PFLucas@aol.com
Color: A Natural History of the Palette by Victoria Finlay. 5 stars.
A British citizen and journalist living in Hong Kong takes the reader on a tour throughout the world, exploring the physical and chemical materials of color and ties them to the social and political meanings that color has carried through time. The chapters are divided into separate color categories. It is very interesting reading and makes you view and think about color with more appreciation.

The Cat Who Brought Down the House by Lilian Jackson Braun. 3 stars.
This is the twenty-fifth book in the series and somewhat predictable, but still an enjoyable read for those who adore cats.

plath_sylvia@hotmail.com
Black Boy by Richard Wright. 4 stars.
Someone to Watch Over Me by Judith McNaught. 3 stars.
The Bone Vault by Linda Fairstein. 4 stars.

Guesswho7290@aol.com
The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce. 5 stars.
This is an interesting adventurous book. It is the third book in the Alanna series, about a girl and her twin brother switching places. It all started out when their dad was going to send the boy to become a knight and Alanna (the girl) to learn sorcery. Alanna ends up pretending to be a boy going through all the female obstacles. In this book she is training three young girls to become shamans. Her price Jonathan proposes and Alanna turns him down. IT’S A GREAT BOOK!

joswood@adiis.net
Into the Inferno by Earl Emerson. 4 stars.
A mysterious syndrome has attacked firefighters who were at the scene of a truck accident. After suffering a series of symptoms, they all end up brain dead after 7 days. There is a race to find the cause, so that hero Jim Swope can be saved this fate. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at various places in the book. Swope has a keen sense of humor throughout his travails, but scenes with his two young daughters left me sad.

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. 4 stars.
This is a charming mystery that takes place in Botswana in Africa. A woman named Precious has set up a detective agency. She shows herself to be very adept at solving cases in a very timely manner. Lots of African flavor to the book.

charris@pcnuthut.com
Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult. 5 stars.
One of the best mystery writers. This is about a crime in the Amish country that holds interest to the very end.

Caravan by Dorothy Gilman. 4 stars.
I had read this before but enjoyed it again --- a very different story. I recommend it.

Star Witness by D.W. Buffa. 5 stars.
A real good lawyer mystery. Well written and quite easy to follow the story.

In Their Footsteps by Tess Gerritsen. 4 stars.
A good murder mystery.

Flashback by Nevada Barr. 4 stars.
A story within a story that was hard to follow at times but it was good. The heroine gets herself in terrible scrapes but always gets saved.

bradylee@myway.com
Leaving Mother Lake: A Girlhood at the Edge of the World by Yang Erche Namu & Christine Mathieu. 5 stars!
Ever heard of the Moso People? You will if you read this book (very aptly titled by the way) as they are a tribe/group/minority that have their own language and ways of living nestled in a most remote area of China, close to Tibet. The author Namu gives us a wonderful story of her life and how she eventually matures to heights of success that no others of the Moso achieve. Though it is different now, when she was a young girl the Moso did not read nor write and their entire history was oral. Also, the only holidays they celebrated were two in number. This is the first positive story about China I have read. The Cultural Revolution did touch the Moso, but in a minor way as they live in the middle of nowhere. This story also reveals the price of success and what Namu had to go through; no different than any other high achiever. A heartwarming story.

John1rosie@aol.com
Jarhead: A Marine's Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles by Anthony Swofford. 5 stars.
The dust jacket of Jarhead identifies this book honest and compelling. It calls the language American made, trashy and lyrical and bold. It says that this book is a remarkable memoir. It says that Jarhead tells us why boys go to war and how they return. I found Jarhead to be a most honest and compelling book. Jarhead should be read by everyone from sixteen to sixty. It is a mind-opening book. Read this book and you will want to give it as a gift. Next up, A Simple Story by S.Y. Agnon.

SalbyC@aol.com
I have just finished The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. I LOVED this book, and I'm giving it as a gift to my daughter and several friends. 5 stars.

Atonement by Ian McEwan. Beautifully written, as was Amsterdam. 5 stars.

I am in the middle of Embers by Sandor Marai. Originally published in Budapest in 1942, I am reserving judgment until finished.

kmmjarko@highstream.net
Some books that I recently finished are:
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides. 4 stars.
The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall. 4 1/2 stars.
The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder. 4 1/2 stars.
One True Thing by Anna Quindlen. 4 1/2 stars.
Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik. 3 1/2 stars.

TIM5MARTI@aol.com
I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson is a great read whether you are in her situation or not. Kate Reddy seems to have it all: a helpful husband, two adorable children and a high paying job as a hedge fund manager. But how she juggles it all and keeps everyone, including herself, happy is harder than she wants to admit. The writing is especially funny and I found myself writing down bits to quote to friends and family. A little like Bridget Jones’s Diary grown up a bit. Don't miss it whether you are 30 something or not.

b.doyle2@verizon.net
I’m currently reading Leap of Faith by Queen Noor, and I’m waiting to read The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and Blessings by Anna Quindlen. Happy reading!

marychambers@yahoo.com
The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman. 4 stars.
The first in the Joe Leaphorn series.

Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn. 5 stars.

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. 5 stars.

Amistad by Alexs Pate. 5 stars.

Irish Gold by Andrew M. Greeley. 5 stars.
The first in the Nuala Anne McGrail series.

donald.alspach@acsalaska.net
I give Eureka by William Diehl 5 stars. A well told story with good characters. City of Masks by Daniel Hecht also receives 5 stars. This well written modern day ghost story set in New Orleans offers an excellent read.

Pjwhome@aol.com
I just finished another of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum stories, Seven Up. I love her quirky characters; they make me laugh out loud. I rate the series 5 stars.

I also recently read The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen and would give it only 3 stars. Overall, I found the characters too pathetically real and the overall story depressing. Just not my taste.

Haddow@aol.com
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. 5 stars.
I'd like to take issue with the person in the last "Reporter" who gave this book 2 stars and complained about it being slow. It would be unfortunate if anyone were to decide not to read it because of the opinion of this rather impatient reader. This is a wonderful read. The writing is some of the best I've experienced in a contemporary novel. I was astonished when I discovered it was a first novel. Clearly inspired by Homer's The Odyssey, the story is timeless and immediate, the yearning throughout is palpable, and the memory of it all stays with you for a long, long time. Anyone, man or woman, interested in giving your heart over to a masterful writer should pick up this book. Unlike the lone "Word of Mouth" critic in the last issue, I don't think you will be able to put it down.

svitale@grantsburgtelcom.net
I just finished Personal History by Katharine Graham. I loved this book and laughed OUT LOUD in many places, partly because in my life before kids, I was an editor at several newspapers.

