This contest period's winners were Amy M., Barbara L., Gladys P., Laura G. and Margaret J., who each received a copy of THE HIT by David Baldacci, I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN by Jackie Hance with Janice Kaplan and MAYA'S NOTEBOOK by Isabel Allende.
Terry Beal
The Richest Woman in America by Janet Wallach
Love to ready about Hetty Green. I have all the books written. Once lived close to New Bedford, MA and have seen her son's former mansion. Also saw her neighborhood in Bellows Falls, VT. If you've never heard of her, she is crazy and wonderful.
Suzanne Mazzei
Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
Despite not being a huge Barbara Kingsolver fan, I'm glad that I decided to give Flight Behavior a try. I enjoyed the characters and the imagery but really didn't need another global warming message. Also disappointed with the ending.
Debbie Smith
Exploding the Phone by Phil Lapsley
This is a somewhat "geeky" book. I worked for "Ma Bell" and find it fascinating. This book starts out with a history of how the phone and AT&T came into being. It is extremely interesting - Western Union declined the purchase of the phone as "who would need that". In this day and age that's incredibly hard to fathom. The majority of the book is about phone phreaks who broke the code of the system and could make free calls. I know it may sound boring but truly it is not. I recommend highly.
Summer Grinstead
True Colors by Kristin Hannah
This was my first book by this author but I loved it. It shows the intricate relationships between siblings. I really liked this book.
S. S. S.
Sweet Sanctuary by Kim Vogel Sawyer
As usual, Kim has penned another excellent novel! 5 stars!!
Mary Rodriguez
Safe From Harm by Stephanie Jaye Evans
Another good mystery from the new Sugar Land Mystery series; the story surrounds a preacher and his family who live on the Texas Gulf Coast.
Rhonda
The Silent Wife by A. S. A. Harrison
A tense psychological thriller.
Aaron Polish
More Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
A lot of scary stories some which are funny.
Judy S
Kinsey and Me by Sue Grafton
Prefer the novels, but the short stories are fun.
Rose Palek
Roses by Leila Meacham
This book is a large one, but reading goes fast. It is a moving story of family, faithfulness, and love, lost love and found love. How involved lives can become ... and some just cannot understand family dedication, loyalty to others, and how one can justify a poor decision. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and know others with a love of the old south plantations would also.
Pat S
Sum It Up by Pat Summitt
I so admire this woman/coach. Just within the beginning pages of this book, I cried. It is so devastating to know she is fighting Alzheimer's. She was truly instrumental in women's sports being elevated to the level they are at today. This is an awesome read!!!!
Karen Stigers
Defending Jacob by William Landay
This was our book club selection for April. Because it deals with parental responsibility with a troubled child it led to a very interesting discussion. This was a timely book due to the recent mass shooting that have taken place.
Lisa
Broken Paradise by Cecilia Samartin
I read this for my book club, which I was told about from another book club. This is an older book written in 2008. The story is about two cousins growing up in Cuba. One family leaves when Castro takes over and comes to America the other family stays. Having very little background on Cuba and the revolution this book was a good history lesson, but what I got more from the story was the bonds of family. It is an amazing story of courage in the face of adversity. It makes you love America.
Lisa
Broken Paradise by Cecilia Samartin
I read this for my book club, which I was told about from another book club. This is an older book written in 2008. The story is about two cousins growing up in Cuba. One family leaves when Castro takes over and comes to America the other family stays. Having very little background on Cuba and the revolution this book was a good history lesson, but what I got more from the story was the bonds of family. It is an amazing story of courage in the face of adversity. It makes you love America.
Janice Baly
Heads in Beds by Jacob Tomsky
I thought this was going to be an entertaining insider's account of life behind the scenes in hotels. However, the author's profane language and tips on how to ripoff a hotel where you are staying offended me.
Jan Siefert
The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber
For fans of the Cedar Cove series and were disappointed when Debbie Macomber ended it, you will be very happy with this new series. The setting is the same (Cedar Cove), but the main character is new. However, Mrs. Macomber integrates several of the original Cedar Cove characters. The story line is great, as well as the new main character. Although it's not necessary, there is a prequel titled When First They Met that you might want to read first. It's available as a Kindle or Nook e-book for 99 cents. It gives information on how the series all began. I can't wait to read the second book in this series!
Judy Murden
Homefront by Kristin Hannah
This was a very readable book that sparked some of the most interesting discussions our book group has had in the past few months. It led to conversations about the war in Iraq, the role of women in combat, the idea of women balancing career and family, and life itself.
Donna Shaw
The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman
Tom and Louise are a young Australian couple that live on an island as the lighthouse keeper. They cannot have children and a baby in a boat drifts to the island. The story brings the reader into the lives and the heart wrenching dilemma facing this couple when they discover that the mother is searching for her baby.
Donna Shaw
The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
Two thousand years ago, hundreds of Jews fled from Roman armies to a mountain-top refuge called Masada. The story is about 4 women who have arrived from different villages. Caring for the doves is very important to the survival of the group. The Romans are eventually successful in overcoming the Jewish community, but there are survivors who are able to relate about the daily life and the siege at Masada. I immediately went to the internet to learn more.
Joyce Schaff
Don't Sing at the Table by Adriana Trigiani
The true story of the author's grandmothers was compelling and heartwarming. It made me so much more aware of the immigrant experience and it made me wish to have known my grandmothers better.
Donna Shaw
One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus
An Indian chief approaches President Ulysses Grant with a proposal that 1000 white women come to the Indian village for 2 years. They are to marry and have children and they all would then be returned to the white man's life. This is factual. President Grant refused this offer, but the story is written with the premise that he agreed this plan. Mary Dodd is one of the women and this story is her diary of her life as an Indian wife. I was so convinced that this story was true that I had to re-read the forward and epilogue several times for clarification.
Nancy Hausladen
Merry Christmas, Alex Cross by James Patterson
It is Christmas Eve and Alex Cross and his family want to spend it together, however, he is called out on two cases. One case puts him is danger and this causes problems between him and his family, who feel they should come first on Christmas.
Carol Stroup
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
I read this because my son was reading it for his English class. What an amazing novel. Although it was a commitment to read, it was very well worth it. So much content and so many things to discuss. I enjoyed being able to converse with my 18 year old about his thoughts compared to mine about all of the wonderful characters, philosophy, and intricacies of this classic novel.
Gladys Paradowski
The Struggle by Wanda E. Brunstetter
This is an absolutely delightful book covering a host of characters, the entire spectrum of emotions. You learn the contracting lifestyles of the Amish and the Englishers, learn many Amish words, laugh and sympathize with the struggles of everyday living. The author does an outstanding job of character development in a fast-moving, totally intriguing story.
Dorothy Boyum
The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani
Very interesting read. A bit too sad for me in parts.
Linda Miller
The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy
Beautifully written, fast paced book told between two stories. One of love today with a battle raging between American soil and Mexico and a friend's story of her life in Germany as a girl during WWII and the understanding that comes from her story to help her younger friend understand her father and his lack of feelings.
Linda Miller
The Plum Tree by Ellen Marie Wiseman
The story of a German girl and a Jewish boy in love during WWII and the repercussions this has on both of them and their families.
Allison Gardner
Bloodline by Fiona Mountain
Interesting story.
Kathy Vallee
It Takes A Witch by Heather Blake
This is the first in this series and I have to say a very funny and fast read. When Darcy and her sister Harper find themselves without any parents, even though they are adults now, they go to live with their aunt. They find out all kinds of things they had never heard of, like the fact that they are wishcrafts and the long list of rules that go with that. So here they are living in Salem Massachusetts. Where there are talking mice and an Elder who watches over everyone making sure no laws are broken.
Hard to put down and lots of laughs.
Priscilla Escajeda
The Beauty of Humanity Movement by Camilla Gibb
This book is the book of the year for RI. Maggie goes to Hanoi in search of her past. Her father became separated from Maggie and and her mother during the war.
Sandi
One True Thing by Anna Quindlen
I was in the mood for something contemporary and thought provoking. This book really delivered!
A modern, liberated woman cares for her terminally ill mother who had traditional values. When the mother dies, the woman is accused of mercy killing. Great book about relationships with parents.
