| M. Blitz |
Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A fun read about a ex-pop idol and her life as a "residence hall" assistant director, aka a dorm assistant director. The book is a murder mystery, but definitely a lighthearted look at solving the serial crime.
|
| Rachael |
Death by Chick Lit by Lynn Harris |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a hilarious page-turning whodunit that is written very well. I highly recommend it. It kept my interest throughout the whole book, and I devoured it in 2 days.
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| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
The Cleaner by Brett Battles |
Rating: 5 Stars |
If you love mysteries/thrillers, this one is great. I'd have never, ever guessed the ending. Without a doubt, I'll be sure to grab Battles's next book.
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| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This was different from the kind of book I normally like to read. The setting of the book was very interesting. 15th Century Italy is not an era I know much about. This book didn’t rock my world, however. I liked the story overall, but I think I could have done without all the descriptions of how you paint a wall. And I found it very hard to believe that you can freely have sex in a convent. I liked the character, Alessandra. She was definitely a woman born well before her time. It was hard for me to truly understand the ending.
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| David Allard |
Nine Months in August by Adriana Bourgoin |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Adrianna Bourgoin has written a very special book here.
Gretchen Stirling is a good Catholic girl who, even though married, doesn't want to tell people she's pregnant 'because then they'd know we had sex.' This is the story of her friendships, her job as an event coordinator at a hotel 'in Massachusetts where gay marriages are legal,' with the trials and tribulations that go with it.
It's also her story as a girl who, at 16, lost her father in an automobile accident and ended up feeling like she lost her whole family. Now 'my mother's crazy' sums up her feelings.
The story, the relationships, her life, evolve through the nine months of her pregnacy. There's so much humor, tongue-in-cheek comments and the realities of a first time pregnancy, with its fears and adjustments for both her and her husband Fredrick throughout this book that make it a joy to read.
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| pageant4u from VA (pageant4u@hotmail.com) |
Promise Not to Tell by Jennifer McMahon |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Great book --- can't put it down! Set in Vermont, Kate's family moves and she has only one unusual friend, "potato girl." The book is about friendships, ethnic hate, betrayal. You'll love it.
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| pageant4u from VA (pageant4u@hotmail.com) |
The Tattooed Girl by Joyce Carol Oates |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is an exciting story about Joshua Seigl, a writer in search of an assistant to help him sort through all his papers and manuscripts. He hires a young girl who is covered with tatoos and has an unusual birthmark on her face. Alma is a young woman who suffered abuse, neglect, committed crimes and is addicted to drugs. Joshua's sister Jet is hateful, revengeful, and loves to stir up problems. In the end there are deaths. Great reading!
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| pageant4u from VA (pageant4u@hotmail.com) |
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book, about a traveling circus in the 30s, looks at the lives of performers and workers. It shows relationships, different classes in the circus, and some of the madness (mentally and physically) that go on. The story is seen through the eyes of Jacob, a Cornell vet student who ends up homeless and penniless and comes across the circus. He relives all the excitement and drama from an assisted living center.
Great book! Couldn't put it down.
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| Christy Hawkes (hawkes@citlink.net) |
Wolf Tales IV by Kate Douglas |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This continuing tale of the shape-shifting Chanku was a pleasure to read. It's fast paced with an interesting story line, well-written characters and hot and erotic sex scenes. If you haven't read the first books in the series, make sure you do first. I'm eagerly looking forward seeing what the Wolfies are up to in the next book.
|
| Bonnie |
Hundred-Dollar Baby by Robert B. Parker |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Typical sardonic Spenser mystery. You either like it or not. It's formulaic, but it works.
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| Carlie (crazylass@email.com) |
The Inspector Rebus novels by Ian Rankin |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I was coming back home to Scotland by train from south of the border and sat next to a gentleman. Just before we arrived in Glasgow Central, he gave me the book sET IN DARKNESS. 18 months later, I started to read the book out of sheer boredom. When I finished the book, his words "you'll be hooked by he end of it" came to mind. 6 weeks later, I am on my 11th Rankin novel and I can't put them down. The writer has displayed such a talent in these books. I would recommend them highly. As you get to know Inspector Rebus, visit the places in the book --- it makes the books seem even more alive.
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| Nicole (mike810nicole@aol.com) |
Speak Now by Margaret Dumas |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A great cozy mystery. It just goes to show you never truly know who you are married to! A nice light read --- perfect for vacation or the beach.
|
| Laurel |
The Ministry of Special Cases by Nathan Englander |
Rating: 5 Stars |
THE MINISTRY OF SPECIAL CASES by Nathan Englander continues to insinuate itself into my thoughts daily and I turned the last page of the book over two weeks ago. Since I always have a book in hand and two or three or thirty waiting in the wings, the fact that Englander’s book is still on my mind is extraordinary. I cannot know what it’s like to live in a country that suffers military coups and political unrest on a regular basis, but Kaddish and Lillian Poznan’s anguish at the ‘disappearance’ of their only son is a feeling no parent wants to experience and one I think most parents contemplate at some time or another. Englander acutely captures how a couple can be alternately drawn together and pulled apart by tragedy.
There’s so much more to the book than this (as if that isn’t enough). Shame is a topic the author explores, and in Pato, Englander gives the reader an accurate picture of a 19-year-old ‘young adult,’ complete with anger, sexual self consciousness and political (remember this is the 70s) awakening.
Not a beach read, but if you’d like to add something relatively heady to your summer list, I highly recommend this book.
