April 16, 2010 - April 29, 2010
Last contest period's winners each received a copy of THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU by Elizabeth Berg, THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE by Mary Higgins Clark and WRECKED: A Regan Reilly Mystery by Carol Higgins Clark.
| Kathy Vallee |
| Eggs in Purgatory by Laura Childs |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Tjis is the first in a new series for Laura Childs it's about three women who are single and two of them are in latter life they decide life is not over in fact its just begining. The open p thier own cafe/bookstore/knitting room. Which is a great success with thier homemade food. Then murder happens and the book just takes off good read. Also recipes included |
| Judy O. ([email protected]) |
| Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
One beautiful spring afternoon in 1920 in Swandyke, CO an avalanche occurs. Nine children on their way home from school are buried. Some of them ultimately survive and some die. This book introduces us to the families of these children, so that we can feel more deeply what has happened. This is a compelling story about a present-day ghost town in the Rocky Mountains. |
| Sandra F. |
| Sixpence House: Lost in a Town of Books by Paul Collins |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
When I discovered this book, I am sure that I felt just like Paul Collins when he discovered some forgotten gem in one of the bookstores in Hay-on-Wye in Wales. This is a book that you can dip into at odd moments and find something to amuse and enlighten. A lovely book about a magical place. |
| Metalfiend11, Rocksprings, TX ([email protected]) |
| The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I recently joined a new book club and this was our first choice. I was pleasantly surprised! The story is about a mute boy growing up in a remote area of Wisconsin raising and training a unique breed of dogs with his parents. His life is pretty serene until his father dies very suddenly, then his life takes a drastic turn. I truly enjoyed this book. Some of the info on the dog training was a little over my head, but that's because I have never know or been around dog training. The ending was a true shocker! I recommend this book, whether you are a dog lover or not. |
| Kristie |
| The Walk by Richard Paul Evans |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Nice story but the ending was not satisfactory. I felt that the book ended in the middle of the story. |
| Sherman Hughes |
| "Flags of Our Fathers" by James Bradley |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Just getting around to reading this book and wonder now what took me so long! A good story of our taking Iwo Jima and the six boys who raised that famous flag many wars ago. |
| Debbie A |
| The Twisted Rose by Russ Tomlin |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Wonderful read. A look inside a world that we hope never happens to another child, parent or investigator. Mr. Tomlin tactfully handles sensitive situations without compromising the story. I could not put the book down! |
| Jud Hanson |
| Nothing But theTruth by John Lescroart |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Dismas Hardy's wife finds herself in contempt of court when she refuses to reveal what she knows about a murder suspect. |
| LLL |
| Thunderstruck by Erik Larson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This non-fiction book by the author of Devil in the White City reads like a fast-paced thriller. The top story is about Marconi and the race to be the first to send a wireless transmission across the Atlantic. The understory is a murder mystery as they try to catch the notorious Dr. Crippen. In addition -- like cherries on a sunday -- he adds little bits on "nickle knowledge" along the way and even in the foot notes. For instance, did you know that Marconi was scheduled to sail on the titanic but changed his mind? But his wireless was responsible for saving many lives that ill fated night. A darn good read! |
| Louise |
| Deadly Intent by Lynda La Plante |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This one grabbed me from the start when a plastic surgeon was coerced into implementing major changes to Mr. Smith's body. True, it seemed a little long at times, but Ms La Plante's plots are very complicated, and I figure if I get lost along the line, it's because she's so much more intelligent than I :) As usual, there are grammatical errors, and I abhor the language but I just have to accept that it must be the way London detectives talk. |
| Catrina P. |
| Wake by Lisa McMann |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The story of a teenage girl, Janie, who has a problem. She gets pulled into peoples dreams. Janie doesn't know what is happening to her, but she doesn't seem to have any control over it. Janie slowly starts to figure out what's happening to her and how she can learn to deal with being a "dream catcher". |
| Lou |
| Beyond Tomorrow by Fern Michaels |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I believe this is one of Fern's earlier books (a Silhouette romance published in 1981) and not nearly the quality of her more recent books. Typical love story, which gets off to a rocky start, and in which successful and prominent businessman/ politician falls for his realtor. |
| Jud Hanson |
| The Lost Gospel: Quest of the Gospel of Judas Isc by Herbert Krosney |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Factual account of the discovery of the Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot, the man held in Christian tradition as the one who betrayed Jesus and ultimately caused his death. |
| Ruth |
| Driftless by David Rhodes |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book is full of flawed characters each seeking their own sense of spirituality and connection. |
| Pattie Berryhill ([email protected]) |
| Things the GrandchildrenShould Know by Mark Oliver Everett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
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Memoir. rich and powerful narrative about coming of age, love, death, and creative vision. Mark is the founder of the rock band The Eels. |
| Kristie |
| An Honest Love by Kathleen Fuller |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Second in a new Amish fiction series. Good. The end is nice for Anna and Lukas because it's realistic. |
| MJB |
| Shattered by Karen Robards |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Shattered is a fast pace story of Lisa Grant who finds a picture of a family that has been missing for over 28 years. She is surprised to see that she looks like the young mother in the photo. As she starts to investigate a series of accidents happen and Lisa realizes someone is out to stop her from finding the truth about the family and herself. Lots of surprises and a little romance keeps you guessing until the end. Robards does not disappoint. |
| Brenda R |
| Rainwater by Sandra Brown, |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I loved this book! Heartwarming love story! A strong independent mother during the depression finally finds love with a dying man. Heartbreaking yet uplifting. GREAT book! |
| Jo |
| Tinkers by Paul Harding |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A beautifully written story! |
| Susan Creed ([email protected]) |
| Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The traditional English cozy meets the 21st century in this charming novel about a retired army man and widower who, after the death of his brother shakes him up, begins a friendship with the owner of the village shop, the widowed Mrs. Ali. Cultures clash in ways both humorous and poignant. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| O Pioneers! by Willa Cather |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This novel was first published in 1913, and details the life in a Swedish family in Nebraska wilderness. The sense of family honor and loyalty, and the attitude of hard work and sacrifice are dominant themes. The main character, Alexandra, is a wonderful main character. When her father dies, Alexandra, runs the farm and makes all the decision. Under Alexandra's watchful eyes, the family prospers. The story instills a sense of pride in knowing that our immigrant ancestors battled the conditions and many times beat the odds. The story is well written and drives home the values that are sadly lacking today. |
| Sandy |
| House Rules by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Just finished this one and loved it! I always learn about a different disease when I read one of her books and the ending is always a surprise and this one was no exception. Jacob Hunt is a teenage boy with Asperger's syndrome. He is on trial for murder and we are sure he didn't do it, but maybe he did? You have to read this one. |
| maury lynn |
| vanishing acts by jodi picoult |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
as always her books are page turners to see what happens. everthing i have read by her has been good. i still need to read my sisters keeper. everyone says how good that is. |
| Ann |
| Her Mother's Hope by Francine Rivers |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This author is very easy to read, so you don't want to put it down. I wouldn't call it historical fiction as much as a story spanning different time periods.I think it should be labeled young adult fiction. |
| Tanya |
| The Walk by Richard Paul Evans |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Another inspiring book by Evans. What would you do if your life was turned upside down in a matter of days? The protaganist in Evans book decides to take a walk, a very long walk. This is the first in a series and I look forward to book 2 in 2011. |
| Lorna |
| Lost Souls by Lisa Jackson |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Suspense that takes place at a college where girls have gone missing and funny things are happening. The main character discovers a connection between the girls and feels she is right in the middle of what is going on .. but what is going on ? She uncovers some sort of vampire cult and won't stop until she can figure out who is behind the whole thing. It was kind of dragged on until the last 100 pages and then it accually became interesting. |
| Alicia Kohanski |
| June Bug by Chris Fabry |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
June Bug is a heartwarming hit. Chris Fabry weaves a compelling tale of father and daughter full of hope, love, heartbreak, haunted pasts and redemption. "June Bug" is "an honest story that dove deep inside me and lingered long after I turned the last page." A fabulous read beginning to end. |
| Alicia Kohanski |
| Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
An intense and smartly written crime thriller set in a bone chilling area of the U.S. that simply adds to the story. The first in a new series that is so worth the read. |
| Mary Branham ([email protected]) |
| Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A book everyone should read. Starts on July 16th 1942 in Paris when they started taking the jewish people to concentration camps. So sad. . |
| Sharon |
| Lone Wolf by Teresa D'Amario |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
It is a paranormal romance that kept me totally engrossed. Most paranormal romances are predictable but this one was not. I really didn't know the answer to the many questions that are posed in the first chapter until the last chapter. This author I will definitely read again. |
| Marsha |
| In Big Trouble by Laura Lippman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This Tess Monaghan novel takes her to San Antonio in search of her former boyfriend from whom she has a postcard marked "In Big Trouble". Trouble and family secrets only add to the mayhem she finds in Texas. |
| Linda M. Johnson ([email protected]) |
| The Turn of the Screw by Henry James |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Simply put, a ghost story, yet this book is really not simply put. My Everyman's Library edition was a mere 161 pages, yet I needed to read very carefully to understand who was speaking and what was going on. I think a second read of this book --- especially AFTER reading Spark Notes synopsis of each section --- will elucidate much and enhance my reading. |
| Julie H. |
| Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I really enjoyed Sprinkle With Murder, the first in the cupcake bakery series. McKinlay has written a wonderful freshman tale. There were great characters, a fast paced story, and just enough twists to keep me guessing. I was drawn to the vivid descriptions of the Fairy Tale Bakery, with it's 50's pink and grey decor and location near the tourist area of Scottsdale. Owners Melanie and Angie have known each other since sixth grade. When their business partner Tate (and just as old a friend) asks Melanie to cater the cupcakes for his upcoming wedding, she agrees. Many things go awry, with Melanie (and her business) being wrongly accused of murder. Melanie's mother and Angie's many brothers made several appearances, hopefully they will all make return in future stories. As with any good cozy that involves food, there were some delicious sounding recipes at the end. I will be eager to read the next in the series, Buttercream Bump Off. |
| Celeste |
| Nowhere To Run by Mary Jane Clark |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love her writing style. Nice, short, to the point chapters, that will keep you turning the pages late into the night. |
| Julie |
| The Girl Who Played With fire by Steig Larsson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I am thoroughly enjoying this series by Steig Larsson. I can't wait to read the third book in the trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. The Girl Who Played With Fire is much easier to get into than the first book, (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) because you are so familiar with all the characters. And I really like Larsson's writing style. |
| Linda H. ([email protected]) |
| Shadows of Lancaster County by Mindy Starns Clark |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
As Anna Bailey fights off an intruder, he keeps asking her for the location of the Beauharnais Rubies. Anna does not know what he is talking about and finally gets away from him. Anna also receives word that her brother has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. As Anna heads back to the Amish community in Pennsylvania to search for her brother, she relives old memories which were not always good. When Anna follows clues left by her brother, she uncovers clues to an old mystery relating to the mysterious rubies. A good book. |
| Linda H. ([email protected]) |
| Don't Look Twice by Debbie Macomber |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book contains two stories. One is Father's Day where an unfriendly neighbor with a dog ultimately becomes friends with a neighbor who has a boy who loves dogs. A love story between the two develops. The other story is The Courtship of Carol Sommars. Two teenage boys who are best friends have single parents and plot to get them together. One parent had a loving marriage but lost his wife to cancer. The other parent had an abusive husband before he was killed in an accident and is leery of another marriage. The boys get involved. Two good stories. |
| Linda H. ([email protected]) |
| She Loves Me Not by Wendy Corsi Staub |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Rose Larrabee is a widow with two small children who works at the town bookstore after her husband was killed during a freak winter storm. She wakes one morning to find a heart-shaped box on the pillow beside her. Opening the box, she finds a beautiful gold pendant with the name Angela engraved on it. Who was Angela and how did the pendant get beside her? Rose believed that her son had stolen it somewhere and put it on her bed as a valentine gift for her but he says he didn't. But then other strange things began happening. A great story. |
