MysteryNut19@aol.com
Fatal by Michael Palmer. 4 stars.
I really liked this medical thriller set in West Virginia mountain territory. Crusading doctor versus big business coal mine storyline. The style reminded me of Robin Cook or Michael Crichton back when their stories were fresh.

Nine by Jan Burke. 4 stars.
I liked her Irene series better, but this new detective is not bad. The story follows detective Alex Brandon as he tries to solve the mystery of who is finding and killing the FBI's Top 10 Most Wanted criminals. Burke weaves in a few too many characters, but they are intriguing.

Stharalson@aol.com
American Gods by Neil Gaimon-5 stars easily, almost evry page will amaze you.

The Talking Trees by Sean O'Faolain. 4 1/2 stars.
Collected short stories that are about life, love and being human.

The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall. 5 stars.
New author, great book.

tfranzen2124@attbi.com
I got a suggestion for a therapy read, Sean Donovan by Lori Wick. It's a story from the Californians series and a nice picture of human transformation. 3 stars.

Considerer@aol.com
I am in the third volume of the Outlander series. I am reading Voyager by Diana Gabaldon. I find these books to be fast reads, interesting characters set against a historical background. I find them hard to put down and this one is not an exception. I have co-workers reading these volumes as well!

SheilaD@aol.com
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, The Tears of the Giraffe, The Morality of Beautiful Girls all by Alexander McCall Smith and all receive 4 stars.

A charming series about Precious Ramotswe, the very sensible proprietor of the only ladies' detective agency in Botswana. I was enchanted by the author's lyrical style and his rich evocation of culture, country and characters.

rsaxe@utoledo.edu
Reading Hornet Flight by Ken Follett. It is a good old-fashioned war story of the heroics of a couple of young Danes and an English girl.

lmoisan312195MI@comcast.net
I thoroughly enjoyed The Sunday Wife by Cassandra King. I rate it 4 stars. It is about a preacher's wife who just doesn't fit the mold and her friends that help her realize her full potential.

I also would recommend Housewrights by Art Corriveau. I rate it 4 stars. This is his first novel and I am eagerly awaiting the next. The characters in this story are believable and likeable.

caroline@swtexas.com
Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. 3 stars.
This was a good, but not great book for me. I guess because it didn't end the way I would have liked it to, but a good read just the same.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. 2 stars.
I just don't understand what all the hype is about. This book did not live up to my expectations at all!

Corpses, Crypts & Coffins by Penny Coleman. 3 stars.
An interesting history on burials.

Kiss The Girls by James Patterson. 5 stars.
I'm a little late getting started on this series. I loved "Along Comes A Spider" and I'm having a real hard time putting this book down also. I can't wait to finish reading the rest of the books in this series.

Sesame705@aol.com
Phantom Army of the Civil War and Other Southern Ghost Stories, Compiled and Edited by Frank Spaeth from the files of FATE Magazine.
If you are fascinated by ghost stories, as I am, then you will enjoy curling up with this book!  Although the title might lead you to surmise that the accounts center on Civil War ghosts, the book really includes all kinds of paranormal experiences, with the connection being that they occurred in the South.  Some events took place many years ago, and some fairly recently.  All the stories will entice you to ponder the possibilities.

CandyM49@aol.com
The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers was an awesome read. The story of these characters will stay with you. I am halfway through The Vineyard by Barbara Delinsky and I cannot get into the story. This is the first time this has happened with one of her books. I probably will not finish it. 0 stars so far.

Vikkivand@aol.com
The Art of Seeing by Cammie McGovern. 4 stars.
The story is about the sometimes strange bond between two sisters.

In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner. 2 stars.
A story about two very different sisters. I did not like it as much as Good in Bed.

Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs. 5 stars.
The story about a boy whose mother gives him to her psychologist to be raised with his wacky family. I loved this book, the writing was excellent. Great story. Highly recommend. Must read.

hibar14@earthlink.net
I'm reading The Art of Deception by Ridley Pearson. It's a real page turner! I give it 5 stars.

