to have fun!
 
Ruth
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
Rating: 5 Stars
This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It is a memoir of the author's childhood in Iowa during the fifties. I could so relate to it as I also grew up in Iowa at the same time.
 
Ruth
A McKettrick Christmas by Linda Lael Miller
Rating: 4 Stars
I'm usually not drawn to historical romance fiction, but a friend loaned me this book and I did find it rather enjoyable.
 
Ruth
Born in the USA by Marsden Wagner, M.D., M.S.
Rating: 4 Stars
This book exposes the truth behind obstetrical care in the United States. How sad that the doctors we put our faith and trust in don't always act in the best interests of the patient.
 
Debi
The Piano Teacher by Janice Y. K. Lee
Rating: 3 Stars
I was not as impressed with this book as I have been with other World War II fiction. At the beginning, I couldn't figure out what role the character of the piano teacher played in the whole drama. By the end, it was a little clearer, but to have the book named THE PIANO TEACHER, I expected a much more important role from this main character.
 
Jean
Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani
Rating: 4 Stars
The premise of this novel is fabulous. It revolves around an Italian American family who still hand-makes wedding shoes out of the finest Italian leathers and fabrics. The story is beautifully told and is rich in description. However, the middle of the book becomes a little sluggish with too much detail. I found myself skimming a bit. The pace picked up once again and I was fully captivated.
 
Lori Furan-Schultz
Run For Your Life by James Patterson
Rating: 4 Stars
I love James Patterson's writing! The action keeps you turning pages, the chapters are short so it seems to zoom along, and the characters very likable and very evil. No exception here. Det.Michael Bennet juggles being the single parent of 10 children with trying to catch a very clever serial killer with an agenda. Good stuff.
 
Debbie ([email protected])
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Rating: 3 Stars
This is a memoir by Jeannette about her brother, two sisters, and parents and their lives. The heartbreaking story details the meager existence of the four children, whose father is a drunk and mother is an artist. Neither parent cares to work and support their brood, and the children must fend for themselves in order to survive. That the mother had the means to provide a decent living for her children and did not, amazes me. After reading this tale, I felt happy for my own life.
 
Snake
The Devil's Footprints by Amanda Stevens
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the first book I read by Amanda Stevens and it rocked! Again, I read it fast and it was even scarier then THE WHISPERING ROOM.

This book will keep you guessing until the end. But that won't be for long because you cant put this book down!

 
Reva Wamsley ([email protected])
Resurrection Row by Anne Perry
Rating: 3 Stars
This is one of a series of books that takes place in Victorian England. It's very interesting to read how things were back then. The main characters are a police inspector and a well-bred lady who met a couple of books earlier, fell in love and got married. In this book, corpses who have been buried a couple of weeks keep turning up in odd places. Who is doing this and why?
 
Lorna
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
Rating: 5 Stars
A wonderful story that covers 30 years of two best friends. I found it very easy to relate to the characters, seeing I was the same age as they are. All the references to the 70's brought back lots of memories for me. If you have ever had a BFF, this is a book for you...
 
Debbie ([email protected])
The Dying Crapshooter's Blues by David Fulmer
Rating: 3 Stars
This is a story of Atlanta in the 1920's that outlines the love of music, the corruption of the police department, the speakeasy, and all the flaws of that era. This story starts with a jewelry robbery at a wealthy mansion and shows the hatred and cruelty between the different segments of society. This is a society still divided between white and coloreds. Fulmer does an excellent job of showing people, and as usual, he drops actual historic individuals in his story.
 
Syd
Christmas Holiday by W. Somerset Maugham
Rating: 5 Stars
One of the little gems time has forgotten. A peek into the British middle class and France around 1939. A must read for anyone who considers reading a momentous experience.
 
T. Thomas
Shelter Me by Juliette Fay
Rating: 4 Stars
A thoroughly enjoyable first novel.
 
Snake
Dead After Dark by Sherrilyn Kenyon, JR Ward, et al
Rating: 4 Stars
A paranormal anthology written by some of the best authors around. 
J.R. Ward's "The Story of Son" was my favorite! I highly recommend this book if you enjoy darker paranormals.

 
Trez ([email protected])
Man In Full by Tom Wolf
Rating: 5 Stars
This book was 700 pages plus, but worth every hour it took me to complete it. It has encouraged me to read other books by Tom Wolf.

The story line is not simplistic and the many twists and turns keep you turning pages the entire length of the book.

I was not too thrilled with the ending; however, it was a reasonable way to end the long story. It was a very pleasant experience to read this book.

 
T. Thomas
An Unexpected Pleasure by Candace Camp
Rating: 3 Stars
A nice romance with some mystery thrown in.
 
Allen Craven
The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer
Rating: 5 Stars
Compelling page turner that I re-read just recently and was better than the first time around. It was hard to read in some places, but Mailer is a hardcore writer who doesn't soften the blow.
 
Snake
The Whispering Room by Amanda Stevens
Rating: 4 Stars
I enjoy Amanda Stevens's books. She really knows how to up the suspense and I read this book so fast. Definitely scary and a real page turner! Read THE DEVIL'S FOOTPRINTS first, though.
 
Lynn Clifford
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Rating: 5 Stars
Unusual and insightful! Death narrates this story as he works his way across Nazi Germany, scooping up the souls of the war dead. Familiar with destruction and loss of life, he is unmoved until he crosses paths with a young German girl named Liesel Meminger. With the war's mounting human toll, he is able to watch Liesel as she is separated from her family and begins life with a foster family. Her only tie to her birth family is a book that she has taken from her dead brother's gravesite. Afraid, alone, and illiterate, Liesel forms a bond with her new "Papa" as he helps her unlock the mystery of the written word. A newfound passion for reading compels Liesel to become "the book thief". With each theft she gains a feeling of control in her war-savaged life. Both Liesel and Death gain an understanding of the power, both good and bad, of words.
 
Carolyn
Sarah"s Key by Tatiana De Rosnay
Rating: 4 Stars
Julia, an American journalist, investigates the roundup of Jewish families, but by the French police in 1942, during a historical event most locals know very little about. Julia uncovers a link that connects her husband's family to Sarah, one of the hundreds of children pulled out of their homes in the middle of the night, and taken away to camps. As the story follows Julia's life in the present, secrets of Sarah's long ago struggle unfolds. 

I don't want to give away too much. There is a younger brother, a promise made, and a secret hiding place. All reasons for Sarah to get back to Paris. Heartbreaking. suspenseful, and shocking. 

I enjoyed this story and thought about it for days after I finished it.

 
Holly
The Trouble With Witches by Shirley Damsgaard
Rating: 4 Stars
Another fun installment of the Ophelia & Abby Mysteries series. This is book three and I really enjoyed this one more than the second one. In this book, Abby and Ophelia travel to Minnesota in search of a missing girl. Instead, they find a coven of witches who are not necessarily practicing good magick.

If you like light mysteries, be sure to check this one out!

 
Kellie ([email protected])
The Moviegoer by Walker Percy
Rating: 1 Stars
"Nowadays when a person lives somewhere, in a neighborhood, the place is not certified for him. More than likely he will live there sadly and the emptiness which is inside him will expand until it evacuates the entire neighborhood. But if he sees a movie which shows his very neighborhood, it becomes possible for him to live, for a time at least, as a person who is Somewhere and not Anywhere." 

What the heck does this mean? This is pretty much how the book went. The writing style was choppy, with lots of tangents. There is humor in there, but you have to dig for it. "I think it over Gregory Peckishly�" 

Ha! I could not relate to the characters. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen and it never did. This book actually won the National Book Award. My copy must be missing some pages.

 
Fran
The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard
Rating: 5 Stars
One of the best mysteries I've read in a long time. I loved the small-town Kansas plains setting. I loved the underlying ghost story as well as Catie's subplot. Most of all, the suspense surrounded by the mystery of the legend of the Virgin, coupled with the characters' relationships kept the pages turning! I would recommend this story to all.
 
Snake
The Association by Bentley Little
Rating: 4 Stars
If you live in an association you'll enjoy this horror tome immensely. I even laughed in some parts. However it is a scary and very hard to put down. This is my first but not last Bentley Little novel.
 
Marsha
Fault Line by Barry Eisler
Rating: 5 Stars
You won't read a better thriller this year than this one. Usually, his character is an assassin named Rain, but this book features two estranged brothers, technical twists, black ops, romance, family guilt, and much much more.
 
Amy ([email protected])
Dewey by Vicki Myron
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a really enjoyable book. Dewey Readmore Books was not an ordinary cat. He was found in the library book drop on a cold morning. In time, Dewey developed a loving relationship with both library patrons and staff. He comforted the children during library story time, and became companion to library director Vicki Myron. Through the years, this library cat gained world-wide notoriety. People came from all over just to visit Dewey. He was living proof that a cat can have a personality.
 
Suzanne L.
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
Rating: 4 Stars
I just finished reading LITTLE BEE by Chris Cleave and am a bit speechless about how to describe it. The publishers took a big risk with the promos for this book; they didn't really tell the reader what it was all about. It's as if they're saying, "We don't want to tell you what happens in this book...nevertheless, you need to know enough to buy it," and so they give you a little tidbit about it being "the story of two women whose lives collide one fateful day." But, it is so much more than that. First we meet Little Bee and simply fall in love. She is so innocent, but quite insightful. "I wish I was a British pound coin instead of African girl. Everyone would be pleased to see me coming." 

Little Bee is a 16-year-old Nigerian refugee surviving in a UK immigration detention center. How she came to be in the immigration center is part of the story, as well as how she meets Sarah and Andrew O'Rourke, a young, affluent couple from England who were "on Holiday" in Nigeria, very naive to the violence that was raging in the area. Leading up to the tale of violence that links Sarah and Little Bee on a Nigerian beach, we meet a cast of characters from the detention center that will make you laugh and cry at the same time. And it opens your eyes just a bit because you begin to realize that even though this is a fictional book, that these detention centers really exist and so do some of the horrors you are reading about. The writing is captivating, and we are drawn into Little Bee's world. We realize how Little Bee is not so different from Sarah. The book is written through both Little Bee's and Sarah's voices, and towards the end I began forgetting who was speaking to me. The story does not stop at the detention center, and as if their lives were bound by something untouchable on that fateful day Sarah & Little Bee meet again. I really enjoyed this book! The writing and characters will touch your heart!

 
Linda B
Excalibur by Bernard Cornwell
Rating: 5 Stars
Book three of the King Arthur Saga. In this novel, we have an exciting battle against two Saxon armies. Britain enjoys a few quiet years of peace until Nimue, a vengeful Druid priestess, enacts a curse which throws Britain once again into chaos.
 
Marsha
Betrayal by John Lescroart
Rating: 4 Stars
Although this book features his recurring characters, Hardy & Glitsky, this book centers on the Iraq private contractors and the imprint they have had on the lives of all National Guard, Iraqi, civilian, as well as, military personnel who came in contact with them. Truth is hidden everywhere. This is his most ambitious and provocative novel.
 
Linda B
Harriet and Isabella by Patricia O'Brien
Rating: 4 Stars
It's an interesting look at the Beecher family of the 19th century. Henry Ward Beecher, the famous minister is accused of adultery, and the resulting scandal and trial divide two of the Beecher sisters.
 
Linda B
Enemy of God by Bernard Cornwell
Rating: 5 Stars
This is book two of the Warlord Chronicles, following THE WINTER KING. This story of Arthur just gets better and better. This novel includes the betrayal by Lancelot.
 
Gwen Stevens
World Without End by Ken Follett
Rating: 5 Stars
Ken Follett is the ultimate storyteller. He has a nice easy reading style. The book is exciting from page one, all the way until the end...1000 pages later.
 
Hedi ([email protected])
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a very dark humorous story of India. Since "Slum Dog" has brought so much attention to India, I believe any one who is truly interested in the class issue should read this take on life in India.
 
Claudia
World Without End by Ken Follett
Rating: 5 Stars
What a great story. I think it is even better than the first book, PILLARS OF THE EARTH. It is over 1,000 pages but so worth the time. I didn't want it to end.
 
Carol
House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III
Rating: 4 Stars
Even though all were clinically depressed, the author's language was amazing. An enjoyable read just for the metaphors.
 
Linda B
Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the third book in this thoroughly delightful mystery series involving Lady Julia Gray and her wonderful quirky family. Lots of humorous dialog, mystery, and romance. It has it all. This is highly recommended.
 
Crystal Blackburn
Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell
Rating: 5 Stars
Excelllent!
 
Jayne
Christy by Catherine Marshall
Rating: 4 Stars
This was one of the first books I read by this author and it was a wonderful story. Her characters are well written and her story is very entertaining and kept my interest from start to finish. Her other books are also very good.
 
Kathleen Sornsin Boucher ([email protected])
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Rating: 5 Stars
It is amazing that this book was written in 1957 yet hits so close to what is happening in our country today! A huge book (1100 pages) but I had to finish it!
 
Crystal Blackburn
Lethal Legacy by Linda Fairstein
Rating: 5 Stars
This is another page turner featuring ADA Alex Cooper, Detective Mike Chapman and Detective Mercer Wallace. This time the New York Public Library, it's staff and it's wealthy and eccentric patrons star. The story is complicated and mysterious but believable.
 
