Smilamas@aol.com
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. 5 stars.
It was hard to grasp but very interesting. The time traveler would go back and forth in time.
A Grave Denial by Dana Stabenow. 5 stars.
Another great book by Stabenow, who writes about Alaska.
Shelf Life by Suzanne Shea. 4 stars.
A true story about an author who finds out she has cancer and an independent bookstore owner who pulls her out of her doldrums by giving her a job at the bookstore. Interesting finding out about what goes on in a bookstore.
The Genesis Code by John Case. 2 stars so far.
I can't get into it.
Lavenderdew12472@aol.com
I am currently reading The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean. There are a lot of good points, but I have just recently arrived at a spot where it's a bit boring.
My other read is The Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg. So far I am really enjoying this book. I have never read this author before.
ndelong@rogers.com
I just finished The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Definitely worth the time. 5 stars.
Cali_LB@msn.com
I just finished Eileen Dreyer's Head Games. Now here is a book that will keep you guessing up until the end and it is indeed a surprise ending. It isn't your usual serial killer mystery, that's for sure.
Molly Burke is a very complex character and Ms. Dreyer has used her before. Here is a nurse with a lot of baggage left over from the Vietnam War and the last thing she needs right now is to be saddled with her nephew, son of a brother she barely talks to. To top it off she's getting notes from someone who appears to have a fixation on her. There is more to come, but all I can say is read it if you get the chance. You won't be sorry. This is a 4-star read.
rojosho@hotmail.com
The Third Chimpanzee by Jared Diamond. 5 stars.
Fascinating book about the human species and how we have evolved and what has transpired. Interesting look at humans and our achievements, our rise, fall and the end result. Culture, politics, philosophy and art all combine to make this book a beautiful and worthwhile contribution to reading and learning.
realbencann@yahoo.com
Before and Again by Doris Mortman. 5 stars.
A fantastic novel of psychological suspense that has you enthralled from beginning to end. With great characterization, wonderful storyline, an intrepid heroine and a plot that keeps you guessing, this novel has everything. Superb in every way and an entertaining reading.
Rickimc@aol.com
Between Two Rivers by Nicholas Rinaldi. 2 stars.
A very eloquent book with a fictional look at 9/11 and the World Trade Center bombing eight years prior. However, it has no plot.
Mmetutor@aol.com
I am reading Patricia D. Cornwell's books. I'm now reading Post Mortem.
abromber@optonline.net
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. 5 stars.
A beautiful love story written with an unusual twist. This is the author's first book. I can't wait for her next one.
I also read a biography of Ross Macdonald by Tom Nolan. Macdonald wrote The Lew Archer mysteries. His wife Margaret Millnar also was a writer. Both won Edgars. I am having my library locate some of their books for me. They both were well known in the 50s thru the 80s.
whpeters@citlink.net
Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich is my eye-opener book of this year. Not only have I read it three times (in order to discuss it with my sons), but I have purchased three copies of it. In addition, I have driven 210 miles round trip to join in a book club discussion in Roanoke --- just to see how the discussion compared with my local book club. I will never look at a service person in a supermarket or department store the same way again. I am amazed at "man's inhumanity to man." I give this 5 stars!!
KINDLEELF@aol.com
Flirting with Pete by Barbara Delinsky. 4 stars.
Blood Canticle by Anne Rice. 5 stars.
Lestat's quest for redemption, goodness and the love of Rowan Mayfair continues The Vampire Chronicles. Very good.
Darkest Fear by Harlan Coben. 5 stars.
I always enjoy Harlan Coben.
No Graves As Yet by Anne Perry. 5 stars.
It states that this is a WWII novel; it takes place leading up to the war.
The Facts of Life by Graham Joyce. 5 stars.
Joyce seldom disappoints.
Retribution by Jilliane Hoffman. 4+ stars.
I feel blessed for all the good books I have found lately. Thank you Bookreporter.
Secret Father by James Carroll. Another 5 stars.
Lucia, Lucia by Adriana Trigiani. 4 stars.
My Antonia by Willa Cather. 5 stars.
First printed in 1912, I think. What an excellent read.
The Outside World by Tova Mirvis. 4+ stars.
Where ancient customs and modern times collide.
Thorn in My Heart by Liz Curtis Higgs. 4+ stars.
A triangle with a twist.
The Anniversary by Amy Gutman. 4 stars.
Good mystery.
Avenger by Frederick Forsyth. 5 stars.
Waterloo Station by Emily Grayson. 5 stars.
A lovely love story at the beginning of the war.
NEPR@aol.com
The Best Lawyer in a One-Lawyer Town by Dale Bumpers. 5 stars.
Bumpers was Governor of Arkansas and served in the U.S. Senate for 24 years. He grew up during the Depression in a miserably poor town where the struggle for survival was a full-time job. He tells not only his own family's story, but shares stories about many of their neighbors. The two things most striking about the book are his honesty (about everything from the personal hygiene, religion and morals of the 846 people who populated the town to his own naivete about the business world) and his sense of humor. He graduated from law school after his parents were killed tragically in a car accident, and returned to the small town to practice law and run a hardware store. This sometimes meant switching to tennis shoes to install a TV antenna on a house roof, then hurrying back to his office to change into his one suit and dress shoes for a legal client.
The book is a record of poverty, personal tragedies and financial reversals that kept me reading "to see how it would end," although I knew the outcome was a career as a successful politician and statesman. I suspect many of the stories will be repeated for generations. If Bumpers's father had not instilled in him a commitment to public service and the belief that he could be whatever he wanted to be, he might have made a better living as a humorist.
Carosp@aol.com
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. 5 stars.
I rarely rate a book five stars, but this book is outstanding and is probably one of the most imaginative books I've read. It's about Clare and Henry. Henry is a time traveler, but not on purpose --- he can't control when and where he travels, and his adventures are often unpleasant, to say the least, although some are wonderful. He first meets Clare when time traveling, when she is only 6 and he is in his 30s, but when he actually meets her in chronological time, he is 28, so he hasn't yet experienced meeting her as a child --- she knows him, but he has never met her. It's a great book. Ms. Niffenegger has quite the creative mind.
Murder at Monticello by Rita Mae Brown. 3 1/2 stars.
I love the Mrs. Murphy mysteries, and this is the 3rd in the series. Harry and her pets once again are involved in a mystery and a murder that takes place in their town (which is rapidly losing residents). Entertaining and easy reading.
christinesilliman@yahoo.com
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon. 5 stars!
I have had this book for a LONG time but have held it back for just the right moment (does anyone else out there do that?). I was so sure I'd enjoy it that I bought a copy for my brother for Christmas, and now I am loving it!! It was a little hard to jump into, but I cannot put it down! What is going to happen to Sammy and Joe? What about The Escapist? What will I do when the story is over?!!
Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman by Elizabeth Buchan. 3 stars, so far.
I am listening to this one, so I don't really count it as reading. Maybe that's why I'm having a hard time getting into it. It's fine, but it's just not really grabbing me.
The Dearly Departed by Elinor Lipman. 5 stars.
The Inn at Lake Divine by Elinor Lipman. 5 stars.
The Ladies' Man by Elinor Lipman. 4 stars.
Is anyone else out there an Elinor Lipman reader/fan? I just love her! I can't wait to read her latest. My teenage daughters have started reading her and are loving her as well. Her characters are so lovable and annoying and delightful, and the plots are absolutely perfect. I just can't get enough!
Atonement by Ian McEwan. 5 stars.
I had a hard time starting this one (it almost felt like a school assignment initially), but it was really worth any additional effort involved. This book is so excellent! I cannot say enough about it. It is beautifully written, the characters are complicated, the story is intricately woven and believable. I must say, though, that the ending did not satisfy me!
Trisher2@aol.com
I just finished A Saint, More or Less by Henry Grunwald and would give it 5 stars. It is historical fiction and a fascinating story.
Presently I'm reading The Grave of God's Daughter by Brett Ellen Block. I am only on the fourth chapter but so far I find the book captivating. The descriptions of an Appalachian town make you feel like you are actually there. The story starts out at a graveside ceremony and flashes back. I would definitely rate it 5 stars.
Sargefg@aol.com
I just read The Killing Hour by Lisa Gardner. It was a very good suspense. 4 stars.
Reader256@aol.com
I have just finished Nighttime is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark and I would give it 2 1/2 stars. It kept me guessing until the end, but most of the characters were not very well developed, and I never really felt connected to the heroine.
I have also just finished The Wife by Meg Wolitzer and I give that 4 stars. Here is a heroine, Joan, who is very easy to relate to and understand. Her musings about her marriage, filled with equal amounts of hope and despair, are never boring to read.
FtLicky@aol.com
I'm currently reading For the Love of Venice by Donna Jo Napoli, which is the exciting tale of a 17-year-old boy's trip to Venice, Italy with his family, and the adventure and romance that he finds there. 5 stars.
I just finished reading Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes, which was a wonderfully descriptive memoir filled with amazing Italian recipes. 4 stars.
Vikkivand@aol.com
The Book of Joe by Jonathan Tropper. 4 stars.
A writer writes a bestselling novel about his hometown in Connecticut. He returns home for his father's funeral, to face those that he wrote about and to come to terms with issues that he wanted to leave in the past.
Love Monkey by Kyle Smith. 4 stars.
A New York City dating story from a male perspective.
DStegmanCrawford@aol.com
Sleeping Beauty by Phillip Margolin. 5 stars.
This exciting thriller is about a girl whose best friend and father are killed one night at her house. She barely escapes, but is traumatized again when she is attacked at a private high school where she has gone to recover with her mother. She hides out in Europe after another grisly murder and then comes home to confront unfinished business. VERY GOOD.
Changing Habits by Debbie Macomber. 4 stars.
If you know anything about nuns from the old days, this book is for you. It's a lovely story of the changes in the Catholic Church that affected three women who entered the convent in the late '60s and early '70s.
Lester2000@aol.com
I so enjoyed the book The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall. It's the story of a Navajo Indian boy who suffers an accident as a small child, and grows up in a rehab hospital with interesting and unusual characters that shape his life.
Set in Arizona and later in Pennsylvania, I found this book to be captivating, amusing and sad as this boy grows into manhood.
alacombe@belfastlibrary.org
Fallen Angel by Don Snyder. 4 stars.
This was a very good romantic type story. The setting, Maine, was a great place for this story to take place in.
The Giver by Lois Lowry. 5 stars.
Some may not agree with this rating on this older book. It's one you either really like or really don't like --- I like it!!
jalocke@comcast.net
Star Wars: Tatooine Ghost by Troy Denning. 5 stars.
In any Star Wars story including Han, Lea, Chewbacca and C3PO, a Star Wars fan knows that there will be "action." Troy Denning does justice to that "knowing" by applications in his book, Tatooine Ghost. Pro-Episode VI, Han and Leia have been married little less than a year. Accompanied by Chewbacca and C3PO on the Millennium Falcon, they are on assignment to visit a public auction in an attempt to bid for an important Alderaanian moss-painting masterpiece "Killik Twilight." The artwork, lost after the destruction of Alderaan, has resurfaced from the black market. The painting in itself is of importance to descendants of Alderaan; even more so, it contains a secret code. If the painting gets into the wrong hands, specifically the Imperials, mispossession would present a threat to Republic secret agents. A mission of the Wraith Squadron would be jeopardized.
Han "employs" the services of the Squibs to bid on the artwork, drawing attention away from disguised Han, Leia, Chewbacca and C3PO. In a frenzy of auction bids, turmoil turns into chaos as the "Killik Twilight" is abducted. With the arrival of squads of stormtroopers and TIEs, it is surmised that the Imperials are doing whatever is necessary to obtain the artwork. Through trails of clues, Kitster Banain, a long-ago friend of Anakin Skywalker, is guessed to be the artwork abductor. With assistance from Kitster's wife Tamora, Han, Leia and partners arrive at Tatooine locations. Han engages a super-powered ion-engine swoop. He gives chase through a dangerous serpentine race course of Arch Canyon in search of Kitster. Han enters into a vicious, damaging sandstorm. With his vehicle down, he spots Kitster's abandoned swoop. Han spots tracks of a salvage vehicle, guessing that Kitster was picked up by the Jawa.
Unable to contact Han, Leia, Chewbacca and C3PO engage the use of a vehicle. They, too, are hindered by the sandstorm in their search for Han. The vidcam map aids Leia in locating a moisture farm owned by the Darklighter family. The Darklighter family lends assistance to Leia and crew to continue the search for Han. Leia experiences Force presence in areas of Tatooine where her father Anakin played as a child, where brother Luke lived with his aunt and uncle years past. For C3PO, it is a "homecoming"; he was built by Anakin. In future years, Luke purchases C3PO from the Jawas. Leia finds it hard to believe that Anakin and mother Shmi were once slaves. She also is surprised to learn that Anakin, in his boyhood, was the first human to win the Boonta Eve Classic podrace and was very well thought of.
Given an electronic journal by the Darklighter family, Leia views and listens to journal entries of her grandmother Shmi, learns of Skywalker history on Tatooine, Anakin leaving Tatooine with Jedi Master Qui Gon. The journal tells of Shmi's marriage to moisture farmer Cliegg and her capture by the Tusken raiders. (Cliegg states the secret about being a moisture farmer: "You can't fight life out here. You just take what Tatooine gives you and find a way to use it.")