I also just finished The Hours by Michael Cunningham. I really enjoyed this book, and now I have to read Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf to see what so intrigued him.

Currently I'm reading Sea Glass by Anita Shreve. I've enjoyed all her books. My personal favorite, though, is The Last Time They Met. What a fabulous book. I'm still thinking about that one. If you've read The Weight of Water, you MUST read The Last Time They Met.

BREEZYWRITER@aol.com
The White by Deborah Larsen. 4 stars.
This is based on a true story of a girl who was abducted by Indians in the 1700s. It's fascinating, easy reading --- beautifully written and very different from what I expected.

EZREADER1265@aol.com
Round Robin by Jennifer Chiaverini. 4 stars.
A story of a group of women, The Elm Creek Quilters. Each woman has her reason for being at Elm Creek and friendships form. A very nice read. This is the third book in the series that I have read. All were well written.

Engaged to Die by Carolyn Hart. 4 stars.
Max and Annie Darling are at it again, solving mysteries and running her mystery book shop, Death on Demand. You have to love them.

Maggody and the Moonbeams by Joan Hess. 3 stars.
A funny whodunit. Lots of fun characters. I enjoyed it.

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. 4 stars.
I have read most of the other books but never the first in the series. Stephanie Plum and her family and friends make for a fun afternoon of reading.

mdcarter@netidea.com
Baudolino by Umberto Eco. 4 stars.
History, fantasy, and very good writing all combined.

DebMillinFla@aol.com
I have just finished Second Glance by Jodi Picoult. All her previous titles have changed the way I thought about certain subjects. Teen, suicide, euthanasia, abuse, witchcraft or the Amish, I started reading with one opinion but, when finished, I have either changed my mind or opened it up to new thoughts. This book I'm afraid to say is not worthy of her others. It opens with too many characters, two stories going on and characters not worth getting to know. Don't waste the time. I rate it a 2.

Kec200@aol.com
Speaking in Tongues by Jeffrey Deaver.
This was the first book I've read by Deaver that wasn't a Lincoln Rhyme book and I wasn't disappointed. It was very good --- suspenseful and with good characters. A teenage daughter from a broken home with two disconnected parents is ordered to therapy. A substitute therapist comes in and breaks down her barriers and subsequently kidnaps her. Her parents race to find her and she struggles with her inner self and her feelings towards her parents while trying to save herself. Very riveting!

KLOZIER40@aol.com
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. A 5-star classic.
The Beekeeper’s Apprentice. A 5-star series by Laurie R. King.
Endangered Species by Nevada Barr. 4 stars.

DesertGma@aol.com
The Murder Book by Jonathan Kellerman. 4 stars.
Another good Alex Delaware story that features Milo Sturgis, his cop friend, much more prominently. An easy and engrossing read.

The Visionary Window by Amit Goswami. 5 stars.
This one is a bit hard to get through unless you are already grounded in quantum theory. Dr. Goswami puts forth his proof, by explaining quantum theory, that there is a God. He also tackles evolution. A very interesting and groundbreaking book.

OLTLFREAK@aol.com
Milk Glass Moon by Adriana Trigiani. 5 stars.
I love all her three books in the Big Gap series. Each one gets better than the last. I’m almost done with this one, the third one, and I’m hoping there are more to come. This book makes me want to call in sick and just sit and read all day!

MStew49471@aol.com
Dating Game by Danielle Steele. 5 stars.

Derailed by James Siegel. 5 stars.
The best thriller I ever read. It has lots of twists and turns. A great read!

The Jester by James Patterson. 3 stars.
It was different from his other books but still a good read.

Red Beans and Vice by Lou Jane Temple. 4 stars.
A funny mystery.

The Rana Look by Sandra Brown. 4 stars.

Comella2729@aol.com
I've spent the last few weeks reading novels written by Indian authors. I strongly recommend these:

The Death of Vishnu by Manil Suri. 4 stars.

Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry. 5 stars.
Mistry is an outstanding writer and observer of the human scene.

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. 5 stars.

Bombay Time by Thrity N. Umrigar. 4 stars.

Ery222@aol.com
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. 5 stars.

Rickimc@aol.com
Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw. 4 stars.
Shaw has never been one of my favorite playwrights, but I thoroughly enjoyed Man and Superman. While most is just your typical drawing-room comedy, the third act shows Shaw's hidden talents. The "Don Juan in Hell" sequence in the third act shows great imagination while satirizing society.

KAroleThomas25@hotmail.com
I am almost through with Twelve Times Blessed by Jacquelyn Mitchard and I just love it. I started it yesterday and I can't stay away from it. I love the humor and the honesty of the characters. Don't miss it.

j_gargus@hotmail.com
I have just finished reading Beyond Sunrise by Candice Proctor. It was an advance readers' edition, so it is not out yet. I was afraid it would be a sappy, mindless romance, but I was pleasantly surprised at Proctor's vivid description of the characters and their environment. It wasn't all about sex, but more about adventure, romance and two independent, stubborn main characters. I give it 4 stars!

dianes@earthlink.net
I’m reading City of Strangers by John Shannon. I think his books about Los Angeles are the very best mysteries written about this city. His P.I., Jack Liffey, is a slightly beat-up, compassionate, literate man who searches for the city's lost children. This book is very timely, dealing with fanatic Arab Islamic terrorists and a vicious Mexican drug lord. Along the way Jack Liffey meets a couple of interesting new ladies and is saved in the end by his daughter and her young Persian American friend, while he heroically tries to stop the detonation of a dirty bomb of sorts. I could hardly put it down.

jennysnell@netspeed.com.au
I am currently reading Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. This is a simple and light story with great attention paid to detail in regard to the homes of the period and contrasting social standings of the rich and poor. I have also read The Virgin Blue by the same author previously and I enjoyed the latter more as I felt it had a far more interesting story to tell.