Terri
Hot House Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire by Margot Berwin
Rating: 5 Stars
This one will definitely be a bestseller and very popular with reading groups! I LOVED it!
 
Christine Schiedel
Dewey by Vicki Myron
Rating: 5 Stars
It is a delightful book about Dewey, a totally remarkable and loveable cat in small-town Iowa.
 
google ([email protected])
The Painted Man by Peter V.Brett
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is one of the best books I have ever read. It should be gold plated and hailed as the new LORD OF THE RINGS. Copies of it should be put in the Louvre, Taj Mahal and every other natural wonder. The story has three main characters. All the heroes are just kids which helps the reader identify with them as they grow. The book is set in an environment filled with fear of demons that come at night to slaughter the humans but disappear at the first light of dawn. The humans keep hiding behind warded homes and warded walls. 

Arlen, who in my opinion is the main character, is horrified when his father leaves his mother outside while the demons attack her while he hides behind their house's wards. He escapes to find a new meaning in life he learns the art of warding. 

Leesha's perfect future is shattered by a lie, (won't tell you what it is), so she becomes a healer. Rojer the third character has, in my opinion, almost no impact on the storyline and the rest is for you to find out. This book is a must read for all of fantasy fans and will definitely be worth every cent you spend on it.

 
M Pomroy
One For the Money by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 5 Stars
One of the best books I have ever read, I laughed till I cried. Can't wait to read the others in the series.
 
Jayne
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Rating: 5 Stars
I read this book in high school because I had to and didn't really appreciate the story. I have read it again and loved everything about it. I think it is a great story and have had many discussions with both my daughters. They also loved it.
 
Jayne
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Rating: 5 Stars
What a story and what a writer. His writing is absolutely wonderful and the story is heart wrenching. It gives you a look at a different type of life and many things to think about. I loved it.
 
Debbie ([email protected])
Lost River by David Fulmer
Rating: 3 Stars
A Valentin St. Cyr mystery set in New Orleans in 1913. In this novel a demented attempts to wrestle the control of Storyville from Tom Anderson. 

This is a vivid look at new Orleans in the heyday of jazz and corruption. Fulmer delves into the world of human gratification and exposes one's inner fears and desires, but shows that appearances must be kept. It is interesting portrayal of society.

 
Jayne
Beautiful Child by Torey Hayden
Rating: 5 Stars
I have read everything that this author has written and started when I was in my 20s. I have started reading them again along with my 19-year-old daughter who is going to school to be a teacher. This teacher is someone who cares very much for her students and really makes a difference in there lives. The second time around just great.
 
Linda K. ([email protected])
The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is a memoir written by an American journalist who spent the first fourteen years of her life growing up in Liberia. She described the daily life there and her interactions with various family members. Life changed, though, when the government was overthrown in a coup in 1980. The author's mother fled, with Helene and her younger sister, to the United States. In the second part of the book, Helene described how she adjusted to life in a new country and how she came to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a journalist. She has reported for both The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times

After finishing this book, I went to my laptop to learn more about the author. She taught me a great deal about her native country of Liberia and inspired me to learn more.

 
Hedi ([email protected])
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
I have not read any books by this author, however, as the movie is coming, I will not see a movie without reading the book. This was very thought provoking! I will now read her other material.
 
Jessica
The Believers by Zoe Heller
Rating: 3 Stars
The writing is lovely, but so far I'm finding the characters unlikable for the most part.
 
Regina
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Rating: 4 Stars
This book captures you from the start and intrigues you throughout. This is a retelling rather than a narrative; in each chapter the author colors in the picture of her family a little more through her remembrances.
 
Judy O. ([email protected])
The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan
Rating: 4 Stars
Kelly Corrigan wrote this memoir about her fight with breast cancer. Her beloved father, George, is also diagnosed with bladder cancer during this time, so they fight together. This is an inspiring story and one that never becomes grim or depressing.
 
Regina
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not by Trish Ryan
Rating: 1 Stars
Touted as a Christian answer to Liz Gilbert's EAT, PRAY, LOVE we found this book to be tiresome, annoying and disingenuous at best. While offered as a search for one's center, Ms. Ryan's central purpose throughout the entire book was very clearly to 'find a husband' - even when she was purporting to not do this, she relays scanning her new Church for marriageable men. *sigh* She also manages to prominently promote her Christian 'leaders' while using 'fake names' for all the other spiritual leaders she supposedly followed for a time, making this look like a thinly veiled promotional vehicle for these faith gatherings and preachers. It is very disappointing.
 
Genie
Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs
Rating: 5 Stars
This third book in the series finds, shape-shifter, Mercy Thompson on the verge of making a decision as to which of the two alpha werewolf leaders she will marry. Her life is once again turned upside down when her fae mechanic ex-boss/mentor is arrested for killing a human guard on the fae reservation. The fae leaders are willing to let Zee take the fall so Mercy takes on the assignment to clear her friend's name. Against the advice of everyone in her circle of friends, Mercy begins an investigation that endangers not only her own life but those of the friends she cares about. 

Briggs's has written another excellent paranormal mystery set in a world, where werewolves and fae live among humans with the always-present threat of government intervention against misunderstood non-humans. Well researched mythology adds details to the complex storyline. Mercy is a sharp, strong willed character and her complicated love triangle is a complication that causes her a lot of serious concern. She moves between werewolf pack laws to those of the fae and manages to work with the human legal proceedings making this read a suspenseful page-turner.

 
Chris
Home Another Way by Christa Parrish
Rating: 4 Stars
Parrish gives us a compelling character in Sarah, a young woman with a past-and not so great present-who is trying to outrun her heartache and loss. She shows up in a small mountain town to claim her inheritance and begins to find some forgiveness for herself and others. Sarah and the other characters in this book "keep it real" and the story never descends into Christian fluff, as so many Christian fiction reads tend to do. This is a great read.
 
Marjorie Clark ([email protected])
Heart Sick by Chelsea Cain
Rating: 4 Stars
It has a female serial killer. It's a good book with two stories within each other.
 
Jayne
City Kid by Mary MacCracken
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a very good story about a teacher who really cared for her students. She had to go back to school to be able to continue to work with the students she loved. Makes you want to learn how to help a student you see who is in trouble. She has written three books and they are all great.
 
Sharon
Paula by Isabel Allende
Rating: 5 Stars
The author's daughter becomes ill and ends up in a coma. While waiting for her daughter to wake up from her coma, the author writes a book for her daughter about her family history and what her mother is going through so that if she wakes up and does not remember, she can read the book. It is so very powerful.
 
Enid
Perfume by Patrick Suskind
Rating: 5 Stars
This is an unbelievable look at the life of a boy, in a time when stench defines the atmosphere, who has no body odor and is rejected because of it, and ultimately becomes a collector of aromas to create an irresistible fragrance for himself.
 
Enid
Sequence by Lori Andrews
Rating: 3 Stars
A good, intelligent read about a reluctant geneticist who is forced into crime solving.
 
LP - Philadelphia
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Rating: 4 Stars
Have always wanted to read this book---so very glad I did! Every once in a while it is refreshing to depart from reading fiction and pick up a classic. I encourage everyone to read this one.
 
Mike Lowrie ([email protected])
Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
Rating: 3 Stars
Dresden Files: Book #2 FOOL MOON is still a tad too contrived for my tastes but it does have an appealing factor going for it. Butcher hits all the marks for creativity and magic violence and 4 different kinds of werewolves. Lightweight stuff.
 
Mike Lowrie ([email protected])
The Ruins by Scott Smith
Rating: 3 Stars
It started out extremely bland and a bit formulaic but soon turned into a delightful horror novel. As the book moves on it takes a certain tone of doom and it never relents. Good for a horror novel, average for a writer of Smith's caliber though.
 
Holly
Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo
Rating: 4 Stars
Received this ARC and read it in two days. This was a really good detective novel reminiscent of Chelsea Cain's HEARTSICK. The main character, Kate Burkholder, is very interesting. She grew up Amish and decided that was not the lifestyle for her. Now she is back in her hometown as police chief and trying to solve several murders by the hand of a serial killer. If you like hardcore detective/police novels you should definitely check this one out! It is on sale June 2009.
 
Judy
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Rating: 4 Stars
It's a wonderful debut novel. It's the story of a 50 year old Harvard professor's descent into early onset Alzheimer's. Ironically, Alice Howland is renowned in her field of cognitive psychology and linguistics. A moving depiction of her decent into dementia, the novel captures the heartache and fear as well as the steadfastness of the human spirit of the professor, as well as, her children and husband.
 
Karen ([email protected])
Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the best novel I've ever read. It's been recommended to me by many friends, and I wasn't disappointed. It's the story of the Taj Mahal.
 
Enid
Talk Talk by T.C. Boyle
Rating: 4 Stars
Interesting story of a deaf woman robbed of her identity. She tries to create a voice for herself by chasing down the perpetrator. As always, Boyle creates moral dilemmas to be explored that create layers for the reader to explore.
 
Marsha
Blood and Bone by William Lashner
Rating: 5 Stars
A father's hold on a son never diminishes. This is a heart-warming search for truth and learning. Throw in a murder or two plus blackmail and you have a thriller that will keep you fascinated all the way through to the end.
 
Sandy
A Woman's Place by Barbara Delinsky
Rating: 4 Stars
Claire Raphael was the perfect helpmate while her husband built his career and the perfect mother even while she was transforming her hobby into a successful, nationwide-business. Now the family breadwinner, she still perceives herself primarily as housewife and mother, though her husband sees things differently. He sues for divorce, claiming abandonment and child neglect, demanding heavy alimony and sole custody of the children. This book was fast and easy read and I loved every page.
 
Margaret ([email protected])
How Starbucks Saved my Life by Michael Gates Gill
Rating: 4 Stars
It is an interesting and true account of a man who has everything and then loses it. When he loses his job, his family, and his health Michael Gates Gill finds himself accepting work as a barista at Starbucks. He goes from knowing Jackie Kennedy Onassis to serving one of his former college buddies coffee. Along the way he learns some interesting and important life lessons that keep him afloat. It is a great book to read in this economic climate.
 
Enid
Campingly Yours by Thomas C. Adler
Rating: 3 Stars
This is a touching memoir of a man's transition from camper to camp director. It defines the value of camp and camp friendships.
 
annie
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Rating: 5 Stars
I am not quite done yet, but can't put this book down. I am totally involved with the characters. Takes place in the Kennedy era in Jackson, Mississippi. It explores two points of view: the white establishment vs. the black servants.
 
ILENE
Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian
Rating: 5 Stars
This book shows the brutality of the Nazis during the Second World War, with unforgettable characters trying to survive. These characters include a German family trying to escape from the Russians, a Scottish POW, women in a German concentration camp and a young man who jumped off a train heading for Auschwitz.
 
Cheryl S.
The Gnostic Mystery by Randy Davila
Rating: 4 Stars
This is an interesting story about the origins of the Roman Catholic religion as it is today and the other Christian beliefs that were squelched by the Roman Emperor Constantine in the development of the Roman Catholic Church. The book provides food for thought. The only thing I didn't like was the fact that the writer didn't do a commentary at the end indicating what was actually based on fact and what was actually fiction.
 
Tom Rezner
An Underground Jewell by Sylvia L. Ramsey
Rating: 5 Stars
I read Michael Connelly, Clive Clustler, W.E.B. Griffith and found that this book compared very favorably. Once I got into it I couldn't put it down.
 
C.T. Rezner, Phd. ([email protected])
An Underground Jewell by Sylvia L. Ramsey
Rating: 5 Stars
This is just out. I read it twice. It kept me intrigued and interested. It is an espionage novel set in the near future. It is based on Orwell's 1984 premise and involves a terrorist organization that has plotted to take over by hacking into the central database center and manipulate language. Elizabeth Jewell, a writer, gets caught up in the plot and is accused. She draws together family and friends to help clear her of charges.
 
Laura F.
Ghost Train to the Eastern Star by Paul Theroux
Rating: 4 Stars
Paul Theroux recreates a train journey he took 30 years ago across Central Asia. The scope of the trip is vast, and well off the beaten track. He is usually the lone Westerner on the train, but shares conversation, meals and insights with the local travelers. Fascinating!
 
Debbie ([email protected])
Christietown by Susan Kandel
Rating: 4 Stars
Cece Caruso mystery set in California centered on Agatha Christie, fashion, and a grandbaby for Cece. In this adventure, Cece must confront her ex-husband and his soon to be new wife, and set a date for her own wedding, plus deal with two deaths. I love the way that Kandel weaves a history of Agatha Christie into the story, and ends with the line "I know of no experience which confers so much grace as loving and being loved by one person".
 
Benita Sirkin
Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Vanora Bennett
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the first historical novel for a writer of the London Times. It is about Sir Thomas Moore, Hans Holbein, the Reformation, the little lost Princes, Henry VIII and everything that is going on at that time. The main character is a young woman herbalist for who Moore is the guardian. The political upheaval and plagues are seen through her eyes. The many twists and turns get it interesting. Nothing is as it seems.
 
Danielle from Ala ([email protected])
The Devil's Bones by Jefferson Bass
Rating: 5 Stars
Jefferson Bass has done it again for me. His Body Farm books are awesome. They are always intriguing. I just love them.
 
Enid
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb
Rating: 4 Stars
The impact of the Columbine Massacre is the backdrop to this story of relationships between spouses, families and friends.
 