Francisca E B
The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
3.5 stars. Magical realism that reminds me of stories my grandmother and Tia Maria would tell. Loved parts of this (especially the Tiger's Wife story and the Man Who Could Not Die), but not the whole. Good, not great.
Sue Wardrep
Leaving Everything Most Loved by Jacqueline Winspear
This is the ninth book in the Maisie Dobbs series. I have enjoyed this series about a young woman investigator in post WW I London. The series should be read in order, starting with Maisie Dobbs, as the characters and relationships build as the stories continue. They are well done and the settings in and around London in the 1920's and 1930's enhance the stories. I always look forward to reading Maisie's next adventure.
Peggy Hendrick
Rules of Civility by Amor Towley
I loved this book! It is one of those books that stay with you long after you've read it, and reading a lot, I don't often find books that do that (I might remember the plot, but the characters names? or the name of the book itself??) For a first novel it is very well written and I hope if the author has another book in the works its just as good. Very character driven, plot moves along very well, and has wonderful historical aspects to it too (speakeasyies, beginning of the jazz movement). I even found myself writing down paragraphs from the book, so that I could go back and savor them long after the book was reshelved in the library. I don't buy many books but this is one I might have to consider.
Jean L
Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
I loved this book. I could not put it down. It is written in the voice of a young man who tells us about the events in his life as he is trying to find his way to growing up.
If you like a book where you can smile as well as cry a bit while you learn about how to forgive, you'll love this one as I did.
Jean L
Odd Mom Out by Jane Porter
The story of a mother who wants her adolescent daughter to learn to think for herself and the daughter wants her mother to be more like the mothers of her friends. I liked the way they both came together.
Pat Pascale
Then Again by Diane Keaton
Different memoir in that Diane couples her life memories with those of her mother. Annie Hall is complex but an interesting read.
Jean L
Alone by Lisa Gardner
I liked this book because it made me aware of some problems that confront lawmen when they're just doing their jobs. This is the first in the series featuring Bobby Dodge, a state lawman. I liked the book well enough that I have begun reading the next in the series.
Linda Reck
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
This book is amazing. What Kate Atkinson has done is extraordinary. Imagine an alternate life. What if after a baby is born, it dies, and what happens if that baby is born and is alive.The whole book delves into puzzling concept of "what if." This book breaks the mold of literary writing. I cannot put down this smart, moving and powerful novel. I have never read a novel such an extraordinary book.
Betty Taylor
In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner
This is a very well written book about an atrocious event. While it is fiction, it is based on the author's life. The story is told from the viewpoint of a seven-year-old girl. The event -- the Khmer Rouge overruns Cambodia. It is beautifully written but the events described are horrific.
Barbara Simon
Dead Water by Ann Cleeves
5th book in the Shetland series. Protag Jimmy Perez has gotten interested in the most recent case on the island which begins to pull him out of his personal devastation. This will be a long process but it's a start and manages to get him out of the house where he has been for 6 months. A female inspector is sent from Inverness to head the murder investigation and she makes allowances for Jimmy's 'strangeness'. I hope there will be a 6th book.
Rachelle Belletete
Another Piece of My Heart by Jane Green
My discussion group liked this book... there was a lot to talk about, especially about family dynamics.
Arthur Harriman
Micro by Michael Crichton and Richard Preston
Good fun. Here the incredible becomes the impossible, yet the plot is quite ordinary. A group of young scientists drawn to a mysterious research facility is promptly reduced to less than Lilliputian size by the customary evil and seriously megalomaniacal laboratory director. The victims escape to struggle through what is for them a deadly landscape as they seek to return to the lab where survivors engage in battle with the mad director and, not surprisingly, his tiny flying robots.
Kathy Iwasaka
Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich
Although I have been a great lover of the Stephanie Plum series, this one felt like a repeat of the others. Nothing new, no moving forward. I think I may be done with this series, but am looking forward to her new venture with Lee Goldberg.
Lonnie Elliott
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
I really enjoyed this entertaining book. It combines twenty-somthing geeks with a five-hundred year-old secret society seeking the secret to eternal life.
Crystal Blackburn
The People's Pharmacy Quick and Handy Home Remedies: Q&As for Your Common Ailments by Joe and Terry Graedon
Excellent information about home remedies.
karen cancienne
Love Anthony by Lisa Genova
This is the best book I have read this year. I read it in one sitting. I have worked with autistic children and their families. This book made you feel this mother's pain. The story had closure that left you feeling satisfied that the characters had worked through the issues and would go on with their lives. For me this book is what I call WHAT A BOOK!
Linda Harrison
Sand Castle Bay by Sherryl Woods
A heartwarming love story about a couple given a second chance at love. When Emily Castle left town and her boyfriend Boone Dorsell to fulfill her dreams on the West Coast, he married on the rebound. Now, Boone is a widower with a young boy and Emily is back in town. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to the next one in the series.
Debbie M
Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich
I usually enjoy reading Janet Evanovich, and have read the first of the new series of Lizzy and Diesel, but this book is terrible. I felt like I was reading a teenager's book with such juvenile structure and wording. The story is so far fetched and unbelievable, and nothing redeeming appears in the novel. Even magic could not help the book. The characters and plot are flat, and no excitement stirs within the witchy setting.
Linda Harrison
Untraceable by Laura Griffin
Private investigator Alex Lovell helps obtain a new identity for an abused woman and, in return, receives a sworn enemy in the form of Melanie’s husband who just happens to be a police officer. When Melanie disappears, Alex encounters threats from corrupt police officials as well as Mexican drug gangs as she continues her search. I found the book to be suspenseful and it held my attention to the last page.
Linda Harrison
Let The Dead Sleep by Heather Graham
When the owner of a curio shop dies, his daughter Danni inherits the shop and its oddities. She is stunned when a woman hurries in demanding that she come get a marble bust as it killed her husband. When the woman leaves, Michael Quinn hurries in asking about the bust. They find out that the bust is a replica of Pietro Miro, a Satanist who was killed many years ago but his spirit supposedly lives on in the marble bust and it speaks to evil doers in having them commit evil. Danni and Michael have to find the bust and destroy it. A very good book.
Linda Harrison
The Angel by Tiffany Reisz
An erotic novelist is also a well-known dominatrix and is in a long-term affair with an unusual man.
Debbie M
Secrets from the Past by Barbara Taylor Bradford
I was surprised by the blandness of this latest Barbara Taylor Bradford novel. Bradford paints all these lovely characters and worldwide settings, but the plot falls in crevice. The range of emotions so poignant in previous novels has taken a vacation. I felt as if I was reading a required book instead of a book for enjoyment. Maybe Bradford has reached the denouement of her writing.
Linda Harrison
Against the Wind by Kat Martin
Even though Sarah Allen ridiculed Jackson Raines in front of everyone when they were in high school, he still cared about her. Years later, she returns to Wyoming as a widow and meets Jackson again. He realizes that he still cares about Sarah. But trouble has followed Sarah to Wyoming. A thoroughly enjoyable book.
Linda Harrison
Beauty and the Bounty Hunter by Lori Austin
When her husband is killed, Cathleen becomes Cat and vows to find and kill the man who shot her husband. She became a bounty hunter and receives a bounty when criminals are turned in dead or alive. Along the way she met a con artist who went by the name of Alexi, who taught her a good many skills. Together, these two search for the killer.
Linda Harrison
The Night Ranger by Alex Berenson
A suspenseful story as ex-CIA operative John Wells heads to Kenya to free four young people who have been kidnapped by a group thought to be Somali terrorists.
Linda Harrison
Dream Eyes by Jayne Ann Krentz
Psychic investigator Judson Coppersmith is on hand to help psychic Gwen Frazier solve the murder of her friend. The sheriff thinks the death was natural but Gwen communicated with the dead woman via an image in a mirror and knows it was murder. This was a sequel to Copper Beech.
Linda Harrison
The First Prophet by Kay Hooper
This book was very confusing since it was a continuation of previous books about psychics that were divided between the good guys and the bad guys. I have no idea who the bad guys were or what they were planning. A little recap would have been good.