Catslady5@aol.com
Plains of Passage by Jean Auel. 5 stars.
I am in the last few chapters of this fourth book in the Earth's Children series. I have enjoyed all of these books and can't wait to start the fifth in the series, Shelters of Stone.

charris@pcnuthut.com
Flirting with Pete by Barbara Delinsky. 4 stars.
A good read, but a little too perfect the way things work out. I enjoyed it.

The Gardens of Kyoto by Kate Walbert. 3 stars.
This isn’t quite my type of book, but I don't want to discourage anyone as it is a good book.

Flashback by Nevada Barr. 4 stars.
Her usual good book about Anna Pigeon. I just wonder how she can even move after all of her episodes.

Chasing the Dime by Michael Connolly. 4 stars.
Connolly’s books are always good --- with suspense and a good story.

txmlhl@msn.com
Small Town by Lawrence Block. 2 stars.
I was looking forward to another book by Block, but this one did not meet my expectations. There are so many side stories and so many characters that it gets confusing trying to remember who is who/what. I'm not a prude but I thought some of the story lines were a little extreme in their sexuality. I finally gave up on this book. Hopefully Block will go back to Bernie Rhodenbarr or Matthew Scudder stories.

Hrselover326@aol.com
My current reads include Three to Get Deadly, the third book in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. I am never disappointed with Evanovich, I just have different levels of laughter. It is a light, enjoyable read that has the reader rolling on the floor with laughter.

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik.
This is a story of five women who begin a book club that becomes more than just a monthly meeting. They form close attachments and share their lives. I am enjoying this book, but it is not what I would put on my shelf as a fabulous read!

rivrpath@ntelos.net
Virginia Woolf by Hermione Lee.

CDCJS@aol.com
My most favorite book is Our Lady of the Lost and Found by Diane Schoemperlen. It is wonderful. I just finished it and by far it is the BEST book I have ever read. It's definitely worth checking out if your writers are unfamiliar with it.

Vikkivand@aol.com
The Jester by James Patterson. 4 stars.
A poor innkeeper (Hugh DeLuc) returns from the First Crusade to find his son killed and his wife abducted by a Duke. In search of his wife, Hugh disguises himself as a jester to enter the court. This story has a little something for everyone. My husband liked the action and I liked the romance. Once again, James Patterson has written another engrossing story that is enjoyable for everyone.

Channeling Biker Bob by Nik C. Colyer. 3 stars.

GerryD8784@aol.com
Fish, Blood and Bone by Leslie Forbes. 3 stars.
Forbes has written a dense and rather slow-moving (but interesting) novel that I suspect I'll need to read at least once more to grasp fully. The main character is a young American woman, Claire Fleetwood, who inherits a house and garden in the Whitechapel section of London from a distant relative whom she'd never known. Her inheritance sparks an interest in her family's past, and she begins to explore her connection to Alexandra Ironstone, the former owner of the property. That search in turn sends her on a journey to India, where she retraces the steps of her Ironstone forebears through the poppy fields and opium trade and full circle back to London.

The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber. 4 stars.
One reviewer commented on the "Dickensian" style of this novel, and I'd have to agree. Very much focused on setting and characters, without a lot of action or forward movement in the plot, it's still a fascinating (if overly long at times) glimpse into British life in the nineteenth century. The main character is a prostitute "rescued" from poverty by an up-and-coming businessman who takes her away from the house of prostitution run by her mother, first installing her in a private apartment, and later bringing her into his own home as a governess for his daughter.

gregc2@bellsouth.net
Gone for Good by Harlan Coben is about two brothers, one who disappeared after murdering his younger brother's ex-girlfriend and is presumed dead. Years later, the younger brother's second girlfriend is missing after being suspected of murdering two men. When she is found dead, the coincidence is too much for police. They suspect the two girls and their murders, while years apart, are related since they had been college roommates. But wait!! Perhaps the older brother is not dead, nor is the second girlfriend. In typical Coben fashion, the story, while a bit exaggerated, is a page turner although not on the level of Tell No One. It’s still a good read.

DancingGram7@aol.com
Legacy of Silence by Belva Plain. 4 stars.
This book is about two Jewish friends, Laura and Carolyn, who escape Germany during the Hitler regime and come to America to Ivy, New York. Carolyn is pregnant from a Nazi boyfriend who deserts her in Germany. She marries another Jewish man, Joel, who really loves her but she does not love him. He brings up her child, Eve. Eve finds out he is not her father and the story goes on from there. Laura plays a big part in Carolyn's life as being a loyal friend. The story is similar to others, but it kept my interest and I would recommend the book.

The Hades Factor by Robert Ludlum and Gayle Lynds. 4 stars.
It is ironic that I am reading this book at this time. It is about a deadly virus and we are now experiencing a deadly virus in this country, SARS. The story kind of makes you think whether or not this could possibly ever really happen. The pharmaceutical makers of the cure for the disease are the culprits, spreading the virus to certain individuals with the end result being that they will reap millions when the epidemic is spread. I am only halfway through the book. But I do recommend it. Mr. Ludlum and Ms. Lynds have written a thought provoking book.

JShapspob@aol.com
The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl. 5 stars.

MTK12345@aol.com
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. 5 stars.
When I finished this book, I went right out and bought 3 copies for my girlfriends to take on their spring vacations. It's lengthy (660 pages) but an easy, fast read. It definitely satisfied my yearning for a book that I just couldn't put down.

AUGER77777@aol.com
I am about 200 pages into A Widow for One Year by John Irving. So far I haven't figured out who the widow is, or where this story is leading to. It has been somewhat entertaining, if mildly pornographic in prose. I'm sure John Irving is a great writer, as evident in A Prayer for Owen Meany, but this book just lacks the momentum. 3 stars.

JUTTZ@aol.com
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.
I haven’t read a book as good as this in a long time. I couldn’t put it down and it still haunts me. I want more information about all of the things that were written. This is a fast paced mystery with puzzles to make you want to turn the page to find out the answer. This book has given me another author to add to my list. If I could, I would give it 10 stars.

bradylee@myway.com
After Long Silence: A Memoir by Helen Fremont. 5 stars!
A wonderful new book by a wonderful (new) author. The writing sparkles like a star on almost every page. Example: "a heavyset girl with breasts that reminded him of the great pyramids," ..."and she kept tripping over his enormous feet. Crocodiles, she thought." I have read many books about the Holocaust and this is one of the best ever. Helen Fremont goes back and forth from the present to the past frequently, yet it is NEVER a problem for the reader. The two daughters were brought up in the U.S.A. as Catholics and were never told of their parents’ past. The author started wondering because some events in the family's life didn't make sense. She started out by thinking she was Jewish and then did a whole lot of research and delved into records, unknown to her parents. This book is the result of her findings and it is a whale of a story, one you shouldn't miss. You will not put this book down 'til the end!

