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Ruth
Read It and Eat by Sarah Gardner
Rating: 4 Stars
As a member of two book clubs myself, I enjoyed this author's suggestions for book club reading selections and recipes for coordinating refreshments.
Ruth
You're Wearing That? by Deborah Tannen
Rating: 4 Stars
I could really relate to so many things in this book about mother-daughter relationships. I couldn't wait to recommend it to my one of my friends as we spend a lot of time discussing this topic.
Ruth
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Rating: 4 Stars
Just read this for my book club and ended up enjoying it more than I had anticipated as I'm not really into fantasy. The rest of the members had mixed feelings with some really loving it and others not too thrilled.
Alexis Salema
Bleeding Hearts by Susan Wittig Albert
Rating: 4 Stars
I enjoyed the bits of herbal information and the characters from her other books, but this one can be read independently of them. Susan Witting Albert always writes a good tale that is not gory or erotic --- just an entertaining mystery.
Booklover
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Rating: 5 Stars
This is one of my favorite books of all time. The world Pearl S. Buck creates in this book is outstanding. I highly recommend this book!
Booklover
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Rating: 5 Stars
This fantastic memoir is highly addictive reading. It's sad and tragic, but at the same time, it makes a great book. I will never look at margarine the same again.
Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com)
Sultry by Mary Lynn Baxter
Rating: 5 Stars
HOT, HOT, HOT! This book is well-titled. It is classified as a romance, but in my opionion is very close to being erotica!
Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com)
A Summer Place by Laura Abbot
Rating: 5 Stars
Great book! It has just the right mixture of romance and suspense.
Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com)
The Dark Duke by Margaret Moore
Rating: 4 Stars
Another Harlequin historical romance. Nice light reading.
Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com)
Harmony by Stef Ann Holm
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a wonderful, light, historical romance-comedy.
Ruth
Hot Flash Holidays by Nancy Thayer
Rating: 4 Stars
I continue to enjoy this series of books and have already reserved the next book, which is due out soon.
Ruth
Give It Up! by Mary Carlomagno
Rating: 3 Stars
The author chose a different overindulgence to give up for each month during the year.
Ruth
Skinny Bitching by Jenny Lee
Rating: 5 Stars
I have read all of this author's books in the last few months. She has an entertaining way of writing about her own everyday life. Can't wait to share them with my daughter.
Ruth
Heart Earth by Ivan Doig
Rating: 3 Stars
I didn't especially care for the author's style of writing, but still found the time period interesting.
Ruth
Living a Dog's Life by Cindy Adams
Rating: 3 Stars
I'm not sure if I enjoyed this book quite as much as the author's earlier book about her dog, Jazzy. However, I was pleased to see the author and her two dogs on TV right after finishing this book.
Ruth
My Freshman Year by Rebekah Nathan
Rating: 4 Stars
A college professor returns to school as a freshman to study the culture of today's college students. It helped me better understand what my own college freshman daughter is up against.
Kellie Smith (acountkel@bellsouth.net)
The Distant Echo by Val McDermid
Rating: 4 Stars
This was this month's mystery book club choice in Mint Hill, NC. I really enjoyed this book. It was a great mystery with excellent character development. I would definitely read another book by this author!!
Judy (joswood@msn.com)
Sunstroke by Jesse Kellerman
Rating: 4 Stars
A woman named Gloria goes to Mexico to try to find her friend and boss. He had gone down there on vacation and disappeared. She meets some very interesting characters in her search. There was quite a bit of humor in this book, especially from the local cop in a small town in Mexico. This was a surprisingly good effort from a new novelist --- the son of Jonathan and Faye.
Lynn Richards
Mark of the Lion by Suzanne Arruda
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a wonderful mystery set after WW I in Africa. Jade is a smart, sassy heroine who is thrown into a world of safaris, witches, and missing persons. Ms. Arruda does a wonderful job of weaving in the setting and the time period, and keeps the mystery unraveling piece by piece. I can't wait for another mystery with Jade as the main character.
Tina Ward
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Rating: 5 Stars
This book stays with you. It seeps into your subconscious the minute you pick it up. Read it with a box of tissues.
Faith Reader
Don't Look Down by Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer
Rating: 4 Stars
Jennie Crusie writes smart, witty, funny female characters and situations. I was very interested to see how this book would compare with books just by her. I liked the book very much but missed the "smart mouth" remarks of the characters. I would still try another book by these two, but am looking forward to a solo by Jennifer.
Nana Greller (ngreller@aol.com)
Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Rating: 4 Stars
If you loved MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, you will be enthralled by this.
Connie Rutter (consurutte@aol.com)
Light In Shadows by Jayne Ann Krentz
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a story about Zoe Luce, who escapes from a very upscale mental institution and assumes a new identity so that she can avenge her husband's murder. She has started over in Whispering Pines, Arizona and has become an interior designer. She has a certain amount of intuition about things that go on in rooms, and this was the reason that her husbands family had her committed in the first place. She meets a private detective named Ethan Truax, who helps her solve a murder that she thinks happens in a house she is about to redecorate. This brings them together, because someone from the hospital discovers where Zoe is and wants to bring her back so that the hospital will not lose their revenue stream.
Ms Krentz writes wonderful dialogue in my opinion and Joyce Bean did a wonderful job narrating this book. I would highly recommend it in either print or audio as it is very fast paced and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Faith Reader
A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby
Rating: 5 Stars
I love all of Hornby's books. This one is an excellent example of his writing. The characters are interesting and there are twists in the plot.
Tina Ward
Nickled and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a book on how impossible it is for Americans to make ends meet on minimum wage jobs. One reporter attempts minimum wage jobs in various areas in the United States and tries to see if, after a month, she would be able to make ends meet. NICKLED AND DIMED is a must read for all Americans.
Patricia Foster (eggerhouse@hotmail.com)
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
Rating: 5 Stars
We just finished this book and it was excellent. There are dragons, brownies, and assorted life forms. DRAGON RIDER definitely keeps your interest and would make a good movie. It inspired us to purchase more of her books.
Patricia Foster (eggerhouse@hotmail.com)
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Rating: 4 Stars
I am reading this with my son, and so far, it is very good. It takes place in Venice and is very descriptive of the city. We have only started reading this week, but it has garnered our attention rather quickly. There is a group of thieves made up of children, and it is interesting to find out how they all came to be thieves.
Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com)
Promise Me Today by Lori Copeland
Rating: 4 Stars
A wonderful historical romance that also includes lots of moments of intrigue.
Susan De Feo
My Friend Leonard by James Frey
Rating: 3 Stars
A fast-moving story of an ex-con trying to reform himself.
A. Bell
Gone by Jonathan Kellerman
Rating: 5 Stars
Kellerman has always been one of my favorite authors, and he's on my must-buy-as-soon-as-it's-released list. GONE did not disappoint!!
Rebekah Crain (littleminx@cox.net)
A Chosen Death by Lonny Shavelson
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a very thought-provoking look into the behind-the-scenes world of assisted suicide and euthenasia. A heavy subject, but I found it to be a fast-paced book.
Dave Hankerson (dmhank@aol.com)
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Rating: 5 Stars
I thought I would read an interesting fantasy novel about a woman on death row granted a reprieve if she agrees to be a poison taster. It turns out to be so much more... a renaissance-style thriller, mystery, fantasy and even a little romance. A nice surprise!
L. Hann
The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen
Rating: 5 Stars
I am so glad I found this author. Excellent!
Marilyn Shoemaker
Delicious by Susan Mallery
Rating: 5 Stars
Delicious, delightful, and just plain delovely.
All I can say is that DELICIOUS is an incredible read. I must admit I reside in the city where this book begins… Seattle. Here, we’re not only known for Microsoft, but for coffee and wonderful restaurants. That’s where the Buchanan family lives, in Seattle. A Grandmother who heads the family and rules with an iron fist. A business close to failing until the oldest Buchanan grandson, Cal, steps in to try to save the business. All Cal can think of is hiring his ex-wife to be the head chef. From that moment, sparks, lust, and everything else flies.
The Buchanans are an interesting family full of secrets and lies, and I sincerely believe these books could be made into a TV series, it’s that good.
Susan Mallery has yet done it again. She never fails her readers with her sensual stores also full of interest and humor. I can’t wait for the next in this incredible series.
L. Hann
Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark
Rating: 5 Stars
Very suspenseful.
L. Hann
While My Pretty One Sleeps by Mary Higgins Clark
Rating: 5 Stars
Excellent!! I just love her. I am starting to read all her books again.
Kathy Lauzon (kathalu@aol.com)
Back to the Bedroom by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 2 Stars
This obviously is one of these early light romance novels Evanovich cut her writing teeth on. It was cute, but I guess but I need my next Stephanie fix now!
