December 4, 2009 - December 17, 2009
Last contest period's winners each received a copy of BREATHLESS by Dean Koontz, THE DARKNESS by Jason Pinter and PIRATE LATITUDES by Michael Crichton.
| Julie H. |
| The Great Christmas Bowl by Susan May Warrren |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This slim novella is a charming read for this time of year. Marianne Wallace is a great mom, but with her youngest a senior in high school, the empty nest is looming. Anxious that this be the best holiday and Christmas ever, she says yes to one too many things. As the other kids beg off coming home to Northern MN, Marianne shakes up the annual Chrsitmas Tea at church by announcing a soup dinner. I heartily enjoyed this quick read full of Christmas spirit. |
| Julie H. |
| Demon Ex-Machina by Julie Kenner |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I've enjoyed this series very much, and the latest installment doesn't fail in delivering another action packed story. Imagine Buffy grown up, married twice, with two kids and you have your Kate Conner character. The series picks up with Kate having to manage her kids, 2nd husband Stuart's interest in demon-hunting and keep her first husband's soul unbound from a very evil demon. The action moves quickly and I wonder how the story will move as more and more non-hunters become involved in Kate's secret life. |
| Sharron |
| South of Broad by Pat Conroy |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A story of friends growing up in Charleston. Really a push on the believability scale --- orphans, upper and lower class, blacks during integration period. Doesn't sound like something that would happen in Charleston during '60s. The story has everything a Conroy novel should: murder; suicide; incest; a domineering, cold mother; and a loveless marriage that a good Catholic boy will not terminate. The only reason this "romance"-style novel works, is that Pat Conroy is a master storyteller and wordsmith. |
| Jean |
| A Christmas Promise by Anne Perry |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I'd love to kick off the holiday season with one of Anne Perry's Victorian Christmas novellas. This one was entertaining but not as good as some of her others. |
| Bambi |
| Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Kay Scarpetta has always been one of my favorite characters. I, however, am pretty disappointed with this book. Marino has joined the book and it feels really disjointed from where it last left off. The conversations seem to go in circles and not really ever play themselves out. The basic storyline was good but hard to stay interested. |
| Debbie W. |
| The Book of Negroes by Lauwence Hill |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A wonderful book about the fictional life of a woman kidnapped from Africa in the 1700s. Although it is fictional, the author researched the topic thoroughly describing the lives of slaves at that time and who supported the British during the Revolutionary War. |
| Judy O. ([email protected]) |
| Nine Dragons by Michael Connelley |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Harry Bosh goes to Hong Kong to rescue his daughter from kidnappers. He thinks this kidnapping is the result of a case that he is working on in the US. This is a heart-stopping story of Harry as he maneuvers his way around Hong Kong on his mission. There are some interesting plot twists at the end. Michael Connelley just doesn't write a bad book. They have all been exciting and very entertaining stories. |
| D. Miller |
| Ivy's Twisted Vine by Latrivia Nelson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This interracial romance is one of the genre's best. Full of action and suspense, it appeals to men and women of all age groups. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Patterson utilizes his usual style of short chapters in this nonfiction thriller bases in the 1300's BC, surrounding the story of King Tut and the discovery of his tomb by Howard Carter in 1922. This is an interesting supposition about the untimely death of King Tut, and the motives of three people who benefited from Tut's death: his wife, Ankhe; his general. Horemheb; and his vizier, Aye. All three people would rule as pharaoh after the death of Tut. Patterson runs three story lines: the world of Tut, the world of Howard Carter, and Patterson's current day world of researching this novel. I enjoyed the common approach to the story, void of the erudite rendering of professionals. A look at the hardships of King Tut's era and the problems of discoverers. |
| Nell Misner |
| Imperfect Past by J.B. DiNizo |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Nice choice for reading about those years just after World War II when bi-racial romances were forbidden and the Civil Rights Movement was beginning. |
| Tanya |
| The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a quick read about a book thief and the detective who caught him. It is based on a true story. Read the book and find out why Gilkey is obsessed with rare books. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage by Sally Smith O'Rourke |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Each Christmas, I like to read some of the new assortment of Christmas novellas, and this is my first of the season. This is a very short story set at the Cape Fear Lighthouse in NC, and the narrator is a Golden Retriever dog. The story is timeless one about a decorated war veteran, who gave his leg to help other soldiers and now leads a lonely existence as the keeper of the lighthouse. A young woman thrown overboard a yacht happens into the story. Christmases pass as the couple's life unfolds. The story is well told, but a little brief. |
| nycbookgirl |
| Sunflowers by Sheramy Bundrick |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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A beautiful novel of Vincent van Gogh told through the viewpoint of the woman who loved him. |
| Bill |
| Rizzo's War by Lou Manfredo |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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This is a terrific police procedural and look into two police detective's life on and off the job. It is well written with snappy dialogue and lots of insights into what a detective faces on the street. The political environment that police have to put up with makes one wonder why anyone wants to serve and protect. Rizzo's Waris a compelling read. I couldn't put it down. |
| Marsha |
| Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This delightful memoir of a spirited grandmother who embraced life with gusto is a delight. Her love the the Arizona ranches, teaching, bootlegging, piloting, and just plain surviving is quite a tale. |
| Marsha |
| Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
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Amazingly disappointing and confusing. I had to force myself to finish this book. |
| Shyeyes ([email protected]) |
| Celebrating Adoption by Kimberley Raunikar Taylor |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Very insightful book on adoption, pitfalls to avoid, things to consider with you partner, and how to make it happen successfully. |
| Bett Norris |
| The Most They Ever Had by Rick Bragg |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I don't know what someone who is not from the South will think of this book. I am from there, from the places Rick Bragg writes about. I am from those people. I come from the red clay and the black dirt. This story of the mill people resonates in my bones, in my genes. It hums and throbs like those machines. It cuts through me like the mill whistle in my home town pierced through the air. This is not a story about the economy. Not a microcosm for what is happening all across the country. It is a story about the people in one small mill town. It is a story about what they felt, and what they knew, and what they had to do. It is a moving story. It is real. Bragg is eloquent as he listens to these people telling their stories, eloquent in letting their silences speak. |
| Hedi |
| A Night in Flames by Douglas Jacobson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This was a hard book to find. It took the book store about three weeks to get it, but it was well worth the wait. It is a great novel about the resistance fighters in both Poland and Belgium during WWII. There is very little written about these groups as both countries were cut off from the world during the German occupation. It is a great story of heroism by pheasants with no military background just determination. It was very moving for me as my father was one of many who met the German tanks on the back of a horse. He would never tell me any of this until I was much older. I have even more pride in him and his countrymen after reading the is book. |
| Jon Iverson ([email protected]) |
| Exile by Richard North Patterson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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A Middle East primer disguised as a legal thriller, Patterson does not greatly disappoint. His lawyer protagonist is credibly involved, and although the book is very long, the trial scenes are exciting. |
| Crystal |
| Criminal Minds: Jump Cut by Max Allan Collins |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This first book in the series is based on the Criminal Minds television series. It's another case for the profilers in the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. The book is as good as the television series. |
| Hedi |
| Hardball by Sara Paretsky |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
One of the better stories with V.I. Warshawski. I don't really like to follow series because they tend to start sounding the same. This was very good with a different story line about the past as well as her own family. |
| julie |
| Company of Liars by Karen maitland |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book takes place in the year 1348. Nine strangers are brought together by chance to flee the death of the plague that is slowly coming toward them. Each traveler has a dark secret and a story to tell. This is a great book; I couldn't put it down. |
| Genie |
| Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
As much as she would like to have kept her mind-reading ability a secret, Sookie Stackhouse knows her skill is known among the locals in her home town of Bon Temps, Louisiana. She wasn't happy about being asked by the police to help find a missing child but felt it was something she needed to do. This experience proved to be more traumatic than Sookie ever imagined it would be. As troubled as she was initially, it was only a matter of time before a more pressing problem materialized. Sookie's cousin Hadley, a vampire, has been murdered. Sookie was named the heir in her cousin's will so she had to go to New Orleans to sort through Hadley's personal effects and clean out the apartment. When Hadley's lover, the Vampire Queen herself, asks Sookie to help find a missing bracelet, Sookie finds herself in the middle of a complicated murder investigation. Beginning with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of her cousin, several sub-plots begin to unfold as the investigation continues. In a sub-plot, while on the first date with her new romantic interest, were-tiger Quinn, two were-people attack them. Sookie soon finds herself involved in another investigation. Who was the target of the attack, she or Quinn and what was the motive? |
| Penny Jones |
| Tragic Love by Tammy Rockett-Box & Mary J. Rockett |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the type of book that you find yourself becoming part of the story, a book that you can feel the character's emotions. You want to know what's going to happen next; it's almost real, but it's also a sad story. |
| Metalfiend11 ([email protected]) |