Enid
The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber
Rating: 4 Stars
If you can patiently attack pages of Jacobean letters, the intertwined stories of a lost Shakespearean manuscript and the people it impacts is fascinating.
 
Cheryl Caldwell ([email protected])
Looking for Lincoln by Philip B. Kunhardt III, Peter W. Kunhardt, & P
Rating: 5 Stars
This is THE best book on Lincoln I have ever read. There are lots of pictures and stories about Lincoln from his youth to the presidency. It was very, very thorough and fascinating.
 
Leslie
P.S, by Studs Terkel
Rating: 3 Stars
These are the previously unpublished notes, commentaries, and memoirs of interviews by our own Studs Terkel. An easy read and each thought/story was hilarious, poignant, or politically charged. It is fine for in-between deeper stuff.
 
Bonnie
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Rating: 4 Stars
Just as relevant today as it was when first published in 1899, this is definitely a "feminist" short novel.
 
LL
Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole, Walker Percy and Andrei Condre
Rating: 4 Stars
Our book club is reading this. I am about 100 pages along and enjoying it. This is one of my mother-in-law's and my husband's favorite books.
 
Eileen Quinn Knight
One True Theory of Love by Laura Fitzgerald
Rating: 5 Stars
The heroine of the book, Meg Clark, is working hard teaching and raising a son. We all know someone like this - but even though she was not looking - she found the love of her life Ahmed Bourhani. Meg realizes that she needs to put her 'whole self ' into the relationship and does so with deep and abiding love.
 
loretta sanford (lorettasanford@hotmail .com)
Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell
Rating: 3 Stars
I always read her novels, love the characters and there have definitely been a lot of 5 star books in the series but this one has nothing new to say.
 
Carol H.
Rococo by Adriana Trigiani
Rating: 4 Stars
This is one of the author's earlier books, but there is wonderful insight into what it means to be a family, and what it is like to live in the tri-state area in the Northeast.
 
Debi
Second Glance by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
Picoult's amazing writing power and insight, once again, takes the reader through the haze of fact and fiction. In this novel, a ghost returns to the homestead that will be demolished in order to right a grievous wrong. The past becomes the present until the reader has to take a "second glance" to see what is real!! I loved this book!
 
Carol H.
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Rating: 5 Stars
This was one of the best debut novels I have ever read. It is a novel about a 50 year old Harvard professor with early onset dementia, but more about, the person she is and not the disease.
 
Paula
Handle With Care by Jody Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
Excellent book!! I have been a fan of this author for years but a few of her books have been lacking in my opinion. This one is great!!! It is very well written, very emotional and very touching. I just wanted to read and read. It brings up many issues to think about which I love in a good book. Basically, there is a family with an ill child, has a lifetime of issues, and the issue comes up in the form of a lawsuit. If they would have known would they have not had the baby? It brings all views into the issues from disabilities, family issues and friendships. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
 
Carol H.
Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy
Rating: 4 Stars
For lovers of Maeve Binchy novels, this book will not disappoint. The book resolves around a working mother with two grown daughters, and a soon to be ex-husband, but there are characters from previous novels that fans will recognize.
 
Kellie ([email protected])
Black Dahlia by James Ellroy
Rating: 3 Stars
I really liked this book at its beginning. The boxing scene was so well written I felt like I was actually at the boxing match. The Los Angeles setting just after WWII through the eyes of a cop was intriguing. After reading Connelly I recognized names like Echo Park and Lincoln Heights. I liked the relationship that developed between Lee and Bucky. They went from Boxing opponents to partners to good friends. 

After the first half of the book, however, the plot took a turn I didn't care for. There were character changes that put likeable characters in a dark light. The plot became a bit stalled. I still liked the book but it went from a great book to a pretty good one. The author comment at the end was enlightening but disturbing too. I felt a bit unsettled after reading this book but I admire the talent of the writer. I think I may give the author one more chance.

 
Mary
Dark Lover by J. R. Ward
Rating: 5 Stars
A great beginning story about Beth, half vampire and half human, going through transition. A vampire story and love story rolled into one. I had a hard time putting it down. It is book one of a series about the Black Dagger Brotherhood.
 
Char Wilson
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Rating: 5 Stars
A story told from the perspective of a dog! Kept me reading straight through the night.
 
Char Wilson
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Rating: 5 Stars
It's a wonderful story of three women who quietly effect their own change, amid the civil rights movement.
 
Char
Dewey by Vicki Myron and Bret Witter
Rating: 5 Stars
Being a cat lover, myself, this book immediately called to me but it's just so much more than a book about a cat/library.
 
Sandra
The Shiniest Jewel by Marian Henley
Rating: 4 Stars
A small 'jewel' of a book written in cartoon form of a woman trying to form a new family, marrying a man she's been dating for seven years and trying to adopt a new baby. A great memoir!
 
Elizabeth V
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
Rating: 3 Stars
I've rated it in the middle because I haven't read enough yet to know for sure. So far the book skips, in very short chapters, from awful criminals dealing with drugs to people in law enforcement to a person the criminals are after because he got hold of their drug money. It's not a page turner, although it may turn out to be later. I only give high ratings to page turners.
 
Elizabeth V
The Reader by Bernard Schlink
Rating: 5 Stars
I read this in two days. It's a pretty short book, yes, but I've read shorter books that took a lot longer to read. I read this in two days, even though I work full time, because it was so good I didn't want to put it down. Which is amazing because the book is mostly narrative with little dialog, which is usually a bore. Plus, it's a translation from German, and I don't usually like translations. 

The book is in three parts. Without giving away spoilers, the first part begins in Germany after WWII with an affair between a very young teenage boy and a woman in her 30�s. After the affair the book skips several years, and the boy, now a man, again deals with this woman in a very interesting way. It's a great book, so I'm sure the movie will disappoint me.

 
kathryn ([email protected])
Very Valentine by Adrianna Trigiani
Rating: 4 Stars
As usual, this author can write to draw you 'into the family'! And I look forward to the next in this trilogy. I learned a lot about the crafting and design of shoes and when you Google the Isle of Capri, all the places and sandals she speaks of come right up for you to see. I love it!! If you are a visual person...enjoy!!
 
Jean M
Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear
Rating: 5 Stars
Book three in which Maisie Dobbs takes on several investigations. It is easy to see why the author has been nominated for so many awards.
 
Cheryl Kraus
Dog On It by Spencer Quinn
Rating: 5 Stars
After reading MARLEY & ME and THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN, I didn't think another "dog" book could be as enjoyable. This one is wonderful! I'm looking forward to more mysteries with Bernie and his phenomenal, heart-warming sidekick, Chet.
 
Mari
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Rating: 5 Stars
This is one of the best books I've read in awhile. The story's set at the end of WWII in England and Guernsey and it's written as a series of letters and telegrams between characters. You will grow to love these people. We read it for our book club and had great discussion about it. A definite must.
 
Coral Harrison
Divine Justice by David Baldacci
Rating: 5 Stars
This is another novel in the continuing story of the Camel Club. If you read this you will want to read the others. Baldacci is a very easy writer to read. This is a different mystery.
 
Coral Harrison
Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is a completely different story for Patterson as he generally writes about Alex Cross the Women's Murder Club series. This is a much better book. 

Jennifer is called home as her grandmother, Sam, is in a coma. She spent much of her youth with her. Now, Jennifer is newly widowed and a columnist/writer in Chicago but has gone home to Lake Geneva. A wonderful story.

 
Jeanne
Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell
Rating: 4 Stars
Fast paced thriller (with footnotes!) about a doctor who used to be a hitman. A not very serious but fun read.
 
Jeanne
City of Thieves by David Benioff
Rating: 4 Stars
During the siege of Leningrad, while the population is starving, two thieves are sent to find 12 eggs for a bride's wedding cake. It's a fascinating look at a battlefront of WWII a topic few know about in this country.
 
Jeanne
The Family by Kitty Kelley
Rating: 2 Stars
Good gossipy read about the family that provided us with two Bush presidents.
 
Laurel Foster ([email protected])
Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
Another great read from this author but I was not prepared for the ending!
 
Ray Palen ([email protected])
Dead Man's Song by Jonathan Maberry
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the second part of his trilogy of horror novels about an ancient evil returning to the small Pennsylvania village known as "The Most Haunted Town In America". It is reminiscent of King's early works.
 
Sharon Long ([email protected])
The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
Rating: 5 Stars
I had to read these books to see what all the fuss was about and now I know! These are incredible; I read all 4 books within a 3 week period. You would finish one and instantly want to stay the next one. I was really sad to reach the end of book 4 and see THE END on the last page. The writing and editing were very good, no mistakes or misspelled words, etc. The story was wonderful, breathtaking even. I now can't wait to see the movie. It has taken me almost a week to start reading another book. This might have spoiled me for other books! I see why these books are such a hit for women of all ages, teens and up to grandmothers!
 
Tam
A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel
Rating: 5 Stars
Loved this! It had delightful humor and was a refreshingly positive memoir of childhood. Definitely a warm fuzzy!! :-)
 
Debbie ([email protected])
Shamus in the Green Room by Susan Kandel
Rating: 3 Stars
This is s Cece Caruso mystery set in California. As usual, Kandel picks a real mystery writer and interweaves a short biography and commentary on fashion on the California scene. Kandel works the biography well into her story, this one on surfing and the prospect of a bio movie about Dashiell Hammett. The title refers to a surfing term. Kandel also explores the good vs. evil and rich vs. poor, and the attraction of "movie stars". These books are fun and educational in a fun way.
 
Bob Hartzo ([email protected])
The Bible of Clay by Julia Navarro
Rating: 5 Stars
Great book to read. I am really enjoying it
 
Elizabeth Rees
Splintered by Andrea Howarth-Salazar
Rating: 5 Stars
A friend from of mine recommended this book. The dialogue is superb; the characters literally jump out of the story alive as multi-dimensional people. Set in the present time and without an over pretentious plot, one of the best contemporary novels I have read recently. The novel is very philosophical as it dwells on the theme of redemption.
 
Julie towson
The Lady in White by Wilkie Collins
Rating: 5 Stars
Wonderfully written suspense thriller that takes place in the 1850's in England. I couldn't put it down.
 
CC
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Rating: 4 Stars
It's hard to pinpoint the genre for this book---thriller, romance, mystery? Whatever it is, it kept my attention and I enjoyed it.
 
Diana Raabe
The Brightest Moon of the Century by Christopher Meeks
Rating: 4 Stars
I give Meeks's entertaining coming-of-age story 4 stars because of the authenticity of his protagonist and his writing in general. Meeks has a knack for making readers believe his characters are real people. In "Brightest Moon" young Edward grows into a man of certain character after losing his mother. Without giving anything away, suffice it to say the journey is worth taking.
 
Judi Razee
Flying Without Wings by Arnold Beisser
Rating: 5 Stars
A young man who grew up with two life goals: to be a doctor and to be a national tennis champion. At 23, he achieved his first goal; at 24, his second. A must book to read for inspiration.
 
Stephanie Knutson
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Rating: 4 Stars
Though quite long, I found this book to be extremely enjoyable. As with all of Dickens' works, the cast of characters is diverse and detailed. If you're looking for something light and quick, this is not the book for you but if you have the time and attention to devote to it, I would highly recommend it.
 
Dave Siegel ([email protected])
Bright Futures by Stuart M. Kaminsky
Rating: 4 Stars
Here is another installment in the series featuring the depressed Fonesca investigating Sarasota, Florida on his bicycle. Readable, but getting a bit long in the tooth, I'm afraid.
 
Sharon Long ([email protected])
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
Rating: 4 Stars
This is her debut novel and was extremely good for a debut. Her writing is very good and great story and characters---some you like and a couple you can't stand.
 
Sharon Long ([email protected])
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Rating: 4 Stars
Incredible book, really uplifting and makes you think about your own childhood dreams.
 
Nmc
The Aguero Sisters by Cristina Garcia
Rating: 4 Stars
Vivid characters with bigger than life family dynamics. Cold beer, fruit, nature---good read, but I liked DREAMING IN CUBAN better.
 
Nmc
44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith
Rating: 4 Stars
Having recently been in Edinburgh, reading this book makes me feel like I'm back in the New Town, walking up Dundas Street or Drummond Place. Enjoying the characters as well!
 
Debi
Where Do I Go? by Neta Jackson
Rating: 3 Stars
The Yada Yada Prayer Group women make individual appearances in this novel, although it is not centered on them. In this one, a wealthy woman finds herself without a home and family. I liked this book, although I could not identify with the heroine. She suffered mental abuse by her husband, but she didn't do anything about it. It's a nice read, though.
 
kathryn ([email protected])
Final Jeopardy by Linda Fairstein
Rating: 4 Stars
After reading her latest, LETHAL LEGACY, I thought I'd try her first...and actually liked it better in the sense that it was more a 'mystery'. It was more suspenseful and kept you wondering right up to the last chapter. You can see where the relationship of Alex Cooper and Mike Chapman started here...now I just have all those in between to follow through!
 
Marsha
The First Law by John Lescroart
Rating: 4 Stars
Dating back to the wilder days of San Francisco and the Patrol Specials, a private police force keeps watch for paying clients. In this Dismas Hardy novel, the patrols may be responsible for framing Hardy's client and possibly also responsible for a crime spree.
 