Barbara in NJ
To Catch a King by Harry Patterson
Rating: 4 Stars
This book was first published in 1979, and is a real page turner. It is a marvelous mix of fact and fiction that works. It takes you back to 1940 --- to a time when the Duke and Duchess of Windsor fled from France (occupied by the Germans at the time) to the neutral country of Portugal. Hitler was planning an invasion of England and ordered the kidnapping of the royal couple. However, a young American gets involved quite by accident, and the characters introduced are all integral to the success or failure Hitler's plan. It was very fast paced and entertaining. As a bit of a romantic, I might have put a different twist on the ending; however, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.
Bonnie
The Closers by Michael Connelly
Rating: 3 Stars
A fast-paced, entertaining Harry Bosch mystery. I gave it one star less because I figured out "whodunnit" before the end of the novel.
Marilyn Shoemaker
The Mancini Marriage Bargain by Trish Morey
Rating: 5 Stars
When I read the first book in Trish Morey’s series, STOLEN BY THE SHEIKH, well I was hooked. However, I knew that the “other side of the story” would be revealed in THE MANCINI MARRIAGE BARGAIN.
In the first book, one learns that loss of both life and marriage happens, due to a business deal between fathers that “went sour.” Sheikh Khaled wants revenge for the death of his parents and for being stood up at the altar in STOLEN BY THE SHEIKH.
In this book, one learns the “other side” of the story. Paolo marries Helene 12 years earlier to save her from an arranged marriage. They live apart all of these years, during which Paolo becomes the Sheikh's object of revenge and loses his current companion; in the end he contacts his “wife on paper” for a divorce. From that very moment, the story begins and takes the reader on a high speed roller coaster.
Misunderstandings, lack of communication, and an extreme sensual pull between the main characters, plus the knowledge of a pregnancy, complicate everything.
This is a wonderful story, one not to be missed and I would suggest tissues for your tears.
Mary
Kill Me by Stephen White
Rating: 5 Stars
A group of people are on a mountain preparing to go down a dangerous run when they hear news that one of their friends was in a terrible accident. One man decides that if something similar were ever to happen to him, he would want his friend to kill him. That friend then tells him about a very secretive group that does just that, and it's an insurance policy of sorts. The story goes from there, and it will have you flying toward the end of the story. The end will blow you away. A great read!
Don Forsythe
Sidetracked by Henning Mankell
Rating: 5 Stars
I love Mankell's mystery series about the Swedish detective Kurt Wallender. Wallender is middle aged detective with career and mid-life questions that make him a very realsitic and human character. I have read a number of Mankell's books and have enjoyed them all. SIDETRACKED is another page turner with lots of twists and turns. The plot is well structured and his characters are very well developed. When I am reading one of Mankell's books, not much else gets done in my house!
Patricia Schrot
A Perfect Evil by Alex Kava
Rating: 5 Stars
This was the first book I have read by Alex Kava and about FBI Agent Maggie O'Dell. I enjoyed it very much and plan to read all the books by Kava!
Christy
Deep Is The Night - Dark Fire by Denise A. Agnew
Rating: 4 Stars
An action-packed vampire story with plenty of erotic romance. Loved it! I've already purchased the next book in the series and can't wait to start it.
Don Forsythe
The Winds of Change by Martha Grimes
Rating: 4 Stars
I have read all of Martha Grimes' books and was disappointed in the last few Richard Jury novels. In THE WINDS OF CHANGE, she has started to redeem herself. It is more the calibre of her earlier Jury novels. The plot was more believable, and the twist at the end was vintage Grimes. One annoying thing that she did, and thus only 4 out of 5 stars, was the constant references to earlier characters and plots. But, even with this, I thouroughly enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the next one.
Bonnie
Running with the Bulls by Valerie Hemingway
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a fascinating memoir about Ernest Hemingway and family, written by his former secretary/daughter-in-law.
Carol Hirsh
Frangipani by Celestine Vaite
Rating: 3 Stars
A lovely book about the islands advisor, and her relationship with her daughter. I could smell the island breezes.
Don Forsythe
Reparations by Stephen Kimber
Rating: 5 Stars
This novel about the appropriation of land that belonged to the African Canadian community of Africville in Nova Scotia was a real page turner. I loved Kimber's fictionalized account of this historical event, which is not a stellar period in Nova Scotia's history. Kimber makes his characters believable and you get caught up in their lives. This is Kimber's first work of fiction and I look forward to his next book.
Donna L.
Mary, Mary by James Patterson
Rating: 5 Stars
I think this is his best thriller yet. It's full of great twists that will blow you away. I can't wait to read his latest.
Kim A.
Just Between Us by Cathy Kelly
Rating: 4 Stars
Fabulous storytelling about the ups and downs of one family and of how they deal with it.
Donna L.
The Twelfth Card by Jeffery Deaver
Rating: 4 Stars
An excellent Lincoln Rhyme novel. I'm a big fan of the Rhyme series. I think I have enjoyed other installments more, but this one is very good, and one not to miss.
Kim A.
Un-Bridaled by Eileen Rendahl
Rating: 4 Stars
A hilarious story about a woman who changes her mind at the last minute (right at the alter) when her husband does not break the glass. She hears a voice that says "run" and she does. Now she is left with returning all her wedding presents.
Kathy (kahoho@aol.com)
Tampa Burn by Randy Wayne White
Rating: 5 Stars
I never miss a Doc Ford novel. In TAMPA BURN, Marion Ford deals with several crises in his life, including the kidnapping of his son, difficulties with his g/f Dewey, and his relationship with his long-time buddy Tomlinson. Each Doc Ford novel reveals a little more about the history between Ford and Tomlinson, and Ford's life before becoming a Sanibel marine biologist. Don't miss this book.
J. Campbell
The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry
Rating: 4 Stars
An antiquarian book dealer, who is an ex-operative for the Justice Dept., finds himself caught up in an old mystery involving the Kinghts Templar. Intrigue, treachery and the quest for power all come to play.
Mo (maestraw@msn.com)
Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie
Rating: 3 Stars
A good, cozy mystery with Abby, Cat, and Dutch. Laurie is a great author.
Lynn
Kill Me by Stephen King
Rating: 5 Stars
If you could choose when to die but couldn't change your mind, would you do it? KILL ME was an interesting read that brought up all kinds of deep thoughts and considerations. The topics presented will keep you turning pages!
Gerry (GerryD8784@aol.com)
You're Wearing That? by Deborah Tannen
Rating: 1 Stars
Less interesting than I expected, and perhaps because I have two daughters, much of the book seemed overly familiar and its insights, common sense.
Gerry (GerryD8784@aol.com)
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 3 Stars
The aftermath of a young teen's rape by her first high school boyfriend forces her parents to look deeply into their own lives, raising questions about how well any of us really knows him or herself. The pages of a graphic novel that are interspersed with the story were an annoying distraction for me from a potentially powerful story.
Gerry (GerryD8784@aol.com)
Kill Me by Stephen White
Rating: 4 Stars
For the very wealthy, there’s an alternative to the uncertainty of whether death will come quickly, or so slowly that the victim lingers long and perhaps painfully in a state he or she would deem worse than death. But there’s a catch -– once activated, this “insurance” cannot be cancelled, and there’s no escape from the Death Angels. White’s protagonist finds himself unexpectedly regretting his decision to sign on, and seeking help from psychologist Alan Gregory to resolve his end of life decisions. Very compelling reading.
Mo (maestraw@msn.com)
A Vision of Murder by Victoria Laurie
Rating: 3 Stars
Abby and Dave partner with Cat to purchase a fixer-upper to sell. Unknown to them, the house is haunted. Abby calls a ghostbuster to help solve the mystery. Another good cozy mystery.
Carolyn N (carolyn333@juno.com)
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Rating: 4 Stars
I first tried the audiobook, which is excellent and different since it's in a multi-voiced format. Now I'm reading the book and I see things that I missed in the audiobook. The characters are interesting and compelling, and the story is very believable. Not your usual vampire book. I almost thought it was nonfiction, but it is actually fiction.
Caran Smith (caransmith12@yahoo.com)
The Game of Life & Relationships: Few Are Prepared by Pushpendra Mehta
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the best nonfiction book I have read on life and relationships. It talks to you. The author's anecdotes and one liners are thought provoking and insightful. It's a must read for people interested in different aspects of life and relationships. I got my copy from Amazon.
Mo (maestraw@msn.com)
The Finishing School by Michele Martinez
Rating: 3 Stars
Another good one from Martinez. This one has murder, drug trafficking, and romance. Martinez does not disappoint in her second book!
Mo (maestraw@msn.com)
Full of Grace by Dorothea Benton Frank
Rating: 4 Stars
I love all of Dot Frank's low country books. This was especially good because I read it on the way to Hilton Head Island. Grace's family loves her, but cannot accept her boyfriend. Through many ups and downs, sadness and happiness, Grace and her family grow closer in faith and love.
Mo (maestraw@msn.com)
Most Wanted by Michelle Martinez
Rating: 3 Stars
I got this for free from Ms. Martinez. What a bargain! It was a great read and I look forward to more from her.
Patti D.