Bberrycrk@aol.com
The Worst Day of My Life, So Far by M. A. Harper. 4 1/2 stars.
This author just amazes me with her writing and insights.

MaggieRik@aol.com
I am currently reading Wild Ginger by Anchee Min, a story of two young women in the 1970's during the cultural revolution in mainland China. It is an absolutely fascinating tale of the relationship of these women set against the backdrop of Maoist China. A must for historical fiction lovers.

DIANWILLY@aol.com
Q is for Quarry by Sue Grafton. 3 stars.
Not one of her best. Too wordy. Too many minor, drawn out details that do not impact the story.

The Janson Directive by Robert Ludlum. 3 stars.
The book seems to move too slow. Too much detail. Less detail and fewer pages would be better. Authors need to start thinking about how much time people have these days. Get to the point! Move it along!

Leadership by Rudy Giuliani. 3 stars.
I now know how he ran his meetings. He must have been an engineering student (details galore) as a Jasper. Needs heads up thinking presented instead of details on each person in his meetings. Brings back New York specifics though.

Carosp@aol.com
Small Vices by Robert B. Parker. 3 2/3 stars.
A Spenser novel. The first I've read of the series about Spenser, the detective with a psychiatrist girlfriend and a mysterious friend named Hawk who helps with his cases. I enjoyed it --- interesting and amusing, too.

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. 3 1/2 stars.
Sedaris tells short, humorus stories about various aspects of his own life.  I listened to an audiotape of this and it was perfect entertainment for a medium-length trip. It kept me and my travel companion amused.

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. 4 stars.
This is the second book I've read by this author and I enjoyed this more than the first, How To Be Good, although that wasn't bad, either. Amusing and enjoyable.

rlsilverstein@att.net
Walk in Moonlight and Rapture in Moonlight both by Rosemary Laurey. 4.5 stars.
These books are the first two of a trilogy (the third is not published yet). They are very entertaining vampire stories. I had difficulty putting them down. Although they are typically classified as paranormal romance books they are much more. I consider them thrillers with aspects of horror and romance. Her characters are realistic and I cared about the heroes and heroines right away. The story told in each book has a tight, complex plot and a well thought out conclusion.

MarLiena@aol.com
Geisha: A Life by Mineko Iwasaki
The Pillow Book of Lady Wisteria by Laura Joh Rowland

Kellmor2@aol.com
I'm reading Deaf Artists of America by Debbe Sonnenstrahl. More than a coffee table book and less than a text book, easy reading, very interesting, covered deaf artists from Colonial time to present. A must read.

GandmaRI@aol.com 
I'm finishing up Firestorm by Nevada Barr. I would rate it a 4. It's a good plot and a fast read (when you actually find the time to sit more than 5 minutes).  Enjoy!

swolff146394@comcast.net
Just finished reading Lucky Man by Michael J Fox. Good autobiography, but I would have liked to have heard more on his life while on "Family Ties" and while making the "Back to the Future" movies. I give it a 4.

BunnyinVA@aol.com
I'm currently reading Carl Hiaasen's Native Tongue and Jeffery Deaver's Speaking in Tongues. I'm only about a third into both and, so far, they are not grabbing me as much as other books by these authors (who are two of my favorites).

Recently, I finished Robert Crais' Hostage and would whole-heartedly recommend it. Crais does a marvelous job of building tension and keeping you wondering which way the situation is going to go.

susanrjensen@yahoo.com
The China Bride by Mary Jo Putney. 3 stars.
This book is okay. The characters are semi-interesting, but the plot line sags because of predictability.

ImNpieces@aol.com
I've just read James Patterson's Violets are Blue and I give it 4 stars.
It was good, but not quite as good as his previous works. Also, finished The Search by Iris Johansen. This one gets 5 stars. I can hardly wait to read her next one. She surely does keep one in suspense! I'm glad she has moved out of the purely romance venue into a little more sophisticated writing style. I think her trilogy with the Pegasus may have been the bridge. Good move, in my opinion.