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| Laurel |
Consequences by Penelope Lively |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A chance meeting on a park bench in England at the start of World War II sets the scene for Penelope Lively’s book, CONSEQUENCES, and introduces the reader to a cast of characters it’s a joy to know. You meet Matthew and Lorna Faraday, a couple who feature strongly in others’ lives long after they have departed from their own. Through love and art the book brings you full circle back to their lovely cottage in Somerset. Well-written and vividly pictured and peopled, this is an excellent book (plus it has a great cover!).
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| Jean |
The Two-Minute Rule by Robert Crais |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the first time I've read Robert Crais. I'm enjoying THE TWO-MINUTE RULE immensely. It's a fast-paced book that has me riveted.
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| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
Good Little Wives by Abby Drake |
Rating: 3 Stars |
First, what a joy to know that underneath that polished look of the ultra-wealthy lurks "common" secrets. The four trophy wives in this book were interesting and varied, but character development was lacking. The interaction among the women was fun, but where was the cattiness and backstabbing. I was amazed with the fate of Caroline, it just not ring true with the rest of the story. The husbands seemed flat and uninvolved. No one seemed to show too much emotion. I especially like Dana, how she cared about other people, and for her loyalty to the other women.
There were just too many self-absorbed women living meaningless lives. With these characters and their lack of relationships, this book would make a good book club selection.
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| Sally B., San Antonio TX |
Lucky by Alice Sebold |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Unabridged audiobook read by the author. A very good, heart-rendering account of the author's rape and assault.
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| Lori S. (sunbug5505@yahoo.com) |
Cry Wolf by Tami Hoag |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Tami Hoag writes great murder/romance/mystery novels that take place in the deep South. This is one of her best. Don't think of it as a syrupy romance novel. There is much more going on here.
|
| Jean |
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Superb! Beautifully written, and rich in detail of life in Afghanistan. This is one of the best books of 2007. It's better than THE KITE RUNNER, and that is saying a lot.
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| Julie Peterson (jpeterson1108@comcast.net) |
Dead Center by David Rosenfelt |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed a David Rosenfelt Andy Carpenter book. I loved the mystery aspect, but I think the humor of the novels is what keeps me coming back. I highly recommend these books if you want a smart lawyer/mystery read.
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| Christy Hawkes |
Repair To Her Grave by Sarah Graves |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Jacobia Tiptree is back again with another mystery in this fourth book in the Home Repair Homicide series.
I enjoy Ms. Grave's descriptions, not only of the town, but of life in Eastport.
Her characters are all unique and you will find yourself reading the story just for the funny and insightful things they say and do. REPAIR TO HER GRAVE is a fast-paced, fun and intriguing read that I highly recommend. I look forward to seeing what Jacobia is up to in the next book.
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| Lisa M. |
Eating Heaven by Jennie Shortridge |
Rating: 4 Stars |
EATING HEAVEN is an excellent book to discuss with a book group. It covers many topics, including eating disorders, sibling relationships, parent and adult/child relationships, caring for a sick relative, etc. Loved it.
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| Val Stark (vstark@quincylibrary.org) |
Dirty Martini by J. A. Konrath |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Jack Daniels is back! She's protecting the streets of Chicago in the 4th book in the series. This time, she has to find a serial poisoner before he brings the city to a complete halt. This series is one of the best!
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| Kristy Mallet |
Smoke by Elizabeth Ruth |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This book was chosen as the 2007 "One Book, One Community" selection for my city, so of course, I had to read it! It is a beautifully written story filled with moving, deep characters and a twist ending that is quite unexpected.
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| Judy O. |
If Today Be Sweet by Thrity Umrigar |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Tehmina Sethna is trying to decide whether or not to permanently leave her home in Bombay and move to the United States to live with her son and his family. As she is visiting her son in Ohio, she unexpectedly becomes a hero in the eyes of many people, which seems to give her life purpose after the death of her husband. This is a good book, but there were several sections in it that really dragged for me. I loved this author's earlier work: THE SPACE BETWEEN US. All in all, I would recommend it.
|
| Paula |
Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A family becomes closer during World War II while supporting the troops overseas and living with rations and coupons. It is coming-of-age story and also describes the bond of sisters.
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| Diane La Rue (laruediane2000@yahoo.com) |
Slip & Fall by Nick Santora |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Fans of John Grisham and James Patterson will enjoy this debut novel by the writer of TV's "Prison Break".
Brooklyn lawyer Rob Principe is having a difficult time getting his solo law practice off the ground. Drowning in debt and with a pregnant wife and pregnant sister abandoned by her boyfriend, Rob feels he is at the end of his rope. Meeting with his cousin, a mobbed-up enforcer leads Rob into a dangerous scheme.
The book really picks up the pace midway through, and once Rob is in over his head, you will race to get to the end to find out what happens. The characters are fairly stock, but the story will keep the reader invested. This would make a great movie!
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| Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com) |
Persuader by Lee Child |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I would rate this more than 5 stars. I have heard a lot about the Jack Reacher novels and decided to try one. I am glad I did. This is an excellent book --- well written and very believable characters, as well as action packed and fast paced. I am looking forward to reading more books.
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| Jocelyn L. Maningo |
Before I Go by Riley Weston |
Rating: 5 Stars |
An amazing book that places you right into the middle of a 16-year-old girl's life, her family, and her one friendship with her soul mate. Madison's sarcastic personality and her need to be as strong as she can will easily make this a book that you refer to time and time again.
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| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
Driving With Dead People by Monica Holloway |
Rating: 4 Stars |
An interesting memoir about a terrible family life in the Midwest. It's hard to believe that every family is not like "Father Knows Best." How can parents be so rotten, and that no family member steps in to help?
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| Crystal Johnston |
Brother Odd by Dean Koontz |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Dean Koontz has not lost his flavor in BROTHER ODD. It is the last in the Odd Thomas< trilogy, about a young fry cook in the deserts of California, in a city called Pico Mundo. Odd can see the dead who have not yet moved on from this world. This ability brings him to both good and bad avenues. He is also psychic, and when his psychic magnetism antenna is going, there is nothing he can do but follow it.