| The Relic by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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If you like sci-fi/prehistoric tales, you'll love this book. It tells the tale of how some people are found murdered inside a museum and how they discover that the killer may not be human. I look forward to the sequel. |
| Metalfiend11 ([email protected]) |
| Rosa Parks: My Story by Rosa Parks with James Haskins |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Pretty self explanatory. I learned a lot about the history of her incident that we didn't learn in school. It's a shame what the African American people had to endure. |
| S. Morris |
| Unveiled: The Hidden Lives of Nuns by Cheryl Reed |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I was hesitant to pick this book up because while I am a spiritual person who was raised Catholic, I am not a fan of organized, institutional religion. On the other hand, I have always been curious about the mysterious world of nuns. My fears were immediately set aside when I began to read, as the author herself is not Catholic and approached this subject from a journalist's point of view. In UNVEILED, the author explores a variety of different orders and chronicles her experiences as she visits each and interviews both the nuns and lay workers. From traditional, cloistered orders that focus on prayer and the individual's commitment to God to those that interact with and provide services to the poor in the community around them, religious life is chronicled in a sympathetic, but non-biased way. Reed uncovers the true meaning behind each of the traditional vows (poverty, chastity, etc.) for these women, detailing the similarities and differences across different orders. I was surprised to learn how modern some orders are. I had always assumed that nuns were virgins, but Reed interviews several nuns who did not take their vows until later in life. These women had romantic relationships prior to entering the monastery, and some were even divorcees and widows with children when they entered. Reed does an excellent job of presenting the unique challenges these women face, both in their internal struggles and among their fellow sisters. I found the chapters on the orders whose mission is to serve their community as teachers, midwives, social workers, providers of an island of tranquility in violent neighborhoods and even massage therapists most interesting. While these nuns undoubtedly improve the lives of the people they touch, they also learn from the people they serve. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| Merry Merry Ghost by Carolyn Hart |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Bailey finds herself sent back to Earth once again to help solve a problem this time at Christmas for a little boy whose mother and father have both died. When his grandmother dies just knowing him for two days, all heck breaks lose for the will. |
| Tanya |
| The Lace Makers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a wonderful book about friendship, loss, and starting over again. The characters will touch your heart. The book takes place in a small town in Ireland. |
| Julie H. |
| Going Bovine by Libba Bray |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Cameron Smith is a slightly apathetic 16-year-old with not much to do in life. After feeling ill and having spasms, he's found to have Creutzfeldt-Jakob or mad-cow disease, a wasting disease of the brain. As Cameron lies in his hospital bed, his high school doing the requisite pepfest to cheer him up, a strange thing happens. He sees an angel named Dulcie and gains a dwarf roommate named Gonzo. The two head off on an adventure to save the world, barely escaping the hospital as they head from Texas to Florida. With nods to Don Quixote, Shawshank Redemption, Disney, MTV, Norse mythology, and physicists, Bray has created quite the world in a teenage boy's mind. A second reading is pretty much required, I'm sure there's more cultural touchstones I missed. As I reached the end, I read slower and slower, trying to extend the outcome of the story. Huge kudos to Libba Bray! She's not riding the Gemma Doyle popularity and skating by on the familiar, but has written with a completely different voice and mind, and done it very well. |
| Betty Cryder ([email protected]) |
| Time Travelers Never Die by Jack DeWitt |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A fascinating journey with two main characters through history. The writing makes the times and places visited interesting, not dull as a lot of historical descriptions are. |
| Betty Cryder ([email protected]) |
| Relentless by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Much better than YOUR HEART BELONBS TO ME. This is the Koontz that I love. A quick and good read. |
| Kellie ([email protected]) |
| Coming Home Life, Love, and All Things Southern by Robert Inman |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I didn't realize how local Inman is. He has written for the Charlotte Observer and he lives in the NC mountains. He mentions Charlotte and describes it as a place where no one who lives here is from. So true. This book is really a bunch of short essays. Some are truly insightful; some I didn't quite get the purpose or the meaning of. Others were humorous, especially the short little diatribes about Delbert Earle. I especially like the one about heavy sleepers and light sleepers in a marriage. It is very true. One thing I admire about this author is he has a gift with words. It's almost like he plugs into his brain and the words just fall out on the page. I recall thinking, as I read some of this, "Wow, he is saying exactly what I think." Not many authors can do that. I have ordered one of Inman's novels off bookmooch. I have read Mr. Saturday and want to try something else. I am even considering getting a copy of this. It has a lot of great things to say. |
| Fran |
| Single Wife by Nina Solman |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A woman struggles to keep up a charade that her husband is still in her life when he really left her months ago. An endearing, quick novel with a bit of a fun side. Love the growth of the main character as the book progresses. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| The Chocolate Cupid Killings by Joana Carl |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
One of her Chocolate Mysteries, Lee has been hiding one of her employees from the law which makes very hard indeed since most of her family is in that business, Great book. |
| Renee |
| The Help by Kathryn Stockett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Things I've always wondered about. Well told, engaging, and important. |
| Brady ([email protected]) |
| Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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This memoir builds like the recipe of a cake; the closer you get to the end, the more complex and complete the batch becomes. This is the story of two girls who meet in college and at graduation decide they want to see the world...together. Their first stop is in China and all of the action takes place there. There is a reason they do not go to other countries, and that is the story of the book...the why. This is a good depiction of the frivolities of youth and what happens with things that are not planned. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| Cold Is the Grave by Peter Robinson |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is another of the Alan Banks mysteries, which Robinson does so well. In this story, Alan's boss, Jeremiah Riddle, has a problem and requests the aid of Alan. In the process, Alan explores his own feelings about his ending marriage and his relationship with his son and daughter, plus the developing relationship with Annie Cabbot. Robinson loves music and his references to many of the jazz and classical music is interesting. The story explores many avenues --- hard partying life, unwanted pregnancy, fanatic religion, and loneliness. A pleasurable read. |
| Bonnie |
| Half-Broke Horses: A True Life Novel by Jeannette Walls |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Walls can spin a yarn, as she proved in THE GLASS CASTLE, though that was a memoir and this is fictionalized. It's based on her feisty maternal grandmother's life and will hold your interest and win your heart. I look forward to her next book. |
| CC |
| Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat by Vicki Myron |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The writing wasn't the greatest, and the author tended to dwell too much on herself when I just wanted to hear about the cat! Ha! However, I loved the whole idea of Dewey and reading about his life. |
| FOH |
| Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Very cute, quick read about a woman who encounters her childhood imaginary friend during her adult life. A touch of fantasy with a bit of romance. I enjoy how James Patterson can go from writing about psychopathic murders to a cute imaginary friend. Overall, it was enjoyable. |
| Jud Hanson |
| Murder by the Numbers by Richard Hicks |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Meet Eddie DeSilvia, immediate past police chief of San Diego and a man looking forward to plenty of rest and relaxation on his boat "Make My Day." He has hardly hung up his shield when Pauline Graham, a friend and psychologist, asks him to look into the death of a friend's father. The friend, Allison Graham, is suspected of helping her terminally ill father commit suicide, an act that is a crime in California. DeSilvia does a little digging and in the process realizes that the evidence just doesn't add up and that the truth may be found 30 years in the past. He knows he's getting too close when someone tries to sink his boat and, failing to kill him that way, cuts the brake line of his car. DeSilvia is determined not to throw in the towel but will he survive long enough to determine the truth? |
| Judy O. ([email protected]) |
| The Sand Fish by Maha Gargash |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
In the 1970s, a 15-year-old girl named Noora is being raised in the mountains of The Arabian Peninsula. Her mother is dead, her father is insane, and her brother, Sagar, does not know what to do with this strong-willed young girl. So, he marries her off to an older man named Jassem hundreds of miles away in Dubai. Noora's life as wife #3 in this rich man's house is the basis for the story. Noora soon finds that her main job is to bear her husband a child, something the two other wives have not been able to do. This is a wonderful story of a culture so different from ours. The sand fish is a metaphor for Noora's life in Dubai. |
| Abbi Williams |
| I, Alex Cross by James Patterson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Patterson never seems to fail, by the time I've read the inside cover, I can't wait to read the book in one seating. The story line never fails to grab as he weaves characters in and out of danger. I haven't read any of his other books that I didn't like. |
| A. Brim |
| The Vineyard by Barbara Delinsky |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Barbara Delinsky has done it again. This is a great book from the very first page. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Olivia Jones is hired by Natalie Seebring, the owner of the vineyards, to write her memoirs. Olivia is estranged from her mother and the only other family she has is her daughter so she dreams of being part of a family. So starts the dynamics of family life for her in this typical family --- imperfect. Very good and easy to get into. |
| Brenda Tucker ([email protected]) |
| Lifelines by C J Lyons |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The story begins around Lydia, a doctor, starting her first day in a Pittsburgh hospital. Through no fault of her own, the Chief of Surgery's son dies under her care. She must find out who killed the son to let her continue to work at the hospital. Very good story. |
| patricia gibby ([email protected]) |