Mystrytx@aol.com
The Hearse You Came In On by Tom Cockey.
Just started, excellent reviews but so far jury still out. Would so far rate at 3 stars; tries a bit too hard to be funny.

Dchi612@aol.com
Quentins by Maeve Binchy. 4 stars.
Enjoyed the story and Irish setting.

Answered Prayers by Danielle Steel. 4 stars.
Couldn't put this book down.

Eregan11218@aol.com
I am catching up a bit but just finished And Justice There is None, A Share in Death and All Shall Be Well all by Deborah Crombie. Great cozy stuff for those who love British crime fiction and the kinda cozy genre. A Share in Death was the first in that series. I found it in a used book store, got hooked and bought the last one and one in between. Now I have to finish the whole series.

I finished The Lovely Bones and loved it, then went back and read her first book Lucky. Alice Sebold is a woman who should be forgiven for falling apart, she makes courage something we can better understand from her writing. I don't usually like victim-reported crime such as Lucky, or even books about rape. Both of these are exceptional.

Pennie0801@aol.com
Reflections and Dreams by Nora Roberts was not as good as I thought it would be. I only give it 3 1/2 stars.

JWells7908@aol.com
1. The Last Samurai by Helen DeWitt. 5 stars.
2. The Slaves of Solitude by Patrick Hamilton
3. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
4. Reading Rilke: The Problems of Translations by William Gass
5. Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon

Britadon@aol.com
Mount Vernon Love Story by Mary Higgins Clark. 3 stars.
I felt this was just not the quality that I expect from this author. Left you with a "isn't that sweet" feeling and not much more.

Heart Trouble by Kathy Hogan Trocheck. 4 stars.
Good mystery set in Atlanta. Read this because I just came back from a trip to Atlanta and this made the book even more interesting. The House Mice might give Stephanie Plum's granny a run for her money.

Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn. 5 stars.
I started this with some feelings of reserve as it stated it was a mythical story ...but, oh my goodness! It is so good! Subtitle is Tales of the Otori and somewhere in mythical Japan is the setting. If you like the movie Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, you will just love this book. This is the first of a trilogy and I will definitely be reading the next one.

The Marching Season by Daniel Silva. 5 stars.
An excellent suspense/thriller concerning Northern Ireland. Very well written and intriguing conclusion.

TonyBrandin@peoplepc.com
Time Shifting by Stephan Rechschaffen. 2 ˝ stars.
A self-help book, Time Shifting suggests slowing down and "entraining" with rhythms different than modern Western society's fast pace. "Living in the moment" rather than focusing attention on the past or future is Rechschaffen's theme. He makes good practical suggestions to aid readers in consciously slowing down and "shifting" our concept of time. But the book is very repetitive; the second half, particularly, bogs down. I learned some good techniques, but had difficulty sustaining interest; it took me more than two years to finish Time Shifting!

KINDLEELF@aol.com
The Monk Downstairs by Tim Farrington. 4 stars.
The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter. 5 stars.
The Runaway Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini. 5 stars.
As her books center around the history of quilting, it gives her books an interesting twist.
White Oleander by Janet Fitch was also a very good read. 5 stars
Ghost Image by Joshua Gilder kept my interest 4 1/2 stars
Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi was an exceptional book that gives insight into the thoughts and feeling of little people. 5 stars.

Buttercupmlm@aol.com
I'm reading Looking for Alaska by Peter Jenkins. It's created a fascination in me for Alaska that I've never had before. Now I want to go and see the places and meet the people that I read about in the book. I will definitely read more Jenkins after this.

berkheim@velocity.net
My recommendation is Skipping Christmas by John Grisham. This is a lighthearted fare, especially pleasing to read this time of year. I give it 5 stars!!!

Booksagain@aol.com
Death on a Vineyard Beach by Philip R. Craig. 5 stars.
Craigs Marthas Vineyard series is one of the best I have read in years. For a great winter escape, try them all!

