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June 15, 2012 - June 29, 2012

susan atkins
Blueberry Muffin Murder by Joanne Fluke

5
This is a nice who done it, with a small town bakery and and characters who you think you know. I always like to read this author, smooth reading and wonderful recipes.

Marie-Louise Molloy
The 500 by Matthew Quirk

4
Excellent thriller, first page is a gripper!

Virginia Weber
Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult

5
I am transported by Picoult's characters and now I'm learning about the pack too.

Virginia Weber
Bring Up The Bodies by Hilary Mantel

5
I loved Wolf Hall and worried I should reread it before beginning this book. My fears were needless. Once again, I was with Cromwell. Mantel evokes time and place seamlessly. This is a wonder of a novel.

Kay T
Trick of Light by Louise Penny

5
I enjoy this series so much. The characters continue to develop with each new book and the sense of place she gives to Three Pines is wonderful. I subscribe to her Facebook page and she discusses a wide variety of issues from her struggles writing the books as she is writing them, the remodeling of their home, their travels, etc. Her writing is superb in her blog, too.

GladysMP
All That Sparkles & His Child by Stella Cameron & Delores Fossen

4
This book contained All That Sprakles by Stella Cameron plus a bonus book called His Child by Delores Fossen. Both stories are very interesting and they are very different. The former is set in the diamond industry where there had been a major theft. The latter follows a very strange plot to destroy a candidate for office. The many twists and turns in both plots will keep you anxious to read the next chapter.

Linda Johnson
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn West

2
The story of a family, 3 boys, the sister (the narrator) and their widower father. Mom died shortly after giving birth to the youngest boy (who is nine years younger than Esch, the girl. The first three are teenagers, born a year apart. Dad morns the loss of his wife at the bottom of a bottle. Esch is surrounded by males - not only her family, but her brothers' friends. Her brother, Skeeter, is determined to change at least his fortunes through his pit bull and her pups. The family lives in Louisiana where despite being sick, the dad is mindful of the approach of the hurricane Katrina. The boys and Esch think the storm will hit Florida which will reduce its ferociousness. Only Daddy, with experience with hurricane Camille is worried.

Phoenix
Scent of the Missing by Susannah Charleson

5
The moving & interesting story of the author's relationship with & training of her golden retriever puppy to become an effective search & rescue dog.

Maxine Urso
Fish Tank by Scott Bischke

5
Excellent view of today's corporate greed written in the style of George Owell's Animal Farm. Should be required reading for all members of congress!

michele c
Porch Lights by Dorthea Benton Frank

5
Definitely a low country tale! I loved this book!

michele c
Dead Scared by S J Bolton

5
I was dead scared!!!!!! Scary but awesome book.

Jean Lesslie
Stolen Prey by John Sandford

5
This latest of the Prey series is the best yet in my opinion. I love all of the characters in this series so was glad that we got to meet with them again. Since the Letty character (Lucas's adopted daughter) was brought into the series, I have wanted to read more about her. Virgil Flowers is also back with us although in this book, he is in the background. There is a good twist to the story at the end that does not disappoint.

John Warner
The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta

5
The book had it's moments when the plot dragged but, overall, I discovered the psychological struggle the characters experienced after a Rapture-like event moving and found myself grieving along with many of the characters. I often paused in my reading reflecting on some of the questions raised and wondering what I would do in a similar situation. Tom Perrotta's novel is thought-provoking and will stay with the reader long after the book is finished.

Jean Lesslie
Fifty Shades Freed by E. L. James

5
This last of the trilogy is the best yet. There is some good suspense as well as some good reveals about Christian's past. Granted, there is more than enough sex in each of the three books, but this is a true romance story in my opinion. I'm not usually a fan of romance books nor of re-reading books, but these books are an exception for me.

Debbie
Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

5
Okay, the writing in poor granted. Love it or not there is lots of sexual scenes. However, the story is one that I could not put down. The story line (yes there one) and the characters keep coming back to you over and over again. I just wanted to know what happened!!

Debbie
Hot Wire by Alex Kava

3
I love the Maggie O'Dell novels, but this one had a lot of things that were hard to follow. Still good story, but not my favorite.

Janet Nydegger
Nadia Knows Best by Jill Mansell

5
An interesting group of characters make this a fun read. I love the author's sense of humor!

Debbie C.
Stay Close by Harlan Coben

5
Megan (the main character) lead an interesting life that kept my on my toes. I loved the mystery and the way that it was resolved. Harlan Coben does not disappoint in this book.

Debbie C.
Guilty Wives by James Patterson and David Ellis

4
One of my favorite James Patterson books in a while. Although the scenario appeared a little farfetched, the plot kept my reading at a fast pace. I enjoyed reading of all of the scenes of overseas, and thought the book was very well written.

Don
United Breaks Guitars: The Power of One Voice in the Age of Social Media by Dave Carroll

5
I thoroughly enjoyed Dave Carroll's first book, "United Breaks Guitars". Dave's story of how United Airlines broke his Taylor guitar and the roadblocks that he encountered in having the company offer restitution and an apology resonates with many frustrated consumers. Instead of just being angry, Dave used his songwriting talents and channeled his frustrations in a positive manner by creating 3 songs and videos to get his message to the public and big business. With the attention that his songs and videos garnered on YouTube, Dave began to think about and do something about the positive ways that social media could be used to create a dialogue between consumers and business. Dave is a natural-born storyteller and this is a great read.

Dara Wat
XO by Jeffrey Deaver

5
As usual Jeffrey Deaver is delivering in this new book. Hooked me from the beginning and is keeping me hooked. I am sorry that I have to do other things when reading a book like this.

Jean L
Marriage Is Murder by Nancy Pickard

4
This is the first book in the Jennie Cain series where she works for a city foundation. It is a short book that deals with domestic violence. Jenny and Geof's wedding day is approaching but he is spending all his time dealing with his job as a policeman. Is he even going to be able to go to his own wedding? This is a well-written book. I believe that I will read the rest of the series.

Kate Weber
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

5
I never expected to laugh so much during a story about teens with cancer. Our narrator, Hazel, is on oxygen all the time due to the fluid in her lungs, and her condition is undeniably terminal. One day at support group she meets the charming Augustus Waters; this is the tale of their relationship. And it is absolutely amazing, a story I treasured every instant of. Did I cry? Of course I cried. But I also left feeling so grateful to have known these characters for that brief time. This is also one of those books with a lot of reread value: lots of foreshadowing and symbolism that I look forward to spotting the second time around. Highly recommended.

Anne Marie Koschnick
The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver

4
Our mystery book club decided to read this book to take a break from the cozies that we normally read. Since we normally try to start with the first book in a series, we decided to read The Bone Collector as our first choice from Jeffrey Deaver.The nice thing is, we can then compare the movie and the book to see any differences.

Sandra Austin
Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard

4
Candice Millard has a remarkable ability to make nonfiction read like a novel. James Abram Garfield, Alexander Graham Bell and Joseph Lister were all in attendance at the United States’ Centennial in Philadelphia. Garfield was there as a Congressman who wanted to continue to learn more about everything. Bell and Lister were there to advance their ideas - the telephone and antiseptic medicine. In just a few short years these ideas would intersect with Garfield as he began his first term as President of the United States in a way no one could have foreseen. This compelling story tells of a time when America was still trying to come together after a bloody civil war and of a chain of events that would eventually change the whole fabric of life.

Anita LeBeau
Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead

3
I'd probably give this a 3.5 stars. I like this book, it's an enjoyable read. A peak into an elite east coast family, one with lots of problems.

Kathy Vallee
Night of the Living Dead by E. J. Copperman

5
This is the first in a new series were a woman buys a house to fix up after all this time and a heavy bucket falls on her head after that she starts seeing ghosts and finds out not only are they dead but they were murdered and they want her to find out who killed them in the process she finds out her nine year old daughter and her mom both have been able to see them "all ghosts" forever. It is great there are three books so far.

Janice Baly
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

5
The author does a terrific job of getting into the mind of a boy with Asperger's Syndrome and telling the story from the boy's point of view.

Shiela
Sing Them Home by Stephanie Kallos

3
I read this book for my book club. I can't actually put my finger on why I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I really enjoyed reading the journal entries Hope's diaries.

Lynn W
Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell

4
Historical fiction, woman traveling alone, Egypt, and Lawrence of Arabia---loved every page!!

janie dennis
The Crush by Sandra Brown

5
I love a good cop/love story. This one is a good one. It keeps you interest to the end. I thought I had it all figured out, but I was a little off. It isn't a recent novel, but I love all of Brown's books.

Pam
The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo

4
This was an advanced reader's copy that didn't grab in the first 50 pages, but after that it was an all-nighter. Five generations of women pose a challenge for a geneticist, but in the search for their secret of longevity, many other secrets of their pasts reveal themselves.

Sue Beckwith
The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo

5
I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this book, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The dynamics between and among the women--from 112-yr-old Anna to 20-something and pregnant Erin, six generations, were quite relatable. And the storyline of their longevity and good health, and the "secret" that may be the answer, was intriguing. The geographic setting and olive groves were interesting, as well. A good read!

Sue Beckwith
Wild by Cheryl Strayed

3
I'm giving this a mid-range rating for now, as I have just started reading it. And yes, I got the Oprah e-edition for her new book club.

Sue Gulley
A Long Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May Alcott

5
Forget Little Women, this book is so different. For years she tried to escape the man she truly loved. Running away was not the answer...I loved this book!!!!

Julie
The Glass Rainbow by James Lee Burke

4
This is another installment of the Dave Robicheau detective series. Burke's descriptions of Louisiana and Mississippi are so wonderful that you can feel the warm breeze blowing through the weeping willows and smell the oleander mixed with the swampy smell of the bayou. It drew me right in and I'm really enjoying it.

Marcia Sailer
Sisters in War by Christina Asquith

4
Very enlightening book about the aftermath of the Iraq war and the efforts of three women to increase women's rights. It reveals the government's failures at capitalizing on the goodwill after toppling Saddam. The US government seemed more intent on forcing democracy on it's terms than on improving the living conditions of the people, or of involving them directly in solving the problems. The story is told through an Iraq women working with the US, a US woman soldier, and an American aid worker. All three want to improve life for Iraqi women, but have little success. This book was copyrighted in 2009. I'd like an update on conditions and the two remaining women's lives.

Bobbie Davis
Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James

3
Too soon to tell but I am intrigued. Everyone is talking about it so I decided I had to see for myself.

Mary Ann Harmon
The Killing Game by Iris Johansen

4
Fast-paced read!!

Bobbie Davis
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

2
Too many people and too much detail. Skipped to the parts about Lisbeth and wanted to see how it ended.

Linda H
Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran

4
Although a bit long, I found this book to be very interesting as it covered the French Revolution and the time when mobs were incited to do terrible things. I found it ironic that the men who incited the mobs so much were also killed by the mobs. This is the story of how Madame Tussaud's began and how politics played so much a part of its beginning.

Michelle Pharr
The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty

4
Loved the whole book; characters were well drawn and I felt I was really there with them.

Michelle Pharr
The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty

4
Loved the whole book; characters were well drawn and I felt I was really there with them.

Linda H
The Summer Garden by Sherryl Woods

3
A good story but I did not like one of the main characters, Moira. In the book, she is characterized as stubborn whereas I found her to be too self-centered.

Linda H
The Bourne Dominion by Eric Van Lustbader

5
Another riveting novel about Jason Bourne. This one finds Jason pitted against a group known as Severus Domna. This group had been taken over by Semid Abdul-Qahhar, a radical Muslim who was plotting to destroy the United States and Jason has to find and destroy him first.

Linda H
D.C. Dead by Stuart Woods

5
This was a good book and it kept you guessing who the murderer really was. The main characters Stone Barrington and Dino Bacchetti are working for the President of the United States to investigate a murder of a White House employee.

Linda H
The Lost Goddess by Tom Knox

3
This book has two stories which come together toward the end of the book. In France, an archaeologist finds skulls which have holes in the foreheads. In Cambodia, a photographer finds skulls in clay jars. After their finds, both are hunted and run for their lives.

Linda H
The Eden Prophecy by Graham Brown

4
Was there a fruit found in the Garden of Eden that gave eternal life? Could any seeds be found today? As the main characters search Iranian ruins for the answer to these questions, scientists are working on a formula they hope will reverse the aging process caused by Progeria and feel the answer lies in the ancient fruits.

Mary Bryant
The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart

4
Light-hearted and fun read about the Tower of London and the animals given to the Queen. Of course, there is a love interest or two. I enjoyed all of the items found in the Underground Tube and the lengths to which the "Lost and Found" Department went to locate the owner.

