January 8, 2010 - January 21, 2010
Last contest period's winners were Alma, Jana, Josh, KC and Kristi, who each received a copy of THE GIRL NEXT DOOR by Elizabeth Noble,IMPACT by Douglas Preston and NOAH’S COMPASS by Anne Tyler.
| Jud Hanson |
| The Second Ship by Richard Phillips |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
For sixty years at Los Alamos National Laboratory, America has been hiding a secret from the world: a crashed alien ship. Now the President wants to reveal the fruits of the their research to the world but there are those who have a more malicious goal in mind. Meanwhile, 3 Los Alamos high school students make a startling discovery while hiking: a second alien ship in a desert cave with striking similarities to the first. There are those, however, who don't want their discovery revealed and this puts their lives at risk. |
| MarisaP |
| Mudbound by Hillary Jordan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
It is 1946 in the Mississippi Delta, where Memphis-bred Laura McAllan is struggling to adjust to farm life, rear her daughters with a modicum of manners and gentility, and be the wife her land-loving husband, Henry, wants her to be. It is an uphill battle every day. It doesn't help matters that Henry's father Pappy, a sour, mean-spirited devil of a man, moves in with them. The real heart of the story, however, is the friendship between Jamie, Henry's too-charming brother, and Ronsel Jackson, son of black sharecroppers who live on the McAllan farm. They have both returned from the war changed men: Jamie has developed a deep love for alcohol and has recurring nightmares; Ronsel, after fighting valiantly for his country and being seen as a man by the world outside the South, is now back to being just another black "boy." Told in alternating chapters by Laura, Henry, Jamie, Ronsel, and his parents, Florence and Hap, the story unfolds with a chilling inevitability. Jordan's writing and perfect control of the material lift it from being another "ain't-it-awful" tale to a heart-rending story of deep, mindless prejudice and cruelty. This is a book hard to put down, and hard to forget. |
| Hedi |
| Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Good YA --- finally not about vampires. Story line was very interesting. |
| Hedi |
| Breathless by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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One of his best. You can clearly see his love of dogs! |
| Hedi |
| U for Undertow by Sue Grafton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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I always look forward to this series. She puts a lot of thought into her books and doesn't just throw a book a year out. As I am in the age group that was written about, it was fun to go back in time. |
| Hedi |
| Priate Latitudes by Michael Crichton |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
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Not his bes --- I have read much more informative and interesting books about the time period and the Caribbean. |
| Hedi |
| jack Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow by James Rollins |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Cannot wait for the next book in this series. It is YA but very well written and hopefully will get kids interested in the lost civilization and read more history, as what Percy Jackson and the Olympians did for mythology. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| The Seduction of Water by Carol Goodman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I have read Goodman, but it has been a long time. This is an enjoyable book with the interweaving of fairy/folk tales throughout the plot. It's the story of girls, women, mothers, daughters; and the men woven into their webs. The imagery and details in this story are fascinating. The secrets that men and women keep hidden, even though the unfolding of the secret may be needed. A book worth the time for reading. |
| T. Thomas |
| Into the Looking Glass by John Ringo |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Fast-paced science fiction. |
| Tricia |
| The Weight Of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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I started this novel last night at 5 and couldn't put it down until I finished, except for supper. Two families awaken to find their little girls have gone missing in the night. It's written so well and is so suspenseful that you just have to keep reading until you have finished the book! |
| Judy O. ([email protected]) |
| The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Nate and Irene Stanley, along with their children Bliss and Shep, are living the good life on an acreage in southern Illinois. Nate inexplicably decides one fateful day to move to Oregon and have his family start a new life there. It is there that Shep is shot and killed by a young man who was apparently robbing their home. The rest of the story follows the family on their grief journey. This is just a fantastic book, one that I hope to reread someday. It speaks to the power of forgiveness. |
| Debi |
| The Southerners by Edna Lee |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Published in 1953, this book recalls the turn-of-the-century South with a nod to GONE WITH THE WIND. I found myself pulled into the lives of Jess, Mitty, and Wes. I really enjoyed it! |
| T. Thomas |
| Summer House by by Nancy Thayer |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
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Pleasant afternoon read. |
| Lorna |
| The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Two seven-year-old girls are missing. They are best friends, and one suffers from select mutism. One dad can't be found. So what has happened? You learn about the characters' lives through each chapter. The interesting thing about this book for me is that each chapter is written from a different character's view. I could not put this book down. THE WAY IT WAS WRITTEN reminded me of THE LOVELY BONES. A must read. |
| Lita Ciric |
| Quantum Woman - Celestial Man by Kamelia Sojlevska |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Enjoy every minute of reading, discovering your inner world and connection with others. |
| Sanya Henderson |
| Quantum Woman - Celestial Man by Kamelia Sojlevska |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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If you want to explore unknown worlds, parallel realities, travel through time, all in the name of a mind-boggling love story, this is a book for you. Great love story, pure and timeless, where impossible becomes a reality..... |
| Lois ([email protected]) |
| Life of Pi by Yann Martel |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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I enjoyed this book, but thought that it dragged at times. The end was great, fortunately. Fun to think about the alternatives. |
| Lois ([email protected]) |
| The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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I just love how Amy Tan writes about mother/daughter relationships. I don't think anyone does it better. |
| Lois ([email protected]) |
| Dragon House by John Shors |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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After much thought, and a glass of wine, I decided last night that DRAGON HOUSE made my official all-time Top 10 list. I'll read it again someday. I just didn't want this story to end. |
| EC |
| Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Even though I may be one of the last people to read this book, I highly recommend it to anyone who has not yet read it. Tracy Chevalier has written an interesting and succinct story about a maid who became the model for Vermeer's famous painting. Of course the story is fictitious, but not the painting. It is enjoyable and a very good read. |
| Tanya |
| Plainsong by Kent Haruf |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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The book is a story about seven members of a tiny community in Colorado who come together in the face of great difficulties. The characters are great and their lives will become yours when you read Plainsong. |
| Sandra F. |
| A Land Beyond Ravens by Kathleen Cunningham Guler |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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This was a wonderful book and I am only sorry that I have not yet read the first three books in the cycle. I am a huge fan of books featuring the Arthurian Britain. Many of them have been good, but the Macsen's Treasure Series is one of the best that I have read over the years. Not only is it an exciting read, but Kathleen Cunningham Guler's deep knowledge of the myth and history surrounding the Arthurian legend is front and center in the book. A joy to read - I highly recommend it. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| The Private Patient by PD James |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Before reading this book, I started on an Andrew Greeley mystery, but could only digest 30 pages, before I had to stop. PD James is an excellent writer, who provides plot, setting, and characters. In this latest Adam Dalgliesh mystery that takes place on a large manor converted to a private hospital, James continues the string of fascinating stories. A few issues are addressed: gay marriage, abortion, and public health care. I thoroughly enjoy jumping into a James mystery, and of course, the world of Adam Dalgliesh. Adam marries at the end of the story, and contemplates leaving Scotland Yard. Is that possible? |
| Marguerite |
| The Help by Kathryn Stockett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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How much more can be said about his book? It's an amazing read that educates its reader while at the same time keeping them on the edge of their seats. Great book! |
| Jud Hanson |
| The Breach by Patrick Lee |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Take an ex-cop gone bad, a crashed government plane, a secret military project and a quintessential bad guy and you get THE BREACH. Great book, supposed to be the first of several with the same main character. |
| Jud Hanson |
| Prodigal of the Pecos by C. E. Edmonson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Clint Cooper returns home after receiving a letter from his mother: his brother Jake and father Charles are dead at the hands of a local wealthy landowner, Montgomery Fitzgerald. Cooper must unite the ranchers of Stockton to prevent Fitzgerald from taking over the west Texas town for a wealthy Eastern company. Excellent book if you love a good Western. |
| Julie H. |
| When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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What a wonderful little novel! Miranda is a bona fide latch key kid who gets to walk home from school with her best friend Sal in 1978 New York City. One day, Sal is hit by a bigger kid on the way home and after that, he doesn't want to be friends anymore. Miranda is confused, but the puzzle continues when she begins receiving anonymous notes. With nods to WRINKLE IN TIME and the old game show, The 20,000 pyramid, Stead provides a cohesive narrative that had me paging back to check on previous chapters and wanting to read it again after I raced to the finish. |
| Jane ([email protected]) |
| Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog by Lisa Scottoline |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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This is a very funny book you will laugh and cry. It is a different kind of book from what Lisa has written before. I would highly recommend it. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| Home For Christmas by Andrew Greeley |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
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This is a Christmas novella by a Chicago priest about a young boy and girl and their love for one another. The girl is from a wealthy Italian family, and the boy is from a poor family with a drunken, abusive father. Instead of a happy life after high school graduation, the lives are marred by a car accident on prom night. The boy joins the Army and goes to Iraq, and the girl completes college and law school. The boy, Pete is wounded two times, and is basically brain dead, but returns to life after nine minutes. This is a simple example of a near death experience. The writing is very juvenile, and I pressed on to finish this book. Not very impressive writing for a religious man. |
| Esther J. |
| Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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A fascinating ghost tale featuring unique twins, a gothic setting, and unusual characters. Set in London, I felt as if I were visiting the city; its descriptions were so vivid. I found this to be a real page turner. |
| Mary Ferwerda |
| My Third Husband Will Be a Dog by Lisa Scottoline |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Humorous essays on life gives a big smile on long winter evenings. |
| Janice Hoaglin ([email protected]) |
| Journal of Antonio Montoya by Rick Collignon |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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This is the first of now three books that Rick Collignon has written about the little village of Guadalupe in the mountains of New Mexico. The book reads very quickly, telling the story of Ramona Montoya, who has only recently returned to her home village, where she is living in the house that once belonged to her now deceased grandparents. Strange things begin happening; after Ramona's brother and his wife are accidentally killed, her sister-in-law sits up in her coffin to ask Ramona to take care of their 7 year old son--and that is just the beginning. I want to read the other books about this village. |
| Janice Hoaglin ([email protected]) |
| Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading by Maureen Corrigan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Seldom does a non-fiction book draw me in like fiction, but I really enjoyed this one. Of course, much of the time Ms. Corrigan, who is a book reviewer for NPR as well as a professor of literature at George Washington University, was talking about the fiction that she loves just as I do. Ms. Corrigan discussed what she calls the "women's extreme adventure" type of fiction, which started with books like Jane Eyre, and has now taken the form of the women detectives books that are flourishing. Ms. Corrigan became enthralled with this genre late in her graduate school studies, stating that in the snooty world of academia, any book with mass appeal is summarily dismissed as unworthy of the great and scholarly mind. I added many new titles/authors to my reading list while listening to this book. I also enjoyed the recounting of challenges in her personal life, such as dealing with infertility and then international adoption, and how books again brought her comfort and support. A great memoir, especially for book lovers!!! |
| F. Tessa Bartels |
| Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosly |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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GREAT! This is the first East Rawlins mystery and I have come late to the party. I am completely hooked. Wonderful dialogue. Plot moves fast. You want to read this in one sitting. |
| F. Tessa Bartels |
| Full House by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
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ZERO stars I hate to give a bad review - especially to Evanovich (whose Stephanie Plum novels I absolutely adore) ... but ... this is just TERRIBLE. I quit reading on page 48. |
| Judy O. ([email protected]) |
| The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Fiona Sweeny, a librarian in New York City, goes to Africa to be involved in a new program. A bookmobile powered by camels is going to be heading out into the African wilderness everyday to supply books to tiny villages. One of the ironclad rules states that if any books are not returned when the bookmobile returns, there will not be any more deliveries. What happens then when a boy named "Scar Boy" will not return his books in the tiny village of Mididima? This is the heart of the story. This was just a wonderful look into a very different culture. |
| Marsha |
| A Mountain of Crumbs by Elena Gorokhova |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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This excellent memoir is written in flawless English by a girl who grew up in the Soviet Union under the Communist regime. She studied English in Russia and desired to explore beyond the borders of her country. Her passion for the complicated English language led her to rebel and learn more about the Western societies. It is an enthralling read. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| Lemon Tart by Josi S. Kilpack |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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In this book, it starts out with a gripping murder in the neighborhood with a little boy missing. A very good book and it also comes with recipes |
| Sandra S. |
| South of Broad by Pat Conroy |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Wonderful read, loved all the characters, rooted for Leo all the way through....and would now love to visit Charleston. |
| Nikki ([email protected]) |
| The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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I'm rereading this wonderful book because I keep seeing the movie promotions on tv and I want to enjoy this book one more time. |
| FOH |
| Invisible Lives by Anjali Banerjee |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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This was an all around fun, refreshingly light book, with a bit of a cultural twist. I loved the main character, Lakshmi, who must choose between her families cultural customs of arranged marriage and an unexpected love interest! The story is fairly predictable in a chick lit sort of way but is so much fun! |
| Holly ([email protected]) |
| All Things Great and Small by James Harrison |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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The book is very good and there are some heart warming stories. I loved it. Every story was great to me. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| Wishin' and Hopin' by Willy Lamb |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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The title comes via Dusty Springfield's hit from the 1960's. The story centers on the holiday season of 1964 in Connecticut at a Catholic school, and this is a delightful treat. Felix Funicello is a distant cousin of the famous Annette Funicello of Walt Disney fame. The story convincingly banters between real characters and imaginary characters--the Beatles, LBJ, Pillsbury Bake-Off. Lamb successfully shows the fifth grade class: the son/daughter of the town drunk, the fat girl, the child of immigrants, the child from a wealthy family, and the lone black family. I could see my own childhood, and the playground games and the mischief in the classrooms. And also the innocence that we had back in the 60's that is shown in Felix. Would like to read more by Lamb. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| Devices and Desires by PD James |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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This is an Adam Dalgliesh mystery set in an imaginary setting on the north-east coast of Norfolk, complicated by the presence of a nuclear plant. The setting and the multitude of characters provide a delightful story with many twists and turns. The story begins with a serial killer on the loose, the Whistler, who strangles women. He has killed 5. Dalgliesh is in the area to settle the estate (a windmill) that an aunt has left him. James is not an author that allows a quick read. The book is to be savored, and the personalities and frailties of each individual are explored. This is a great read for the beginning of a new year. |
| Marsha |
| Blacklands by Belinda Bauer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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This thriller features a 12-year old boy who is desperate to bring peace to his family who has lost a member to a serial killer. His journey will keep you enthralled as he entices the killer to reveal the whereabouts of the buried uncle. |
| Margo |
| Truman by David McCullough |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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I loved this biography. It was so well written, and it gave a real picture of Truman's life. Being a Republican I was skeptical, but now I truly admire the man and what he dealt with during WWII and the aftermath. He was the right man for the job. |
| Fran |
| Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
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An extreme approach to healthy living. Not sure if I could live on this type of "diet." The authors arguments will make you question the safety of every morsel of food you put in your mouth. Although they have a lengthy bibliography, I'm wondering how much empirical data their claims are really based on. |
| Tanya |
| The Maze Runner by James Dashner |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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This book is about a group of teens who were left to find themselves out of a maze. The kids only know there first names and have no other memory to speak of. This book was much better than I thought it would be and I highly recommend reading it. |
| Reva Wamsley ([email protected]) |
| Ice Hunt by James Rollins |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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James Rollins books always keep you interested and this book is no exception. It takes place in Alaska and the polar ice cap. An abandoned Russian research center is found and there are some strange and frightening things found there. |
| Renee |
| So Brave, Young and Handsome by Leif Enger |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Author of my still favorite, PEACE LIKE A RIVER, this second novel was beautiful to read, but sometimes unconvincing. A western tale of friendship, loyalty and determination. |
| MJB |
| The Girl On Legare Street by Karen White |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Sequel to THE HOUSE ON TRADD STREET, this is another good read. After 35 years, Melanie's mother, Ginette, has returned to Charleston after having a premonition about her daughter. Urged on by Jack Trenholm to rebuild a relationship with her mother, Melanie agrees to restore her mother's family home. Once the work begins they soon discover there are ghosts from the past, good and evil, trying to reveal family secrets long buried. |