| Gone with the Wind by margaret mitchell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Scarlett O'Hara is fascinating to me because I cannot image being so clueless about the world around me. The struggles faced by this family shows what perseverance really means. |
| T. Thomas |
| The Girls on Legare Street by by Karen White |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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The second in the series set in Charleston with ghosts, a mystery and romance. Read it in one day. |
| Cindy G |
| Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I could not put this book down! Not only a great love story, but also its about the history of the Japanese during WW2 and what they went through on the West Coast when they were sent to internment camps. |
| Lorna |
| Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I have read many of this authors books, but this wasn't my favorite, although it was very interesting to learn about the plain people of the Amish community. A baby is found dead after childbirth in a family's barn. No one seems to know anything about its birth. Of course, they discover the teenage daughter has had this baby, but no one even knew she was pregnant. In comes Ellie to visit her aunt who was shunned from the family years ago. She ends up defending Katie, the teenage girl who finally "realized" she had a baby. It has the excitement of lawyers and a courtroom and the friendship the Ellie and Katie develop. It does have a great ending, though. I would have given it a more stars, but it really took me a long time to get through this book since I was bored with it at times. |
| Vanessa McDaniel ([email protected]) |
| The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
THE TEAHOUSE FIRE reminded me of MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA by Arthur Golden. It drops the reader into the late 1800s and tells the tale of a young girl who ends up part of a respected "tea" family. It also means she witnesses the good and the bad that family can bring. |
| Jean M |
| The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I loved this book. With its twists and turns, I couldn't put it down. It deals with individual privacy and the scary things that can happen if someone gets information on a person and uses it. |
| Audrey |
| Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Finished Lacuna more than two weeks ago and yet the characters are still strong and alive in my mind. If you loved Kingsolver's POISONWOOD BIBLE, then you are in for a treat. I would highly recommend this novel. |
| vickielynn |
| Waking the Dead by Kylie Brant |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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The third book in the Mindhunters series. The whole series is really good, and this entry is no exception. |
| Debi |
| A Quiet Belief in Angels by R.J. Ellory |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Told in first person, Ellory weaves a murder mystery that's simply fabulous! I had trouble connecting with the narrator and his emotions, but, other than that, I was befuddled about who the murderer was until the very end...for me, that's a good book! |
| Debi |
| Merry, Merry Ghost by Carolyn Hart |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I enjoy this new series of Hart's about a ghost who's a protective angel! It's funny, well-written, and entertaining...even though I figured out the murderer before the end (I wasn't really sure, though!). |
| Janis |
| The Necklace by Cheryl Jarvis |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Very enjoyable true story of women who buy and share not only a necklace but also share their lives. |
| Karen Terry ([email protected]) |
| Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I loved this book. It is her funniest yet. Lula is in trouble because she sees a beheading. Stephanie is having man problems, which is pushing her towards Ranger. Ranger is having problems, too. Lula becomes Stephanie's roommate for a day or two and all heck breaks loose. You will really enjoy this book; I think it is one of her best. |
| Gail Spitzer |
| Ford County by John Grisham |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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A very good and easy read. |
| Kellie ([email protected]) |
| The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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This was another book about the Holocaust told from the German/Nazi perspective. This was also written from the voice of a nine year old so the language is quite simple. Words like "Furor" is translated to "Fury" in a nine-year old voice, and Austwitz becomes "Out With." This was an interesting twist created by the author that I thought was ingenious. I agree with a reader who said she believes everyone should read this book. There is so much to learn. To me, it is a true example of the innocence of a child. No matter how evil his situation was, this character shows what it truly means to have and appreciate a friend. I was quite surprised at the ending. It was one of those endings where I was reading at lightening speed to find out what was going to happen. I think this book is great for a book club discussion. There is so much to talk about. Highly recommend. |
| judy ([email protected]) |
| The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
"Towner" Whitney is a self-proclaimed crazy woman and a liar. She is also a gifted lace reader. This story is told through a veil about Towner's life and family. Rarely ever am I totally surprised by the ending I found in this book. |
| John W. |
| The Book of Negroes by Laurence Hill |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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The book describes the life of an African girl kidnapped and sold into slavery in the 1700s. |
| sylvia bengisoy |
| Charmed & Enchanted by Nora Roberts |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Okay, I am a sap for Nora Roberts' books. They are like a mini-vacation for me from. I love her books that are about siblings and the challenges they face in life and love! CHARMED & ENCHANTED is about cousins who have magical powers. Very good! |
| MsAnnie ([email protected]) |
| Ford County by John Grisham |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A very good short story collection, some of the stories are excellent, he packs a good punch into a short time with these stories. Great for nighttime reading, but I can't wait for his next full length book. |
| Writer for Christ |
| Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida by Sandra D. Bricker |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Cassie Constantine is bound and determined to do something she has never done before, but isn't sure how to go about it. Traveling to sunny Holiday, Florida to sell her late husband's vacation home, she encounters more than she bargains. Quirky, lovable neighbors, two hideous plastic flamingos and a handsome distraction --- none of which she wants. But with their gentle guidance, she discovers the qualities she always thought were hidden, just needed a little excavation. Sandra D. Bricker has a wonderful sense of humor and knows how to incorporate it into a novel. A fun, easy read, it will keep you laughing and smiling all the way to the end. The development of characters was great, their conflict and interaction is fun to read and sizzled from the page. It's an upbeat read that you will leave you cheering until the last page is turned, I loved every moment! Highly recommended! |
| Barbara ([email protected]) |
| The Lacuna by Barbara Kingslover |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a trip through Mexico and USA befroe, during and after WWII peopled with Frida Kahlo, Leon Trotsk. There are a lot of similarities to what is happening now in our country. |
| Kellie ([email protected]) |
| The Christmas Letters by Lee Smith |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This was quite a surprisingly good read. It is my book club's December read and I really enjoyed it. It is actually several letters written by three generations of women in the same Southern family. These are the familiar Christmas letters that people like to send with their Christmas cards that tell friends and relatives all the things that happens in their life that particular year. Scattered within the letters are some recipes. Some I'm thinking of jotting down and trying myself. This was a unique way to tell a story, and I really enjoyed it. If you are interested in reading a pleasurable Christmas story, this is my recommendation. |
| Nancy |
| Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I loved this book. It opened my eyes as to the way that U.S. citizens of Japanese descent were treated during World War II. The book combines history, growing up, falling in love, father/son relationships, along with cultural conflicts. And it does it all so beautifully. |
| Angie |
| Twilight by Stephenie Meyer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Some people expect too much from TWILIGHT --- they expect an action-packed, supernatural thriller. That's not what this is. TWILIGHT is a superb, unique, patiently moving, atmospheric character study and romance that leads to some action moments but is not ABOUT the action moments. It's about the characters. I thought it (and all its sequels) were awesome and I loved that Stephenie Meyer didn't rely on attraction alone for the connection between the two main characters, Edward and Bella. There are conversations, talking, and shared interests. I can't wait to read and reread TWILIGHT , NEW MOON, ECLIPSE, and BREAKING DAWN! |
| Angie |
| Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Stunning. This companion to THE GIVER is stark and grim and sometimes hopeless --- but oh-so-beautiful and touching. |
| Angie |
| The Giver by Lois Lowry |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Years after reading it the first time, I recently reread it and WOW...still poignant and brilliant as ever. Stunning. |
| John Probert ([email protected]) |
| The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I have always found culinary herbs interesting but never really thought of their medicinal uses...until now. This book really opened my eyes and I would suggest this book to anyone who has the slimmest interest in herbs, either culinary or medicinal. |
| John Probert ([email protected]) |
| Invitation to Holistic Health by Charlotte Eliopoulos |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A very informative, lengthy tome regarding the improvements we can make to our health through easy-to-do and easy-to-understand writing. One of the best books on holistic health that I have ready recently. |
| Rita C. ([email protected]) |
| The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A book read for a book group...not one that I'd normally read. It is the story of a man who was a pornographer, druggie, and alcoholic that was involved in a terrible car accident in which he was terribly burned. During his hospital he was visited by a schizophrenic patient from the burn ward. He looked forward to her visits. She began to tell him a story that she had known him and loved him in the 14th century. That story is interwoven into the present day happenings. The characters were well defined, and the story flowed easily from one chapter and each story to another. A well written book by a first time author. |
| T. Thomas |
| The Lost Symbol by by Dan Brown |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
One long, laborious chase scene. |
| J. Mitchell |
| Bone by Bone by Carol O'Connell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
As the story progresses, nearly everyone in town had reason to dislike Josh and his ever-present camera; anyone could be the murderer. Carol O'Connell has created a host of interesting characters and has written a compelling novel about them, a page-turner that mystery fans and enthusiasts of criminal fiction alike will not easily be able to put aside. |