Kristen Heyl
Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue

4
I started reading this book and almost forgot that I was reading fiction because it felt like you were there in the room and the events that happened after and it all seemed so believable.

Kristen Heyl
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

3
If you are looking for a ghost story then this is one that will haunt you. Beware, for it is quite graphic, so I wouldn't recommend it for anyone under the age of 16.

Kristen Heyl
Black Magic Woman by Dan Anderson

4
If you are looking for not your typical private investigator and not your typical case then this is the book for you. Just when you think you figured out who is behind the murders there is a wrench thrown into that idea.

Joan D.
Canada by Richard Ford

4
Interesting and well-written coming-of-age story about siblings from a dysfunctional family. The parents decide to rob a bank, and life leading up to this decision, and the fallout following this make up the story. A thought-provoking read.

Joan D.
Happily Ever After by Harriet Evans

5
Absorbing story about a young woman's career in both British and American publishing. Of course, family and romance are also involved. Loved it!

Judy O.
The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty

5
I loved this book! When Louise Brooks from Wichita, KS was 15 in the 1920s; she went to NYC to study with a dance troupe for six weeks one summer. Local woman, Cora Carlisle, was sent along with her as a chaperone. Cora had a hard time keeping tabs on Brooks, as she was a very free spirit. Both women's lives were changed dramatically as a result of that trip to NYC. This is historical fiction, and Louise Brooks went on to become a silent film star of that era. Really great read!

Amy Bransfield
Heft by Liz Moore

4
Very unique story with well-developed characters that you find yourself rooting for. I didn't want it to end!

Marie Ledin
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

5
Captivating from the first chapter! Enlightening regarding the history and the emotions of the people involved. Would recommend this book to everyone. Could not put this book down, read through meals and late at night until I could not keep my eyes open any longer. This is a MUST READ book!

Patricia Nicklas
Still Alice by Lisa Genova

4
Excellent novel about a woman with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Well-written and thought provoking, it made me wonder about my middle-aged forgetfulness.

Patricia Rindler
Catch Me by Lisa Gardner

4
Each book gets better.

Susan Kellett
Learning to Swim by Sara J. Henry

4
Fast read. A good change of pace from heavier book subjects. I call this type of book an airplane book as it holds your interest and doesn't take rapt attention to follow the plot.

Anne Joyce
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

5
I had to find out what all the fuss was about concerning this book "State of Wonder" Half way through and I am entranced as it is just my kind of book! Set In Minnesota where I live, traveling to the Amazon with twists, turns and exciting medical breakthroughs, this is one fantastic ride!

Tanya B.
Sea Change by Karen White

4
I really enjoy every book by this author. Her latest has wonderful characters with family secrets dating back to the 1800's.

Sally-Jo Waterfall
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

5
I read this for my book club and it was awesome. Great character development. Very interesting reading about different cultures. I highly recommend it.

Patti DelValle
Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evaonovich

5
I always reach for a Stephanie Plum book when I want a fun, light-hearted read. I have just gotten done reading 50 Shades of Grey, which was mildly disappointing, so this is a great pick-me-up.

Diane Rustad
Red Mist by Patricia Cornwell

4
I enjoyed this latest Scarpetta novel. The plot, as usual, was complex and interesting. The author does a wonderful job of describing forensic techniques.

Reva Wamsley
Calico by Allison Bruning

3
I don't usually read this type of book but I did enjoy this one. Calico & Rose's parents died when they were eight years old. Their parents had lived among the Shawnee. When they died, Calico chose to live with the Shawnee, Rose did not. This is Calico's story about how she grew up & married a War Chief. But life was not easy. She was raped & became pregnant by someone she trusted. The next book in the series is about Rose.

Nancy Schulte
Italian Shoes by Henning Mankell

4
I had never heard of this author until joining a book club. It is a very well written novel that takes the reader from sin to redemption in so many ways. The main character has withdrawn from society and lives as a virtual hermit on an island until his past confronts him and forces him to deal with those people in his past whom he had thought he had left behind.

Phyllis Schmitz
Fire Sale by Sara Paretsky

5
My first book by this author and I was hooked in the first few pages. This is the story of a Chicago private investigator V.I. Warshawski and its her nagging conscience that gets her into trouble. Great book.

Sharon cerasoli
A Good American by Alex George

4
Love it so far! Great tale of an immigrant couple settling in Missouri..told from the grandson's point of view.

Francisca E B
Prayers For Sale by Sandra Dallas

2
Dallas does a pretty good job of painting the picture of the early Colorado mining settlement through 86-yr-old Hennie Comfort’s stories. Dallas has a way with dialogue and with incorporating terms and phrases that are appropriate to the time and place. This lends an air of authenticity to her works, and gives a very personal feel to the story. This work started as a series of short stories; the “modern” story arch was added to make it into a novel, but it was not done well. This is not her best effort. As for the audio - Maggi-Meg Reed’s pace was far too slow and everyone sounded like an old woman.

SHARLENE RIEKE
The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo

4
This is an advance reader's copy. I'm only about 1/3 into it, but it is a very enjoyable book about 5 generations of women living together on an olive tree farm. The women seem to have led very ordinary yet different lives, but they all share the trait of being healthy and living to a very old age. There is a secret in the 102-year-old's life that is about to be revealed and may change their lives forever. Very interesting and well-written book. Hold your interest and makes you want to keep reading to find out what happens next.

elaien Beierbach
Criminal by Karen Slaughter

4
I have enjoyed her books in the past. This is no exception.

Joan B.
The Cottage At Glass Beach by Heather Barbieri

3
This book was just an ok read. Does not compare to her book Lacemakers of Glenmara which was an awesome story. In the Cottage At Glass Beach the story line felt jilted, left you with a lot of unanswered questions thinking there may be a sequel in the future, but nothing has been said to confirm this. The main character Nora, goes back to a childhood cottage with her own 2 daughters after her marriage starts to crumble. Her mother had disappeared when she was 5 yrs old and now she is on a quest to find out what really happened.

Celeste
Triptych by Karin Slaughter

5
Triptych is the first book that introduces Special Agent Will Trent. The problem I have with this book is that I cannot put it down. It will grab you with it's intensity from the very first page and will definitely make you squirm at times with her very realistic descriptions of sights and smells (aromas is just too pretty of a word for this book!) Pick up a copy and meet Will Trent. I really don't think you will be disappointed if you love a good murder mystery/crime thriller!

Melanie Blanco
Arcadia by Lauren Groff

4
Nicely written story about a commune called Arcadia. Not a place I would want to live, but I really got caught up in the story about Bit. He was such a good character as a child, until he grew up, that is. Then he sorta turned into a delusional, hypocritical prig, as most idealistic liberals do, in my experience. For instance, he had a date with a woman who he had liked until she mentioned she like Ayn Rand. That did it for Bit! OMG Ayn Rand! He said he wanted to date someome who "thought more". What? He married someone, Helle, who appeared to go through life without any thoughts, unless you count drugs and leaving your family "deep thinking."

Janet P Bedell
A Taste for Death by PD James

4
This was the first PD James I have read. It will NOT be my last. She is a master at language and description. Loved it!

Carleen M. Abend
Sipping from the Nile: My Exodus from Egypt by Jean Naggar

3
Mrs. Naggar has lived this story of her Jewish family's escape from the Spanish Inquisition into Egypt and its climb to incredible wealth. She takes us inside the homes and social mores of the times. We walk beside her as she skips through the gardens in terror of snakes. She shares the joys and sorrows of her family and the impact on it of world events, including both World Wars. I closed this book far more educated about life in Egypt.

Cindy Kness
The Dark Monk: A Hangman's Daughter Tale by Oliver Potzsch

5
Great read! Try the first one, The Hangman's Daughter and you will be hooked too!

Debbie M
Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas

2
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series, Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor, set in the state of Washington. This latest book utilizes some of the past characters, but the story is not as dynamic. This became a book that I struggled to complete. The story was very predictable and sugar coated.

Debbie M
The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz

3
This is a Sherlock Holmes mystery, the first time that the Conan Doyle Estate has authorized a new novel. Anthony Horowitz does a fabulous job following in those elusive footsteps of Conan Doyle. I love the ramblings of Dr. John Watson, and his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. Due to the nature of the investigation, Holmes brings his brother, Mycroft, into the case. Poor Watson, did not even know of the existence of Mycroft. After watching many of the PBS programs, I can imagine this book as a presentation. The Sherlock Holmes novels are interesting in the detective work and the development of theories.

Linda Block
The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

4
If you love to be transported back (historical fiction), this book is for you; fairly similar to The Red Tent, from the perspective of women who care for doves during the wars, it's a great story, cannot put it down!

Lea Ann Morris
The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachael Simon

5
An extraordinary book. The book covers the years 1968 to 2011. Beautiful Girl is an inmate in a state run institution for persons, ranging an age from babies to older adults, who are "defective" either mentally or physically. We learn of the horrors of this particular home and the effect on the lives of two persons in particular. It is sad, hopeful, desperate, changing...so many different aspects of the account. I didn't want to put the book down for long between readings as I was eager to learn about the "home," the residents and staff and how the idea of hiding away those who are not "normal" has changed over the years. Ms. Simon has written a thoughtful, warm book which I hope will draw many readers.

Kaylynn S
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

2
Too much like "Acres of Diamonds" that I read in the 80s. Just not my thing, but was a book club selection.

Kathy P
The Expats by Chris Pavone

5
Very well done! Lots of twists and turns, I liked the main character, and the different locales in Europe. It had me going to the bitter end.

Richard N B
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

4
Audio book performed by Barron Christian. New translation by Sherab Chodzin Kohn. Excellent read of this classic tale of one man's search for meaning.

Francisca E B
Arthur & George by Julian Barnes

4
This novel is based on a true case in England involving George Edalji, who was erroneously charged and convicted of a heinous crime, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who brought his fame and resources to correcting a gross injustice. Their stories are told in alternating chapters, giving the reader a clear background on each character – their similarities and differences. It starts slowly, but I was completely fascinated by the story, and how these two very different men came together for one purpose. As a result of their efforts a major change in legal procedure came about – the institution of the Court of Appeals.

Sara Myers
The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

5
I absolutely loved this book! It would have been a one day read if I didn't have to work. The creativity of the main story line (consequences of the earth's rotation slowing) was unique and addicting. The author did a wonderful job developing the characters in a way you were drawn into their lives and cared about what was happening to them. I could see so much of myself in the narrator Julia. As I got closer to the end, I became a little scared of how the story would close. If a book ends badly the entire novel is ruined for me no matter how much I enjoyed it. The ending was as awesome as the rest of the novel. I cannot wait to read her next book!

Lori
After the Armistice Ball by Catriona McPherson

4
A fun, period mystery. Light reading, but a good escape.

Diane Rustad
When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

5
This was a hard book to put down - kept my interest totally! Raises lots of questions of what can happen when religion becomes part of politics. It is a modern day Scarlet Letter and shows a new system of punishment and "incarceration" for people convicted of crimes as well as how religion and politics became inseparable.

Booklover2
A Scattered Life by Karen McQuestion

4
A very good book to sit down and read. It has parts to make you laugh out loud and the there are parts to ponder.

michele c
XO by Jeffrey Deaver

5
I love the Kathryn dance series and this is a great one!

michele c
Blood in the Water by Jane Haddam

5
This is the second one and it is as good at the first.

Mrs JaneAnn Clear
Things Left Unspoken by Eva Marie Everson

5
Like a real life story, one you can believe is real? This is one, I'd never read EME before but now picked up couple more her books she is a good story teller. From the first page I couldn't lay the book down I barely got supper cooked and then read while I ate. I can't believe anyone would be disappointed in this one.

Anita Nowak
The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain

4
I enjoyed this book, as I have with Ms. Chamberlain's other books that I have read. However, even though this was a wonderful story of a young father who has custody of his 4-year-old little girl, and how he takes care of her, the end was rather predictable. Having said that it was still a good read, especially since I read it on vacation. It definitely kept my interest.

Carol B
My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira

5
A wonderfully crafted story of the struggle of a young midwife to become a doctor during the Civil War. Characters that you care about...a greater awareness of the awfulness of the war and the conditions that existed. Really a moving read.

Ann Thaxton
Mission to Paris by Alan Furst

5
As usual author Alan Furst has delivered another thriller set in Paris. Hollywood actor Fredrick Stahl is sent to Paris to star in a new film. He arrives in Germany during the war when Germany is looking for allies in France. They approach Stahl to join their side but we learn that he doesn't have empathy for the cause. This novel is another Alan Furst great that shows us how spies were made and turned into interesting characters throughout the book. This is a great read, that only Alan Furst can deliver.