| Bonnie |
| Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Excellent mystery that kept me guessing until near the end. There's a reason she's the queen. |
| Bonnie |
| Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
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Okay novel, but if had I to do it over, I wouldn't have read it. |
| Cindy |
| Witch & Wizard by James Patterson |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
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This book was so bad it was hard to even stick with it until the end. I love James Patterson and have read most of his books, but this one was a dud. |
| Alma Hudson ([email protected]) |
| Checkered Fences by Alma Hudson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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This is a delightful story based upon my personal experiences in the 60's & 70's about an interracial relationship. |
| Fran |
| Every Secret Thing by Lila Shaara |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Gina's world consists of her job teaching at the university, her twin boys, and her family. That is, until one day when two detectives show up at her door to investigate a murder. Gina learns that illicit pictures of her have been posted on a website hosted by the primary suspects. Throughout this investigation, the mystery heightens and love threatens between Gina and one of the officers on the case. The plot generally seemed to flow well and held my interest throughout most of the book. The organization was a bit off and I found myself having to figure out where we were in the story at times, however it was still a good book. |
| Marsha |
| Mexico by James A Mitchner |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
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This very lengthy and sometimes plodding novel reflects the history of Mexico. Told from the prospective of a three-day bullfighting fiesta in the fictional city of Toledo in central Mexico, we learn of the art of bullfighting, the history of the people who populated the central highlands and the countries they left to do so. It is 625 pages, but if you are interested in bullfighting, it is a good resource. |
| Karna |
| Four Spirits by Sena Jeter Naslund |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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A fictional account of the attempts at integration in Birmingham, Alabama. Good character development. The author also wrote AHAB'S WIFE. |
| Judy O. ([email protected]) |
| The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Eleven year old Flavia de Luce is passionate about chemistry and even has a laboratory in her big sprawling home called Buckshaw in England. A man is found murdered in the home's garden, and Flavia's father is arrested. She uses her scientific skills to try to solve the crime and thus, exonerate her father. I didn't like this book very much for the first 75 pages or so, but it got better and I found the ending to be very suspenseful and satisfying. |
| Phyllis |
| Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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The story of the real Alice in Wonderland, Alice Littrell, and her connection with C. L. Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) is told in an intriguing blend of fact and fiction. Melanie Benjamin created wonderful characters in this entertaining novel. Highly recommend. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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This is an extraordinary book about the making of the Oxford English Dictionary, and of course, the men involved in the dictionary. The story encompasses America and England from the 1850's until the 1920's, with many details of all the events happening--flying, medicine, mental illness, and war. That Dr WC Minor, an American, could kill an English worker, and end up spending the rest of his life in various "luxury" cells, is amazing. Not only that, this same Dr. Minor, is vastly responsible for providing more than half of the information for the dictionary. What a vast undertaking-over 70 years to final completion, and such an amazing story. |
| Grqace Ann Burgess ([email protected]) |
| Vanished by Joseph Finder |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Full of suspense and action. A family thriller. |
| Lauri Coates |
| Gentling by William E. Krill |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Gentling will acquaint the reader with a breakthrough treatment approach for children who have survived physical, emotional and sexual abuse. It is common knowledge that most children who have survived abuse will also have acquired Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). While PTSD adds an additional layer to the need for therapeutic work, it shouldn't make therapy an even more difficult or painful process for the child. PTSD takes many forms, and some of the symptoms seen in children may differ widely from adult PTSD symptoms. The Author of GENTLING, William E. Krill, offers a groundbreaking and thorough look at the symptoms of PTSD in children, along with specific treatment modalities dependent on the individual child's symptomology. Written in an easy to use, understand and utilize format, GENTLING will allow caring individuals, from parent, foster parent, caregiver, teacher, and clinician or psychologist to offer each individual child the personalized and caring treatment needed for his or her specific abusive history. Additionally, the book offers extremely valuable measurements to gauge the success of treatment and lead the way for further recovery. By adopting tried and true therapeutic approaches used on adults with PTSD, then modifying the approaches for children, Krill offers excellent advise for treatment on a continued basis, helping to ensure that children are given all the care they need for all the symptoms and results of the abuse. Ad additional resource offered by the book is the inclusion of "Quick Teach Sheets" which can be copied and shared with parents, social workers, and all caregivers who come into contact with the child. The book offers a complete and concise source of information to include the following: Learn how to manage the often intense reactivity seen in stress episodes Gain the practical, gentle, and effective treatment tools that really help these children. Use the Child Stress Profile (CSP) to guide treatment and measure therapeutic outcomes. Any adult who works with children in nearly any capacity can find much helpful reference material within these pages. I would feel confident recommending that all parents, teachers, foster parents, social workers, etc. keep this book handy for continued reference. |
| Kellie ([email protected]) |
| The Pact by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This was one of those rare "couldn't put down" kind of books. It's the 2nd Picoult book I've read. The other one, THE TENTH CIRCLE, I can't even remember. The story line and character development of this book was excellent. I actually woke up in the middle of the night thinking of the book and had to pick it up and read it for a while. The problem I had with this book is I didn't find the reason for the suicide very credible. I found it hard to believe that Emily was so distraught over the fact that she didn't feel the same way about Chris that Chris felt about her... That ending her life was the only way out. Plus, there was some inferences that led me to think that there might have been an incestuous relationship, maybe with the father? It was added to the plot but was never really resolved. This only left me with questions that weren't answered when I finished the book. I'll admit though, Picoult tackles some subjects that are very emotional and controversial and she does a great job creating a fictional story that grabs the reader and doesn't let go even after the story has ended because, as in this case, I'm still thinking about this book even after I'm done with it. |
| Carol |
| The Killing Tree by Rachel Keener |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A fantastic story of love in many different forms. The setting is the small town of Crooktop in the Appalachian Mountains where class status is dependent on where on the mountain one lives: not the top, nor the bottom of the mountain. The story goes into the religions based on the bible (some more looser than others) and Indian beliefs. I could not put this book down. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| True Blue by David Baldacci |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
David Baldacci centers his stories around Virginia and usually about corruption in the government, this story follows suit. The story is about the Perry sisters: Beth, the chief of police, and Mason (Mace), an ex DC cop, trying to regain her badge. Roy Kingman, a corporate lawyer, comes to the aid of the Perry sisters in fighting the wind mills. But, many questions are never answered, such as, who killed Perry's father and who kidnapped and framed Mace for the crime that ended her police career and sent her to prison. I felt that Baldacci's writing in this story is not up to par, and too many points are left hanging. |
| Sandra F. |
| Prince of Fire by Daniel Silva |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a very good thriller/spy story about terrorism and has a really good background to the Arab/Jewish conflict. |
| Sandra F. |
| Close Range by Annie Proulx |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Everything that Annie Proulx writes is the best. She handles short stories just as well as she does novels. All of the stories in this book are treats, but "Brokeback Mountain" is my favourite. |
| Lorna |
| Summer People by Elin Hilderbrand |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'm sure this is considered a "beach read" but it is a great "winter read". Great family story about a mom and twin son and daughter who return to their summer home on Nantucket Island. The difference this summer is the dad died in a plane crash in March. He was a lawyer working on a murder case defending a women who murdered her sister and niece. He had invited the woman's son to join them at the summer home. The wife kept her husbands offer to the boy and he joins them for the summmer and it takes off from there. It seems that there would be a greate sequel to this book. I have never been disappointed with this author's books. |
| Sandra F. |
| Savage Run by C. J. Box |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Joe Pickett is a game warden in Wyoming and where he is to be found, trouble soon follows. The plot twists are great and no one will forget the exploding cow in this book. A great series with a great character. |
| Gwen Schatz |
| The Eleventh Victim by Nancy Grace |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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After graduation a young psychology student fiance is murdered. She dedicates her life to law and order until it begins to take a toll on her and forces her into a very dangerous situation. |
| Gwen Schatz |
| Day After Night by Anita Diamant |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another winner by the author of THE RED TENT. This time she takes us into the lives of four women who have successfully escaped from the Nazis from Poland, Germany and France. They are herded into Atlit, an internment camp in Palestine that is run by the British. |
| Gwen Schatz |
| Most Wanted by Michelle Martinez |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