| Linda H. ([email protected]) |
| Kiss Her Goodbye by Wendy Corsi Staub |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Jen Carmody is the All-American girl but her family has moved from their old home in Indiana to Buffalo where she has few friends. Although Buffalo was her old home town, Jen's mother Kathleen feels that it was a mistake moving here. There are painful memories she is unable to face. Jen begins to feel as if someone is watching her and sees a stranger outside her door. Neither mother nor daughter feels safe in their new home. Suspenseful book. |
| Sue Watson ([email protected]) |
| Salvaged by Stefne Miller |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This YA novel is a debut novel and it shows a great deal of skill in crafting characters to care about, in storytelling and in the use of language. It is set in the present, but has a timeless message about family, tragedy, and true emotion. |
| J. Mitchell |
| Once in a Blue Moon by Leanna Ellis |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Bryn Seymour was just nine years old when her mother died under mysterious circumstances on the day that Apollo 11 made its historic lunar landing. Four decades later, Bryn seeks closure in the matter of her mom's passing while gathering information to write a story about the 40th anniversary of that historic moon walk. This blend of mystery and romantic suspense isn't quite as fluffy and mindless as most romances, but the mystery isn't all that mysterious either, once Bryn opens up her self-imposed block of those childhood memories. Howard, the old man full conspiracy theories and paranoia is almost comic relief in the midst of the suspense-filled story of Bryn's investigation of the circumstances surrounding her mother's death. I enjoyed the men-in-black ride because it's different than most of the novels I've been reading lately, even though it stretches the suspension of disbelief just a little. There's enough romance to satisfy most readers of straight romance and enough plot to keep this novel from being too fluffy and mindless. Recommended for romance readers who like a little substance to their reading. |
| A. Brim |
| June Bug by Chris Fabry |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
June Bug and her dad travel around the country in an RV. She walks into Walmart one day and sees her picture on a poster of missing children. Then she tries to find the truth about her, her dad and mother. Circumstances take them back to Dogwood, West Virginia, where their lives are changed. |
| Hedi |
| Dimiter by William Peter Blatty |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Very good read, it has been a long time since a book kept me guessing who was who. Interesting cast of characters. |
| Priscilla |
| Look Again by Lisa Scottoline |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Ellen Gleeson sees her adopted son's picture on a flyer....and the story begins. |
| Judy O. ([email protected]) |
| Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Kavita Merchant gives birth to a baby girl in India in the 1980s; but since baby girls are only a burden in that society, she gives the baby to an orphanage in Mumbai. A young couple in the United States eventually adopt Asha from the orphanage and raise her in California. When Asha is a young woman, she goes back to Mumbai on a journalism fellowship. One of the things she hopes to accomplish is finding her birth parents. This is a wonderful story that shows much about the daily lives of Indian people, both rich and poor, in a culture very different from ours. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| At Risk by Patricia Cornwall |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
I read most of the book, then watched the Lifetime movie last night. The At Risk movie was badly done, a sad waste of 2 hours. The scenes of the various cities was wasted film, and did nothing to advance the story. I did like the movie ending more than the actual ending in the novel. The scenes shift back and forth too often for any coherence to the story. Too many pieces of information that do not fit well with the plot. Thank goodness that the book is very short. I truly find none of the characters to be remarkable, but the information about DNA providing the answer to crimes is amazing. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
A very boring book and not worth my reading time. This is a book for a book club, but sadly, I cannot finish reading. The first chapter deals with the idea of moving from Arizona to Virginia to spend a full year living on only what grows on the family farm. Another chapter tells of the three year wait for a crop of asparagus. That is all the fun I could withstand. I have enjoyed reading Kingsolver in the past, but I am not in the mood for a lesson in farming via a textbook. |
| T. Thomas |
| The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostokova |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is not THE HISTORIAN, so do not start reading this book thinking it is. Rather, it is a story of Impressionist art and obsession. |
| CAROL |
| Willow by Julia Hoban |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is considered a Young Adult book but it speaks to anyone who has experienced tragedy --- and everyone who has experienced first love. Excellent book. |
| Sandy |
| Little Bee by Chris Cleave |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the story of two women. their lives collide one fateful day and one of them has to make a terrible choice, the kind of choice I hope you never have to make. Two years later they meet again and the story starts there. |
| Marjorie Clark ([email protected]) |
| Shutter Island by Dennis LeHane |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Just started this book. Was very impressed with MYSTIC RIVER, which I bought in the airport many years ago after checking my book with my luggage. |
| Ana Marie |
| The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
What can I say except it's Nicholas Sparks! This book has also been made into a movie. If the movie follows the book like Dear John did, I know I won't be disappointed. |
| Julie H. |
| Nashville Noir by Jessica Fletcher |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Always love a solid mystery by "Jessica Fletcher"! Cabot Cove has sponsored young Cyndi on a trek to Nashville to try her hand in the music world. Jessica's travels to Nashville after Cyndi is wrongly accused of murdering an agent. |
| Betty ([email protected]) |
| Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
the story was good, but, it is not enough for a book. It paves the way for a new character in Anita' s life. |
| Karna |
| The Girl Who Played with Fire by Steig Larrsen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I previously read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and loved it but decided not to read the sequel until I saw the movie and then decided I must read The Girl Who Played with Fire. I typically read a book over a number of days but I can honestly say I could not put this book down. The only problem was that I finished it at 11:00 pm and then couldn't go to sleep. Fantastic! |
| Jill |
| The Outlander by Gil Adamson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Loved it. A young woman kills her husband and heads for the hills. Make that the Candian Rockies, and its circa 1800's. Interesting twists and turns as she learns to survive in the wild on luck and her determination. |
| marion Miller ([email protected]) |
| Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt by Hoffman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
What a fun read!! It was such a change of pace from other books that make you anxious and nervous. I can't wait to read her next book. |
| Betty ([email protected]) |
| Seeker by Jack McDevitt |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another exciting adventure with Alex & Chase into an unknown part of thier universe. The duo sets out to uncover the secret of a lost group of people who left Earth 9000 yrs ago to find a new home. There are forces working against them determined that they do not uncover the secret. |
| Julie H. |
| The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Like many Southern tales, motherless Emily Benedict arrives in Mullaby, North Carolina to live with a grandfather she knows nothing about. Mullaby is where her mother grew up, raised a ruckus and never looked back. The novel's other heroine, Julia Winterson, has returned after her father's death, baking sweet smelling cakes while trying to revive his heavily mortgaged BBQ place. This wouldn't be an Allen novel without well-dressed, quirky townspeople, ghostly lights and even a Mullaby giant. I really enjoyed this return to a mystical place, where food (mostly dessert) reigns supreme and both characters learn how to grow within this tight knit community. |
| Tanya |
| Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
3.5 stars, a story that explores the emotional lives of four slave women in the 1850s. It is quick read about a part of our history people should be more aware of. |
| Heather Pearson ([email protected]) |
| The Book of Fires by Jane Borodale |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Set in 1752, Agnes has left her small farm village in an attempt to hide her pregnancy. She ends up in London working for a firework maker. Will she be turned out in the streets when her pregnancy becomes known? Will she help the firework maker learn to make colorful fireworks? |
| Brenda R. |
| Somebody Else's Daughter by Elizabeth Brundage |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I enjoyed this book more than I was expecting. Rich characters and a hearty plot line keep me from wanting to put this book down. |
| Julie ([email protected]) |
| Panic by Echo Herson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
First book that I have read by this author, and I've got to get more. Excellent mystery with some great characters. |
| Sonia Z |
| The Lacuna by Barbara Kinsolver |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Based on real people & history. Not finished and not sure where the story is going. Kingsolver takes you from a dreary porch to Isla Pixol, Mexico of the 1930s to Asheville, North Carolina of the 1940s. The Lacuna is about Harrison Shepherd, son of a Mexican woman and a US government official, who belonged to both countries, yet not to either of them. He winds up working for Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo as a young teen, who then introduced him to persons and ideologies who came back to haunt him as a young man. |
| Linda |
| Sworn to Protect by DiAnn Mills |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Danika works for the Border Patrol in McAllen. Her husband was murdered, leaving her with a daughter to raise alone. She has no intentions of leaving the BP, and is ever more vigilant in her job, so that she can also help help solve her husband's death. Illegals, drug lords, human trafficking, drug busts--she sees it all. But now, her life has been threatened. Who's behind it all? They know her by name? Why was her husband murdered? Where can she keep her daughter safe? Quick turning twists keep you pushing the pages for answers. |
| Arthur Harriman |
| Bleeding Hearts by Ian Rankin |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Two desperately flawed anti-heroes circle one another in an escape and pursuit that is part picaresque and part derived from Les Misérables. When plot fails, travelogue takes over and leads from Scotland and ultimately to the US Northwest. I regret that concern for the anti-hero villain and interest in the anti-hero pursuer weaken with the plot focus shifting away from character to geography. |
| Marsha |
| Split Image by Robert B. Parker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall partnership and full of great conversational writing for which Parker excelled. Twins married to mobsters are causing trouble in Paradise and bodies are starting to pile up. Enjoy! |
| Sharon T. |
| Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Even though I don't usually read murder mysteries, I can't put this one down! I'm really enjoying the descriptive details about the Amish vs. the English, of all the characters involved in the murders as well as area descriptions. Usually I read ahead to find out who the murderer is but I'm enjoying the build up in this one. |
| Kellie ([email protected]) |
| First Families by Bonnie Angelo |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I picked this up in the bookstore tucked in a corner right by the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. I loved the bookstore and found wonderful treasures in there. When I visit a place, especially one with so much history, I want to learn more about it. Such the desire to purchase this book. I found this book very interesting. I now know where the name "Camp David" and "Teddy Bear" came from. I learned about earlier first families like the Polks, Hayes and Harrisons. President's names that are not well known. I had the book Secret Lives of the US Presidents by Cormac O'Brien beside me while reading this one so I could get additional highlights of the presidents as I read about them. I also had a book, almost like cliff notes, that provided additional summaries on the presidents and first ladies. I found First Families interesting, however, some draw backs were; some of the information was repetitive and there lacked organization. I thought the author went off on tangents quite often through out each chapter. This book is not a literary wonder, however, it gives an interesting view of first families from Washington to the second Bush family. |
| Susan J. |
| The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
3 1/2 stars. The second Flavia de Luce mystery is, I think, just as fun as the first. Eleven-year old Flavia is still obsessed with poisons and manages to once again become entangled in her little Post WWII English village. As Flavia describes herself, "I am often thought of as being remarkably bright, and yet my brains, more often than not, are busily devising new and interesting ways of bringing my enemies to sudden, gagging, writhing, agonizing, death." How can you not be intrigued? In this novel, a puppeteer and his assistant put on a show in the village to earn money to repair their broken van. A dead body soon makes its grand entrance. Things are not, of course, quite what they may seem. The storyline is quite improbable, some of the characters are unlikely, Flavia is precocious beyond belief, and yet this all works for a fun, light read with some rather disturbing descriptions. |
| Beckie Dicke |
| Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
If you look to Word of Mouth for great books, run to get this one. What everyone is saying is true. I was so sorry to turn to the last page. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| Aunt Diminity Slays A Dragon by Nancy Atherton |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is such a great series and this last one is just as fun and a page turner, as all the others were. Nancy has such a way of bringing all of the characters to life and they are so realistic. All about a small village in England with wonderful town people. In this book Lori's village has an old-time medieval fair set up to perform and that's when things start to go all wrong someone tries to kill the king of the fair a member of their village from way back. |
| Benita Sirkin |
| A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is not my usual type of book, but I finished it in 2 days. It was so well written and new secrets were revealed that changed everything so often that I couldn't put it down. |