Johanna B
The Visible Man by Chuck Klosterman

5
I Just finished reading this book and LOVED it! A tad bit weird, maybe even a little creepy, but extremely good - a therapist shares her experience with a client who has invented a cloaking devise which makes him "invisible", which he in turn uses to observe people alone in their homes.

Sandy McCullough
The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo

5
This novel is about 5 generations of women and the oldest is 112. A Dr. from Pennsylvania has come to study why they are living so long and they are so healthy. Very interesting!!

Dorothy Gordon
The Biographer's Tale by A.S. Byatt

2
I am finding it rather slow going as the book follows a rather unfocused English grad student who gives up on school to try to find out about a rather obscure biographer who disappeared/possibly died in the Maelstrom. Characters are strange and appear and disappear at will. Not as satisfying a read as her previous book Possession.

Margie
Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich

2
I usually really enjoy this author. But this book was a little short on plot, and had a little too many magical events for my taste.

dianne
So Pretty It Hurts by Kate White

3
Another Baily Wiggins story with a weekend house party, a death with a mystery to be solved. This was a good story, easy read for a summer weekend.

Susie Sharp
The Silence of Trees by Valya Dudycz Lupescu

5
This book is beautiful and mesmerizing, heartbreaking and uplifting all at the same time. I love the superstitions interwoven into the story and how storytelling is so important to the Ukrainian people. I also highly recommend this on audio:This book evoked such emotion and the narration by Xe Sands brought those emotions through beautifully, the combination of Valya’s writing and Xe’s narration is so great both story and narration are lyrical. Xe’s soft delivery lends beautifully to the written word.

Margarita Jarecki
Push by Sapphire

4
Chilling, but inspiring.

Margarita Jarecki
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

3
Some beautiful writing, but uninteresting characters.

Bridgwt
Summer Breeze by Nancy Thayer

3
I was a little disappointed with this book about a group of younger adults (In their 30s) spending the summer on the lake in Massachusetts where they all live. Most of them are not satisfied with the way their lives are going and have to make changes. Predictable happy ending.

Bridget
Return to Grace by Karen Harper

4
Murder mystery set in an Amish locale. Amish girl who ran away returns with worldly friends, and one of them is murdered. I found the mystery aspect to be very well-written, didn't see a lot of things coming in the plot.

Bridget
What She Wants by Cathy Kelly

2
I found most of the main characters to be really annoying or really stereotypical. There were several stories going on. I kept reading this book because I kept hoping it would get better, but it didn't.

Pam Adamovich
Cross Currents by John Shors

5
After loving his book about the building of the Taj Mahal, Beneath a Marble Sky, I wanted to read another of his books. His character development is wonderful and he really captures the essence of the people of Thailand in this book. His description of the island Ko Phi Phi makes you feel like you are there. I really loved this book and look forward to reading others written by John Shors.

Valerie
Lawyer's Lawyer by James Sheehan

4
Not my genre - but I found the character Jack Tobin to be very loyal, and compassionate. The book was intriguing, and on the edge of your seats. I would recommend this book without a doubt.

Sharon Faith Graves
The Innocent by David Baldacci

5
Newest Baldacci thriller is a great read. Love the new character of Will Robie. Lots of action. Definite page-turner.

Irene Unger
The Book of Jonas by Stephen Dau

4
Interesting book of a teenager who comes to the US from an unnamed country (probably Iraq) after his village is bombed and his family is killed by Americans. Many twists and turns make for a very powerful ending.

Crystal Fulcher
Monarch Beach by Anita Hughes

5
Monarch Beach is the perfect beach read of the summer. I spent my Saturday laying out in the sun just enjoying this book. Enjoying the story, enjoying the characters and enjoying the writing. It's just one of those books you read, it's a great diversion for an afternoon yet you still think about it when it's over. Amanda is a character I will remember as well as her mother and her son.

Krismar Ramker
The Eighth Day by Michael O'Neal

4
Those who love The Hunger Games would also enjoy The Eighth Day. The main characters, all high school aged, are involved in an apparent conspiracy. It's up to them to alert the government. In the midst of it all, they are thrust into some life-saving predicaments. It has suspense and intrigue and courageous characters.

Anita Lotz
An Unpardonable Crime by Andrew Taylor

5
I'm a huge mystery fan and I don't know how I've overlooked this prolific British author's work before now. I picked up a copy of this book at a used bookstore for vacation reading. I was totally engrossed after the first 5 pages. Taylor writes with great historic accuracy and creates unforgettable characters -- including the young Edgar Allen Poe. The plot takes several unpredictable twists before its conclusion. I will definitely be seeking out other work by this author and recommend that readers who like historic mysteries do the same.

Michelle Archer
The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson

4
A very unusual look at life in North Korea. The main character is almost a Forrest Gump of Korea as he escapes difficulty after difficulty to climb to the upper echelons of his government. He then uses all of his luck to attempt to save the woman he loves. The sometimes horrific subject matter takes on an almost fable-like quality. I thought this was a very interesting book.

MB Wall
The Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie

4
Six interrelated cozy mystery stories featuring a canon who lives near Cambridge, England.

MB Wall
Calling Invisible Women by Jeanne Ray

4
Women who take a combination of three drugs become invisible. Nobody notices. They unite and force the drug company to withdraw two of the drugs.

Ann Hill
Guilty Wives by James Patterson and David Ellis

2
Interesting characters with lots of twist and turns. Easily kept my attention.

Connie Edwards
Kane by Steve Gannon

4
Not sure how I've missed this author, but this is the first of his books I've read. I'll be looking at more of his work.

Mary Ward
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

5
This book is so deliciously dark and twisted! It will hook you from page one, right up until the very last sentence. Told in three parts, it follows the disappearance of Amy Dunne on her anniversary. It alternates chapters in the voice of Nick Dunne, her husband and main suspect, and her diary pages. I cannot say too much without giving away the plot but the book takes you on a very wild ride with a lot of twists and turns.

Jo Anne Vincenti
44 by Jools Sinclair

4
Once I started this book, I didn't want to put it down. I was sucked straight into the story and the characters and have purchased the rest of the series.

Kathleen Boucher
Butterfly's Child by Angela Davis-Gardner

4
A blue-eyed blond boy with Japanese features is brought from Nagasaki to a farm in Illinois, the son of an American soldier and his liaison with a geisha in Japan. When his mother dies tragically, the father and his new wife bring the child to the States, and hide his true birth, saying they adopted him. Benjie has a hard time adjusting to American life,greatly missing his mother ... well-paced, cleverly plotted, and full of drama, this is a sequel to Puccini's "Madame Butterfly" and the story of what happened to Butterfly's child.

Catherine Mulhall
Empire of the Summer Moon by S. C. Gwynne

4
What happens to a kidnapped Pioneer Girl, only age nine, her captives the Comanches, an Indian tribe that had the reputation of the most powerful in American History? Empire of the Summer Moon flows with it's history during a white settler time, and the Indians who fought for their land. I really enjoyed this a great deal!

Lorna
The Last Child by John Hart

4
Interesting story of a 13-year-old boy searching for his twin sister that has been missing for 1 year. His mom has lost it and his dad has left the picture. He has the help of his best friend. Very interesting what he discovers along the way searching for his sister that he believes is still alive.

Rosemary Krejsa
The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani

5
I just finished reading 'The Shoemaker's Wife'. What a wonderful book! It brought me to tears. The main characters are Enza, a beautiful and practical woman who is the rock of her family, and Ciro, handsome and hardworking but deeply scarred by the death of his father and his mother's abandonment. They quickly fall in love but circumstances separate them and both come to America unbeknownst to the other. True love endures and as they struggle to build a new life they find each other again. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a rich and colorful family saga.

Tanya B.
The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo

4
I won a copy of this book through Librarything. I enjoyed this book. I love generational type books with family secrets to keep the reader entertained. The storyline is unique as well.

Valerie Wiesner
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

5
This latest book by Gillian Flynn has to be her best to date. It is absolutely an edge-of-the-seat page turner as well as an in-depth study of character and of a dysfunctional marriage. The book reminded me so much of something Alfred Hitchcock would have loved and may have thought about a movie. I generally don't read books in one day. This one I did!

Valerie Wiesner
Spilled Blood by Brian Freeman

5
I have read every one of Mr. Freeman's books to date, and I think this stand-alone is the best one he has written. That says a lot, because the others were just excellent. It is kind of an allegorical tale, a Romeo and Juliet story, and a rich versus poor conflict between two town which happen to be very close to one another. This book is also a great thriller and it will keep you guessing until the end. I loved it!

LINDA BASS
Intuition by Jayne Fordham

4
Twenty-five year old Psychologist, Olive Morgan Worked for A Sydney mental health team and used everything she trained for to help others in need. Since she'd turned twenty one she'd developed a special power where she read other's memories just by a touch, then she got a call from regent who offered her a change of pace in her work and she couldn't refuse. Canan spent most of his life placing everyone's needs before his own and when The Agency recruited him to help track a bomber that was killing people he agreed to work for them and use his special skill for the good of all with a slight request for them to help him in return. Wow! Jayne Fordham spins a riveting story that hooked me from the first chapter!! Olive is attracted to Canan but has a boyfriend that never makes time for her and she tries hard to push Canan away. As the team got leads on who the bomber is, it seems like he always was one step a head of them, then suspicions of a mole on their team has everyone distrusting each other!

Valerie Wiesner
Oath of Office by Michael Palmer

5
The story is great and it has its share of suspense and frightening moments. When it comes right down to the basics, I don't believe the human species as it is now has any business playing God. None of us know what the long term effects of this kind of thing will have on human life. We, in my opinion, have just enough knowledge about recombinant DNA and modifying food to make us a supreme danger to ourselves and to future generations, if indeed, there will be any future generations. This book made me think a lot about this subject and how potentially horrifying it may turn out to be. Palmer goes into detail about GMO being used in food for human consumption. It seems so easy a concept, but there is no one who really knows what the effects may be. This book had a lot of interesting possibilities in it, and as usual, what the bottom line came down to was making, or stealing, more money at the expense of everyone, children included.

Marilyn Gibbons
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

5
Connie is a Harvard graduate student who is called home to Marblehead to clear her Grandmother's house. She finds an old Bible, a key and a mystery, which quickly becomes the focus of her dissertation. If you like history, mystery and romance, this book is delicious!

Tessa B
Your Oasis on Flame Lake by Lorna Landvik

3
The novel follows two families - Their stories are told in alternating chapters – each of the adults and the youngest daughter, Darcy, take turns narrating. This allows the reader to have information that may be hidden from the other characters. Landvik’s works are populated by quirky characters, usually living in relatively small towns, with a real sense of community. Flame Lake is typical of her books in this regard. I felt I got to know the inhabitants of the town through these two families and their interactions. I enjoyed the book and liked spending time looking at this chapter in their lives.

Lori
Oath of Office by Michael Palmer

3
Fun medical thriller. Although he's usually one of my favorites, this one was a little too far-fetched for me.

Ruth Underwood
The Dove Keepers by Alice Hoffman

5
Amazing! 500 pages and I read it in four evenings. Set in year 70 C.E. after fall of Jerusaleum. Theme of the book is Masadas.

Lori
Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey

5
I thoroughly enjoyed this more contemporary version of Jane Eyre. I actually liked it more than the original! I would highly recommend it.

Lois Lilling
The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

4
Very informative and heartbreaking.

Linda Nudell
The Good Father by Noah Hawley

5
It's a mystery, a thriller, a family drama with some history thrown in. You can't help but ache for the man trying to figure out why his son did a horrible thing, and what he might have done to contribute to his son's actions. Excellent reading!

Bea Carroll
Defending Jacob by William Landay

4
In the crime novel or detective/court room genre, this one is a standout. In this story, a D.A. finds out that his 14-year-old son has been implicated in a murder. It turns into a psychological study of father, son and mother. A real page turner.

Nancy Lane
Wild by Cheryl Strayed

5
I am thoroughly enjoying the adventures and misadventures of Cheryl in her true story account of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, alone. It almost makes me want to go hiking, but not alone on such an unfriendly stretch. This book is very self revealing about her feelings and the things that led her to take off on such an adventure.

Sandy McCullough
The Stolen Chalice by Kitty Pilgrim

5
The black-tie gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art promises to be a star-studded evening. Cordelia Stapleton and John Sinclair have flown in from Alexandria, Egypt, to help celebrate ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian culture with New York’s elite. The influential crowd of artists, collectors, scientists, and New York society dine and dance at the museum’s historic Temple of Dendur, unaware that terrorists are planning to attack. Fortunately, museum security and police stop the terrorists, but the evening is a disaster. This was a fast paced easy to read book and I could certainly see it becoming a movie.