The Kitchen Boy by Robert Alexander
Rating: 5 Stars
A well-written novel of the last Tsar of Russia and his family, as told by the kitchen boy working in the house where they were kept captive. This true story entwined with fiction is a haunting tale with a twist at the end. A good book club book!
Lorrie McCullers
Forever Odd by Dean Koontz
Rating: 4 Stars
While the plot of Koontz's book is not as strong as his bookODD THOMAS (the precursor of this book), the non-stop action and affinity for the main character more than makes up for it.
Mo (maestraw@msn.com)
Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
Rating: 3 Stars
Two stories in one, this is a novel you should not miss. LABYRINTH is a Holy Grail story that empowers women!
Mo (maestraw@msn.com)
Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe
Rating: 3 Stars
A low-country tale of a mother's love, a daughter's redemption, and the salvation of loggerhead turtles. Monroe is a great author, and you care about her characters.
Stella
White Hot by Sandra Brown
Rating: 5 Stars
An interesting, compelling story centered around a Louisiana family.
There is conflict, murder, and many secrets to keep the pages turning.
Lorrie McCullers
Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner
Rating: 3 Stars
Another "chick lit" book, this time centering on pregnancy and childbirth. Three women meet at a childbirth class and become friends, while each struggle with their own issues at home.
With all the drama (a cheating husband, post-partum depression, unemployment), this book makes me glad that I don't have children!!!
Mo (maestraw@msn.com)
Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie
Rating: 3 Stars
A wonderful, light cozy mystery about a Psychic Eye Abby Cooper and her boyfriend, Dutch. Very fun and easy-to-read.
Laurie Friesen
Mary, Mary by James Patterson
Rating: 5 Stars
I really enjoy any book by James Patterson, especially the novels about Alex Cross, his life, and the mysteries he solves. I like the familiar characters in this book and it kept suspended 'til the end.
Mo (maestraw@msn.com)
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 3 Stars
I had read so many negative comments about this one that I hesitated to read it. Although not one of her best, it is still worth reading. Picoult does not disappoint in her trademark twist at the end. (You can figure it out, though.)
TereseRose
A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown
Rating: 3 Stars
This memoir looked very promising to me, and I have to say it started out that way. Somewhere along the line, I started disliking the author and her escapades. Some might say that such a strong reaction indicates a good book. I simply felt alienated from it. It was like meeting someone at a party, and about half way through a conversation, finding that I was ready to walk away. The author may have become a lawyer at the end of the book but she lost me midstory. I had the same reaction to A MILLION LITTLE PIECES by James Frey. Ugh.
Lorrie McCullers
Cell by Stephen King
Rating: 4 Stars
I hold Stephen King personally responsible for my fear of certain things: clowns, sewer drains, and large dogs, to name a few. This book gives me another fear: answering my cell phone.
As the novel opens, a young man in Boston on business watches as people are turned from normal humans to crazed, murderous zombies instantly as they talk on their cell phones.
Farfetched? Yes. Scary? Definitely!
Lynn
The White Rose by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Rating: 4 Stars
A wonderful, seductive story of two people whose lives intertwine because of their love for each other. The author keeps me turning pages, wondering what will unfold. This was very thought provoking.
Connie Rutter (consurutte@aol.com)
Lost Lake by Phillip Margolin
Rating: 5 Stars
This was my first book by the author and I loved it. It was a bit gory in spots, but not out of context for this type of book. It has flashes of espionage and subterfuge, and you don't really know at times who the bad guy really is. I think it would probably be considered a legal thriller and there are a lot of courtroom scenes, but there are also some very poignant tender moments too. I would think this book would make a good movie, and I thought had a very happy ending. It is about an attorney with no background in criminal defense who is asked to represent her tenant in an assault charge. Amy doesn't want to, but under the circumstances, she agrees until she can find someone more suitable to defend Carl. It just so happens that the attorney she finds is out of town and she has to stand in for him a couple of days. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be looking for more by this author.
LaDonna Carrington
The Skin Gods by Richard Montanari
Rating: 5 Stars
This is an exciting mystery!
Mo (maestraw@msn.com)
Red Lily by Nora Roberts
Rating: 3 Stars
The final book in the trilogy did not disappoint. I was anxious to find out what happened to Harper and Haley, and their new family. I hope Roberts writes one more to tie up all the loose ends.
Aliza Abbate
Tomb of the Golden Bird by Elizabeth Peters
Rating: 4 Stars
Always a great read!
Jeanne Sheats (catslady5@aol.com)
His Lady Mistress by Elizabth Rolls
Rating: 5 Stars
A wonderful historical romance.
CC
Fear of Spiders by John E. Cother
Rating: 4 Stars
Engaging "coming of age" story of a 13-year-old boy and his sister during the summer of 1965.
Jen
Bitter End by Christine Kling
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the third in her series and they just keep getting better. The main character is a 30ish tug boat operater in Florida who seems to get into all sorts of mischief. It is drama, romance, and mystery all rolled into one.
Lori Brummer
Woe Is I by Patricia T. O'Connor
Rating: 5 Stars
This is an entertaining guide on English usage. I reach for it often when writing, but find myself reading on, because the author is so witty. This is a book every parent should get their child, and a book every adult should keep close at hand! It's really enjoyable to use and read!
Michael Gamble (buddhaland@hotmail.com)
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman
Rating: 5 Stars
Subtitled " A HMONG CHILD, HER AMERICAN DOCTORS, AND THE COLLISION OF TWO CULTURES, this winner of numerous awards --- including the National Book Critic's Circle Award --- is about the arrogance of "Western Civilization" when dealing with Third World cultures. It deals with a Hmong family from Laos, in which one of their daughters is born with a severe epileptic disorder. Without a common language, common values and world views, this story is about how our assumptions about the superiority of all things Western --- in this case, medicine --- can have tragic consequences, even when everyone is well meaning. This book will make you re-think most everything you think you know about "reality" --- and you'll be haunted by it for a very long time.
Lu
The Song Reader by Lisa Tucker
Rating: 3 Stars
The book is based on such an interesting concept --- the words of the songs in your head really do mean something in your life. I am only 1/3 the way through and am enjoying it.
Debby (Debby236@aol.com)
Dark Demon by Christine Feehan
Rating: 4 Stars
Though one of her Carpathian novels, DARK DEMON is a little different. If you enjoy paranormal romances, this one is for you.
Pat Mooney
To The Power of Three by Laura Lippman
Rating: 5 Stars
This book kept me intensely interested from beginning to end. Told from several different perspectives, its characters are well defined and each is made very "real." It starts off with a shooting in a high school bathroom and keeps you guessing until the end. This was my first Laura Lippman read and I've just started her EVERY SECRET THING, which looks to be another good one.
Kathy Lauzon (Kathlau@aol.com)
Back to the Bedroom by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 2 Stars
This obviously is one of these early light romance novels she cut her writing teeth on. Cute, I guess, but I need my next Stephanie fix now!
Sue A
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a book that you can't put down once you start reading. The twists and turns the story takes keep you turning the pages to see what happens next.
Sue A
Blue Smoke by Nora Roberts
Rating: 5 Stars
She is one of my favorite authors and she does not let her readers down with this story about arson and revenge.
Angie
Desert Crossing by Elise Broach
Rating: 5 Stars
I got an advance copy and had the absolute pleasure of reading it. I want everyone to know that if you want to read a magnificently written book about a girl's coming-of-age with a mystery intertwinted, this is the one to grab as soon as it comes out! Read this!
Larena Wirum
Sword of Darkness by Kinley MacGregor
Rating: 5 Stars
This book has a little bit of everything --- magic, romance and action.
Polly Hall
False Memory by Dean Koontz
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a very good book, but aren't all of his?
Kathy Lauzon (kathalu@aol.com)
A Wedding in December by Anita Shreve
Rating: 3 Stars
This reminded me of The Big Chill (except these characters are friends from High School) goes to a wedding (instead of a funeral). I found the sub-story that one of the characters is writing, interspersed throughout the book, to be very interesting.
Laurie Blum (laurieblum@hotmail.com)
The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea
Rating: 4 Stars
A rich and vivid portrait of the SW in the late 18800s --- forklore, history and magical realism!
Randi Odierno (rodierno@aol.com)
The Third Secret by Steve Berry
Rating: 5 Stars
Anyone that enjoyed THE DA VINCI CODE will enjoy this mystery. In THE THIRD SECRET, details stories of the visions of Mary and the riddle of her messages, the pope's pressures to find out what the last secret is, the death and the and the naming of a new pope, and the defrocking and renunciation of two priests, make up all facets of this mystery. I'd be surprised if you weren't glued to this one.
Judith Bridger
Good Family by Terry Gamble
Rating: 5 Stars
Anyone who has ever described someone as coming from "a good family" will be intrigued by this look at the Addison family. In the novel, they gather at their lake house in northern Michigan as the narrator's mother nears her death. Ghosts --- real and imagined --- are confronted, secrets are revealed, and calm is sought after emotional and physical storms confront this family's core.