Renee
French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano
Rating: 4 Stars
Part memoir, part cookbook, part travel enticer, this is a wonderful and helpful way to think nutrition, great food and weight loss.
 
sal williams
In The Moon of the Red Ponies by James lee Burke
Rating: 4 Stars
This is another Billy Bob Hollander offering from Burke who manages to bring back characters from BITTEROOT who are even more compelling this time. Shaman-like Indians, conniving cougar-ladies, crooked real estate moguls and dead men abound in this fast mover. I didn't have a clue to what the outcome would be and I was pleasantly surprised and perturbed. Good weekend read.
 
sal williams
Bitterroot by James Lee Burke
Rating: 5 Stars
Billy Bob Hollander is a great character-ex-Texas Ranger turned lawyer out in the golden high country West where he is beset by madmen bent on revenge. The ghost who haunts BB and the men who pursue him create a tense reading experience as BB fights demons of every kind trying to make things right. Great weekend read, plenty of suspense. If you like this one, you might like to read the follow up...IN THE MOON OF THE RED PONIES which is another fine tale.
 
sandrap
The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller
Rating: 4 Stars
Meri, married, relocates to the east coast, is pregnant and doesn't really know what has happened to her. Delia, her next door neighbor, has grown children and a husband she hasn't lived with for years. The two women grow close but the friendship ends after a tragic consequence.
 
Diana Raabe
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Rating: 4 Stars
Lisa See gets a 4 from this devoted fan for her beautiful word pictures of China. A departure from the ancient world, SHANGHAI GIRLS begins in 1937 and takes the main characters, Pearl and May, across the ocean where they settle in California. While you can't expect the ghosts found in See's wonderful earlier books, SNOWFLOWER and the SECRET FAN, and PEONY IN LOVE, you can expect plenty of Chinese color and drama. Sisters Pearl and May cross more than the ocean as they navigate the American way of life through conflicting Chinese traditions.
 
Mary
What I Did For Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Rating: 4 Stars
Fun romance about two actors who were famous for a TV show they starred in together for 8 years. They don't like each other but end up married after getting drunk one night in Vegas. They decide to keep the marriage going for various reasons.
 
CC
The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
Rating: 4 Stars
Light reading---I enjoyed it.
 
Kathleen Carn
An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris
Rating: 5 Stars
I started the series with the 2nd book, had to go back and get the first one and then this one. I have enjoyed them. A person who can find dead people by walking on the grave, hidden or not, makes the story very interesting.
 
J Siemek ([email protected])
The Last Juror by John Grisham
Rating: 5 Stars
This book catches your full attention from the beginning. Impossible to put down.
 
J siemek ([email protected])
Six Seconds by Rick Mofina
Rating: 5 Stars
An author I've never read before, but he's awesome and I'll definitely be on the lookout for his other books. Deals with what could be a possible bomb scenario in the US.
 
Patricia Miller
Show No Fear by Perri O'Shaughnessy
Rating: 5 Stars
Love it.
 
Debbie
Welcome to the Departure Lounge by Meg Federico
Rating: 3 Stars
This is non-fiction that describes how the author and her siblings cobble together care for their mother, who's beginning to get batty, and stepfather, who gets diagnosed with Alzheimer's. There are lots of humorous parts but also many moments of sad recognition, if you are like many of us who have older parents (or who will BE the older parents one day). I'd give this book more stars but it may be too much of a dose of reality for some people.
 
Kristine
Sammy's Hill by Kristin Gore
Rating: 4 Stars
This book had me laughing out loud. It is cleverly written and just plain funny.
 
Sue, Saratoga
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
Rating: 3 Stars
The book jumps back and forth between the story of Brigham Young's 19th wife and a current polygamist community involving a murder. Part fact, part historical fiction, the two stories are interwoven and keep you interested.
 
Judy O. ([email protected])
Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
Jodi Picoult's books are not easy reads as they usually deal with pain and grim realities. This one concerns the O'Keefe family who have a six-year-old daughter with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, better known as "brittle bone disease". Willow's mother, Charlotte, sues the obstetrician for "wrongful birth" and this suit drives a huge rift among the members of the O'Keefe family and also of the obstetrician's family. I liked the book, but I was sure glad that it was done as I thought it was 100 pages too long. Very thought-provoking subject however.
 
GladysMP
Seduced At Midnight by Jacquie D'Alessandro
Rating: 5 Stars
This book rates a dozen stars, at least! There is mystery, love, friendships, terrific writing, a glimpse of life in the upper and lower classes. In short, a bit of everything. Can't-put-it-down entertaining.
 
Linda Bedell
Hot Mahogony by Stuart Woods
Rating: 3 Stars
Seemed a little convoluted to me and I love Stuart Woods' novels and especially one featuring Stone as this one does.
 
T
The Trouble Begins at 8: a Life of Mark Twain in t by Sid Fleischman
Rating: 4 Stars
Although aimed at middle school readers, this is a delightful, short biography of Mark Twain. Just right if you want to learn a little something about him, but are not in the mood for a long, detailed biography of him.
 
Kristine
The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a must read. Every person that I have recommended this book to has thanked me and has told me it is the best book they have read in a long time.
 
Shannon
The Taking by Dean Koontz
Rating: 4 Stars
I haven't finished this, but I'm very intrigued --- and like with most Koontz books, I find myself excited to return to the book each night and not wanting to stop reading when it's time for me to put it down.
 
L. Hann
Black Friday by James Patterson
Rating: 5 Stars
As I was reading this I couldn't help but think of the things that are happening in the economy today. Can a militia group take down NYC? Read this book and find out.
 
Phyllis
The Personal Shopper by Carmen Reid
Rating: 4 Stars
Chick lit story about Annie, a personal shopper at a swanky London store. She has work problems, children problems and trouble with her hunt for a new man.
 
Devonne
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Platt
Rating: 5 Stars
Wonderful read.
 
Holly
Lily's Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff
Rating: 4 Stars
This was interesting when read in contrast with THE BOY WITH STRIPED PAJAMAS. In this novel, Lily spends the summer at the ocean with her grandmother while her dad is overseas at the end of WWII. She befriends an Hungarian boy and the two of them negotiate the summer together learning something about themselves along the way. A great book for middle grade children to learn about one aspect of the War.
 
Gale Kearley ([email protected])
True Crime by Andrew Klavan
Rating: 4 Stars
It's a gripping story that can really happen and I really got into the storyline.
 
Sandra Lee Smith ([email protected])
Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani
Rating: 5 Stars
I've been a huge Trigiani fan since BIG STONE GAP was published. Read about her new book on Bookreporter.com and of course, I had to order it. Did not disappoint. I can hardly wait for #2 in the trilogy.
 
Gwen
One Day at a Time by Danielle Steel
Rating: 2 Stars
Danielle's books just keep getting more boring. Typical love story --- plain Jane falls in love with an actor.
 
Gwen Gore
The Shack by William P. Young
Rating: 5 Stars
Unlike any other book I've ever read. Not about religion, but about believing. I got lost sometimes trying to keep up with the theories, but otherwise, it is an excellent read, particularly for those who doubt there is a God, Jesus and a Holy Spirit.
 
Mildred B
Testimony by Anita Shreve
Rating: 5 Stars
A sex scandal occurs at a private school in a small Vermont town. Anita Shreve weaves this into a fascinating story told by the people involved.
 
Ivy
The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper
Rating: 3 Stars
This is not as exciting as I had hoped. However, it does offer a vast educational scope of life in Liberia amongst the upper crust. Helene has a great memory for recalling the past in vivid detail about a country that I have learned a lot about in 300 pages.
 
Debbie
Riding Lessons by Sara Gruen
Rating: 5 Stars
I love this story it's about an Olympic contender that has a tragic accident. She has to hit rock bottom but in the end she realizes what is important before it is too late. There are a couple of laugh out loud moments.
 
Debbie
Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas
Rating: 5 Stars
This books was set during World War II. It is about the camps in Colorado that housed the suspected war criminals. It is a very powerful story.
 
Sue, Saratoga
Exit Ghost by Philip Roth
Rating: 3 Stars
This book is apparently the last in a series by Roth. However, it is the first one for me reading and I am enjoying it. Love his writing style, though I suspect it is loosely auto-biographical. You feel like you get to know the characters intimately.
 
Fran
Unlikely Angel: The Untold Story of the Atlanta H by Ashley Smith and Stacy Mattingly
Rating: 3 Stars
A memoir of a woman's experience when she was held for seven hours at gunpoint as a hostage. Ashley used her life experience as a bereaved widow who lost custody of her daughter due to drug addiction to "relate" to her captor, win his trust and let her free without further violence. Ashley also shares her own spiritual journey learned through this experience. Interesting and captivating story.
 
Josh ([email protected])
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean
Rating: 4 Stars
This piece of young adult literature is very good. Gaiman doesn't disappoint in this book at all. Being a middle-level English major, this book was fantastic, and I'll definitely be seeing future students reading it. It definitely deserved the Newberry award for this year! It's a sort of mix between fantasy, murder, and humor.
 
P. Jones
Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish
Rating: 5 Stars
An excellent read about women's relationships and spontaneity, running the gamut of every woman's feelings. Highly recommend.
 
P. Jones
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
Rating: 5 Stars
Very well written book about the mistress of Frank Lloyd Wright. Book Club discussion was one of the longest we have had in our 3-year history. Excellent.
 
Sara M
Joker One by Donovan Campbell
Rating: 4 Stars
I should disclose this was not only my first book on Iraq, but the first war memoir I have ever read. I'm not even exactly sure what made me pick it up or that I would make it through the first few chapters. As a housewife, I have as little in common with your typical marine as anyone. But this book is excellent, and surprisingly relatable. The consummately humble Campbell tells the story of his platoon, "Joker One", from its inception through deployment to Iraqi city of Ramadi for a nine-month peace-keeping mission. The reader is presented with a straightforward and honest account of war from the men who fought it. 

Campbell writes with grace and humor telling us of the platoon�s growing pains and mistakes as well as his shortcomings as a leader. He takes the time to walk the reader through military basics and the political setting of Ramadi making the story accessible without over politicizing or romanticizing his work. There is plenty of action, though nothing is gritty, and the book brims with poignant moments. I doubt it is possible to finish this book without renewed appreciation for the sacrifices our men make out of love for each other and our country. If you've ever wondered how service men keep their lives, faith and humanity --- read this book.

 
Linda Fast ([email protected])
King Leary by Paul Quarrington
Rating: 1 Stars
I think this is one of the most boring books I have ever read. The novel is about Percival Leary, one of hockey's forgotten heroes. He shares a room in a nursing home with an alcoholic reporter who once followed Leary's career. 

Leary, now forgotten except in his own mind is brought back to life when an advertising agency decides to do a commercial featuring him. This becomes an adventure as he sets off to Toronto and relives his life as "King of the Ice".

 
MJB
True Colors by Kirstin Hannah
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the story of the Grey sisters who are torn apart over the years by jealousy, sibling rivalry, and an outsider who marries into the family. Not Hannah's best but an enjoyable read.
 
Carmen
Abduction by Robin Cook
Rating: 3 Stars
Three oceanographers and two divers are abducted from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. They are taken to a world unlike anything on Earth. I usually love Robin Cook, but I'm used to his medical thrillers. This is a very different book for him.
 
Carmen
The Face of Fear by Dean Koontz
Rating: 4 Stars
Graham Harris is a psychic that sees images from a brutal killer. The killer stalks Graham and his girlfriend in a New York City high rise. Fast paced, great read.
 
Tina Henry
The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry
Rating: 5 Stars
A new Cotton Malone book! Who could ask for more? Berry is a suspenseful writer and it always gives me pleasure to read his books. And, you get a bit of sneaky history learning too. Highly recommend this and his other books.
 
Holly
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Rating: 4 Stars
I'm not quite sure what to say about this book. The first half was quite slow. But overall, the message of the book is quite moving. The author found a really interesting way of talking about the Holocaust. I'm actually still wrapping my brain around this one, which is something to be said for it. If you are at all interested in World War II, you should read this.
 
Debbie ([email protected])
The Murder Stone by Charles Todd
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a stand-alone novel, not one of the Ian Rutledge series. This is set in England during World War I, about a granddaughter learning about her family and the vultures who circle after a death. Francesca battles many obstacles in her search of truth and love, and the resolution is not revealed until the final page. A wonderful look at human nature, and of course, a fabulous picture of England's countryside. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel.
 
Tina Henry
The Pursuit by Thomas Perry
Rating: 5 Stars
After a nine years, Thomas Perry has finally written a new Jane Whitefield novel. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and tried to savor it. Alas, it was done and I can only hope that it won't be another nine years for the next installment. I don't know why a movie has not been made with the Jane Whitefield character. It would make a great movie.
 
Holly
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Rating: 3 Stars
Hmmm...mixed feelings. I actually really liked quite a bit of the book. Maybe the first two-thirds. I enjoyed meeting the characters, and the mystery of Edward and why he was the way he was. I enjoying learning about the "reality" of the vampires versus the mythology. It was fun to see how Meyer was so creative with stamping out the myths and stereotypes of vampires. But, it started to go downhill for me when the other coven of vampires started hunting Bella down. And then her whining at the end about wanting Edward to turn her into a vampire really got on my nerves. I did read the excerpt of NEW MOON in the back and I can't decide if I want to continue the series or not. I'm a little curious to know what happens to the characters, but I'm not sure I can handle Bella for three more books. So I guess I'm on the fence with this one. I'll take a break. I have so many, many books I want to read that I think I may come back to the series after I have gotten through a few more on my TBR stack. But I guess I can understand the appeal of these a bit. This one just did not pull me in quite as much as I thought it might.
 