Sharon Elliott-Fox
Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

4
Imaginative, fanciful, spell-binding. While unworldly, unreasonable to the logical mind, there are truths imbedded that only become apparent as all the threads of this tapestry are finally woven into the pattern -- yet they remain distinct and separate in the overall picture. A few sentences at the end of the book sum up the what this meant for me: "...someone needs to tell their bits of overlapping narrative. There's magic in that...for each and every ear it will be different, and it will affect them in ways they can never predict. From the mundane to the profound."

Bonnie Gluhanich
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

4
Psychological thriller that'll keep you guessing.

Bonnie Gluhanich
Calling Invisible Women by Jeanne Ray

3
Very light, frothy novel about women-of-a-certain age who become invisible. The big, bad drug industry is indicted again too, as usual.

Bonnie Gluhanich
The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

3
Maybe I bought into the hype too much and was expecting too much. That said, I thought this was an average novel and I lost interest well before the end.

Jane McCown
Defending Jacob by William Landay

4
This is a legal thriller with lots of twists and turns. The plot involves an assistant district attorney whose son has been charged with murder. The reader will not be disappointed.

Patricia Askins
Serena by Ron Rash

5
I saw Ron Rash had a new book coming out so I thought I would check-out an old one to see if I liked his writing. What a great story! I had trouble putting the book down. I will definitely read the new one.

Melissa Groeling
Summer of Night by Dan Simmons

5
This book captures the meaning of summer, kids being kids and good, old-fashioned monsters in the closet. The story kept me turning pages well into the night and beyond. Life literally stopped for me until I finished reading this book. You could smell the heat of the day, taste the dirt as the kids sped away on their bicycles and feel the fear of being so vulnerable against something as old as time itself. It's a truly, engaging book.

Wendy Catalano
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

4
Wow! Another great novel, that kept me turning the pages. Dark, twisted and utterly enjoyable. On the morning of Nick and Amy's 5th wedding anniversary Amy disappears leaving signs of foul play. All signs point to Nick as being the number one suspect, or do they? The story is told in alternating chapters, one being through Nick's narrative and the other through Amy's diary. With so many twists and turns throughout the story I found my sympathies constantly changing. I was satisfied with the ending and found the last paragraph to be brilliant.

Muriel Logan
The Beach House by Jane Green

3
This is a very light, romantic type book. It was interesting, but I found it hard to get too caught up in the break-ups and romances depicted in the book. I guess I wanted a book with a little more substance. This book was recommended by a friend and I thought it sounded cute, but it wasn't really my kind of book.

Jill Porco
The Vow: The True Story that Inspired the Movie by Kim Carpenter, Krickitt Carpenter and Dana Wilkerson

4
This is an inspiring story of one couple's journey when the wife loses all memory of her husband after a bad car accident and of how they worked at their relationship, and against all odds, fell in love and remarried. The story is so compelling that it gets 4 stars on that alone, but I think the book could have used better editing and writing.

Melanie
Waiting For Sunrise by William Boyd

2
I loved William Boyd's Any Human Heart, so I was looking forward to something equally as wonderful. Not the case with Waiting for Sunrise. Although Mr. Boyd's writing is wonderful, this story just didn't hold my interest at all. I forced myself to push through and finish, hoping it would get better, but it did not. Would not recommend.

Jud Hanson
All the President's Men by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein

5
The original account by the two WaPo reporters that broke this story into the national spotlight. It was a truly fascinating read.

Erin Sunshine
Dreaming Dangerously by Kathleen Harsch

5
Finally a book where a blonde girl is not the mean one! This book kept me up late at night turning pages. I can't wait to read the next one in the series. Cassie's ability to read minds is so cool, but she just doesn't see it that way, and I am SOOO in love with Will. He's so nice to her. If only she could see that! I have some scary dreams like Cassie does sometimes, but not about anyone I really know. And the ending, left me wanting to read so much more.

Bonnie
Ali in Wonderland by Ali Wentworth

3
Light, fun read by the comedian and wife of George Stephanopoulus, it's memoir-ish.

Jarret Liotta
Space Case by Jarret Liotta

5
I just think it's very funny and very intelligent ... and I'm being objective ...

Lynn Demsky
The Puzzle by Peggy A. Edelheit

1
This book just didn't float my boat, did not care for it at all!

Lynn Demsky
Murder at the PTA by Laura Alden

4
I enjoyed the story but it didn't seem like a whole lot of anything in it was very believable! But a quick good fast summer read! Will look for more in the series!

Lynn Demsky
Dance of the Winnebagos by Ann Charles

5
This is the first of anything I have read by this author and I enjoyed the story a lot! It's a quick, fast, great summer read and will gladly look for more by her!

Lynn Demsky
Backyard Bones by Nancy Lynn Jarvis

5
I enjoyed this mystery a lot! The characters were great, cute and fun and the story well written. I didn't read the first of this series but will have to go get it and will be ready for the next in this series!

Lynn Demsky
Finding Poe by Leigh M. Lane

5
What a lovely twisted turn of the story of the last days of Poe! Didn't disappoint me at all and found quite entertaining. Also a nice fast read!

Lynn Demsky
Misery Bay by Steve Hamilton

5
I was just so delighted to have Alex McKnight back! A great read! Couldn't put it down once I started, great having old family friends back! I was afraid Hamilton would have a hard time bringing Alex back but, look forward to next one!

Lynn Demsky
Progressive Dinner Deadly by Elizabeth Spann Craig

5
GREAT read! Entertaining, likeable characters - well written and just plain fun! I felt sorry for Myrtle trying to get the Book Club to read classic books, had to super frustrating as a retired schoolteacher!

Lynn Demsky
Drip Dead by Christy Evans

5
I'm enjoying this series greatly -- quick fast great for summer reads! And plumbing just isn't something you think of as a woman's job! Looking forward to next one and have already ordered it!

Lynn Demsky
The Affair by Lee Child

5
Wow! Another can't put down, fast moving paced Reacher story! He always intrigues me with how he solves things. Most interesting, entertaining and great reading. Don't start this if you can't finish it in one setting!

Lynn Demsky
Second Son by Lee Child

5
What a pure delight to finally find out more about Reacher -- especially as a child growing up!! And, I'm glad it wasn't in the first book! Part of the fun of Reacher was you really didn't know a lot about him or what he truly did before ... I like his family!

Lynn Demsky
Sullivan's Justice by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg

5
A really well put together read. Interesting characters, good plot and just something I wasn't expecting but thoroughly enjoyed! Will have to find more of her books!

Lynn Demsky
A Woof in the Wedding Plans by Regina Duke

5
A GREAT summer read: cute, adorable and just plain fun with a happy ending! Will look for more by Regina Duke! Loved the animals and their role in it!

Lynn Demsky
THE OLD CABOOSE by Bon Rose

5
What a cute adorable book to read for children! Brings back all the happy times as a child for me! But would be better as a real book and not on a Kindle (mine doesn't have color pictures and the black and white were really difficult to make out)! But GREAT story!

Lynn Demsky
Sweet's Sweets by Connie Shelton

5
Connie Shelton writes well, story is entertaining, fast moving. Has a set of enjoyable, believable characters with normal human desires! Well written working story, look forward to more! Plus I just fell in love with the title Sweet's Sweets, made sense to me!

Lynn Demsky
Roulette by Don Pendleton and Linda Pendleton

5
A really quick, fast page flipping read! I picked this story because it was an award winning one and it justly deserved it! Will look for more by these authors! Well written and entertaining!

Lynn Demsky
Ms America and the Offing on Oahu by Diana Dempsey

5
I enjoyed this story, comical funny entertaining -- sometimes wondered about grown married women who had children wanting to be in a beauty pageant but ... GREAT summer read! Will look for more by Diana Dempsey!

Lynn Demsky
Hounding the Pavement by Judi McCoy

5
What a cute cozy! I don't normally go for this type of mystery but it was great! Author works really well around an animal only the main character can hear talking! Looking forward to next in the series! And it's great that author is donating profits to Animal Rescue, thanks!

Lynn Demsky
The Score by Richard Stark

4
The forward on this book was a royal pain in the butt to wade thru but the story was good and yet what a way to waste a life! I will try a couple more of these!

Lynn Demsky
Deadly Games by Connie Shelton

5
Was an entertaining, well written good read! I liked the characters and how they work well together in their business and enjoyed her dog! (Although it spent an awful lot of time by itself stuck in cars, offices.) Will track down the rest of the series!

Lynn Demsky
Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child

5
This was a great, not put down able read! Then when it was finished, I was disappointed because I just enjoyed reading it so much! Well written, great detail and can't wait for more!

Lynn Demsky
The Enemy by Lee Child

5
So far I have not found a Reacher novel that I could put down, this one is really good! Great entertainment, good writing, well put together story and I have more piled up to read!

Lynn Demsky
A Peach of a Murder by Livia J. Washburn

5
A really entertaining good read! I enjoyed the characters, and how they all not only live together but work well in this story! Kept my interest and didn't guess who did it until the author told me. Already ordered the 2nd in this series! Of course I enjoy peaches also so...

Lynn Demsky
The Perfect Woman by James Andrus

5
Very good read, caught my interest from page one and kept going through the whole book. Hard to believe what people are capable of, how they feel and how they manage their lives. Will look for more by James Andrus!

Lynn Demsky
The Kennedy Rifle by JK Brandon

5
I couldn't put this book down! From the first page on I just had to keep going to see if we finally had an answer, well written, all goes together really well and wasn't disappointed!

Lynn Demsky
The Tall Dolores by Michael Avallone

5
Most enjoyable read! As good as Robert Parker’s Spencer books, comical, keeps you wondering who did it, well written and all falls together well! Great read! Will look for more of these!

Lynn Demsky
Don't Ever Get Old by Daniel Friedman

5
This was a pure delight to read, let’s hear it for Old Geezers, a gun and a pack of Lucky Strikes…! I chuckled, laughed and had a real hard time trying to figure out who the killer was!!

Brenda Klaassen
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

4
I found this book when I was sampling e-books. The story caught my attention because it was written well and yet it was quick reading. My attention was not released until the end of the book. I enjoyed the characters and how they interacted with each other. The story was full of adventure.

Fran
In His Sights: One Woman's Stalking Nightmare by Kate Brennan

3
In her memoir, Kate Brennan shares her experiences trying to get away from her ex boyfriend, who stalks her for years.During their three year relationship, "Kate" always wondered why her boyfriend was so distant. Little by little, he'd let out one creepy fact about himself after another (his sex addiction, attraction to young girls and children, his obsession with his father's murder and sordid past etc.) When Kate finally decides to leave, her boyfriend lets her know that she will never truly be free from him. Creepy story ... the saddest part is that it is true.

Amy Bransfield
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

4
I really enjoyed this book. I was hesitant about starting it because I wasn't sure I wanted to read a slavery-themed novel at the start of summer, but I was quickly pulled into the story and it's characters. It is told from two character's point-of-view which sometimes made me wanting more development on the supporting characters, but overall this was a well-written book.

michele c'melo
Afraid to Die by Lisa Jackson

5
Awesome!!!!!

Judith Kealey
Space Case by Jarret Liotta

4
A funny, great summer read!!!

Suzy Marcus
That Book About Harvard by Eric Kester

4
You've read college memoirs. You've read college memoirs about Harvard. You haven't read about what Harvard is like for those students who are like the rest of us; good but not perfect grades, parents who love us but aren't rich and didn't go to Harvard themselves... Eric Kester's book is about his first year at Harvard, where he played football, fell for a girl, locked himself out of his room and...(I'm NOT going to spoil it, it's so funny that you should read it for yourself!). He also tried to be a good student while growing up and learning about himself and how to deal with the opposite sex. This is not a book about a BMOC, a gorgeous athlete, a rich Harvard student, this is a book about a normal funny young man, just trying to fit in. Full Disclosure: I'm a recent MLIS who received an ARC from the publisher. They do not pay me to write about their books. I thought it was a funny book by a new author and deserving of your attention.

Sharron
Defending Jacob by William Landay

4
If you have ever lived with a 14-year-old boy, you know how difficult it is to know what they are thinking and doing. Jacob's fatner, Andy, has to try to defend his son, in his own mind, to his wife, and to a jury when Jacob is accused of murdering one of his classmates. This would be a great discussion book.