JohnSSta@aol.com
Answered Prayers by Danielle Steel. 3 stars.

ljaco02@finaid.emory.edu
I am reading Driven by W.G. Griffiths. Very similar to Stephen King but more action oriented.....good read.

Geri3848@aol.com
Jolie Blon's Bounce and Purple Cane Road both by James Lee Burke. 4 stars for each.
Makes me want to visit New Iberia. Both are thought provoking and entertaining at the same time.

Dune: House Atreides by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. 5 stars.
Felt like home and Herbert Sr. was still around.

To Die in Provence by Norman Bogner First read of his for me and it was a positive one. He wove the story well and was hard to put down   4 stars

marilyn.angello@us.mullermartini.com
I just finished reading The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber. Terrific book with very well developed characters. I was so intrigued with the book that I couldn't put it down. I also read recently The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I read this book in one sitting! Another book that took a little longer to read but just as good was John Adams by David McCullough. I am now going to go back and read some of his earlier works like The Path Between the Seas, which is the story of the building of the Panama Canal.

Donnaleggate@aol.com
I am almost finished reading:
The Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. 5 stars.
This is the first novel I have read by these authors and cannot put it down. A serial killer from 130 years ago is being uncovered in New York. The site of 36 murdered and dismembered people are discovered where a new building site is underway. I can't put it down. It is a real page-turner.

B102640@aol.com
Under Abduction by Andrew Neiderman, author of The Devil's Advocate. Great suspense and characters. Never stops.

John1rosie@aol.com
Half A Life by V.S. Naipaul. 2 stars.
For the first 130 pages I thought myself so lucky to have found this book. The action was crisp enough to make the characters, the setting, the interaction and the writing interesting. Then the main character Willie decided that he had no future but to become a dependent. I dragged myself through the remainder of the book and was happy to have been done with it. Half a Life is truly half a book. Next I have I, Richard by the mistress of mystery Elizabeth George. Judging by her other work I expect nothing less than four stars.

LTWilson@southark.edu
The Shelters of Stone by Jean Auel.
I was afraid I had outgrown this series, since it has been over ten years since the last installment. But I still found it engrossing and the familiar characters are like old friends. The new setting and lifestyle is the main attraction and I was impressed by the author's research. The ending is full of possibilities for the next book.

lyn1256@execpc.com
The Little Friend by Donna Tartt. 1 star.
A story of revenge without a hero or heroine, in which no lessons are learned and is not even life affirming at the end. The book is bursting with pointless cruelty --- every time an animal is introduced it will be mistreated and all but one will be killed and there are a lot of animals. All of the characters, including the protagonist, are unpleasant. Donna Tartt writes well, but what an awful novel this is.

Krissyrn@aol.com
I read a book for knowledge, then the next book is for fun. At the moment I am in knowledge mode and my present read is Bird by Bird: Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott. I give it 4 stars. It doesn't say much that I haven't read before, but it does spur a person into realizing that writing isn't easy. Rarely is anyone so inspired that a book practically writes itself. Sometimes the words come easy and sometimes they don't. Anne puts this in the forefront.

sisgal_79@blackplanet.com
I've just finished reading Thunderland by Brandon Massey and it was really, really good! The book was originally self-published, but then later picked up by Kensington and, I tell you, from the new cover to the re-written chapters, it will keep you going.

Thunderland is suspense fiction in the classic, bestselling tradition. With this dark, raw and haunting tale of a family shattered by a mysterious menace, award-winning newcomer Brandon Massey takes readers on a sublimely scary journey deep into the heart of Dean Koontz and Stephen King territory. Teenager Jason Brooks never expected to survive a tragic accident. But by some miracle he did recover, only to find that life is better than ever, with his new friendships, fresh experiences and bright hopes for the future. Even Jason's parents, who had been drifting farther and farther apart, have renewed their commitment to their marriage. But then an enigmatic stranger invades their lives, jeopardizing the happiness that Jason and his parents had worked so hard to achieve and threatening to destroy everything they care about...that is, if they survive. I rate it 5 stars!!!

raeann.ja@verizon.net
I am currently reading for two different book clubs:
Empire Falls by Richard Russo and Blessings by Anna Quindlen.