Judith Bridger
Queen of the Underworld by Gail Godwin
Rating: 5 Stars
Gail Godwin's impeccable writing takes the reader into the lives of a colorful cast of Cuban immigrants in Miami in 1959, as seen through the eyes of a new journalism school graduate at her first job. The reader gets a glimpse of the historical, as well as the yet-to-be-written, swirling around Emma's fertile imagination.
Renee (tfranzen2124@comcast.net)
In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant
Rating: 2 Stars
I was so disappointed! The story just didn't take me anywhere. Thougth the setting is interesting, it just wasn't enough to keep me engaged. I read half, and couldn't give it anymore time than that!
Sonia Zaffiris (soniasez@aol.com)
The Broker by John Grisham
Rating: 4 Stars
I am enjoying learning things Italian --- language, places, and customs --- along with an intriguing story. I haven't read a Grisham book in years, but this one pulled me in.
A. Thomas
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
I just finished this April pick for my book club. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author!
Gary Kahn
Swan Song by Robert McCammon
Rating: 5 Stars
The book shares some similarities with Steven King's THE STAND. I'm a Steven King fan, but I think I liked this better.
Mary
Drop Shot by Harlan Coben
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the 2nd in his mystery series starring sports agent/detective Marvin Bolitar. The series is well plotted, with great characters and delightful wit.
Julie Towson (julietowson31@yahoo.com)
Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
Rating: 4 Stars
A wonderfully written memoir by the author of ANGELA'S ASHES. This story is about his 30 years teaching in the New York City school system. I loved it.
K. Gold
The Tequila Worm by Viola Canales
Rating: 4 Stars
This novel is about a young Mexican-American girl growing up in Texas, maybe in the 50s or 60s. I'm enjoying it a lot, especially all the things she has to do to convince her family to let her take a scholarship to an exclusive boarding school.
Heather Gill
Ash & Bone by John Harvey
Rating: 4 Stars
I enjoyed this novel --- it had a very good storyline and it held my interest throughout the book. It was full of enough suspence and mystery to keep my interest in what is going to happen next!
Heather Gill
Speak of the Devil by Richard Hawke
Rating: 3 Stars
This was the first book I've read by this author, and though it was OK, I've read many other novels with much better plots than this. It had humor and mystery, but I cannot say I really enjoyed it!
Sandy (Yodasmommy@woh.rr.com)
My Friend Leonard by James Frey
Rating: 4 Stars
I liked this book more than his first one, A MILLION LITTLE PIECES, but you do have to read it first, before this one. MY FRIEND LEONARD is much easier to read, also.
Marla (marric77@aol.com)
You Can't Hide by Karen Rose
Rating: 4 Stars
Another great read that will keep you turning pages long into the night. If yiou haven't read this author, you are missing great suspense.
Thomas (tomjac0850@charter.net)
The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a terrific thriller. If you liked SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, you'll love THE APPRENTICE.
Connie Rutter (consurutte@aol.com)
How To Seduce A Ghost by Hope McIntyre
Rating: 5 Stars
I loved this book and hope this author writes more, as this one just flowed for me. I didn't realize it was going to be about a Ghost Writer though, but maybe that was a good thing, because I may not have picked it up. There is a mystery involved, but I don't believe that is the main focus. This is set in England, in Notting Hill. There are some arson fires involved, and the main protagonist is someone I could identify with very easily. I don't believe this was all that English of a book, because I believe it could have happened anywhere. Tommy reminded me of someone that I knew from Ireland called Jimmy. Just the way she wrote about him --- how nothing seemed to phase him, and how he was a rock to lean on --- reminded me of Jimmy. It brought back some fond memories.
Leila
Instigating Profligacy by E.G. Barbuto
Rating: 5 Stars
Highly recommended! It is hilariously original. I'm hoping for a sequel.
Janet from NJ
Fear Nothing by Dean Koontz
Rating: 4 Stars
Although nothing will ever compare to my favorite Dean Koontz book, LIFE EXPECTANCY --- which was a definite 5+++ --- FEAR NOTHING holds your attention. The main character suffers from a condition that makes him dangerously vulnerable to light. One night, he witnesses a murder that leads him to unravel a complicated secret, pointing him right back to his own recently deceased parents. This is full of the twists and turns that we love from Koontz.
Karen (kkbarash@aol.com)
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Rating: 4 Stars
This memoir about the year after the sudden death of the author's husband and the near death of their only child resonated with me. I lost my husband nine years ago after a long illness. Our only child, our daughter, was a great source of support during that illness. To think that the author's daughter was so ill that year after her husband's death is heartbreaking. There are passages in this book that ring so true for anyone going through such grief and trauma.
Vicki
Abide With Me by Elizabeth Strout
Rating: 5 Stars
This is so much better than that Mitford series --- because it is actually realistic (sorry, I'm a pastor, and I've yet to find a character in Mitford who isn't a Pollyanna version of ministry and life in a small town. I know it's fun escapism, but I'm afraid people really think that's what it is like!) This book is so great in that it shows what an authentic mix we all are of saint and sinner --- from the pastor to the parishioners --- and how once in awhile, even in the midst of our deepest pain, the people we least expected to love us --- do. A great read!
Mary
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Rating: 5 Stars
A delightful story of two Chinese girls who are bound as "old sames" when they are young. The book traces their lives and friendship as they record on a fan, in a secret language, the highlights of their lives.
Elizabeth Austin
Seducing the Demon by Erica Jong
Rating: 5 Stars
A look back, by the author of
FEAR OF FLYING. Beautifully written and evocative.
Aarti (cindrlla24@yahoo.com)
The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart
Rating: 4 Stars
This book has started me on a King Arthur kick! The detail can be a bit verbose sometimes, but it's really a great look at Merlin and his childhood. I'll certainly be reading the sequels, THE HOLLOW HILLS and THE LAST ENCHANTMENT very soon!
Elizabeth Austin
You: The Smart Patient by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz
Rating: 5 Stars
I'd give this one 15 stars if I could. I've bought many copies to give. It's amusing, easy to read, and filled with essential information for anybody who is or ever will be a patient --- in other words, everybody.
Melissa (melissaherlevic@yahoo.com)
The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene
Rating: 3 Stars
A good book with well-written characters.
Kathleen Josphson
A Good House by Bonnie Burnard
Rating: 3 Stars
A gentle story of a man and his extended family. Set in Ontario,Canada, the book follows the family for almost fifty years.
Marelou
Sebastian by Anne Bishop
Rating: 3 Stars
SEBASTIAN is my first Anne Bishop book. It's more like 3 1/2 stars. I like how she created the alternate/fantasy world and her characters. Her leads are very strong, yet have their own vulnerability. However, her world of Ephemera confused me a bit. The storyline jumped around in the beginning because she was introducing different characters and ideas. It took me awhile to keep up with the changes, but I found myself enjoying the book. I would read another Anne Bishop novel now that I've experienced her work.
Peggy (cali8@verizon.net)
Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
Rating: 5 Stars
There are so many books out now about the Knights Templar, the Cathars, and so on. I've read several and enjoyed them, but this one covers some new ground, and its main characters are strong female figures. The story takes place in two different centuries, but the connection between the old and the new are very strong. You immediately identify with the characters, and it is hard to say which is more fascinating --- Alais's tale in 1605 or Alice's in 2005. This is a great book and a good read.
Mary
Before You Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian
Rating: 4 Stars
A very enjoyable book about a family in which an animal rights activist is accidentally shot by his daughter with a rifle owned by his brother-in-law. The book explores the animal rights issues as well as how the family comes to terms with what has happened.
Vicki
Honeymoon With My Brother by Franz Wisner
Rating: 5 Stars
This is an extraordinary travel book that encompasses continents of landscape as well as an amazing inner emotional journey. I'm recommending it to everybody... and now they are recommending it to everybody else! Check out the website and listen to interviews: www.honeymoonwithmybrother.com
Dixie T.
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the tale of the most dysfunctional childhood I've read about since ANGELA'S ASHES.
Elliot
In A Dark House by Deborah Crombie
Rating: 5 Stars
Crombie is a master at suspense and mystery with great character portrayal and vivid descriptions.
Richard J Rinaldi
Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston
Rating: 4 Stars
This story is right up my alley. I am a big-time dino guy. If only we could live with them.
Janet from NJ
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
What can you say about this book that has not been said before? It will keep you on the edge of your seat. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different family member, which sometimes leaves you loving them or hating them. It will stir your emotions, for sure.
Phyllis Lamken (flip@tetonvalley.net)
The Thirteenth House by Sharon Shinn
Rating: 3 Stars
This is the first book by Shinn that I cannot award five stars. The second volume in her latest series is bogged down by an adultery theme that only an adulterer could find romantic. Thankfully, there is enough of the storyline that involves other characters from the first book in this series to make it possible to finish this second volume book.
Phyllis Lamken (flip@tetonvalley.net)
Underfoot by Leanne Banks
Rating: 5 Stars
If you want a fun, fast, and sexy romance to read, no one does it better than Leanne Banks.
