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MJMAID@aol.com
THE TENTH JUSTICE by Brad Meltzer, 5 stars
THE MARRIED MAN by Tawni O'Dell, 4 stars
HOT SIX by Janet Evanovich, 4 stars
NORA , NORA by Anne Rivers Siddons, 5 stars
HUGGER MUGGER by Robert Parker, 5 stars
HEARTBREAKER by Robert Ferrigno, 5 stars
FAMILY HONOR by Robert Parker, 5 stars
FIONA RANGE by Mary McGarry Morris, 5 stars
SAVING FAITH by David Baldacci, 5 stars
HUNTING DOWN AMANDA by Andrew Klavan, 5 stars
WHERE THE HEART IS by Billie Letts, 5 stars
THE DEFENSE by D.W. Buffa, 5 stars
JTRB@aol.com
OPEN HOUSE by Elizabeth Berg, 4 stars
UNTIL THE REAL THING COMES ALONG by Elizabeth Berg,
4 stars
THE HONK AND HOLLER OPENING SOON by Billie Letts, 4
stars
THE RED TENT by Anita Diamant, 5 stars
DARK LADY by Richard North Patterson, 3 stars
DUST TO DUST by Tami Hoag, 3 stars
MARRYING THE MISTRESS by JoannaTrollope, 2 1/2 stars
Arrfa@aol.com
THE LOST TOMB by Kent Weeks, 5 stars - Especially if
you are into Egyptology
FIREFLY SUMMER by Maeve Binchy, 4 stars
RAVELSTEIN by Saul Bellow, 4 stars - My book club selection
for the month.
ExOlga@aol.com
THE POISONWOOD BIBLE by Barbara Kingsolver, 5 stars
THE BOOK OF RUTH by Jane Hamilton, 5 stars
AT RISK by Alice Hoffman, 3 stars
Dicrawdad@aol.com
THE RED TENT by Anita Diamant, 5 stars
LEAH by James Shott, 3 stars
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE by J.K. Rowling,
4 stars
Graham2124@aol.com
THE LAST KABBALIST OF LISBON by Richard Zimler, 5 stars
BELLA TUSCANY by Frances Mayes, 3 stars
ON SECRET SERVICE by John Jakes - I just started it.
SheilaRum@aol.com
WHITE TEETH by Zadie Smith, 4 stars
Langstmr@aol.com
LADDER OF YEARS by Anne Tyler, 4 stars
KEEPING FAITH by Jodi Picoult, 4 stars
Delta59@aol.com
THE GATES OF THE ALAMO by Stephen Harrigan, 5 stars
- Changed my view forever of what happened at the Alamo.
IN A SUNBURNED COUNTRY by Bill Bryson, 4 stars - Great
info about Australia for Olympics goers spiced with
Bryson's humor.
DON'T MAKE ME STOP THIS CAR by Al Roker, 2 stars
Mobetubious@aol.com
BLACK CHERRY BLUES by James Lee Burke, 3 stars
STALKER by Faye Kellerman, 3 stars - Better than her
last one.
HOT SIX by Janet Evanovich, 4 stars - I laughed from
the first page.
Carol@bookreporter.com
FRIENDSHIP CAKE by Lynne Hinton, 5 stars
I heard some nice buzz about this book and we had it
as a Publisher's Pick on ReadingGroupGuides.com in July.
Started it on a rainy summer Sunday and just kept turning
the pages devouring it in a day. It's multi-dimensional
as it covers racism, sexuality, faith and the power
of friendship among a group of women in a small town
in North Carolina. The recipes that punctuate the book
make it an even better read and I dog eared at least
four recipes to try.
THE GIRLS' GUIDE TO HUNTING AND FISHING by Melissa Bank,
4 stars
After 17 years of working at a women's magazine in New
York and many nights of watching Sex in the City, I
thought I had read enough about relationships and being
single in New York, so when this book came out in hardcover,
I skipped it. Big mistake! Bank is very funny, especially
in the final part where she is attempting to follow
a version of the Rules' Girls to land her man --- it's
worth picking up just for these snippets of conversation.