| Sarah E. |
| Homer & Langley: A Novel by E. L. Doctorow |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
HOMER AND LANGLEY is a fantastic book in which Doctorow weaves major events of twentieth century American history, from beginning to end, into the story's plot, all related to the reader through the experience of Homer, the blind brother. Amazingly, one sees that every historical time period of the 1900s touched the lives of the ever-increasingly reclusive Collyer brothers, with many important social messages delivered by Doctorow relating to the current events of the time. Additionally, I liked that Doctorow chose not to write this book with perfect punctuation and grammar, nor with a perfect sequence of events, for it allows the reader to feel as if one is present inside the mind of a blind man who lived in a time, language, and world of his own. I often found myself chuckling and laughing out loud as I read yet another of Langley's bizarre schemes or ideas regarding how the Collyer brothers' lives would function inside their Fifth Avenue home. I found this book to be amusing, entertaining, and yet at the same time sad as I experienced decade by decade through Homer's life recollections. I highly recommend this book and now wish to read more of Doctorow's works. |
| Melissa |
| Demons by Fyodor Dostoevsky |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
One of my favorite books is CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, so I decided to give DEMONS a try. While it is not as good as CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, if you like Dostoevsky's style, you will enjoy DEMONS . Also, don't expect a quick read. This one will take some time. |
| Kaye DeMaio-Hays |
| The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is an excellent thriller. I would have given it 5 stars if it hadn't started so slowly. There's an excellent opening teaser, then the action slows. After Mikael Blomkvist is convicted of libel, the story accelerates, especially when he hires a punk computer prodigy named Lisbeth Salander to help him solve a disappearance that occurred over 40 years ago. When I finished the book, I immediately ordered the next book, THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE. |
| Sharon Long ([email protected]) |
| The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This was an average read. Very interesting because it dealt with mummies which is something different in a book. |
| John Probert ([email protected]) |
| Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Okay, I was never any good at physics in school. Taoism, on the other hand, I could understand. So this classic came my way recently and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to read. And I think I have learned a little about physics as well. |
| John Probert ([email protected]) |
| Blasphemy by Douglas Preston |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Should science be trying to explain or understand God and the Big Bang? This is the fundamental question in this book. I found the novel exciting and page turning yet thought provoking at the same time. Another good book by Preston. If you like his writing style and genre, then you are sure to enjoy this. |
| FOG |
| Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I think I read through this series because of all the hype about it more than I actually enjoyed the books. I have to say that I liked TWILIGHT and ECLIPSE the best, but NEW MOON and BREAKING DAWN really fell short in a lot of ways. For a 700+ page novel, the storyline was stupid, the middle dragged on and on, and I completely lost interest in the characters and book. Where was this author's editor! You could easily have shaved off at least 100 pages without changing the plot in any way! I'm glad I finished the book because I would have kept wondering whether the story got any better; however, had I known ahead of time, I would not have wasted my time. |
| SB |
| Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Connelly never disappoints his readers, and this one was no exception. Harry Bosch's world takes a complete spin around when he ends up in Hong Kong to rescue his daughter, but along the path some close to him are killed. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| Hothouse Orchid by Stuart Woods |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I used to enjoy reading Stuart Woods, but his books have become same plot, same action, and no deviation from this set ritual. The novels are easily forgotten. Holly Barker is one of my favorite characters along with Will Lee, but this book's substance is null. This is a novel for the basic reader, who does not want to wade through setting, philosophy, or emotion. In this episode, Holly returns to Vero Beach for a long vacation. During the time, she buys an airplane and settles down on an ER doctor. She jumps too quickly into relationships as well as her friend, Lauren Cade does, who quits her job and moves across the US with Teddy Fay, and ex-agent on the run. The story has many twists such as the developments with the army boss who raped Lauren and attempted to rape Holly and the numerous women raped and some killed by a serial rapist/killer. And the adage of a cop gone bad is not done too well. |
| Linda Bentzen |
| The Siege by Stephen White |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a very good thriller. White develops his characters well and has many twists and turns in this entertaining and suspenseful story. |
| Ken Favell ([email protected]) |
| Rainwater by Sandra Dallas |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'd never read a Sandra Dallas novel before but was encouraged by the Publishers Weekly review that I read. I understand this book is a bit different from her normal novels. I found this tale of a widow who owns a boarding house in 1930s Texas quite compelling. When a seriously ill stranger becomes one of her boarders, her life and the life of her autistic son change completely. Brown does a wonderful job portraying the widow's young autistic son. This is a fine book for readers who enjoy the novels of Sandra Dallas. The book is quite attractive, too, with those wonderful French cut pages. |
| Linda S. |
| The White Mary by Kira Salak |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a story about a female journalist whose career has been in war-torn and ravages places, who embarks on a quest deep into the jungles of Papua New Guinea to investigate the disappearance of a highly esteemed fellow journalist who is understood to have committed suicide six months earlier. I loved this book. Imagine a combination of HEART OF DARKNESS, FIELDWORK, and THE SPARROW, and you sort of get the picture. However, be warned, this is not for the faint of heart. There are some soul-breaking scenes and hard questions about life are asked. The answers may not be so elegant and mystical as THE SPARROW, but this was an absolutely riveting story about finding peace in a very, very messed up world. |
| Glenn |
| The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the W by Jennifer 8. Lee |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Everything you ever wanted to know about the history of Chinese restaurants and more! It starts out with a real life unusual occurrence from the 1980s where 110 people picked the same numbers for a lottery, except for the Powerball, so each won the second place prize. Back then, the jackpots were about $10 million, so because they DIDN'T get the Powerball correct, they EACH won a second place prize of about $200K for a total payout of over $20 million, more than double the jackpot prize, which would have been split evenly amongst the winners had they also picked the Powerball. The author decided to do an exhaustive research about the origin of the fortune cookie and along the way gives a lot of detail about the history of Chinese restaurants in America. Interesting read. |
| Pattie Berryhill ([email protected]) |
| The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Author seemed to ramble in places...characters were the same. |
| ck |
| The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The second book in the series of three is riveting starting with THE GIRL WITH THE GREEN TATTOO. Who killed the sleazy lawyer? Was there one killer? two? How is the quirky young woman named Salander involved? And, shouldn't Blomkvist let the police work on this case without interference? Lots of twists. I look forward to reading the final book.It's a shame that the author died. He was a talented, imaginative writer. |
| Marisa |
| The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The story begins in a remote 17th-century Persian village where the 14-year-old female narrator lives modestly but happily with her parents, until a comet signals misfortune, which begins with the sudden death of her father. Unable to sustain living in their village, mother and daughter travel to the city of Isfahan, where the two live as servants in the opulent home of an uncle, a successful rug maker to the Shah. Over the next 4 years the unnamed narrator's own rug making skills blossom under her uncle's tutelage. But the dark shadow of the comet is never far. When the narrator finally receives a marriage contract, it is less than ideal - a three-month renewable contract with the wealthy son of a horse trader. Little better than a prostitute, the narrator finally claims control of her life. Mistakes lead to lessons learned and the ancient Persian stories/parables interwoven throughout the book add to the lush and sensitive story. An unforgettable story set in a magical time and place. The story moves quickly and sucks the reader in immediately. A wonderful historical fiction by a new writer. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| Holiday Grind by Cleo Coyle |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Can Clare keep it together after loosing her good friend in an alley? Her boyfriend Mike tries to keep her out of trouble by telling her to focus on her own business taking care of he coffee shop, but she just can't help it. |
| Tanya |
| The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is about an 11-year-old girl who solves a murder at her own home. Flavia is a wonderful character, and I look forward to this author's next book. |
| Shyeyes |
| Chirstmas List by Richard Paul Evans |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Very cute and fun story centered in the Salt Lake City, UT area. It's an updated tale of Scrooge and done very well. Nice holiday read. |
| PLC |
| There Goes The Bride by M.C. Beaton |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The latest in the series of Agatha Raisin mysteries is just as entertaining as all the others. Agatha Raisin is such a character! I will be eagerly awaiting the next book. |
| Sandra F. ([email protected]) |
| The Sudbury School Murders by Ashley Gardner |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is a very good example of an historical mystery set in England around 1820. The setting and story are entertaining and lots of fun to read. |
| Sandra F. |
| The Wayfinders by Wade Davis |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is one of the CBC Massey Lectures and is a wonderful depiction of the dangers to our world of the dying out of cultural groups. This book is a very timely message for all of us. |
| Sandra F. |
| Death of a Dancer by Caro Peacock |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
An interesting story set in Victorian London. It has good characters and a good plot, but I am not too sure how true the historical background is. This tends to be the problem with many historical mysteries. |
| Sandra F. |
| Eternal by Craig Russell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
An excellent book set in Germany and featuring Jan Fabel, a senior police officer. The book tends to be a bit gruesome at times, but it's an exciting read. |