Tessa B
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

4
When Linnett Ridgeway is found dead in her cabin while on her honeymoon, the obvious suspect is her former friend Jackie de Bellefort. But at least five people can swear that she couldn’t possibly have done it. So who is the murderer? And why? Hercule Poirot may be on holiday in Egypt, but his “little grey cells” are working overtime. There are plenty of suspects and almost as many motives. David Suchet is perfect in his performance on the audio book. He reads at the brisk pace a mystery requires, and seems to effortlessly handle the many different voices required for the large cast of characters. I could listen to him all day.

Richard N B
The 39 Steps by John Buchan

4
Classic spy thriller that relies on the charm and intelligence of main character - Richard Hannay. Very different from Hitchcock's movie, and even from the PBS Masterpiece Theatre production. A little dated (set on eve of W W I), but still a great read.

Francisca E B
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

5
Steinbeck’s novella is taken from an incident in his own background. His emotional closeness to the story is evident in this tragedy. George Milton and Lennie Small are migrant workers in California during the Great Depression. Steinbeck’s genius here is to write a spare story that still tells volumes about the human condition. It is a story of friendship, loyalty, and love. The audio book is narrated by Gary Sinise. His performance is flawless … well, maybe he could have raised the pitch of his voice just a tad higher for Curley’s wife. All the hopes, dreams, innocence, anger, pity, love, and sorrow of the characters are in his voice.

Kaylynn S
The Book of Summers by Emylia Hall

2
Won this book from Bookreporter.com, read it, and will answer email questions about it. Never did grab my attention --- too predictable and a LOT of description.

Kylie W
Hotel Vendome by Danielle Steel

2
Typical Steel book --- predictable. At least the endings are always good --- everyone happy.

Joan D.
The Girl Giant by Kristen Den Hartog

5
The story is narrated by the giant herself, a delightful and touching character, who can also see into the minds of the other characters. A touching, wonderful book!

Joan D.
The Soldier's Wife by Joanna Trollope

3
This was okay - as the wife of a retired soldier, I wanted to like it but...the story just was quite superficial. Home Front and You Know When the Men Are Gone were way more meaningful.

Marjorie Langohr
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

4
I found this book very original and interesting. I wondered why all the teens loved it so much, and found that I also loved it.

LINDA BASS
Tail Of The Dragon by Sultry Summers

5
Danielle enjoyed her ride through the roads of North Carolina often called the Tail Of The Dragon and had prepared for blue skies as the forecasters predicted only to see massive black and purple clouds with great blast of thunder. She Was riding her motorcycle and feared to drive in the rain with the road twists and turns. She always packed her heavy rain gear and pulled over to put it on on one of the narrow stops. She Had left her job as a design engineer at an aerospace industry for a few days respite. Just as she put on her gear, a huge dragon burst through the clouds, his wing hit an electrical line before it crashed near hear. And then it turned into a naked man! The last thing Garinth remembered was he had avenged Shannon's death by killing the evil wizard that called himself, Llud. Llud and he were enemies long before the wizard had killed Shannon and taken over his village he had sworn to protect. As a changeling, the people had respected him knowing that he also was a dragon until Llud festered their minds with hatred. He saw that he had landed after his wing was hurt to see a strange warrior who rode a strange looking horse. Oh my, I do hope Sultry Summers continues with a sequel as I so want to know what happens next!! Tail Of The Dragon pits good and evil in a centuries old war but is the love formed centuries ago enough to banish evil and will love conquer all?

Marcy Padorr
Fugitive Colors by Lisa Barr

5
I read this book in one day and could not put it down! While we all know about the Holocaust, this was a new take for me on Degenerate Art - the Nazi's campaign to destroy the art and artists of that era. The book won first prize at the Hollywood Film Festival for “Best Unpublished Manuscript,” and I can understand why - it's a suspenseful tale of an artist’s revenge after World War II and starts with Julian Klein, a young American artist, leaves behind his religious upbringing for the artistic freedom of Paris in the 1930s but soon is caught up with jealous inferior artists who attempt to destroy those with true talent. This fiction novel has it all: love, friendship, betrayal, passion - and all based on historical fact!

debbi shaw
The Lost Summer by Carla Neggers

4
Light summer reading.

Sharon Stern
Red River by Lalita Tademy

5
Following her story Cane River, Tademy visits the people who populated her genealogical research and imagination, once again. Inspired writing.

Susan Mulcaire
Wild by Cheryl Strayed

5
With books I love, I read slower and slower toward the end, because I don't wait it to be over. This book was one of them. It immediately moved into my top five books of all time, right up there with Ann Pachett's Bel Canto, so that's saying something!

rhonda
Breed by Chase Novak

5
Can't put It down.

Stephanie
Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

4
An interesting read. I love the different fonts the publisher used for the different characters.

Maureen
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

4
An epic novel about the lives of 4 people caught in the "Emergency" in 1975 India. What a great story ... I loved all the characters and am sad to see this book end. I highly recommend.

Toni McCoy
Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult

5
As we move from our home of 40 years to a retirement village, I am snatching books that I purchased years ago and never got round to reading. Because of Jodi's Picoult's name and my interest in the Amish ignited by Linda Castillo's riveting mysteries, Plain Truth is one of the ones I set aside to read, and I am so glad I did. Halfway through the novel I have a dead newborn, a young Amish woman who apparently has no idea how she got pregnant, a type A (make that AAA) lady lawyer from the big city, a sympathetic community, and I don't have any idea where the story will go next. This is not a cozy, but I feel good while I'm reading it.

Debbie Smith
Barefoot Season by Susan Mallery

2
Hadn't read any previous work. Too predictable for my taste.

Lori Van Buskirk
Sister by Rosamund Lupton

5
A great story with an even better twist at the end. This first novel by Lupton will not disappoint. I love her writing style. She really draws you in from the beginning.

Christine Womack
Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas

5
I loved this book. The author goes back and forth among the various characters and helps the reader get to know them by giving a vision of their pasts before they all ended up in this one mining town. Then there is an avalanche at the spot where several of their children were walking home from school. The writer covers the feelings of the townspeople as the children are pulled out alive and those that are dead. Then it shows how life went on after the avalanche.

Susan Johnson
The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo

5
A lovely story of five generations of women including the oldest living person in the world. They have secrets and love and spats. It's set in the upper Sacramento Valley in CA among the olive orchards. A lovely story.

Christine Womack
Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas

5
The author tells the individual stories of the characters by going back and forth among all of them. It is fascinating how she weaves them all together where they eventually end up in the same small mining town. The status of each character once they reach this town is explained. Then the avalanche happens as the children are walking home from school. The author covers the reactions of the parents that are involved as the children are removed from the avalanche and what happens to all of them after the avalanche.

Marie-Louise Molloy
The 500 by Matthew Quirk

5
Excellent political thriller, hot summer read!

SANDRA SMITH
The Broken Road by Paige Walker

5
THE BROKEN ROAD by New Zealander Paige Walker is a moving story of a mother's strength and courage as she dealt with the betrayal, anger and trauma from the sexual abuse of her 8-year-old daughter at the hands of her best friend’s husband. It moves through the emotional journey of her need to seek revenge and justice but instead found acceptance and forgiveness of her daughter's perpetrator.

Lynn Demsky
The Darkness by Jason Pinter

4
This is the first time I've read anything by Jason Pinter and it was a good book! Fast paced, quick and great--didn't want to put down book! I really enjoyed how reporters really handled the whole story! I thought the plot was interesting different and scary so, GREAT summer read! Will read the others by him.

Maxine Urso
Tough Customer by Sandra Brown

4
Just started it but it looks terrific!

Karen Haas
Dancing Naked in Dixie by Lauren Clark

4
I discovered this author during her recent blog book tour. This book is women's fiction and a very good story, so far...still have a few more chapters to the HEA. The heroine is a travel writer who is experiencing 'writer's block'. Her new boss, who is also her father, has given her one last assignment and it's a do it good or lose your job ultimatum. She is being sent to a small town in Alabama to cover their Christmas Pilgrimage of historic homes. It's not her usual assignment and she is very resentful but she realizes this really is her 'last chance' at not only her career but her happiness too.

nora holmquist
Summer Breeze by Nancy Thayer

4
Charming story of women, friendship and family connections set in an idyllic lakefront setting.

Renee' Booker
Celebrity In Death by J. D. Robbs

5
I like this novel because Robbs have a why of making crime excited with our making you sick and wanted to stop reading. I love the way she make us wish for that type of husband in our life. A man who is secure and let you be you and his full time support of your choose in life path with out feeling guilty about being you.

Ali McDonnell
Remembering Laughter by Wallace Stegner

4
I love Wallace Stegner's stories and description. It makes me fell like I am right there with the characters. This was his first published book and is actually a novella. It is a good story of a happily married woman whose life changes when her sister shows up on the farm. I believe it was written in 1939. If you like being reminded of a simpler time, you may enjoy this quick read.

Kate Weber
The Worthing Saga by Orson Scott Card

3
The first half or so of this book is a novella about the life of Jason Worthing, a telepath born thousands of years before. Jason’s world revolves around Somec, a drug that basically puts people into suspended animation and is distributed out based on merit, not money, to preserve the “most valuable” individuals for future generations. The greater the value of the person, the greater the ratio of time asleep to time awake, with the Empress at the highest Somec levels: awake one day for every five years asleep. Like a pebble skipping across a pond, these people skip across time, and ultimately the human race stagnates, as the most innovative minds are never awake long enough to accomplish anything. This is also the story of Jason’s colony started from scratch, the colonists adults with the minds of infants. This part got a little preachy – one of the examples of how degenerate life in the capital city had become was how the citizens found defecation more offensive than fornication – but most of the rest of it was pretty good. The latter half was a bunch of short stories, some retelling tales from earlier in the book, others new stories of Somec. Though some of them were kind of interesting, the addition felt unnecessary. All in all, well, this book passed the time. It wasn’t especially engaging. I find Card to be hit or miss; this wasn’t a complete miss, but it wasn’t a hit either.

Vickie Watts
On Borrowed Time by David Rosenfelt

4
Have you ever scratched your head and tried to remember what you got up to get from the kitchen? Or do you have that niggling feeling in your brain that you are forgetting something, but you don't know what? This thriller is just your cup of tea! The basis of the story is that the main character gets engaged and then his fiance disappears. Or does she? Is this all a cruel hoax? Is it possible that someone is playing mind games with him? A WOW read that you won't put down until you have found out what is going on with Richard Kilmer. One of the best thrillers that I have read. I would have changed the ending, but the book was a great read!

Jean L
No Mercy by John Gilstrap

4
No names. No Feds. No trace evidence. That's how Jonathan Grave operates. As a freelance specialist in covert rescues, he has to work outside the law to get things done - especially in highly sensitive hostage situation. I like to read books where people get things accomplished - even if not entirely legal. This book is the first of a series. I liked it and intend to read more of this series. Good writer - good story - well told!

Jean Lesslie
Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani

5
This is a really great read. I loved the characters as well as the story itself. This is the first of the Big Stone Gap series which is set in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. I looked it up on my map and found it! I don't know if there is a Little Stone Gap or a West Stone Gap but there really is a Big Stone Gap and an East Stone Gap. I won't be able to travel there but here in my Mid-America home, I plan to read the rest of this series which at this time consists of four books.

lisa
Morgue Drawer Four by Jutta Profijt

4
I had a lot of fun reading this book (the first in a series) and recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries, snappy dialogue and creativity from an author. It does require a suspension of disbelief as the narrator is a small-time crook named Pascia who was murdered -- but his death set up to appear as an accident. He "speaks" to and can only be heard by the medical examiner Martin who must determine the cause of death as part of his job. Martin is not your typical hero -- he is quiet, somewhat hapless, forgettable in appearance and does not want to make waves. Pascia makes it quite impossible to do so. Along the way, this unlikely duo learn alot about life (or afterlife in Pascia's case), each other and begin to make strides towards changing their paths. Yes, this formula has been done before in many ways, but there is a charming freshness to the story and a cheekiness to both Pascia and later to Martin that is enormously appealing. Written in German and translated to English.

Jane McCown
Defending Jacob by William Landay

4
Defending Jacob is an intriguing legal thriller. The son of the assistant district attorney has been accused of murder,and the author takes many twists and turns to get to the astounding conclusion.