Roxyann Schreiber
Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
I didn't want to put this book down. I just had to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. Once a person is wrongly accused, his life can never be the same again. It seems sometimes we are so quick to judge.
Phyllis Lamken (flip@tetonvalley.net)
Working for the Devil by Lilith Saintcrow
Rating: 4 Stars
WORKING FOR THE DEVIL is strong writing with well-developed characters, a twisting turning plot in a unique and interest alternative reality. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.
Janet from NJ
Juiced by Jose Canseco
Rating: 3 Stars
I recently saw an interview with Jose on ESPN that prompted me to read his book, which is a couple of years old. I must admit I was surprised. I would actually give it a 3.75. With steriods in baseball such a hot topic in the news recently, I believe you have to give the man credit for admitting his use years ago when everyone else was denying theirs. Yes, he named names and certainly did not make any friends doing so, but it appears that he was telling the truth afterall. JUICED is a quick and easy read, which was interesting. I understand he has a new book in the works and I will go to the library for that one too.
CC
Resistance by Anita Shreve
Rating: 5 Stars
A wonderful love story from World War II.
Jodi
Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown
Rating: 3 Stars
If you can get past the slang that this is written in, it's a very good portrayal of someone who grew up in fosters homes and on the street at a very young age. It explores her drug abuse as a way of hiding from everything else in her life that she lost.
Jodi
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
Another fantastic book by Jodi Picoult. A young girl finds her life turned upside down when she's raped by her high school boyfriend. The plot turns and turns as the family tries to struggle through the discovery that they were too caught up in their own despair to realize what was happening in their own home.
Susan Jensen
The Lost German Slave Girl by John Bailey
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the fascinating true account of Sally Miller, a young slave woman whose fight for freedom rocked nineteenth-century New Orleans. Sally, who looked white, was believed to be a "redemptioner" and had traveled to America from Germany, then was sold into slavery to pay for her passage into The United States. What ensued was a sensational trial to prove her lineage. In recounting these events, the book provides an incredible look into slave law. It's engrossing and thought-provoking --- a must read!
Sandra F.
The Spanish Doctor by Matt Cohen
Rating: 2 Stars
It is not often that I give up on a book before the end, but THE SPANISH DOCTOR was just too boring for words. I thought that a book about the plight of Spanish Jews during the Inquisition would be exciting, but there was just no spark to it at all.
Corky (imardr2@yahoo.com)
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
Rating: 5 Stars
This must be the best book I have read in a very long time. It gave me something to think about.
Corky (imardr2@yahoo.com)
The Night Watcher by John Lutz
Rating: 4 Stars
I listened to this book on audio CD. It is very fast paced and intriguing. The main protagonaist is fire --- fire that takes on a life of it's own. Scott Brick does a superb narration as usual.
Nunu In Niagara
Gods In Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the story of a young woman who leaves her hometown in Alabama to go to school in Chicago. She vows never to go back, and 10 years later, she finds herself heading home with her African American boyfriend to confront family, friends and old secrets. This is an interesting read about family ties and friendships.
M. Roberts (robertsm@leoncountyfl.gov)
Diana Lively is Falling Down by Sheila Curran
Rating: 3 Stars
Not your usual chick-lit.
M. Roberts
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Rating: 4 Stars
Gripping and sad, yet hopeful.
Carol Hirsh
The Last Of Her Kind by Sigrid Nunez
Rating: 5 Stars
A beautifully written novel about lifelong friends and family.
Stacyellen
Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner
Rating: 4 Stars
Jennifer Weiner has great characters that we all can relate to. I think we all have an Evan Mckenna in our past, and it was interesting how she used him in the story. I could not put the book down, yet felt the ending fizzled out rather than concluded.
Christy
Velocity by Dean Koontz
Rating: 5 Stars
This psychological suspense thriller was a page turner from the beginning to the very end. I'm embarrassed to say that this was my first Dean Koontz read, but it won't be my last.
TereseRose
Terri- the Truth by Michael Schiavo and Michael Hirsh
Rating: 3 Stars
While reading this, I also read the book by Terri's mother, father, and siblings. Fascinating differences! Michael Schiavo, however, peppered his account with much bitterness and anger .Once again, he seemed to need to have the last word in the matter.
Jenny Roiatti
Gone by Jonathan Kellerman
Rating: 4 Stars
As always, his Alex Delaware novels are great and the relationships he has with his patients, women, and Milo are great. His descriptions, and his evaluations of the psyche are always interesting and keep you glued to the book.
TereseRose
A Halfway Homeless Memoir: Girl Bomb by Janice Erlbaum
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a book that is hard to put down. It is the story of a young girl caught up in situations and relationships that would confuse any person. Where all this takes her is a surprise ending!
Matti Salimaki
Fragments of Reality by Peter Cajander
Rating: 5 Stars
FRAGMENTS OF REALITY works as a peace-of-mind kit in your everyday life. While TV and media lures you off from essential and undisputed wisdom, FRAGMENTS OF REALITY works as a guide to your peace of mind. It offers you a mirror to your own experience and reflections, encouraging and supporting your own thinking.
Beth McGuire (bcmcguire@gmail.com)
Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
Rating: 4 Stars
Only Sarah could make presidential assassination history interesting and hilarious at the same time!
Sandra Furlotte
Cain His Brother by Anne Perry
Rating: 3 Stars
This book is one of the William Monk series. A good story of multiple personality disorder in a Victorian gentlemen. A bit long at 400 pages, and not one of the best in the series.
Amy in WI (amysacres2004@yahoo.com)
Utterly Charming by Kristine Grayson
Rating: 5 Stars
What a cute, quick read. UTTERLY CHARMING had me smiling when I needed to. I also have ordered the sequel, which is on its way.
If your looking for a fun, contemporary romance --- and it could also be classified as a paranormal romance --- this is one for you.
Karen
Mary, Mary by James Patterson
Rating: 2 Stars
I am really disappointed in this Alex Cross mystery. I don't know if the author's writing is changing or if I am changing, but there seems to be a lack of depth in this story. I deliberately did not listen to this audio because I love to read any Patterson book. This seemed BLAH.
TereseRose
A Life That Matters: The Legacy of Terri Schiavo by Mary and Robert Schindler
Rating: 4 Stars
The story that captivated the world told by the family of Terri Schindler Schiavo. It offers much insight and advice. I read it along with the recent book by Terri's husband and found both fascinating to compare.
Lowell White (orinann@yahoo.com)
The Land of the Wand by Debora Hill and Sandra Brandenburg
Rating: 5 Stars
A charmed and romantic story filled with true love, sense and nonsense. The artful magic of this well-crafted tale kept pulling me forward, turning its pages and suspending my disbelief while setting me in
its parallel world of delightful and challenging anomalies. THE LAND OF THE WAND is truly worth reading and worth your time.
Judy (joswood@msn.com)
Kill Me by Stephen White
Rating: 4 Stars
This book is such a departure from White's usual fare that I didn't know what to think for a while. Alex Gregory appears throughout the book, but only in a minor role. At first, the premise of the book bothered me so much that I didn't think I was going to finish --- kind of like assisted suicide. Soon, however, it sucked me in and I quite enjoyed the plot --- even though I found in highly implausible. This is the first book I've ever read in which you never learn the name of the main protagonist --- I'm not sure why. All in all, it's worth a read.
Andra Bryan Stefanoni
Mark of the Lion by Suzanne Arruda
Rating: 5 Stars
In the first of what promises to be an outstanding series featuring heroine Jade del Cameron, the reader is transported to Africa for a post-World War I mystery adventure. The book's sense of authenticity combined with the reality and familiarity of Jade made it a pleasure to read, and the twists and turns kept me turning pages quickly — but not too quickly, lest I reach the end and have no more book to read! I am eagerly awaiting Book 2.
Rachael
The Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais
Rating: 5 Stars
I loved this book!!! It was exciting and full of suspense. It kept me interested the entire time. I HIGHLY recommend this it!!!
Booklover from NJ
To The Nines by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 3 Stars
I didnt enjoy this Stephanie Plum novel as much as the earlier ones. Books 1-8 were excellent, but for some reason this one left me disappointed. I will still read this series, but I hope it doesnt keep going downhill.
Rachael
The Street Lawyer by John Grisham
Rating: 5 Stars
I loved this book! I highly recommend to Grisham fans.
Gisele Courville
Julie And Romeo Get Lucky by Jeanne Ray
Rating: 3 Stars
This is a followup to JULIE AND ROMEO by Jeanne Ray. I preferred the first one, but this was a good book as well.
Amy in WI (amysacres2004@yahoo.com)
Final Scream by Lisa Jackson
Rating: 5 Stars
I am currently reading this and though I am not finished with it yet, I'm recommending it to my friends. It's a real page turner and I can't wait to find out what happens.
Judy
In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant
Rating: 4 Stars
After escaping the sacking of Rome in 1527, Fiammetta (a courtesan) and her dwarf, Bucino flee to Venice where they try to regain their lives and position in Venetian society. But, there are others: an old adversary, a Turk, a blind healer who might get in the way.