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Good read. A betrayed wife and dedicated mother, an ambitious and hard working professional is suddenly forced to raise her 6 month old daughter alone! |
| Meme |
| The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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The continuing story of Lisbeth Salander which started in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. In THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, she works to reinvent herself and outwit her Advocate Nils Bjurman. |
| Judy O. ([email protected]) |
| Brooklyn by Colm Toibin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the story of a young immigrant girl who leaves Ireland and moves to Brooklyn. Eilis Lacey cannot find a job in Ireland's poor economy, so a priest helps her with a job and a move to America. Her efforts to adjust and her life there make up the story. Eilis finds love in Brooklyn, but this love is sorely tested when she receives devastating news about a family member back in Ireland. A great read! |
| Julie H. ([email protected]) |
| Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress at a bar in her hometown of Bon Temps, LA. After years of keeping her own telepathic ability a secret, making most close relationships impossible, Sookie is excited to learn the arrival of vampire Bill Compton. Bill's mind is a blank slate to Sookie, a welcome relief to her. He has moved to Bon Temps because it is his hometown as well, although from a different century. While their relationship blooms, other young women begin to die and suspicion volleys between the new resident and Sookie's brother. With a surprising blend of supernatural happenings and beings, Harris has created an interesting mystery series with unlikely detectives. |
| Adam |
| How to Talk to a Widower by Jonathan Tropper |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It will break your heart and make you laugh out loud. I couldn't put it down. (If books had ratings this one should receive an X rating. Some of the language and sexually explicit scenes made me uncomfortable, but the story was too good.) |
| Marsha |
| The Siege by Stephen White |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This thriller concerning hostage- taking features suspended Boulder police detective Sam Purdy who regularly appears in White's novels. Purdy is snared by a CIA agent and a FBI agent to help defuse the situation that takes place on the Yale campus. |
| Paula |
| Real Winners Don't Quit by Joe Bowen |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
This books is found in the motivational isle in most book stores. However, there is nothing that depicts this as a "self help" book. The book is a constant biography of the writers experiences. It is also not very fact friendly. I would have thought the former Gov. Martha Lane Collins would have checked the facts and truths contained in this book before endorsing it. It does not speak of how any of the things were accomplished. This book should be placed in the back shelf of Bios. |
| Kellie ([email protected]) |
| The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I'm still trying to get my arms around this book. It is loaded with history, intellect, suspense, religion and mystery. It is a typical Brown book but this time it takes place in Washington DC. Langdon is called by his friend Peter to DC to give a speech. When he arrives and enters the speaking hall, he realizes something is terribly wrong. Such begins an adventure in our country's capital that takes Langdon to places he never knew existed. This book is so full of historical information, weaved throughout the novel, it is sometimes hard to stay focused on it. Plus, it is very lengthy. There are some interesting quotes worth mentioning.."Corinthians overtly tells us that the parables have tow layers of meaning:'milk for babes and meat for men'-where the milk is a watered-down reading for infantile minds, and the meat is the true message, accessible only to mature minds." "Temple is the code for 'body'. Heaven is code for mind. Jacob's Ladder is your spine. And manna is this rare brain secretion. They are often markers for a more profound meaning concealed beneath the surface." Like some of Brown other books, he has an interesting way of twisting information that we think is sound and true and putting some spin on it to open our minds and wonder if we really know everything we think we do. I think that is an amazing gift. However, I sometimes feel like some of this stuff is over my head and I get overwhelmed by it. I enjoyed this book, but it isn't going to be one of my favorites. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| Absolution by Miriam Herin |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Another book for a book club, this one is for a Southern literature club. I do not readily see the Southern background, except Maggie is from North Carolina. The story revolves around the accidental killing of Richard Delaney, in a drugstore, 30 years after the war in Viet Nam. In the course of the trial of the Vietnamese boy who killed Richard, the story flashbacks to the era of the 1960's. The story is very compelling with much treachery, loyality, and bravery. Many of the events I did not like. A story well told contains both the good and the bad, and this story has many of each element. |
| Tanya |
| A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The classic Christmas story is A CHRISTMAS CAROL. What would you change if your past, your present and your future flashed before your eyes? That's what Ebenezer Scrooge faces in this book. A book everyone should read. |
| Sharron |
| Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
All the reviews are right--a wonderfully told and engrossing story of a Chinese boy in Seattle area whose best friend happens to be a Japanese girl. All this during WW II when Japanese were sent to enternment camps. The story is told back and forth from 1939 to 1986. |
| Carol |
| My Lobotomy by Howard Dully and Charles Fleming |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
The true story of a 12 year old boy whose lobotomy was demanded by the step-mother. The setting is the late 1950's to 2003 in the San Francisco Bay area. The main question asked throughout the story is: why? |
| Fran |
| The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Carol Lynch Williams's novel, THE CHOSEN ONE depicts a young 13 year old girl who lives with her family in a polygymist compound. Never questioning the rules of the compound or the word of the prophet before, Kyra is portrayed as a happy go lucky 13 year old who accepts her life for what it is. That is, as long as she can still visit the forbidden bookmobile and visit with her friend, Joshua, who is also forbidden. When the prophet announces that Kyra must marry her 60 year old uncle, her life takes a sudden change. Desperate to find a way out of this committment, Kyra longs to be with her one and only love, Joshua. This story takes you through the inside of a polygamy compound and the means (often violent) with which the "god squad" enforces compliance. The author captures her innocence as well as her desperation to find her way to freedom. While this book was really written as a young adult novel, I was pleasantly surprised with the story and writing style. This is a compelling story with which the reader is compelled to keep reading to find out what happens to Kyra. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| Audition by Barbara Walters |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is a book for a book club, I would never have chosen this book to read on my own. The book is interesting, but very slow moving; and very self-centered on Barbara and her father. The development of women in news and television provides a picture of the struggle of women in the workplace that continues today. The stories of heads of state and celebrities shows many facets of the icons of the world. A little too lengthy. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| A Rumpole Christmas by John Mortimer |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This collection of Christmas short stories appeared in various magazines, and has been collected and printed in one volume, following John Mortimer's death in January 2009. This is light-hearted fun, and a look at the English justice system. Rumpole likes to ensure that every person is given a fair trial, and he often exposed the real criminal in defending his client. Of course, Hilda, Mrs. Rumpole, is a hoot as "She who must be obeyed". An enjoyable way to spend a rainy Christmas vacation. |
| Booklover2 |
| Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This book was interesting because of the mentions of Highgate Cemetery in London. The plot was a bit strange and was predictable. |
| Reva Wamsley ([email protected]) |
| The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
It took a little while to get into this book but then I was hooked. This book features Cotton Malone from previous books. In his search to find out what happened to his father, he teams up with twins whose father was also on the same sub as his when it went missing. The train lead them to Antarctica. |
| Booklover2 |
| The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
I was so disappointed in this book. I have read most of the series and loved them. However, this book was awful. It was terribly confusing. I usually do not have trouble following what is going on but with this one I was completely distracted. It was like watching (reading) a three ring circus all at one time. Ugh! |
| Tanya |
| Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a book based on the life of a man who joined the circus. The story is told by the man while he lives in a nursing home. I didn't care for the mistreatment of the circus animals but the general story was good. The ending was quite good too. |
| Debbie |
| Evidence by Jonathan Kellerman |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Typical but entertaining. The psychologist and the gay cop find out who killed numerous people. |
| Kay |
| Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Wonderful, wonderful story!! Everyone should read this little book! A remarkable true story that revolves around an aging rabbi and a Detroit pastor. I highly recommend this book to people of all faiths and people without faith. |
| Judy O. ([email protected]) |
| Ford County by John Grisham |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I do not usually read story collections, but I enjoyed this one a lot. The stories were long enough and with plenty of detail to make them good reading. I particularly liked "Michael's Room". Lawyer Sidney Wade is kidnapped and taken to the bedroom of a very damaged boy. The boy is the son of a man who had sued a doctor for malpractice. The slimy tactics of this lawyer caused the family to lose their suit against the doctor. Facing accountability is never easy for any of us, but Sidney fears for his life. Great book! |
| John |
| The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Very good novel set in the 1700-1800s. The book describes the fictional life of a slave taken from Africa as a young girl. Although based on real historical events, the book is fictional. It was a very interesting novel. |
| Shelly |
| I Alex Cross by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
One of his best must reads for Alex Cross fans, |
| Brady ([email protected]) |