| Benita Sirkin |
| Outliers by Malcom Gladwell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
His books, BLINK, THE TIPPING POINT and now this make you think out of the box and look at the world from a different angle that is interesting and exciting. |
| Benita Sirkin |
| Four Queens: The Provencal Sister Who Ruled Europe by Nancy Goldstone |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book shows that Women's Lib is nothing new --- women just handled it differently in the 13th century. |
| Louise |
| The Beach House by Georgia Bockoven |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A heartwarming story(ies) about four families who spend time each year at a Santa Cruz-area beach house. Their stories are completely different but somewhat intertwined. |
| Coral Harrison |
| In the Company of Beautiful Women by Alexander McCall Smith |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
We are reading this book this month in my reading club. Hope that all will enjoy it as much as I do. It is about the first Ladies Detective Company is Africa. This is in a series of books and all are good. |
| Irene - Saratoga Springs NY |
| The Tale of Halcyon Crance by Wendy Webb |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
With an intriguing title and a captivating cover, THE TALE OF HALCYON CRANE by Wendy Webb immediately caught my eye. The theme of "magical realism" and "gothic mystery" scurried through my whetted brain, and off I went on a satisfying adventure from land to sea to Grand Manitou, an imaginary island in Lake Michigan, rather reminiscent of Mackinac Island. Imagine receiving a mysteriously large envelope, which not only contains a letter from an attorney that you have never heard of, but worse, a hand-written letter from your beloved mother whom you believed to be dead. Such is Hallie James' unfathomable dilemma. Comprehensive and coherent explanations from her memory-impaired father would be out of the question. In an elusive moment of lucidity, Hallie's father gibberish suggests a nugget of truth, and she is off to investigate the overpowering reality of what paltry knowledge she recently gained. Unaware that long-kept secrets and unanticipated mysteries soon will open a Pandora's Box, Hallie learns that her mother Madlyn not only had been alive throughout most of her life, but that her recent death has propelled Hallie, rather Halcyon Crane into the midst of a ghastly and ghostly conundrum. Sprinkled with idiosyncratic island characters who at first shun her, an eerie mansion she now possesses, and an unsolved murder of a young girl she knew, Halcyon demonstrates strength of character as she rises to the unexpected challenges thrust upon her. Too many spoilers in this twisting tale of a young woman who refuses to fail in her unanticipated journey from vacillating victim to victorious heroine. |
| Rosalie Sambuco ([email protected]) |
| The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I have already recommended this book to several friends. The story begins in the late 1790s in The South. Lavinia is a young Irish girl coming, with her family, to America. Her parents die at sea leaving Lavinia and her brother alone. The ship's captain takes Lavinia to Tall Oakes as an indentured servant to pay for her passage. This is Lavinia's story of growing up with slaves as her family. The inner workings of a slave plantation are the main idea of this story. I plan to finish reading it today. I highly recommend it. |
| Rosalie Sambuco ([email protected]) |
| The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A wonderful story from medieval England. William Marshall is the main character of this story. He is the champion of Eleanor of Aquitaine. From very poor beginnings, William becomes one of England's most loyal knights. |
| Coral Harrison |
| The Walk by Richard Paul Evans |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Alan Christoffersen is a Seattle ad executive. He is tempted to take the pain pills that were left over when his wife McKabe dies, but decides not to do that. He leave everything except what he needs to walk from Seattle to Key West, Florida. This book is about his trip as far as Spokane, WA. The next book will come April, 2011. This book is very good and inspiring. Can hardly wait the year for the next one. |
| L. Hann |
| Spiced by Dalia Juergensen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
She hangs up her office job for her dream job of becoming a pastry chef. Find out the mishaps that happen in this dominantly male field. Yet she succeeds and can find the humor in her mishaps. |
| Gail |
| The Help by Kathryn Stockett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I loved this book. It is a story about brave, good women in a troubling time, helping each other and trying to make changes. I highly recommend it. |
| Heather Fox |
| House Rules by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Another great book by Jodi. It does not have the intense story as her other books but is a good read on an interesting topic. |
| DarM |
| The Story of Ruth by Joan Chittister |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The subtitle of this book is "Twelve Moments in Every Woman's Life" What wonderful insight into our life experiences such as Transformation, Independence, Loss, Respect, etc. The words of wisdom in this book empower me to better understand this journey of life that we are all on! |
| Linda |
| Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I am reading this for our May book club selection. To me, it is a scary commentary on today's political tone. I would highly recommend this to both the far left and the far right. |
| Sharron |
| Every Last One by Anna Quindlen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Very readable story of woman whose family suffers a terrible tragedy and how she has a difficult time coping with it. Makes you stop and think how unexpected events can change your life forever. |
| Joanne ([email protected]) |
| Hitched by Carol Higgins Clark |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The characters are cute, realistic, and friendly. They seem like people I should know. I started this series when Carol first started writing it. Then I got behind. I want to know how Regan and Jack manage their busy lives. I plan to read it pretty consistently until I catch up with WRECKED. |
| Pattyp54 |
| Her Mother's Hope by Francine Rivers |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A poignant story of tough love between mother and daughter spanning several generations. I loved it. |
| KG |
| Shanghai Girls by Lisa See |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I learned quite a lot and was shocked at the animosity shown towards the Chinese during the time period in this book. The story was a great read, and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel, which I am sure will come somewhere down the road. |
| Ivy Pittman ([email protected]) |
| Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
If you have ever worked in advertising or any other creative office environment you will get a hoot out of Ferris' ability to bring humor to a boiling point of truth and laughter. |
| L. Hann |
| The Shack by WM. Paul Young |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
His youngest daughter goes missing on a family vacation. He receives a suspicious note inviting him to the shack. What he finds will shock him. |
| Marsha |
| The Blue Orchard by Jackson Taylor |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The author, after a years of interviews and research, reveals the story of his grandmother and her journey to escape poverty, grief and loneliness. Through self-education and practical nursing school she is able to lift herself and family out of poverty by aiding a black doctor who is performing illegal acts. There are issues of racial and abortion for all to ponder. |
| L. Hann |
| Divine Justince by David Baldacci |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Very suspenseful. Page turner. David Baldacci does it again. |
| Phyllis |
| Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Henry, an author whose first book made him famous, gives up writing after his second book is criticized by his editor and book sellers said it would be hard to sell. He still gets fan mail through his publisher and one day opens up several sheets of a play called Beatrice and Virgil and a letter signed by another Henry. He tracks down the sender who turns out to be a taxidermist. The play of Beatrice and Virgil, a donkey and a howler monkey, actually turns out to be about the Holocaust. The book played with my emotions. At times, I would think I would not continue reading but then within a few sentences would be pulled in again. |
| Phyllis |
| A Week In December by Sebastian Faulks |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The novel takes place 3 weeks before Christmas in London and revolves around the week's activities of several characters. The characters range from rich to struggling, male and female, young and old. One of the most prominent characters is a hedge fund manager who is ruthless, cold, single-minded and is only concerned (even though he has a family) with markets and deal. He is planning the collapse of a major British bank wit worldwide consequences. Another prominent character is a young second generation Pakistani male who, in his search for identity, gets involved with a terrorist plot. Although the explanations of the financial deals slows down the plot at times, the book is full of action and great character descriptions. |
| Cindy |
| One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were real. It was a nice mix of fantasy. |
| Betty Jo ([email protected]) |
| Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A young Iranian boy and his friend come of age while sleeping on their rooftops during the hot weather in Tehran....not only is the temperature hot but so is the Shah's rule of his people. A great glimpse of 1970's Iran before the fall of the Shah. |
| Stella |
| A Wedding in December by Anita Shreve |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Seven former schoolmates get together for a reunion and a wedding at an inn in the Berkshire Mountains. Nora, the owner, has created a lovely setting and welcomes her friends of over twenty years ago. Story jumps around a lot and each character has memories to share. |
| Janet |
| Her Mother's Hope by Francine Rivers |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This story starts in 1901 and follows young Marta through her life and becoming a mother. It then switches to her daughter telling the story. The story moves from Switzerland to CA. I found it very inspiring and a great read. |
| Janet |
| The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is one of my more favorite Berg books. The story is of women and men going to their 40th and last class reunion. I loved how she gave us characters we could relate to and I think we all know those feelings of do I go or not. A very enjoyable read. |
| L. Hann |
| See Jane Die by Erica Spindler |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
After defending her husband and trying to prove his innocence, did she make the wrong conclusion. |
| Jean M |
| The Watchman by Robert Crais |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This book deals with Joe Pike and reveals more about him as he guards an heiress from someone trying to kill her. Another page-turner from Crais. |
| barbara s |
| One Wrong Step by Laura Griffin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Just finished ONE WRONG STEP, a follow-up to ONE LAST BREATH. Loved the story about a woman who divorced her husband when she learned he was involved in laundering drug money for Mexican drug lords. When her ex-husband was killed for holding back money he owed to the drug cartel they came after her for the missing money. I couldn't wait to finish this book. |
| carol |
| Mare's War by Tanita S. Davis |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This won a Coretta Scott King Honor award this year. The story just kept getting better and better. The grandmother invites her granddaughters to go to a family reunion. They live in CA. The reunion is in Alabama. During the drive, the grandmother relates the story of her youth and her decision to join the Women's Army Corps. The grandmother tells what it was like to be an African American, fighting for freedom in Europe, when they weren't free in America. |
| sue brandes ([email protected]) |
| Ghost Dogs of the South by Randy Russell and Janet Barnett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
These are dog ghost stories they have collected over the years from different people. Very well written and kept me wanting to keep reading. If you love dogs or ghost stories you will love this book. Excerpt: Dog ghosts(dogs that become ghosts),ghost dogs(humans who return as ghosts in the shape of a dogs),dogs that see ghosts,dogs that are afraid of ghosts --- all make an appearance in the these twenty stories that illuminate the shadow side of man's best friend. |
| Irene - Saratoga Springs NY |
| The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A most provocative title, THE MURDERER'S DAUGHTERS by Randy Susan Meyers, tenders a vivid narrative of two young girls trapped in the vicious cycle of domestic violence. In an unusual twist, the emotionally grueling scene of a selfish, immoral shell of a father cajoles his older daughter Lulu into unlocking the door to the apartment he is banned from entering, and then proceeds to murder his wife, cruelly injure his younger daughter Merry, and in a pathetic attempt to kill himself. The prequel to this horrific scene acutely describes its harbinger, the incessant levels of highs and lows that personify domestic violence and how it affects its victims, especially two young girls. Without parental care, with a heinous father in prison, Lulu and Merry become wards of a girls' home that accommodates a diverse population of girls whose only desire is to be noticed and rewarded for the unrelenting pain of living in an institution that only satisfies their basic needs. Randy Susan Meyers writes with a powerful and deeply emotional voice about a painfully ubiquitous subject that rarely receives the consideration it deserves, that of the collateral damage of domestic violence, the children. We follow the lives of Lulu and Merry through those early painfully disturbing years of yearning, not only for a conventional family life, but also for the overwhelming desire for acceptance as typical children, rather than the children of a murderer. Though ferociously protected by Lulu in childhood, vigorous attempts to dissuade Merry from contact with their father fail. Merry is adamant and with her fraternal grandmother, visits her father in prison on a consistent basis. Lulu refuses to participate in what she considers a bizarre ritual, and rejects his specious enticements to see him. Without perceptible discernment, Lulu suppresses her powerlessness to fully understand, accept, or forgive her father's actions. Extremely driven and highly intelligent, she immerses herself in medical school, and as a well-respected doctor proceeds to follow the Hippocratic Oath on her own terms by selectively choosing which women patients she will accept. Merry exhibits the characteristic manifestations of a physically and mentally abused childhood. Frequent meaningless sexual encounters usually fueled by excessive drinking, and an intermittent relationship with a married man, Merry's reckless façade is inconsistent with her chosen profession as a parole officer. Subconsciously, she seeks to heal her ex-convicts' shattered psyches in order to save them through motivational counseling and assiduous encouragement. A watershed event occurs which alters Lulu's and Merry's increasingly fragile relationship, and provides a powerful catalyst to liberate two young girls tethered to the past by shame and guilt which haunted them to this moment in their lives. |