With the help of the Ashajian herders, the foursome travel on dewbacks to flee the Imperials. Sometimes a cliché serves another purpose: Leia dismounting a dewback falls onto the hot, dry sand of Tatooine... "Stang! 'When it rains... [it pours]!' She glanced up at the sky and shook her head. 'We should be so lucky.'"
Troy Denning is one of Star Wars's best writers. Denning's writing talent gives readers descriptive senses of imagining the scenery, characters and action throughout Tatooine Ghost, along with character humor. Especially vivid is the imaging offered of Han on a swoop traveling through the bends, curves and protrusions of Arch Canyon; the travels across the sands of Tatooine via dewback. Denning's Tatooine Ghost connects the history of Anakin, his mother Shmi, Luke and their lives on Tatooine. AND he gave "renewed" life to Chewbacca, a lovable Star Wars crew member, before his demise in a future story, written before Tatooine Ghost.
Recommended reading: Star Wars: Shatterpoint - A Clone Wars Novel by Matthew Woodring Stover.
RKCKSYST@aol.com
I'm currently reading Ideal Marriage by Peter Friedman. I'm about halfway through and will probably not be rating it very high; at this point I'm leaning toward an "average" or C grade. I have, however, just read the first in the series of three Forsyte Saga books by John Galsworthy --- The Man of Property --- and LOVED it. I'd rate that one an A or even A+.
MAP5402@aol.com
The Blue Edge of Midnight by Jonathan King. 5 stars.
I was not familiar with the author and thought this was a great book. I'll be picking up his others soon.
Winter and Night by S.J. Rozan. 5 stars.
Another new author for me. I'm looking at the backlist already lol.
kwmallet@sympatico.ca
I recently finished reading The Third Witch by Rebecca Reisert. A very interesting story based on Shakespeare's Macbeth. The story is told from the view of one of the three "witches"; a teenage girl assumed to be a witch because she lives in the forest with two old herb-women. The book explores how she is the one who sets into motion the major events that befall Macbeth and his Lady. 3 1/2 stars.
I also recently finished The Way the Crow Flies by Ann-Marie MacDonald. A definite 5 stars. It was very slow-going for the first 50 pages or so, but after that it was impossible to put down. By the end of the book, I felt as if Madeleine, the main character, was a long-lost sister, I had come to know her so well. A must-read. I immediately ran out and bought MacDonald's first novel, Fall on Your Knees. (And she's a Canadian to boot --- Hooray for us Canucks!!
NFrazelle@aol.com
3rd Degree by James Patterson. 4 stars.
This is a most enjoyable series!
I just finished Nancy Fairbanks series: Crime Brulee and others. Great recipes! 5 stars for the recipes, 3 stars for the series overall. Great escape reading.
pbinman@earthlink.net
I'm currently reading Seduced by Moonlight by Laurell K. Hamilton. I give it 4 stars because I love both her Vampire Hunter series and this series about Sidhe and the world of fairies.
I just finished Sunshine by Robin McKinley. I give it 3 stars. If you like vampires that are friends to humans, this is one to read.
zippety4@yahoo.com
The book I have just finished is Assured Response by Joe Weber. The book is a story of terrorism against the US and the efforts of the US government to fight back. The book chronicles a super rich terrorist who plots incredible attacks against the US, up to and including suitcase nukes. The story just runs as a tit for tat: i.e. one act of terror, one act of retaliation. I would rate this book 2 stars for triteness.
Vincent Chung
When was the last time punctuation was interesting, let alone funny? Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss is perfect for students, writers, everyone.
KLOZIER40@aol.com
The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier. 3 1/2 stars.
Two women, born centuries apart, are tied together by a haunting family legacy. Probably the least inspiring of all her novels.
dcher@insightbb.com
Therapy by Jonathan Kellerman. 5 stars.
Real Murders by Charlaine Harris. 5 stars.
This is the first in the Aurora Teagarden series. I really like the writing and am currently reading the second in the series, A Bone to Pick.
Paranoia by Joseph Finder (which I won from Word of Mouth!) Definitely lives up to the hype, I really enjoyed it. 5 stars.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. 4 stars.
Great first half, but the second half didn't quite live up to the high quality beginning in my opinion. Definitely an original premise, though, and I can see why it's winning so many awards.
lindaharriet@netzero.net
I just finished The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. It was the most oddly romantic love story I've ever read. It enthralled me.
bradylee@myway.com
Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History by George Crile. 5 stars.
How would you like to meet Charlie Wilson, Carol Shannon, Mike Vickers, Gust Avrakotos, Joanne Herring, Doc Long and Zia ul-Haq? These are all fabulous people and very high achievers. You will learn what one person can accomplish if they have the fire in their belly and realize the importance of friends and the nurturing of friendship. Charlie Wilson was a senator, and his cause was helping Afghanistan during the early and middle '80s while they were at war with Russia. George Crile has done a masterful job in relating a long history of what the CIA and Charlie Wilson accomplished. This is 860 pages (large print, too) of reading pleasure and an insight of how our government works in the area of foreign affairs. I grew to love Charlie Wilson with all my heart! A flawed, yet magnificent human being.
linda_bass@sbcglobal.net
I just finished Tim LaHaye's Armageddon (5 stars), and now I am reading Glorious Appearing, plus Christmas Babies by Ellen James.
travelingpeggy@yahoo.com
Hello, Darkness by Sandra Brown. 3 stars.
I listened to the audio version of this book. While the narrator was great and the plot kept me guessing who-done-it, I did not find the characters or their motivations very believable. I found the minor characters more entertaining than the main two (hero and heroine).
High Country by Nevada Barr. 4 1/2 stars.
An Anna Pigeon novel. This character in a 12-book series of mysteries is maturing gracefully. It's something you don't often find so well done in repeating characters.
While her earlier plots were tighter and the National Park sites more lyrical in description, this book still delivers all I was expecting --- an interesting location, a character that pushes herself with believable motivation and minor characters that are not cartoon. The mystery plot kept me guessing. For anyone tempted to read this series, try to do it from the beginning book, Track of the Cat. If you love mysteries and the outdoors, I think you will be glad you discovered this series.
Take Me, Take Me with You by Lauren Kelly. 4 stars.
This book had an unusual central character with lots of emotional damage from childhood. It was painful to read at times and the story line stayed with me after the last page was read. The plot dealt with fallout from parental acts long ignored and pushed out of the mind, only to have to be dealt with as an adult.
Norbles@aol.com
The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard. 2 1/2 stars.
Waiting for Snow in Havana by Carlos Eire. 5 stars.
A beautifully written memoir of a young boy in pre- and post-Castro Cuba.