Going through many stressful events recently, Odd decides to take himself to a monastery in the California mountains to rest. He is there about seven months, up to the beginning of early winter, when the first snow is expected. While walking in the early morning hours, he comes across a monk lying face down in the grass near the monastery. As he goes to help, he is hit on the back of the head.
When he awakens, he is alone, and the monk is gone. He raises the alarm, and the police are called, but the monk is not found and Odd is perplexed. After the police leave, Odd is literally chased inside by something unreal, supernatural and deadly. This sets off his psychic magnetism bells, which are ringing off the hook.
Dean Koontz' latest book on Odd Thomas is one to be read. Not only does it bring those lovers of suspense their needed bread and water, but there is that warm and human side of Odd that touches even the hardest of hearts to wish they all had an Odd brother.
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| Kay Keller |
Honeymoon by James Patterson & Howard Roughan |
Rating: 5 Stars |
It's easy to see why this book was billed "International Thriller of the Year." A compulsive read --- almost impossible to put down!! This is one of the best thrillers I've read in a long, long time. "Black widow" is the only hint I'm giving for the plot!! I wouldn't take this book on a honeymoon, but I sure would take it on vacation.
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| Mary Ann Weaver (honeywest66@hotmail.com) |
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I only thought I raised myself until I read Walls' book, THE GLASS CASTLE. I empathized, and then I got angry. I know there must be people who live that way but why can't they get that they are responsible for their children?
Despite all that, I couldn't put the book down. I laughed, cried, and kept reading. What a great storyteller the author is.
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| Emily Mason |
The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book, nominee for the Georgia Peach Book Award, is one of my favorite summer reads so far. I must say that Moriarty caters directly to teenage girls in this romantic, mysterious, revengeful, and edgy comedic novel. The book is a compilation of documents such as letters, e-mails, and school notices that play out the lives of three best friends and their correspondence to three boys from a rival school. It's definitely a fun-filled, twisting, unexpected adventure.
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| June Tuomi (btuomi@citlink.net) |
Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary HIggins Clark |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I received this book as a early birthday present. I didn't know if I would like it because I don't care to read books when they involve bad things happening to children. Boy, was I surprised. This was a wonderful book to read. I have always enjoyed Mary Higgins Clark, but I believe this is one of her best. It keeps you guessing until the end about who did it. This is a great summer read.
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| Rita Carter (gandmari@aol.com) |
The Assasin by Andrew Britton |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A spy book with a Middle-Eastern influence. A page turner.
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| Rita Carter (gandmari@aol.com) |
The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A good read that's full of suspense.
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| Rita Carter (gandmari@aol.com) |
The Innocent Man by John Grisham |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A nonfiction book about the wrongful imprisonment of 3 men in the south. It gives you much to think about regarding the judicial process.
|
| Jen Stein |
The Monk's Son by W. R. Wilkerson III |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I absolutely loved this book! I saw it in a small wire display while waiting in line at a local cafe (a generic Starbuck's), and I picked it up because I was intrigued by the title and the stunning cover. There were a few people ahead of me, so I started reading the first few pages just to keep myself occupied while waiting for my turn to place my order. I was immediately sucked in by the beautiful descriptions, the plot, and the interesting characters, and I ended up purchasing the book along with my coffee and muffin! This book did not let me down, and I enjoyed it immensely. I loved how the author had a few different storylines going on at the same time (they all ultimately tied into each other).
The book is primarily about Steven, who was abandoned at birth, and Michael, who was orphaned during World War II. Both boys were adopted and raised in the monastery, but they ultimately end up leading very different lives. I won’t give away the ending, but I will tell you that you do NOT want to miss this book.
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| Norine Gremse (nono@toast.net) |
Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis |
Rating: 2 Stars |
This book is shocking in the worst way. It involves a quest to find a copy of the Constitution that was written with certain facts never released to the populace. However, the story really depicts our society at its basic worst. I wouldn't have read this book if a request had not been made. The author is very sharp and offers many bits of material that are truly funny. However, the sexual proclivities portrayed aren’t for me. Ellis is a great author and his characters are very well developed, but the sex and depravity had me seriously question how far our society has spiraled down.
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| Norine Gremse |
The Husband by Dean Koontz |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is brilliant writing, with tremendously well-defined characters, and plot development that will keep you reading as if you're eating potato chips. It is great!
|
| Donna |
Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden by M. C. Beaton |
Rating: 5 Stars |
If you love cozy armchair mysteries, you need to start reading M. C. Beaton. In this adventure, Agatha goes to Wyckhadden for privacy and ends up seeking the local witch for a potion. The witch is found dead and the strange residents of the hotel where she is staying have secrets that prove motive for revenge. As usual, she finds the need to help the local police solve the case. And, of course, Agatha finds a new love she is sure to be with forever. She is always looking for the love of her life. It's another great read from Beaton.
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| Judy O. |
Too Late to Say Goodbye by Ann Rule |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Bart Corbin was a dentist in Atlanta, and his wife committed suicide by shooting herself one night in their home. However, when police discovered that 14 years earlier, his then girlfriend had died in an identical way, they started a harder investigation of both "suicides". I read this book in 2 days because I couldn't put it down. Ann Rule's books are always so compelling, and this one is no exception.