Heather Murdock (h_owens99@hotmail.com)
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
While I have read all of Jodi's novels, this one is the most interesting. I am not a comic book fan, but did enjoy the book and the conflicts with each character. The comic throughout is amazing, and even has a hidden message from Jodi.
Jill
Pope Joan by Donna Cross
Rating: 5 Stars
Love it, love it, love it.
Edmund Chmielewski (supered@midmaine.com)
Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris
Rating: 5 Stars
Truly, a 5-star book. This is the biography of a man many claim to have been the most interesting person ever elected president of the United States. It offers a great understanding of the times and tribulations faced faced at the end of one century and the beggining of another. A MUST read.
Susan B.
The Alchemist's Daughter by Katharine McMahon
Rating: 5 Stars
I recently finished this book and all I can say is WOW! I was immediately captivated on page one and hated for it to end. Highly recommended for lovers of historical fiction.
Tara O'Donnell
Your Big Break by Johanna Edwards
Rating: 4 Stars
This is Edwards' second book and it's just as fun and fabulous as her first! The story focuses on Dani Myers, who works for a relationship break-up service and is recovering from a rather harsh broken engagement herself. One day, a client walks in, needing to end things with a married man --- who turns out to be Dani's father. It's quite a bumpy ride for everyone there!
YOUR BIG BREAK has a lot of laughs and love which make it ideal for a great weekend read.
Tanya (t.evamarie@gmail.com)
The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom
Rating: 4 Stars
This book was short. It was only about 200 or so pages and was about a man who dies and then meets 5 people in the afterlife who are very special to him. This book is very heartfelt and tearjerking. If you read Mitch Albom's TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE, you'll love this new book.
Terri Dobson
The Last King of Texas by Rick Riordan
Rating: 4 Stars
Always enjoy Riordan's character, Tres Navarre. The plot is convoluted as usual in the beautiful city of San Antonio. San Antonio evokes history, culture, and beauty even as it embraces a contemporary world. Navarre reminds one of an old cowboy in a white hat --- one that can throw back the tequila and "date" the local madam. Only this cowboy can quote classical literature! It's just a fun, fun read.
Dani
Where the Wind Blows by James Patterson
Rating: 5 Stars
I'm a latecomer to Patterson novels, but I enjoyed this one quite a bit.
Aileen
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Rating: 5 Stars
An excellently written collection of short stories.
Cathy (Mysticat2001@aol.com)
Hunted Past Reason by Richard Matheson
Rating: 4 Stars
HUNTED PAST REASON was really good, and intense! It kept me on my toes. I bought the book for my husband, but didn't think I would be that interested. It sounded more like a man's book, but I just opened it up to check it out and ended up reading it. I have always liked the books I have read by Richard Matheson, so I guess I shouldn't be so surprised.
Pat (amanda0852@yahoo.com)
The Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais
Rating: 4 Stars
I'm a HUGE Crais fan and haunt the bookstore when I know he's releasing a new novel. I started reading the second I got home, but found it a little slow going. His main character (Max Holman) was much less sympathetic than usual, and the first couple of chapters dragged a little as you got to know him. However, by mid-book the story was chugging along and finished with Crais' usual panache. THE TWO MINUTE RULE is a good read, but it's not better than his Elvis Cole series.
Pat (amanda0852@yahoo.com)
The Hanged Man's Song by John Sandford
Rating: 5 Stars
Sandford's "Prey" novels are not my favourites, and I borrow --- not buy --- when I do read them. But, I love his Kidd books and somehow missed this one (published in 2003). I scooped it up cheap and read it in one big gulp. Excellent book!
Allan (afredericks1@msn.com)
The 5th Horseman by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Rating: 5 Stars
This is one of Patterson's best novels. The characters are well scripted, and you think you know who did it, but you really don't. This is a thrilling ride into hospital killings and you won't believe who did it.
Jane Beatty (janebeatty92083@yahoo.com)
The House by Danielle Steel
Rating: 5 Stars
I absolutely loved this book. It is a very good book that keeps your attention to the end. I have read all Danielle Steel's books and loved them all.
Bonnie Cooper
Blood Memory by Greg Iles
Rating: 5 Stars
Wonderful book. I've been captivated since the beginning of page 1. This is a compelling story with interesting characters and a complex plot that develops fully as you read. I highly recommend this book, and this author.
Michael Gamble (buddhaland@hotmail.com)
Winter Count by Barry Lopez
Rating: 5 Stars
This slender gem of a book is a collection of short stories by a man much better known for his nature writings (e.g., ARCTIC DREAMS) --- but these spare, painterly stories lie closer to poetry than prose on my reader-meter. I re-read this book at least once a year --- and the goosebumps have never diminished.
Jen
Gone by Lisa Gardner
Rating: 5 Stars
She has done it again. It is a thriller page turner that brings back some characters from a previous book.
Leah
Mary, Mary by James Patterson
Rating: 5 Stars
Another great Dr. Alex Cross story from James Patterson. He just keeps getting better and better.
Mary Ellen Haney (Haneymeh@aol.com)
Dark Light by Randy Wayne White
Rating: 4 Stars
I have read all of Mr. White's books and always enjoy them. He give a good description of southwest Florida and has a good mystery to go with it.
Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com)
The Distant Echo by Val McDermid
Rating: 5 Stars
THE DISTANT ECHO is a very interesting murder mystery about four friends who are haunted by the taint of crime. It's not quite as brilliant as Elizabeth George, but it provides a glimpse at what future asperations force on an individual's hand.
Alison
Escape by Ethel Vance
Rating: 5 Stars
I saw a reference to this book in another book I was reading, and it sounded so interesting that I went in search of it. It was originally printed in 1939 and tells the story of an American actress who returns to Germany in the late 30s, before WWII, to sell her father's house. She is arrested and sentenced to death, and is determined not to let her family know where she is. He son finds out and sets out to rescue her. It's a real thriller and is very well written. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thomas (tomjac0850@charter.net)
Night by Elie Wiesel
Rating: 5 Stars
This was an intense story of a survivor of the Holocaust. Elie was only a teenager when he lost his entire family to the Nazis. Barely surviving himself, he was able to tell of the horrors of the death camps. It should serve as a reminder to us all that pure evil does exist in this world, and we should be ever-vigilant in watching out for it.
Karen Gold
Magic or Madness by Justine Larbalestier
Rating: 5 Stars
This is an outstanding story, and its sequel, MAGIC LESSONS, is just as good. No "sequel let-down."
Michael Gamble (buddhaland@hotmail.com)
Terra Incognita by Sara Wheeler
Rating: 5 Stars
Wheeler was recipient of a NEA Artist and Writer grant to spend a year in Antarctica and write about her experiences there. She does that --- in absolutely succulent prose --- but does much more than recount her year down under. She also deals in great detail with the history of the Antarctic continent --- doing special justice to the great age of exploration there, peopled with extraordinary characters like Scott and Shackleton. Wheeler treats Antarctica like a multi-faceted diamond and looks at each facet with poetic clarity and insight.
Pat Galas (gummybaba@msn.com)
Inside the Mind of Scott Peterson by Keith Ablow
Rating: 3 Stars
The book is a look at another disfunctional family based on his interpretation. As I see it, there are a lot of physcopaths out there, but not all of them kill their wives. I was a little disappointed.
Chekita
A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
Rating: 5 Stars
I had never read Christopher Moore before, but this book was wonderfully funny! His tale of a man who loses his wife and becomes death is terrific! I found myself absolutely on the floor from his delightful snarkiness.
Nancy
Prior Bad Acts by Tami Hoag
Rating: 5 Stars
Hoag never fails to entertain and cause you to lose sleep... "just one more chapter..." She is a wonderful writer with an imagination just right or left of center! Great chacters. Enjoy... and lock your doors!!!
Denise Miller (nesey61@aol.com)
Shiver by Lisa Jackson
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the first book I read by Lisa and I loved it. It was hard putting down. I would recommend this book to everyone who likes suspense. I was really shocked by who did it, and the characters are great. I am planning on reading some more of her books.
Sandi
The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson
Rating: 5 Stars
His first book but hard to tell. Yes, there is a mystery here --- a good one --- but I loved the atmosphere.
The state of Wyoming is definitely a character, as is winter, but the characters are great to know and I can't wait to read his 2nd book that has just been released.
Alabama Jack (jquick5342@aol.com)
An Unacceptable Death by Barbara Seranella:
Rating: 5 Stars
One time drug addict, prostitute, and motorcycle mama, Munch Mancini is about to become a wife, an adopted mother of a daughter named Asia, and will lead a more normal existence. But first, Munch's fiancé, detective Rico Chacón, has to take care of the little matter of a bounty put on Munch's head by the newly reformed Satan's Pride Motorcycle gang (whom Munch had helped take down years back). In the process, he is shot dead by other cops in a drug bust gone bad. To compound matters, the police department is withholding Chacón's pension from his family, claiming that he was corrupt. Determined to clear his name and get revenge, Munch sets out on a dangerous investigation of her own. It just doesn’t get any better.