| Sharron |
| The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Although fiction, it is loosely based on actual commoner who marries Japanese crown prince. It gives a very realistic picture of the difficulties in marrying into a royal family with so many expectations. |
| Jean M |
| Indigo Slam by Robert Crais |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Another suspenseful Elvis Cole novel. Crais' books are always such quick reads because you can't turn the pages quickly enough. |
| Gwen Schatz |
| Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
In the months before the final collapse of the Third Reich, the Germans living in the eastern part of the country fled their home to escape the the onslaught of the Russian Army. they had no idea of the atrocities their ow people had committed in Russia not idea of the concentration camps in Poland and Germany. this is the incredible story of a Prussian aristocrat and her family's struggle west, a Scottish prisoner of war and a young Jewish refugee who join with them. Amazing and well written account of this group of people's will to survive. |
| Jean |
| The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I'm not sure how to describe this haunting novel. It's a quick, easy read. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough! It's a story that will stay with you, deep in emotion and very thought provoking. It's an unusual book, but a very worthwhile one. I think it would make great discussions for book clubs. |
| Jean |
| Mr. Monk and the Dirty Cop by Lee Goldberg |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Fun and light. If you enjoy the televison series of Monk the obessive compulsive detective, then you'll love the books too. |
| Jean M |
| The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Together, Nick and Gillian determine that one-by-one, each of those in the operating room for a fatally botched case is dying. Their discoveries pit them against genius Franz Koller, the highly-paid master of the 'non-kill' --- the art of murder that does not look like murder. As Doctor and nurse move closer to finding the terrifying secret behind these killings, Koller has been given a new directive: his mission will not be complete until Gillian Coates and Garrity, the last surgeon, are dead. |
| McKeever Elliott |
| Brava, Valentine by Adriana Trigiani |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I adore this author, and this book is the 2nd in her new series that began with VERY VALENTINE. Now, Valentine finds that her brother is her new business partner in the family designer shoe business and is livid as he is simply a businessman. Romance, family conflict and the revelation of a family secret are woven into this fascinating story. |
| Angie L. |
| Golden Girl by Henry Melton |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
GOLDEN GIRL is a YA sci-fi about a teenager, Debra, who is suddenly pulled out of bed into the future and told she can change the fact that the entire world is shaken by a meteor hit and most people will die. But instead of snapping back to her time period to fix things, she begins time jumping back and forth hundreds of years. And then she finds out... that those future guys? Yeah, they might've been lying. It was awesome! Lots of twists and shocks and a really mature, yet fun, tone! Highly recommended!` |
| Jean M |
| Split Image by Robert B. Parker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Sunny Randall shares the spotlight with Jesse Stone in this one, another good Parker read. (He wrote no other kind). They each have a case to solve and share their problems, both personal and professional. |
| Pam |
| Little Bee by Chris Cleave |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A very impressive look at those struggling to survive in African countries--- it will break your heart but reinforce your belief in the human spirit. |
| Lynne Kinsey |
| Now You See Me... by Rochelle Krich |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I couldn't put this book down. The well-developed character descriptions of the young Orthodox Jewish woman, Molly Blume, and her actions drive the book wonderfully and kept me anxiously awaiting each new development. I am now reading the other Molly Blume mysteries, although not in chronological order as I prefer. So far each book is well written with intrigueing plots about characters that I could have known and cared about. I highly recommend this and the rest of the series. When I finish these, I will start on her other books. I've found an author whose style and subjects I enjoy. |
| Pam |
| Too Great a Lady by Amanda Elyot |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Although this is a novel, it is quite accurate when I compared it to a biography of Lady Hamilton. She was a woman who rose from a checkered past to enchant one of the great admirals in history. |
| Pam |
| The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
If you grew up reading LITTLE WOMEN, you will love this fictional account of what might have happened in the author's life. It gives a great picture of her family dynamics. |
| Pam |
| Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Fast action, hard-to-put-down book, a really good look at a pediatric psych ward and the troubled children and their parents. |
| Rosemary Sobczak ([email protected]) |
| Heat Wave by Richard Castle |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Just a fun read to tie in with the TV show. |
| Esther |
| My Enemy's Cradle by Sara Young |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Don't pick this book up if you don't have much time to read, because you will not want to put it down! From the very first page, I was drawn into the story of Cyrla, a young Dutch girl who is sent to live in a "lebensborn" home for unwed mothers in Nazi Germany. This is historical fiction at its best - telling the story of an aspect of the Holocaust that I was not familiar with. |
| Glenn |
| Mercy by David L. Lindsey |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
3.5 stars. My only comment is that I thought the book was somewhat "bloated". It was a long novel and it felt long, especially the last couple hundred pages. I felt Lindsey could have trimmed 150 pages or so without losing any plot or storyline. Having said that, it's still a decent read. |
| B. Klassen |
| The Lover's Knot by Clare O'Donohue |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This book had wonderful descriptions of quilts in it. In my mind's eye I could see each quilt. The characters were typical rural people of the East Coast. It did surprise me to find out who the murderer was. The story held my attention. |
| Julie H. |
| Heist Society by Ally Carter |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Katarina Bishop just wants to have a normal teenage life at the Colgan School. She's trying to keep up with her studying when it becomes apparent she has been framed for a prank involving the headmaster, a Porsche and a fountain. Turns out some of Kat's family thinks she needs to return to the family fold, as her father is in a spot of trouble. The family business is one of thievery and cons, and her father has made a very bad man very angry. With family friend Hale and her real cousin Gabrielle, the teens begin to travel Europe to discover what may have happened to Arturo Tuccone's five priceless masters, hidden for years in a secret gallery under the moat of his estate. Tuccone gives Kat two weeks to find and return the paintings, or her father will be found by his men. A la Ocean's Eleven or The Sting, Kat manages to assemble a motley crew of teens to work together to find and then procure these five priceless works of art. I enjoyed Carter's characters in THE HEIST SOCIETY. I also thought it was a nice twist to touch on Nazi plundering during and after World War II, as a way to teach the reader about a sad bit of history. Although Carter's Gallagher Girlswere always very entertaining, Kat's crew, and their slight bent to the wrong side of the tracks were fun to read about. |
| EC |
| Illegal by Paul Levine |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a better than average thriller. As you read, you find yourself caring about the characters. It is a quick read, but engrossing. |
| Sally B., San Antonio TX |
| The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters by Gordon Dahlquist |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
1.5 stars. I listened to the abridged audiobook. Set in victorian England, this story's closest genre is Science Fiction, with some mystery, romance & porno thrown in. The protagonists should have died about 6 times but always got out of it. The only redeeming quality was the reader - he was pretty good. |
| Sally B. |
| People of the Masks by Kathleen & W. Michael Gear |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I like this author's couple prehistoric fiction series. You learn a lot about prehistoric times, how they lived, survived, etc, and there's always a mystery thrown in. |
| Dorothyl |
| Firefly Rain by Richard Dansky |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Classic horror book that keeps you wondering what is going on. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| A Darker God by Barbara Cleverly |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is the third in the Laetitia Talbot series about a young archaeologist set during the late 1920's. In this adventure, Letty and William Gunning are in Greece for the opening of a play directed by Letty's ex-lover, Andrew Merriman. Before the story gets underway, Andrew Merriman is murdered during dress rehearsal, and his wife, Maude falls to her death that same day. The driving force of the the story is an act named The Population exchange between Greece and Turkey of 1923, which is an actual event. Cleverly weaves historic events into the thread of the story which provide glimpses of brutal history, and all the errors made in the name of religion. |
| Laurie McAllister |
| One Good Dog by Susan Wilson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
ONE GOOD DOG equals One Great Book. It's a wonderful story of a self-made, highly successful man who loses everything due to a single moment of rage, and the dog who never had anything to begin with. The two meet and redeem each other. This is the best book I have read in 2010, and is in the top three books of the past two years. |
| Becky |
| The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I am 80% finished with this book, anxious to find out how Lisbeth Salander gets cleared of a series of murders. If I like it as much as THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, it will rate a 5. |
| Annie |
| House Rules by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
One of her best! Can't put it down. |
| Becky |
| Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
A very difficult read...too many characters to follow during the Vietnam War Era...WWII Colonel, his nephew, the Colonel's pilot and his nephew, the Colonel's right hand man, a double agent, a missionary's wife, and more. The novel delves into the confusion of war and those inept individuals with agendas of their own who use misinformation and mistrust to further their own ends. An award winning novel of 2007, but not for me. |
| Betsy ([email protected]) |
| New York: The Novel by Edward Rutherford |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Rutherford has summarized the history of New York City from Dutch settlement to present day. It's a big span of time to cover, but very well done until he reaches current day. Good read, nice movement through the years through families linked together. I think he ran out of steam or was bumping up against a deadline, as the weaving of the main characters lives which had been so masterfully handled wrapped up a little too conveniently. |
| Amy Henry ([email protected]) |
| The Book of Questions by Pablo Neruda |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Selection of poetry translated from Spanish by beloved Chilean author. The questions make you think and observe and question simple things in life, as well as the most complex. |
| Amy Henry ([email protected]) |
| Things We Didn't See Coming by Steven Amsterdam |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Short story collection about a future Australia, told in the voice of a young and snarky man with fierce wit and equally fierce brutality. |
| Annie |
| Hunting and Gathering by Anna Gavalda |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
3 "misfits" in Paris find each other, become friends, and live happily ever after. |
| Tanya |
| The Passage by Justin Cronin |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
3.5 is a better score for this book. I received an advanced copy of THE PASSAGE, which is released on 6/8/10. First off this book is huge at 766 pages. I also had trouble keeping the characters straight throughout the book. The book is about a government experiment that goes horribly awry when the twelve test subjects escape and start spreading the virus. It is a tale of survival, sacrifice and hope. |
| Amy Henry at TheBlackSheepDances.blogspot.com ([email protected]) |
| I Curse the River of Time by Per Petterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
An incredible investigation of a son's obsession with his mother and his place in life. He is desperately attached to her but tries to demonstrate his independence. There are clues that may explain this but without resolution, which makes it much more intriguing. |
| annie |
| The Last Child by John Hart |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Loved it! A 13 yr-old boy searches for his missing twin sister. |
| Becky |
| Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Too much expected because of too much hype. This is a low key book about a reserved elderly English gentleman who finds it hard to express himself to family, friends, and possible love interests. |
| Kaye |
| Coming Home by Mariah Stewart |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Vaness Keaton has been living in St. Dennis. a small town on the Chesapeake, for three years now since she escaped an abusive marriage. She owns her own home and boutique; two things she thought she would never have. Life is finally okay thanks to meeting her half brother Beck and his father Hal who takes Vanessa under his wing and helps her regain a self of self- respect There is no one special in Vanessa's life and that's the way she plans to keep it. As she too well knows, there are no fairy tales out there. She has the emotional and physical scars to prove it. But now when her half brother Beck is getting married, his fiancee asks her to show her brother Grady around town during the week of pre-wedding festivities. Grady himself is still recovering from the death of his wife, Melissa, and has been living in a remote part of Montana after quitting the FBI. Despite their feelings about past hurts, Vanessa and Grady hit it off. When part of Vanessa's past comes back to haunt her in a very dangerous way, Grady and Vanessa discover how much they really do mean to each other. As Vanessa tells Grady, "sometimes you have to let go of the past for the sake of the future." This book is mostly a romance story, extremely predictable though it is, the little bit of suspense and danger element helps to make the story more interesting. Stewart manages to bring the small town atmosphere of St. Dennis to life and peoples it with likeable and believable characters. The secondary thread of Vanessa's and Beck's troubled relationship with their mother, Maggie, gives the plot a little more depth. All in all, an enjoyable , quick read perfect for romance fans who are just looking for something light. |