| EC |
| The Alchemist's Daughter by Katherine McMahon |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This novel is a well written period piece. It delves into the forbidden practice of alchemy while engaging the reader in the story of the main character Emile. Emile's story of innocence, change, and true growth holds the readers interest and makes for an enjoyable read. |
| Helkat |
| Book Thief by Markus Zusak |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
THE BOOK THIEF is an interesting read. It was a little hard to get into. It was about 1/4 of the book till I was really interested in it. The story is set in 1939 in Germany. The narrator is "Death" and he is very busy! A good look at what life must of been like during that time. |
| Mary Ann |
| The Broker by John Grisham |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A good suspense read. Vintage Grisham --- with bugging, CIA, undercover endeavors, etc. It provides a good tour through Bologna, Italy, which sounds like a place I'd love to visit. |
| Lora |
| The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE is a beautifully written novel. Hard to believe it is the author's debut. It takes the reader on a roller coaster ride of emotions. The novel is about two young girls Cali, a selective mute, and Petra, Cali's bestfriend and voice, who disappear in the middle of the night. The reader gets a first hand view of their families as they race to find them. Told in alternating points of view. this is a story that will stay with the reader long after you finish reading it. |
| Bonnie ([email protected]) |
| Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Sometimes I try to read the prestigious award-winning books and can't get through them...too dry or downright boring. This 2009 National Book Award winner, however, was terrific. It's beautifully, elegantly written. You want to savor some of the phrasings. It's fascinating --- the characters are real and people you care about; the entire story centers, peripherally, on one event and all the sub-stories balance around it. It's anything but dry or boring. I can't say enough positive things about this novel --- you won't be disappointed. |
| A. Brim |
| Killer Smile by Lisa Scottoline |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Attorney Mary DiNunzio is hired to represent the estate of an Italian fisherman who died during World War II. After putting pieces together and trying to find people who are still living, she suspects murder and betrayal. |
| Priscilla |
| The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
It a novel about Fiona Finnegan --- a story of murder, revenge, love lost and a woman's determination to survive....something for everyone! |
| Julie H. |
| Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
DJ Schwenk has returned to the farm and to school after helping her brother Win's rehabilitation after his football injury. She's just in time for the girl's basketball season and all eyes are on DJ as the Schwenk magic unfolds on the court. Coach needs her to develop leadership skills as Division I schools on down are showing an interest in this Red Bend High School junior. DJ is still reluctant to call attention to herself and this final novel in the Dairy Queen trilogy grows with DJ as she gains confidence, both in manner and voice! |
| Jon |
| Dawn Patrol by Don Winslow |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Wonderful mystery set among San Diego's surfing community. Excellent story pitting the laid-back private detective who would rather surf than work against some very terrible bad guys. Highly recommended. |
| Julie H. |
| Much Ado About Anne by Heather Vogel Frederick |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Fantastic follow up to the first Mother/Daughter book club book. The girls are entering seventh grade, Half Moon Farm is behind on taxes and mean girl Becca joins the group. Perfect for tweens not quite ready for the Traveling Pants. |
| Julie H. |
| Over the Holidays by Sandra Harper |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A slightly chaotic book, the main thrust is about Vanessa Clayton and her family-close and extended. Due to money constraints, they decide not to go East for Christmas. Envisioning a earthy holiday instead, Vanessa is shocked when the East Coast comes to them. Narrative views shift constantly, but in the end, the family comes together nicely. |
| Kathy Vogel |
| Killer Cruise by Laura Levine |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a really humorous murder mystery that is part of a series. Jaine Austen is a writer who generally writes advertising copy. She is hired to teach a writing course on a cruise. Her class is very poorly attended, and then someone is stabbed with an ice pick. |
| Bill |
| Black Rain by Graham Brown |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I enjoyed the book and the characters. The setting in the dense Brazilian jungle and the discovery of ancient Mayan ruins was central to the somewhat dense plot. At times the action was overshadowed by what came across as classroom lectures on Mayan culture and history, human biology, and archaeology. But large parts of the action filled book outweigh my quibbles. It is a good read. |
| Ellen |
| Sonata for Miriam by Linda Olsson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Beautifully written, evocative of varied locales. Olsson's writing makes me ache for the characters, each of whom is a lost soul. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| The Christmas Letters by Lee Smith |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Another book club selection, one that I read many years ago, but each reading brings new insights. This is a Christmas rendering by three generations of women, starting with Birdie in the 1940's, and ending with Birdie's granddaughter, Melanie, in 1996. All the women are living in the South, basically NC. I like the history of times: the wars, love, children, infidelity, hardship, and the everyday living. The men are all secondary characters, we just glimpse their existence. The thought that bothers me, is that the families do not seem to get together for the holidays--why?? Also, the women seem to blindly accept what the husband decides, they seem to lack spirit. Still a fun holiday read. |
| Marsha |
| Ford County by John Grisham |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
What a charming surprise. The book consists of seven stories that are beautifully written. The cast of characters will are vividly drawn and colorful. This is excellent storytelling. |
| JoM |
| The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
Am I the only person on earth who thought this was one of the most boring books ever written? I probably would not have finished it if it had been written by any other author. |
| Judy O. ([email protected]) |
| A Change of Altitude by Anita Shreve |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I really enjoyed this story of Patrick and Margaret, an American couple, who live in Kenya. They decide to climb Mt. Kenya with two other couples, but something terrible happens and they must abort the climb. Unfairly I feel, Margaret is blamed for the accident. This puts a terrible strain on their relationship, and they ultimately decide to climb to the top again in order to try to save their marriage. Just one complaint --- I felt that I would have liked to have known more about Patrick and Margaret, as I felt that their characters were not fully fleshed out. I never got the sense that I really knew them as people. |
| Debi |
| Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Don't read this if you're on a diet! This is a great cozy mystery wrapped in wonderful cookie (and other) recipes! |
| Susan Kuchta |
| The Beautiful Being by Jessica Barksdale Inclan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Edan Mirav, leader of the Cygirian race, must find a way to protect his people from the enemy who has killed generations of his family and his planet. Losing his parents when he was young, the only family he has left is his two sisters. Unable to locate his double, the one person who will make his powers complete and his life whole, Edan has become overwhelmed with the task of survival. Giving up any hope that he would find her, Edan tries to cope with the situation at hand. Wanting to be of use, he goes out to work a bit in the desert, the small piece of land that the Upsilian people are allowing the Cygerians to live. In his darkest hour, there she appears, standing there in the desert, his double. The light to his darkness. Ava Arangos has been freed from the source, where Cygerians had been held. She has decided that her life is fine and that she could live a decent life without her double. Her power may not be whole but she can be productive with her amazing gift of cooking. Ava immediately recognizes Edan for who he is. She is reluctant as she does not want to feel whole only to experience extreme loss. The Neballats are a crude race. In their search for what they need they destroyed not only their own planet but Cygeria. Not caring who gets in the way of their ultimate goal. In their quest they not only destroyed their home but their bodies. The Neballats need the Cygerians to give them what they need and to restore their bodies. No matter what the cost. Together Edan and Ava discover, with the help of a rebel enemy, that together they have the power to end all of the fighting and create the lives that they need and want. They need to show their people that as a whole they can push past the limitations that they created for themselves. The journey put them back into the hands of the enemy and to the discovery of who they are as a people and what the right thing is do do. "The Beautiful Being" captures the universal need to find true love, that exceptional connection to another and belonging. Expresses the world today with it's teaching of hate and fear just for the sake of hate. Sheds light that we can come together as a whole and choose to do the right thing, look beyond, work together and create peace. |
| Debi |
| Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I don't usually read memoirs, but since I had read the author's previous book, I decided I would try this one. I'm glad I did. In the first one, I was pulled in by her writing style, her sincerity, and her story. This one is even better, perhaps because this one is a fictionalized version of her grandmother's life which would have been interesting without any embellishment! |
| Sandy |
| The Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This one didn't grab me in the beginning and I almost put it away and started a different book. But, I went back and by chapter two, I was hooked. Very unusual story about a man who advertises in the paper for a reliable wife and the woman who answers his ad. |
| Helen |
| One Foot in Eden by Ron Rash |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A moving story of a death in the North Carolina mountains, and how right and wrong is not always clear. |
| Loretta Sanford ([email protected]) |
| You Better Not Cry by Augusten Burroughs |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I read the last essay in the book over and over. His books are not for everyone but this last essay, about celebrating the holidays with the person he loves after all the disasters in his life, is very moving. |
| Cowboy ([email protected]) |
| The Gray Man by Mark Greaney |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I love this book. It's about an assassin known around the world as the "gray man." |
| Susan Kuchta |