Comella2729@aol.com
There are so many wonderful books and so little time!!! I recommend the
following titles for your consideration:
Waiting by Ha Jin. 4 stars.
This is about a couple's 20-year unconsummated courtship in a bleak provincial town during China's Cultural Revolution.

Embers by Sandor Marai. This was first published in Hungary in 1942 and has now been republished in English translation. It is the story of two men who become friends at military school around the turn of the last century. Their friendship extends into adulthood, when they share an apartment in Vienna. The plot thickens when Henrik falls in love and marries the ravishing Krisztina. The story deals with hunting lodges, balls and duels....good stuff that makes for a 4-star novel.

The Ladies' Man by Elinor Lipman. I love Lipman's work because she is always funny, insightful and shrewd. This story is about a man who can't resist his own devastating effect on women. This is an entertaining 4-star read.

Women of Sand and Myrrh by Hanna Al-Shaykh. 4 stars.
Four women who live their lives in the Middle East with varying degrees of desperation.

Saffron Sky by Gelareh Asayesh. 4 stars.
The author talks about being raised in America and returning to Iran to better understand the land of her birth.

Deb1teach@aol.com
I'm reading The Christmas Train by David Baldacci and I'm finding it delightful. I find it interesting to learn about trains and what people might ride on them. The story is cute and it's a really fun and easy read for the Christmas season.

catseyes2222@hotmail.com
Running On Empty by Anna Paterson.
I thought that this was a real breathrough of a book. I have read novels about eating disorders before but they were usually either sugar coated (with a sudden surprise recovery at the end) or unbelievably depressing. Running On Empty leaves you with a message of realistic hope. Yes, you can recover but it isn't always easy and it's never quick. The book drew me in from the first page and is the story of three friends, each with different food problems, who gradually learn to deal with their lives and fight back. The range of characters and the speed of the storyline made it a real page turner and I needed to know what happened next. Her best book so far.

lgettle@iserv.net
The Wolf's Hour by Robert R. McCammon. 4 stars.
It's about a Russian who becomes a werewolf who becomes a British citizen who fights in World War II. Unique.

Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich. 3 stars.
I love the Stephanie Plum series but this one was kind of disappointing.

sdlinda@pacbell.net
The Idiot Girls' Action Adventure Club by Laurie Notaro.
A collection of hilarious stories by an up-and-coming, truly gifted humor writer! Laugh-out-loud funny.

Sphere of Influence by Kyle Mills.
A good, fast-paced audiobook with a timely story of an over-the-hill FBI agent investigating mob-terrorist connections. A good dose of humor, too.

About the Author by John Colapinto.
This came out a year or two ago. It's a hilariously ironic tale of a would-be writer who plagarizes his own life story! Very well written.

khartshorn@comcast.net
Currently I am reading Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, which I won at our Book Group's Christmas Party. At that meeting we discussed The Night the New Jesus Fell to Earth by Ron Rash, a collection of short stories that take place in the town of Cliffside, NC. Next month we are reading Timbuktu by Paul Auster.

Shell725@aol.com
I'm currently reading Anyone But You, a paperback romance by Jennifer Crusie. It's one of her older books, but the first book I've read that actually made me laugh out loud. Ms. Crusie writes humor like no other author. I love her characters and her writing hasn't disappointed me yet. 5 stars.

I'm also reading The Diary by Robert Cheney. Though this is a self-published book, the author weaves an intriguing tale of adventure that keeps the reader wondering what's going to happen next. If you enjoy books with an Indiana Jones type of hero, this is one you don't want to overlook. 5 stars.

Mlauerba@aol.com
I am reading Unless by Carol Shields. I am never disappointed in a book by Carol Shields and I think this is one of her best. All the more poignant because she is so ill. I would give it 5 stars.

mccullough87@earthlink.net
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. 5 stars.
Reminds me of To Kill a Mockingbird and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café.