HepKat53@aol.com
The Defiant Hero by Suzanne Brockmann (5+ stars) is the first book that I read in Brockmann's Navy Seal Team 16 series. So far it has been the BEST of all those books. It just gripped me from the first page and I could hardly put it down. None of the rest of the books in the series have been as good. You get to know all of the Seal Team, and their unique personalities. The books have settings or plots that involve the Middle East (pretty current) and usually have at least one subplot going (if not more) that have to do with World War II. There's romance in each book and a thriller plot. I'm currently reading Brockmann's Out of Control (4 stars) and I'm enjoying the two subplots more than the plot, particularly the World War II American/Nazi double agent plot regarding the grandmother of the lady in the main plot. I've read all of the books in this series and I'm looking forward to the newest book coming in July that revolves around Sam Starrett (Navy Seal) and Alyssa Locke (FBI). These two characters have been in the other books. However, we finally find out what happens to them and if they finally find a relationship together. The others in the series include The Unsung Hero (1st book – 4 1/2 stars), Over the Edge (4 stars) and Into the Night (4 stars).

Prior to reading Out of Control, which I'm still reading, I read The Perfect Lover by Stephanie Laurens. This book is the latest in her Bar Cynster series. I've read quite a few of the series with On a Wild Night and On a Wicked Dawn about twins, Amanda and Amelia Cynster, respectively (5 stars each), and how they snare husbands as two of my favorites of the series. Stephanie's books have good romances, are very sensual and usually have some type of suspense woven into the plot. I've never read Regency era books, but hers are great.

I love Nora Roberts and I've just purchased her latest, Birthright. My favorites are still the trilogy: Born in Ice, Born in Fire, and Born in Shame. Next in my favorite trilogy series are the Quinn Brothers series, Sea Swept, Rising Tides, Inner Harbor and Chesapeake. Of course, I also loved the Three Fates trilogy. Nora has strong, intelligent women in her novels who don't settle for men who are weak in character. Her stories are not just simple romance; there's suspense and often complex issues that real people have to grapple with, such as domestic violence and child abuse.

kerin0874@yahoo.com
Leaving by Richard Dry. 5 stars.
This novel centers on the lives of three generations of an African-American family. An excellent debut novel!

When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago. 5 stars.
An autobiography of Santiago's childhood experiences growing up in Puerto Rico and moving to New York City. There is also a follow-up to this book called Almost a Woman that I am anxious to read.

Hunger Point by Jillian Medoff. 4 stars.
This book deals with a young woman and her struggle to understand her younger sister who is battling with anorexia and bulimia.

A Child Called “It” by Dave Pelzer. 5 stars.
The author tells the story of his life, which has been labeled as one of the worst child abuse cases in history.

Britadon@aol.com
Tending Roses by Lisa Wingate. 5 stars.
What a beautiful book of life's real importance. Grandma is full of wisdom, but she also makes it clear that she feels she learned much of it too late. It makes one think about why misunderstandings occur in families and how frequently we misjudge our own family members. Definitely appropriate at this season of the year.

Loveajoy@aol.com
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown is excellent, as are his other mysteries. He keeps the reader turning pages.

DM155@aol.com
I am reading Roses are Red by James Patterson. You are never disappointed in any of his books.

abbeyainsley@comcast.net
I recently discovered Jeffery Deaver, who I'm sure most people have read, but I finished The Blue Nowhere and I give it four stars. I think that one may have been overlooked in his series as it is not a Lincoln Rhyme suspense-mystery. I am now reading a couple of books in the Lincoln Rhyme series: The Empty Chair and The Coffin Dancer. Both are great. 4 stars at least!

Beth.Reimer@bdk.com
I'm currently reading A Mind at a Time by Mel Levine, M.D. I just started it but so far I find it very interesting.

txmlhl@msn.com
The Last Detective by Robert Crais. 4 stars.
Crais is back with Elvis Cole, who has starred in some of his previous stories. He also takes the opportunity to bring in another character, Carol Starkey, who was featured in Demolition Angel.

Cole and Starkey work well together in solving the kidnapping of the 10-year-old son of Cole's girlfriend. They have to bypass the bumbling security detail the boy's rich father has brought in to find his son, as well as the local police who don't want Cole involved.

There is a lot of action and the story moves along well. The surprise ending proves the point that, just because you have a lot of money, you don't always have a lot of common sense. I would recommend this book.

None7751@aol.com
Here's a debut novel by a lawyer turned writer. Pamela Eddy's first venture is titled Killable Hours, an entertaining story about a pregnant lawyer in London, Amy Brown, who works at a large firm with American connections. Her boss is a mean old man who accepts her resignation, and then is found dead after eating some chocolates. Amy decides to investigate his death and, in the process, we learn a lot about what goes on in large law offices. 4 stars.

HarleyIsis@aol.com
I just finished reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling. Awesome book! 5 stars.

ATENC3@aol.com
Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson. 5 stars
Very well written. I highly recommend it.

bradylee@myway.com
Lily Dale: The True Story of the Town That Talks to the Dead by Christine Wicker. 3 stars.
Lily Dale is one of a kind, no doubt about it. This is a town in New York State that caters to and is principally owned by Spiritualists. You will meet an array of characters that you will find only in this book and their concern and belief in mankind. Whether you believe in spirits or everlasting life is not really the issue. The fact is that many people do, and this is a survey/rundown of how they think and their realities. The author was the greatest skeptic of all, yet after many visits in this town, her beliefs did change to a degree and you will find out why at the end of the story. You should enjoy all the information given and find out how "the other half lives."

ksheehy0208@yahoo.com
Sweet Demon Love Baby by Lee Anderson. 5 stars!
Owing much to Joan Didion, Anderson's writing in this novel is lean, so lean that the first three pages can be disorienting. But once readers catch their breath, adjusting to the streamline style of Anderson's prose, the novel turns into quite the ride. While the in-your-face opening paragraph did throw me off at first (It will throw you, too...Bet me), this book is genuinely one of the most fun reads I've ever had. And deeply disturbing. And bleakly hilarious. And very, VERY intense. I actually haven't had anything mess with my head like this book since the first time I saw Natural Born Killers. In other words, I cannot recommend Sweet Demon Love Baby enough.