Linda Harrison
Hidden Away by Maya Banks
Garrett Kelly was called upon to watch over Sarah Daniels in the hopes that the Kelly Group could rein in her brother who was wanted by the CIA. When Garrett and Sarah fell in love, the situation became dangerous for both and Sarah’s brother was not the only one looking for her. A thoroughly enjoyable book.
Linda Harrison
The Best Man by Kristan Higgins
I thought this was a heartwarming story where Levi Cooper, best man at Faith and Jeremy’s wedding, had Jeremy admit that he was gay and the wedding was called off. It took her years to get over being angry with Levi for this until she finally realized that she still loved Jeremy but in a different way and they would always love each other. As she and Levi started seeing each other as more than friends, could he be the best man for her?
Linda Harrison
Cold Wind by C. J. Box
Joe Pickett, Wyoming game warden, has found his father-in-law dead and hanging from one of the blades on a wind turbine. The sheriff has arrested his mother-in-law without even looking for other suspects. Joe’s wife is asking for his help in finding the actual murderer. Could Missy have killed her husband? I love the books about Joe Pickett and this one was excellent.
Linda Harrison
Sweet Temptation by Maya Banks
When Micah’s wife and best friend were killed in an automobile accident, Micah was devastated. His friend’s sister followed him to Houston as she had been in love with him since she was a child. But now she is no longer a child and needs Micah’s help because a stalker has followed her. A thoroughly enjoyable steamy love story.
Betty Chrastka
Until I Say Goodbye by Susan Spencer-Wendel
A memoir by a former journalist who is stricken with ALS at the age of 44. She decides to live out her remaining time in a positive, joyful way.
Bill Hamilton
The Bookseller by Mark Pryor
An intriguing story about the U.S. Embassy in Paris' security chief, with a love for books, witnessing a kidnapping of one of the booksellers running one of the familiar green kiosks along the Seine. The Paris police don't believe him so he undertakes the investigation himself, eventually uncovering a much larger criminal activity. I discovered myself serving as an armchair traveler as our hero traverses across beautiful Paris describing familiar landmarks, funky streets, and cafes. The book is an enjoyable read.
Maya Beck
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
I loved Harold and all his complexities. It was along for the walk and I enjoyed "meeting" all these new people. A good read, but a little slow. Have to say I did cry in the end.
Judy O.
Oleander Girl by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
A young woman in India, Korobi Roy, is engaged to marry Rajut. Shortly after the engagement, she finds out that her father, whom she has long thought to be dead, is alive and living in the United States. She heads across the sea to find him with very little information. This was a wonderful, heart-warming story.
Marsha
The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig
This is absolutely fascinating. To say it is a romance novel is to sell it short. It is a page-turner about two women in different eras connected by one deeply buried secret. We travel from London in the 20s to Kenya to New York in the 90s in connected tales. We have a strongly bonded sisterhood and different women determined to find happiness and fulfillment. Treat yourself as you unravel the secrets.
Pamela Moore
Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini
For those interested in historical fiction, especially of the Lincolns, this novel is a good addition because it depends so much on the facts supplied by multiple sources, including the book written by the dressmaker. It includes a rare look into the day-to-day atmosphere in the city of Washington during the Civil War from the vantage point of a working woman of color who worked for women on both sides of the war.
Margaret Jordan
Son of a Gun by Justin St. Germain
An advance reading copy, this is my bets on choice. It's a raw, brutally honest account of one man's life and his search for why his strong Army paratrooper mother kept attracting violent men until one of them killed her in Tombstone, Arizona. I couldn't put it down because he managed to weave the story of Wyatt Earp's life after Tombstone into his story. It worked!
Margaret Jordan
Son of A Gun by Justin St. Germain
I got an advance reading copy and am picking it as my bets on. It's a brutally, raw, honest account of one man's search for his mother. Actually he is searching for why his Army paratrooper mom would keep attracting the wrong, violent men until her 5th husband killed her. They lived in Tombstone, Arizona and he manages to weave in the story of Wyatt Earp after the famous shootout into his search for meaning in his mother's and his own life. It's a page turner!
Justin Melter
This Perfect Day by Ira Levin
Blew my mind. A lovely mix of 1984, Brave New World, Clockwork Orange and other dystopian elements. Worth the time!!!
Barbara Boik
We Live in Water by Jess Walter
Short stories by the author of Beautiful Ruins, a great novel. Each story is a gem. Highly recommended. I'm going to try to read all his older work.
Pam Nolan
The End of Everything by Meghan Abbott
Unlike her previous books set in the 1950's, urban settings w/ adult characters, this is set in the 1980s suburbia and the characters are young teenage girls. What remained the same for me was the fine writing, the same "feel" involving family entanglements and secrets and a focal crime that kept me questioning & in search of answers as I turned the pages. Evie & Lizzie have grown up together and as best friends they think they know everything about each other. At the end of the school year Evie is kidnapped and Lizzie is sure she can figure out why...but she ultimately discovers that she & Lizzie may not have shared everything.
Lorna
Defending Jacob by William Landay
Makes me think about what extremes a parent will do to protect (defend) their child. Every parent and child should read this. It's so much more than a 14-year-old on trial for killing a classmate.
Gil Harris
The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
An intense book, showing how the corrupt Spanish government in the 1930's was so cruel in treating minor offenses and dissidents. There was no justice and the prison conditions were deplorable. But it showed what people of courage had to do just to survive. Inspiring!
Linda Bass
Heating Up The Holidays by Marcia James
Nicky Paxton had been standing in elf shoes since the store open and she was glad the store only had forty-five minutes until closing. Suddenly she was hit with a gooey gum drop and she wanted to shake the little boy, but being the head of Paxton's department store would not make for good publicity. She glanced past the boy and his mother only to see Chris Spencer in line for Santa with a little girl that must have been his daughter. Thirteen years ago, they had parted with angry words as he left their small town in Virginia and headed for California without a backwards glance, and now he was here for a visit...
Renee Booker
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
I love this book because it let us know that we can do a do over. When the world is against you instead of running away just keep on doing your life. He did it by changing location to give him time to think and see what he doing wrong and right in his life. I mostly like that he did not feel sorry by drinking to death and having a pity patty party.
Renee' Booker
The Racketeer by John Grishman
I love the end because it help me to understand why Malcolm was doing all he did to other con he met in jail. Unless I misunderstood the beginning chapters at first, I could not understand why he went to prison, but I did like how he got out of jail by using his lawyer skill. Being called a Jailhouse Lawyer and using his information to get extra funds for the rest of his life by what was told to him in jail and not doing it with violence. The storyline was good but took to long to get to the point.
Veronica Earley
White Dog Fell from the Sky by Eleanor Morse
Very good story. Fell in love with Ian.
Beverly DeFabio
The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwable
What an amazing memoir! A mother & son's relationship cemented with books as she battles terminal cancer. We learn about them, the family, her fight against the pancreatic cancer that shortens her life and yet we also learn about the books that they read together in their "book club". A wonderful read.
Tessa B C
Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
This starts out as a gripping story of a girl who comes to Brooklyn from Hong Kong with her mother, but ends as romantic chick lit.
Sandy McCullough
The Lost Daughter by Lucy Ferriss
Brooke O’Connor—elegant, self-possessed, and kind—has a happy marriage and a deeply loved young daughter. So her adamant refusal to have a second child confounds her husband, Sean. When Brooke’s high school boyfriend Alex—now divorced and mourning the death of his young son—unexpectedly resurfaces, Sean begins to suspect an affair.
For fifteen years, Brooke has kept a shameful secret from everyone she loves. Only Alex knows the truth that drove them apart. His reappearance now threatens the life she has so carefully constructed and fortified by denial. With her marriage—and her emotional equilibrium—at stake, Brooke must confront what she has been unwilling to face for so long. This book was too good to put down!!
Bonnie Gluhanich
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler
I wondered how accurate this novel was, but, according to the epilog, Fowler did her research to make it as honest as possible. Fascinating couple those Fitzgeralds. And it makes me want to reread Scott's works and read Zelda's writings too.