Dancing with the Virgins by Stephen Booth. 5 stars.
Just as good as his first, Black Dog and Blood on the Tongue

A Fine and Private Place by Freda Davies. 5 stars.

Reversible Errors by Scott Turow. 4 stars.
One of his best novels in years

Blood Junction by Caroline Carver. 5 stars.

The Last Kashmiri Rose by Barbara Cleverly
Debut worth five stars as first novel.

Open Season by C.J. Box
Classic in the Elmore Leonard style. 5 Stars for a debut.

I am a big mystery fan as you can tell from my choices.

SLGJEG4@attbi.com
My book discussion group just finished reading Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand. Not knowing anything about the horse racing business/sport, it was very educational. There was information about the early aspects of horse racing, what the jockeys did to make weight, barbaric methods, the injuries that can occur to horse and jockey, training of the horses. The eye-hand-body coordination of a jockey has to be completely in order to be able to ride a racehorse, never mind win the race. I know the next time I see any of the races involving the Triple Crown, I am going to be watching with a different eye. Hopefully they will show the starting post to observe how each horse acts and how they take off. Because it was assigned by the book discussion group, I read it. A talk show that I listen to on my way to work also mentioned this book a few times. They often mention different books and authors. I have to drive to work with paper and pen to make notes.

brady538_91208@yahoo.com
Breakout by Richard Stark. 4 stars.
The title of this novel is most appropriate. Breakout is about 3 felons escaping from jail awaiting court sessions. It is also about a heist after escaping and how that heist comes about. I have trouble finding novels I like. However, I at least read from beginning to end and enjoyed the story. I did not particularly like the ending, yet it did not take anything away from the storyline.

EdMall@aol.com
Stonehenge by Bernard Cornwell is a must read for anyone who wonders where Stonehenge originated. The characters are your great etc. ancesters without whom you would not exist. This is an insightful adventure into England about 2000 years before Christ was born. The author did his homework on this. The day to day life and the beliefs of the mover/shapers come to life in the human tapestry woven around the construction of this most mysterious prehistorical architectural achievement. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll wish you were there.

Sandn2shoes@aol.com
I have just finished Blessings by Anna Quindlen and did not enjoy it. It felt flat and one- dimensional. While the storyline was good, the writing seemed to lack color or vitality (which can be found in writing about any situation). I really enjoy Anna Quindlen's non-fiction writing such as her newspaper articles and her small book, A Short History of Reading. I believe non-fiction is her strength!

AUGER77777@aol.com
I have just finished Split Second, Alex Kava's sequel to A Perfect Evil.  This was a great read, especially for a new writer.  The villain, Albert Stucky, is every bit as cunning and ruthless as Hannibal Lecter.  Ms. Kava will certainly join the ranks of James Patterson, Jeffrey Deaver and Thomas Harris as a truly great writer of suspense novels.  I look forward to her future works.  5 stars.

stevenpace@worldnet.att.net
Currently, I'm reading Charles Dickens' Christmas Stories collection. Also, I'm halfway through Gone for Good by Harlan Coben. Both of these are wonderful. Have a nice holiday season.

Yodasmommy@woh.rr.com
I just finished reading The Last Girls by Lee Smith and it made me want to take a steamboat cruise. The characters of this novel journey down the Mississippi River, first in 1965 as carefree college students on a ramshackle raft and then, some 35 years later, as passengers on The Belle of Natchez steamboat. This time, they carry the cremated remains of one of their original members. As is often the case with fiction, this novel found its story in a real-life experience. The North Carolinian author once drifted down the Mississippi River with a group of college girlfriends.

I give this novel 5 stars!!!!