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| Genie |
Canapes for the Kitties by Marian Babson |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is set in an English village of Brimful Coffers, where mystery writer, Lucinda Lucas has lived for six months. A main reason to buy the cottage, aside from quiet countryside, is the freedom it provides for her cats Had-I and But-Known. At the encouragement of their mutual acquaintance and fellow writer, Dorian King, several other writers move into the village. The veritable enclave includes Lucinda's close friend Fredericka (Freddie) Carlson and Lancelot Dalrymple, a.k.a. Macho Magee, (the name of the hero of his tough-guy stories). Macho's cat, Roscoe, is a frequent visitor at Lucinda's. Others in residence are book critic Plantagenet Sutton; magazine editor Gemma Duquette; Gemma's noisy, bickering neighbors Karla and Jack Jackley; Betty Alvin, girl Friday to Dorian; and Gordie the maintenance man.
Strange incidents begin when Jackley, while taking photographs, falls into the bonfire at Dorian's Guy Fawkes Day party. The next incident happens a short time later when Gemma is diagnosed with food poisoning. Incidents turn eerie when Lucinda finds pages from her typewriter in which her fictional sister sleuths are plotting her demise. Matters turn serious with the deaths of Plantagenet and visiting author Ondine van Zeet. Dorian is saved from a similar fate due to the actions of three nosey cats. As it turns out, Dorian's motive for literary in-gathering proves to be monetary and leads the main characters to consider common factors that linked the victims to one another. The solution to it all arrives in a surprise confrontation.
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| Lori Barnes (photoquest@bellsouth.net) |
McKettrick's Luck by Linda Lael Miller |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I am new to the reading world and am loving the new books I read.
MCKETTRICK'S LUCK is a fantastic story! It takes place in Indian Rock, where Cheyenne grew up. But, she has since moved away and has painful memories of this place. Now, she works for a real estate firm who wants to buy a large amount of property here. The land is owned by Jess McKettick, (I imagine him to be a very fine-looking man) whose roots run deep, and is not about to sell.
The story unfolds easily, and you feel as though you know these people. I loved this from beginning to end. It's a must read, and I can't wait to read the next one in this series.
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| Margaret F. |
Love Kills by Edna Buchanan |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Edna Buchanan artfully weaves the characters from her two series, Britt Montero and the Cold Case Squad, into a thrilling chase to stop a man who marries and murders his young brides.
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| Sherri |
Free Food For Millionaires by Jin Lee |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I never wanted this story to end!
Lee's an amazing writer.
|
| Barbara Stahr |
Step On a Crack by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This was a fast-moving novel and had a high interest level for me. Some of the story was not quite believable, but was interestingly woven in. I was unable to determine who the hijackers were, but was surprised that the police had to have it suggested to them. A personal story was included and helped showed the detective's conflict with his ability to concentrate on his job..
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| Chrislin Payne (chrislinpayne@yahoo.com) |
Wicked by Gregory Maguire |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Wow, this is a read. I wish L.Frank Baum could be writing this review. I am still in the middle of the book. I feel sorrow and grief for the witch, but I admire her strengh. It makes me understand what it must be like to be so different. Interesting.
|
| Marsha |
Death Do Us Part by Edited by Harlan Coben |
Rating: 3 Stars |
These are eighteen gripping stories about relationships. They vary from interesting and complicated encounters between lovers, strangers and dear friends. It's a fun read. Fast and forgettable.
|
| Reva Wamsley (prwamsley@roadrunner.com) |
Jupiter's Bones by Faye Kellerman |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a book in the Peter Decker & Rina Lazerus series. He's a cop, and she's a devout Jewish widow. They meet on a case and fall in love in the first book. In this installment, they have been married for a while and have a daughter. He is investigating a death that takes place in a cult-like compound.
|
| Alexis |
Dust by Martha Grimes |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Grimes is always good, and this is no exception --- its sexier than usual, and Inspector Jury is overwhelmed!
|
| Christy Hawkes (hawkes@citlink.net) |
A Hard Man To Love by Kathleen Lawless |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Ms. Lawless has written a fun and enjoyable contemporary erotic/romance with interesting characters and fun settings.
Montana Blackstone is trying to get her dream of a destination Spa off and running. Her mother-in-law hires Steele Hardt to help run the ranch, but Steele has a different reason for being there. Both of the characters are fiercely strong willed and independent. The love scenes are plentiful and the locations are just as varied.
I look forward to reading WICKED NIGHT GAMES with Steele's younger brother, Sloan Hardt.
|
| Lauren |
Mr. Maybe by Jane Green |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Easy read, but a little predictable.
|
| Sherri |
The Gravedigger's Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Oates always is a dependable author for wonderful stories that you never want to end...
|
| Lauren |
Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Hillarious!
|
| Michele L. |
I Take This Man by Valerie Frankel |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I TAKE THIS MAN is an entertaining portrait of relationship hang-ups, vengeance, and one missing groom. Valerie Frankel scores again with a humorous story that had me laughing until my sides hurt. Penny and Bram are a misguided couple that needed help in finding their true feelings for one another. The skewed relationships of all the main characters, Penny, Bram, Ester and Keith are so immensely appealing in depth and characterization. I absolutely adored the antics in this story. Frankel wonderfully explores family relationships with incredible insight, humor, and compassion. Readers will find this a zinger of a story that is a pleasure to read.
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| Vicki Kennedy |
Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A strange tale about an operative working for an organization dedicated to eradicating evil. It’s definitely different, but I liked it.
|
| Michele L. |
It Had To Be You by Sarah Webb |
Rating: 5 Stars |
IT HAD TO BE YOU is a wonderful story of daydreams, joined-at-the-heart friends, and life's problems. The friendship between these women is intertwined throughout the story. I was impressed by how Sarah Webb delicately reveals all the different characters in the novel. Each woman has her own set of problems, and it was fun to see how each one deals with it. The story moved at a fast pace. I read until the wee hours of the morning, anxious to see what would happen next. This is a refreshing, fast-paced romp with a charming love story at its heart.