Spizzyone@aol.com
The Puzzle Bark Tree by Stephanie Gertler. 4 stars.
Two sisters are stunned by their parents' dual suicide, and even more stunned by what they learn about their very distant and seemingly stoic parents.

txmlhl@msn.com
Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday by Nancy Atherton. 4 stars.
Wouldn't it be fun to be able to communicate with someone on the other side through the written word in a leather-bound journal? When you were finished talking, the writing would disappear and no one would know what was discussed.

Dimity was Lori Shepherd's mother's best friend. Lori had never met Dimity until after the death of both older ladies and Dimity's considerable assets were left to Lori --- along with the dark-blue journal. Now Lori can communicate with Dimity and get advice on all sorts of subjects --- including how to handle the various mysteries that seem to follow Lori.

There is a series of these books. They make for light reading and can be finished in a few sittings. The stories are set in England, but Lori is an American from Chicago so they are not true to both cultures. I recommend the series to anyone looking for some recreational reading.

nascorn@earthlink.net
I have been reading The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. I loved it so much I went on to read the next two in the series, Tears of the Giraffe and Morality for Beautiful Girls. I love these well- written books. They make me want to visit Africa.

Other books that I have really enjoyed lately are The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, the Harmony Series by Philip Gulley, and A Girl Named Zippy: Growing up Small in Mooreland Indiana by Haven Kimmel.

peloquin79@rcn.com
I am reading Clive Cussler's Valhalla Rising. Dirk Pitt has mellowed like a fine wine over the years. The plots twist and turn magnificently and I have a hard time putting the book down!

Laduea@aol.com
I have recently read The Hours by Michael Cunningham. I give it 4 stars. It was a little slow going in the beginning. I also read Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler. I give this 5 stars. I think her characters are so interesting and very realistic. I recommend all of her books.

susanrjensen@yahoo.com
The Secret Ingredient Murders by Nancy Pickard. 4 stars.
This is the first Eugenia Potter mystery I've read, and I really enjoyed it. The story opens with the murder of a rich old tycoon in small-town Rhode Island. The deceased has made enemies all over town, and it's up to Genia to solve the case before her whole family becomes suspect.

The Spirit Woman by Margaret Coel. 4 stars.
This is another author that I just read for the first time. I enjoyed this mystery, starring lawyer Vicky Holden and her confidante, Father O'Malley. This was a good mystery, centered around Sacajawea and the supposed journals she left behind.

Speaking in Tongues by Jeffery Deaver. 4 stars.
Another great suspense novel from Deaver. The story centers around Megan McCall, a defiant teenager who is kidnapped and held hostage in an abandoned mental hospital. From the beginning, we know who the man is but not why he has taken Megan. Now it's up to Tate Collier and his estranged wife to figure out who has their daughter and why before it's too late.

The Thunder Keeper by Margaret Coel. 4 stars.
Another mystery featuring Vicky Holden and Father O'Malley. Although they are in two different states, the pair works together to prove a young Indian did not commit suicide as the police suspect. A good, fast story.

LKarlak@aol.com
I just finished reading Six Easy Pieces by Walter Mosley. 5 stars! Why didn't I discover this writer earlier?

yodasmommy@woh.rr.com
I just finished Crow Lake by Mary Lawson. I was glad it was a short book because if it was a long one I would have put it down. 3 stars.

Walkingthewalk@aol.com
The Life Before Her Eyes by Laura Kasischke. 4 stars.
A very unique, well written debut, with an unusual premise that will keep you turning the pages.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. 4 stars.

I am starting The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly (Historical Fiction)

KAPEAN@aol.com
I just finished The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde for my book discussion group --- we had quite a lot to talk about. We wondered what it would be like had it been written today. Now I'm reading 204 Rosewood Lane by Debbie Macomber --- it's O.K. Next is The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen for May's discussion group.

Beckettgeorgia@aol.com
I just finished The Vanished Man by Jeffery Deaver. I have read all of Deaver's books (with the exception of The Stone Monkey --- couldn't get into that one) and find him to only get better and better. The Vanished Man kept me up all night to finish it. Being from New York, I found his attention to detail and mind bending tricks to be just superb.

I have the pleasure of corresponding with Deaver through email and, as a struggling writer wannabe, Jeffery has given me advice and has always been kind enough to give me encouragement and put up with all my dumb questions about how to start a novel. His advice was most detailed. He said "SIT DOWN AND WRITE, then write some more." (I’m trying).

The King of Torts by John Grisham was also a great read. It was not only believable, but it was scary to know that this book is NOT fantasy.

By far the best read of the year for me was James Siegel's Derailed. This second novel by a creative director with BBDO in New York, one of the world’s largest advertising agencies, was a page turner par excellence. A simple ad man in New York happens upon a train bound for Manhattan and meets a beautiful woman. What happens next is not only exciting but the twists and turns this novel takes was the highlight of my month!!

joswood@adiis.net
Into the Inferno by Earl Emerson. 5 stars.
Something mysterious is happening to a group of fire fighters, a condition that, after 7 days, leaves them in a vegetative state. Can firefighter Jim Swope find out what it is in time to reverse the progression of the symptoms in himself? This was exciting and satisfying.

Second Glance by Jodie Picoult. 3 stars.
I am a fan of Picoult, but I don't think this was one of her best. The story is about ghosts and strange happenings. After about 300 pages of compelling reading, it started dragging, and I found it a struggle to finish. I thought the ending was confusing.

jacobson312@earthlink.net
Finding My Way: The Autobiography of an Optimist by Evelyn Stefansson
Nef. 4 stars.
An inspiring read from a "passionate mind". Married to three famous men, she has what a mentor looks for: her senses and attitude enhanced every life event. Overcoming the death of her father, living with a mother that wasn't there (due to mental illness), dealing with her own fears, this ninety-year-old woman can teach all of us. I read the book in 24 hours because I couldn't put it down and it could be used with so many different type of groups (anthropology, memoir writing, and more).