Teresa Steinert
The Stand by Stephen King

4
Just re-read this after reading King's new 11/22/63. Loved it!

Teresa Steinert
Until the Next Time by Kevin Fox

2
Wasn't a very satisfying read.

Teresa Steinert
Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon

3
An internet version of the 80s song, Escape (the Piña Colada Song).

Pat Pascale
The Next Always by Nora Roberts

5
Everything I love is in Part One of the Boonsboro Triology. A restoration of an old Inn into a very intimate B&B by the Montgomery family complete with a ghost that smells like honeysuckle. I fell in love with all the characters and watched the Inn brought to life along with a love that found it's way back after so many years. Can not wait for part two, The Last Boy Friend. Another page turner that leaves you up and happy.

Liz
Calico Joe by John Grisham

4
I'm a girl. I live in KC where the All-Star game will be held. I was born and raised a Cub fan. I know enough about baseball to understand the commentators, but not to debate it with a bunch of boys. I loved Calico Joe. It brought back good memories of Cubs games with my Dad, and that baseball truly is a wonderful sport. I love John Grisham for his legal thrillers, but I really love it when he slows down, and writes with the other side of his brain.

Linda Frashure
A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer

5
Gripping story! This book was recommended to me by a friend. I can remember reading Jeffrey Archer books many years ago and he never disappoints.

Mary Frisbie
Gone Missing by Linda Castillo

5
I started the book at 8:30 p.m and finished at 2:00 a.m. I couldn't put it down. It is the latest book in the Kate Burkholder series.

Anne Mancilla
In One Person by John Irving

5
Sensitive and eye opening.

Sherrie
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

5
I really enjoyed this novel, a great read.

Kathy Iwasaka
Fallen by Karin Slaughter

4
I didn't love the ending, but getting there was definitely worth the read.

Becky McAndrews
A Walk Across the Sun by Corban Addison

3
I am just part way through this book but it has me turning pages quickly to see what will happen next.

Julie Daniel
In the Kingdom of Men by Kim Barnes

5
Excellent book about a young woman that goes to live in Arabia with her husband in the 1960's. So many themes and such a great read. Couldn't put it down.

Shiela
How to Eat a Cupcake by Meg Donohue

5
I very much enjoyed reading this book. As this was the author's debut, I am looking forward to reading her next one.

Shiela
The Rock Star in Seat 3A by Jill Kargman

4
What a fun, easy read!

Janet Nydegger
Midnight in Peking by Paul French

5
This murder mystery is made all the more compelling because it is true. The setting is pre-communist China and takes place in 1937. You will be drawn in from the first page and will hate to put the book down until you finish it.

Ilene Harris
The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo

5
Five generations of a family of woman,living together in the same house, each has a secret, great for a book club discussion.

Sandra Furlotte
Leave the Grave Green by Deborah Crombie

4
I love this series of books. It is one of the better British detective series. The plots tend to be different and the relationship between the main characters is fresh.

Rosemary Sobczak
The 500 by Matthew Quirk

3
Frightening look at the powers that be, but too much blood and gore for me. Makes you want to locate your nearest bomb shelter!

Judy Brooks
The Innocent by David Baldacci

5
Excellent book - fully developed characters and fast moving story line.

Judith Brooks
Gone Missing by Linda Castillo

5
Great book ... you are drawn in at the very beginning. Highly recommend.

Tanya B.
Eyes of Justice by Lis Wiehl and April Henry

4
I would give this book 4.5 stars. This is the fourth in a series. I would suggest reading the series from the beginning to best know the characters. This is a great crime solving series.

Regina Esposito
A Stranger in Mayfair by Charles Finch

5
Easy reading. Interesting look at 19th Century England. Characters clear. Not a boring read.

Betty Jo Harris
11-22-63 by Stephen King

4
I have never read Stephen King ... my book group selected this book and I am loving it ... he is such a good story teller and the events of the early 1960's makes for the perfect story.

Linda Johnson
The Illumination by Kevin Brockmeier

4
The illumination is an effect that allows others to see the pain through the transmission of light. If someone had a toothache, others would see light emanating from the wounded part of the body. Six stories are told in this book in which all characters experience the illumination but six people also get to read a book of love notes that ties the stories together. The writing is beautiful, lyrical, original as is the story, The ending was unforeseen and confusing.

Joyce Seabrook
Beach House Memories by Mary Alice Monroe

4
I love Southern authors and I especially enjoy Mary Alice Monroe's books. This is a love story, a turtle rescue story, and and Isle of Palms story, all in one. Enjoy!

Andria Plonka
The Water-Method Man by John Irving

4
No in a league with A Prayer for Owen Meany, but it has Irving's trademark humor concealing some interesting problems.

Linda Bentzen
Force of Nature by C. J. Box

4
I've read all of Box's books and have enjoyed every one. This one brings Nate Romanowski to the fore. Up to this book, Nate has been lightly featured in many ways, i.e., a mentor for Joe Pickett's daughter who's learning to handle falcons. Now his past is coming out and his enemies are hunting him. Will Joe and his family, along with Nate, survive this trouble from his past?

Linda Bentzen
People Who Eat Darkness by Richard Lloyd Parry

4
This book is 434 pages and has notes and an index. It is very sad for all those involved. It was an interesting read even though there is a lot of detail. Due to the country involved this detail is necessary. The reporter did a good job writing the story and bravely included what happened to him because of his reporting.

Krismar Ramker
True Sisters by Sandra Dallas

4
Follow a group of Mormons on their way to their promised land ... walking, pushing handcarts in the 1800s. Natural bonds develop among some of the women. An interesting look at the religion and relationships during the time period.

Janice Hoaglin
Three Weeks in December by Audrey Schulman

5
I loved The Cage, a much earlier book by Audrey Schulman, and so was not surprised to again find her writing beautiful, her story-telling captivating and intense. Two primary characters are the focus in this book, and the alternating chapters tell of their lives during three week periods spent in Africa. Max is an ethnobotanist who also has Asperger's; she is sent to Rwanda in 2000 by a pharmaceutical company to search for a rare vine that grows among the habitat of the few remaining mountain gorillas. Jeremy is a young man who, in 1899, arrives in British East Africa in order to supervise the building of the British railroad line across that territory. The area where the railroad tracks and bridges are being laid down is in the midst of attacks by man-eating lions, and Jeremy is the one that the laborers as well as villagers look to, to stop the killing. Both Max and Jeremy feel mostly alone, and see themselves as very outside the "norm". The author has created characters who have depth and substance; and the story of each was absorbing.

Ingrid Stukey
Ruth's Redemption by Marlene Banks

5
Set in the 1800s, Ruth’s Redemption, is an unusual depiction of the lives of slaves and free blacks in pre-Civil War America. Bo, was educated while a slave. He was given his freedom and now owns a farm buying slaves for the sole purpose of giving them their freedom. Bo is also a man of God and widower whose life is destined to change when he meets the proud and hard-hearted slave girl, Ruth. Ruth has known nothing but servitude and brutality since being separated from her mother at age thirteen. Purchased and sold primarily for breeding, her heart is filled with resentment and bitterness. Ruth wants no part of Bo’s Godly devotion. Yet Bo is unlike any man she’s known and her experiences with him will leave her forever changed. A gripping slave era novel, Ruth’s Redemption is a story of love, forgiveness, and redemption. Set against the backdrop of the Nat Turner Rebellion in Tidewater, Virginia, this novel shines the light of God’s unconditional love in the darkness of a culture’s cruel socially accepted inhumanity.

Rosalie leon
Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell

5
Hard to put it down. the main character had such fortitude and courage. It would make a great movie, with a strong young actress.

Bonnie Gluhanich
Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys

5
This is the book you should read with "gray" in the title. It's a moving, poignant novel about a 15 year old Lithuanian girl, her mother and brother who are forced to ride in a cattle car and sent to work in Siberia by the Russians in WW2. If you're a fan of The Diary of Ann Frank, then this may be the book for you. The love, heroism, and humanity set this novel above so many others.

Reva Wamsley
212: A Novel by Alafair Burke

4
The was pretty good for a free book that I downloaded to my Kindle. Ellie Hatcher is a detective investigating the murder of body guard. A woman called it in anonymously. Then a college girl, who has received threats on a website where people can post gossip about students, is murdered & her roommate seriously hurt. It's discovered that the roommate was the caller in the other murder but she's left the hospital & cannot be found. Then a prostitute is tortured & murdered. What's the connection between all these murders?

Maya Beck
Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

4
Very interesting subject and want to keep reading to find out what happens!

Dorothy Gordon
Buried in a Book by Lucy Arlington

5
A very well written cozy mystery. It's about a 40ish reporter who loses her job at the local paper who ends up interning at a book agent's office. Her psychic mom, teenage son, and the nice lady who runs the coffee shop downstairs from the agency all contribute to the colorful character roster she has invented. When a seemingly homeless man dies in the reception room of the agency on her first day of work our amateur sleuth feels the need to find out the truth. I look forward to more books in this series.

Carol Hickory
Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan

4
Three generations of Kellerhers,an Irish American family who share a summer beach house in Maine. A good summer read especially if you have been there and if you haven't, you'll want to go.

Penney Kolb
Mission to Paris by Alan Furst

5
First, I just love Alan Furst's novels and have followed him since he started. He sets an atmosphere that is so realistic that I can smell the smoke, the Paris evening, the pine forests up the sides of the Balkans. So I got it and immediately began. I was transported to Paris, summer 1938. The plot moves along smoothly and I like his characterizations and especially the "speaking voices" of the characters. This is before the OSS or CIA was founded, so regular citizens often become entangled in events they did not expect. This book fulfills the promise of those that went before and I can hardly recommend it highly enough.

Antoinette
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

5
Read this book for book club. It was one of the most profound books I have ever read. We had a phenomenal discussion. It does have a sci-fi element - a group go off in search of a newly discovered planet after hearing some breathtaking music. Only one of them returns (not a spoiler-you know this right away). There is so much in thsi book-faith is explored; the power of God; the power of family and belonging. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Raylene Wauda
The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly

1
Fantastic writing--a real page turner.

Linda Johnson
A Case of Need by Michael Crichton

4
Michael Crichton's first book, originally published under the pseudonym Jeffrey Hudson in 1968. A prominent doctor's wild daughter dies after having an illegal abortion (1968!). A doctor, known to perform abortions is named as performing the abortion by the girl's step-mother. A pathologist friend of the accused doctor does much of the police work, often crossing the detective investigating the death.

Samantha King
Grave Descend by John Lange

4
Nice short novel. Good size for a summertime morsel. Features diving, yachts and a good old crime solver.

Bridget
Lady of the Roses by Sandra Worth

5
Very good account of the early years of the war of the Roses told from the POV of a minor member of the nobility. Not much is known about this person, so the writer is free to use her imagination... which she does very nicely.

Bridget
Beach House Memories by Mary Alice Monroe

3
Disappointing prequel/sequel to The Beach House.

Susan Johnson
A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

4
Lots of emotions pulled me - laughs, sadness, smiles. I never thought about the concept of reincarnation for dogs as I don't believe in reincarnation, but for some reason it worked well for this story. It was an interesting thread to this dog's lives. I don't own a dog but happen to love them. Dog owner or not, this is a very entertaining book!

Margie
The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain

4
Very interesting family drama, good character development.

Fran
Black Echo by Michael Connelly

2
An okay mystery. I had to really focus to hold my interest.

Marie Ledin
Rainshadow Road - A Friday Harbor Novel by Lisa Kleypas

4
The second book won from GoodReads and another excellent book. I have never read any books by this author but am anxiously waiting for the next book in this series. Romance with difficulties between 2 sisters and a 3 brothers who have had a problematic family life in the past. Would recommend this to anyone who likes to read romance novels. Would like to read more books by this author.

Phyllis Gronewold
A Lady Cyclist's Guide To Kashgar by Suzanne Joinson

4
While A Lady Cyclist’s Guide To Kashgar lets the reader travel to the exotic Kashgar desert in a past time, it is really a look at women’s relationships and how the past can affect the present. The story spanning the decades kept my interest throughout. Suzanne Joinson did a very good job of entwining the stories of Eva and Frieda and of the past and the present.

Lynn W
Sea Escape by Lynne Griffin

3
Perfect beach read.

Phyllis Gronewold
Next To Love by Ellen Feldman

4
Not only are wars violent in nature but they leave lasting changes on survivors – the soldiers, their families and on society. In Next To Love, we meet Babe, Grace and Millie who have been friends since childhood even though each grew up in different circumstances. They all three become WWII brides and see their young husbands off to war. As they go about their time waiting at home, Babe is the only one who joins the workforce by taking a job at the Western Union office in their small town. Grace and Millie‘s days are filled with raising children. The young women’s letters to and from their husbands show the love and courage of the young people trying to get through the war. Two young women are left war widows; one young woman has to learn to live with a very changed husband. As the story moves from 1941 to the sixties, the reader sees the lingering effects of the war on people and new realities society had to face. Next To Love is a very good historical fiction story that makes you look deeper into the way WWII changed our country.