Bonnie Gluhanich
Love, Loss and What I Wore by Ilene Beckerman
Fun play about women, clothes and the memories of how clothing and related stuff (fitting rooms, for example) impacted their lives. My book group did a readers' theater with this and it was a hoot and elicited great discussion.
Anita Pointon
Fragile by Lisa Unger
An interesting weave of characters and circumstances and the long range effects of both.
Brady
Lucky Me by Sachi Parker
This is not a Mommie Dearest type story, but is a live lived up to this time filled with most interesting stuff and writing that is a joy to experience. Being the daughter of Shirley MacLaine has not been easy for sure. So many strange and unusual things have happened to Sachi and most of them dealing with her mother and father; things you won't believe until you read them yourself. I have been a Shirley MacLaine fan for decades and now I am also a Sachi Parker fan.
WOW....what a life up 'til now.
Fran O
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
A fictionalized account of a young woman who is sold into Slavery. Great main character, difficult material but the author kept the pages turning. Well written.
Melanie S.
Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
A beautifully written, heart-wrenching novel that started slowly but built in interest and tension as it progressed. Both tragic and philosophical, I found myself thinking about To Kill A Mockingbird throughout this stunning coming-of- age tale. The characters were memorable and believable. A fine piece of literature that I feel may be destined to become a classic.
Tricia Douglas
Touch and Go by Lisa Gardner
Gardner has invented the perfect family: rich Justin and Libby Denbe and daughter Ashlyn. But then this family is kidnapped and what turns out to be perfect is far from it. This was a great book that kept me on my toes. Never could I have guessed the ending. It has been a while since I've read one of Gardner's books, but this one I'm definitely glad I did.
Donna Shaw
A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley
A farmer is judged by the appearance of his land, his property and his family. A successful farmer decides to divide his land between 2 of his daughters, excluding another daughter. This story starts out slow, builds as secrets and betrayals come to light and in my opinion, tapers off at the end.
Judy Hendrix
Sweet Deception by Heather Snow
A historical romance featuring Emma Wallingford as a strong vibrant woman who will face the future with courage and grace. Enter Derick Aveline a duke who has secrets of his own. Together, they solve a murder and create problems they solve together.
CHRISTEN BEZOSKI
World War Z by Max Brooks
Love, love, love this book! This is the third time I have read it. Such an original idea and filled with so many original, smart, storylines.
CHRISTEN BEZOSKI
World War Z by Max Brooks
Such an original book filled with original, smart storylines!
James Webb
The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott
One of our book club selections. As a guy more interested in action and suspense I was prepared to dislike this book. Much to my delight I found this to be a page-turner. The characters were interesting and the author made them seem real. I also learned more about the Titanic incident.
Amy Nash
Into the Free by Julie Cantrell
Sometimes the only luck you have is bad luck! There were just enough glimmers of hope for Millie, a Depression-era girl, to make this a page turner for me. A well-crafted story with a heroine you want desperately to champion.
Jackie Ranaldo
The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen
Really enjoyed reading this story of four couples in their mid-thirties trying to navigate life while enjoying a once in a lifetime trip to Jamaica for Dwight's 35th Birthday.
Kathy Thrasher
Garden Stones by Sophie Littlefield
A murder mystery that spans three generations of Japanese women, two of whom were sent to the Internment Camp at Manzanar in California, and the third woman who discovers the hidden past of her mother and grandmother. It is the story of their daily lives and fight for survival during World War II. It's also interesting for fans of California history.
Lynn W
When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro
Book club selection. While very elegantly written, I thought celebrated London detective, Christopher Banks' activities unrealistic. He goes back to Shanghai twenty years after his parents' "kidnapping" and expects to find them still waiting for rescue? The Sino-Japanese war
is raging and he just happens to find his childhood friend needing to be rescued? He hears of a young girl in Canada, orphaned and unhappy, and though he's unmarried, rescues her? I get the THEME. My imagination just doesn't stretch this far.
Kelly Thomas
The Blue Cotton Gown A Midwife's Memoir by Patricia Harman
Love this book! Really tells how women are and represents all different ages and stages of being a woman.
Francisca E B
The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown
Book on CD performed by Kirsten Potter. Delightful exploration of three sisters and how they interact and react to life's difficulties, their own expectations and what they perceive others expect of them.
Krismar Ramker
Sweet Salt Air by Barbara Delinsky
Delinsky does not disappoint with her tragically flawed, yet realistic characters sewn into her gut-wrenching storyline about friendship, betrayal, love, and immeasurable decisions.
Gail Blesi
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Wonderfully written! I thought that Genova did a fantastic job capturing it for others to experience it, too. Written from the perspective of the early onset Alzheimer's patient, it is interesting to see the rapid decline in thought process from beginning-to-end of the book. Suggest this to ANYONE touched by AD. This book stays with you and you continue to think about Alice as well as her family members long after you finish it.
Marsha
Elegy For Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear
If you are not familiar with the Maisie Dobbs series, I implore you to start with the first one (Maisie Dobbs) which won the Edgar Award for the Best Novel and was a New York Times Notable book. Maisie is a PI located in London during the time between the wars. Her novels deal with the repercussions of tragedies that happen to people of all classes. There is a lovely bit of philosophy thrown in for our pleasure. Each character is carefully delineated and you will find yourself enchanted.
Reva Wamsley
Closer Than Blood by Gregg Olsen
This is the 4th book I've read by this author & my least favorite. Even then, it was worth reading. This is your basic good twin/bad twin story. Tori & Lainie have gone their separate ways since they've grown up but when Tori's husband is murdered, she calls her sister for support. Though the book, we see that there have been secrets hidden & not everything is as it seems.
Vikki Cabral
Garden of Stones by Sophie Littlefield
Thank you. I won this book through the Women's Fiction Contest. The story is about a young girl and her mother, who are Japanese-American, who are forced to leave their home and live in a prison camp after Pearl Harbor. There are interesting twists and turns throughout the book, including a murder investigation many years later. If you like Snow Falling on Cedars, you will enjoy this book.
Juli Lear
Jake by R. C. Ryan
This is the third book in the Wyoming Sky series and focuses on the third brother Jake. This is a romance book with great characters, a great setting (Wyoming's Grand Tetons), and easy to read writing style. The story is a little overly dramatic, but it's a great book to escape into for awhile.
Becky C.
The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan
This is an excellent history of how man created the disaster of the dust bowl in the 1930s United States.
Michael McAdam
Family Pictures by Jane Green
This is a very enjoyable book. I can see how it is considered Women's fiction so I guess I am a fan of Women's fiction since I am not a woman and I loved it. The story and the characters are very engrossing and I didn't lose interest even for one second. I opted to give it 4 stars instead of 5 since the "twist" in the book was obvious from the first few pages and the aftermath was much more interesting than the build up so I would have liked to have seen it happen earlier in the book or been much less obvious. Now, having said that, I often read a lot longer than I had planned. Very hard to put down. Highly recommended!
Terry Miller
Moloka'i by Alan Brennert
We have a couples book club and both guys and gals liked the book.
gretchen kempff
Love Anthony by Lisa Genova
A unique story within a story about autism and the uniting of 2 women through the words of a mute, dead boy. It was a compelling read bringing the reader into the mind of the young boy in a way I have never read.
Patricia Gallant
Memoir of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks
This has to have been the best book I have ever read. The only book I can honestly say not only did I not want it to end, I would actually read it again. I am the type of person that says there are no books I would read more than once because there are just too many books to read. But I would read this again. This is a brilliantly written story. Matthew Dicks has quite an imagination to create different types of imaginary friends with different abilities, and the PURPOSE of the person having the imaginary friend is thought provoking. Having an imaginary friend can actually be a good thing. Brilliant, entertaining, imaginative, exciting and suspenseful. Would make a great TV show.
Mary Bryant
The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny
I love the Tree Pines Mysteries written by this author. Her descriptions make we want to sit in front of the fireplace at the Bistro and enjoy dinner with the characters in the series.
Joan Wiggin
The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
This story was a little confusing with the different characters narrating, but overall the story was great the way it all ties in at the end. I enjoyed reading about the history of the Holocaust and while not a history buff, this book has made me want to read more about it.