| But Then Again I Could Be Wrong: The Book of Rants by Jim Rising |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Jim Rising, Program Director of the radio station 102.3fm The Mountain WDMT and host of a weekday radio show, has compiled a collection of his rants that have been broadcast. Full of wit and irony, Jim straightforwardly covers topics of what occurs in the daily life of Northeastern Pennsylvanians. Most of them asking the very common question of why the people of NE Pa do what they do. Living in the same "neck of the woods," it gives the ability to visualize the locations and scenarios that he mentions. I greatly appreciate the humor and irony as he encompassed the diversity of beauty and unsavoryness that makes up our little patch of the world.If you live in NE PA you will empathy with this collection and even be a little prideful of where we call home, if you don't you will still get a kick out of seeing how we live our crazy lives. Proceeded from this book are given the Hoyt Library in Kingston, Pa, so pick up a copy, have a good laugh, and help out a well deserving piece of our community. |
| Linda H. ([email protected]) |
| Count to Ten by Karen Rose |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Reed Solliday is a fire investigator and is very concerned about a rash of fires being set off by the use of an accelerant housed in a plastic egg. The victims are being burned to a crisp and in several instances, being burned alive. Since there are victims, he has been assigned to work with the police homicide department and is assigned as a partner to Detective Mia Mitchell. Their investigation leads them to a school where all is not as it seems. This book will keep you guessing who the "bad guy" is. A very good book. |
| Linda H. ([email protected]) |
| In Silence by Erica Spindler |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
When Avery Chauvin returns to her hometown in Louisiana, she finds that nothing has changed and the town still looks as it did 12 years ago right before Avery left. She has returned to put her old home up for sale since her father's recent suicide, a fact that Avery refuses to believe. As she is cleaning out her father's closet she finds a box of newspaper clippings about a murder that occurred. Wondering why he kept these, Avery questions his old friend, Buddy, now the chief of police. As Avery questions other friends of her fathers, she finds that many of his old friends are deceased. Causes of death are also questionable - a farmer dies in a tractor accident and a newspaper editor is shot in a freak hunting accident. When Avery continues her questions, she is approached by a woman whose brother disappeared while investigating a group of men known as The Seven, a group acting as vigilantes in dictating how their townspeople are to act. But Avery's questions are getting her strange looks. Which townspeople are members of this group? Who to trust? A very good book. |
| Linda H. ([email protected]) |
| Eclipse by Richard North Patterson |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
Damon Pierce met Marissa Brand when both were students at Berkeley. She introduced Damon to her boyfriend Bobby Okari, an African who was in America trying to generate awareness of Africa's problems. Many years later, Damon is now a well-known attorney at a prominent law firm and Marissa has married Bobby. Arrested by the soldiers affiliated with the country's dictator, Bobby is now jailed and Marissa calls Damon for assistance. As Damon flies to Africa, he hopes that he can persuade his firm to take Bobby's case. He will have to face the dictator and other corrupt officials and his life will also be in danger. This book focuses on problems facing the African nations where global companies have come in to drill for oil and export the oil to feed the world's demand. The oil is taken without concern for the land or people. |
| Linda H. ([email protected]) |
| The Mist by Carla Neggers |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Lizzie Rush is the daughter of Harlan Rush, an operative working undercover for the CIA but appearing to be a rich hotelier who spends his days gambling in Las Vegas. Lizzie has befriended Norman Estabrook, an eccentric billionaire who has been arrested by the FBI and questioned for his involvement with international drug cartels. Norman has now escaped and is exacting revenge on those he feels were responsible for his arrest. But does he know that Lizzie has been feeding information anonymously to the FBI? A good read. |
| Susie ([email protected]) |
| Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
If this biographical book of Greg is hard to get into, please just keep plugging or get his Young Adult version. This is definitely not THE UGLY AMERICAN...but one I am extremely proud to have even read about! This man should win a peace prize! |
| Susie ([email protected]) |
| Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
It started out with a gruesome story on just a few pages. It turns into a VERY great murder mystery at the end of Stalin's Russsia. It is one of the best crafted books I've read in a long time! I would classify it as a political thriller and a must read. |
| Linda H. ([email protected]) |
| The Lost City of Z by David Grann |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is a true story about the exploration of Bolivia and Brazil by Colonel Percy Fawcett as he searched for the mythical city of Z, a code name given to a lost civilization thought to have flourished in the Amazon jungles. Colonel Fawcett set off with his son and son's friend on their last journey and was never heard from again. Numerous search parties tried to trace him but most perished due to disease or unfriendly Indians. After reading about Colonel Fawcett, David Grann decided to try to find traces of the explorer. This book ties his current expedition into those carried out by Colonel Fawcett and others. It makes you realize there are still unexplored areas of our world. |
| Reva Wamsley ([email protected]) |
| The Innocent Man by John Grisham |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I didn't know this was a true story until I started reading it. I find most true crime books tedious but this one certainly was not. I was appalled by the way the police in the town of Ada conducted their investigations and the lies they used to obtain convictions. As a result, several innocent men were sent to prision. The treatment in prison was also horrible, especially for someone who was innocent. |
| Karen Barash |
| A Happy Marriage by Rafael Yglesias |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the most meaningful and best book I have read in a long time. The story is told from the point of view of the husband Puff who is a wonderful caretaker to his wife dying of cancer. The story alternates between the past and the present. It is an autobiographical novel. I love that it is called a "A Happy Marriage" despite the inevitable bad times in every long marriage. |
| Ivy Pittman ([email protected]) |
| Where the River Ends by Charles Martin |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Doss and Michael's story is a tear jerker, although an endearing story about living out dreams with the one you love up until the end. It will stay with you long after the last page. |
| Gail |
| The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katharine Howe |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
As a descendant of two women accused in the Salem witch trials, the author is uniquely qualified to create this fascinating story of family heritage, herbal healing and suspected witchcraft. The central character is a doctoral student in American history who encounters a secret family history connecting her with a women accused in the Salem witch trials. The story alternates effectively between current and historic time periods and is so engaging that I got up in the middle of the night to finish it. |
| Sue, Saratoga |
| Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I enjoy mysteries/suspense so this book kept my interest, though it was predictable in places. The characters were somewhat stereotypical of small-town life. It could have been made into a "Lifetime" movie. However, since this was the author's 1st novel, I think she did a great job & I look forward to seeing her writing mature. |
| Jean M |
| The Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I really liked this book. It is very suspenseful and keeps you guessing until the very end. Very sympathetic characters. This is not the first book by this author that I have read. I intend to read many more books by this author. |
| Gloria |
| Excuses Be Gone by Wayne Dyer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a good book that may be useful for people who are looking for a different way of walking the path of life. Wayne always has a way of explaining things that makes a lot of sense, he gently guides but never in a harsh manner. |
| Gloria |
| Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is well worth reading. It may be fiction but it makes one think and maybe even ask some deeper questions than they have before. |
| Jennifer ([email protected]) |
| Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I thought I was going to enjoy this book much more than I did. The shorter stories were engaging, but the two novellas are kind of dry. I never found myself really engaging with the characters, and the language, while I am sure it captures the language of Africa, it was difficult to grasp - at least for me. |
| Fran |
| Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Of the three books I've read in this series so far, this one was my favorite. I enjoyed the teenage angst in the love triangle that has developed between Bella, Edward and Jacob. Coupled with the fantasy element that Jacob is a werewolf and Edward is a vampire, adds an element of fun. Bella's other decision whether to remain human/ alive or go vampire/dead was also interesting. It completely captured the teenage perspective/ line of thinking where everything is rushed and the person feels invincible. Cute story. |
| Barbara S. |
| The Scoop by Fern Michaels |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the first in the new Godmother series of books by Fern Michaels. One extremely wealthy and much married widow has three friends since girlhood and they are all godmothers to her daughter. In this introduction to the series the women are celebrating, in a way that only the extremely wealthy can, the demise of the husbands of two members of the group. |
| Jean M |
| The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the first in the Elvis Cole series. I really liked it and intend to read the rest of them. |
| Donna |
| A Drink Before the War by Dennis Lehane |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
First book by Lehane that I've read and the first in the Kenzie and Gennaroseries. Wonderful feeling of Boston and complex interesting characters. |
| Donna |
| An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the 5th book in the Maisie Dobbs series which just keeps getting better. Wonderful, very human characters still dealing with the aftermath of WWI. |
| Karen Barash |
| The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Despite a slow starting first chapter, this is a riveting read. The author has created a unique main character in Lisbeth Salander, a character the reader cannot get enough of so that you rush out to get the sequel and wait anxiously for the third book in the trilogy which will be out his summer. |
| Teresa ([email protected]) |
| The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
It was a very interesting story about a butcher from Germany settling in the Dakotas between the two world wars. |
| F Tessa Bartels |
| The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
4.5 Stars Excellent book, about a woman's descent into Alzheimer's, that focuses on what she DOES remember - her life as an art curator at the Hermitage during the Seige of Leningrad. |
| Teresa ([email protected]) |
| The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Brown writes a great story that you definitely see as a movie. Its fast paced with visual characters. I loved the info on DC. Makes me want to go back and explore! |
| Gayla |
| The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