| Moments of Clarity by Christopher Kennedy Lawford |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A subtitle is "Voices from the Front Lines of Addiction and Recovery" and this accurately describes what this book is about. What people go through to kick the drug habit is tragic. Many,many individuals tell their story in from 4 to about 10 pages and many names you will know. As you know, lives are ruined because of drugs, but this books is most uplifting as it describes the ascent from hell to heaven on earth. |
| Marsha |
| U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Each book she writes is more detailed and deeper than the last. This superb mystery entails kidnapping children and delving into childhood memories. Her characters are vividly drawn and her multiple subplots keep you turning the pages. |
| Sandra Hughes |
| The Geography of Love by Glenda Burgess |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This memoir of a woman marrying late in life but finding true love with a man who is truly her soul mate. |
| Sandy |
| Rainwater by Sandra Brown |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Very easy to read and entertaining as well. Loved every bit of it. |
| Janis |
| Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Story of a young lady who is running from her past...but goes home fiinally to confront it. It is set in the south and I enjoy reading "southern" books. It is a good, easy to read and would recommend it. |
| Lisa Bogart |
| Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Dr. Greg continues his story from Three Cups of Tea about building schools in remote rural areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. This book focuses primarily on Afghanistan and his organization's - the Central Asia Institute - work there. Powerful, well written and inspiring. |
| Linda Bentzen |
| The Hadrian Memorandum by Allan Folsom |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This was a good page-turner about corporate greed and a hidden oil field in a developing country in Africa. |
| Martha |
| The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Preordered the UK edition of October. This 599-page volume gives you the complete picture of Lisabeth Salander -- and the forces working against her for most of her life. This pulls together all of those items as well as the other characters of the trilogy in finishing this tale of many twists and turns. A pity this author is not here to give us more! |
| Tanya |
| Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is a depiction of depression-era prairie life. The main family are Ukrainian immigrants. Their story to survive is well worth reading. The characters' struggles are real and impossible to forget. |
| Stephen Hughes |
| The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A good book about a little girl's murder and a boy who knows who the killer is but cannot tell. |
| Suzanne |
| The Associate by John Grisham |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Couldn't put it down! Typical JG writing but I'm crazy for his judicial-system books so this fits right in. |
| Patricia Beaver ([email protected]) |
| Under the Dome by Stephen King |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A town in Maine cutoff from the rest of the world by the appearance of a dome, that may or may not have a supernatural source, and how the townspeople react. This is a huge book, but it keeps you in wanting to read it. I'm only barely half way through and I can't even begin to guess how it will be resolved. That is what I love about Stephen King's books. He keeps you guessing. |
| Jill |
| The Help by Kathryn Stockett |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Want to know what it was like to be a black woman who worked in a white womans home as domestic help in early 1960's? This story will describe those times in several womans lives. |
| Jud Hanson |
| Hard Evidence by John Lescroart |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Dismas hardy must defend a friend and judge accused of the murder of a ex-boyfriend. |
| Carol |
| Dewey by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World (sub title) says it all. A really touching story about a small town, Spencer, Iowa, and their acceptance of a stay kitten found in the library's book drop box on a freezing January morning. My 12 year old grandson picked up the book and started reading (he is NOT a reader) and begged to take it home with him. |
| Ed Hahn ([email protected]) |
| Journey Into Fear by Eric Ambler |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I had never read an Ambler story. To many people he is the inventor of the literate espionage/spy novel. Unfortunately, compared with Furst, Greene and LeCarre, this effort comes across as amateurish. The story is a simple one, taking place in 1940 before the German invasion of France. In this case, a naive English armaments engineer, Mr. Graham, becomes the target of German agents who do not want his work for the Turkish government completed. After an early attempt on his life, he is forced to take a passenger freighter to Genoa from whence he will travel back to England. His attitude of studied indifference and disbelief is converted on the voyage to abject fear. There are many interesting passengers on the same ship, some of whom are not what they seem. The plot unfolds quickly and has numerous twists and turns some of which are truly surprising. The characters are fully drawn but the plot has a few too many "coincidences" to be really believable. Nevertheless, it was still a satisfying read. I will try another one or two Ambler efforts before giving up on him. |
| Marsha |
| The Unlikely Spy by Daniel Silva |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Prior to the Allied invasion of Normandy, a beautiful aristocrat who is a deep-cover Nazi is charged with uncovering the plans for the invasion. Based on fact, this thriller sweeps you along on a breathtaking race against time. |
| Ed Hahn ([email protected]) |
| Transgressions: Volume 1 by Ed McBain (Editor) |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book edited by Ed McBain of 87th Precinct fame contains two Novellas (10,000-40,000 words) one by Jeffrey Deaver and the other by Lawrence Block. Both stories are delightful. Deaver's titled FOREVER involves a detective, Talbot Simms, whose mathematical skills have gotten him a job as a statistical analyst in the Westbrook County, Sheriff's Department. He becomes suspicious of a double suicide and despite receiving a great deal of ribbing from other detectives in the department follows his intuition and eventually gets the head of homicide, Greg LaTour, interested. The story proceeds from there to a very satisfactory conclusion. Lawrence Blocks effort, KELLER'S ADJUSTMENT explores how Keller, the protagonist of the "Hitman" series, reacts to the 9-11 tragedy. Having read all three of the Hitman books, I was delighted with Keller's introspective musings as he comes to grip with changing security measures on airplanes and realizes he cannot be a contract killer for the rest of his life. Even as he completes his latest contract, he continues to question what he is doing. Not out of any moral stance but rather as anyone would contemplate a career change. How Block manages to make Keller so believable without turning him into a raging sociopath is beyond my poor imagining. Both these stories are fast reads. I completed both of them in 24 hours. Ed McBain served readers well by bringing these two authors together in one volume. |
| Ed Hahn ([email protected]) |
| Resolution by Robert B. Parker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This sequel to APPALOOSA is every bit as well done as its predecessor. Everett Hitch, the narrator, has left Appaloosa without his partner Virgil Cole. He rides into the town of Resolution and is hired by a saloon owner, Mr. Wolfson, to keep peace in the saloon. Resolution has no sheriff or other government. Four groups are struglling with one another, Wolfson, the townie, Eamon O'Malley, a mine owner, Fritz Stark who owns and manages a lumbering operation and sawmill and a group of homesteaders, led by Bob Redmond, who live in the valley. The story moves along very quickly, especially when Cato and Rose, two well known gunfighters are hired by O'Malley and Virgil Cole arrives to hang out with his friend Hitch. As you might guess there is a great deal of conflict and bloodshed which eventually gets itself all sorted out. Parker's style of driving the plot almost solely with dialogue makes the book a very fast read - less than a day for me. He does not provide much exposition but it's not really necessary because the dialogue tersely describes the situation with the help of the reader's imagination to fill in the gaps. While I've not always enjoyed Western novels, I love what Parker has done in these two books. Another one is on the way titled BRIMSTONE. I can hardly wait. |
| Crystal |
| The Three Coffins by John Dickson Carr |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A wonderful locked-room mystery featuring Dr. Gideon Fell. |
| Shelley Q |
| The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Louise Penny's amazingly crafted mystery stories set in the tiny town of Three Pines in Canada near the US border continue to amaze me. This story builds on her first two books featuring Armand Gamache, of the Montreal Surete who is charged with finding out how a woman was scared to death in a haunted house. Her superb characterization, convoluted plot and subplot and great description of place make this a great read. Lucky me, there are two more of her books that I may yet get to read before the end of the year! |
| kaye |
| Death in the Stocks by Ggeorgette Heyer |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
As P.C. Dickinson was riding his bicycle across the village green, he sees a man in the stocks. Thinking it is some drunken prank, he investigates only to find it is a dead man. When he calls the police station to report the death, he tells the sergeant he knows the identity of the dead man. It is Arnold Vereker, a man who is not well liked; in fact, some of his family admit to actually hating him. And what a family Arnold leaves behind. The main suspects include Arnold's half brother Kenneth and his half sister Antonia. With Arnold gone, Kenneth stands to inherit a tidy sum of money and property. Not only members of the family are suspect but there is an embezzling employee who just happens to be engaged to Antonia, a disgruntled employee and possibly one of Arnold's many female conquests or even one of their husbands. All of the suspects have viable motives. They are all too clever by half; conjuring up possible scenarios as to why any one in the family murdered Arnold and how it was accomplished. Superintendent Hannasyde has his work cut out for him as he tries to determine from all this banter who is the guilty party. The action heats us when a second murder is committed. This definitely throws a new wrinkle into Hannasyde's previous findings. I love the world of British mysteries created in the thirties. There's just something compelling about all that stiff upper lip kind of understatement and world of red herrings. When Anonia was apprised of how her half brother died by a knife thrust to the back, her respose was a very composed, "Oh, rather beastly." Somehow, I could just picture her saying that quite easily. Heyer certainly manages to capture the imagination in this mystery with her unique murder location, quirky characters, and droll dialogue. Even though I figured out the culprit, it was still an engaging and enjoyable read. |