| Elizabeth ([email protected]) |
| The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I absolutely loved this book...couldn't put it down. You will fall in love with the characters and share their joy, sadness, triumphs, and defeats...you will want to be right there with the ladies in the kitchen house preparing meals and being loved by them. The book is during the time of plantation owners and slavery. On his boat trip back from Ireland, James Pyke brought Lavinia with him...she is a seven-year-old white child whose parents died on the boat during the return trip. Lavinia is sent to work in the Kitchen House, and the black families learn to love her and she learns to love them as the only family she knows...her memory is gone when she arrives and remembers nothing about her parents and her childhood. Lavinia works alongside the ladies in the Kitchen House and then learns to take care of the Mistress of house's new born baby...the Mistress begins to teach Lavinia how to read and write. Lavinia is the main character along with Belle, Mama Mae and Papa George and of course the harsh plantation owners The book takes you through the loyalties the black families have for each other and their Master and his family. It also makes your heart ache at the truths of what really occurred on the plantations concerning the relationship between the slaves and the plantation owners. A lot of tragedies throughout the story, a terrific account of occurrences, excellent depictions of the surroundings and people. Through the author's wonderful descriptions, you feel you are right there...the novel is fabulously written. If you loved THE HELP, you will love this book as well or you may like it even more. ENJOY!!!! It is wonderful. |
| Julie H. |
| The Season of Second Chances by Diane Meier |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Professor Joy Harkness leaves Columbia and what she views as an increasing disconnect with life in NYC for a plum job at Amherst. She's in a great department and will help head a taskforce on changing the way students learn with a world renowned professor. She purchases her first house, an old Victorian in need of a great deal of work and a good contractor. She settles in at Amherst, sharing an office with women she can't quite believe are so friendly. Life in Amherst is messy and real, and Joy's gradual "coming of age" in the story is a bit slow, but somewhat rewarding in the end. The final third to quarter of the book really swayed my opinion of the story. Up until then, I was alternately frustrated then unhappy with Joy's moods and odd "oldness". (she's supposed to be 48, but acts 58 some of the time). |
| Jo |
| The Woman in Black by Susan Hill |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A wonderfully creepy ghost story! |
| Kat Sadi |
| Down to the Wire by David Rosenfelt |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Action packed, dont want to stop reading it. A reporter tries to stop a serial killer bent on revenge against him for something his father did before he died. |
| Jane Squires ([email protected]) |
| Rachel's Garden by Marta Perry |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Rachel is struggling with a lot in her life - her husband's death, raising her children, trying to run a dairy farm, in-laws, and her brother being shunned. Each of us can relate to losing someone we love whether it be a husband, baby, parent, or whomever. Also a lot of us have had struggles to deal with where finances were concerned. I know I certainly could relate to in-laws trying to think they know what is best for you. Also parents wanting want they think is best but it is not your dream. Gideon, also is dealing with the loss of his best friend, still grieving over losing a wife and baby. This book is not only about the Amish but will inspire you and increase your faith as your read it knowing we all suffer with some of the same issues in life regardless of our upbringing. You won't need the glossary in the back of the book to understand the Pa. Dutch language. I was going through some tough issues when I read this and it truly was an inspiration. |
| Kaye |
| Beautiful People by Wendy Holden |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Unputdownable is definitely the right word for this book. Once I started this delightful romantic comedy, I couldn't put it down. It's like one giant game of musical chairs with players leaving their own element to succeed in another player's element; Darcy, the dedicated Shakespearian actress who jets to Hollywood to audition for a part in a Star Wars type movie while Belle, the Hollywood bimbo, flies to London to try to repair her slipping image with some real stage experience. Belle just happens to try out for a role in a production of Shakespeare's Timon of Athens and succeeds! How, you ask, well you will just have to read the twist in this plot thread to see! Let's just say it's not your typical Shakespearean production. The action ramps up in Italy when the movie production begins and other characters holiday in the same town. A lot of situations come to a head while characters search for fame, fortune and love in a tumultuous manner. There are some well deserved come-uppances, some soul-searching questions and answers along with plenty of romance. Occasionally predictable but this reader didn't mind one bit; I was having too much fun with these characters. Of course, there were some characters who sometimes I just wanted to reach into the pages and slap! When I can easily get a running mental image in my head of all the characters, their surroundings and actions, then I know the author has done a good job. Holden's wit is rapier sharp and her keen sense of observation of the comedic is spot on. I had never read Wendy's books before but now I am a dedicated fan. This story tugged at my heartstrings, tickled my funny bone and just plain delighted me at every turn of the page. |
| Ruth |
| The Latehomecomer by Kao Kalia Yang |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The author tells the story of her Hmong family's search for a home. Their journey takes them from war-torn Laos to a refugee camp in Thailand before immigrating to the United States and settling in Minnesota. |
| Ruth |
| Unsweetined by Jodie Sweetin with Jon Warech |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
The former child star from the popular series Full House relates her struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction. |
| Marisa P. |
| Under A Marble Sky: A Love Story by John Shors |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Riveting historical fiction. This debut novel tells the story of Jahanara, the eldest daughter of the 17th-century emperor who built the Taj Mahal. Jahanara grows up under the influence of her parents, who loved each other so much that when Jahanara's mother died during childbirth, her father had the Taj Mahal built as a monument to their love. But since childhood Jahanara is caught between her two older brothers, Dara, the rightful heir to the throne, and Aurangzeb, their bitter and deadly rival. A forced marriage proves to be a nightmare, as does Aurangzeb's efforts to undermine Jahanara's life and every existence. Despite the burdens she must bear, Jahanara finds love and fulfillment in helping to build the Taj Mahal. She falls in love with the architect and finds great happiness with him. The building of the Taj Mahal is told in a vivid and vibrant manner, you can close your eyes and your there too. At times quite violent, this is a love story on many levels and not to be missed by fans of historic fiction. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| The Night Villa by Carol Goodman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
As with her other novels, Carol Goodman presents two stories enfolding. We have the diary of Phineas, in 79 AD which tells of secret rites and priceless books; and the present day story set to discover these long buried secrets. The main character, Sophie Chase, is like so many of Goodman's characters in her unsettled past with her mother and ex boyfriends. The sense of urgency to discover the secrets of the past propel the story. Of course, the beginning of the story, with the senseless killing of two university staff by a crazed gunman sets the story into fear and anxiety. As usual, the story is told with the beautiful imagery that Goodman employs in all her stories, and the weaving of Greek/Roman mythology is excellent. |
| Marion Miller ([email protected]) |
| South of Broad by Conroy |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
There were times when I loved this book and then there were times when I said enough! I don't think he can ever equal PRINCE OF TIDES. |
| Julie |
| Body Surfing by Anita Shreve |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is about a young widow torn between two brothers she meets one New England summer and all the entaglements that this entails. It was a good story but didn't knock my sock off. |
| Linda M. Johnson ([email protected]) |
| Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Well-written and researched book which tells the story of Pope Joan who, according to legend, ascended to the papacy as John Angelicus. Eager to learn and able to reason, Joan disguises herself as a male since educating women was thought to be senseless since a women's brain was considered to be inverse in size to a woman's uterus. Logic that Joan, as pope is able to refute by pointing out several intelligent women who are mothers to a large number of children. Who knew the 9th century was so interesting - married clergy, bishops with carnal knowledge of women, concern about the churches riches but disregard for human life especially the poor. Then there is the conflict between the Emperor and the leader of the church. Never a dull moment! |
| Sharron |
| Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A pleasant read, humorous at times, about an "elder" gentleman in an English village who falls for a Pakistani woman who runs the local tea establishment. He faces much criticism from his family and the town folks and the members of his club. This book shows the definite difference in the way of thinking of the older generation and their grown children who feel entitled and are always seeking to keep up and "use" people to advance their own agenda. |
| Judy O. ([email protected]) |
| The Irresistible Henry House by Lisa Grunwald |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Henry House became a "practice" baby in the Home Economics house of Wilton College in 1946. He was borrowed from an orphanage to live at the house for two years, so that young women students could learn how to take care of a baby. Martha Gaines is the long-time instructor in this house. She falls in love with baby Henry, and arranges to keep him with her instead of adopt him out as the other babies have been. The rest of the book chronicles Henry's life and adventures, both in and out of the house. This is a really delightful story, and it sure gives food for thought about how important human attachments are for babies before the age of two. This practice baby program actually did exist in colleges all over the nation until about 1969. |
| Michelle A. |
| The Magicians by Lev Grossman |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This was the story of a young man who suddenly discovers magic exists and goes off to a school to become a magician. Sounds familiar but this story had a more mature theme than Harry Potter and the main character was much more fatalistic and not nearly as endearing as Harry. There were a lot of references to Harry Potter, Narnia, Lord of the Rings and other fantasy literature which were very fun. Overall I enjoyed the book. It was entertaining. I did not, however, enjoy the general "life is meaningless and we should act accordingly theme". The ending was also somewhat pointless. |
| Jud Hanson |
| Outbound Flight by Timothy Zahn |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Set between Episodes 1 and 2, this novel relates the events of the Outbound Flight project, designed to explore the Unknown Region and make contact with any sentinent life forms out there. However, Sith Lord Darth Sidious is controlling things from behind the scenes and doesn't plan for ship to ever make it out alive. |
| Hedi |
| Horns by Joe Hill |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Enjoyable but I think the ending could have been a little better. I think Mr. King's has a good writing future. |
| Hedi |
| Guardians of Ga'Hoole by Kathryn Lasky |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I just finished books 1 through 4 and they were just great. Great imagination! I am ordering the rest of the series Books 5-12. Also, I am going to sent a book on owls to the grandchildren so that as they read the books the can see what these owls look like and learn more about them. I find books for young people that bring more to the table then vamp's to be good educational tools as in Percy Jackson with greek mythology. This will coming out as a movie in the fall. |
| Hedi ([email protected]) |
| 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I found that I knew the endings to most of the stories after reading the first couple paragraphs. Most of these stories have been done before with a few changes. However, I am not a big fan of short stoies so perhaps my take is a little bias. |
| Gina |
| Cream Puff Murder by Joanne Fluke |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Always love these novels in the culinary mysery series. They get better with each one and this one is no exception. And the main character, Hannah Swenson, is relatable to all readers. |
| A. Brim |
| Where Freedom Grows by Bonnie Leon |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
First in the Sowers Trilogy. A Christian novel set in Russia where Stalin is in control. Yuri and Tatyana's parents are taken away by police. Yuri forces Tatyana to sail to America. They are in separate countries and trying to cope with their faith and the loss of family and each other. |
| A. Brim |
| In Fields of Freedom by Bonnie Leon |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the second in the Sowers Trilogy. A Christian novel. Tatyana lives in American where she is married to Dimitri and trying to survive the depression. They move to Washington state for Dimitri to work in the mines. She not only worries about her husband's dangerous work but also about her brother, Yuri - is he still alive in Russa? |
| Jud Hanson |
| Tehran Conviction by Tom Gabbay |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Thriller set against the backdrop of the ill-fated CIA prompted coup in Iran in 1953 and the Iranian Revolution of 1979 resulting the hostage crisis and rise of Islamic fundamentalists to power. |
| A. Brim |
| Harvest of Truth by Bonnie Leon |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The third and last in the Sowers Trilogy. A Christian novel. Tatyana is learning to cope with life in America while Yuri is a fugitive in the Soviet Union and is trying to get to America. |
| Ruth |
| The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The lives of two sisters are forever changed when their parents are murdered. It takes another tragic event years later for each of them to face the secrets they've been keeping. |
| Mary Ann ([email protected]) |
| Twenty Seven Bones by Jonathan Nasaw |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Is a serial killer on the loose on the island of St. Luke in the virgin ilands? By name of machete man, or is there more than meets the eye? Special FBI agent F.I. Pender is invited to investigate. MO's dont match but just how many could be involved? Usually serial killers work alone, or do they? Taken from each victims is a right hand, chopped off probably by a machete, thus the name of the monster. |