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich. 2 1/2 stars.
Donnaleggate@aol.com
Night Train to Memphis by Elizabeth Peters. 5 stars.
Yet another wonderful read by Elizabeth Peters. I am a huge fan of her books. Exciting mysteries in Egypt with wonderful characters that you will enjoy to the very end. This is a Vicky Bliss mystery. Vicky's character is a high-spirited woman. She is a museum art historian who loves to solve a great mystery. She agrees to be secretly on board an expensive cruise going down the Nile --- all expenses paid. Her job is to expose a thief planning to rob the Egyptian Museum. The twist is that she secretly believes it is her lover who is on board and who happens to be a retired jewel thief. Her boss, who is a great and caring character, joins the cruise and looks out for Vicky. Excellent read.
playa@sympatico.ca
I am reading:
Private Screening by Richard North Patterson
Disturbance by Jamie O'Neill
Les années du Silence by Louise Tremblay-D'Essiambre (A Quebec Novel)
People of the Lie by M. Scott Peck, M.D.
bookldy@penn.com
Here are the books I'm currently reading, the first I just finished:
Breaking the Da Vinci Code by Darrell L. Bock. 5 stars.
The Passions of Chelsea Kane by Barbara Delinsky. 5 stars.
cfiest@ovis.net
I just finished Screaming With the Cannibals by Lee Maynard and The Midwife's Tale by Gretchen Laskas. I give both of these books 5 stars.
Tsbrown62@aol.com
I just finished reading One for the Money, Two for the Dough, and Three to Get Ready by Janet Evanovich. They were so entertaining I couldn't put them down. 5 stars.
Catslady5@aol.com
French Twist by Roxanne St. Claire. 3 1/2 stars.
Enjoyable romance/mystery. Keeps you guessing.
harrises@bayou.com
I am reading Right as Rain by Bev Marshall. I'm not far into it but so far I will give it 4 stars.
GrammaBet@aol.com
I just finished Maid Marian by Elsa Watson. This is Ms. Watson's first book and I can't wait for her next. This is the best book I have read in YEARS!!!! The story is captivating (although we all know a little about the plot). The characters are fleshed out beautifully and Ms. Watson's prose reads like poetry. It is a beautiful, beautiful book. 5+ stars.
Fe87@aol.com
I recommend both The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown and also The Devil's Teardrop by Jeffery Deaver, both 5 stars. Brilliant books, I'd recommend them to anyone.
Perry.Gail@epamail.epa.gov
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. 5 stars.
The Shofar Blew by Francine Rivers. 5+ stars.
The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks. 4 stars.
Mary from NC
Sleeping Beauty by Phillip Margolin. 5 stars.
I forgot what a great storyteller Phillip Margolin is!
Just One Look by Harlan Coben. 5+ stars.
It all starts with an old photograph, and the story just keeps getting better and better and better!
marychambers@yahoo.com
Bowie by Randy Lee Eickhoff & Leonard Lewis. 5 stars.
This is a biographical fiction of James Bowie. It has great information and is a great addition to books about the Alamo.
The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George. 5 stars.
The author gives reality to a historic character that we've heard such varied tidbits about. This was great.
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. 4 stars.
My book club read this and most all of us loved it. It speaks back to the time of the black plague in Europe.
maestraw@msn.com
Some of the memorable books I read last month include Islands by Anne Rivers Siddons (4 stars), The Book of Joe by Jonathan Tropper (5 stars), Out of the Deep I Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming (4 stars), The Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg (3 stars), The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood (2 stars), The Confessions of Max Tivoli by Andrew Sean Green (1 star), Nighttime is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark (3 stars), and Ransom by Danielle Steel (3 stars).
Barbara R. from Mill Valley, CA
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. 4 1/2 stars.
I have recently decided to upgrade my reading choices and picked this one. It is an amazing story. The story line and characters are fascinating. Don't be afraid that it is somehow difficult to read; it's actually very easy to follow. Now that I've read it, I've talked with so many others who have also read it and enjoyed it.
yodasmommy@woh.rr.com
The most recent books I have read are:
Brave Enemies by Robert Morgan. 5 stars.
A novel of the American Revolution. This should be required reading in American History classes.
The Killing Hour by Lisa Gardner. 5 stars.
A serial killer watches and waits. Each time, he takes two victims, preparing the first's body with all the clues the police need to find the second, who is still alive. The clock ticks, and the second one can still be saved. But the police never make it in time. Very riveting.
Exit Wounds by J.A. Jance. 4 stars.
Juggling the demands of family with the challenges of a job that plunges her into the depths of human depravity, Joanna Brady has learned to expect the unexpected. Nothing can prepare her however for her most unsettling and chilling case yet. As she probes the macabre death of a loner and her 17 dogs, Joanna will discover that secrets of the past can run deeper and darker than she has ever imagined.
Frank in Dallas, PA
I am currently reading Sons of Fortune by Jeffrey Archer. This story involves a set of twins who are separated at birth. The early part of the story (where I am) explains their growth up to about 20 years of age. Their lives will again cross later in the story --- that is promise from the back cover.
I rate the book 5 stars and I would read anything by Archer. His two books Kane and Abel and The Prodigal Daughter were a spellbinding account of two fathers who were enemies and their children who married. Archer is one of our best storytellers ever.
Faye from Texas
I just finished The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst. It was a wonderful story about a man and his dog working through the grief of losing their wife and mistress. 5 stars!
Linda Shou
After Glow by Jayne Ann Krentz (sequel to After Dark). 3 1/2 stars.
Say No to Joe? by Lori Foster. 4 stars.
Fair Play by Deirdre Martin. 3 stars.
ewhatley@mail.com
After reading two Patricia Cornwell books in April, I'm starting May with another, Blow Fly. I'm only about a quarter of the way through it but so far it's absolutely fascinating. She's weaving multiple story lines, with characters off in a variety of directions. I'm anxious to see how these threads dissect at some point later in the book. I rate it 4 stars.
The Last Juror sits impatiently on the shelf as my next read.
Cloish049@aol.com
Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella. 4 stars.
A young woman's life changes after a scary airplane ride.
City Boy by Jean Thompson. 4 stars.
A young couple's housing situation deeply affects their marriage.
pkmiller@worldnet.att.net
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffengger. 4 stars.
Rollicking good fun --- a different type of time traveling novel.
Woe Is I by Patricia T. O'Conner. 4 stars.
Fun and informative. The nuns who taught me millennia ago would turn over in their graves at some of her recommendations for forming the plural!
lslott@optonline.net
I recently finished Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue. I'd rate the book 3 1/2 stars. This was not an easy book to read. It's the story of Mary Saunders, a young girl longing for some color in her life, a red ribbon. Her pursuit of this bit of cloth leads her into a life of prostitution. When a chance at redemption comes her way, things go terribly wrong.