Lisebethe@aol.com
As I reread Pat Conroy's The Prince of Tides, I go home again. I consistently give this novel 5 stars. When Conroy describes the marsh near the novel's opening, he is not only lyrical, he makes me literally smell the marsh and feel the heavy air I breathed for twelve years in Savannah. As Conroy unfolds a story that strikes directly on the pulse of the Southern dysfunctional family, I'm drawn into his family like it's my own. I feel the shame, the pain, the hatred. I walk through life with him and know its horror. As I put the novel down, I feel Conroy's empathy with my suffering, with my walk back through my childhood, with my struggle to adapt as an adult, and ultimately, I embrace the future as I know, like Conroy, I can not only look back with my eyes wide open, I can step forward and embrace life. Conroy not only reveals a family's secrets in page-turning style and lyrical style, he makes me, the reader, know that I, too, can and will go home again. Thank you, Pat!

FalseMillennium@aol.com
Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats by Michael Cunningham. 2 stars.
Black and white photos with narratives from church ladies, including the history of hats in African-American church culture. In an age of ongoing laxity in wardrobe, it was refreshing to read how multigenerational women still view formalized dress and hats as individualized statements of expression toward their faith.

A Drink Before the War by Dennis Lehane. 5 stars.
The first novel by Lehane introducing the detective team of Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro set in Dorchester, Massachusetts, their childhood blue collar community in transition. This is beautifully written, with attention to language and detail. The author shows obvious knowledge and background in childhood traumas and abusive behavior disorders. It's not often you have a book that makes you put it down in pause following a beautifully crafted sentence or thought. This book had several such moments.

Sacred by Dennis Lehane. 2 stars.
Kenzie and Gennaro are hired by gazillionaire Trevor Stone to locate his missing daughter. They spend their time untangling the tangled, chasing dead ends and following the twisted trail of lies, corruption and hidden agendas. Following my reading of A Drink Before the War, I was disappointed to read through layers of damaged relationships and betrayal of trust.

Darkness, Take My Hand by Dennis Lehane. 3 stars.
The Kenzie/Gennaro detective series continues. A serial killer is targeting their childhood neighborhood of Dorchester, Massachusetts, and it appears that Patrick is the trigger propelling the killer forth. Lehane has a personal background in working with abused children, and it shows in his writing, in terms of describing living within abusive relationships. His writing can be at its most sadly moving and tender when describing physically and emotionally damaged children.

Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane. 4 stars.
Cheese Olamon, "a six-foot-two, four-hundred-and-thirty-pound yellow-haired Scandinavian who'd somehow arrived at the misconception he was black," needs to convince his childhood friend, the lethal Bubba Rugowski, that he didn't kill a mutual pal. Kenzie and Gennaro, who know both men through childhood, are brought in to help find the kidnapped 4-year-old Amanda McCready. Lehane continues to explore the depth within traditional relationships, while Kenzie mourns and rages the sadness of being surrounded by dead, abused and missing children.

Prayers for Rain by Dennis Lehane. 4 stars.
The last in the Kenzie/Gennaro mystery series, to date. Scott Pearse, sadist and stalker, is determined to tear apart the world of Kenzie/Gennaro.

Mystic River by Dennis Lehane. 5 stars.
Exploring the lives of three men growing up in East Buckingham, Lehane writes about the effects of a savage killing on a tightly knit, blue-collar Boston neighborhood. The story tracks the friendship of three boys from a defining moment in their childhood, when 11-year-old Dave Boyle was abducted off the streets. The plot follows these men into adulthood, continuing to intertwine their lives until its conclusion. When I read that Clint Eastwood was producing a movie of this novel, I cringed, remembering his efforts with Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. When I read the casting of the roles, I cringed even more. Sometimes it's better to let the characters remain living in your head, as the author intended. Here's hoping the film isn't a complete bust.

The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber. 1 star and sore wrists.
A carpal tunnel turner at 848 pages, this novel lacks whatever thematic element the author was trying for in exploring Victorian London. The crimson and white petals of the title represent the major female characters of the novel: the crimson being the lusty, sensual-centered Sugar, the prostitute; and the white being the virginal, spiritual, mentally anguished "Angel of the House," Agnes, the wife. Their lives, differentiated by class, remain resolute to the end. What are we supposed to learn from this? Men are brutes? Prostitutes can be good people? The wealthy aren't perfect? Class systems are unfair?

The Ticket Out by Helen Knode (the wife of mystery/crime writer James Ellroy produces her first novel). Zero stars.
A murder has occurred at a party and somehow, incredulous as it seems, a film critic is drawn in (by the police no less) into assisting in the investigation. Uh.....yeah....right. Before I even read the jacket cover (learning that Knode is married to Ellroy) I remember reading the first pages and thinking "this is a really cheesy Ellroy ripoff." This novel falls flat in the beginning, middle and end. I mourn the tree that so nobly sacrificed its life. I was slogging through this opus until I finally bailed with only ten pages to go. Toe tag this one and leave it in the morgue with the sheets drawn.

The Vanished Man by Jeffery Deaver. 5 stars.
The latest Lincoln Rhymes mystery. Illusions, spells, a sorcerer with a now-you-see-him now-you-don't persona. Deaver continues to impress me with his maturing skills. I have had zero interest in magic: its history, theories, and illusionism. Yet, after reading this book, I actually went and sought out books within Deaver's own bibliographic research material to learn more. Illusion is misdirection, and Deaver leads us on a merry chase through the streets of Manhattan.

KLOZIER40@aol.com
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. 5 stars. It's a classic.
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. 5 stars.

Webgaw@aol.com
I'm currently reading two books: Tending Roses by Lisa Wingate and 204 Rosewood Lane by Debbie Macomber. I read everything by Debbie Macomber.

RosieSkye2@aol.com
I just finished reading The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly. This book is quite a long read (over 600 pages) but worth every minute. I enjoyed this book so completely it is now in my top 5 favorite books of all time. If you want to be taken back in time and follow a girl struggling through poverty, loss and heartbreak while trying to stay safe from Jack the Ripper, then this page-turner will suit your fancy. Fionna, the main character, is someone you can't help to love. I have recommended this to avid book reading friends who also agreed that this is a 5-star book! This is definitely a read you don't want to miss!