After reading the four pages from the Prologue of this book, I was hooked. I'm not usually into books of mystery, crime and intrigue but I am now. The story centers in Sweden and man of the characters are Swedish so that made it very interesting. One of the best parts about this great read is the way Larsson describes the cities, street names, different communities in Sweden. He also uses slang words for describing certain things you do everyday. The book not only has a great plot along with a great story about the characters in the book, but it's a history lesson as well. I even went as far as looking up Sweden on a map to kind of get a picture of the area. Bottom line is I'm not very good at writing out a description of a book, obviously. But this book is a fantastic read and very enjoyable, even though it's 503 pages. You'll enjoy every single page! |
| Marion Miller ([email protected]) |
| Prayers for Sale by Dallas |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
What a delightful read!! This book takes place in a small Colorado mining town in the 1930's and features many colorful characters. |
| Mair Kelly ([email protected]) |
| South of Broad by Pat Conroy |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Just shortly into this book, but I love the way Conroy writes. It's happy and sad, painfully beautiful. He loves and hates his awful mother, is still desperately heartbroken over his brother's suicide after many years. It is a long book, and I relish the thought of spending the next week or more enjoying it. |
| Linda M. Johnson ([email protected]) |
| The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
THE LOVELY BONES was such a wondrous read that I decided to read Sebold's follow-up book. Sebold's writing is still strong, but this subject matter needs to be handled with softer than kids gloves and I'm not convinced that she succeeded. She did succeed in conveying the protagonist suffers from mental illness. Not a book for everyone. (I feel to say anything more would be a spoiler.) |
| Bonnie Markiewicz |
| The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Perftct holiday gift for booklovers. I could not put it down and didn't want it to end. |
| Kathleen |
| Even Money by Dick and Felix Francis |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I thought this one was interesting. I don't know anything about the betting on races, so it was a bit difficult to stay with the story. |
| Sunnie |
| Still Missing by Chevy Stevens |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
If you are a mystery/suspense fan get ready to put this first book by the author on your shelves. This story is told after the main character, Annie, survied an abduction, through discussions with her doctor. An excellent page turner. |
| Mellena |
| Demon Mistress by Yasmine Galenorn |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is number 6 in a series and they are great but you have to read them in order. |
| Mellena |
| Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is number 3 in a series, they are great. You don't have to read them in order but it helps to. |
| Steven Schwindt ([email protected]) |
| True Compass by Edward Kennedy |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
His autobiography that is so good. |
| Steven Schwindt ([email protected]) |
| 3001: The Final Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The final chapter that started with 2001, A Space Odyssey. Excellent book that brings back Poole. He is he the star in this book. |
| Sandra Stile ([email protected]) |
| Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Like the first novel in the series, HUNGER GAMES, Suzanne brings the reader along for the ride into a world that one hopes never exists yet at the same time knows is a possibility. In the second book, Katniss and Peeta have returned victorious from the HUNGER GAMES. It is the first time that two people have been allowed to live. The capitol has bestowed upon the district all of the promised goodies. Peeta and Katniss have pretty much gone their separate ways and after a surprise kiss from Gale, Katniss and Gale's relationship is changed. Then comes the surprise visit from the President to Katniss's home to let her know that he didn't buy in to the love affair between her and Peeta and he knows all about her and Gale. To save the life of her family and friends she must do as the President bids to quell the uprising that has started around the districts. He is not asking for her help in stopping the rebellion he is demanding it. Then there are those in the rebellion who would use Katniss and Peeta without their knowledge in their own game of revenge. I had waited so long to read this and talked the first one up so much to my students that when this one came out my students read it before me. I am breathlessly awaiting the thrid book. I know it will be as good if not better than the first two. |
| Peggy Kincaid ([email protected]) |
| The Last Ember by Daniel Levine |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
If you enjoy history, especially Roman and Jewish history, this is the book for you. It has everything from suspense to the thrill of ancient knowledge. At first Jonathan Marcus doesn't seem like a hero but as you continue reading the pace picks up and before you know it you are hooked. This one may be a sleeper at the end of the year but it is a real keeper. Don't miss it. |
| Kathy Vogel |
| Mr. Monk in Outer Space by Lee Goldberg |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Adrian Monk investigates several murders which become connected. One is Conrad Stipe, the creator of a cult Science Fiction t.v. series called "Beyond Earth". The similarities to "Star Trek" are a real sketch. |
| Saundra McKenzie ([email protected]) |
| Home for Christmas by Andrew M. Greeley |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
One of those "Can't put it down" books. Great!!! |
| Tamara Randi ([email protected]) |
| Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Great little murder mystery involving stamp collecting in England 1950 and a little girl named Flavia on a bike named Gladys. She loves mixing chemicals in her lab and solving murders. |
| Shannon |
| Abandoned by Cody McFadyen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I just finished this book, the 4th book in the author's Smokey Barrett series. Excellent plotting and pacing, love the characters. Of the four, this is my second favorite after the very first one SHADOW MAN. The only problem is that I devoured it and now have to wait again for the next. |
| M.A. Hebda |
| The Christmas Clock by Kat Martin |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Just fabulous! |
| Renee |
| Losing Mum and Pup by Christopher Buckley |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A memoir of the events surrounding the famed Buckley family...father William F. and the diva Patricia. This honest, hurmorous, hurtful stark portrait of american royalty cured me of my upper class envy, but also brought their life and humanity into sympathy. |
| Kellie ([email protected]) |
| High on Arrival by MacKenzie Phillips |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I stayed up last night until I finished this book. Not really because it was so good, I couldn't put it down, I just wanted to get it done. The whole book is about MacKenzie's drug addition. There almost isn't a page that goes by that doesn't have something to do with drugs on it. The book reminds me of Tatum O'Neils' PAPER LIFE. Both are very sad accounts of actresses whose childhoods are so full of chaos and abuse. They were both, as young kids, often left on their own, unsupervised by their celebrity parents. For all the glamour Hollywood stands for, it really is a breeding ground for rich dysfunctional families. Very sad. I don't think HIGH ON ARRIVAL is a great work of literature. However, it is a very honest and true account of someone whose life was put on a dangerous path from the get go and how they attempted to cope with it. |
| Marsha |
| Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Very plodding and disappointing. Iriving has writen some wonderful books but this one isn't among them. It was an effort to finish it. |
| Ed Hahn ([email protected]) |
| High Window by Raymond Chandler |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A classic Chandler. Phillip Marlowe moves through life with an attitude that nothing can really surprise him but he truly does have a good heart. It is so much fun to read terms like "Cracking Wise" and descriptions of 1941 Los Angeles. I was particularly pleased with the details of what people were wearing and what the houses were like. One of Chandler's obvious skills is to keep the reader guessing right to the end. He certainly does that in this book. I am going to go back and re-read some of Chandler's other efforts. |
| Ed Hahn ([email protected]) |
| Executive Power by Vince Flynn |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Quite simply, Vince Flynn books are one of my guilty pleasures. I read this one in two days while traveling from Billings, MT to LA and back. This particular story isn't one of Flynn's best. Mitch Rapp gets involved in a situation in the Philippines after returning from his honeymoon with White House correspondent, Anna Rielly (Yes, Rielly really). Meanwhile in a major sub-plot, a Palestinian terrorist, Jabril Khatabi, code name David, assassinates a number of people to put pressure on the U.S. to back an independent Palestinian state. In addition Mitch is trying to cope with his new wife's displeasure at the danger he puts himself into and also deal with his new assignment at CIA Headquarters. As you might imagine, Rapp's preference for action gets in the way of his relationships with his wife and his boss, Irene Kennedy. But Mitch Rapp is a superman without super powers and by the end of the book he has pretty much single-handedly solved both crises and cemented his relationship with Rielly and Kennedy. The biggest weaknesses in the narrative are the stereotypical characterizations especially of politicians and terrorists, except for Khatabi who has conflicting motivations. It also requires a complete suspension of dis-belief to read how Rapp survives the situations he gets into while all about him are either dying or suffering greatly. It is a good airplane read, though. |
| Jan Griffin |
| South of Broad by Pat Conroy |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
While this is not my favorite Conroy book, I continue to enjoy his writing and building of a story. One of his earlier books which was about his teaching on Daufuskey Island was one I hated to see end. That was The water is wide. |
| Ed Hahn ([email protected]) |
| The Big Gamble by Michael McGarrity |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This book in the Kevin Kerney series was a bit of a disappointment: Too much police procedure, too little plot and character development. The story follows Santa Fe police chief, Kerney and his recently discovered son, Clayton Istee, who is a Lincoln County, NM detective as they pusue two seperate murder investigations that turn out to be related. Their work together is complicated by Istee's ambivalence about having a "white" father. Istee's mother is an Apache. The story goes back and forth as Kerney and Istee each try to solve the case they are working. There are a couple sub-plots, one involving Kerney's relationship with his new, pregnant wife, Sara, a career Army Officer. Another involves Istee's relationship with his boss and co-workers. Neither is particularly gripping. The villains are stereotypical to a great extent and not particularly interesting. The same can be said for the minor characters, with the possible exception of one of the murder victim's parents and a young, female police officer working undercover. The narrative does move along briskly and I was never tempted to put the book down and not finish it. The outcome is predictable but satisfying. I hope the next book in the series gets back to the high level of story-telling that the previous six showed. |