It's obvious that a lot of research went into this book, which is based on a true story. But the unrelenting poverty and the horrors of the life of a Slammerkin during the 1700s is at times overwhelming. Very gritty writing, with a lot of attention to detail.
Although I never really cared for the main character, I did enjoy the storytelling.
lgettle@iserv.net
'Tis Herself by Maureen O'Hara with John Nicoletti. 3 stars.
Maureen O'Hara's very interesting memoir.
EGWGOMA@aol.com
Twisted: The Collected Stories of Jeffery Deaver. 5 stars.
As usual Mr. Deaver gives every story an unusual twist, unexpected and surprising. And there is one story in the collection that is about Deaver's star performer, the very special Lincoln Rhyme. For those who love suspense but don't want to read all night, this one is perfect.
State of the Union by Brad Thor. 4 stars.
Old spies on both sides, the U.S. and Russia are lurking around, hiding atomic weapons in both countries and the chase is on. The sleepers are primed to detonate and Brad Thor's star secret service agent Scott Harvath is racing against time to catch the bad guys. Great action on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and under the ocean.
bab@tennis.com
Sleeping Beauty by Philip Margolin. 5 stars.
A thrilling novel that is suspenseful, riveting and totally engrossing. Great character development and vivid descriptions that depict the story accurately. The best yet from this author.
bradylee@myway.com
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. 5 stars.
This book cover to represent what is within is just perfect. It was published by Nan A. Talese, an imprint of Doubleday, but I doubt if any editing was done whatsoever. There are too many ill-constructed sentences and words and sentences repeated to add emphasis. However, none of this detracts materially as the story is just too powerful. James Frey was a drug/alcohol junkie from around age 8 and lasted until he was on his last leg at age 23 when he entered a residential treatment center. You learn of his unconventional life, but you also find out what it is like being an addict; how one lives from one hit to another.
One man by the name of Leonard literally saves James's life and to read of how this is accomplished is worth the price of admission and the time and effort involved. Even though fraternizing with the opposite sex is forbidden in this residential center, there is a love affair that is an important result of Mr. Frey's recovery. This true story is amazing in its complexity and you find out what happened to all of the characters you meet on the very last page. Whatta read!
Comella2729@aol.com
There are new wonderfully written novels that I recommend:
In the Walled Gardens by Anahita Firouz. 5 stars.
This book revolves around the lives of Reza and Mahastee, both from different social classes, in pre-revolutionary Iran. This fine novel not only glimpses into a turbulent time in Iranian history but it also deals with a variety of ethical questions.
The Swallows of Kabul by Yasmina Khadra. 5 stars.
Two men, Atiq Shauket and Mohsen Ramat, try to make sense of their disintegrating city under Taliban rule while trying to work out their own marital problems at the same time.
Cloish049@aol.com
I have just finished reading The Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg. The book allows us to witness a parent's love differently by three grown siblings. 5 stars.
beparoo@prodigy.net
I am reading The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud, a novel by Ben Sherwood. It is a pretty compelling story about what happens after we die and how we stay connected to those we love. I am about halfway through and I give it 4 stars.
I just finished The Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg. It is a novel about families and the secrets we keep. It wasn't one of my favorites by this author, but it was interesting. 3 1/2 stars.
alison@psy.uq.edu.au
The Distance Between Us by Maggie O'Farrell (the third book from the author of After You'd Gone and My Lover's Lover)
momofajcl@mindspring.com
In the last week I have read three books by Bertrice Small: Rosamund, Until You and The Dragon Lord's Daughters. Rosamund and Until You both deserve 5 stars, while I'd give The Dragon Lord's Daughters 4 stars.
I also just finished Rules of Engagement, a debut novel by Kathyrn Caskie. This book made me laugh out loud in several spots and I give it 5 stars.
GerryD8784@aol.com
The Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg. 1 star.
I've read almost all of Berg's books, and found something to like in each one. So I was surprised to find how little this story resonated with me. The characters seemed flat and unreal, and the dialogue seemed too often off the mark; the story as a whole just couldn't hold my attention. I forced myself to finish, thinking it HAD to get better, but it never did.
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. 5 stars.
Thirteen-year-old Anna, conceived by her parents as a perfectly matched donor for her older sister Kate after Kate was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia at age two, sues to be medically emancipated to prevent her parents from having her kidney transplanted into her dying sister. One of the most touching books I've ever read, and one that vividly portrays the anguish of a whole family faced with impossible life-and-death decisions.
The Book of Joe by Jonathan Tropper. 4 1/2 stars.
Joe returns to his hometown when he learns his father is dying, but is less than welcome there after writing a novel that exposed the bigotry and cruelty that accompanied the town's "jock" mentality.
A Hole in the Universe by Mary McGarry Morris. 5 stars.
Gordon Loomis is released from prison after serving a twenty-five year sentence for the murder of a young woman and her unborn baby during a bungled burglary. McGarry poignantly depicts his struggle to adjust to freedom and the changed world and family he has re-entered. As in her previous novels, her strength is in developing realistic and sympathetic characters to people her story, drawing her reader fully into their lives.
Good Grief by Lolly Winston. 4 stars.
Widowed at 36 after only three years of marriage, Sophie Stanton struggles to cope with her loss and rebuild her life. With a witty and perceptive main character, Winston has managed to take a potentially maudlin subject and turn it into an enjoyable and insightful novel.
Nighttime is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark. 2 stars.
Attendees of the twentieth class reunion of a prestigious prep school are astonished to learn that five of their classmates --- all girls who sat together at the "in-crowd" lunch table during senior year --- have died. Then a sixth member of the group disappears from the reunion, casting suspicion on her remaining classmates.
The Second Chair by John Lescroart. 3 stars.
Dismas Hardy takes second chair in a case bungled by his young associate who believes her client guilty. For me the story was spoiled by Hardy's and Glitsky's failure to make the connection between this case and a series of apparently random murders in the city. If it was obvious to me as the reader, it surely should have been evident to these two seasoned investigators who had all the same information, and more!
What We Lost by Dale Peck. 4 stars.
A fictionalized biography of Peck's father, who was kidnapped by his own father and taken from the squalor of his materially and emotionally impoverished family home on Long Island to live with an uncle on his dairy farm for several years, at the end of which he had to choose between remaining with his aunt and uncle, whom he'd come to love and trust, or returning home with his parents, brothers and sisters.
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. 5 stars.