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| Michele L. |
Charmed & Deadly by Candace Havens |
Rating: 5 Stars |
If you like witches, demons, and fast action galore, then this is the book for you! Globe-trotting Bronwyn, a high witch with extraordinary powers, is back in top form, ready to destroy the sinister demons that seem to be crossing her path a lot lately. This is the third installment of the intriguing, paranormal Charmed series by Candace Havens.
CHARMED & DEADLY is an eye-popping adventure filled with evil demons, boyfriends good and bad, drop-dead sexy guys, and best friends. Candace Havens scores again with delivering an award- winning performance, where good versus evil in the pursuit of power. Bronwyn has her hands full keeping the men in her life free from danger. I was reading along at breakneck speed anxious to see whom Bronwyn was going to save next. The story is full of action, demon-slaying, sparkling magic, and romance. Bronwyn and Sam make a wild, romantic couple with one little problem, and that is trust. They are working on it, though. Bronwyn's friends, in Sweet, Texas, are a hilarious and fun bunch of people with plenty of mouthwatering, southern food. I absolutely drooled over the chicken-fried steaks, mashed potatoes, and apple pies at Lulu's restaurant. The dialogue is smart and intense. Her characters have distinct edges that lend themselves to both humor and villainy. Fans of Candace Haven's Charmed books will absolutely treasure this new adventure.
|
| Nyla Thompson |
Back Roads by Tawni O'Dell |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Very good read that I can't put down. This book is on the "Readers Guide." It's O'Dell's first book. Harley's Dad was murdered, his Mom is in prision. He has three younger sisters to raise. It's hard for Harley to know where real life, dreams, and nightmares start and stop. He's part child, part man, part saint, and part sinner. Sometimes, it's hard to pick out what he is and when. Loved the book!!
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| Michele L. |
Any Place I Hang My Hat by Susan Isaacs |
Rating: 5 Stars |
What does a girl do to fit in with the world? Shop for shoes? Amy Lincoln's idea is to uncover facts about the mother that she never knew. Amy deals with her emotions and finally puts things right in her life as the answers to her past unfold.
ANY PLACE I HANG MY HAT is a bright and insightful story of fitting in, painful break-ups, and family relationships. Amy is a smart, likable and brave woman who searches for the mother she never knew. I really like the confident, spunky, female factor she has going for her. Amy makes a name for herself by becoming a political reporter with In Depth magazine. The story of a lifetime presents itself while she is at a political campaign party. A young man declares that he is the son of the guest of honor, Senator Thom Bowles. As Amy explores the senator's past, she decides it is time to examine her own past.
Amy is led on a trail of self-discovery as she uncovers details about a mother she never knew. I was reminded of how special the relationship is between parents and their children. Susan Isaacs is a masterful storyteller. She unfolds the story deftly and masterfully reveals the closely guarded secret of Amy's past. This novel will no doubt satisfy Isaac's fans and new readers alike.
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| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I loved this book about a group of women and their secrets, with the knitting easing the tongue to allow the story to unfold. Again, I will say that women have lost the much needed camaraderie of old.
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| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
Never Change by Elizabeth Berg |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I put 3 authors in the same echelon, Tyler, Shreve, and Berg. I think, Berg is my favorite. I have read several of her books and the thing I recall the most about them is her words. I have written down several of her quotes from the various books I have read. She has a way of putting into words things you have thought but couldn’t really find the words to say. I felt a personal pull to this book since my mother is a nurse and I could never understand why she enjoyed her job so much. This book shed some light --- it isn’t just a job, it’s the people.
Berg created a great character for this book, as well. Myra isn’t necessarily that pretty on the outside. Therefore, she doesn’t attract the people she longed for. However, once you had the privilege to meet her, you recognized the incredible beauty inside. I think Myra realized this about herself at the end of the book. At least, if she didn’t, she was on her way. This is another book by Berg that has left an impression on me.
|
| Nicole (kelley899@yahoo.com) |
Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Great mystery that takes a good look at science fiction fans and conventions. So funny, even if you read SF, as well as mystery.
|
| Sandy |
Simple Genius by David Baldacci |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This one was very good! The chapters are short, so it is easy to sit and take a 5 min. break and read one. The CIA, FBI, and secret codes make up a great tale.
|
| Kay Keller |
Lifeguard by James Patterson & Andrew Gross |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I thought I was grabbing a "beach read" and was I ever surprised! Great suspense and "hang on for a wild ride" type thriller is how I would describe this book. This is so much better than a "beach read." I really like the action-packed short chapters.
|
| Brenda Broadway (Broadway1b@aol.com) |
When Parents Hurt by Joshua Coleman, Ph.D. |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a well-written self-help book. However, it is difficult to read at times due to whatever healing or hurting phase the reader is in. I would recommend this to all parents of children of any age...hurting or not.
|
| Madeline |
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn |
Rating: 4 Stars |
It's got an edge, a creepiness, a darkness to it from the get-go. It's a little twisted, a little freaky, but it's pure suspense --- a grimacing, gasping, edge-of-your-seat read.
|
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
Forever Odd by Dean Koontz |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Love Odd Thomas!
|
| Jewell Lee (julbloom55@yahoo.com) |
Death of a Songbird by Christine Goff |
Rating: 3 Stars |
A "birder" mystery and a great beach read, this book was passed to me. I am in the third chapter, and it's a good and very descriptive mystery. A business owner disappears after just starting a new business, telling customers no more deliveries and drops out of sight. One of the business partners decides to go looking for her, resulting in more "mysterious events"
This book is fairly well put together so far, kind of like an adult Nancy Drew, centering around the "Birding" community.