| Jud Hanson |
| Gathering Storm by Morris Dees |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Profile of the militia threat that has been growing in the US starting in mid-90's with the passage of the Brady Gun Bill. |
| Ali |
| Mudbound by Hilary Jordan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Excellent book taking place in the south after World War II. Describes the racial relationships between neighbors and brothers-in-arms after the war. Don't miss this one. |
| Hedi |
| Postmistress by Sarah Blakey |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Good read. I have read so many stories about WWII as my parents lived thru the war in Europe that it was interesting to see how Americans handled the news and were convinced that it would not touch them. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| The Postmistress by Sarah Blake |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A gripping story of the perils of a war, this story revolves around the events of a small town in the Cape Cod area, and the happenings in London. The story is about three women and the men in the life of each. The story brings home the heart of a small town and the misconceptions of so many about WWII. I had not realized that America had immigration quotas that limited the number of Jews allowed in the country. The scenes of Frankie, the female radio newscaster, expose all the pain and suffering of the war. The story is well written, and shows the many secrets that each person must live. |
| Susan Babendure ([email protected]) |
| The Elephant Keeper by Christopher Nicholson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is a captivatingly original novel. It is storytelling at its best. It not only pulls your heartstrings, but does so without resorting to easy sentimentality. |
| Karen Allman |
| The Bridge by Doug Marlette |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A book that brings you back to the South when textile mills were in control of the towns and their employees. |
| Kenneth.C ([email protected]) |
| Making Rounds With Oscar by David Dosa MD |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The stories in this book are heart felt, inspiring, and full of humor and sadness. This book allows the reader to take a walk into the world of patients who are suffering from dementia and the care givers who help them carry on their everyday lives. The cat wanders the rooms and the hallways of the Steere House located in Rhode Island. Dr. Dosa makes his rounds at the nursing home. More than a good read. |
| Kerry H |
| Death and the Lit Chick by G.M. Malliet |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I am loving this book. It takes place at a Scottish Castle during a mystery writer's conference. |
| Deb S.R. |
| What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
As with most story or essay collections, some really good and some not so much. I enjoyed the way the writer created interest in topics by giving them a different spin, especially in the title story. |
| Deb S.R. |
| The Widow and the Tree by Sonny Brewer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
An easy flowing tale of how wrongs spurred by selfishness and greed- wrongs to land, people and a tree- are avenged. A moving and thought provoking story. |
| Deb S. R. |
| The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A remarkably told story of love, in many forms, both past and present, alive and dead, real and imagined. One of the top of my recent reads. |
| Carol |
| Monster by Jonathan Kellerman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This story grabbed me, held me and wouldn't let me go until the final page. It is so well written. A psychological thriller set in California, starting with a mass murder with so many twist and turns. I loved it. |
| Linda M. Johnson ([email protected]) |
| John Paul the Great by Peggy Noonan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Peggy Noonan narrated her book. This isn't a biography, which I thought it was. It was a long essay about Noonan's appreciation of John Paul II. It was interesting. |
| Rosanne Sharkey |
| The Postmistress by Sarah Blake |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
THE POSTMISTRESS is a very interesting novel set in Cape Cod and war torn London, Germany and France. The title is a bit inaccurate as it is the story of more than the Postmaster in the town of Franklin, MA. It is very much the story of several very important characters. The Postmaster, Iris, falls in love with Harry a man who is convinced that he must protect Cape Cod and the country from German U-boats that he knows will try to enter our shores through Cape Cod. Dr. Fitch grew up in Franklin and left to become a doctor. He returns to Franklin and what he believes is his destiny. He meets and marries a frail young woman named Emma who has suffered terrible losses and feels lost and alone. Add to the mix, a female war correspondent, Frankie Bard who becomes the voice Americans hear on the radio at night as she brings first hand accounts of what is going on over there. Each one is marked by powerful traits. Iris is orderly and conscientious and executes her job by all the rules. Emma believes herself to be invisible and unimportant and struggles with relationships. Frankie is a daredevil reporter seeking stories that will make a difference and have an impact. She needs to tell the story and reach those who are unaware of the suffering and anguish of others. Truth and the power of it make a compelling base for an extremely well written novel. Where are the lines that we should never cross; where are the lines that are crossed intentionally to protect the human spirit? I found THE POSTMISTRESS to be a compelling novel that I strongly recommend. |
| Rosanne Sharkey |
| Mrs. Somebody, Somebody by Tracy Winn |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I just finished a very impressive collection of short stories by Tracy Winn, "Mrs. Somebody Somebody". Ten short stories set in Lowell, Ma from 1947 to present time. It begins with "Mrs. Somebody, Somebody" at the Hub Hosiery Mill where you begin to meet the cast of characters, in particular Stella and Lucy. Both women have a mission, one to find a husband who will give her all she wants from life and one who is seeking to get a better life for the factory workers by unionizing them. As you read through this story and each one after, you follow certain characters as they "grow". You meet the people they interact with and get to know a town that is shaped around the mills, their owners and employees. A collection can sometimes be very disjointed; not so here. Tracy Winn , while delivering individual stories, weaves them together with the magic thread of her words. Early decisions create later consequences and complications for most everyone. There are several stories that stood out for me "Smoke" and the final one "Luck Be a Lady" I am eager to have some of my book buddies read this collection of stories. There is a lot to discuss here. In particular, I need to know who is putting Barbie doll shoes all around Kaylene's car and why. I hope I have your interest now. I know you won't be sorry to read "Mrs. Somebody Somebody." |
| Crystal |
| Dark Deceptions by Dee Davis |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I'm in the middle of this and it is good. Great romance, lots of suspense and I am loving getting to know the members of A-Tac and look forward to the other books in this series releasing this summer. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This book was a quest for a stolen library which, supposedly, has information from biblical times that proves the land that God promised the jews is not where they are. This information, if leaked, would upset the three major religions because the proper land is where Mecca is. Cotton, the hero of this series, gets involved when his son is kidnapped. Lots of conspiracies rolling around and an appearance by his X-wife. Interesting premise which has religion and politics intertwined. My husband and I listened to it on CD and the part he liked best was when Cotton took his X wife up in a plane which he intended them to parachute out of and he didn't tell her, just gave her a push when the time came. |
| Allison |
| Rising Tides by Emilie Richards |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A great story dealing with rascism in Louisiana. |
| Kathy Vieira |
| American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I had been anxiously awaiting my book group to choose AMERICAN WIFE. I have wanted to read it since I first heard about it. I have loved each of Ms. Sittenfeld's other books and I knew I wouldn't be disappointed in this one. I was right. It is a beautifully written story about an average young woman thrown into the public eye by her choice of husband. The main character of Alice is so likeable and relatable that you can't help but be drawn in by her extraordinary circumstances. I recommend this book wholeheartedly! |
| Jackie Ferrell |
| Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is the one of the best thrillers that I have read in years. I generally prefer non-fiction but this book kept my attention and took me to an end I could never have anticipated. For a series debut this writer has done such a good job that I can't begin to imagine where the next book will take me. I hope many people will appreciate Linda Castillo's talent. |
| Meme |
| Thank You for All Things by Sandra King |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Who is my father? Lucy is so in need of info about a father she has never known and goes to several different paths to get this info. She also witnesses her mother's alienation from her own father because of the type of person he was. But Lucy develops a relationship with her grandfather as he is dying. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| Nightseer by Laurell K. Hamilton |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This was a fantasy. It was good with her usual creativity and imagination. It has no sequal, and felt like one was planned but for some reason was never written. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| The Red Tent by Anita Diamant |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
My niece highly recommended this book and I took it with me over the weekend looking forward to a good read. It was a good read, but I feel like I should have liked it more than I did. I much preferred SNOWFLOWER and the SECRET FAN. Both followed young girls growing up within a patriarchical society, this one in ancient biblical times. I would give it a 3 out of 5. It's one of my nieces' favorites so don't hesitate because I'm not overly enthusiastic. It just did not resonate with me, except I kind of envied them their 3 days in the red tent. Sure wish that was one of my benefits at work = :) Life was not so bad if you had a decent male as father and husband. If not, it was hell. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I had it on my wishlist for a while at Bookmooch and it finally became available. I fell in love with the main character, Amelia, within the first two pages. It was a delightful read. I loved the characters and the language set in the victorian era. The main character is a strong willed woman in her early 30's that does not at all fit the mold of women of her era. She inherits her fathers fortune and sets out to travel to the places her father had talked about. In the course of her travels she picks up, literally, a companion who has a tarnished past. They head to Egypt and embark on an adventure which includes what appears to be a mummy's curse with two suitors for her companion and an x-suitor involved in their lives as well. Going on an adventure and being a proper victorian lady is quite a juggling act; luckily our heiroine is not always very lady like even though she is proper. This is the first in a series so I've already requested the next book to see what Amelia is up to next. She's from England so I guess I'll say this was jolly good. Thanks to whomever recommended it. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is about a bookkeeper who is a warrior at heart, trying to lead a non warrior's life by choosing a quiet office life. He's big, he's strong and he is attacked by his boss one day who has become a werewolf. He manages to fight him off and push him out the window of the office building. While in the hospital he is visited by the FBI who are closely watching him, and someone who leaves their card - MONSTER HUNTER INTERNATIONAL. They offer him a job. The FBI is there to shoot him if he turns into a werewolf. He loses his bookkeeping job, so he decides to check this place out after he has re-cooperated. After all, they gave him a $50,000 bounty from the Govt. The pay is good and he's a competition sharpshooter. To make a long story short, he becomes a cracker jack hunter - he hunts every kind of monster you've every heard about and some you haven't. He falls in love with another monster hunter who comes from a long line of hunters, some of which are part of the monster group now; some good, some not. It was a very good read and when I finished I checked to see if there was another and there is, so this looks like a new series and I'm a fan. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| Unnatural Death Confessionsof a Medical Examiner by Michael M. Baden, M.D. |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a non fiction book. It's fascinating, though somethimes very violent because of the violence against the victims; sometimes pretty gross. This book opened my eyes to the shady political deals sometimes made and also amazed me at times. If you like shows that rely on evidence from the dead, this book might be for you. You may be surprised at how much or little can be learned from the dead. |
| Audrey Anderson |
| Bundori by Laura Joh Rowland |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is #2 in a series about a Samari during feudal Japan. They are not at war so the Samari do various jobs and continue to remain in practice and to follow honorable paths. This Samari happens to come from a poorer family and is the epitomy of a Samari in character. His high ideals and talent for finding out truths makes him a good investigator. In this book his "lord" assigns him to find out the identity of someone decapitating Samari and mounting their heads as war tropies - bundori. Because of all the constraints upon him by the Samari code when dealing with those above him and the complexity of a strict class system in general, his investigations unfailingly create problems. Many would also like to see him fail because of his lower class background. Sano Ichiro is a character I find myself cheering for. I've had this second book for a while and now I'm mad that I waited so long to read it. The first one was good, this one is excellent. If you like mysteries and other cultures you'll like these. |
| Kathy Vallee |
| Motherhood is Murder by Diana Orgain |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This one takes off right where the las one ended, new mother Kate tries starting her own PI business but things start to get out of hand. Great little book. |
| FOH |
| The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A harrowing account of the Blizzard of January 12, 1888, commonly known as the Children's Blizzard due to the number of school children who perished in the storm. A bit heavy on the weather facts and forecasting technology of the time, but ultimately a gripping, heartbreaking story. The reader can feel the pelting, blinding snow and experiences shivers up the spine as we read each account of this storm. |
| GretchenK ([email protected]) |