| Jon |
| Head Games by Craig MacDonald |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Outstanding thriller, mystery by a wonderful up and coming talent. Highly recommended. |
| Judy O. ([email protected]) |
| This is Where I leave You by Jonathan Tropper |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
What a dysfunctional family! Judd Foxman's Jewish father has died, and his dying wish is that his whole family would sit Shiva in his memory. His whole family! For seven days! The results are often hilarious and often sad. Judd and his siblings all have lives that are a mess, and it becomes more and more evident as the week goes by. I enjoyed this book and was glad to think that my family is more "normal". |
| Marjorie Clark ([email protected]) |
| According to Jane by Marilyn Brent |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
For all Jane Austen fans this is a great, charming story with happy ending. |
| Esther J. |
| Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
After fifteen years, two estranged best friends reunite, and the reader learns of the events leading up to their separation. |
| Glenn |
| U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
3.5 stars. Typical solid Kinsey Millhone crime/mystery offering from Sue Grafton. |
| Carol |
| Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The story of a hidden secret between a brother and sister at the turn of the 20th century and its consequences two generations later. Absolutely mesmerizing. |
| Amante dei Libri |
| Sunshine by Robin McKinley |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I recently reread this book--probably for the tenth time. It never gets old. One of the only truly original vampire novels I have ever read, SUNSHINE is a prime example of beautiful prose. Lyrical and descriptive, I would recommend it to anyone. |
| Michele |
| The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This wonderful book is from the author of THE SHADOW OF THE WIND. It is very similar in nature although a bit more dark. It fun to revisit old friends from Wind. I highly recommend. |
| Sharlene Rieke |
| The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book has it all!!! Our book club loved it! |
| Marsha |
| The Unlikely Spy by Daniel Silva |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Prior to the Allied invasion of Normandy, a beautiful aristocrat who is a deep-cover Nazi is charged with uncovering the plans for the invasion. Based on fact, this thriller sweeps you along on a breathtaking race against time. |
| Margaret |
| The Piano Teacher by Janice Y. K. Lee |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This was an incredible read. The story takes place in Hong Kong both during World War II and ten years later. I loved the book from beginning to end. |
| Lorraine M. Larose |
| U is for UNDERTOW by Sue Grafton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
DEFINITELY ONE OF HER BEST. |
| Bonnie |
| A Shallow Girl's Guide to Eating Leftovers by Anne Egeland |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is not going to win the Pulitzer or National Book award (at least I don't think so), BUT if you want a book that'll make you laugh until you cry and snort milk out your nose, this is the book for you. For fans of Laurie Notaro and Jen Lancaster. |
| Angie Lindell |
| Rumors by Anna Godbersen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Juicy sequel to THE LUXE - featuring the same characters - but picking up where she left off - a cliffhnager indeed! Lots of romantic entanglements, misunderstandings, and scandals to make for a very interesting, fun read! |
| Susan S. |
| South of Broad by Pat Conroy |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Although not as magnificent as some of his earlier novels, this is still an engrossing, beautifully written story and heads above many other books out there. |
| Angie Lindell |
| Envy by Anna Godbersen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Third entry in The Lux. Just as good and satisfyingly frustrating as its predecessors. Yet another cliffhanger at the end to make me very much wanting the final book in the series - Splendor! |
| KC Bowler ([email protected]) |
| Dragon House by John Shors |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the best novel that I read in 2009. Hands down. It's set in modern-day Vietnam and is the story of two Americans who try and open a center for street children. This novel is a tear-jerker, yet it's triumphant. Just beautiful writing. I had read MR. SHORS' BENEATH A MARBLE SKY, which I enjoyed so much. I was hoping for more of the same, and I think that the author even took things up a notch with DRAGON HOUSE. Highly, highly recommended. |
| KC Bowler ([email protected]) |
| The Beach by Alex Garland |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A very enjoyable read about a group of Gen Xers in Thailand. I would have given this book five stars, except that sometimes it felt like it was spinning its wheels. But still, Garland is a fine writer. |
| Jackie H. |
| The Christmas Sweater by Glen Beck |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Nice christmas read, alway like to save this books for this time of year and this one doesnt disappoint. |
| Josh Allen ([email protected]) |
| The Food Life by Steven Jenkins |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Fantastic for those who have been to NYC's Fairway Markets, but great for those who just enjoy good food too! Recipes mingle with reminisces about how Jenkins helped bring a neighborhood market to national recognition. |
| Diane R |
| Even by Andrew Grant |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a first book and I hope there are many more. It is an interesting, keep you reading thriller with a new hero, a British naval intelligence officer. |
| FOH |
| Water Witches by Chris Bohjalian |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I liked the concept of WATER WITCHES better than I actually liked this book. It held my interest enough to finish it but moved so slowly that I kept wishing for the end. |
| Linda L |
| The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Kingsolver's latest is really a tour-de-force and a great achievement. It is, however, slow in spots and sometimes feels a little too over-important, as if it's trying too hard, but I was glad that I stuck with it. It spans the years of one boy and then young man's life, plus his encounters with a variety of famous people, from Frida Kahlo to Nixon. The main character is the mirror through which we view the history, but it's his emotions and reactions that I found most interesting. |
| Elizabeth ([email protected]) |
| One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Loved the book...it is in journal form and tells of how t he government asked the American Indians to trade one thousand white women for horses...their main reason was to "civilize" the Indians and make them aware of and become familiar with the white people's way of life. Very interesting book...topic not as bad as it sounds. |
| Angie Lindell |
| The Luze by Anna Godbersen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Very enjoyable, romantically suspenseful YA Historical Fiction. Lots of great characters and a great atmosphere. A fun way to spend your holiday reading - super start to a series. |
| Debbie Koenig ([email protected]) |
| A Circle Of Souls by Preetham Grandhi |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The author of this book is Chief of Service at a Bronx Psychiatric Hospital for children and what could be better than a psychological thriller written by someone that "knows" the trade. The novel involves young children and the author's craft shines through. I love a novel in which I can't guess "who did it" and this is one f the best! I was maybe 50 pages from the end when I finally put all the pieces together. The novel centers around the murder of a young child in Newbury, Connecticut and a girl who has unexplained nightmares in which she can see and talk to the young girl. She is also able to draw elaborate sketches of places she hasnever been that are part of the murder scene. Bottom line, you WILL LOVE this book! |
| Linda Williams ([email protected]) |
| U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I can always immediately pick up the lives of Grafton's characters where they were when I last read them! I love that. She always writes fabulous books and this is another one! |
| Linda |
| If We Can Put a Man on the Moon by William D. Eggers and John O'Leary |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a non-fiction business book that should be mandatory for all politicians to read. Because it is full of common sense I'm sure that it will never be picked up by them. The book delineates how to prepare the public for a law through advanced planning and trials. |
| Anita Nowak |
| The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This was an enjoyable read by one of my favorite authors. However, it wasn't nearly as good as some others. It had the characters of the Poet, but I thought that was a much better, more well written mystery. This book was a fast read, but it left little to the imagination as far as who did it. No surprises, and a very bland ending. |
| Marcia |
| Home by Marilyn Robinson |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Enjoyed this book but felt like it dragged on. Robinson does a great job building relationships through her characters and their interactions. I haven't read her previous book, Gilead, and probably will after reading this book. |
| Stephanie |
| I Have Live a Thousand Years by Livia Bitton-Jackson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A riveting story about survival and faith despite the odds. |
| Rosalie Sambuco ([email protected]) |
| Day After Night by Anita Diamant |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A very interesting story of Jewish refugees upon entering Israel in 1946. They were held captives in a British re-location center; which they equated to a concentration camp. The 4 women upon whom the story is written are true people. |
| Linda Williams ([email protected]) |
| Haiku by Andrew Vachss |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is, I believe, the start of a new series for this author. He has discontinued writing the wonderful Burke series so I looked forward to this one about a group of homeless people who care and depend on each other. Great Book! |
| Ivy Pittman ([email protected]) |
| Black Water Rising by Attica Locke |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Phenomenal story line by a new player in the game of mystery writing. |
| Dian Boysen |
| Rainwater by Sandre Brown |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is her first historical fiction novel and it is wonderful. She draws you into the lives of the characters. It is short but a very powerful picture of the 1930's in a small town in Texas. I hope this isn't her last. |
| Janice Hoaglin ([email protected]) |
| Still Alice by Lisa Genova |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Most families I know, including mine, are dealing with Alzheimer's Disease; this book takes us inside the world of the patient. This book grabbed me from the beginning, and held me until the end. Told from the perspective of Alice Howland, an almost 50 year old who is brilliant and successful as a Linguistics Professor at Harvard, the story leads us through Alice's first flashes of worry about her laspes in memory, through one painful loss of her previous life after another, as Alice is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's Disease. I will be recommending this book to several friends and family. |