By far, the best book I've read this year --- and better than most of last year's too! Unusual but endearing characters populate this sprawling history of an immigrant Greek family, beginning with their progenitors' flight from Smyrna under attack by the Turks, settling eventually in Detroit. Historical events scattered throughout the story create a vivid sense of time and place. I'm so glad that the many recommendations this book received from my friends eventually overcame my resistance to the odd central theme of hermaphroditism. Even that aspect was interesting, and the book as a whole is simply wonderful.
Cecile from New Martinsville, WV
I am reading Dress Codes by Noelle Howey. I am loving this book. 5 stars.
I just finished reading:
An Almost Perfect Moment by Binnie Kirshenbaum. I liked this book also. 4 stars.
Screaming With the Cannibals by Lee Maynard. I loved this book and have also read Crum by the same author. Both 5 stars.
FtLicky@aol.com
I'm currently reading The Princess and the Pauper by Kate Brian, which is a retelling of The Prince and the Pauper, only with females as the main characters. 5 stars.
I just finished reading On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle, which is the first book in the new Coffeehouse mystery series. 5 stars.
marblehead@dhamel.com
I just began reading Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City, which promises to be a good read. Here are the last few books I've read and my ratings:
Last Puzzle & Testament by Parnell Hall. 4 stars.
A pleasant cozy about a cruciverbalist and her sleuthing, bibulous aunt. Fans of Nero Blanc's mystery series will enjoy Hall's Puzzle Lady series, of which this is the second installment.
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. 4 stars.
A young maid employed in the house of the painter Vermeer becomes the subject of the eponymous painting. Impressive because Chevalier manages to turn the act of painting the maid into a form of abuse.
The War Against Grammar by David Mulroy. 5 stars.
Classicist David Mulroy argues persuasively that our schools should return to a concentration on formal instruction in grammar. Grammar is the foundation for further education: "Questioning the value of basic grammar is like asking whether farmers should know the names of their crops and animals."
CarolEBergs@aol.com
The Water Clock by Jim Kelly. 4 stars.
This was a most interesting book. Although unfamiliar with the author, I purchased it at The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale after reading a review online. The writing was clear and concise and I would definitely recommend it.
Adam and Eve and Pinch Me by Ruth Rendell. 4 stars.
While I usually read everything this author writes, this book and the premise did not particularly appeal to me so I left it on my "to be read" pile until this past week. I have to admit that once I started it I could not put it down. A most enjoyable read. Although not what I consider to be Rendell at her best, she is still a winner!
vitale@grantsburgtelcom.net
Right now, I'm reading Absolute Friends by John LeCarre. It took a long time to get into it, but I'm enjoying it. Next on my reading shelf is My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. I can't wait to read that! Her books are fabulous!
bakerhaddy@earthlink.net
Currently I'm reading The First Counsel by Brad Meltzer. A young White House lawyer begins dating the President's daughter and they witness something they were never meant to see --- and become ensnared in a secret agenda, a scheme by a White House insider that includes betrayal and murder. It hooks you in and is a fast read. 4 stars.
newcrain@aol.com
Forever by Pete Hamill. 4+ stars.
The history of New York over many, many decades. Great historical fiction. Emigration story. He's coming to speak in my town next week, and I expect that he's a great storyteller in person, too.
Bbd33@aol.com
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. 5 stars. Absolutely sublime.
The King of America by Samantha Gillison. 3 stars. Thought-provoking, quasi-biographical
The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant. 3 stars. Intriguing.
Object of Virtue by Nicholas B.A. Nicholson. 3 stars. Entertaining, semi-historical.
awright55@kc.rr.com
As always, I am reading several books. I have my book for the purse, the book for the car, the book for bedtime, serious ones, and not-so serious ones. Here's my current list.
I am almost finished with Deep Pockets by Linda Barnes. This is a great series, featuring one of my favorite female femme fatales and her on-again, off-again romance with mobster, or not, Sam Gianelli. The added fun of having the crime centered at Harvard makes it even more enjoyable.
I'm re-reading Michael Shaara's great Civil War epic, Killer Angels. I rarely re-read novels but this one is so well done. There's a smattering of Civil War stuff out there right now, but no one can top this fictional account of the Battle of Gettysburg that reads like real history. I assigned it for my AP History students so I need to revisit it often.
Keeping with the Civil War theme, I am reading Newt Gingrich's Gettysburg, a fictional account of the idea that the South won that important battle. Interesting, but I'm having some trouble getting into it.
Professionally, I'm reading Odd Girl Out by Rachel Simmons, a sometimes chilling look at the world of adolescent girls and the way that our society teaches girls to suppress aggression. As a guidance counselor, it's an invaluable look into the life and times of our girls.
I just finished A Fountain Filled with Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming, a great read! It features an upstate New York ex-Army helicopter pilot female Episcopalian priest! Clare's tendency to run into trouble in her quiet New York setting, and her love interest in the married sheriff, provide a great backdrop for this relatively new series. I'm anxiously awaiting the next in the series.
A1bengal@aol.com
I just finished Full Blast, a great read. Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes have reunited newspaper editor Jamie Swift and mysterious millionaire Max Holt in a small town in the Carolinas. I read this book in one sitting. There are two murders to solve, and Jamie and Fleas call Max for back up. I loved the preacher and the lingerie shop, as well as the aphrodisiac brownies. Max's newly pregnant sister and the Mayor have a 50th birthday party and a cake that is worthy of the read as well. I did enjoy this romp.
rmadson@peoplepc.com
I am reading Steel City Confessions by Thomas Lipinski. 5 stars.
heavylenny@adelphia.net
I just finished Daniel Silva's A Death In Vienna, and his character is my favorite since Cussler's Dirk Pitt. Not one of his books has been less than superlative. Start at the first and read chronologically. This is part of a trilogy involving the Holocaust and war crimes, but the suspense and stirring plots will keep you enthralled if you believe the subject may get weighty (it won't, but it provides for some fascinating scenarios and combines many facts not often discussed in history). 5 stars.
Also, I just completed James Lee Burke's Last Car to Elysian Fields and the continuing saga of New Iberia/New Orleans' detective Dave Robicheaux. Again, when I discovered him, the anticipation for each succeeding novel grew exponentially. The richness of his characters, their lives and complex socio-histories and the close-your-eyes painting of the scenery and locations make him one of the great storytellers of current literature. He never falls flat...be prepared to share every facet of Robicheaux's life once you get started. 5 stars.
I also just finished Dan Brown's Angels & Demons and am halfway through Deception Point (again I have to read all the books in order before I can read The Da Vinci Code) and could not put it down. In fact, my wife never tries books like this, but once she started she was breathless until she finished and called everyone she knew about it and passed it on to her sister. Also 5 stars.