BAY727@aol.com
I just finished Children of the Storm by Elizabeth Peters. 5 stars!!!! One of the best in her wonderful Amelia Peabody series. I just couldn't put it down! Now I wish I had more to read. This is definitely the best mystery I have read this year to date.

The Tail of the Tip-Off by Rita Mae Brown. 4 stars.
Another wonderful Mrs. Murphy mystery.

Flesh of the God by Lauren Haney. 5 stars.
Finally in print here in America and in English is the first book to her wonderful Lt. Bak Historical Mystery series. If you want to find yourself in Ancient Egypt smelling the smells, feeling the grit, etc., then this book is for you. All this while reading a wonderful 'Who Done It.’

Killing Cousins by Rett MacPherson. 4 stars.
Anyone who is interested in genealogy and mysteries will love this wonderful series by MacPherson. And the fifth one in this series is really good. I especially love how she always manages to weave a family's genealogy into her mystery plot.

Marric77@aol.com
I just finished reading The Perfect Lie by Dinah McCall. I rate this book a 5. It kept me turning the pages and guessing until the end. Ms. McCall is at her best in this book.

dmilburn@alltel.net
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. 3 stars.
I was somewhat disappointed with this book. Almost every chapter is a completely different case, so you do meet a lot of interesting characters. All in all though, I could lay this book down any time.

FalseMillennium@aol.com
Forever Summer by Nigella Lawson. Zero stars.
This is television personality Lawson's latest, in which she states her cookbook isn't solely about preparing dishes suitable for summer, but rather to capture the essence of summer and "sunny expansiveness" to serve even on those bleakest days. After reading this book, it's going to be a lean winter. Normally, within any cookbook, I can find one recipe worth using, but I cannot say that of this work.

A lot of her dishes seem unfinished half thoughts to me; dishes like grated beets with mustard seed, spaghetti with chopped raw tomato, or sliced ham topped with minced pineapple. Others would strike the American palate, sophisticated as it's become, as just downright odd: recipes for "Baby Octopus and Potato Salad," or "Grilled Sardines with Lemon Salsa," and "Lavender Cupcakes." In one recipe called "Salt Cod Fritters," Lawson notes that the cod, due to its high saline content, needs frequent rinsing over a 24-hour period, and she ponders if putting the cod in the toilet tank and having it flushed with fresh water over that period of time might not be the most convenient for the cook. To quote Lawson, "I can't quite see the problem since you're hardly soaking the fish in the water from the toilet bowl, but the fresh water kept in the tank." If this weren't enough inspiration for you, I noticed she also left out key preparation steps in creating certain dishes; steps that would leave a novice cook in the lurch.

I'll pass on a "word of mouth" tip I picked up recently from a TV chef. When preparing whipped cream for desserts, take a regular sized marshmallow, or a few miniatures, pop them in the microwave for ten seconds (they will be slightly softened) and then fold and incorporate them into the whipped cream. They act as a wonderful stabilizing agent in keeping the cream peaked and attractive.

mspapergirl57@yahoo.com
Here are my two recommendations. One will make you laugh and make you fall in love, the other will make you cry and make you feel happy to be alive:

Thief of Words by John Jaffe. 5 stars.
Funny, sweet and sooooo romantic. I'm making my husband read it!

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. 5 stars.
Everyone's reading it and for good reason. It's beautiful and sad.

DStegmanCrawford@aol.com
Right now I'm reading The Jester by James Patterson (2 stars). I have read all of his books, but this one I do not care for. I like thrillers and this isn't it. It’s disappointing if you are expecting the usual fare. I felt like a "fool" for picking it up.

I also read Sweet Hush by Deborah Smith (2 stars). The apple farm story part was interesting, but the romance and the relationship between the president's daughter and Hush's son was NOT. Don't bother.

Next I plan to read The Usual Rules by Joyce Maynard.

thecranes@hypersurf.com
Coastliners by Joanne Harris. 4 stars.

AUGER77777@aol.com
The Jester is another excellent book by prolific writer James Patterson. Though the setting is quite different from anything he has previously published, it is an exciting, fast-paced book that is hard to put down. 5 stars.

MAP5402@aol.com
The Last Detective by Robert Crais. 5 stars.
I really love all his books, but this one was excellent.

Ties That Bind by Phillip Margolin. 5 stars.
Excellent suspense/thriller. The ending caught me by surprise.

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik. 5 stars.
I would give this six stars if I could. I have read all her books and each one is better than the last. The Angry Housewives are a group of neighbors that form a book group. It follows what they read and the changes in their lives over 30 years.

ALEMESH@aol.com
Earlier this year I read Snow in August by Pete Hamill and was thrilled with the story of the Irish boy and the rabbi in post-WWII New York. I couldn't wait to start Forever by Hamill, which is also about the Irish in New York, with a twist. I would recommend either to those who are interested in religious persecution and eventual salvation. Both are 5 stars.

Cloish049@aol.com
I am currently reading Bee Season by Myla Goldberg. I would give it 4 stars. It is certainly taking the place of watching television!

NGroves@aol.com
The Mushroom Man by Sophie Powell. 3 stars.
This quirky, lightweight novel involves a London woman named Charlotte reluctantly visiting her sister, Beth, from whom she's been estranged for years because of disapproval over her marriage. Off to a rocky start, things get worse when Charlotte's young daughter Lily starts disappearing for increasingly long periods, claiming she's been visiting the "mushroom man," a made-up character in a fairy tale her older cousins told her. The adults fear a child predator is on the loose, but the cousins decide that they, too, must once again believe in fairies and magic in order to find Lily after her latest disappearance extends for more than a day. It's a believable, humorous portrait of two families: uptight Charlotte, her philandering husband and their daughter, longing to be allowed a more carefree childhood, and Beth, a widow with identical triplets and a teenage son in the throes of his first love.