|
| Shirley Younger |
A Woman In Charge by Carl Bernstein |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The author shows us the true life of Hillary Rodham Clinton as no one else ever has. Bernstein shows how Hillary was instrumental in the victories and troubles of Bill Clinton as governor and president. This book allows you to answer many questions about Hillary and her political philosophy. You find out 'who she is', and your expectations of her. A WOMAN IN CHARGE is a very interesting book, expecially since she is a presidential candidate.
|
| AnnieH (annieh@centurytel.net) |
By The Light Of The Moon by Dean Koontz |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Surprising things happen in this thriller. It's a page turner, you just have to find out what's going to happen next!
|
| F Tessa Bartels |
Girl Sleuth by Melanie Rehak |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Interesting look at this phenomenon in children's literature. It's somewhat dry, gets bogged down in places, and reads almost like a master's thesis. Still, it held my attention and I did finish.
|
| Janice |
The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Very enjoyable read --- not only did I learn more about African culture, I got to remember the excitement I felt as a child when the bookmobile would come to our street.
|
| Judy Goldsmith (judyjtg@sbcglobal.net) |
The Heart Knows Something Different by Youth Communication |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Interesting first-person accounts by teens in foster care.
|
| Bridget |
The Woods by Harlan Coben |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I could not put this book down. A mystery with lots of twists and turns. Coben never disappoints!
|
| Peg Schoenfelder |
Instances of the Number Three by Salley Vickers |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A unique study of an unlikely combination of characters --- a widow, her husband's lover, and his ghost.
|
| Richard Bartels (r-bartels@sbcglobal.net) |
The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I am a Vietnam veteran. My father-in-law is a veteran of World War II --- he spent 33 months in the Pacific and made 7 landings. My wife gave him this book for Christmas a few years ago, but he doesn't read any more, so, last week I read it aloud to him. We were both caught up in these personal rememberances.
|
| Margaret Hill |
Next of Kin by Joanna Trollope |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I remember this author from the now out-of-print magazine, Victoria.
She writes with the typical British "stand-offish-way," while at the same time, fully penetrating the characters.
|
| Richard Bartels |
Dirty Blonde by Lisa Scottoline |
Rating: 2 Stars |
Every male's fantasy of a high-powered woman (a judge this time) sleeping around with working class guys she picks up in bars. She didn't seem so empowered to me. And, the plotting was weak. A disappointment.
|
| Janice |
Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The plot is an interesting concept that makes you look at how you feel about racial differences
|
| F Tessa Bartels |
Hunger by Lan Samantha Chang |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A novella plus short stories that explore the immigrant's hunger for love, for acceptance, for success, for lost tradition, and how one parent's desire for fulfillment can tear a family apart. Excellent work. I'm eager to read more by her.
|
| Mel Barnes |
There's No Place Like Here by Cecilia Ahern |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I was lucky to get an Advanced Readers Copy, as I love her other books I was excited to hear she had a new one coming out. Her stories are whimsical and are based in Ireland, where the author lives. This story is about a girl who grows up searching for missing things, those socks you have lost in the dryer, people who have never been found, etc.
Check her others books out and put your order in for this one, you are sure to love it!
|
| Judith Bridger |
Arlington Park by Rachel Cusk |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Although well written, ARLINGTON PARK is a rather depressing look at five women who struggle to find meaning in their lives. The rainy-day setting adds to the gloom of the women as they examine their choices, families, and selves. Some interesting questions are raised, but I found myself eager to complete the book so I could move on to something brighter!
|
| F Tessa Bartels |
Ya-Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells |
Rating: 2 Stars |
A huge disappointment --- I loved LITTLE ALTARS EVERYWHERE and THE DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD, but this book did not deliver the same punch. The characters are all there, but the book lacks focus.
|
| Wendy Catalano (wendycatalano@hotmail.com) |
Privileged Information by Stephen White |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The first book in the Alan Gregory series.
He is a psychologist and his patients are being murdered one by one.
Couldn't put this book down.
|
| Jen |
The Woods by Harlan Coben |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Four teenagers in the woods...two are dead and two are missing. 20 years later, the events come back to haunt the brother of one of the missing teens. This is Coben at his page-turning best.
|
| Lela Fox (bubbysgammaw@peoplepc.com) |
Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is one of the best books I have read in a while. It is about a new baby born to this very influential couple. It happens to have dark skin and shows every sign of being black. The husband accuses her of infidelity, and she is crushed when she learns that against her knowledge, he has had a paternal test taken. She loves the child just as it is and wonders why he has to question her or the baby.
There must have been some history of black blood in her family because it certainly couldn't be his. FAMILY TREE was just so good. I find myself reading it constantly. A sure winner!
|
| Dawnymae |
Return to Me by Robin Lee Hatcher |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Very good look at the prodigal daughter coming back home after 7 years. She lost her inheritance, her pride, and the one man she ever loved. Very interesting take on the bible story.
|
| Patty (wolfie53@sbcglobal.net) |
The 6th Target by James Patterson |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This was a very easy and very interesting book, and just as good the first 5 in the series.
|
| Coral |
Daddy's Girl by Lisa Scottoline |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Natalie Greco teaches law and justice at a college, but the rest of her family works in construction. She helps a fellow teacher teach a class at a prison, where a riot breaks out, and she finds herself in horrible circumstances. This is a good mystery by a good author.
|
| Sandy |
The Last Run by Todd Lewan |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a true story of a rescue on the seas of Alaska. There were hurricane force winds, a dramatic Coast Guard rescue, and men out at sea on a sinking ship. It was hard to put down.