Julie Sorum
Guilt by Association by Marcia Clark

4
I love the main character and love Clark's easy storytelling style. Great mystery!

Debra Ferragamo-Hayes
The Reckoning by Alma Katsu

5
I Loved the first book but this one is just blowing me away! The Reckoning fills you in on the background of it's characters and shows how the Immortal got his start! I have to say I thought I was going to hate Adair once more, but Ms. Katsu has put a human face on this Immortal and given him some heart ... strange to feel something for someone so evil! Anyway, great 2nd cant wait for the the last book to come out!

Kay Keller
London by Edward Rutherfurd

5
This is GREAT historical fiction -- an engrossing epic novel!! I love the writing, the story, and the history!

Denise Welch
Heartbroken by Lisa Unger

5
Loved it.

Shirley Johnson
Criminal by Karin Slaughter

5
Karin Slaughter writes books that are riveting, action packed and suspenseful. She is tops on my list.

Debbie M
Guilt by Association by Marcia Clark

3
The story reminded me a little of the James Patterson's Women Murder Club series. Of course, Marcia Clark writes a better story, but James Patterson's books are a quicker read. Clark's story starts with a band when Rachel Knight's co-worker is found dead in an apparent murder-suicide. Rachel and her two friends, Toni and Bailey, attempt to ferret out the truth.

Debbie M
The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen

4
I thoroughly enjoyed this book with the background of Chinese woman warriors and the sense of family loyalty. Gerritsen is a physician and an excellent writer. I thought that her novel would be too technical, but Patricia Cornwall goes into more detail in describing an autopsy. Gerritsen presents likable characters. I enjoy the friendship between Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isles. I liked the way that the story progressed through first person narrative with two different women relaying the story. I definitely plan to read more books written by Tess Gerritsen.

Debbie M
Night Passage by Robert B. Parker

3
This is my first forage into a Robert B Parker novel, and I enjoyed the journey. I think what provided the pleasure is that I had seen the Tom Selleck movie and could see the differences between the movie and the novel. I felt the novel displayed a better portrayal. The characters are not complex, but the writing flows easily.

Miriam Grzymala
The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths

5
I love how this writer delves into all the relationships surrounding the main character Ruth. I really enjoy a story that moves through the past and present to find the killer. I thought the plot twists were terrific and would recommend this great read!

CAROL
The Indian Bride by Karin Fossum

5
I recently discovered this Norwegian mystery writer and love her books! This is the third one I've read that deal with the same police team. Very enjoyable mysteries!

Merri Arndt
How We Do Harm by Otis Webb Brawley and Paul Goldberg

5
Anyone who has ever used our health system should read this book.

Brady
Against Medical Advice by James Patterson & Hal Friedman

4
This is the first non-fiction book written by James Patterson. It is the story of a young man who has severe problems with controlling bodily functions and mental health. He sees a multitude of doctors who give him more problems than help. How he gains a fact of "almost normality" is the most interesting part of the story and this is worth reading about to see how on person is able to fight to rationality.

Coral Harrison
True Sisters by Sandra Dallas

5
Story starts in 1856 of the Morman Converts from Europe and America going to Zion in Salt Lake City. The story is based on fact but all the characters are fictitious. It tells of their troubles and tribulations on getting there. When they get to Iowa they built wooden carts to push the over 1,000 miles to Salt Lake City. It is very well written as are all her books. Sad in many ways but triumphant in many.

Brenda Klaassen
Next to Love by Ellen Feldman

3
This weekend I had time to read this historical fiction. I found the story flowed very smoothly. The characters sometimes tugged on my heartstrings. The story had happy and sad parts. This was a book worth reading.

Lesley Fry
Consumption by Kevin Patterson

5
I have read only 40 pages so far but I love this book. Yes, the heroine, a Canadian Eskimo, contracts TB as a child, but the book is about how her entire life is affected by being sent away for 6 years to a sanitarium at the age of 10. Beautiful writing. Fascinating story. And some geography lessons as well if you care to look at maps on the internet.

Marsha
That Woman by Anne Sebba

4
This is a very detailed, lively and well-researched full biography of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, who was referred to as "that woman" by the Queen Mother. It provides new insight on the character and motivations of this charismatic and complex woman and leaves you wondering if this was the "most romantic love story of the century". Some details of her physical and psychological traits are very interesting, as well as, the emotional health of Edward VIII.

Lynn Pappas
Defending Jacob by William Landay

5
Outstanding writing, magnificent plot and superb pacing makes for one of the best reads so far this year! I usually stay away from NYT bestsellers, but this one was referred to me by a fellow attorney who rarely reads legal procedurals - this novel is so much more! Stays with you long after the last page.

Michelle Heurung
11/22/63 by Stephen King

5
This is not your usual Stephen King fare. I am usually not a reader of his work. This novel had me spellbound. I couldn't put it down ... it was THAT good. A story of time-travel and love ... of the past repeating itself ... friendship, and also ... what is the worst of humankind. A must-read.

Maria
Wonder by R. J. Palacio

5
A great read for anyone who has ever felt like they are not good enough. So yeah, basically everyone should read this book about a boy wonder who triumphs in the literal face of adversity.

Kerry Hincka
Wonder by R. J. Palacio

5
A fantastic,moving read. Share it with your kids. This book provides an awful lot of "teachable moments" regarding bullying,self-esteem,family dynamics and more. There are "laugh out loud" moments and "I can't read cause I'm too choked up" moments. A very important book.

Heather Larson
Envy by Gregg Olsen

5
This is Olsen's first YA and it should have lots of teens intrigued. It's got some sleuthing, some teen-age angst and even some other-worldliness. I am really enjoying this read.

Mike Mailley
The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain

5
This is my first book by Diane Chamberlain, having won it in a drawing and I found a new author that I'm going to be reading. A young man puts his dreams on hold when his girlfriend has their baby and her father keeps them apart. Having gained custody of his daughter he worked in construction and his Mom watched the little girl while he worked. A bad economy and a fire puts him out of work and claims the life of his Mother. He hears about a job from a friend of his in a city about 3 hours away. Using the last of his money he drives there and finds out the job involves transporting illegal goods. Resisting as long as he can, he eventually takes the job and leaves his daughter with a woman he met in a coffee shop, and she realizes she became a babysitter hours after he disappears. After his job goes bad he tries to save his daughter, the woman he left her with and himself. It's an engaging and fast paced book. Some of the plot is pretty standard and time worn but it has enough unexpected twists to keep a reader waiting to see what will happen next.

gretchen kempff
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

3
I find this book to be dragging ... very little to spur me to continue except that I'm reading it for book club. The main character is wimpish and doesn't speak her mind but allows others to dictate her life.

Mary Bryant
Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

4
Sad to think the caste system really works as described in this novel. Your heart goes out to the main character and her granddaughter.

Courtney Frantz
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

5
This is without a doubt the best book I've read in the last 5 years. I highly recommend it to men, women and teens.

Marion Miller
Defending Jacob by William Landay

5
I could not stop reading this book. There were times when I disagreed with what was happening but I had to keep going. Jacob is the son of a DA in Massachusetts. There is a teenager murdered in the town and he has to investigate the killing. However, the investigators point to his son as the murderer. There is a trial and many subplots. A must read!!

Giarnese Toni
Heading Out to Wonderful by Robert Goolrick

5
A love story that resonates like a folk song.

Michele
Drowning by Lee Grove

4
This book really grabbed me and pulled me in. It concerns members of a family in Florida who all carry secrets and information is slowly revealed to the reader. The book jumps between the '40s and 1989 and we hear each of the character's voices per chapter. Enjoyable!

Julie Siemek
The Search by Shelley Shepard Gray

5
This is a fabulous book. I've never read anything written by this author, but will be picking up all of her titles! Can't wait for the 3rd book in this mini-series.

Antoinette
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

5
Such a wonderful book. It is a young adult book but I think it's for everyone. It is a book about facing death, but also living today. So many important messages in this book. Yes, it makes you cry, but it makes you appreciate life and think about what really matters.

Lori
Shockaholic by Carrie Fisher

3
A very fast read that is basically a continuation of her previous memoir - a lot about her mental health issues, her celebrity friends and her relationship with her father. It was an entertaining read.

Elena
Looking for Alaska by John Green

5
Looking for Alaska is a young adult book but I think that anyone would benefit from reading this book. It's an entertaining read that will make you laugh and cry with the characters. I've reread this several times and I adore this book and I know many others that do as well.

Susan Atkins
Bell, Book, and Scandal by Jill Churchill

2
I found the book had not much of a plot,slow moving and too much information about how to write a book. The main character is a wannabe author and trying to write a book and find a publisher. She goes into much detail about how she is writing the book and finding a publisher and not much else. It is suppose to be a mystery. I do not recommend this book.

Betty DeLuca
The Last Child by John Hart

5
John Hart is a wonderful writer who gets you into the book on the first page and you can't put it down. It kept me guessing until the very end. While the content is heartbreaking it was a great read.

Allison Gardner
The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

4
Great story about Joan of Arc.

Judy O.
The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani

4
This is the story of Ciro and Enza, a young Italian couple, living in mountainous villages in northern Italy. They meet, fall in love, and then fate takes them away from each other for many years. They both eventually meet again in New York City. This is their story. The author wrote it to tell the actual story of her grandparents. I enjoyed this book, but I found it to be about 100 pages too long.

Rhonda K. Hereford
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

5
Just read this for book club and loved it! The story unfolds perfectly and reveals just enough throughout to keep you rapidly turning pages all the way to the bittersweet ending.

Michelle Martin
Wool Omnibus Edition (Wool 1-5) by Hugh Howey

5
Definitely the best thing I've read this year. Set in a dystopian world where everyone lives in a Silo and those who break the rules are sent outside to clean the cameras this book had me from the first short (67 page) novella and didn't let go until the end of book 5.

Wendy Barker
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

5
I loved Patchett's Bel Canto and I was doubtful that this book could be as good, but now I'm a believer. I've been recommending it to everyone I know. It will appeal to everyone who likes a book that is fast-paced but contemplative as well. And as the title implies, it will leave you wondering when you finish the book.

Carol
A Jane Austen Education by William Deresiewicz

5
A marvelous, thought provoking read. Even if one hasn't read Jane Austen's books, one learns of life's lessons and about "things that really matter" from Mr. Deresiewicz who read her books, discovered their treasures, and shared them with us. Gosh, it may even make one want to become a fan of Jane Austen.

Mary Fountain
Big Sky Country by Linda Lael Miller

5
This book is great so far. I love her cowboy books and the wide open country that she writes about.

Elizabeth Conway
The Fisher King by Hayley Kelsey

5
A reworking of the Fisher King legend putting it in a modern day context. Kelsey's retelling looks at the problems of overfishing and environmental pollution and is set on a fictional island in the Chesapeake Bay. She has a very clean and descriptive writing style.

Sharon Elliott-Fox
The Root of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo

3
A story of 5 generations of women who may carry a "longevity" gene. Anna, the matriarch is 110 when the story opens and living in the same house as her daughter, granddaughter and great-great grandaughter. Secrets abound in this family-- some older than Anna herself, but all have an impact on each character in the book.

Cheryl Christians
Dreams of Joy by Lisa See

5
As with all of Ms. See's novels, the story unfolds in such a way that the reader is drawn in and hooked before being aware it is happening. This book is better if you have already read Shanghai Girls as it picks up right where Shanghai Girls leaves off. Either book can stand alone but the experience is richer if read in order.

Nancy Snodgrass
Unholy Night by Seth Grahame-Smith

4
Another wonderful, very skewed interpretation of a classic tale by this author. The Christmas story has never been presented in this manner...especially the Magi. It is amazing, outrageous, hysterical, frightening, heartwarming, spiritual and uplifting. It is a book that will stay with you throughout the year. And it raises the questions of what makes a man good.

Michael McAdam
Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich

5
I kept hearing that the Stephanie Plum series starts out great and kinda bogs down "after the first dozen or so." I am almost done with the 13th book and I have to disagree. I think this book is as good as any book in the series. The snark is still there. I have laughed out loud a few times. This is like the literary version of a popcorn movie. They are just fun and engaging. I am still all in :)

Nancy Hausladen
The Lauguage Of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbough

4
I enjoyed this book about a young woman and her love of flowers

Felice Mikelberg
Baby Grand by Dina Santorelli

5
This first time novelist (currently in e-reader format) provides a thriller full of excitement, twists, turns, and truly makes it hard to put down. If you're a native New Yorker, you will notice the local flavor throughout.