Lynn
Wrapped in Rain by Charles Martin
Rating: 5 Stars
A beautifully written book that touches on all human emotion. This is one that I'd LOVE to see as a movie! I loved this book!
Lesley H.
Gravity by Tess Gerritsen
Rating: 4 Stars
If you like sci-fi and medical thrillers, then this is the book for you. It's about a harmless fungus on earth that is released at the International Space Station. Suspenseful and creepy!!
Nikki O'Brien (nikjac@pghmail.com)
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
A very compelling read right to the end.
Eileen Quinn Knight
Vernon God Little by D. B. C. Pierre
Rating: 5 Stars
As a professor of adolescent development, I found this book hitting on the important aspects of the situation. Right away, we want to blame the adolescent... but have we looked at how the media is manipulating the situartion? What about the rampant need for materialistic things, or the nature of violence? All these issues are dealt with in a superb way in this Man Booker prize winner. It deals with all these issues with a sense of humor! I read it in one sitting.
Kathy Kasten (kkasten911@yahoo.com)
The Haj by Leon Uris
Rating: 4 Stars
This is not a fast read, but it's interesting. It's a look at another culture and the unceasing hostilies between the Arabs and the Jews in the Middle East. Using a family as the main focus helped to bring it to a more personal level.
Wilma Frana (wmf38@rconnect.com)
Cape Light by Thomas Kinkade
Rating: 5 Stars
This is one book in a series of books set in CAPE LIGHT, and the characters are so real, you can't put the book down.
Lynn
When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin
Rating: 5 Stars
I love this author! His writing keeps me up late at night, as I understand more about each character. This novel is wonderful! The little girl pulls at your heart strings as she brings others together all the way to the end.
Wilma Frana (wmf38@rconnect.com)
A Circle of Dreams by Annie Rogers
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is a sequel to A DREAM ACROSS TIME, which was an excellent book. I found this one to be just as good.
Sgalli
The Myth of You and Me by Leah Stewart
Rating: 4 Stars
A story of two friends, their parting in college, and coming back together in their 30's. This is a very readable tale to which most of us can relate.
Barbbroberg (barbbroberg@hotmail.com)
Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais
Rating: 5 Stars
First of all, I was surprised at the meaning of the two minute rule. Even without Crais's Elvis Cole character, I thought this was an excellent page turner. Although I figured out who did not kill he cop, I was surprised at who did. Crais did an excellent job of twists and turns, great believable and likable characters. I could not put this book down and read it in one day. I have already recommended this book to several people.
barbbroberg (barbbroberg@hotmail.com)
Cold Shoulder by Lynda La Plante
Rating: 5 Stars
This is not a new book and I don't know how I have overlooked it all these years.
I think this is a Chick Lit mystery, not for the romance, sex, etc., but because I don't think there are many males who could even try to understand how the main character becomes who she is.
There are many characters in this book and the plot takes many turns. The novel's lengthy, but I have a hard time putting it down. I heartily recommend it, but perhaps the reader should be sure to have time to dedicate to it. It would be too bad if the book was set aside for lack of reading time.
Kathy Kasten (kkasten911@yahoo.com)
The Exiles by William Stuart Long
Rating: 4 Stars
First in the series "The Australians," it is a historical novel that is mostly populated with fictional characters who have been sent to Australia to set up a colony comprised of convicts and military. This book is deals with how the people get into the situation, the trip there, and the initial attempts to civilize the land. It kept me up too many nights.
Jen
London Bridges by James Patterson
Rating: 4 Stars
His books are always page turners and this one is too. It is about terrorism, that is the only turn-off for me.
Connie Rutter (consurutte@aol.com)
Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs
Rating: 4 Stars
This takes place in the South and is about the killing of endangered species for profit. I think there was a hidden agenda in this book and that is why I didn't give it a 5 star rating. I think the content was good and the story was fine, but just a little too much information as I felt I needed a science degree to be able to know what was going on.
Peggy Clayton (PTCLAYTON2@AOL.COM)
A Home of Her Own by Brenda Novak
Rating: 5 Stars
Ms. Novak's books are usually a slam dubnk, but this one is even better. I started last night and will be finishing it up this morning. She writes the kind of books that you know will be a treat.
L. Hann
The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen
Rating: 5 Stars
I started reading her books about 8 months ago. I wish I would have found her earlier. I love them.
Bridget
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Rating: 3 Stars
This is full of many facts about everyday life for women in old China. I am sure all of these are of great interest to some readers. I kept waiting for something to happen, but not a lot did until the end of the book.
Barbara S
Bloodstone by Gwen Hunter
Rating: 3 Stars
I am halfway through the book about a family in which each of its members possess psychic abilities that make them aware that a family member has been kidnapped.
Although the plot is interesting, at times it is somewhat confusing. I guess it will all come together by the end of the story.
LaDonna Carrington
The Skin Gods by Richard Montanari
Rating: 4 Stars
I have just started this book and I am enjoying it so far. It is the first book I have read by Montanari.
Shelley Lauer-Bader
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
Rating: 5 Stars
I loved this book. I couldn't put it down. I started it at 1 p.m. and finished it before bed. (Confession: I was home in the afternoon and read most of it.
Shelley Lauer-Bader
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Rating: 5 Stars
As a former children's librarian, I like to keep my hand in and read children's and young adult books. This is a great novel --- it's part orphan story, part fantasy, and the combination is fabulous. It's great for adults too.
Kristina (Luckistarr4@msn.com)
The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde
Rating: 5 Stars
The best series ever!! I love the adventure, the mystery, and most of all, the fun of reading about things that you don't normally read about!
Patoct
The Pregnancy Test by Erin McCarthy
Rating: 5 Stars
Erin's books are so funny and have great storylines.
The heroine of this novel finds herself pregnant and tries to keep if from her boss. He finds out, sparks fly, and the attentiveness and things he says (and does) to her are outrageously funny.
Sandra Greathouse
Mary, Mary by James Patterson
Rating: 5 Stars
I loved this book! He really has a great imagination and I love his books!
Sandra Greathouse
The Preacher's Daughter by Beverly Lewis
Rating: 5 Stars
I never want these books to end... This is wonderful writing and I love her characters and places.
Marla (marric77@aol.com)
Act of God by Susan R. Sloan
Rating: 4 Stars
A courtroom drama that will address some sensitive issues. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty beyond a doubt.
Laurie Blum (laurieblum@hotmail.com)
What the Heart Knows by Mara Purl
Rating: 3 Stars
Every reader who enjoys book series about small town life has a treat to anticipate in WHAT THE HEART KNOWS by Purl!
Randi Odierno (rodierno@aol.com)
Uther by Jack Whyte
Rating: 5 Stars
A great adventure tale of Uther and his cousin Merlin (of course, the wizard fellow) in the early times of England. Fun and fantasy are the elements wrapped into this novel.
Julie Towson
Tab Hunter Confidential by Tab Hunter
Rating: 5 Stars
A wonderful, frank, and honest account of Tab Hunter's life before and after he became a "movie star." It is very engrossing and very well written. I couldn't put it down.
Renee (tfranzen2124@comcast.net)
Peace Like A River by leif Enger
Rating: 5 Stars
This is my third time through PEACE LIKE A RIVER and each time its fabric is richer and more moving. I met a girl this week who named her child Sweden because of this book. That prompted the read through.
Dennis Fowler (dfowler1@insight.rr.com)
Turning Angel by Greg Iles
Rating: 5 Stars
This book has it all --- love, murder, betrayal, courtroom drama, suspense, and compassion. If you have not read Greg Iles yet, where have you been? Greg Iles writes with an intelligence and intensity that I have never seen before, and he is my current favorite author. This book starts with the murder of a beautiful highschool girl and takes you through amazing twists and turns as you discover the many facets of her life and murder. I highly recommend this book!
Larena Wrium
Crazy Cool by Tara Jenzen
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a great book full of action and romance.
Noreen Brown (nortomb@webtv.net)
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Rating: 4 Stars
I'm only on page 93 and just want to keep reading. SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN is a very interesting story of the customs of ancient China. The horror of foot binding is so realistic you can almost feel it. Lily is a wonderful character.
Arthur Harriman
City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin
Rating: 5 Stars
Berlin of the l920s and early 1930s,
the time in which the Nazis come to power, comes starkly to life in this splendidly written and ingeniously plotted novel of suspense.
Brenda Taylor (BTaylor811@aol.com)
Turning Angel by Greg Iles
Rating: 5 Stars
Iles has become one of my favorite authors, together with James Patterson, Mary Higgins Clark, and Jonathan Kellerman (to mention just a few).
Brenda Taylor (BTaylor811@aol.com)
Mad River Road by Joy Fielding
Rating: 4 Stars
The suspense keeps you turning the pages and it was hard to put the book down.