Holly
Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
In VANISHING ACTS, Delia Hopkins is 32 years old, has a 5-year-old daughter with her fiancé, Eric (whom she's known for 28 years, as they grew up best friends). She has another great best friend in Fitz, who also grew up with her and Eric. Delia's father, Andrew, is an upstanding citizen and great father. He always gave Delia everything she ever needed including love and attention. Until one day, the authorities show up at the front door to arrest him for kidnapping, HER kidnapping! It turns out this is the truth --- Andrew Hopkins did kidnap his daughter from her mother and we find out why in the rest of the book. 

There are some really interesting ideas and juxtapositions in this book. Eric is a recovering alcoholic who takes on the case when Delia begs him to help defend her father. It turns out that Delia's mother was an alcoholic, which is one of the reasons Delia's father takes her. Delia's occupation is search and rescue with her trained dog. Ironic, since she had no idea she was lost herself. 

While this book is not quite as engrossing as some of Picoult's other books, I still enjoyed reading it. There is a section about the Hopi and a character named Ruthann, which seemed really thrown in there. I know Picoult likes to do a lot of research for her books, and I felt like this addition was just her obligatory "I must show you I have researched Arizona and its native cultures and throw that in this book." Obviously, the addition to the story is a little deeper than that, but it didn't quite fit for me. I liked the character of Ruthann, but it seemed to not really be a great part of the story for me.

 
Genie
Puttin' On the Grits (audiobook) by Deborah Ford
Rating: 4 Stars
A combination of Miss Manners and Martha Stewart, Deborah Ford gives the do's and don'ts of entertaining southern style.

Lots of stories, good advice, great ideas and some down-home recipes make this book both fun and informative.

 
Genie
Puttin' the Grits (audiobook) by Deborah Ford
Rating: 4 Stars
A combination of Miss Manners and Martha Stewart, Deborah Ford gives the dos and don'ts of entertaining southern style.

Lots of stories, good advice, great ideas and some down home recipes make this book both fun and informative.

 
Juanita
The Winter Vault by Anne Michaels
Rating: 4 Stars
Very involved. I am just getting into it, but I think I will love it!
 
Debbie ([email protected])
A Cold Treachery by Charles Todd
Rating: 4 Stars
An Ian Rutledge mystery set in England in 1919, with the horrors of the war still affecting the countryside. Todd brings up again the story of the white feathers given by women to men they believed to be cowards. This story centers on a remote village in northern England during a snow storm when 5 members of one family are murdered. The story involves love, revenge, and a child's fear. Just as Rutledge is to hand the case over to another man from Scotland Yard, the case is resolved. I enjoyed the story and the secrets of the different villagers --- everyone had a past that is better untold. The story also shows the horrors of war and the passion of revenge.
 
Holly
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
Rating: 5 Stars
The story flip-flops between Henry Lee age 12 in 1942 and Henry Lee age 56 in 1986. The young Henry is struggling to fit in as a Chinese-American in Seattle going to an all-white prep school. His parents are extremely traditional (they do not even speak English) and he has a hard time relating to his father. Henry is on scholarship at the school and helps out in the kitchen and after school. He is caught between not fitting in at his school and not fitting in with his community because he does not go to the Chinese school. 

One day, a Japanese girl named Keiko joins him in the school kitchen and the two start a wonderful friendship. Henry's parents do not understand or approve of him befriending a Japanese girl on the eve of the rise of Japanese internment camps. As she is sent away, he tries his hardest to save her and not lose her, being the first girl he has ever loved. 

The Henry of 1986 is mourning the death of his wife after spending seven years caring for her while she suffered through cancer. He finds history repeating itself slightly with regard to his relationship with his son. They are not very close and in fact do not see eye to eye on many things. They have a relationship based on misunderstanding. However, as Henry starts to get on with his life after his wife's death, he finds himself thinking of Keiko and what happened to her. Surprising to Henry, his son helps him work through his feelings. 

There is a cast of colorful characters throughout the book in both time periods. A few follow throughout the time line. Ford crafted a wonderful and realistic story of a tumultuous time in history. He's created a social history of Seattle during the war. It's a story of race, culture, family, friendship, love and hope. I was hooked from the beginning and whipped through the pages to find out if Henry and Keiko ever found each other again. You must read the book to find out! ;-) No spoilers here. 

Ford also brings in a bit of the jazz scene of Seattle in the '40's. I think the flow of this book is really good, even going in and out of the different time periods. I just love all the relationships portrayed and the history is interesting and there without being too distracting. The people in the book are at the forefront not the events.

 
Reva Wamsley ([email protected])
Collaterial Damage by Fern Michaels
Rating: 3 Stars
I had trouble getting into this book but once I figured out what was going on, it got better. It would have helped if I had started at the beginning of the series. This is about a sisterhood of women that go about trying to right wrongs. In the process, they have managed to get the FBI after them.
 
Bett Norris
Backslide by Teresa Stores
Rating: 4 Stars
Coming of age in Florida during the sixties, told in flashbacks as the protagonist recovers from a gunshot wound. Beautifully written and realized, this novel from small press Spinsters Ink sets a tone, style, and is a remarkable novel.
 
Suzanne Seifried
The Sweet By And By by Todd Johnson
Rating: 5 Stars
This is one of the reasons that I love your website --- learning about books by authors that I may never have heard of otherwise. This is Todd Johnson's first novel and I certainly hope he's working on his second.

THE SWEET BY AND BY follows the story of two patients in a nursing home and the lives of three other women whose lives become intertwined with theirs. Each chapter is told from the point of view of one of the women. It's written in North Carolina flavor. I highly recommend it!

 
Genie
An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris
Rating: 5 Stars
This third Harper Connelly mystery in the series finds the psychic sleuth facing her most heartbreaking job so far. She is hired to locate the body of a missing teenage boy. She not only finds the body of this boy --- it is in a yard of a vacant house surrounded by the bodies of seven other runaway boys. Residents of Doraville, N.C., must come to grips with the knowledge that these are the victims of a serial killer living among them. After Harper locates the eight bodies, much to the surprise of skeptical Sheriff Sandra Rockwell, Harper is attacked. Although all Harper wants is to go home and recover from her injuries, the local and state authorities insist that she stay in town as they continue their investigation. The cold cases attract media attention as well as Harper's friends, ailing psychic Xylda Bernardo and her grandson, Manfred, who stumble upon another gruesome discovery. In the midst of all the chaos, Harper realizes big changes in her relationship with her stepbrother / manager and confidant (Tolliver Lang).
 
Genie
An Hour Before Daylight:Memoirs of a Rural Boyhood by Jimmy Carter
Rating: 4 Stars
An enjoyable read, Mr. Carter gives a firsthand view of growing up in the rural South. I enjoyed the description of daily life on a farm. An excellent historic account of the depression.
 
Sara M
The Glister by John Burnside
Rating: 4 Stars
John Burnside's THE GLISTER opens in a modern-day ghost town. The chemical plant that once fused the city with life and prosperity has been closed and left to rot. Everything in the town can be described as dead and deformed. The town's adults are apathetic, depressed and diseased. The children are violent, promiscuous, and haunted. But no one ever leaves the town, unless of course, they disappear. 

This book is not a typical horror or mystery novel. It's more of a very long dark fable complete with an abstract ending and an obscure moral. This is not an easy read; it can best be described as uncomfortable and difficult. Burnside manages to infuse every aspect of his tales with menace, down to the last comma. There is sex, violence and adult language --- the majority of it committed by young adults. It's also the kind of book that may torment its readers for months. If there is a more terrifying or disturbing novel out there, I have yet to read it. I'd warn anyone considering the novel that it is scary and edgy. You may not like it, but you should definitely read it.

 
Robin ([email protected])
Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
Rating: 5 Stars
I love "Chelsea Lately," and I love Chelsea Handler's humor, and I am loving her second book! Some comedians don't translate to the written page well, but Chelsea is a decent writer and a great storyteller.
 
Darcy Sanchez
Red Lilly by Nora Roberts
Rating: 4 Stars
This book is an excellent read. It is about three different women all in different phases of their lives. They are intertwined together through friendship. It's hard to put down. Not your mushy love story.
 
Debbie ([email protected])
The Blue Door by David Fulmer
Rating: 3 Stars
This is a stand-alone book set in Philadelphia in 1962, about an ex-boxer turned to assistant private investigator. Eddie Cero is an Italian with no job skills who happens upon the sleuth job with Sal Giambroni. In his spare time, Eddie decides to study the disappearance of Johnny Pope, an up-and-coming black singer. Of course, Eddie falls for Johnny's sister, Valerie, during the investigation. 

This is a look at the city of "brotherly love" and the racial tension between the Negroes and Italians, within the recording industry. I like the Storyville novels set in New Orleans better, the tension and emotion are better. Still, if one is interested in Philadelphia, this is an interesting book of the sights and smells of South Philly.

 
Bett Norris
Babies, Bikes, and Broads by Cynn Chadwick
Rating: 5 Stars
Third in the Cat Rising series, Chadwick is at her best depicting the changing relationships in the small community of Galway, NC, as Cat returns to face a death, an inheritance, an old flame, babies, and bikes.
 
Bett Norris
Verge by Z. Egloff
Rating: 5 Stars
Wonderful, funny, first novel from Bywater Books, last year's winner of the Bywater Prize for fiction.
 
Marjorie Clark ([email protected])
Run for Your Life by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge
Rating: 4 Stars
As usual, Patterson's books are always an exciting read and this didn't disappoint.
 
Marjorie Clark ([email protected])
Heart Sick by Chelsea Cain
Rating: 4 Stars
Just started this book, but so far, it's really good. A female serial killer is a different twist.
 
Valerie
True Colors by Kristin Hannah
Rating: 4 Stars
Sisters, family, forbidden love, cowboys and Indians --- can't get any better then this. Definitely a page turner.
 
T. Thomas
Promises in Death by J. D. Robb
Rating: 5 Stars
Latest in the Eve Dallas series and one of the best to date.
 
Annie Frank
COUNTING HEADS and MIND OVER SHIP by David Marusek
Rating: 4 Stars
You need to read COUNTING HEADS first and then MIND OVER SHIP. It's great world-building science fiction with intriguing ideas, and not so cyberpunk that you can't visualize the brave new world in the story.
 
F Tessa Bartels
The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the second time I've read this and I get so much more from it. Most interesting to me is that while I had remembered the basic story and the way Murphy weaves in the fairy tale we are all familiar with, I had completely forgotten the scenes that depict the horrors of war. This is really an extraordinary book.
 
Kathy Vallee
Dearest Dorothy, Merry Everything! by Charlene Ann Baumbich
Rating: 5 Stars
This is book 5 in the series and I am not sure how, but they keep getting better and better. Katie co-hosts the annual Christmas party with Dorothy out at the farm. Everyone has a fantastic time. But behind the scenes, trouble is brewing. Will the mini mall she wants to build end up ruining the town?
 
Roberto R
This Thing Of Darkness by Harry Thompson
Rating: 5 Stars
One of the best books I´ve read in the past months about the famous voyage of the "Beagle" to the Galapagos Islands. I learned so much about that voyage as well as its times.
 
Annie Frank
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
Rating: 4 Stars
LITTLE BEE is an engrossing story about a Nigerian refugee who ends up in England as an illegal immigrant. Little Bee is a riveting and poignant character, and the anchor of the book.
 
T. Thomas
A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horowitz
Rating: 4 Stars
Fascinating account of different groups responsible for the discovery and exploration of the new world.
 
Jean M
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
Rating: 5 Stars
This book, although out 5 years, just recently came to my attention. It is the first of a series that I think may be my new favorite. It is set in the early 1900 years so if Ms. Winspear will write really quickly, she can cover the next 100 years.
 
Cindy C
Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
Picoult delivers again with a well-crafted story about the people we love and how we both love them and hurt them. I never want to leave her characters' lives when I finish one of her books. This one will break the heart of every Mom.
 
Diane La Rue ([email protected])
Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
Jodi Picoult tugs at the heartstrings with HANDLE WITH CARE. As she usually does, she gives her readers a controversial topic (this time, it's a lawsuit over wrongful birth) and shows all sides of the issue. Where she excels in this novel is giving the point of view of the children --- Amelia, the older, healthy sister, and Willow, the younger daughter living with OI, a debilitating disease. Adults forget how our words and actions affect children, and Picoult painfully reminds us of this. 

HANDLE WITH CARE will make you think and rethink everything you think you know, and that's what's makes it remarkable.

 
Terri Loeffler
Blessings by Anna Quindlen
Rating: 5 Stars
A newborn baby is left on the steps of the garage apartment of a young man working on the estate of an elderly woman. BLESSINGS is the story of this young man's behavior after finding the child, and the transformations the child unleashes in the young man and the elderly woman. I've read this book twice, and could read it a dozen more times. By turns sad, happy, nostalgic, and retrospective, the book doesn't always progress the way you want it to, but it progresses along the way of the world. A great read.
 