| The Chosen by Chaim Potak |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I am reading this for my book group. Read it years ago. Teens probably would get more out of it than I am. Not a bad read though. |
| Debbie ([email protected]) |
| Lady of the Butterflies by Fiona Mountain |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I thoroughly enjoyed reading THE LADY OF THE BUTTERFLIES for allowing me to view the world of a female scientist in the 1680's to 1700's. At times, I felt the story line to be bland with too much of the day-to-day living, but then I decided that Fiona Mountain wanted the reader to see that in spite of all her accomplishments, Eleanor Granville lived a simple life that centered on her children and the butterflies. The novel inspired me to research Eleanor Granville and to learn that Fiona Mountain followed the actual life fairly closely. So many of the events of the story and Granville's real life are alarming, such as the plight of married woman and her property and the views/beliefs/superstitions of the common folk. I am distressed that those beautiful creatures, the butterflies, no longer abundantly populate the world. |
| Rita |
| Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is a very interesting piece of historical fiction concerning the discovery of fossils in England. It is somewhat slow but still absorbing and the slowness somewhat reflects the time period. It is also the story of an unlikely friendship between two women, actually a woman and a girl, which moves beyond class and age. |
| Jane ([email protected]) |
| Love Your Body by Brooke Parker |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
NOT a diet book... |
| Jane ([email protected]) |
| Us by Daniel Tocchini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A different kind of marriage book. |
| MsAnnie |
| The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Boy, if this isn't a Masterpiece Theater production in waiting! Old fashioned British mystery with a delightful heroine named Flavia who happens to be an 11 year old poison buff. Fun. |
| Ed Hahn ([email protected]) |
| The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I finally finished this over-long tome. I think Cornwell over-reached himself, here, by trying to do too much. I think this may be the first of his books that I awarded less than four stars to. The narrator of the story is Derfel Cadarn, a monk who was at one time a warrior pledged to Arthur. The early chapters set the scene, I suspect, for the full three book series: The Warlord Chronicles. The Arthur we read of is not the Arthur of legend but basically, a war-lord who becomes the protector of Mordred, the crippled infant king of Dummonia. Merlin, too, is not the magically wise maven of repute but a rather nasty, cynical druid with his own agenda. Lancelot is a coward. Guinevere is a narcissistic, selfish flirt. Galahad is an extremely brave loyal friend to Derfel. Actually, Cornwell does a better job than usual of character development. He does not do as good a job, though, of moving the story along and delays most of the action until the last third of the book. His description of the fighting is, as always, excellent. I was, more than once, tempted to abandon the book. I'm glad I didn't and I am now willing to try Volume Two of the Warlord Chronicles, ENEMY OF GOD. |
| Ed Hahn ([email protected]) |
| Private Practices by Stephen White |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is my first Stephen White novel. I would have been more impressed if I hadn't already read most of Jonathan Kellerman's work. As with Kellerman, White is also a psychologist who has a policeman friend, who is hired by the Boulder Coroner as a consultant, etc., etc. The biggest difference is that there is more humor and action in White's offering and better plotting, character development and depth in Kellerman's books. I didn't see any acknowledgment of Kellerman's influence anywhere but the similarities are very hard to miss. This story has Dr. Alan Gregory, the series protagonist, stumbling all over a series of seemingly unrelated murders that turn out to be connected. Unraveling the puzzle, while dealing with his pregnant ex-wife, Meredith, and his new love, Lauren, an assistant D.A., provides the reader with a fast-moving story. All is wrapped up at the end in a satisfying manner. I enjoyed the story, though, my seeing Kellerman's influence all over the place diminished my pleasure. |
| ck |
| The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The new Maisie Dobbs mystery is so satisfying. A soldier's body is recovered in France and his family realize he was murdered. As Maisie works through the problem, she encounters all the other characters we readers like so much. |
| Helkat |
| Reliable Wife by James Dobson |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
For the most part a good story line, found some of discriptions of the life during that time a little over the top! He was also very repetitive with his discriptions. Ending was sweet. |
| Stella |
| What Matters Most by Luanne Rice |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Two couples lives are intensely intertwined from Ireland to America. This wonderful story will keep the reader interested and eager to keep turning the pages. |
| Ed Hahn ([email protected]) |
| Virgin in the Ice by Ellis Peters |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
The opportunity to read a murder mystery and a historical novel simultaneously is a joy. This is especially true of the Cadfael mysteries, a series authored by Ellis Peters, a pseudonym for Edith Pargeter. I had seen the BBC production of this title years ago and yet I was no less caught up in the suspense to say nothing of being transported to another time. The plot is simple, Cadfael discovers a young girl frozen in a creek. He refuses to jump to obvious conclusions and the result is that the true killer is uncovered via a very clever ruse. His good friend, Shropshire Sheriff, Hugh Beringar is here plus a mystery character who pops up again later in the series. To identify him here would spoil it for those who have yet to read this book. Many of the other characters are slightly stereotypical but interesting and well drawn, nevertheless. Peters does a masterful job of transporting the reader into the story's time frame, AD 1139, a period of Civil War in England between King Stephen and the pretender Empress Maude. She uses language and historical data to cleverly set the scene and keep us there. I'm glad I chose to keep this title around for the last few years until I was ready to pick it up and be transported to another reality. |
| Susan J. |
| Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I can't do justice to this book, you need to read it for yourself. A novel told in the first person, it is a simple story. Eleven-year old Kim Chang and her mother come to Brooklyn from Hong Kong while they can. They work hard, live in desperate poverty, and are hurt by the family already in Brooklyn who should be helping them. Kim tries to be a good student despite the language barrier and students and teachers who treat her badly and contemptuously. After school, she helps her mother in her illegal and obscenely low-paying sweatshop job from which she can't escape. Her mother never quite gets the hang of American language or culture, and Kim is her interpreter. She is a child who must behave as an adult much too soon, and doesn't always succeed at it. This is the story of her childhood in America. It is a story of love, pride, friendship, stereotypes, culture clashes, betrayal, and determination. The characters become real, and some of them I want to hug, some of them I want to slap, especially Mr. Bogart and Aunt Paula. It is written without sentimentality but with great heart. The story will stay with me for a long time, long after I've read and forgotten many other novels. |
| Kalle LaJaune |
| The Dark Tide by Andrew Gross |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A little disappointed in this one by James Patterson's sometimes co-author. It is a bit trite, but I am pushing through it. I would recommend it as something easy to pick up and put down at the beach or on an airplane. |
| Harriet Stay ([email protected]) |
| Bad Things Happen by Harry Dolan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
David Loogan reluctantly accepts a job offer editing for a mystery magazine called Gray Streets and owned by Tom Kristoll. David's first mistake may have been becoming romantically entangled with Tom's wife, Laura. The second mistake, which was a whooper, was helping Tom get rid of a body. More deaths follow. Even though David attempts to play the sleuth, there is a fine police force at work in Ann Arbor, MI, with the investigations headed by Detective Elizabeth Waishkey and Carter Shan. I enjoyed knowing this cast of characters, but a special treat was Elizabeth's fifteen-year-old daughter Sarah, who was determined to have David teach her how to juggle oranges. Nice touch. I would call this a soft-boiled mystery with firm plotting, witty, and unpretentious writing that was thoroughly entertaining. I especially enjoyed the way David is able to think through all the evidence and see it in a different light, as though he was editing a mystery story. Great debut! I'll definitely look for his next book. |
| Linda |
| The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Presents a representation of what it was like to live in England during the 1800's. It also was a good recap of what an apothecary could and couldn't do as opposed to a medical doctor. Good story while teaching! |
| Sharon Elliott-Fox |
| Unfinished Desires by Gail Godwin |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
The past affects the future, decisions and actions take on a life of their own in this story of teenage angst, friendship, jealousy and mis-behavior, spanning generations. |
| Sharon Elliott-Fox |
| Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Redemption does happen, even in the midst of anguish and pain. |
| Lynne |
| Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Another northerner who loves reading southern novels...These people are somehow people we want to know...but maybe only in story form. A good story in this grand tradition. |
| Mabel |
| The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the 3rd book in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. I have been really enjoying all the trouble Percy gets into on his own and how he manages to get out of trouble. - generally with help from friends. It is a quick and fun read. |
| Michele |
| Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I love historical novels. Maybe it is because I think I am learning while enjoying a delightful read. And this book is delightful. It is sad but inspiring, not melodramatic and it leaves the reader satisfied. In the grand scheme, everything doesn't work out the way you plan it when you are a child. There a lot of forces at work in our lifetime, some evil, some good but the human spirit prevails. Jamie Ford does an excellent job of telling Henry's story during the 40's. |
| Kristie |
| Cross Gardener by Jason F. Wright |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
|
Did not like the ending at all. Too farfetched. |
| Kalle LaJaune |
| Last Light Over Carolina by Mary Alice Monroe |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Last light is a little lite on interesting plot. This is very predictable and not Monroe's best effort. |
| Sharon Elliott-Fox |
| Coming Home by Rosamund Pilcher |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
It is amazing to me that a parent can send his or her twelve year old (or younger) child to a boarding school to be taught not only scholastic subjects but also values and attitudes, but this book tells this poignant story of Judith Dunbar, left to grow up without parental love and supervision. All seems to be well as she is taken under the wing of another boarder and her family. |
| Heather Fox |
| House Rules by Jodie Picoult |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A slow moving book; waiting for the twist that always occurs in her books. Interesting topic. |
| L. Hann |
| Act of God by Susan R. Sloan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Suspenseful. There is a bombing at the Hill House. No evidence points to the accused. This is a trial of the century. Susan Sloan has a way of making you feel like you are on the jury. |
| Carol B |
| Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Gripping coming of age story set in Tehran, Insight into teen agers life in Iran and Persian culture. Started a bit slow but couldn't put it down once I was into it. |
| Barbara B. |
| Impatient with Desire by Gabrielle Burton |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this book about Tamsen Donner, of the famous "Donner Party", during their time in the Sierra Mountains and the hardships they faced. |
| Barbara B. |
| Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A memoir about Ann's friendship & love for her friend, writer, Lucy Grealy, who had been diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma at age 9. This memoir takes places during the women's early adulthood years. |
| Kalle LaJaune |
| Sushi for One? by Camy Tang |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
Don't bother! What can I say, it was free and I bit. I had just gotten back from Japan and was hungry for anything that sounded Japanese. This is not worth the seaweed it's wrapped in. |
| Pam |
| The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
What a disturbing yet intriguing book. If you can get past the graphic violence there is a great mystery at the heart of the book. Mikael Blomkvist, a once-respected financial journalist, is hired by 80 year old Henrik Vagar to research a mysterious disappearance that has remained unsolved for nearly 40 years. He enlists the help of multipierced and tattooed Lisbeth Salander, a superhacker, and the two uncover family corruption. |
| Donna Groelinger ([email protected]) |
| The Cozen Protocol by Mitchel Nevin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A friend of mine, a former Milwaukee cop, recommended the book. It's not a typical crime mystery with just one or two major characters. The book features a wide array of actors but primarily revolves around a detective in the gang squad and a reporter. The plot centers around a war between drug dealers from the Dominican Republic and a local Milwaukee Latino gang. The police chief is set to retire and, inside the police department, candidates to replace the chief jocky for the inside track to get the job. Meanwhile, a small group of officers get harrassed by a internal affairs detective. The reader doesn't really know why until the last quarter of the book when the entire plot comes together. This is a crime mystery and conspiracy novel wrapped into one. Overall, it was a solid read. It took about six chapters to really set up the plot. The Cozen Protocol reminded me of Tom Clancy's book PATRIOT GAMES. It contains a lot of detail about police work, how cops think, how gangs do business, etc. I couldn't find THE COZON PROTOCOL in a paper book, so I downloaded it to my PC using Amazon's Kindle software. The good news: the book only costs $2.99. |
| Jean M |
| The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Palmer writes good page-turner thrillers. This is no exception. Really good one. |
| Kellie ([email protected]) |
| Simple Genius by David Baldacci |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