Amee
Party Princess by Meg Cabot
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is one of Meg Cabot's best! This is the seventh book in the "Princess Diaries" series and one of the best. I read this book in two days and it was so good! I would highly recommend this book!
Brenda Taylor (BTaylor811@aol.com)
Cold Truth by Mariah Stewart
Rating: 4 Stars
I enjoyed the first three books written by this author that were linked together in a trilogy. So when the next three came out, I rushed out to buy them. COLD TRUTH is a good mystery and is easy read. Now I have started HARD TRUTH, but it doesn't seem to have anything to do with COLD TRUTH, although it is another good mystery and it is holding my attention. I still have DARK TRUTH yet to read.
Laurie Blum (laurieblum@hotmail.com)
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
Rating: 4 Stars
HISTORY OF LOVE is a tale brimming with laughter, irony, passion and imagination!
Sally B., San Antonio TX
The Dead House by Linda Fairstein
Rating: 2 Stars
2.5 stars (went from 3.5 to 3 to 2.5). This started out OK and the middle was alright too, but the ending was rushed and somewhat unrealistic. This was an abridged audiobook.
Gerry (GerryD8784@aol.com)
Born to Rule by Julia P. Gelardi
Rating: 2 Stars
An interesting but poorly written history of five granddaughters of Britain’s Queen Victoria, each of whom went on to become a ruling monarch. Gelardi needs to work with a good editor --- she has so much interesting information, but her presentation is disorganized and reads like an undergraduate term paper.
Rachael
Immoral by Brian Freeman
Rating: 4 Stars
I just finished this book. This author's first title has a very interesting storyline --- it's very Harlan Coben-like.
Susan Jensen
The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas
Rating: 4 Stars
Queenie Bean is a young housewife living in the parched fields of Kansas in the 1930s. Although she and her friends have all fallen on hard times, their quilting club brings them joy and friendship. When their humdrum lives are interrupted with the arrival of a nosy newcomer and the discovery of a dead body, the "Pickles" must unite to protect a secret they've promised to keep forever.
Trish Harris (tnharris@web-ster.com)
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig
Rating: 5 Stars
I'm not much of a historical romance reader, but this book has a twist of intelligence, wit, and modern day love.
Nancy in Atlanta
Kill Me by Stephen White
Rating: 5 Stars
An awesome story that I could not put down till I finished. This was the best book I've read in a while. It has a fast pace with great characters. I would highly recommend it.
Cheryl Rosen Galloway (sonobabe@hotmail.com)
Tomb of the Golden Bird by Elizabeth Peters
Rating: 4 Stars
Excellent read...a MUST!
Dennis Hotetz (djhllc@aol.com)
Mary, Mary by James Patterson
Rating: 4 Stars
I love Patterson's books and this is no exception. However, the ending was a little disappointing, but the read was well worth it. The plot was entertaining and well planned.
CC
The Queen of the Big Time by Adrianna Trigiani
Rating: 5 Stars
A great read about the life of an Italian girl growing up in the United States.
Heather MacLeod
Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham
Rating: 5 Stars
I really like this book --- it's really light and enjoyable. I can't wait to get back into it when I get home.
Heather
The Menorah Men by Lionel Davidson
Rating: 5 Stars
An old-time mystery thriller --- why it fell off the map, who knows. This is a favorite of one of our book club members. We will certainly read more favorites after taking her advice on this one. . .
Ann M
A Strong West Wind by Gail Caldwell
Rating: 1 Stars
Gail should stick with being a book critic. This memoir was really boring. If it had not been a Book Club book, I would not have finished it. Nobody liked it. It was about growing up rebellious in the sixties. Who cares? She lived in a literary dreamworld, that was hard to relate to if you hadn't read every book.
Ann Munger
Night by Elie Wiesel
Rating: 5 Stars
An absolutely powerful firsthand account of Auschwitz. A young survivor describes the horrors that happened to him and his family, and what happens when your humanity is taken away.
Jean Paquin (ejp5475@gmail.com)
A Handyman's Best Tool by Alexis Fleming
Rating: 5 Stars
This book had me laughing outloud. Beth-Ann has been dumped and told she's not good in bed. Riley Osborne had told her long ago she would never turn him on. Neither want to get into a serious relationship due to bad past experiences. When Riley arrives to fix Beth-Ann’s ceiling and she asks if he’s come to plug her hole the fun starts. He takes her question one way and she doesn't realize what she has said. From there it becomes one of the funniest, sexiest, erotic book I've ever read. Don't try to drink or eat while reading this book, I spewed coke all over the place.
Lindsey (bsb_chick76247@yahoo.com)
American Star by Jackie Collins
Rating: 5 Stars
I absolutely love this book. I am on my fourth or fifth read of this book and I still find it exciting to go to each chapter. There are several characters in this book, but you get so involved in their lives that having several characters just makes the storyline a lot better. I totally recommend it!
Suzanne Knapp
Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston
Rating: 5 Stars
How could you not give Doug Preston 5 stars? His books just reach out and grab you, and put you in the middle of the action. The great premise of this novel held my attention from beginning to end, and there are plenty of plot twists to keep you from figuring it out before the end.
Delores
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Rating: 5 Stars
If you have ever lost a loved one, you will recognize the the honest and remarkable way Ms. Didion writes about the illness and death of her daughter. Beautifully written.
Janet Best (best3sons@insightbb.com)
The Witness by Dee Henderson
Rating: 4 Stars
Very good! An intriguing page-turner.
Ricki (rickimc@aol.com)
The Hollow Hills by Mary Stewart
Rating: 2 Stars
A slow read, but her take on Arthurian legend is interested. I was disappointed, though, that Arthur did not pull the sword from a stone.
Rosemary Rickett
A Breath of Snow And Ashes by Diana Gabaldon
Rating: 5 Stars
I have just finished reading A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES by Diana Gabaldon. It is the sixth book in the "Outlander" series, and each book just keeps getting better and better. An English woman who had just finished nursing in the 2nd World War is thrown back into the 1700s in Scotland. It is not only about her magnificent and sometimes bad experiences, but includes a lot of Scottish and American history. I have loaned my set of these books, to several people and they have all been very impressed. The whole series is a great read.
Heather Gill
The Architect by Keith Ablow
Rating: 4 Stars
This novel was a scary read and had plenty of mystery and suspense all the way through. In places it even gave me chills!
Heather Gill
The Hard Way by Lee Child
Rating: 5 Stars
THE HARD WAY is a very good Jack Reacher novel that Lee Child can write so well. I enjoyed the book from first page to the last! The novel is full of twists and turns, and the feeling, "oh! what is going to happen next!" I loved it! What a great read.
Heather Gill
Birty Blonde by Lisa Scottoline
Rating: 4 Stars
I thought this novel was very well thought out and I enjoyed the storyline all the way through. It had plenty of suspense and mystery to keep you interested in the novel!
Gerry (GerryD8784@aol.com)
Seven Types of Ambiguity by Elliot Perlman
Rating: 5 Stars
Perlman begins with the kidnapping of a young child by his mother’s apparently obsessed former lover, and, with wonderfully complex plotting and character development, weaves a fascinating exploration of the ambiguous motivations and relationships among several individuals who all have some connection to the child or to the event. Narrated in turn by seven different characters, each with their own incomplete perspective on the kidnapping and the kidnapper, the story unfolds slowly but so compellingly that this long novel was hard to put down -–- and when it ended I wanted very much to turn right back to the first page and begin again.
Gerry (GerryD8784@aol.com)
Rebels of Ireland: The Dublin Saga by Edward Rutherfurd
Rating: 2 Stars
Although I've enjoyed most of his books, and especially liked SARUM and RUSSKA, this sequel to THE PRINCES OF IRELAND moved too slowly to keep me engaged.
Gerry (GerryD8784@aol.com)
House of Sleep by Jonathan Coe
Rating: 4 Stars
A fascinating exploration of relationships among a group of students who are reunited some twelve years after graduation by their various connections to a private institute for sleep studies, housed, ironically, in a building formerly owned by the university they attended and in which several of them had lived.
Dennis Hotetz (djhllc@aol.com)
Cell by Stephen King
Rating: 4 Stars
This book takes awhile to get going, but once it does, it is interesting and worth the read. The characters are everyday people, and while some are not there at the end, they are not forgotten. The premise is extremely interesting and begs the question, could this really happen?
Suzanne Knapp
Safely Home by Randy C. Alcorn
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is a fictional account of the persecution of Chinese Christians. I was unable to put it down nor to stop thinking about it. I would recommend this book to any who had an interest in this subject. My son lives and works in China, so it was eye-opening for me.
Marion Miller (Lamamil@aol.com)
Balzac and the LIttle Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the second time I've read this book and I enjoyed it even more the second time. Not only do we learn about the Chinese Cultural Revolution, we also meet such interesting characters involved in this fable. The author has a great imagination. This is a book you can read in one day and think about for weeks. Dai Sijie has a new book called MR. MUO'S TRAVELING COUCH. This is also a fun read, but the first book is by far the better of the two.
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