| Janice Hoaglin ([email protected]) |
| The Tale of Hill Top Farm by Susan Wittig Albert |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I listened to this audio book, and was glad I chose this version; the voices of the animals are delightful. This is a fictionalized account of the life of author Beatrix Potter, following the death of her fiance, and her subsequent purchase of Hill Top Farm. The story is developed around a mystery that Beatrix begins to unravel, and the various animals have their own opinions, both of the humans in this village setting, and of the attempts to solve the mystery behind the death of one of the village dwellers. I look forward to continuing this series. |
| Kristi Hartshorn ([email protected]) |
| Zeitoun by Dave Eggers |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A very well-written and mesmerizing true account of the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina and one man's harrowing and uplifting experience. |
| JFW |
| The Righteous Men by Sam Bourne |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a great novel that kept me intrigued for its entirety. I did not want to put it down until I read the whole book. |
| Doro |
| The Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I can't say enough about this book, written by Mr. Bernstein when he was 93. It is a true story about his youth, while living in Manchester, England. He lived on a street with Christians on one side and Jews on the other. His memories are heart-wrenching and heart-warming. |
| F Tessa Bartels |
| Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
2.5* An okay memoir of growing up in Rhodesia during the time of the war for independence (Fuller was born in 1969). Her parents are drunken idiots. There are moments of great description, but the whole story is somewhat pointless, as no one seems to learn from life's lessons. This was NOT our favorite book-club book this year. |
| Cynde Suite |
| The Wrecker by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
In a great blend of quirky character (Issac Bell) and historical thriller this is a thrilling train ride across the early tracks of the United States to capture an insidious villain bent on destroying the newly developing transportation system. The villain is maddeningly transparent at times and yet the detective just misses him repeatedly. A GREAT thrill ride. |
| dee |
| Mudbound by Hilary Jordan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This story unfolds in different characters voices. The main story is of two men returning from war. One is black, the other white. We experience the prejudice in the 50s south. Throughout is the story of one family and the relationships between the members. Well writtewn and entirely captivating. |
| Sharon Elliott-Fox |
| The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Political history makes for a scary book as I see so many of the same practices today. Therefore this is an informative and important book for our eyes need to be opened to what is happening to us. |
| Janet |
| A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
British chicklit with a little more plot than the usual fare. |
| Dara Hill ([email protected]) |
| The Guinea Pig Diaries by A J Jacobs |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Very funny short experiments in the life of a guy. It had me laughing out loud because he is so painfully honest. |
| Richard N Bartels |
| Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Follett is a master storyteller and thi sis a fascinating tale centered on the building of a Gothic cathedral in 12th-Century England. |
| Pam |
| South of Broad by Pat Conroy |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Long awaited book from a master story teller--it begins a little slowly but then takes off. |
| Sharon Elliott-Fox |
| The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Reading his own obituary, the protagonist is faced with some ugly truths about himself and prompted to attempt to undo some of the harm he has brought on others. In some instances it works, in others it does not. |
| Lynn Marler |
| Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture by Ellen Ruppel Shell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A must-read for everyone! Shows how US citizens are being lulled into a false sense of security by certain discount mega-stores and their (not always!) lower prices, while the price of important items such as housing, fuel, and health care rise and salaries stagnate or fall. Really punctures a hole in the "discount chains are good for the economy" myth. |
| Jerri Patton |
| Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyers |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I know I must be the last person on the planet to read the Twilight series. I was resistant to reading it because I thought I needed a big block of time and I just never had the time. So here I am at the busiest time of the year and I'm reading TWILIGHT and I love it! I am obsessed, staying up until 2:00 am. I've already bought the hoodie. I know I'll end up buying every fan thing there is. I LOVE TWILIGHT. |
| Alessandra Peron |
| Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Nine-year-old Oskar discovers a mysterious key left by his father, who died in 9/11, and begins a long journey that will take him to the fve boroughs of New York, among friends, relatives, and complete strangers. Funny, moving, compassionate, this book will make you laugh and cry. A must read. |
| Trulie Deare ([email protected]) |
| Talking To Strange Men by Ruth Rendell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The main character of this book believes that he has accidentally stumbled upon the activities of either a group of spies or members of a mafia family. What he's really discovered is a game being played by young school boys who use code and hidden messages to try to outwit each other. Ruth Rendell is very good at exploring what motivates people to do what they do and be who they are. I think this is one of her best. |
| Trulie Deare ([email protected]) |
| Social Crimes by Jane Stanton Hitchcock |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is a novel about how the other half lives. It's also got an "All About Eve" feel to it with some just-when-you-think-things- can't-get-any-worse they do thrown in for good measure. At times I think Hitchcock was a bit heavy handed with the unfair punishments than fell like boulders on her main character's head, but then she'd toss in some off-the-wall event to remind us that these are terribly shallow people after all, so maybe they got what they deserved. This was a fun book that would be great for a beach read. |
| Donna Watts ([email protected]) |
| Breathless by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I've only read 90 pages, buy i'm hooked. The mystery and suspense are the things I've always liked about any of Koontz's books. |
| Donna Watts ([email protected]) |
| I Alex Cross by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
As always, James Patterson's books are thrilling to the very end. |
| Trulie Deare ([email protected]) |
| Lily White by Susan Isaacs |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Lee/Lily White is an attorney defending her con-man client against murder charges. Did he kill the woman to whom he was engaged, or did someone else do it? The circumstantial evidence is somewhat overwhelming against him. At the same time this story is being revealed, we also learn what brought Lily to the current stage of her life. Her past is examined for clues as to how she became a very good attorney, married to a man who seems to be perfect for her with a family that, while a bit wacky, isn't really all that different from everyone else's. The chapters alternate between past and present allowing us to witness the development and growth of a strong, woman who is quite intelligent but still is very vulnerable to the blindsides that come her way. Susan Isaacs writes with humor and insight. I think LILY WHITE is among her best books. |
| Margie B |
| U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I haven't even finished it yet, but I already feel it's one of Grafton's best. How does she keep up the level of quality? This one jumps around a bit time-wise and keeps the reader fascinated and enthralled. |
| Sylvia Bengisoy |
| Mayday by Nelson DeMille and Thomas Bloc |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a book you will hate to put down. I spent night after night staying up way too late. This is about a super jet that gets structural damage from a missile but the kicker is the decompression harm that the passengers sustain. There are 5 passengers that retain an intact brain and the zombies pose a threat to their survival. The pilots are either dead or brain damaged so a small airplane pilot mans the plane. The book is so suspenseful and the amazing thing about this book is that is coauthored by two childhood buddies who are both authors in their own right although one is really a pilot and an aircraft author. So good I could read it again and again. |
| Kathleen |
| Lead Me On by Victoris Dahl |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
How one's childhood rebellions can meet you as a grown-up and change some opinions about yourself and a good mystery too. |
| Kathleen |
| Cold River by Carla Neggers |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Part of a series about a town called Black Falls and the Cameron Family. Good read, keeps the suspense interesting. |
| Julie |
| Castaways by Brian Keene |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Pretty good mystery but a little predictable. A group of people go to a deserted island to compete on a survival-type reality show. But soon they start disappearing and not because they have been voted off. |
| Jana Seely |
| Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I was fortunate enough to obtain an advance reading copy of this book, which will be released in January 2010. Multi-layered, like the geology it describes, the story explores friendship, family connection and entanglement, fossil-hunting, small-town life, and the uneasy beginnings of evolutionary theory. Fun, fascinating, and informative, this is another triumph for Tracy Chevalier. |
| Michael Frasier ([email protected]) |
| Ten Little Indians by Sherman Alexie |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A wonderful collection of short stories. The last two stories in the collection are worth the price of the book. |
| Marion Miller ([email protected]) |
| The Help by Kathryn Stockett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is definitely the book of the year. I loved crawling into the minds of all the characters so richly depicted. I felt like they were people I knew or who I had heard about. |
| Linda M. Johnson ([email protected]) |
| Born Standing Up by Steve Martin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This memoir by comedian Steve Martin relates the formation of his career as a stand-up comic. Steve Martin is obviously an intelligent, well-written man who understands that comedy is serious business. He's right. |
| Brittany W. |
| Tomato Girl by Jayne Pupek |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I got this book at a bargain bin for $3, and it's been the best book that I have read in years. It's about an 11 year old girl with a mother who is mentally unstable. Her father runs off with a young teenage girl, leaving the girl with her mother. To take care of the mother and herself. It's really sad and heart-wrenching. |