Jean M.
The Associate by John Grisham
Rating: 5 Stars
All of Grisham's books are really good, but this one is superb! So exciting! 373 pages of tension.
 
F Tessa Bartels
The Garden of Ruth by Eva Etzioni-Halevy
Rating: 2 Stars
THE GARDEN OF RUTH is Biblical fiction that isn't much better than a Harlequin romance, as far as the writing is concerned. I read it only because my book club selected it. It is fine for what it is, but it isn't great literature.
 
Jean M
Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 3 Stars
This between-the-numbers book is, like the others, not up to the standard of the regular number books. But, it is good enough to stave off Plum withdrawal. You get to read a little about Joe and Ranger.
 
Susie Schachte ([email protected])
Pushing Up Daisies by Rosemary Harris
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the first novel of a new mystery series by the author. The characters are well defined, the mystery is unraveled slowly, and the setting is in an old garden brought back to life. The author knows her way around gardening and what interests readers. I will continue to read this author.
 
Vicki
Men of the Underworld by Kelley Armstrong
Rating: 4 Stars
This book reminds my why I love Kelley Armstrong's writing. It tells of Clay and Jeremy's beginnings. I highly recommend it.
 
Priscilla
Second Glance by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
As always, Jodi Picoult holds your interest!
 
Vicki
Gossamer by Lois Lowry
Rating: 3 Stars
Cute book about the little elf creatures that give us good dreams, and protect us from nightmares.
 
F Tessa Bartels
Act of Betrayal by Edna Buchanan
Rating: 4 Stars
Wow ... Although I suspected the burial ground, I didn't expect the ending. It's a little too neatly wrapped up, but Buchanan is a first-rate storyteller.
 
Linda B
Enemy of God by Bernard Cornwell
Rating: 5 Stars
This is book two of the Warlord Trilogy about King Arthur, and the story just gets better and better. Arthur is betrayed by Lancelot, and Britain is plunged back into chaos and war.
 
Tracey Stokes ([email protected])
Ice Trap by Kitty Sewell
Rating: 5 Stars
A brilliant book about a man being set up for alimony payments. Excellent book.
 
Betty Cryder ([email protected])
The Devil's Eye by Jack McDevitt
Rating: 4 Stars
This is an Alex Benedict novel. I have read most of this series and am trying to read them all. This is a far-future space adventure. Alex Benedict is an interstellar antiquities dealer who seems to end up in the middle of all kinds of crimes and ensuring problems while trying to help people in trouble. It is always an entertaining adventure with Alex and his assistant Chase. I always read the book in a couple of sittings. Try MR. MCDEVITT if you are a star wars genre fan. I know you will enjoy the trip.
 
Tracey Stokes ([email protected])
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Rating: 5 Stars
This book was like re-living my childhood. It was a very gentle and relaxing book. I loved it.
 
Tracey Stokes ([email protected])
Chocolat by Joanne Harris
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a fantastic tale set in France about a chocolate shop versus the church. It is fabulous!
 
Tracey Stokes ([email protected])
Blessed: My Autobiography by George Best
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a very good book. I thought it would be hard to follow because a lot of it is based in the football world, but I was wrong. It is very interesting and an amazing story.
 
Liz DiBona
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the first time I have read any book by this author. She had been highly recommended to me and now I wish I hadn't waited so long. A great read.
 
Tracey Stokes ([email protected])
Undead and Unwed by Mary Janice Davidson
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a great book about Betsy, who dies and returns as a vampire. I loved this book. I have also read the next 2 of the series.
 
Cheryl S.
Italian Lessons by Peter Pezzelli
Rating: 5 Stars
Another book I just couldn't put down! This is a book about love on many levels --- the love of a man and a woman, the love between brothers, and the love between friends. Carter Quinn decides to take Italian lessons from Professor Giancarlo Rosa, so that he can go to Italy to find the exchange student he met very briefly. Carter is convinced they love each other. The story also tells of the developing friendship between Carter and the professor, and you learn that the professor has some issues of his own that need to be resolved. Truly a well-written book that intertwines the various love stories involved.
 
Debbie ([email protected])
Violets Are Blue by James Patterson
Rating: 3 Stars
This is another mystery in the Alex Cross series set in DC, but in this adventure Alex flies from east coast to west coast. This story featured vampires and the Mastermind and the apprehension of the Mastermind. As usual, Patterson impels the reader to continue reading long after you need to stop. I thought the exploration of vampire and gothic culture was creepy. Again, I enjoy reading Patterson.
 
Janeene J
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Rating: 5 Stars
This is by far the best book I've read in a long time. I loved the author's character development. I fell in love with Minnie and Abilene's characters and felt I was right there listening to them as they talked. This will be a great book for book clubs and one that I will recommend to all my friends!
 
L. Hann
Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 5 Stars
This is hilarious. What happens when you put Stephanie, Lula, Diesel and a chimp together? You get a book full of funny mishaps.
 
Kellie ([email protected])
Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
Rating: 5 Stars
Wow! This was an incredible book. I was so taken by the story and the uniqueness of it. I love how Koontz slowly revealed Odd's history throughout the book. I kept thinking to myself, this is a very "odd" book but I like it. The characters were so interesting and likable. The "bodach" reference was ingenious. And, mixed in with this eerie atmosphere was a little bit of humor. I got a kick out of the Elvis apparition.

I am enamored with Odd and I am looking forward to picking up the next book in this series. I am beginning to really like Koontz's books!

 
Julie
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Rating: 4 Stars
A wonderful mystery that takes place in 1850s London. It's narrated in the different points of view of several characters. A great read.
 
LINDA B
Bombshell 2 Boardroom by J. T. Schultz
Rating: 5 Stars
Candace Charming is sick of her dad believing that she is a dumb blond when, in fact, she graduated at the top of her class. With her temperamental cat and a sexy Randal, she intended to take over Charming Chocolates!
 
Rosalie Sambuco ([email protected])
Almost Home by Pam Jenoff
Rating: 2 Stars
I finished this book and was very disappointed with it. It was very slow and dragging. After reading her other 2 books, I thought this one would be exciting; but I was wrong.
 
Judy O. ([email protected])
The Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein
Rating: 5 Stars
Ninety-seven-year-old Harry Bernstein lived in a dirty mill town in England during World War I. On Harry's street, the Jews lived on one side of the street and the Christians lived on the other. There was an invisible wall down the center of the road that divided the two groups of people. This is the memoir of Harry growing up in this time and place. When Harry's sister, Lily, falls in forbidden love with a Christian boy, the family's tenuous hold on life in this place is threatened. A fascinating story.
 
Dee
Fool by Christopher Moore
Rating: 5 Stars
Shakespeare would be rolling in his grave, with laughter, if he read this hilarious take on King Lear. Moore's outrageously funny prose is a must for anyone interested in what the Black Fool calls "Heinous F***ery".
 
Debbie ([email protected])
Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 2 Stars
Stephanie Plum novel with the whole list of characters: Joe, Ranger, Grandma, Lula, Diesel, and Carl the monkey. Usually, Grandma plays a bigger part with her funeral viewings, but Grandma was very scarce this time. The story focused on a scientist trying to control the weather. This novel was not as funny as prior novels. Also --- sex was just talk and no action. The story seemed like a senior citizen Stephanie Plum.
 
Betty Cryder ([email protected])
Your Heart Belongs To Me by Dean Koontz
Rating: 1 Stars
Koontz is my all-time favorite and I always look forward to his books. But, this book is one of his worst. The first 2/3 of the story is totally boring and should have been told in a couple of chapters. Just as the book begins to get interesting and you think a great story is coming, the book ends. I hope this is just a hiccup from Mr. Koontz, because I do truly love his storytelling.
 
Jeannie ([email protected])
One Last Scream by Kevin O'Brien
Rating: 5 Stars
I have just started the book but it grabbed me, as well as someone else, from page 1. A couple chapters in and I am hooked.

There are dozens of women missing who have never been found. The main character, who has black outs, has the reader wondering if she is a killer.

 
Rosalie Sambuco ([email protected])
Mistress Shakespeare by Karen Harper
Rating: 4 Stars
Another interesting view of William Shakespeare and his life. I have just started this book and it seems to be more political, concerning Elizabeth I and Shakespeare's beliefs.
 
Linda Bentzen
Broken by Daniel Clay
Rating: 3 Stars
A first-time novelist, Clay has written short stories published in England. Skunk Cunningham is a normal little girl, playing in front of her house. Nerdy teen Rick Buckley next door was washing his new car when he is beaten up by Bob Oswald, a single father of five daughters. Life on Drummond Square is never the same again. 

Clay was inspired by the reading of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. I found the novel very sad and not nearly as funny as the cover indicates. That the story is narrated by a girl in a coma makes the story interesting in itself. I enjoyed reading it but it was not good enough in my opinion to be rated higher than a 3.

 
Fran
Serving Crazy with Curry by Amulya Malladi
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a wonderful book about an Indian family with one member who attempts to commit suicide. I love books that give you a sneak peak into cultural and familial dynamics of another culture. This was a lot of fun and an easy read, despite the premise of the main character's story.
 
Patricia Ferguson
Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy
Rating: 5 Stars
As usual, Ms. Binchy has a cast of well-developed characters whose lives are intertwined into interesting situations. She brings situations and characters from past books into current works and they feel like old friends. I have read everything of hers since LIGHT A PENNY CANDLE and look forward to each new book!
 
Dale
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Rating: 5 Stars
Our book club just finished this book and the discussion has gone on for days after our meeting. We have different opinions of how the mystery went, which has kept us corresponding through email to figure this all out. This was an enjoyable read and a better discussion.
 
Anita Nowak
A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer
Rating: 5 Stars
This book grabbed me at the first page and kept me riveted for all of its 500 pages. It is an unusual story about a young man falsely imprisoned for murder. From there, we enter the prison with him to find out exactly how he manages to survive his prison term. However, strange and surprising things happen. This makes the book a page turner, not quickly forgotten. 

There are many twists and turns. It is not predictable, and that is what always intrigues me when reading a thriller/mystery/suspense novel. This book has all of these factors. Read it and Enjoy! I guarantee you will want to read more of Jeffrey Archer's books. I definitely will!

 
Renee
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Rating: 4 Stars
It never hurts to return to an American literature classic.
 
Renee
Dog On It by Spencer Quinn
Rating: 4 Stars
A great start of a new series that I will follow up on eagerly. Chet is a wonderful narrator, albeit he is a dog.
 
Deborah Martinelli
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows
Rating: 4 Stars
A charming read. It combines elements of history, delightful characterization, and an Austen-esque escapade of manners. You will cheer for this group of enchanting, eccentric people who always make the best of what they have.
 
Marsha
The Renegades by T. Jefferson Parker
Rating: 4 Stars
An investigation by an honest cop in the LA Sheriff's department uncovers money laundering and a violent life he would rather not have known about. This hero is also featured in a previous novel by Parker. Good reading.
 
Teresa ([email protected])
Just Between Us by Cathy Kelly
Rating: 3 Stars
Kelly is an Irish writer. This is the story of three sisters and their perfect mother and life, only things are not as perfect as things seem.
A nice read.

 
Teresa ([email protected])
The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner
Rating: 3 Stars
The topic of Salem Witch Trials is more interesting than some of the storyline. There is lots to discuss with book groups because of the influence of peer pressure, class and prejudices.

 
Kelley Tackett
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Rating: 5 Stars
The best book that I have read in a very long time. It was like reading poetry. I'm very interested to see how true the movie will be to the book because there is so little dialogue. The descriptions are amazing!
 
David Berndt
Nutcase by Charlotte Hughes
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is both hilarious and good therapy for a stressful day.
 
Linda M. Johnson ([email protected])
The Shack by William P. Young
Rating: 3 Stars
Seconds after I received this book from a friend at our local coffee shop, someone approached me and started gushing about how much she loved it and wondered what I thought. Within a few days, I heard others report similar feelings. Some of those people I knew, and knew of their faith. I was concerned that the book was going to hit me over the head, which I wouldn't appreciate. The beginning of the book confirmed my apprehension. I plugged along. By the time we (the narrator and I) got to "the shack" I was more open and the book seemed to turn into a thought-provoking read. Worthy of discussion with other seekers.
 
Julie S. ([email protected])
The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker
Rating: 4 Stars
A fun, magical read about 2 sisters who are about as different as can be. A real treat :)
 
Linda
The Inkheart Trilogy by Cornelia Funke
Rating: 4 Stars
This has been a fun read. It's a fantasy about characters going in and out of books and the adventure that ensues. It also explores their connection to each other. Stories are never boring.
 
Rita Carter ([email protected])
A Darker Place by Jack Higgins
Rating: 4 Stars
Another novel about Sean Dillon and company. It was a good read ( as always) The story was about a Russian who defected but, for a time, was a double agent. It had a good ending, which left a bit open for another book. It also gave a chapter into the history of Giles Roper, computer guru extraordinaire.
 
Debbie
Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Rating: 4 Stars
Maybe 4.5. This new book is written as a prequel to one of my all-time favorite books, SHADOW OF THE WIND and many of the places and characters are at least partly familiar from the earlier book. This one takes place in Barcelona circa 1914 and, once again, centers around books; it's full of gothic locations, situations, and people, and multi-faceted story lines. It's very good but darker than THE SHADOW OF THE WIND.
 
