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OuiNikita@aol.com
WRITING WOMEN'S LIVES
edited by Susan Cahill (no ranking given)
An anthology of autobiographical narratives by 20th century
American women writers. This is a wonderful book for book
lovers. There are 50 writers featured - some were favorites
of mine already like Edith Wharton, Tillie Olsen, and
Madeleine L'Engle - the best part was discovering many
new names Louise Bogan, Natalie Kusz, Mary Antin to just
name a few. There is a brief bio of the authors and then
excerpts from their work. What's really nice is that it's
a book you can just pick up any time and read a few pages
whenever you want.
Booksagain@aol.com
THE JUROR by George Dawes Green, 4 stars
At first I wasn't sure if I liked this book at all, then
it took off and I could not put it down.If you decide
to read it, make coffee, turn off phone, keep all the
lights on!
PButler184@aol.com
THE POISONWOOD BIBLE by Barbara Kingsolver
(excellent)
Recommended to me by a reader.
THE MITFORD SERIES by Jan Karon (excellent)
Such sweet books. Every one has at least one character
in it that I could swear I know personally!
THE POTTER SERIES by J.K. Rowling (good)
I bought them all in hardcover because of the media hype
(for my grandchildren to read when they are old enough,
which is not now...ages 4, 5, 6) and am reading them to
give my blessings before passing them on. I have found
some of the language repulsive to me.......but then I
am a 1950's person.
toriphile20@yahoo.com
GLIMMER by Annie Waters, 4 stars
jmontalvo@jps.ne
BLINDNESS by Jose Saramago, 3 stars
So far I rate Blindness at a 3, it's not one of those
books you can't put down.
THE POISONWOOD BIBLE by Barbara Kingsolver,
10 out of 5!!!
I had to keep reading to see what other problems these
people were going to get into in this place in the middle
of Africa.
Alexis the Catt@aol.com
THE SKY IS FALLING by Sidney Sheldon,
3 stars
Enjoyable but not one of his best books.
THE FIRST TIME by Joy Fielding, 5 stars
3 hanky book that was heartbreaking but enjoyable.
WINTER SOLSTICE by Rosamunde Pilcher,
5 stars
As always, her books are engrossing and endearing.
THE SWITCH by Sandra Brown, 5 stars
A great mystery novel that held my interest from start
to finish.
UKHRH@aol.com
HERE BE DRAGONS by Sharon Kay Penman,
5 stars
A wonderful, historical accurate account of Joanna, an
illegitimate daughter of King John and her marriage to
Llewlyn, Prince of Gwynedd and the conflicts that arise
from it. A splendid read, a lovely and brilliant love
story pace with the drama of its age.
SHADOWS OF A PRINCESS by P.D. Jephson,
2 stars
A rather boastful account of Jephson's career told through
his own narrow vision. What it lacks in insight it makes
up for in the author's indulgent conceit.
Ferrellac@aol.com
MURDER OF A SMALL-TOWN HONEY by Denise
Swanson, 4 stars
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE MURDER by Joanne
Fluke, 3 stars
WINTER SOLSTICE by Rosamunde Pilcher,
5 stars
If I could give this one more than 5 stars, I would!!
THE LAST PRECINCT by Patricia Cornwell,
5 stars
LMorris804@aol.com
THE BLIND ASSASSIN by Margaret Atwood,
5 stars
Earned a resounding 5 from me. While I was at a bit of
a loss in the book's early chapters about the significance
of the "story within a story," it soon became clear its
reasons for being. I was disappointed that Atwood did
not win the Nobel Prize for Literature this year, but
after reading this volume, feel that her prize will be
forthcoming in the near future.
STALKER by Faye Kellerman, 4 stars
It was interesting to read about the personal and professional
growth of Cynthia Decker and of her father's difficulty
in cutting the proverbial apron strings. A good mystery/detective
tale.
Valjeang@aol.com
THE ALIENIST by Caleb Carr, 3 stars
Good historical fiction/suspense.
THE WEB by Jonathan Kellerman, (no ranking
given)
I'm not far enough to give it any stars yet. But I am
enjoying it thus far.
KWol971102@aol.com
THE CARRIER by Holden Scott, 4 stars
I read the book in 3 days. It is fast-paced and not overly
technical. Reads like a James Patterson novel. A Ph.D.
student discovers a cure for cancer using the flesh-eating
strep. Unfortunately his work is stolen and then sabotaged.
He becomes a fugitive who kills with one touch, which
he is unaware of at first. He is on the run to try to
save his girlfriend, who is dying from cancer.
Pjwhome@aol.com
FALLING LEAVES by Adeline Yen Mah, 4
stars
Compelling story of determination and survival from a
girl always stuck on the outside looking in.
CHARMING BILLY by Alice McDermott, 4
stars
Poignant, sad story The characters are fully developed
and stay with you.
HERE ON EARTH by Alice Hoffman, 4 stars
This author has a wonderful way with words. The characters
tragically never seem to want what is best for them.
PLAINSONG by Ken Haruf, 5 stars
The story starts out slowly, but once halfway into the
book you discover how much you care about the characters
and what happens to them.
TIS by Frank McCourt, 5 stars
The sequel continues to demonstrate the author can really
tell a story.
Mvourneen@aol.com
THE LAST HURRAH by Edwin O'Connor, (no
ranking given)
I read this many years ago and am enjoying rereading it
now. It is a picture of Irish -American politics as they
were dying out in the 1950's. The book is a funny, touching,
easy-moving picture of the compromises of politics that
helped form my views when I was 20 and make me wistful
as I look at today's compaigning.
CHARMING BILLY by Alice McDermott, (no
ranking given)
As I was reading this, I thought it was good but slight.
As I finished it, I thought it was a clear and unique
view of friendship and the losses and memories that form
our lives.
ebp4@webtv.net
A PLACE IN THE COUNTRY by Laura Shaine
Cunningham, 5 stars
A delightful memoir about the author's lifelong dream
of finding a house and a plot of green on which to live
outside New York City, where she had been raised. This
is a charming book -- funny, poignant, and, always, entertaining.
SOMETHING TO DECLARE by Julia Alvarez,
5 stars
An insightful and highly readable collection of essays
by poet and novelist Julia Alvarez, who is best-known
for her popular fictional work HOW THE GARCIA GIRLS LOST
THEIR ACCENTS. In this, her first non-fiction book, she
focuses on topics of great personal interest to her including
the importance of family life as expressed through memories
of her early childhood years spent in the Dominican Republic,
the difficult process of acculturation experienced when
her family immigrated to the United States, and her gradual
development as a writer communicating primarily in a language
that is not her native one.
HOTEL PARADISE by Martha Grimes, 5 stars
The Hotel Paradise of Martha Grimes' novel by the same
name is a formerly posh, now run-down resort set on ten
acres of woods in the small village of Spirit Lake. Although
billed as a mystery, this is actually an enormously rich
and atmospheric coming-of-age novel. The story is told
in the wry and witty voice of the precocious 12-year-old
protagonist, who is obsessed with solving the unexplained
drowning death of a young woman her own age, 40 years
earlier. While this book is a great read, it is not a
quick one, so pick it up when you have time to spare. |
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