Next in line is my other favorite author, Michael Connelly, with the new Harry Bosch novel The Narrows. Again, I'll recommend the best crime author since Raymond Chandler. If you haven't ever read any of his books, START AT THE FIRST AND READ 'EM IN ORDER!
rstruthers@rogers.com
I am reading Night Sins by Tami Hoag. She is an excellent writer and is keeping me guessing. It is a long novel, 500 pages, and keeps the reader's interest throughout. The mystery revolves around a child abduction, the heartache of the parents and the strain of relationships. Of course the novel brings some skeletons out of the closet. I am almost at the finish and looking forward to seeing how everything ends and ties together.
MPCHIGER@aol.com
I am just finishing Therapy by Jonathan Kellerman, Just One Look by Harlan Coben and Sleeping Beauty by Phillip Margolin. I am finding these books good reading for summer.
ramage@videotron.ca
I am reading Blow Fly by Patricia Cornwell. This author just gets better and better. Her typical forensic story, but with a very surprising twist.
DancingGram7@aol.com
I am reading The Redemption of Sarah Cain by Beverly Lewis and give it 5 stars!
This is a story set in Amish Country about two sisters --- Ivy, who has turned to the Amish way of life along with her husband, and Sarah, who is thoroughly modern and ridiculed her sister's lifestyle. 12 years go by without seeing one another and suddenly Ivy dies and leaves five children as orphans. The husband also died three years previously. In her will she chooses Sarah to be guardian over her children. Sarah has no intention of changing her life, but does go to Lancaster County and gets involved with the children and the Amish way of life there. I am near the end of the book and find it educational and interesting and recommend it for easy reading.
ayancey@charter.net
Blind Side by Catherine Coulter. 5 stars.
This book is a thriller, about a six-year-old boy who is kidnapped. He saves himself, and then is aided by a female Tennessee sheriff. The FBI tries to find out why the boy is kidnapped, and thinks it's somehow linked to a Reverend McCamy. It goes on to have many twists and turns. Once you start reading this book you just can't put it down, because you must know what happens next. I recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers.
Kelly636@aol.com
Just One Look by Harlan Coben. 4 stars.
I'm not quite done with this book yet, but it's not disappointing. I'm really enjoying it. Lots of suspense and twists and turns. Sometimes I think there might be too many twists and turns (hence the 4 stars instead of 5), but it's definitely a great book and worth a read.
I also recommend all books by Karin Slaughter, Harlan Coben, Edna Buchanan, Dan Brown, and Dean Koontz.
lindaharriet@netzero.net
I'm in the middle of reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. The very atmosphere on the moors never ceases to chill me through and through, especially in the winter. Jane sees mist and feels cold being underdressed for the inclement weather, and her descriptions are so realistic that I too feel cold and in need of a fire. Jane is an orphan brought up in two undesirable environments, but she retains her individuality. When we meet Rochester, the tone of the book changes. Jane, although only 18, is a match for conversation with Rochester. Together their repartee draws at your very heart. I know how the book ends, but I am thoroughly enjoying it.
Carosp@aol.com
Rest in Pieces by Rita Mae Brown. 3 1/2 stars.
I love this whole series about a woman, her two cats and dog that solve murders. This is the second in the series. I read the later ones first and am going back to catch up. Great, amusing reads!
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. 4 stars.
I'm about 2/3 through this book. It started slowly, but I'm really enjoying it. Alternating chapters tell three different stories that seem to be slowly intertwining. One story is about a woman who lives alone in the woods as a kind of forest ranger and her relationship with a man she meets in the woods while working. Then there is a story about a woman who becomes a young widow and her relationship with her husband's family and the farm she inherits. The last story is about an 80-year-old widower who is pretty bitter and his perky neighbor who finds joy in life. All these people live very close to each other and have things and relationships in common. I like it a lot.
ragsk2743@aol.com
I just finished reading Sleeping Beauty by Phillip Margolin and without a doubt it is a 5-star novel. It pulled me in within the first 20 pages and I could not stop until it was finished. I must admit that it was SO GOOD I read it in one day! It's one of those novels that makes you sad when you're finished because anything else you pick up to read when done is a disappointment!
SpatsRafferty@aol.com
I finished Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane and found it much like an old classic by William Peter Blatty (called Twinkle, Twinkle, Killer Kane) but still enjoyable. I very much liked The Narrows by Michael Connelly, which brings back The Poet, Harry Bosch, the wife of the guy from Blood Work, etc. It is a good read, although not one of his best. My favorite crime novel so far this year is Memorial Day: A Mick Callahan Novel from Five Star First Edition Mysteries by a newcomer named Harry Shannon. The character of Callahan is dark, intriguing and troubled, but likable, and the plot and setting are best described as desert noir. Great book.
susanrjensen@yahoo.com
The Blue Corn Murders by Nancy Pickard. 3 1/2 stars.
This book finds Eugenia Potter on an archaeological tour in New Mexico, trying to make sense of the strange happenings at the remote facility. With women dying and a group of students missing, Eugenia has to solve the mystery in a hurry. I enjoyed the book, although I thought Pickard did a very clumsy job of tying up loose ends.
Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris. 5 stars.
An incredibly well-written book by the author of Chocolat. This novel focuses on an old woman who returns to the small French town of her birth, disguising her true identity to avoid association with a tragic happening during World War II. An engrossing tale about a woman searching for the truth about her mother, her past and her future.
amanda_titus@hotmail.com
These are the books that I am currently reading: Deliver Us from Evil: Defeating Terrorism, Despotism, and Liberalism by Sean Hannity, The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke, and The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler.
ImNpieces@aol.com
The Cat Who Lived High by Lillian Jackson Braun. 5 stars.
I'm still reading the "Cat Who" books. I can't put them down when I get started on them. The character development is so very good and the storylines are great! Such good, clean light reading! But I am distressed because I can't find the first book in the series, The Cat Who Could Read Backwards!
mrich@hwwilson.com
I'm currently reading Public Places: My Life in the Theater with Peter O'Toole and Beyond by Sian Phillips. She is a wonderful writer, as well as an actress! 4 stars!
pureevil25@yahoo.com
I've just finished reading The Seuss, The Whole Seuss and Nothing But the Seuss by Charles D. Cohen. I would give it 5 stars! There's tons of stuff about Dr. Seuss that I never knew! It really is a great book!
Catslady5@aol.com
Redwolf's Woman by Laura Wright. 3 1/2 stars.
This is a great book if you want a quick romance getaway.
Spizzyone@aol.com
The Wife by Meg Wolitzer. 5 stars.
This is a story about the woman behind a man who makes it big as an author. During a three or four day trip to Helsinki where her husband is to accept a prestigious award, the wife reflects back on her life supporting the efforts of her husband, and what it has cost her. This book is funny and heartwarming and a page-turner. The wife had aspirations to write, which she gave up in order to help her needy husband, who accepts all of the glory, and it is easy to believe in the wife's talent as a writer.