#3 in the Michelle and Sean series- This series gets better and better after every book. This one was really good. Great suspense, character development and great story line. Sometimes Baldacci crosses over to a place above my intellect. But for the most part, this one was easier to follow. Michelle is having some serious issues with her past. Enter psychiatrist, Horatio, who is trying to figure out what, from Michelle's past, is haunting her. IN the mean time, Sean needs some work. There isn't much out there so he goes to his ex-lover, to see if she has something for him. Just so happens she does. She sends him to Babbage Town to investigate a questionable suicide. Babbage Town just happens to be on the border of a CIA land grab. There are some odd things happening and Sean is trying to figure out the secrets of Babbage Town and it's neighbor. Michelle eventually makes it down to Babbage Town to help Sean out and things get heated up. This was one of Baldacci's better ones. It kept my attention and the suspense was high level. |
| Margit |
| The Art of Racing in the Rain by Stein |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
One of the best books I've ever read. |
| Billie McHam |
| Roses by Leila Meacham |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Saw the review on Bookreporter and decided to check it out from the library. After a short wait, I received it and had second thoughts because it was over 600 pages. However, it was well worth every page. It gets right into the story and you can't wait to turn the page to see what will happen next. One of the critics acclaimed it was like GONE WITH THE WILD. Maybe it is similar but easier to read and moves along much faster. Really enjoyed this book and was sorry to see it end. Will definitely read other books by this author. |
| Helkat |
| Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Two little girls go missing; Cali, a selective mute and Peta, Cali's best friend and her voice. Both famlies try desperatly to try to find them and in doing so are forced to deal with family secrets that they had hoped would stay hidden. Great read - makes we worried when I come across a child in our school system that is a selective mute. Why? |
| Claudia D. |
| Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I have read both this and In the Company of the Courtesan. Both are excellent stories. Very well written and the characters are so vividly developed. Tough to put down. |
| Jean |
| Preaching to the Corpse by Roberta Isleib |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Isleib's psychologist-sleuth mystery series is superb. Kind of cozy, but yet well written. I believe there are only 4 in the series featuring Dr. Rebecca Butterman. Try one, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. |
| Amanda Byrd ([email protected]) |
| City of Thieves by David Benioff |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
When I found out it was a WWII novel, I was skeptical; haven't I read enough about WWII and how can anyone tell is as well as Elie Wiesel? However, this is an amazing novel. It takes place in Russia- two young boys in the wrong place at the wrong time and then they have to serve a mission for their leader to find a dozen eggs or they will be put to death. Easy task, right? Wrong. Russia was absolutely devestated by German forces and there are no eggs to be found. So these boys embark on one crazy mission to another to try to save their lives and end up saving many other lives. This is such an interesting novel that shows us a side to WWII I have never seen before. And this is written so beautifully. |
| Helen Burnham |
| The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
A bit disappointing! Despite the title, the book is really more about World War II Hong Kong and the character of Will Truesdale than it is about Claire, the piano teacher. Although all three of the primary characters are flawed, I am finding it particularly difficult to get past the objectionable naivete of Claire. |
| Amanda Byrd ([email protected]) |
| Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Yes, many people think that a book of short stories cannot be good. Especially mini biographies?? However, Sedaris' life is entertaining enough to actually write about in a book. And Sedaris has such a brillant way of caputuring life with slathered on sarcasm that makes it interesting. I can relate to almost every single story somehow yet wonder in amazement how he wrote it so perfectly. I love this book and all of Sedaris' books. |
| EC |
| Remember Me by Trezza Azzopardi |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Something in the book keeps you reading, but the plot gets confused, at times. The premise is interesting. |
| Cindy Gallimore |
| Whisper of Evil by Kay Hooper |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is the 3rd in the Evil trilogy by Kay Hooper. I have enjoyed this series. Her books are the first ones that I have read that with psychic characters. I was not sure whether I would like this type of mystery/thriller or not. I prefer medical thrillers & psychological thrillers. Her books are well writtern and what I consider an 'easy read'. They flow very well and you find yourself getting through them very quickly as you want to continue to find out what happens next. I am looking forward to reading her next trilogy. |
| Terri |
| Caught by Harlen Coban |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is his best book yet. I read it in one sitting. I couldn't put it down. Very suspensful, the characters interesting and the plot twists kept me guessing. I loved it! |
| Terri |
| Horns by Joe Hill |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
I really loved this book. It was a story I had never read before and really enjoyed. I was irritated that work got in the way of finishing the book sooner. No happy ending in this book, but how could it, right? |
| Debbie W. |
| Death of a Valentine by M.C. Beaton |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is a Hamish Macbeth mystery set in a small village in northern Scotland. Once again, Hamish has "woman trouble" and must solve several murders so that he can be left alone by his superiors in the small village of Lochdubh. The string of murders start with the death of a beauty queen who is believed to be a "good girl",but is actually quite the opposite. This time around police headquarters in Strathbane send a police woman to assist him. She, of course, has stars in her eyes and sees herself as winning the heart of Hamish and marrying him. When Hamish shows no interest in her, she becomes more and more desperate. Finally she drugs him so that she can be found in his bed. This makes him think that they had had sex. She goes so far as to get a doctor's certificate to show that she is pregnant, and Hamish says he will marry her. His good friend, the doctor's wife, suspects that something is wrong with the whole situation and calls one of his former girlfriends, a reporter, to investigate. The reporter finds evidence to prove that Hamish was drugged and the pregnancy was false,. saving Hamish from this marriage. The policewoman is kicked off the force and while trying to entrap Hamish had begun to drink heavily. Although, I read both the Hamish Macbeth series and Beaton's Agatha Raisinseries, I find her books unrealistic. Would a woman go to such extremes to "catch a husband"? I don't think so, not ion the year 2010. Nevertheless, this is light reading and if you have time, read it. |
| John W. |
| The Book of Negroes by Lauwence Hill |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Although the book is fictional, it is based on historical fact. The novel, set in the 1700s, describes the life of an African child who is sold into slavery in the American colonies. She lives a remarkable life, learning to read and write, and escapes to freedom in New York. Later, she lives for a time in a British colony in Canada and then to Africa. Her final years are set in Britain where she works with abolitionists to try to get the British government to abolish slavery. This is a wonderful book. You will enjoy it immensely. |
| Jane Squires ([email protected]) |
| Rachel's Garden by Marta Perry |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
If you love Amish romance books, you will love this one. You even read in some of the Amish Pa. Dutch language and it is easy to understand. You learn Amish are people just like you and I dealing with everyday family situations along with their faith. Rachel lost her husband Ezra and struggles to maintain the Dairy farm of his dreams and raise her children. Family help but like all family think they can tell Rachel what is best for her and the kids. Now tell me there isn't a person who can relate to this. Gideon builds the Greenhouse Ezra wanted Rachel to have for her birthday because rachel loves to garden. Her brother-in-law tries everything he can to get Rachel to sell the farm to Ezra's family. I am half way through the book and it is hard to put down at this point. I've reached a point where a child climbs a hayloft and cannot figure out how to get down after walking out on a beam. Suspense and holding your breath insue as you hope for the child's safety and feel for the Mother. You must read this book. |
| Marie |
| House Rules by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
|
While many people will flock to read this book, your time would be better spent on Marcelo in the Real World. The ending was a huge let-down. Instead, read the YA Marcelo book. You won't put it down, and it will give you a more realistic idea of children with Asperger's. |
| Linda M. Johnson ([email protected]) |
| All That Remains by Patricia Daniels Cornwell |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
Young couples disappear when their bodies turn up later, usually found by hunters, their shoes are missing and something extra appears at each scene. Typical Scarpetta. Typical Cornwell. |
| Rita Hanneman |
| The Triumph of Katie Byrne by Barbara Taylor Bradford |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This is one of those light reading books that is fun to read occasionally. The story concerns three best friends who all want to be actresses. Unfortunately, one is killed and one is severely injured, leaving only Katie Byrne to attempt to realize their dreams. |
| Ivy Pittman ([email protected]) |
| Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
An absolutely fabulous read for anyone who has been to Paris or who desires to go! I fell in love with the city of lights all over again. The recipes left my mouth watering for the savory dishes Bard was so kind to include in her love story. |
| Dara Berryhill ([email protected]) |
| The Given Day by Dennis Lehane |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
Long book, but interesting. |
| B Cappucci ([email protected]) |
| Circle of Fire by Dolores Riccio |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
SO glad i found this book and to my amazement I realized this was the first book in a series of about 5, how perfect the story goes on!! A little "white" magic, wine, crime and good friends. These books will take you in and you will become part of their group...fun and educational, I never knew what wiccans were about. |
| Dara Berryhill ([email protected]) |
| When Everything Changed by Gail Collins |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
A must read for every woman growing up in the 1960's and 1970's. Very interesting. |
| Shelley |
| River of Doubt by Candice Millard |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I love anything about Teddy Roosevelt and this book doesn't disappoint. Millard relates the lowest point in Roosevelt's life after he lost the presidential election to Woodrow Wilson. He decides to take a trip to South America and the rest is history. A 2010 Long Island Reads book. |
| Liza |
| A Quiet Belief in Angels by R.J. Ellory |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
A murder mystery set in 1940's Georgia. The writing style is superb. |
| Anita Nowak |
| Say Your One Of Them by Uwem Akpan |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
This book was written fairly well. However there were times where the author used a different language (the language of the people in Africa) and I found it difficult to understand what was being said. In addition there were a series of short stories all told from the viewpoint of children of different ages in different parts of Africa. The stories, obviously realistic were very disturbing - they told of murder, war, rape - etc. Needless to say I really cannot recommend this book because I found it too depressing - I prefer to read something pleasant for enjoyment. |
| GladysMP |
| Pushing Up Daisies by Rosemary Harris |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
|
I am not too much into mystery stories, but my daughter is. This author truly kept the story flowing, but I did have a bit of a problem keeping up with the many characters. Kept finding myself thinking,"Now who was that?" There is a lot of gardening mentioned in this book and that is right down my alley. |
| Rachel ([email protected]) |
| Swan Song by Robert McCammon |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Beautiful! Robert McCammon has written a whole new world. He has made a world full of hope, desire, death, and war. It keeps you reading the whole through and you wondering whats going to happen next. |
| CC |
| One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I enjoyed this book. It was a bit far-fetched at times but it was an interesting concept and it gave an insight into the Indians and how they were treated. |
| Jan |
| The Irresistible Henry House by Lisa Grunwald |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This is about a "practice baby" who was named Henry. I had never heard of practice babies and although this book is fiction, I did learn there was truth to this. The author wrote a story wondering what would happen to one such baby, who was raised in a home ec program and had multiple mothers. I found the writing to be very good and the story to be different from any I've read recently. It's not my favorite all time book, but definitely worth a read. |
| Celeste |
| Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
This is an older book, but a new one to me! So far I love this book. It's laugh out loud funny in some parts, and that's just the kind of book I need to get lost in this week. |
| Richard N Bartels |
| A God in Ruins by Leon Uris |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
This novel tells the story of Quinn Patrick O'Connell, a man of integrity, who is about to become the second Irish Catholic President of the United States. Told against the background of America's history from WW II to 2008. Uris is a master storyteller, and this is quite a story. |
| F Tessa Bartels |
| Milk Glass Moon by Adriana Trigiani |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
I love Trigiani's writing. Her characters open themselves to us, letting the reader inside their fears, their joys, their flaws, their happiness. This is the third book in the Big Stone Gap series. And I will continue to read her works. |
| F Tessa Bartels |
| The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
|
***** SPOILER ALERT ***** Character Henry says it best, "call it what you will, but this is definitely not ordinary!" Basically the story of Hamlet transported to 1972 northwoods of Wisconsin, on a farm that raises a unique breed of dog. Edgar, a mute since birth, is 14 and must find a way to prove that his uncle killed his father to get the farm. |
| Diane R. |
| The Virgin's Daughters by Jeanne Westin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
|
Interesting book about Elizabeth I and two of her ladies in waiting. If you like books about the Tudor monarchy, you will like this one. |
| Sylvia |
| Apple Turnover Murder by Joanne Fluke |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
| Once again Hannah is involved in finding a murderer in her small town in Minnesota while she bakes delicious recipes! The quick and delicious apple turnover recipe is reason enough to read this book! |