Dorothy Floos
The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
Absolutely wonderful. I've recommended it all of my friends. You won't be able to put it down.
Kathleen Carn
The Racketeer by John Grishom
This book has twists and turns and a surprising ending. A very good suspense story!
shelly itkin
Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig
Lauren Willig is a wonderful writer and although this was the first book I have read of hers I will definitely be looking at others she has written.
Ms. Willig tells a true love story that goes back and forth from Kenya in 1926 to New York in 2001, it is done thru two main characters. Clementine Evans, a young ambitious dedicated lawyer who is trying to become partner and has just broken an engagement with her boyfriend and her ninety-nine year old grandmother, Addie.
Harvee Lau
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
You could say this is a novel about Hollywood and film making, about how it can make you a success as it did Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, who are featured in this novel, or it can chew you up and spit you out, as it did the fictional character of Beautiful Ruins, the aspiring actress Dee Moray.
A moving story of love and friendship, duty and trust, and two people who survive the greed for fame, fortune and reputation, whether in the film industry or in tourism. The title has multiple meanings, I think, referring to the beautiful but "ruined" Dee of the film industry, maybe even to the beautiful Richard and Liz, and the ruins of the WWII bunker Dee visits with Pasquale whose paintings show fading beauty of another sort.
WALTER KRETZMANN
The Last Lion Volume 1 by William Manchester
Before the cigar-chomping, top-hat-wearing portly gentleman hit the scene, there was a young man who nearly flunked out of school, chased war around the world, played polo, participated in the world's last meaningful cavalry charge, was a war correspondent, and escaped imprisonment as a POW in the Boar War. Churchill got around plenty before settling down in Parliament and "Visions of Glory" covers that portion of Churchill's life.
This book takes an exciting life and brings you into it. As good as biography gets.
Wendy Catalano
When The Siren Calls by Tom Barry
"When The Siren Calls", by Tom Barry, is the first book in a trilogy.
The intriguing storyline revolves around the precarious personal and professional lives of the characters. The plot twists involve lies, betrayal, money, power and sex.
I found it difficult to find redeeming qualities in any of the characters portrayed in this book and wanted to smack a few of them at times.
However, the author's writing kept me absorbed in the story and the surprise ending was ideal.
I look forward to where Mr. Barry takes this story in the next novel.
Darlene K Thoresen
Indiscretion by Charles Dubow
This is the author's first book and what a great read. Fast and exciting - couldn't put it down. Love-four stars for sure!
Dennis Beierbach
The Hit by David Baldacci
What a tale -- couldn't put it down.
Debbie M
An Unholy Communion by Donna Fletcher Crow
I consider myself extremely lucky to have won and read all three of the Monasteries Mysteries by Donna Fletcher Crow. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, A Very Private Grave, but felt that the second novel, A Darkly Hidden Truth was too close to reading a history textbook. The third novel, An Unholy Communion, shines as an interesting and historical mystery. I like the way that Crow incorporates ancient English history into the core of the novel. Of course, a little romance peaks through the pages. I like that Crow does not feel the need to adhere to the common idea that more sex and violence makes a better novel. Crow's novels are not quick reads, and therefore not the fodder of the masses.
Joan Chance
80 Days: Nellie Bly & Elizabeth Bisland's History Making Race Around the World by Matthew Goodman
Nellie Bly was a name I recognized but never really knew what she'd done. I'd never heard of Elizabeth Bisland nor knew of their historic race. Matthew Goodman tells their story and takes us with them on their journey around the world. We get to meet Jules Verne, see the real Chinatown and the English class that rules Hong Kong and so many sights, sounds & smells through the eyes of a seasoned reporter and the eyes of a rather shy young lady who isn't too worldly but appreciates her opportunity to open them.
Donna Ingalls
Friendship Bread by Darian Gee
This book is a wonderful journey of new friends, forgiveness, relationships and inner strength. I wondered at the title at first thinking it was a book about events that occur in a kitchen. I was wrong and the title suits the book to a T. Darien Gee weaves a wonderful tale of how grown woman meet each other and the close friendships they form. There are even recipes included in the book for...you guessed it, Friendship Bread. By the way, it's delicious.
Fran O'H
Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson
An all around fun southern read! Loved the characters, story and writing. My favorite book by this author, "Gods in Alabama", inspired me to read more of her works!
Beth Cummings
Leaving Everything Most Loved by Jacaueline Winspear
Another excellent book in the Maisie Dobbs series. It ties up several loose ends from earlier books as well as providing an interesting mystery plot for Maisie to work out.
Laura Ginn
Portrait of an Artist by Laurie Lisle
Just started, is a biography of Georgia O'Keeffe, think it will be good. First published in 1981, I have a 1987 printing. I like biographies and am looking forward to learning more about O'Keeffe's life. I know little about art and am not talented at all in that field (I do have other skills). It is good for me to read such to broaden my knowledge of a field I know little.
Linda Reck
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
This is one of the most original and one of the best books I've read this year. Sometimes the smallest choices can change history. Ursula, the main character was stillborn, but in another scenario, she is alive and what follows is utterly different. Ursula grows and dies at various points in the book and the story changes. Even the smalllest choice can change the course of history. Kate Atkinson is a master puzzle-maker. The book is nothing short of brilliant.
Cheryl Cyrus
Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscaviage Hill
Amazing story. I would say more like 4 1/2 stars. There is a lot of detail in many of the stories which was a little hard to believe based on the author's age and how much detail an 8, 9 or 10 year old can remember. Some of the detail about the inner workings were necessary to understand the concept (if you can call it that) of what was happening inside this strange group of people. You will never look at these people or those "publicly" linked to group the same again.
Jill Porco
A Thousand Bones by P. J. Parrish
This is a stand-alone story of Joe Frye, Louis Kincaid's girlfriend (Kincaid is the detective in most of P.J. Parrish's books) when she was a rookie cop. Bones are turning up and it's clear that a serial killer is responsible. The path she and her fellow cops take in catching this killer has long-lasting repercussions, both for her and the other cops. An interesting well-developed character study.
Karen Haney
The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
I received an advance of THE TESTING due out in June and LOVED it! It is the first of a trilogy and runs along the same lines as The Hunger Games. I thought it might be too much like The Hunger Games to enjoy it but Joelle Charbonneau wrote the main character so well that I cared for them and had to find out what happened to them. Now I must wait until January, next year, for the next installment. Do watch for this one and you won't be sorry.
Karen Haney
FLY AWAY by Kristin Hannah
I read an advance of FLY AWAY due out April 23. I have loved reading all of Kristin Hannah's books ever since I read FIREFLY LANE. The characters in that book have stayed with me for years. When I found out that FLY AWAY was a sequel to that book, I couldn't wait. It's now in my top 5 All Time Favorite book list. Hannah writes with such amazing talent that you can't put the book down. It became part of my busy life to the point I read late into the night to find out what would happen to these characters. The story stands alone but if you have read the first book, you will probably get a little more out of it. How Kate and Tully's lives went on after FIREFLY LANE was so interesting and I loved finding out more about Tully's mom.
Joanne McIntyre
The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
Such a beautiful, thoughtful book. Makes us wish that we had such a close-knit reading relationship with our mothers, but with a better ending. I am reading it slowly to absorb the connections Will and Mary Anne make with each book. I can only wish that I have enough time to read through the majority of books on their list.
Elaine McIntosh
Room by Emma Donoghue
This was a very emotional and imaginable story told by a boy who was born to his kidnapped mother. The unique manner in which the woman raises her son in this one room was very interesting. How both coped through the story was amazing. Disturbing was the many references to breast-feeding a five year old.
Jean V.
A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy
Sadly, this book fell flat for me. At first, I loved it and then I realized that the book was just chapter upon chapter of new people and nothing really tied in. I felt as though I was reading a bunch of short stories.
Myrna Pennisi
The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy
I am so enjoying this book, which tells the story of a young journalist who, upon seeking material for a human interest story, encounters an elderly woman who has a powerful story to tell about her life as a young German woman during WWII. Very well written, riveting!