Connie Shattuck
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

5
This book grabbed me right from the start. Very moving and a page turner.

Mary A Hebda
Wolf Gift by Anne Rice

4
The book draws you in and keeps you enthralled throughout. This is one of Anne Rice's best books ever. A must read.

Dorothea lo
2030 by Albert Brooks

5
This futuristic novel by Albert Brooks follows several characters in the year 2030. At this time, many diseases including cancer have been wiped out and the elderly population lives to be well into their 100s. The City of Los Angeles is hit with a devastating earthquake and its rebuilding causes even more federal debt and borrowing from China which includes a partnership. These problems cause tensions between the younger/elder generations. The characters are believable and the plot gave me a lot to think about. I couldn't put this book down and talked about it for weeks. I highly recommend this novel, a first by actor Albert Brooks.

Linda Johnson
Don't Know Much About History by Kenneth C. Davis

4
Very interesting and quickly moving rendition of our nation's history. The book was originally written in the early 1990s. This is an updated 20th anniversary edition which includes subsequent events, including 9/11. The audio even includes the appendices which is a tad strange to listen to. This book clarified some issues that I did not completely understand (both outside of and during my own history).

Julie
The Glass Rainbow by James Lee Burke

4
The writing in this novel is very good in that the author really makes you feel the sultry warm breeze coming off the bayou in Louisiana. This is a Dave Robicheaux detective series book. Seven young women have been murdered and the crimes have all the signs of a serial killer. Detective Robicheaux delves into one of his most dangerous and complex cases in this novel. It is set against the backdrop of a paradise in the little town of Iberia, Louisiana and is a real page turner.

Michele C
Never Tell by Alafair Burke

5
I love the Ellie Hatcher series!!

Jud Hanson
Academ's Fury by Jim Butcher

5
2nd book in the Codex Alera. Lots of action and a great plot!

Reva Wamsley
Gods and Kings: Chronicles of the Kings #1 by Lynn Austin

4
Another book I downloaded to my Kindle for free. This story is taken from the book of Chronicles in the Bible. It's the story of King Ahaz, who has forsaken Yahweh and started worshiping idols. His wife is the daughter of a Levite who tries to teach his grandson, Hezekiah, the ways of the Lord. When his father finds out, he puts a stop to it & finds his son a tutor. When his father dies & he becomes King, a prophet reminds him of his upbringing that he had forgotten. A very interesting take on the story in the Bible, It held my interest all the way through. There are sequels that I would very much like to read.

Lynne Perednia
Home by Toni Morrison

5
While some have not embraced the Nobel Prize-winner's latest novel because it is not Beloved, Home still has many merits of its own. It's about finding a home and the forgotten in society, with Morrison's trademark ghosts and an ending that speaks of hope.

Wendy Catalano
One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf

5
What could be more terrifying than a gunman in a school! Told from the viewpoints of the children, their families, teachers and the police, this story is a compelling account of the events that unfolded on this horrific day. Heather Gudenkauf had me captivated from the start and it is easy to see why I love her novels.

Linda Noseworthy
Superstition by Karen Robards

4
I like the twists & turns Karen takes with her storylines. I also enjoy the way the histories of her characters unravel.

Marilyn Clement
Night Watch by Linda Fairstein

4
I am reading an advance copy of Linda Fairstein's new book which I thank Penguin Publications for sending me. I haven't finished the book, so I am reluctantly giving the book 4 stars until I am able to finish the book. I love the characters, and the international settings in France and New York and the intelligent female New York prosecutor, Alex Cooper. Alex has to cut her vacation short and return to New York for a high-profile case while leaving her lover, 3 star French restaurateur Luc Rouget, dealing with an unsolved murder which appears to be connected to the new opening of his New York restaurant, Lutece. Equally puzzling, a murder victim shows up in New York with the same match holder advertising the new restaurant, Lutece. I am not able to turn the pages fast enough and am disappointed when I have to put the book down. This book is providing me with a great Summer read.

Ann B.
Die Trying by Lee Child

4
A page turner. Jack Reacher is kidnapped when he's in the wrong place at the wrong time along with the woman who was the kidnappers target. They are taken across America to an unknown destination. The woman is the daughter of a government official. The kidnappers are plotting to overthrow the government and using her to get their demands. This book never stops. I enjoyed it very much.

Ann B.
The Inner Circle by Brad Metzer

3
Fast moving story about a young archivist who finds a priceless book in a secret vault where the president of the United States goes to review classified documents. He wants to discover why the president has hidden the book or someone hid it there for him. From then on the story picks up and he can't trust anyone.

Lynn Demsky
Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar

5
Rahab the harlot who became an ancestor of Christ, by marrying the leader of one of the 12 tribes. One of the great women of the Bible kind of based on Joshua 1-10, the book of Ruth and Matthew 1:1-17 was a thoroughly enjoyable, don't-want-to-put-down, GREAT reads!

Linda McFarland
The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo

5
Loved this book...and loved the way the family's secrets kept the reader glued to the book until the end.

Suzanne Gonneville
Dreams of Joy by Lisa See

4
This book is a followup of Shanghai Girls which is about sisters, Pearl and May. Idealistic, Joy is the 19-year-old daughter who goes back to Shanghai in 1957 to find her birth father. Pearl and then May follow her to China. I enjoyed the story and my new knowledge of China’s history during that time period. Anyone who read Shanghai Girls will want to read this book to continue the story about the family who came to America.

Mary Jo Whitehead
The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht

1
I found this book extremely confusing. When I finished it I really had no idea what it was about. My book club read it and I was the only one who finished it. Everyone else gave up.

Suzanne Gonneville
Next to Love by Ellen Feldman

5
This is the story of three friends’ lives during and after World War II and up to the early 60s. These women have many adjustments within their families during these years in their small town. This is when each woman becomes a plot herself and we learn how each reacts with the others. I can say this is great story writing and I loved the book.

Lee Mitchell
Trapeze by Simon Mawer

3
Great story but it would be better with a little more editing i.e. some repetition.

Audrey Shaffer
The End of Marking Time by C. J. West

3
I would have given this book 4 stars, but I didn't like the ending. It held me in thrall until the climax, where it slapped me in the face. Still, I can't stop thinking about it.

Marsha
The Short Forever by Stuart Woods

5
A Stone Barrington novel never fails to surprise and delight the reader. This time, Barrington, ex-cop and investigator, travels to London and becomes embroiled in a caper that leads in all directions. Fun reading.

Sandi Ward
The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo

3
As I read the Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo, I became very attached to Elizabeth - better known as Bets. Bets was the 2nd of 5 generations of living first born Keller women and was 90 years old. Her mother Anna was still living at 112 years old and very much a part of the novel, as the study of longevity was a major topic of the book. Family secrets, life in Hill House, and the loves that all 5 women endured, makes this family extraordinary. In addition, the painting of the olive orchard, how it came to be, and how it effected the lives of this family was not only interesting, but central to the novel.

Hedy Biggers
Criminal by Karen slaughter

5
I always enjoy a good suspense story. I am very good at not figuring out-who-done-it.

Darlene Reid-Rericha
Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris

5
This is a great book! I'll be reading all in the series.

Carrie Wall
Vulture Peak by John Burdett

5
I love this series, but I'm afraid I probably miss a lot with the exotic locale.

Meera Goodness
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

5
I have read his previous science fiction series and enjoyed them. This one was very different from those books. The story is about a young boy who has to deal with his mother having cancer. His coping mechanism is having a monster in his yard that he talks to. Sounds strange but the author makes the story poignant and heartfelt nevertheless.

Shelley Hunt
Oath of Office by Michael Palmer

4
Great character structure. The plot goes from "this is not possible" to "oh man, I think this could be possible". Great read ... challenges the mind.

Sandy McCullough
Die a Stranger by Steve Hamilton

5
Late one night, a plane lands on a deserted airstrip. Five dead bodies are found there the next morning. And now Vinnie LeBlanc is missing. Vinnie is an Ojibwa tribal member, a blackjack dealer at the Bay Mills Casino, and he just might be Alex McKnight’s best friend. He’s come through for Alex more than once in the past, and he never ever misses a day of work. So Alex can’t help but be worried. There’s a deadly crime war creeping into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, leaving bodies in its wake, and Alex wouldn’t think for a minute that his friend could be involved. But when an unexpected and unwelcome stranger arrives in town, Alex will soon find out that the stakes are higher than he ever could have imagined.

Tanya B.
Tumbleweeds by Leila Meacham

4
Another wonderful book by the author of Roses. I enjoyed and highly recommend both books. The characters are great and the books keep the reader wanting more.

jane Dennis
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

4
Excellent book of Jeannette's life. All the time I was reading this, I kept wondering how they even survived being such a poor and dysfunctional family. So different then how her grandmother lived which was told her Jeannette's first novel - Half Broke Horses.

Vickie Denney
Heir to the Everlasting by Janice Daugharty

5
One of the best books I've read in years.

Bridget
Spring Fever by Mary Kay Andrews

5
Cannot say enough good things about Mary Kay Andrews newest book. The plot is delightful, the characters perfection. When I finished reading I wanted a bottle of Quixie!

Jud Hanson
The Great Influenza by John M. Barry

5
This is a fascinating read. I have only heard about the Influenza Epidemic of 1918 but never read about it in this much vivid detail. There's a lot modern medicine can learn from the mistakes made in handling this epidemic.

michele c
The Conviction by Robert Dugoni

5
Always excellent.

Kellie
World Without End by Ken Follett

5
This author is brilliant. Brilliant because he can write a book with a setting that takes place in 14th century England and make it so good, I couldn’t put it down. This is technically the sequel to Pillars of the Earth, but you don’t need to remember anything about Pillars to read this one. The characters are very prominent and some you love, like Caris and Merthin and some you despise like Ralph and Prior Godwyn. Reading this book, you learn a little bit of history about the King and Queen. You also learn about the power of the clergy. Or shall I say abuse of power. You get a feel for the struggles of the people during that time. It is interesting, people seemed to have some of the same problems with life as we do today. Money, taxes, politics, government, sex, disease, employment. This book was exceptional. I loved it as much as Pillars.

Lorna
11th Hour by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

4
The Womens Murder Club is trying to figure out who has dug up heads and placed them on display in a famous actors garden. At the same time someone is killing off known drug dealers and they suspect some one on the SFPD is to blame. This book in the series centers mostly around Lindsay, who is pregnant and dealing with her own problems. Always a quick read that keeps you wanting to continue after each chapter.

Jayme G.
A Crime in the Neighborhood by Suzanne Berne

4
Winner of the 1999 Orange Prize for Fiction A Crime in the Neighborhood by Suzanne Berne is a surprising and captivating book takes a look at what happens when fear drives a community and how guilt can be implied and perceived. At first I wasn't sure where the story was going, but two-thirds in I started to get goose bumps when I realized what are young narrator was going to do. The reader is left wondering "What was the actual crime in the neighborhood?" Thought-provoking book.

Jayme G.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

5
I love Greek mythology, and found The Song of Achilles to be a fascinating retelling of Homer's The Iliad. I was really surprised that I could not put this book down and had to finish it in one day - especially since I knew how it would end. I think what makes this story so good is that it is a well-written love story that captivates with it's depth and honesty. This is Patroclus' song for Achilles - the love of his young life.

Judy O.
Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale by Lynda Rutledge

4
On the last day of the millennium, December 31, 1999, Faith Bass Darling decides to have a garage sale of all her valuable antiques. She lives in a huge mansion in Bass, Texas; and she is convinced that she will die before the day is over. Neighbors throng to the sale, taking away many priceless antiques for $1.00 or less. This is a many-layered story of Faith and of the tragedies she has endured in her long life. Quite a unique book.

Linda Bentzen
Sentinel by Matthew Dunn

4
Yes, there is a surprise ending which I never expected. I must admit I had trouble getting "into" this book. It probably had to do with being so busy that I read only a few minutes at a time. Once I was free of commitment, I began to like the book and ended up enjoying it. Reading spy thrillers is my forte; hence, my surprise at having trouble getting into it. Will Cochrane is quite a spy and I enjoyed his abilities. He seems to be well-trained in his various skills, yet he does have some warmness, though not much. He is such a harsh and evil-seeming man whose harsh methods could only be honed to efficiency by his hard work and his loyalty to his country. I think anyone who enjoys spy thrillers will enjoy this book. Thanks for the opportunity to read it.

Lynn W
Wild by Cheryl Strayed

3
Hiking the PCT without much planning and no training is dangerous. I enjoyed the adventure - sometimes with my heart in my throat.