I also just finished Blessings by Anna Quindlen. It is the story of a man and an old woman who find a baby on their doorstep and care for it together. Very easy reading and I give it 4 stars.

sandybru1@nyc.rr.com
Live from New York -Tom Shales - hardcover
Black Cross - Greg Iles - paperback
Among The Heroes - Jere Longman - hardcover
The Shelters of Stone - Jean Auel - hardcover

micheleserrani@carolina.rr.com
I have just finished Four Blind Mice by James Patterson. I have to say that it was better than the last Alex Cross adventure and much better than The Beach House, which I felt lacked the fast paced mystery that I enjoy from Patterson. 4 stars.

LWilcox@trilogic.com
Our reading group just read Weight of Water by Anita Shreve. Consensus was about 3 stars. We all were in agreement that the style of writing was a little confusing until you got about half way through. It was difficult sometimes to figure out if you were in the present or back with Maren and her family. But the story itself was interesting. I enjoy reading stories that are based in my geographical area. It makes it easier to visualize the
characters in their surroundings.

John1rosie@aol.com
Having read the eleven novels which preceded I, Richard, I had long felt completely confident that any book by Elizabeth George was, and could be recommended as, a thrill and a treat to look forward to and savor. Sadly, I can no longer say that. I, Richard, a book of five tales, demonstrates both Ms. George's great writing and a degradation of her skills to, most hopefully, their complete and utter nadir. Read "Good Fences Aren't Always Enough" first so as to get the worst out of the way. It is not a mystery. It is a rodent remnant from Tales From The Crypt. Reading the last page first may minimize the disappointment inherent in too many aspects of this sorry story and also free the mind to focus on what good stuff is hidden and available for finding. The first two paragraphs are mindless, meaningless, meandering, leading no where. Ignore them. The story contains ten parentheticals which are as full a proof as a proof can be that parentheticals are too often a sign of weakness in thinking, style and writing. As for her gift with simile, who of her fans could believe that Ms. George would write, "... a bank of fog was rolling determinedly down the street like a fat man looking for a meal," or "The old house sat like Miss Havisham fifty years after the wedding that didn't happen ..." The story preceding "Good Fences" is "The Surprise of His Life." It too has a "Tales From The Crypt" aroma. No doubt it was meant to set up "Good Fences" but the writing here is so much better that it only makes "Good Fences" seem so much the shoddier. The first tale is entitled "Exposure." The writing is bright and brisk even if the crime and its, excuse me, execution seem stolen from the pages of Agatha Christie. Ms. George's other readers will, as did I, enjoy the introduction she provides to each story. One gets to learn interesting things about her. In the introduction to the fourth story, "Remember, I'll Always Love You," Elizabeth assertively and pleasantly identifies herself, "My third reaction was something typical to anyone who is born to write ..." The nodding of this fan is done in that assured manner of finding irrefutable proof of something more than suspected over the eleven novels. Then there is the content of "Remember, I'll Always Love You." Another Tale From The Crypt but updated via the biological weapon content and a mention of Iraq and North Korea. The final tale, "I, Richard" is Ms. George's attempt to overcome the old axiom, "first impression, last impression." Does she? Well, I do love the way she writes about sex; the psychological and social agenda of the individuals is always far more important and, I think, compelling to the interested reader than whatever Ms. George states about the act itself. In "I, Richard" Ms. George the writer is seen to be alive and well. But this story too gives me the impression that Ms. George was far too great a fan of you know what comic book. The potential and probable victim becomes the victor. The murder goes undiscovered. The murderess escapes the law. And, most importantly, in the old Crypt series, he who plotted victory is vanquished in every sense. The Crypt Keeper chuckles. Irony is served. But in total the meal is unrewarding and it contains only some memorable spice and not one memorable dish. For me I, Richard damages Ms. George's golden reputation and I am sorry that she allowed it to be released. Two stars for the volume. Four stars for the novelist Elizabeth George.