| Megan |
| The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Love the story intertwined with the history |
| Kathy Vogel |
| A Single Thread by Marie Bostwick |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a well written & enjoyable relationship story about four women who have a quilting group on Friday evenings. It tells how one of them opens her dream quilting shop & how they all first meet & their lives become intertwined. |
| CC |
| The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
I used to really enjoy Cornwell's books but the last few she's written have been chores to read. This one, I gave up on after a couple hundred pages when I realized I just didn't care what happened next! |
| Mair Kelly ([email protected]) |
| Good People by Marcus Sakey |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is my new favorite author. Loved the story, pace, ethical dilemma - Sakey is reminiscent of another of my favorite authors (I have many) Dennis Lehane. Couple trying to have a child in deep debt find money they think they might be able to keep without consequences. Very tense, quick-paced. Loved it. |
| Mair Kelly ([email protected]) |
| Missing by Karin Alteyen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A homeless woman from a "good" family in Sweden is framed for a series of murders. Interesting to see a different justice system at work, also to see the difference between life in Sweden and in the US. Very gripping - will read more by this author. |
| Stephanie N |
| Her Highness' First Murder by Peg Herring |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Elizabeth Tudor and Simon set out to discover who is murdering and decapitating women in London. The book was a fascinating read, with great plot twists, great descriptions of London during the 16th century, and interesting characters. The relationship between young Elizabeth and Simon was interesting, and gave you glimpses into how she developed into the queen she did. I am looking forward to reading more adventures from these two. |
| Sharon Elliott-Fox |
| The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Modern take-off on Dickens's A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Wish there had been more interaction with the other characters. |
| Sharon Elliott-Fox |
| The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Sad yet hopeful. Story of too little too late in the redemption scene. |
| BW ([email protected]) |
| Extreme Measure & Pursuit of Honor by Vince Flynn |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Wow, both books where very suspenseful. I could not put them either book down.I read Extreme Measre in 2 1/2 days and read Pursuit of Honor in 2 days. Flynn just get better & better. Awesome read. |
| Ruthie |
| Lottery by Patricia Wood |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Perry L. Crandall has an IQ of 76 & is "slow, not retarded" as he likes to tell people. This is a wonderful story of what happens to Perry after his "Gram" who raised him dies & Perry wins the lottery. This book will make you want to be more like Perry who is loving, kind & teaches you that there is more to life than just having things. |
| Marjorie L. |
| Kindred in Death by J. D. Robb |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Always a winner! Eve and Roarke continue to be a favorite!! |
| Dara Berryhill ([email protected]) |
| Cherry Bomb by Konrath |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Story of 'Jack" Daniels, leutenant in the police force who tracks down Alex, who has escaped from Prison to kill again. The part about the monkey was silly. |
| Marjorie L. |
| Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A lovely story told in Trigiani's unique manner. |
| Ellen Engelking |
| The Gathering by Anne Enright |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Grabbed me because it's about an Irish family and funeral...kept me because the writing is sublime and the characters alive. My book group didn't pick it but I definitely plan to re-introduce it another time! |
| Tanya |
| The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This book is set in the early 1900s with Niagara Falls as the background. It centers around a family that lives on the Canadian side of the falls. |
| Cindy S |
| The Northwoods Chronicles by Elizabeth Engstrom |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Really liked this collection of stories that forms a novel. Can't say I'd ever want to live in Northwoods, but it's good to visit. |
| Ellen Engelking |
| The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
As always I am deep into the storytelling, beautiful language and images of a Kingsolver novel. This one has the added bonus of being an historical novel about the Frida and Diego and company era of Mexican history. Highly recommended. |
| Linda Bentzen |
| Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A very interesting take on the two San Francisco inner cities of Chinese and Japanese at the beginning of World War II. I loved the characters and had no trouble going between earlier time and later. |
| Marjorie L. |
| A Blue and Gray Christmas by Joan Medlicott |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The Covington ladies once again charm the reader. |
| Julie |
| Company of Liars by Karen maitland |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Takes place in the year 1348. Nine strangers are brought together by chance and attempt to flee certain death that is coming their way. Each traveler has a hidden gift, a dark secret and a story to tell. None are what they seem. and one among them conceals the darkest secret of all, sending all of these liars to a destiny more dangerous any of them could imagine. Really a page turner and I loved the era the story is told in. |
| Benita G. |
| The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is an amazing book! A fourteen year old girl is raped and killed. After going to heaven, she watches life on earth. She watches her family, her friends and her killer. The book has the effect of comforting the living, knowing that there is something there after death. |
| Jordan |
| Wave of Terror by Theodore Odrach |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I loved this novel because it's all so real. Stalin has just invaded eastern Poland (now Belarus), and everyday people are trying to come to grips with the dark reality setting in. Men, women and children are being sent to the gulags, tortured in Zovty Prison and/or murdered and thrown into mass graves. It's a real-life account of one of the most brutal moments of the 20th century. Publishers Weekly approved. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| No Good Deeds by Laura Lippman |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Another in the Tess Monaghan series set in Baltimore. I like the way that Lippmann presents the true demographics of Baltimore with its mix of African Americans, Caucasians, Italians, etc; and the settings of and around Baltimore. In this story, a "white" lawyer is killed and the city scambles to find the killer, but under this street/drug killing, a secret waits to be undercovered. Tess and Crow are separated as Crow tries to protect a young black witness, and in the process, Tess undercovers a secret cache of money that Crow has never explained. I like the way utilizes relationships in all of her stories, which make each story an interesting read. |
| Kay |
| Dean Koontz's Frankenstein Book One by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'm reading and thoroughly enjoying the first book, PRODIGAL SON, in this trilogy - Dean Koontz's Frankenstein Book One: Prodigal Son (whew, a long title). The fact that the setting is New Orleans only adds to the story for me! I love the dialogue, the suspense, the horror, and even some humor in this book. I'll be reading all three in the series. |
| Gina |
| Never Change by Elizabeth Berg |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Very sensitive characters and interesting plot. Love this author! |
| Bonnie Markiewicz |
| How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gill |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Interesting non-fiction about a man who lost his job in upper management and went on to work at a Starbucks. This lesson made him realize just what is really important in our lives - so important with the economy today. Great holiday gift that can combine with a coffee mug, a lb. of coffee or a coffee pot - whatever fits your budget. |
| Linda |
| Below Zero by C J Box |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Box is a Wyoming author of great mysteries. Living in Wyoming, I enjoy his references to areas of the state. He's won awards and I love his books. His protagonist is Joe Pickett, a game warden with a family or wife and two daughters. Or are there three? Read BELOW ZERO to find out. |
| Mitch White ([email protected]) |
| This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Wow, what a great book. It was such great fun to read. Many times I have read reviews saying that a book will make you laugh out loud, and this book actually did several times. Then, in the next scene, it was working its way deep into my heart. Tropper's writing is so full that you feel yourself actually falling into the story each time you begin reading again. I have already recommended this book to several friends and told each of them that it was like watching a really great family situation movie because it was so complete and descriptive. I zipped through this because I couldn't wait to see what was coming next. I have already found all of the other novels by Mr. Tropper and they are at the top of my reading list! Get this one for yourself and a friend, because you are definitely gonna want someone to talk to about it with! |
| Jud Hanson |
| Burnt House by Faye Kellerman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
WestAir Flight 1324, going from Burbank to San Jose, suffered an unexplainable malfunction and crashed. While helping sift thru the wreckage, Decker stumbles upon a 30 year old missing person case that is connected to a flight attendant that may or may not have been on board. The investigation will take Decker east to New Mexico and will involve a New Age church, a prison inmate close to release and a man who changed his identity. |
| Anita Nowak |
| The Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This was a wonderful novel (based on fact) regarding a family terrorized by the revolution in Iran in the early 80's. It is about a man who is imprisoned merely because he is Jewish, and how his family copes with his absence and the horrors that are going on all around them. |
| Bonnie |
| Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The author is at the top of his game in this fast-paced, well-written mystery about Harry Bosch, detective. For fans, it's a slam-dunk. For those who are new to Connelly, get with the program...the guy can write! |
| Mitch White ([email protected]) |
| Undone by Karin Slaughter |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
| I am so caught up in this book! I just began it this morning and got over 100 pages in before forcing myself to get up and eat breakfast. I can tell this is going to be very involving, emotional...and terrifying! The opening starts out very serene and smooth, moving along for quite a few pages while you wonder where it can possibly be taking you. I knew it was going to be a very graphic mystery, so already my mind was working trying to make a leap. Suddenly, there it was...and not at all where I thought it was going to be. From peace and calm to extreme horror in no time flat. Wow! I have never read Karin Slaughter before, but once I can tear myself away from this one, I am definitely heading to the bookstore and finding more. I know you will be blown away by this one. I can't imagine where it will possibly lead me next, but I can't wait to find out! |