Margie B.
Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy
Rating: 4 Stars
Binchy's Irish stories are comfort food for the soul. This might not be her best, but it's just as heartwarming and satisfying as the others, and you'll recognize characters from her previous books.
 
Linda Ann
Up Till Now by William Shatner
Rating: 1 Stars
Sorry, it was the worst book I've read.
 
Linda Ann
The Boy in the Striped Pajames by john boyne
Rating: 4 Stars
A pretty good book, except for the ending. But, overalll, a good book.
 
Jennifer DeFoy
A A Slaying in the Suburbs: The Tara Grant Murder by Steve Miller and Andrea Billups
Rating: 5 Stars
While there was much media coverage of the Tara Grant murder, Mr. Miller and Ms. Billups have done a great job of "filling in the holes". This book goes so much further into the lives of Tara and Stephen Grant before the murder. 

I figured that since I lived in Detroit and this story was all over the news, there wouldn't be a lot of new stuff that I hadn't already heard about this case. Boy, was I wrong. This book is very well written and handles the subject in a very caring way. It simply presents facts about Tara and Stephen Grant, from their childhoods to their marriage. I don't think the authors have put any kind of a spin on the story and I found it to be quite compelling to follow, even after all I already knew about the case.

 
Linda
Color the Sidewalk for Me by Brandilyn Collins
Rating: 5 Stars
It's an unusual setting of an estranged mother and daughter, and how a father's stroke brings them back together. It was very moving and very touching.
 
Mildred B.
Lucky by Alice Sebold
Rating: 5 Stars
Alice Sebold was brutally raped when she was eighteen. This is a memoir of that horrible event and its aftermath. This is a gut-wrenching read, but Alice's determination to heal herself triumphs.
 
leola
The Art of Racing in The Rain (Audio Book) by Garth Stein
Rating: 5 Stars
Enzo and his family are lovable and unforgettable. I dripped tears so often while reading this book. Denny, the husband, father and dog owner, lives through all sorts of life struggles. Enzo, the dog, is always there to keep the family from giving up. Enzo is the best cheerleader in the whole world. 

Read or listen to this book to learn about Enzo, as well as life's purposes through racing in the rain.

 
Lynn
Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris
Rating: 4 Stars
Although the characters were mean, angry and unlikable, somehow I found myself liking the story itself. I'm not quite sure why I liked it, but I did --- the author is obviously good at telling a story.
 
Margaret Germain ([email protected])
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb
Rating: 4 Stars
I had expected this book to be as good as Wally Lamb's two previous novels. The first 2/3 of the book met that expectation. The ending fell flat. He just tried too hard to include too much and it stretched the limits of believability.
 
Coral Harrison
Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell
Rating: 3 Stars
This is better than Cornwell's last book, but still not as good as her old ones. There was just too much going on and too many people are killed, but everything turns out OK as you know it will.
 
Marion Miller ([email protected])
Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell
Rating: 4 Stars
What a great read about a woman who travels to Cairo in the '20s and becomes part of the formation of the countries of the Middle East. We meet Churchill, Lawrence of Arabia and many other interesting characters.
 
Leola
Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland
Rating: 5 Stars
I am so glad Susan Vreeland picked another artist to write about in a novel. This one is about Emily Carr, a Canadian artist. I had never heard of Emily Carr. Now, thanks to Susan Vreeland, I will never forget her. 

I am not only learning about an artist who is new to me; I am also learning about a place, the Pacific Northwest. This is where Emily Carr chooses to paint and make lifelong friends. Great book.

 
Elizabeth V
Split Second by David Baldacci
Rating: 2 Stars
I'm not enjoying this. It, literally, makes me fall asleep. A former Secret Service agent and a current Secret Service agent have both been disgraced when they let presidential candidates be assassinated. They get together and, apparently, find that the two incidents are related. It's all very corny and predictable. This is the first time I've read a book by Baldacci, and it will be the last.
 
Ruth Ross ([email protected])
The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank by Ellen Feldman
Rating: 4 Stars
I thought I'd hate this, because I generally don't like Holocaust books written by people who did not experience the Holocaust. But, I think the author did a great job creating a character I was interested in. I could not put the book down! Great book group discussion too.
 
Richard Bartels
Blue Horizon by Wilbur Smith
Rating: 4 Stars
The Courtney brothers are out to stake their claim in Southern Africa along the "robber's road." Their journey is both exciting and hazardous, as they encounter warring tribes, wild animals, and the most dangerous predators --- other Europeans. Smith is a master of the adventure genre. You won't be disappointed!
 
Lynn
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery and Alison Anderson
Rating: 2 Stars
There are too many bits and pieces of philosophy thrown in to this odd story. It really doesn't start until about page 70 or so. I only finished it because it was my book club's choice.
 
Ilene
The Black Tower by Louis Bayard
Rating: 4 Stars
Vidocq. The name strikes terror in the Parisian underworld of 1818. He is the first police detective, and works on a case revolving around the fate of the young dauphin Louis-Charles, son of Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI.
 
Holly
The Mystery of the Third Lucretia by Susan Runholt
Rating: 4 Stars
Susan Runholt's book is a young adult mystery starring fourteen-year-old Kari and her best friend Lucas. The girls stumble across an art mystery when they encounter the same man in a gallery in the Minneapolis Institute of Art and The National Gallery in Britain. He appears to be copying famous Rembrandt paintings and the girls are intrigued to find out why. They start to spy on him and come up with clever ways of staying covert.

After a third painting of Rembrandt's Lucretia is "found" and donated to the Rijksmuseum, Kari's mother realizes the girls really were on to something and attempts to help catch the forger. Danger, kidnapping and more ensue. 

Overall, this was a very fun adventure. I loved the art history references. I love the focus of the Lucretia story. Runholt has found a fantastic topic to write about for young women. Her message in the book is empowering and wonderful from the lessons both Kari and Lucas learn, to the portrayal of Lucas's powerful grandmother and the evolution of Lucas's mother from ditzy socialite to devoted philanthropist. 

I so look forward to my daughters reading this book in the future. And I think this book would be a perfect addition to a mother/daughter book club list. It would be great to hear the reaction of both mothers and daughters to this book and their discussion of the mother/daughter relationships.

 
Holly
Etta by Gerald Kolpan
Rating: 4 Stars
Etta is part western, historical fiction, romance, and adventure story. Etta Place really existed, but little is known about her. There are rumors that she was part of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang and possibly the Sundance Kid's girlfriend. But that's about it. No one knows where she was born or where her grave is. Kolpan takes this little information and adds a large dose of creativity and imagination to create the story of her life. As Kolpan writes it, at the age of 18, Lorinda Reese Jameson found herself an orphan after her father killed himself. As a child, he taught her to ride a horse and shoot a gun. All he bequeathed her was large sums of debt and danger from The Hand (the Sicilian mob). Her lawyer secured her a new identity (based on the location of her family estate): Etta Place. She worked as a Harvey girl until an unfortunate incident during which an awful man tried to take advantage of her. She killed him in self-defense but was convicted of murder and nearly ended up with a rope around her neck. She was saved by a couple friends who turned out to be outlaws. This begins the journey of Etta Place.

In general, even if you are not a fan of Westerns, this book may appeal to you. It is much more historical fiction than cowboys and Indians. I think maybe the last third of the book gets a little long and could have been a bit shorter. But overall, I enjoyed this book. There is an author's note at the end stating that Kolpan made up quite a bit of the story or took what was known about each person's personality and emphasized it a bit. He's done a great job of "creating" this world and really bringing it to life.

 
Holly
Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale
Rating: 4 Stars
In short, Rapunzel is locked away in a tree by her evil "Mother" (we find out later it is not her real mother). She eventually uses her hair to help escape and begins a rootin' tootin' adventure with Jack (from Jack and the Beanstalk) as her sidekick.

I thought the interpretation of the Rapunzel story was very creative and I loved that Jack was her sidekick. I wasn't sure I was going to be into this book because of the Western take on it. I worked in a Western history museum for three years and kind of overdosed on all things western. But, I should have known better. I really loved it! I certainly hope they stock this book in their gift shop. It would fit in so well! 

Rapunzel is shown as a very strong female character who can show Jack a thing or two. I highly recommend this one for reluctant readers, or a fun, quick, entertaining read for anyone!

 
Holly
The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian
Rating: 4 Stars
The novel opens with nineteen-year-old Laurel going on a bike ride in rural Vermont. Two men come upon and assault her. She does everything possible to fend off the men and is saved from death by three other men biking along who scare the assailants away. From the opening, we meet up with Laurel several years later working in a homeless shelter as a social worker. She becomes enamored with the photographs of a schizophrenic client, Bobbie Crocker, who passes away. The photographs span decades and include famous faces such as Dick Van Dyke, past presidents, jazz musicians and Jay Gatsby. There are also a few photos of the client as a boy. Laurel is given the job of organizing an exhibit of these photographs as a way to bring the homeless shelter into the public eye. 

Laurel becomes obsessed with Crocker's photos and finding out who he was. She's convinced that Crocker was indeed Robert Buchanan, son of Tom and Daisy Buchanan, characters in THE GREAT GATSBY. All of this begins a frenetic spiral into a world filled only with linking Crocker to the world of Gatsby. Laurel's boss, boyfriend and friends all become worried about her as she becomes more obsessed with the photographs. 

As you read, you can tell the book is building up to quite an ending, you're just not quite sure what it is. Then all of sudden it twists and hits you. I won't reveal anymore because I don't want to ruin it for anyone. I liked this book quite a bit and enjoyed how it related to THE GREAT GATSBY. In fact, I believe I will reread GATSBY in the near future. I haven't read it since I was a junior in high school. 

I really like the modern take on an old classic. And although I somewhat saw the twist at the end coming, it wasn't entirely predictable to me and I was satisfied with it. The end also made me go back and reread short sections of the book to see if I saw it in a new light. I would recommend this one to anyone looking for a book with a little more depth.

 
Sharron
The Associate by John Grisham
Rating: 3 Stars
Grisham tries to return to his roots but falls a bit flat. This is THE FIRM with the Duke rape case in the middle, and the end is flat. It is still readable, but very disappointing.
 
Bonnie
Everyone is Beautiful by Katherine Center
Rating: 2 Stars
I liked this novel well enough when I read it a couple weeks ago. But now I can barely remember what it's about --- not a good sign. 

An unhappy mother of three tries to find herself (been done before). I had to read the back cover to refresh my memory.

 
Janice Hoaglin ([email protected])
Dry Ice by Stephen White
Rating: 3 Stars
Stephen White does such a great job of building complex plots with lots of twists and turns. I am still catching up in this series about Alan Gregory, psychologist, and his wife, Lauren, who is an assistant prosecutor in Boulder, Co. In this particular book there were times I didn't much like Alan, for the secrets he has kept from his wife, but as it turns out she has her own secrets. And, their underlying love and concern for each other, and for their daughter, always wins out. 

This series is one of my favorites, and I will definitely keep reading. Detective Sam Purdy is one of my favorite fiction characters as well.

 
Susan YoYo
Night and Day by Robert B. Parker
Rating: 3 Stars
Parker has been sharing characters from his Spencer< series, and now Sunny Randall and Jesse Stone may be an item, although Jesse's Hawk is a policewoman named Molly. Parker has his formula down but he is always entertaining. Spencer and Hawk are still my favorites.
 
Roberta Harwell ([email protected])
Body Check by Diedre Martin
Rating: 4 Stars
If you are into romance, this will be right up your alley. It touches on a few serious subjects, but it is non-judgmental.
 
Eileen Quinn Knight
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa
Rating: 5 Stars
For those of us who have a background in mathematics, this is truly a delightful story about a professor and the housekeeper's son who is willing to interact with the professor about numbers and baseball. The housekeeper (Mother) is also very kind to the professor who has trouble with memory because of an accident. I would compliment both the author and the translator, Stephen Snyder, on this most engaging and beautiful story.
 
Leslie
The Last Captive by A. C. Greene
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a bit gory, but nonfiction account of a young Texas boy from a German immigrant family captured by the Apaches and his assimilation into the culture. His eventual return to his family and the reverse assimilation are detailed as well. Once again, a bit gory, but truthful and fascinating.
 
Leslie
The Bill From My Father by Bernard Cooper
Rating: 4 Stars
Hilarious memoir.
 
Michele
Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland
Rating: 4 Stars
Her novels are always great and this one is no exception! If you are a fan of Renoir's paintings, you will love her richly researched book. Vreeland's writing style is wonderful.
 
Marie Burton
Castile for Isabella by Jean Plaidy
Rating: 3 Stars
This novel begins the story of a young Isabella, born in 1451, daughter to King John II of Castile and Isabella of Portugal. She is older sister to Alfonso, who is in his cradle at the opening of this novel. She has a great sisterly love for her older brother, Henry IV of Castile, who became King of Castile after John died in 1454. The novel revolves around Isabella and her mother, who is mentally unstable, and the court of Henry, with the drama resulting in certain factions and their choice as the proper heir of Castile. 