Carol R. Clark
Love Anthony by Lisa Genova
This book is very interesting on many levels. I have substituted in classes with autistic children and love seeing their progress. Early development is hard work, but I never have been the parent of an autistic child. Lisa Genova gives you that picture which is a very difficult position to be in. Lisa has a degree in neuroscience which shows up in her writing. I also like reading about life on Nantucket with the haves and the have-nots plus living there as a year-round resident. This book is going to be a good discussion book for our book group.
Eileen Kellen
Be Good: How to Navigate the Ethics of Everything by Randy Cohen
Author is a reporter for a newspaper. Questions on ethics people have asked him. Many different subjects. He wrote his response and readers write their thoughts. Very fun read and very interesting. Great discussions with our book club.
Dorothy Flood
A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchey
I really enjoyed this book as I have all of hers but I only gave it 4 stars because it was a series of short stories, not a book that you can't put down. It is about a small hotel in Ireland and tells the story of each guest, very good.
Jennifer Lehman
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
I finally read this after watching the movie and loved it. It's hard to put down and the characters become so real.
Teresa Fagerlind
Grace and Power by Sally Bedell lSmith
Good book about Kennedy administration. Am only a quarter way through. Is a good read so far if you like politics and history.
Brady
Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall & Denver Moore
Three quarters of the book I liked a lot, however, the last fourth included much bible preaching. Religion was the primary force that allowed a miracle to happen because without it the transformation would not have happened. Reading of how a down and out black man got tied to an affluent optimistic white man is interesting to read about. A woman is the one who had a master plan and as the true story unfolds you will understand why.
Sandra Austin
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
This compelling story of a wife, mother and career-first woman tells of her rehabilitation after a car accident leaves her with a brain injury.
Rochelle Stempler
Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline
Really enjoyed this book. A departure from her women lawyers.
Lynn W
The Ambassador's Daughter by Pam Jenoff
Margot Rosenthal is in Paris with her father for the peace conference after WWI. She is bored and resents being looked upon as the enemy, but going home to Berlin could be just as bad. Awaiting her there is her wounded fiancé, whom she agreed to marry (at age 16) and hasn't seen in four years. She's still very young so maybe she can be forgiven for making some very bad choices.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this work of historical fiction. I've already ordered "The Kommandant's Daughter" and "The Diplomat's Wife" both sequels to this book.
Raylene Wauda
The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz
Sadly this book (chosen by a member of the book club who lives near London--and loved it) worked better for me than Ambien. Every time I read it in the evening, I fell asleep. I was impressed by Sherlock Holmes's powers of deduction, however, and the author did justice to earlier books about Homes and Watson . He was chosen by the Sherlock Holmes Society to write it. One group member was especially offended by the activities at the House of Silk as men with wealth and power were allowed to abuse boys. Too much attention to detail throughout the book and no love interest; Dr. Watson knows that his wife is ill, but he doesn't even care for her since he's off to be with Sherlock Holmes.
Gretchen Paul
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
This author has quite an imagination. A magical story about a circus that suddenly appears and is only open at night. Everything is black and white. The circus was formed as part of a game with the leading characters being the contestants.
Robin McKay
Crystal Cove by Lisa Kleypas
Justine Hoffman, a wounded sole, raised by a selfish Mother, only wants to stay in one place and find a love that has so far eluded her. She learns through the Triodecad, a powerful book of spells, that her mother placed a spell on her to preventing her from ever falling in love.
Then there is sole-less Jason Black, a business man scheduled to stay at the inn run by Justine. However, Jason has an ulterior motive...he is searching for the ancient book of spells. With it he hopes to find the missing part of himself.
In Crystal Cove, the ultimate bond of love can overcome everything.
Amy Mattingly
The Good Father by Noah Hawley
Captivating and insightful. Made me really reflect on the children of divorce and what their future holds.
Judith Reynolds
Hanna's Daughters by Marianne Fredriksson
I love the way the stories of the women of three generations are interwoven. The strength of the maternal family line is so plain. A wonderful way to help me make sense of the legacy of my own mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, and guide me in thinking about the wisdom I want to pass on to my own daughters and granddaughters.
Helen Wright
Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts
Another good Romantic Suspense from Nora Roberts. Set in a historic old house on the shore, this new book by Nora Roberts has 2 wonderful characters; the lawyer (a murder suspect), the yoga instructor (multi-faceted and very smart) a historical mystery along with a contemporary one and lots of goodies. While not as sensational as last year's THE WITNESS this is another good read from Roberts. You have to love her heroes and heroines. They are always well drawn and sooo interesting. A page turner to be sure.
Sherrie Gil
Knit One, Kill Two by Maggie Sefton
I am reading this series and really enjoying it.
Maya Beck
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Thought it was a good book. I enjoyed meeting the characters the Harold described along his journey of self discovery.
Lisa Richardson
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
I loved this book, after reading The Da Vinci Code, and I am looking forward to the third, which is coming out soon. This is a book that you can really sink into, and spend some time enjoying, especially if you like a nice fat book!
Kathleen Carn
The Golden Egg by Donna Leon
I've watched some of this series on MTV (after midnight here) and have enjoyed seeing what Venice looks like . The detective series is interesting, they have a different way of solving their crimes. I've noticed that they don't seem to use guns as often as they do here in the US. Good Mystery.
Sharlene Rieke
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
Wonderful read. Some in our group cried. Some did not. It was not a sad cancer book.
It was a delightful book of two teens coping and living life to its fullest. We all loved it!
Sandy McCullough
Benediction by Kent Haruf
When Dad Lewis is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he and his wife, Mary, must work together to make his final days as comfortable as possible. Their daughter, Lorraine, hastens back from Denver to help look after him; her devotion softens the bitter absence of their estranged son, Frank, but this cannot be willed away and remains a palpable presence for all three of them. Next door, a young girl named Alice moves in with her grandmother and contends with the painful memories that Dad's condition stirs up of her own mother's death. Meanwhile, the town’s preacher attempts to mend his strained relationships with his wife and teenaged son. Easy to read, but quite depressing.
Patricia Revzin
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler
I've read several books by Zelda's famous husband and was intrigued to see how Ms Fowler would present Zelda's viewpoint of her life with Scott. By using Zelda as the narrator, the author depicts a more sympathetic person who, despite her mental illness, was a creative and talented dancer and writer.
Marleen Davis
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Odd book. This is the book this author wrote before Gone Girl which has had great reviews. I am almost finished with it and it is a very disturbing novel of several generations of women who have been tortured by their mothers in very odd ways. I wanted to read this before Gone Girl and now I'm not so sure I even want to read that one.
Beverly Haas
The Litigators by John Grisham
Interesting twist for Grisham. Legal story but with a more feelings approach.
Marsha
The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis
This debut novel was chosen by Oprah for her book club. Although I disagree with some of Oprah's choices, this is a winner. The characters are well-drawn and the writing is exqusite. The author is a graduate of the Iowa Writer's Workshop and the novel shows her talents. This is an emotionally transfixing page turner.
Linda Williams
Ghost Man by Roger Hobbs
Very violent at times this book tells the story of a Ghost Man who can literally disappear. No phones, no licenses, no identification (except fake ids when he works). He loves to read and write about Greek and Roman language books but at the same time can kill a man without question. Very informative!
Donna Shaw
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
What an eye opener this book turned out to be! I watched a brilliant friend decline with Alzheimer's disease. She was aware, as was Alice, and did eveything she could think of to win over this disease. Reading STILL ALICE has given me a much better understanding and empathy for what my friend is going through. This is a marvelous book.
Wendy Catalano
This Time Forever by Kathleen Eagle
Another wonderful story by Kathleen Eagle.
Susan, an emergency room nurse is selected to be a juror in a trial where half native Indian Cleve Black Horse is convicted of first degree murder. Fate seems to intertwine Cleve and Susan's life as they are brought together by a shared duty to a helpless child.
Romance blossoms, although forbidden by a heartless, intolerant society, and cannot be destroyed. Many topics are covered in this story: prejudice, racism, poverty, courtroom drama and romance and each is well told. I look forward to reading many more of Ms. Eagle's novels.
Angela Satalino
The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
Not just another Holocaust novel. The storyline is more realistic and the historical aspect of the book is extremely informative. I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens next. The moral issues carry on from WWII to present day.