|
| Lori S. (sunbug5505@yahoo.com) |
The Dog Walker by Leslie Schnun |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Very funny story of Nina Shepherd, a professional Manhattan dog walker who has keys to her clients' apartments, though she rarely sees them. This is how she falls in love with Daniel, sight unseen, who she feels she knows from snooping around his apartmnt when she picks up his dog for walks. But what about when they finally DO meet? This is a fun book made even better by all the wonderful dogs you meet.
|
| Lori S. (sunbug5505@yahoo.com) |
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is reportedly Tyler's favorite of her many books. Told in flashbacks of different characters, it's the story of Pearl, the dying matriarch of a very odd family in Baltimore. She recalls her husband's disappearance in 1944, causing her to raise her three children on her own. She wants to reunite all of them one last time but the children, all grown, have their own bitter memories which they each have to come to terms with before meeting at the one son's restaurant for one last meal. You can't help but find yourself drawn into the lives of this dysfunctional family and caring.
|
| Scribehermes (scriblerconsciousness@gmail.com) |
Maps by Nuruddin Farah |
Rating: 5 Stars |
MAPS is the first installment of the Blood in the Sun trilogy by Nuruddin Farah, the Somali writer who lived in exile for 22 years as he feared vindication by the then dictator General Siyad Barre. MAPS is about the boy Askar and his relationships with his surrogate mother Misra, his Uncle Hilaal and Aunt Salaado, the Somaliland and finally, with himself. The words flow through the pages like an epic poem from the great oral tradition of Africa.
|
| Vicki |
When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I was having trouble getting into this slender little book for some reason, but the audiobook just flew by and left a strong impression of what it was like for the Japanese families who were sent to internment camps during World War II. Told in a minimalist style with little emotion, it still has great emotional impact.
|
| Ginny |
Wolves Eat Dogs by Martin Cruz Smith |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a dark story of Arkady Renko, Smith's detective created in GORKY PARK, and his efforts to crack a case in the ghostland of Chernobyl. Though the detective's search is interesting, it is the understory of the subculture that lives in that "dead" area that gives the book its strength. I listened to an unabridged audio book.
|
| Patty (wolfie53@sbcglobal.net) |
The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This was a good read, but I didn't know it the book consisted of different stories. Some weren't quite as interesting as they could have been.
|
| Lisa M. (bookover25729@comcast.net) |
Lovers and Players by Jackie Collins |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Highly, highly recommended! A fast-paced story filled with sex, lies, betrayal, the rich & famous, and family. Jackie Collins at her best!!!
|
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
The Good Guy by Dean Koontz |
Rating: 3 Stars |
I ove the characters and the great dose of that Koontz humor, but the ending, at least for me, didn't fly close to the realm of believability.
|
| Jeanie |
The Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I took this book on a trip and I am afraid I wasn't very good company in the car, and I'm sure I missed some pretty scenery because I couldn't put the book down for very long. Button meets Winnilee, another 9 year old, when she and her sister end up in the same little town after her sister leaves a bad relationship. This story is told through the eyes of Button and it kept me entertained.
|
| Ginny |
The Land of Mango Sunsets by Dorothea Benton Frank |
Rating: 4 Stars |
What an enjoyable read, and a study in relationships and how creatively we listen! I've never read this author before, but I will again. Minor note, but constant irritation, throughout, is the parrot the main character lets walk around her house. Parrots chew and poop. Next time, she should get a more realistic pet for her main character.
|
| Vicki |
Grace (Eventually) by Anne Lamott |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I listened to this in audiobook format read by the author, and love listening to her tell her own story. Lamott is an insightful writer and a joy to read or listen to.
|
| Lisa M. |
Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary Higgins Clark |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Not my most favorite of Mary Higgins Clark's books, but nonetheless, was a decent read. The story became predictable, though the identity of the villian in charge of the kidnapping of the three-year-old twins came as a surprise.
|
| Lisa M. |
The Cleaner by Brett Battles |
Rating: 5 Stars |
An amazing debut novel, which will be published later this month. This book has it all: mystery, suspense, espionage, exotic locals, unexpected comic relief, and a little dash of romance to boot.
Jonathan Quinn is a freelance operative - a professional "cleaner". Nothing too violent, just disposing of bodies, doing a little clean up as necessary.
His assignment is to investigate a suspicious case of arson. But when a body turns up where it should not be, he finds that he may be in over his head. Partnered with his apprentice Nate and a woman from his past, he struggles to find out who wants him dead.
I absolutely recommend this book to all and am looking forward to the next book in this series.
|
| Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com) |
There Goes The Bride by Lori Wilde |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I consider this classic chick lit. Poor Delaney Cartwright...as a girl she is an ugly duckling and she still can't see herself as the beautiful swan she has turned into. She's got a snobby, socialite mother with her own secrets, that she is afraid to go against. She talks to the ghost of her dead sister in her dreams. She's marrying her best friend, who she loves as a brother. Then she finds the perfect wedding veil that legend says is magic. When she puts it on for the first time, she sees the man of her dreams, and he is definitley not the man she is engaged to. In one of the funniest scenes I have ever read, she does meet the man of her dreams and fate (and a little help from some meddling senior citizens) keeps bringing them together. This book is fresh and funny. A great read for the contemporary romance fan.
|
| Lisa M. |
The Quickie by James Patterson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is James Patterson's next upcoming book, set to be released within the next few weeks. In typical Patterson style, it's easy to read, with short chapters. THE QUICKIE was very suspenseful and was hard to put down. Highly recommended.
|
| Lisa M |
Sisters by Danielle Steel |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Another great Danielle Steel novel. Fans will not be disappointed. A very easy, fun, summer read.