| John W. |
| Dinosaur Cat by Garrison Allen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Humourous mystery set in Arizona. The question of why a man was killed 25 years earlier and a paleontologist that year. The bookseller, and owner of said cat, helps the police find the killer. |
| Debbie W. |
| Evidence by Jonathan Kellerman |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Typical Kellerman. It involves the child psychologist working together with the gay police detective. The plot doesn't really matter. They catch the killers. |
| Elizabeth ([email protected]) |
| Down River by John Down |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Mystery...great ending. |
| Elizabeth ([email protected]) |
| Loving Frank by Nancy Horan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Never knew this about Frank Lloyd Wright. |
| Elizabeth ([email protected]) |
| Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
My all-time favorite book...went to Barcelona to find all the places in the book. |
| Elizabeth ([email protected]) |
| The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Keeps you interested. |
| Elizabeth ([email protected]) |
| Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Loved the book...similar to SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS. |
| Pat ([email protected]) |
| The Queen's Mistake by Diane Haeger |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Henry VIII and his 5th wife, Catherine Howard, his "rose without a thorn." Catherine Howard was a cousin of Anne Boleyn's who Henry had beheaded on trumped up charges. |
| Kathleen Sornsin Boucher ([email protected]) |
| Still Alice by Lisa Genova |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
What a beautifully written story of early-onset Alzheimer's Disease. This is a novel, but gives the reader such an insight into what the patient is going through; the struggles, the fears, the misconceptions of others as to what could be wrong. I think everyone should read this, just for an understanding of this dreaded, debilitating disease. |
| Linda M. Johnson ([email protected]) |
| Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
In 2002, Julia Jarmond is a writer who is asked to write a piece concerning for the approaching 60th anniversary of Vel' d'Hiv', a time in French history most would prefer to forget. In July, 1942, the French police rounded up Jews and forced them onto busses which took them to concentration camps. Sarah Stravinsky locks her four-year-old brother in a bedroom closet where they often hide, telling him that she will be back soon to release him. She, of course, does not know that the police do not intend to let them return home. This author wrenches emotions from the reader through multiple twists and turns. Even when it appears predictable, de Rosnay develops alternative and keeps the reader anticipating the resolution. |
| CC |
| Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Easy reading story with familiar characters. If you liked the first two in this series, you'll like this one too. Like catching up with friends. |
| Donna Cruze |
| A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
So much better than the movie versions! Dickens' sense of humor really shines. |
| Renee |
| Christmas Basket by Debbie Maccomber |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Felt like reading a simple holiday book...I've collected several in the "off-season". The book is beautiful...I mean the cover illustration, but the story is a yawner. |
| Joan |
| The Kids are All Right by Liz, Diana, Dan and Amanda Welch |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The Welches have something really profound to say about family bonds and resilience. An awesome story! |
| Liz |
| The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
I so wanted to love this book. Whatever happened to the Barbara who wrote The Poisonwood Bible and some of her earlier novels? |
| Susan Dyer ([email protected]) |
| The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is my first Moore book but it wont be the last. It is laugh out loud funny and you wonder as you are reading it how did he come up with some of his ideas! It's a crazy book!! |
| Kellie ([email protected]) |
| The Measure of A Man by Sidney Poitier |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I'm on Chapter 2 but I have to say, I am very impressed with Sidney's writing. He has incredible insight on his life and what influenced him as a child. He has an amazing way with words. He talks about "emotional intelligence" "It is a capacity that's nurtured by silence and by intimacy, and by the freedom to roam." I have read a lot of autobiographies lately and this one is unique in the fact that Poitier digs deep into the reason he became the man he became. Beginning with his childhood in the Bahamas. And it isn't just a recap of his life and the things that happen. He tries to put meaning to it. Almost scientifically. Yep and as I get throught this book, my opinion changes. It was disappointing. I would have thought I would have learned about the man and his life but all you get is philosophy. It's fine to write about why you thing things are the way they are, but the whole book is full of just thoughts. You don't really get a good handle on what Sidney's life was like, he experiences with other actors, his movies. He is definitely a successful man. A man who beat the odds and made money as a black actor in a time that was almost impossible. I just wish he told us a little more about that. |
| Mary Rockett ([email protected]) |
| Tragic Love by Tammy Rockett Box and Mary Rockett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Author duo turns tragedy into TRAGIC LOVE. For any family, the loss felt when a son, a grandson is lost tragically can be an experience so painful, so detrimental, it's hard to put into words. For Mary Rockett and her daughter, Tammy Rockett-Box, the loss of Tammy's son became exactly the opposite. It became an experience they had to put into words. "We started writing because we the loss of my grandson," Rockett said, discussing the mother-daughter team's just published book TRAGIC LOVE from her home in Vandalia. The story, about a young man who finds himself in a love affair that turns into something he hadn't expected was "inspired by that situation." Rockett's grandson died suddenly and tragically last year, when he committed suicide after grappling with a relationship his grandmother described as "abusive." Rockett and her daughter became increasingly concerned as authorities questioned the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. They turned their focus to the process those authorities were working through. Their notes would not go unused. "We wanted to share this with other young people," Rockett said. "It's written for everyone . it could help them if they are in an unhealthy relationship." TRAGIC LOVE is the first book for the mother-daughter writing team. "We're very excited about it," she added. She said the two collaborate well and have already finished their second book, a collection of three short stories entitled STRANGE HAPPENINGS and they are currently working on a novel. All together TRAGIC LOVE took about a year to come to fruition, Rockett and Rockett-Box being published through Publish America, which offers the book for sale on its Web site and soon on Barnes & Noble's Web site as well. Rockett said there were very few challenges in getting the story down on paper and the mission remained clear. "Young adults don't realize there are all kinds of abuse," she said. "And young men don't tell it, they hide it . We used that as inspiration." The hope is those young men and women in unhealthy relationships might recognize the signs through reading TRAGIC LOVE. Rockett still lives in Vandalia, having retired after working for the Dowagiac Post Office for 30 years and her daughter Tammy lives in Rockford Ill. |
| Nancy154 |
| Outlander by Diana Gabaldon |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Claire Randall (a nurse) and her husband Frank (a historian) are in Scotland in 1945. In looking for herbs, Claire touches a rock and tumbles back thru time to the 1700s. The rest of the story deals with what happens to her. The reader gets a good idea of what life is like, the characters are realistic and well developed. While time travel isn't my favorite genre, I did enjoy this book and couldn't put it down once I started. |
| John Warner ([email protected]) |
| Under the Dome by Stephen King |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The scope of this book is similar to King's classic, THE STRAND. |
| Jane |
| Friend of the Family by Lauren Grodstien |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
This may have been one of The Washington Post's best books of 2009 but not in my book. It was a choppy book with the past mixed in with the present in the same chapters--sometimes the same page. Not worth my read for 2009. |
| Jean M |
| U Is For Undertow by Sue Grafton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I believe this is Grafton's best yet. The story has several threads that come together slowly but surely. Really good read! |
| Alice Crowe |
| The Heretics Daughter by Kathleen Kent |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Wonderful historical fiction that has a basis in real life situations by a first time author. |
| Helen |
| The Help by Kathryn Stockett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A must read, one of the best books our book club has read in a long time. We had wonderful discussions on the great characters and story line of this to be classic novel. |
| Joan |
| The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is really a village mystery, but oh so much more complex! A page turner. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| The Christmas Cookie Killer by Livia J. Washburn |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another one of her a fresh-baked mystery, I really like this series, a retired teacher phyllis ownes a house that she rents rooms out to retired teachers. In this book her nieghbor gets killed and Phyllis gets knocked out to set things straight she has to find out who really did it so they don't put the wrong person in jail. |
| Fran |
| Always Looking Up by Michael J. Fox |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I've always admired Michael J. Fox, the movie actor and I admire him even more as Michael J. Fox the Parkinson's advocate. The fact that this man faces so many odds and keeps such an optimistic attitude is an inspiration to me. While sharing a bit of himself and his family, Michael shares his life with Parkinson's, his aspirations to find a cure and his incredible ability to keep looking up! |
| Jane Squires ([email protected]) |
| Blessings of the Season by Annie Jones & Brenda Minton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Two holiday stories in one book. I enjoyed book stories. I laughed through part of Annie's when the little boy said if the parents were living apart, they must be divorced. That is so true today of a lot of kids I teach. The Holiday Husband is so different than most holiday books you would read and keeps you enthralled in the story. The Christmas Letter is about a soldier and I won't give away where a letter to him leads to. But I must say I could so relate to the whole small town scene. It was like it was written in the town I live in. Both will uplift and encourage you. |