The Banyan Tree by Christopher Nolan. 4 stars.
If you can adjust to, or learn to ignore, the author's highly idiosyncratic writing style, you might enjoy this saga of an Irish woman whose life spans many changes in rural Ireland during the 20th century. The book opens when Minnie O'Brien is in her 80s, a widow for many years, her grown children all having moved away. Minnie is trying to hold on to the family farm, hoping that her youngest son will end his vagabond lifestyle and settle down on the old place. Meanwhile, a wealthy, ambitious neighbor has her eye on the property. The story is told with frequent flashbacks that take up more of the book than the current events, telling the story of the triumphs and tragedies of Minnie's life from her birth through courtship, marriage, childbirth, and her later years of living alone.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth Speare. 5 stars.
One of my elementary school teachers read this to our class years ago, and I loved it enough to read it on my own. I always remembered it and recently reread it for the first time in decades. Set in colonial New England, the story follows lively, young Kit, recently arrived from Barbados, as she tries to adjust to life in the household of her stern, Puritan uncle and to the utterly different customs of a small Connecticut town. Although she soon attracts a desirable suitor, Kit's other friendships lead to an accusation of witchcraft. The "fish out of water" element is timeless, as is the message that intolerance can lead to persecution and hatred.

Miracle at St. Anna by James McBride. 4 stars.
More than one miracle takes place when a small group of African-American soldiers stumbles into a small Italian village after getting lost while rescuing a shell-shocked child. The characters are vivid, and the author's message about our common humanity is one we need to hear again and again.

The Wailing Wind by Tony Hillerman. 4 stars.
This is one of the more recent of Hillerman's mystery series featuring Navajo detectives Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. This time, plot elements include the possibility of a long-lost gold mine, a mysterious missing wife and, on the personal side, further developments in the tentative relationship between Chee and Officer Bernadette Manuelito.

PRADEL.FAMILY@xtra.co.nz
An Englishman in Paris by Michael Sadler.
Fantastic writing, brilliant and witty with the best insight into the French psyche I have ever encountered. Anyone who has ever spent any time in France or has ever wished to do so will love this book.

DM155@aol.com
I am reading Violets Are Blue by James Patterson. You can't go wrong with Patterson.

booklover57@msn.com
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. 5 stars.
The Jester by James Patterson and Andrew Gross. 5 stars.
Evenings at Five by Gail Godwin. 4 stars.
Birthright by Nora Roberts. 5 stars.
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler. 5 stars.

BREEZYWRITER@aol.com
The Deep End by Joy Fielding. 3 stars.
An easy read mystery.

DBinPgh@aol.com
Tell No One and Gone for Good by Harlan Coben are definitely worth 5 stars. I do not agree about The Lovely Bones. I could not find anything I liked about the book, except the first page kind of caught me. Mystic River is also a 5 and I hear it is going to be a movie! At the present time I am reading Up Country by Nelson DeMille and I will give it a 5 before I even finish it!

Spizzyone@aol.com
Sweet Hush by Deborah Smith. 5 stars.
An enjoyable story about a young man who is secretly dating the daughter of the President of the United States, and how they escape to his Mom's apple farm to get away from the Secret Service, etc. Mom's name is Hush, named after a type of apple, and her apple farm is huge and famous in her neck of the woods. She is considered "First Lady of the county." Trouble ensues when she locks horns with the other First Lady....and more trouble is due when the president sends his nephew, who is more secret than the Secret Service to make sure the first daughter is safe. This was a fun and cute book. I learned a lot about apples and the Secret Service, too.

DKRnj@aol.com
Sweet Hush by Deborah Smith. 5 stars.
A very captivating story about a woman apple farmer whose son loves and brings home the daughter of the President of the United States. A good all around page-turner.

The Cat Who Killed Lilian Jackson Braun by Robert Kaplow. Zero stars.
Not amusing, just viscious, vulgar and ugly.

MelJPrincess@aol.com
Sacred Ground by Barbara Wood. 5 stars!!
This is only one of several books done by this internationally bestselling author. It is fiction and tells the story of "Marimi" and her descendants, and how California became the California it is today. This is a brilliant book --- well-written. Ms. Wood has definitely done her historical homework. I plan to seek out and read more of Ms. Wood's books.

alacombe@belfastlibrary.org
I just finished reading The Second Time Around by Mary Higgins Clark. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. She used both first person and third person in the telling, which was a bit unusual. It was good from beginning to end. 4 stars.

The Treasure Box by Penelope Stokes is a wonderful read, especially for women who enjoy Christian fiction. The tale is unusual, and I got caught up in its duplicity. I can always count on Ms. Stokes for a great read. 5 stars.

jbloom52@comcast.net
I am reading The Last Life by Claire Messud; it is the last book for our book group. So far it is good --- not what I would pick, but it is getting better. Set in colonial Algeria, south of France and New England, this is a story about family secrets and how one family deals with the lies, deceptions and situations that we live with because it is comfortable to do so.

MCMHERE@aol.com
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
Touching, funny, haunting --- the best fiction I have found in years.

cfurgason@adesa.com
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie. 5 stars.
Great book!

The Second Time Around by Mary Higgins Clark.
So far, so good.

txmlhl@msn.com
The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini. 5 stars.
This is the fifth book in the Elm Creek Quilters series. Sylvia Bergstrom runs a quilting camp in her large manor home. She inherited the house and grounds after her older sister's death. Previous to the inheritance, she had not been in the home for almost 50 years as she had been estranged from her older sister who lived in the manor.

In this book, Sylvia remembers that there should be some quilts in the attic that her mother --- an expert quilter --- had stitched. When she looks for the quilts, she discovers that the older sister had sold them many years ago to raise money to keep the estate going.

One of the employees at the camp suggests using a quilting-finding website to see if they can track down the quilts and maybe they can be returned to the manor. Part of the story in the book is Sylvia's search for the quilts. The other part of the story is her mother's story --- from how she learned to quilt as a small child to the time of her death as a young mother.

There is an episode that strongly resembles the SARS epidemic that is killing people in our time. The Spanish Influenza killed thousands in the United States and spread like wildfire. A quarantine was instituted but it didn't stop the spread. History repeats itself time and again.

This is an enjoyable series. I look forward to each new book and would recommend the series --- or just this book --- to everyone.


bradylee@myway.com
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. 4 stars.
For the first 80 pages of this novel, it develops into a great love story with lots of details. After that it abruptly goes into a story of WWI and the action takes place in France with main character Stephen Wraysford, primarily of a squad or a Company that digs tunnels underground --- something quite different from the norm. As to the war details, this book is not for the feint at heart as it is quite graphic for many pages. The story is interesting and the end ties everything up quite well.

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