Dochenry10@aol.com
I just finished The Nights of Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks and am currently reading The Last Promise by Richard Paul Evans.  At the holidays, I like to turn away from the thrillers and bestsellers and read authors like these two who do such a great job of bringing you into the actual feelings of the book.  It is a sentimental season and these are wonderful books.

juliecbarnard@yahoo.com
I recently read several children's books. After meeting David Almond, I read Skellig (5 stars) and Kit's Wilderness (5 stars); both were wonderful, well-written and unusual. Then I read another children's book that comes out in the spring, Green Angel by Alice Hoffman (5 stars); it is a beautiful story that is well worth waiting for. And currently, I am re-reading The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien (I first read the book in college, 30+ years ago). Having read The Fellowship of the Ring (5 stars) before the movie came out last year, I decided to repeat my successful project.

janlin@attcanada.ca
I just finished reading a great book, I Am the Codyman by Linda Stubbs. It is about a little white dog (westie) who lives in a hotel suite. This book made me laugh and even shed a tear. I give it 4 stars.

Frohike51@aol.com
Thunderland by Brandon Massey. 5 stars.
I happened upon Brandon Massey's website quite by accident a few months ago. His short stories captivated me and I anxiously awaited the distribution of Thunderland. It was well worth the wait. The characterizations are rich and wonderful. Jason may seem a little mature for a 13-about-to-be-14 year old, but kids at that age vary greatly in their level of maturity. Jason's friends, Brains and Shorty, balance that out nicely and lend credibility to the teenage characters. The adults are well developed and intelligent; we know who they are and what they're about. In spite of their problems, Jason's parents are aware of changes in their son and take steps to find out what's wrong; a refreshing view in a genre where so often the parents are portrayed as fools who should be reported to Children's Services. I loved Sam, Jason's maternal grandfather, and wish that his character had been given more page time, but the time he did have was memorable. This story will draw you in slowly, then hold you prisoner until the bitter end. I dare you to clean those reading glasses, find a comfy chair, set aside a few hours --- daylight hours for the faint of heart --- then take a deep breath and just try to out run the storm.

cfurgason@ADESA.com
Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs. All her books are 5+ stars!

billiegirl20@hotmail.com
Just finished Alice Sebold's Lucky and truly enjoyed it. I wasn't sure about it, as it goes into gruesome detail of her rape and its aftermath. The book is, however, beautifully written. Now I'm reading Women & Other Animals, a collection of short stories by Bonnie Jo Campbell. What a perfect time of year to read something like this --- quick, easy reads. Some of the stories are sad, some are funny. They are all important, however, and I'm really liking this book!

JWIsley@aol.com
Cowboy: A Love Story by Sara Davidson. 4 stars.
This is a complex love story but with vivid characters.

The Price of Moonlight by Sylvia McDaniel. 3 stars.
Another steamy who-done-it love story with a setting in New Orleans.

A Ticket to the Boneyard by Lawrence Block. 5 stars.
I couldn't put this one down.

Spizzyone@aol.com
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen. 4 stars.
Only after completing this book did I read on the back cover that the author geared his writing of this book towards a younger audience. The main characters are young and the writing is kept clean, but it was in no way a sophomoric book. I've never read Hiaasen before but will be happy to pick up his other books. I understand he often has an environmental theme and Hoot was no exception. I enjoyed this story.

Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton. 4 stars.
This was a fun read and the first in a series of books about Agatha Raisin. Agatha is at times unlikable, which makes for an interesting read since she is the heroine of the book and you can't help but be on her side. She can be rude and insensitive but you can't help but love her.

Courting Trouble by Lisa Scottoline. 4 stars.
Believable and fast paced. I will read this author again.

Catslady5@aol.com
The Mammoth Hunters by Jean Auel. 5 stars.
This is the second in the Earth's Children series which I am rereading. It has to be my all time favorite of any series of books that I have ever read.

dawn@mld.org
I am finishing up Chasing the Dime by Michael Connelly and, as always, it keeps you busy turning the pages to find out what happens next. The character Henry is very believable and naturally curious about events and happenings. So he has to know what happened to the woman who was/is a call girl who had his phone number before he did. As he begins receiving phone calls from gentlemen wanting to schedule a visit, Henry becomes very curious and ends up putting himself and his company on the line. Does curiosity really kill the cat? I give this one an 8 out of 10.

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