THE RIVER KING by Alice Hoffman, 4 stars
I love Hoffman's work and appreciated it more after
reading a piece about her in the New York Times where
she referenced how her writing helped her during her
recent battle with cancer. Her use of imagery makes
her writing a joy to read.
INFIDELITY by Ann Pearlman, 3 stars
This non-fiction title explores adultery in three generations
of one woman's family. Pearlman is convinced that she
will break the family curse. She is a noted marriage/family
counselor who authored KEEP THE HOME FIRES BURNING:
HOW TO HAVE AN AFFAIR WITH YOUR SPOUSE. The book is
at its best when she is describing her mother and grandmother's
marriages. It falls apart a bit when she discusses the
unraveling of her own marriage. It's almost as if she
was too close to this subject to evaluate it.
JACKIE, ETHEL, JOAN: Women of Camelot by J. Randi Taraborrelli,
4 stars
I admit that I enjoy reads about the Kennedys and this
one fills in many of the pieces that are missed in other
books. One example: I knew that Jackie Kennedy had a
school for her kids and others at the White House. After
the assassination I always wondered what happened to
the school. Taraborrelli writes that Lady Bird Johnson
agreed that the school could continue at the White House
till the January following Kennedy's death at which
time it was moved to the British Embassy.
THE DAY JOHN DIED, by Christopher Anderson, 4 stars
I admit that when I picked this book up I was ready
for the usual spiked with a modicum of sensationalism.
Instead I was surprised pleasantly. Anderson wrote THE
DAY DIANA DIED, which I had enjoyed a lot. John is portrayed
as very real --- with his shortcomings as well as his
triumphs exposed --- and it reminded me of my one encounter
with him in the city when I spotted him squatting in
front of a news kiosk reading the headlines of a tabloid.
And no, the headlines in the tabloid were not about
him.
THE FIRST TIME by Joy Fielding, 2 stars
This book earns 2 stars for the quality of the writing
(that is more like a 3). Rather I am giving it 2 as
I did not find the story to be plausible. In a nutshell,
I cannot see a philandering man who only married his
wife because she was pregnant rushing back to her side
when she gets a life threatening disease. I just see
him getting more distance. But maybe you want to read
it and tell me if you think I am just being a tad too
tough on Fielding.
THE HOUSE ON HOPE STREET by Danielle Steel, 2 stars
I give this one 2 stars since it is not Steel's best,
but it is pure Steel as we go through love, disaster,
more adversity (that then brings another chance at love),
separation and reconciliation. I liken Steel's writing
to watching a favorite formulamatic television show.
You know exactly what is going to happen when you click
on the remote, but it does not mean that the escape
brings you any less pleasure. I do admire how Steel
has woven a handicapped child into this book. After
reading her book about her son, HIS BRIGHT LIGHT, I
have more admiration for her as a person than I even
do as an author.
RESCUING JEFFREY by Richard Galli, 4 stars
I will be reviewing this book on Bookreporter.com, but
wanted to give it a special mention here. It's a memoir
of a father who rescues his son from a diving accident
where he has been rendered a quadriplegic. He deftly
captures those early days after his son's accident when
he seriously questions his judgment in saving him as
he ponders the quality of his son's new life. When you
close this book if you want to know more about what
happened to Jeffrey, you can log onto http://www.gallicentral.com/jeffhome.htm.
It's a nice way to wrap up what you are feeling, because
this book will certainly make you feel.
DIAMOND DOG by Alan Watt, 5 stars
The V.P. of Marketing at Warner Books gave me a heads
up about this one at lunch one day. She passed along
an Advanced Reading Copy and between her description
and the end of the first page, I was ready to cheer
this one on. The subject matter will make you squirm
as the story is not a pretty one, but the twists and
turns will keep you reeling right to the end. Hard to
believe this is a debut book for Watt --- he writes
a complicated story with wonderful ease.
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