Isabella and Ferdinand are betrothed early on, and Isabella only has prayers and thoughts for that day they are to be together. She recognizes him as her savior from an unfortunate life where she can be used as a pawn by rebellious factions of her older brother Henry's court. Isabella stays true to herself and her upbringing and does not let others persuade her into an otherwise unhealthy alliance with anyone but her betrothed, Ferdinand. What was interesting were the characters surrounding Isabella, and the myriad of unworthy people prying their way into Isabella's life. She has an unstable mother, a younger brother who is docile and loving, and an older brother who is King of Castile but who is pretty much useless in all ways.

Plaidy stays the course in this novel and is not as gripping as some of her other novels; yet, Isabella as a young girl is not all that extraordinary, but rather pious (her nickname is Isabella the Catholic). She is characterized as practically a saint, and her main focus is her betrothal and her vision of the alliance of Castile and Aragon. It will be interesting to see how Ferdinand and Isabella strategize for power both in state matters and marriage with the next novel of the trilogy. I'll give this one 3.5 stars.

 
Angela Satalino
Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
I don't want to put the book down. Jodi Picoult always grabs me from page 1.
 
Linda H. ([email protected])
The Gate House by Nelson DeMille
Rating: 3 Stars
John Sutter returns to New York to attend to the final wishes to his client, Ethel Allard. He stays in the Gate House attached to the Stanhope estate and learns that his ex-wife, Susan, is living in the guest house located close by. He's had no desire to see her in the ten years they've been apart. But, they meet and both realize they still love each other. Her parents have other ideas. And so does Anthony Bellarosa. Susan had shot and killed his father 10 years ago and Anthony believes in revenge. The main character, John, is very sarcastic and makes a lot of comments, both out loud and silently. It took a while to get into this book and I did not think it was as good as some of his other books.
 
Lee
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Rating: 4 Stars
Filled with all the elements of a Gothic-style tragedy, this compelling story will grip you as it unravels the strange and hidden past of a renowned author haunted by the ghosts of secrecy. The surprising twist that resolves this mystery won't disappoint.
 
Sharron
Tethered by Amy MacKinnon
Rating: 3 Stars
A new author with possibilities. This story is about a female mortician who had a tragic childhood, is anti social and more interested in death than life. Yet, she gets involved in a mystery revolving around child abuse and murder. Not your feel-good book. My book club discussed this and frankly came up with at least 3 directions we thought the author was trying to go.
 
Bonnie
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
Rating: 4 Stars
Touching, realistic, romantic, horrific, poignant...all this and more in a novel based in World War I and moving to the 1970s.
 
Linda H. ([email protected])
Sudden Death by Allison Brennan
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the first of the FBI trilogy and it is great. As Megan Elliott takes her career with the FBI very seriously, she is put to the test by a serial murderer who is targeting Army veterans. Since Megan had grown up as a military brat, she takes these murders personally, and even more so when a dog tag belonging to one of the victims arrives at her home. When she travels to Texas to investigate the newest murder, she meets Jack Kincaid. Jack is a former Delta Force member and now operates a mercenary group that rescues missionaries in Central and South America. As the attraction between the two grows, Jack and Megan work together to solve the murders. A page-turner that will be hard to put down as they find out who the wily murderer is and what the murderer's true agenda really is.
 
Linda H. ([email protected])
Savage Run by C. J. Box
Rating: 5 Stars
In the second novel involving Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett, extreme environmentalists are being targeted by the Stockman's Trust. When Joe finds out who is responsible for the killings, he now faces a bigger question. Who ordered the killings and why? Who are members of the Trust? Who decided which environmentalists were to be eliminated and why? Another good book.
 
Linda H. ([email protected])
Out of Range by C. J. Box
Rating: 5 Stars
In this book, Joe Pickett, a game warden in Saddlestring, Wyoming, has been sent to the resort town of Jackson to fill in after the suicide of his friend and fellow game warden, Will Jensen. When Joe reads Will's journals and examines items taken from the crime scene, he begins to suspect that the "suicide" is not so cut and dry as it first seemed. 

Will's journals seem to indicate some sort of mental breakdown. As Joe investigates further, he meets Stella, wife of a well-known and well-connected real estate developer. From Will's friends, Joe learns that Stella was also a very good friend of Will's but her husband Don was not. Will was going to vote against the new real estate development that Don had planned. As Joe gets further into his investigation, he comes up against the outfitters, hunters, and environmentalists. 

A good book that will be hard to put down.

 
Linda H. ([email protected])
The Reincarnationist by M. J. Rose
Rating: 4 Stars
Josh Ryder is a professional photographer who is in Rome on assignment. As he watches an argument between a Vatican guard and a woman, a bomb goes off. That is the last thing he remembers until he awakens in a hospital. But the bomb flash has unlocked Josh's mind to actions occurring in 391 A.D. As he sees the interaction between Julius and Sabina so long ago, he realizes that he was the priest named Julius in a previous life. A few months later, Josh arrives at an archaelogical dig outside of Rome and knows that the mummy found is that of Sabina, one of the Vestal Virgins. She is holding a wooden box which was thought to hold precious stones that allowed one to access their previous lives. The professor assisting with the dig is shot and the stones are stolen. Josh assists Gabriella Chase, a professor who was credited with finding the site, in recovering the stones. A good book although the ending was a little unclear.
 
Linda H. ([email protected])
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
Rating: 2 Stars
The main character is Judas Coyne, a fading rock star who has had his share of groupies. Jude collects weird things and has recently bought the suit of a dead man, which is supposed to guarantee his purchase of the man's ghost. However, this ghost is not nice and has an agenda of his own --- to kill Jude and his friends.
 
Genie
Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 3 Stars
Many of the same zany characters accompany Stephanie on an excursion to Atlantic City in search of her missing grandmother. Grandma Mazur has found a bag of money and takes a little vacation to go play the slots. The problem is the money was stolen from the office of a local mob boss and he wants it back. Many of the old hijinks, including several car explosions, occur before the money finds its way to a useful purpose and Grandma is safely back home.
 
Genie
From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris
Rating: 5 Stars
This eighth installment of the Sookie Stackhouse series is the best so far. Having barely survived the vampire hotel explosion, Sookie is back at work waiting tables at Merlotte's. The tale begins with a stressful night as Sookie is arm twisted at the last minute into participating in a friend's wedding. The evening ends with Sookie having to fend off advances from her vampire ex-lover (Bill) and a strange encounter with a strange vampire who seems to be overly interested in her relationship with her blood-bonded associate, Eric. Sookie finds herself occasionally chafing over the recent lack of communication from Quinn, her weretiger boyfriend. Sookie soon realizes her status as among the weres and vampires has some unexpected downfalls. 

First, she is dragged into a violent "were" power struggle. Several days later, she finds herself in a similar situation when the Vegas vampires begin their takeover of the Louisiana territory from the disgraced queen Sophie-Anne. She realizes how dangerous her status can become when a main vampire battle takes place on her home turf.

Several new twists of significance to the series occur in this book. Most important is Sookie's meeting with her great-grandfather, Niall Brigant, which paves the way for a surprise ending

 
Cindy Jackson
Time is a River by Mary Alice Monroe
Rating: 5 Stars
This is truly one of the best stories that I've read in a very long time. The characters are warm and caring, and Monroe's words flow like a river. I found myself caring about what happened to the characters and was unable to put the book down.
 
Sandy
Run for Your Life by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
Rating: 4 Stars
Very good. A couple of times I said, "Oh, no!" out loud.
 
Lauren S.
Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot
Rating: 4 Stars
I finished this book while I was completing a summer laboratory rotation in graduate school. Although I was busy reading many scientific articles, this book was my saving grace. It held my interest during its entire reading and the intriguing structure of the book (consisting of text from e-mails, text messages and phone conversations) was surprisingly easy to follow.
 
Jaye
My Life in Orange by Tim Guest
Rating: 5 Stars
A memoir about growing up in a commune, this is a story of parents' intent on finding enlightenment by following the Bhagwan. Adult follies as well as activities legal, illegal or misguided are described from a child's point of view. Bemusement rather than self-pity is the operating emotion here.
 
Jaye
Mad Dogs and an Englishwoman by Polly Evans
Rating: 5 Stars
An adventure set (mostly) in Yukon and Alaska, this is the story of an inexperienced musher who trains to enter one of the North's toughest dog sled races. There are wonderful descriptions of people and the terrain. I especially enjoyed her writing about the dog's relationships with their people.
 
Linda H. ([email protected])
Shadow of Power by Steve Martini
Rating: 3 Stars
Attorney Paul Madriani and his partner Harry Hinds are representing a young man accused of murdering a well-known author. This author had written a fiery book stating that the Constitution still held language condoning slavery. He also hinted that he had a missing letter purportedly written by Thomas Jefferson about this same subject. But when a paralegal uncovers a tape showing the author dining with one of the Supreme Court Justices and the letter is on the table between them, this fact becomes the focus of their case. Who was the murderer? How far will he go to get the incriminating tape back?
 
Crystal Blackburn
Fire and Ice by Julie Garwood
Rating: 4 Stars
Romantic suspense involving Sophie Rose and the gang.
 
Linda M. Johnson ([email protected])
Picking Cotton by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton
Rating: 4 Stars
Jennifer Thompson was a 23-year old college student in 1984 when a man broke into her apartment and raped her at knife point. Jennifer forced herself to remember things about the man so she could identify him when needed. When the time came, Jennifer identified Ronald Cotton. Cotton was convicted in a trial and retrial, but was discovered to be innocent after spending more than a decade in prison. A combination of a new scientific way to ID criminals (DNA) and a confession by the actual rapist allowed Cotton to be exonerated (it doesn't just happen.) This book is the well-told and thought provoking story told by two people victimized for another's crime. The last time book I read with this type of impact was Sister Helen Prejean's "Dead Man Walking"
 
Robin Joyce
Clothing Optional by Alan Zweibel
Rating: 5 Stars
The novel is hilarious, sweet and moving. This is a great read to lift your spirits especially in these unpredictable times.
 
Fran
Midnight In Death by J.D. Robb
Rating: 4 Stars
This is one of my favorite novels in the Eve Dallas series by J.D. Robb (a.k.a. Nora Roberts). It had me gripped in suspense. Since I was listening to it on an audio CD in my car, I kept finding reasons to go for a ride so I could find out what happens next! Awesome!
 
Fran
Haunted in Death by J. D. Robb
Rating: 4 Stars
A fun book combining a bit of mystery, a ghost story and the ongoing romance between Eve and Rourke! Loved it! What a fun read!
 
Fran
Interlude in Death by J. D. Robb
Rating: 3 Stars
Eve Dallas is sent "off planet" to give a conference to the police dept. Naturally, a murder mystery interferes with her vacation plans. I enjoyed this book in theEve Dallas series.
 
Marisa
The Luneburg Variation by Paolo Maurensig
Rating: 4 Stars
Originally written in Italian, this impressive debut mixes the world of master chess players and the ultimate revenge. A sparse, entrancing tale that begins in post-war Vienna, and circles back some 50 years later. At 140 pages this can easily be read in a day and it's a tale you won't soon forget.
 
Marisa
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the first in a new series by the author of many wonderful time-travel romances. She breaks new ground with this new series set in present-day Dublin. The new series isn't so much romance as a dive into the world of the fae. And the series gets better as it goes on. The main character is fun and quirky, mystery abounds, as do several love interests. And the world of the faes is dark and interesting. And best of all, each book leaves you desperate to read the next.
 
Marisa
Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning
Rating: 4 Stars
The second book in the Fever series builds on and is slightly better than the first as we follow Mac through Dublin. She tries to avenge the murder of her sister and battle the forces of evil, all the while wondering who she can really trust. Her growing attraction to Jericho seems to be in kind. Can't wait to read the third book.
 
Linda M. Johnson ([email protected])
Being Catholic Now by Kerry Kennedy
Rating: 3 Stars
The author is one of Robert F. Kennedy's children. She interviewed an array of people about Catholicism, almost all of whom were raised Catholic; I think only one converted to Catholicism. Since the people included range from Bill Maher to Tom Monaghan, a gamut of opinions about being Catholic are expressed. (Maher is well-known to be anti-organized any religion while Monaghan, founder of Domino's Pizza, has established a very conservative university and city for Catholics in Florida.) Since I am Catholic (in, out, and back again), I was very interested in others' views --- especially since I have different views about who was an acceptable candidate to vote for last November. I didn't always agree with opinions expressed in this book, but it was very interesting.
 
K Jodon
Here If You Need Me by Kate Braestrup
Rating: 4 Stars
I enjoyed the description of Kate's work as a chaplain and her relationships with the game wardens and her children. I felt the ending of the book was a little weak.
 
Bonnie Capuano
Fire and Ice by Julie Garwood
Rating: 4 Stars
Just finished reading this book and really enjoyed it. It's about a reporter, Sophie, who interviews a very boring long distance runner. The day of the race he disappears and is found dead in Alaska. An FBI Agent, Jack, is assigned to protect her and together they solve the mystery and fall in love!!
 
Kathy Vallee
Dearest Dorothy, Who Would Have Ever Thought?! by Charlene Baumbich
Rating: 5 Stars
This is number 4 in the Dearest Dorothy series and I just love it. There is a small town and everyone knows everything about each other. The way the town finally accepts Katie and her son is just great. They have an auction when the town turns 130+ and everyone puts together a huge shindig. Great fun was had by all, with some surprises in the mix that only Partonville can have! What a great read. (Also the books are numbered on the outside so you can not go wrong.)