Shelly Itkin
The Best Man by Kristan Higgins
This book was a total treasure to read and with the Boston Marathon explosion and the Texas explosion it was the perfect book to pick up. I honestly could not just watch the news as all I did is cry for those injured in the Boston Marathon and those who lost everything in Texas.
This is my first book by Ms. Higgins but after “The Best Man” not my last.
Linda A Shell
A Week In Winter by Maeve Binchey
This was a very enjoyable book about several different characters all visiting a restored mansion in England. The author first told the background of each character and then ended with their week together in the old mansion and how it changed most of their lives.
Judy Stein
The Heavy: A Mother, A Daughter, A Diet--A Memoir by Dara-Lynn Weiss
After all the uproar her Vogue magazine article created, it was interesting to be able to see deeper into the story. Still, it seems she wants to be seen as Bea's white knight and may let herself off the hook too easily. As a parent, I do, at least in part, sympathize. Junk food is everywhere and our have it all society isn't doing enough to fight the big corporate entities that seek to profit from our bad eating habits.
Pat Lieberman
Reflection Point by Emily March
This book has everything I love - a contemporary story with a strong hero and a heroine with a past. Heroine cannot fall in love again because she was hurt so badly-betrayed by someone who thought loved her. I shed a few tears - so have a few tissues at hand.
Francisca E B
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
Audio book performed by James Naughton. A wonderful memoir of Hemingway's time as a young writer in Paris, with his first wife Hadley and their baby. Full of his reminiscences of Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, Scott Fitzgerald and other luminaries of the era.
Tessa B C
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Wow. Fascinating and heartbreaking. Skloot's skill at making a science book read like a thriller puts her in the same league as Laura Hillenbrand, Erik Larson and Richard Preston.
Barbara Brooks
The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood
One of those books that you can't put down. Read it in a day. Well written, but somewhat predictable. Particularly like the way the the author ties together the lives of the two women.
Judy O.
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler
This is the story of the lives of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald. They were a Jazz Age couple who lived all over Europe during their married life, drank to excess, fought bitterly, had a daughter, and had a multitude of friends from the literary world. I thought that the story got very tedious at times, because, how much can you say in an interesting way when it's all about partying, drinking, and arguing? I did enjoy most of it, but I found myself skimming through some passages.
Barbara Leaf
Lucy Crown by Irwin Shaw
I read this book because it was written by Irwin Shaw. The main character, Lucy Crown, could not have been more different in morals than myself. The book was not written well enough to allow me to overcome that. Because of it, I felt like a voyeur into Lucy's life and I never really got into the book. It was not a book that "you can't put down." But, once I started reading it, I was curious how it would end. That was my only motivation for finishing it.
Harikleia Sirmans
Her: A Memoir by Christa Parravani
The most wonderful memoir I've read.
Yvonne Jefferson
A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn
EPIC drama! I was expecting romance, but this was so much more. For me, it had the "feel" of the movie Australia. Strong female and male lead characters, an amazing setting, and a great story to tell. I loved it! As an added bonus, the cover artwork is amazing!
Cheryle
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
I just recently discovered this author. Where have I been? After reading THE LAST RUNAWAY, I had to go back to some of the author's earlier works.
Shirley Roseland
Sweet Salt Air by Barbara Delinsky
One of our book club members was lucky enough to win copies of this book, to read and send in our review. What a great book: fun, adventerous, heartbreaking in parts, just a very enjoyable book to read. Kept you guessing as to what was going to happen next, and on the edge of your seat with every new and unexpected event. This is the first of Barbara's books that I have personally read, and look forward to reading more of her books in the future. We meet this week and discuss the book as a group, and I can't wait to see what everyone thought of the story. It's sure to be a great discussion.
Sean Penrose
20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
I think I'm totally the wrong person to read an anthology. Just as I get invested in a story, it ends. For many reasons, it took me forever to read this book. One of those reasons is that I just wasn't thrilled to dive back into it. Some of the tales were done very well and others not so much, as is the case with every collection. Overall, it was decent and author Joe Hill is still a fantastic writer. I just would prefer larger doses.
Joan Herron
Tuesday Night Miracles by Kris Radish
Awesome book that had something for everyone. We, of course, started out talking about the book and then catapulted into talking about everyone and everything! Great read for our club of diverse ages and backgrounds.
Michael McAdam
Uncorked by Marco Pasanella
This is not my type of book at all --- I am completely wine-ignorant. Now, having said that, I find the subject fascinating. It is about a man who opens a wine shop and all the drama that goes with it. I loved the writing style and found it entertaining and educational (sometimes a little too much so --- a couple of times I thought "ok, I know enough about this now" before he moved on), so I devoured this book in record time. Interesting story even if you aren't a wine fanatic. Thumbs up!
Reva Wamsley
Long Spoon Lane by Anne Perry
This book is one of the series featuring Thomas & Charlotte Pitt that takes place in England in the late 1800s. Thomas is a policeman and Charlotte comes from society. She met Thomas in the first book when her sister was murdered. They fell in love and got married. In this book, they have two children and have been married for some time. Thomas is working now for the Special Branch. They investigate threats to the throne and to Engand. In this book, a policeman's home has been bombed and destroyed. They catch two of the men, the third was killed during a standoff with the police. Thomas discovers that the reason for the bombing is because the bombers are protesting police corruption, so he sets out to find out if this is true.
Marsha
The Kashmir Shawl by Rosie Thomas
Starting with the British Raj days and ending two generations later, this tale is told in dual story lines. Three marriages are detailed with very different characters as the three young women become very good friends. The beauty of Kashmir and the excitement of the frivolous days in Srinagar make for an enchanting read.
Tamra LeValley
The Beggar King (The Hangman's Daughter, #3) by Oliver Pötzsch
I absolutely love this series and would recommend it to anyone. It has a wonderful story line as well as some very interesting history tidbits. The author keeps you highly motivated to read it through the constant action that is happening. He also makes the heroes lovable and the villains wretched. Good vs. evil and much more.
Jane Squires
Better Than Chocolate by Sheila Roberts
Wow! From beginning to end, chocolate and more chocolate. It makes you want to go visit Icicle Falls, Washington. You just want some of the much-talked-about chocolates. Death, financial struggles, a bank manager who cannot help, and plans to save a company all in one book. The whole town profits from the festival that is planned. The description of the festival is a delight. Family helping family through hard times I understand. Yet the festival does not bring in enough to pay off the bank note. An ending I won't give away but one you will enjoy. Romance, chocolate, and a chocolate festival to dream about until next book. Good job, Sheila.
Teresa Grooms
The Fate of Mercy Alban by Wendy Webb
A contemporary gothic suspense novel with a long-standing prominent family, large, rambling home in a beautiful landscape, family secrets, set in America but reads like a British mystery. I have read MANY such novels, and this one has so many surprises in the last third of the book, I didn't want to put it down. It was a bit slow in the beginning, but not to the point I was disinterested. The only negative to me was the author had the minister having premarital sex with the main character and drinking wine and beer. Otherwise, she portrayed him as a Bible-believing fundamentalist. Being a Christian, I was very dismayed. It was unnecessary for the couple to consummate their relationship and for him to drink alcohol.
Marie Ledin
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling
Great 2nd book of the Harry Potter series. Again, better than the movie.
Pattie Berryhill
Candlemoth by R.J. Ellory
The story of a Death Row inmate reflecting on his life. Includes the Vietnam War. It also includes the murder of his black friend, Nathan, who was his best friend growing up as a child, through adulthood. Takes place in the 60s, 70s and 80s. He is in prison for killing his best friend. Awaiting Death. Insights into living on Death Row.
Melissa Ferr
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Revisiting an oldie but goodie.
Susan
The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley
A fun time-travel novel in which the main female character travels from the present to 17th-century Cornwall. The book has a surprising twist.
Melanie S.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
I loved this book. A moving and original story about a quadriplegic and his caregiver. The characters were quirky, interesting and well-developed. Quality of life/assisted suicide issues were thoughtfully incorporated into the story. The angst of the characters was felt viscerally, yet there were funny and acerbically witty moments, making this at times a funny but ultimately powerful and completely emotional novel. Highly recommended!