The Confessor by Daniel Silva. 5 stars.
A GREAT BOOK that rivals The Da Vinci Code. By the author of The English Assassin, this book was "a stunning thriller of ancient and modern betrayal" involving the Vatican and the Holocaust. Admittedly, I needed to keep notes on the characters because there were so many, but I did that while reading The Da Vinci Code too! It was worth the crutch of taking notes, though. I highly recommend this book to anyone who was intrigued by The Da Vinci Code.
Norbles@aol.com
Forever by Pete Hamill. 5 stars.
A beautifully written story about a man who is granted immortality if he never leaves the island of Manhattan. Through his eyes we see New York grow from the 1740s to the present. One of the best books I have read in a long time.
BREEZYWRITER@aol.com
The King of Torts by John Grisham. 4 stars.
A pretty good page-turner from Grisham. Law, money, greed, romance --- with some topical references.
PFLucas@aol.com
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. 5 stars.
Most likely everyone who enjoys the recommendations on Word of Mouth has read this book. It is a great suspense novel involving the arts and science, religious beliefs, countries, secret organizations, police and intelligence, and family relationships. Dan Brown has done a great job in layering the story and providing enough detail to make it suspenseful. It is enjoyable reading and thought-provoking.
Puppetmaster: The Secret Life of J. Edgar Hoover by Richard Hack. 5 stars.
This is a very well-researched book about J. Edgar Hoover, former head of the FBI. Information about Hoover's early life and family, education, personal life and work at the FBI is detailed and interesting.
KINDLEELF@aol.com
Thorn in My Heart by Liz Curtis Higgs. 4+ stars.
An ancient tale of deception.
Gateways by F. Paul Wilson. 5 stars.
Repairman Jack is summoned to the Everglades as his estranged father is in a coma.
Hello, Darkness by Sandra Brown. 4+ stars.
With by Donald Harington. 5++ stars.
Beautiful blonde haired, blue-eyed, 7-year-old Robin Kerr is snatched from a roller skating rink by a retired cop. He takes her to a remote mountain and deserted farm house in the Ozarks. A beautifully told tale.
The Annunciation of Francesca Dunn by Janis Hallowell. 4 stars.
Delving into the phenomena of miracles and unexplained cures; also, the fickleness of the public.
Anya by Susan Fromberg Schaeffer. 5 stars.
A moving book about a Polish girl growing up during the Holocaust.
hibar14@earthlink.net
I read Kentucky Sunrise by Fern Michaels. It's much better than some of her older books. I give it 5 stars.
bradylee@myway.com
The Opposite of Fate: A Book of Musings by Amy Tan. 5 stars.
What an interesting book this is. I would call this a memoir, yet musings is appropriate as this is about bits and pieces of the author's life in no particular order. She is American through and through, yet her parents were from China and she has many relatives there. Amy has an academic background, yet is down to earth with language for the common man and a sense of humor that is refreshing. Her mother is a major influence in her life and stories about her are very, very different from the "typical" American mother; you will enjoy! Amy talks about the process of creating stories and, like other authors, she has no idea where all the gist for her mill comes from. Do not pass over the last section in the book titled "Hope," nor the last chapter titled, "The Opposite of Fate." Life changing coincidences has happened many times in Amy's life and you should read about them. This is an exceptional tome.
jkirkpatrick@core.com
You Got Nothing Coming: Notes from a Prison Fish by Jimmy A. Lerner. 5 stars.
This book is about Lerner's experiences during his first year in prison. It's a funny, sad and poignant memoir. You don't find out why Lerner is in prison for up to 12 years until the very end. This gives it suspense, because you really want to know why an upper-middle class white collar worker lands in an Arizona prison. The passage about gang hand signals, and Lerner's imitation of Joe Cocker's singing performances to make up his own hand signals, is absolutely hilarious and had me laughing out loud. The book is worth reading for that story alone.
prwamsley@adelphia.net
Right now I'm about halfway through We'll Meet Again by Mary Higgins Clark. It's a good book but I'm getting a little frustrated by the way things are turning out. It's about a woman who was wrongly convicted of killing her husband and now she's out of prison and suspected of killing the woman her husband was having an affair with. I guess it's about 3 1/2 stars.
zippety4@yahoo.com
Trojan Odyssey by Clive Cussler. One of Mr. Cussler's standard adventures, spinning together world destruction, ancient history and derring-do. This book seems to be one of Dirk Pitt's last adventures; it seems to be a handoff to his lost twins. 4 stars.
Britadon@aol.com
The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory. 5 stars.
This is a really good historical fiction with such compelling characters that I spent a whole Sunday reading it straight through. I certainly want to read other books by this author and I regret that I missed her appearance in my city by 24 hours!
The English Assassin by Daniel Siva. 5 stars.
It was so good to read a suspense thriller in which something unexpected and humanizing happens on the part of the villain. I definitely recommend this, even if suspense thrillers are not your first choice in reading.
High Country by Nevada Barr. 5 stars.
Another really good mystery by one of my favorite mystery writers. This one takes place in Yosemite National Park and might rank with my top favorites of her books. Very tense at times.
Lost Light by Michael Connelly. 5 stars.
This is also a very good mystery without excess gore. I am certain that I never got the real point of the hands, however. I have a feeling that this would come across better in a movie and this book would make a good TV movie.
The Jester by James Patterson and Andrew Gross. 5 stars.
What a wonderful surprise this book was! I have been avoiding it as it was lying on my table because I can only take so much of Patterson's frightening plots at a time. But then I read reviews in this column that made me wonder. The book is a complete departure from the previous books of his that I have read. This is historical fiction and simply wonderful! It is so sensitive and compelling, and the bloodshed is there but as a part of the history. Do read this!
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. 4 stars.
This is an old book that is currently having a revival as great black literature. It is written in black dialogue and it depicts the growth emotionally and socially of a black woman in northern Florida. It was not the greatest piece of literature that I have read, but historically this is apparently the first a black woman was so portrayed, and from that standpoint it is very good. Also, Tea Cakes does wonders for the ego of an older woman!
Barbara
I just finished The Last Juror by John Grisham. It was wonderful. I have skipped reading his last couple of novels and I'm so glad I picked this one up. It has great characters. Will Traynor is a 24-year-old cub reporter who becomes the owner of a bankrupt newspaper in Clanton, Mississippi. Grisham revisits the setting of A Time to Kill and Lucien Wilbanks. Miss Callie is delightful. She's the first black juror to serve on a trial in 1970s Mississippi. This book has the southern flavor and humor of Fried Green Tomatoes and the drama of To Kill a Mockingbird. It's a book to savor.
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