Fran O'H
The Long Walk by Richard Bachman, aka Stephen King
Classic Stephen King... even if he did write it as Richard Bachman. I think about this book every time I do a walkathon! Had to read it again!
Nancy Coughlin
The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst
Great writing. Well-developed characters. Historical research is fantastic. Opened my eyes to the underbelly of pre-World War II.
Ruth Schroeder
A LIfe in Stitches: Knitting My Way Through Love, Loss, and Laughter by Rachael Herron
As an avid reader and knitter, I absolutely loved this book. I intend to check out her knitting blog as well as her knitting-themed novels.
Tessa B C
Aleutian Sparrow by Karen Hesse
This YA novel is lyrically written in free verse. Explores the Aleutian "evacuation" in 1943-45. Sad and evocative and stunning in its simplicity. I learned about an episode of US history I'd never heard of before.
Deborah Grabeel
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
OMG my book club just met and discussed this book. NONE of us could put it down once we began reading it, and the ending, well, we never saw it coming.... The discussion that resulted took up most of our meeting! This is a GREAT "can't put it down book" and the perfect beginning for our 2013 summer reads.
Tessa B C
The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
3.5 stars. Audiobook narrated by James Saxon. This charming cozy introduced Miss Jane Marple. Though her role is rather small in this novel, she does offer important information to Mr. Clement in helping to solve the murder of Colonel Protheroe at the vicarage. Great fun.
Elaine Beierbach
The Hit by David Baldacci
Great book!
Robin McKay
Masquerade by Gayle Lynds
The Carnivore, a professional assassin, has agreed to turn himself into the CIA. He plans to tell all the details of his professional hits. There is one problem. Hughes Bremner of the CIA has been bilking the government of millions of dollars to fund his own company. The information known to the Carnivore will destroy all he has accomplished. His only option it to take out the Carnivore before he can talk. By turning Sarah Walker into a ringer for Liz, Carnivores daughter, Bremner hope to get close enough to be able to kill Carnivore. I found MASQUERADE to be a fast-paced plot, filled with intrigue and surprises at every turn.
Chris Desmottes
Her by Christa Parravani
I was very interested in this memoir as I have twins (not identical). Although the memoir is well written, it is hard to get through as you can feel their pain on every page. The tragedy that causes one twin to totally lose control of her life totally affects the other twin. They truly were one in their relationship. I was glad that there was a happy ending for Christa and that she was able to break free to become a "single," and was really happy to see what she named her daughter.
Melissa Monahan
Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Joy, Birth and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth
Very interesting and informative. A collection of stories from a nurse/midwife in 1950s London East End slums.
Jean Mess
You Don't Want to Know by Lisa Jackson
You do want to know who are the bad guys or bad girls. Who is going to be murdered next. Who is crazy and who isn't. A hard-to-put-down nail biter.
Lorna
The Associate by John Grisham
Recent law school graduate Kyle McAvoy is approached and blackmailed to accept a position at a law firm that he really isn't interested in. He really has no choice.. the past is about to bite him. As always, Grisham keeps the reader interested with a few twists and turns. Great read for any fan of him.
Dennis Beierbach
The Hit by David Baldacci
An enjoyable afternnon spent with David's characters.
Dorothy Flood
Starting Now by Debbie Macomber
I've enjoyed all of her books and this was no disappointment. Our overworked heroine loses her job as an attorney and is having difficulty finding a new job. However, she does find new friends and a different life. You will enjoy it as much as I did.
Marsha
The Edge of the Earth by Christina Schwarz
In 1998, a young girl decides to abandon her parents' dreams of a perfect marriage in a perfect town for the adventure of the unknown. She marries a man her she falls in love with and sets out to the coast of California to live in a remote lifehouse. Here her life changes irrevocably. Her self-transformation and knowledge of the seacoast is haunting and unforgettable.
Sandy McCullough
The Breakdown Lane by Jacquelyn Mitchard
An advice columnist for a local newspaper, Julieanne Gillis dispenses wisdom to her readers, but somehow missed the signs that something was amiss in her own home. Devoted to being a good mother and keeping her 20-year marriage fresh and exciting, she is shocked by her husband's surprise announcement that he needs a “sabbatical” from their life together --- and devastated when he disappears, leaving Julie with no funds to raise two teenagers and a small daughter alone. But it is the discovery that Julieanne suffers from a serious illness that truly crumbles her family's foundation --- setting her children on a dangerous, quixotic journey to locate their missing father before it's too late. Great book!! Read it in 2 days.
Lynn W
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
The best book I've read so far this year!
Ashlea
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Now I know what everyone was talking about when this book came out - it is so, so good. Funny, heartwarming, eccentric, sweet, and not-put-downable. Loved the characters, the history, and the writing.
Ellen
The Humanity Project by Jean Thompson
I've been a Jean Thompson fan for at least a decade, and this is her best book yet. She writes with great compassion about average people struggling to get by -- and to find love, or just keep the love they have -- in this terrible economy. With lines like "We would cast off our old, damaged selves, peel back our layers of failure and sadness," she perfectly captures that very American hope that things will always get better. A wonderful read.
Colin Beierbach
The Hit by David Baldacci
Will pass the book about.
Linda Johnson
The Torrents of Spring by Ernest Hemingway
Quick read. My first Hemingway. Wish I knew who the people in this Roman a clef were supposed to be. Unlike anything I've ever read before. I'm sure I will read it again because I'm sure I missed things the first time around.
Dottie
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
I really enjoyed this and kept wondering what they were going to do with the baby.
Sally
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
I would actually rate this a 3 1/2. There are many disparate threads to this story. And fortunately all are resolved by the end of the book. Parts of the book are wonderful, and other sections seem to go on and on...stating the same thoughts over and over. The sections which took place in Italy were the best in my opinion. Ultimately, I am only somewhat glad I read it. (It was our book group selection.)
Bonnie Gluhanich
Ghostman by Roger Hobbs
Crackling good crime novel, even more so since the author just graduated from college in 2011.
Jackie Wisherd
The Fallen by T. Jefferson Parker
A good cop who-done-it set in San Diego involving city politics, scandal, corruption and suspense. Very believable characters and situations. Enjoyed it greatly.
Bonnie Gluhanich
This Is Not Your City by Caitlin Horrocks
Short stories...I wanted to like them more than I did, but I fear I won't remember anything about them in a few days.
Donna
Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
This book offers the Palestinian perspective of the wars and horrors between Israel and Palestine, formally titled The Scar of David. I read this book because I felt I needed to know more about my new Palestinian neighbor. Though the story is fiction, it is based on actual events. The story brilliantly informs you of the reason for the attitudes and actions of these people and how they manage to survive though they live with pain, fear and death. It is a reminder that they love, pray, laugh, cry, bleed just as eveyone else does.
Sharron
The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout
Dysfunctional family dynamics--older brother a successful and famous attorney. Brother Bob, an appeals attorney, lives with guilt his whole life because when he was 4, he put the car in gear which ran over and killed their father. Susan, Bob's twin, divorced, and raising her morose teen son Zach in Shirley Falls, Maine, which has become a sanctuary of sorts for Somalie refuges. Locals feel they have taken over the town and no one is willing to adapt. Then Zach throws a pig's head into mosque, turning a misdemeanor into an international incident. Racism, religious intolerance, guilt, depression--all themes.
Rose Palek
Fly Away by Kristen Hannah
Omygosh. This author is amazing. I am awestruck with her way of describing every detail. What an art. I must have been the first one at the library to check out the book. I cannot put it down - having to do as a necessity angers me because I want to keep reading. Without giving the story away you feel the pain the family is going through. This is one book I am going to want to purchase and read again. Just taking in her descriptive phrases is magical. I am a painter and a quilter. I wish I could add writer to that list. Kristen Hannah is amazing and has grown with each book she pens.
Lynn W
Starting Now by Debbie Macomber
This Blossom Street novel continues the beloved series. It's a cozy, warm, and fuzzy story with a nice ending. Ms. Macomber did not stray from her best-selling writing style.
Laura Beierbach
The Hit by David Baldacci
Great entertainment!