|
| Kathy L |
The Land of Mango Sunsets by Dorothea Benton Frank |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Frank is back on track with this one. New Yorker Miriam Elizabeth Swenson's life has its ups and downs, and right now it's somewhere in between. A visit back to her SC roots on Sullivans Island shows her it's time to make a few changes --- all in typical Frank style with a cast of atypical characters. (How do all the friends in her books know just the right people?) A great beach read, even if it's not on Sullivans Island.
|
| Elaine |
Bobbie Faye's Very (very, very, very) Bad Day by Toni McGee Causey |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A truly fun-filled delight for a summer's weekend. You can't help but smile throughout the whole novel.
|
| Brenda Snell (bksnell@hotmail.com) |
The Innocent by Harlan Coben |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I literally couldn't put this book down! It has been a long time since I read a book completely in one sitting. It was well worth the lost night's sleep. It was the first book by this author that I had read, but it won't be the last.
|
| Noreen Brown |
100 People Who Are Screwing Up America by Bernard Goldberg |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Put your politics aside and read this book. It is thought provoking, sad, funny, and in some cases, infuriating. And NO, it's not all about politicians.
|
| Ginny |
Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding |
Rating: 5 Stars |
What a wonderful book! I laughed and enjoyed every minute of this unabriged audio book. Olivia is as carefree, unrealistic, and funny as a main character can be as she sees an international plot in every situation and ends up really solving one. Olivia has all of the appeal that Fielding's earlier heroine Bridget Jones did, but in today's setting.
|
| Fran |
Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This novel was a story of a child psychologist who is called upon to help a severely abused feral child. Both Julie (the psychologist) and Alice (the child) develop a wonderful bond, and in essence, save each other. I loved this book. I read it in one day!
|
| Barbara Duncan (barbaralynduncan@yahoo.com) |
A Dangerous Beauty by Sophia Nash |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Don't let the cover fool you. This is more than a love story. A great choice for beach reading!! Enjoy!
|
| Julie Towson |
Soul Patch by Reed Farrel Coleman |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is the fourth installment of the Moe Prager Mysteries. He is an ex-NYPD cop turned PI and has a gut wrenching case to solve. It kept me turning the page, and makes me want to read the first three.
|
| Ginny |
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a beautiful story of the relationship between two Chinese women who have different social statuses, but develop a deep friendship and love.
It is the story of two girls growing up in China, and it is one of the most touching and revealing novels I've encountered. This deep look into the world of a woman in that male-dominated culture reveals the mindset that enables mothers to break and bind their daughters' feet to keep them from growing normally, turning them into "golden lilies" so they can make a good marriage. Some girls die from infections that set in, but that is just part of the way of life. With normal feet, a girl will never be desirable. And as the "golden lilies" are just a part of a culture in which women are treated like goods with the lowest status, isolated in their households with other women as they do sewing and embroiderery, the inner strength they must develop to help them survive is celebrated. What a wonderful novel!
|
| Rita |
The Collaborator of Bethleham by Matt Beynon Rees |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is noted as the start of a new mystery series. I felt that the mystery was secondary and the tension of the politics of Bethleham was primary. It is well written and moves quickly with a likeable hero in his fifties. The age of the hero is important to the story, as he is definitely not a James Bond, but just an ordinary man with principles. His actions are guided by these principles as he comes to the conclusion that sometimes you just have to take a stand despite the dangers to self or family.
|
| Wanda (stevens_8@sympatico.ca) |
Facing The Fire by Gail Barrett |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is not a huge book that will take you a month to get through. It's short, sweet, and has an ending that will make you melt.
|
| Carol |
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I read this book in two sittings, and would have read it straight through if my eyes could have taken it. Great story! It puts faces to the reports we've read in the news and makes it all more real.
|
| Vickie |
Simple Genius by David Baldacci |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Wow! SIMPLE GENIUS has believable intrigue and lots of CIA and FBI terror plots, along with a little girl who is a somewhat strangely endowed genius. Murder and depression go hand in hand in this thriller that is yet more proof that Baldacci should be writing movie scripts.
|
| Vickie |
The 6th Target by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro |
Rating: 5 Stars |
The Women's Murder Club headed by Lindsay Boxer is trying to solve kidnappings and visiting one of their own who was gunned down on a ferry. With wit and his usual quick prose, Patterson and Paetro catch the reader quickly into the net and you can't put the book down until you have read it all!
|
| Marsha |
Rainbow's End by Lauren St. John |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This is a memoir of a girl's life in Rhodesia that includes ruthless Rhodesian terrorists, war, race, patriotism, and the breakup of her family.
|
| Sandra Washington |
Think Big:Unleashing your Potential for Excellence by Ben Carson, MD |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book is a must read because this positive story shows what hard work, determination, and faith will allow one to accomplish. It makes a great "extra gift" for high school and college graduations.
|
| Mo (maestraw@msn.com) |
Body Surfing by Anita Shreve |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Not her best, but also not her worst. Rather predictable.
|
| Louise Keene |
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Hosseini, author of THE KITE RUNNER, has done it again ---perhaps even exceeding himself.
A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS examines the culture of women, among other things, in Afgan history of the last thirty years.
|
| Laurie Blum (laurieblum@hotmail.com) |
Notes on a Scandal: What Was She Thinking? by Zoe Heller |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Psychological suspense at its best. Don't miss the book or the movie!
|
| Rosemary Simm |
Death In A Mood Indigo by Francine Mathews |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This mystery involves the beaches of Nantucket. The atmosphere is definitely small town and native attitudes. Cleverly written and secretive. I will look for her other books featuring Merry Folger.
|
| April A. |
Never Change by Elizabeth Berg |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A heartbreaking but wonderful story about finding love later in life. Highly recommended.
|
| Jill F. |
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book is recommended for 9 - 12 year olds, but I think anyone would enjoy it. It has beautifully drawn pictures to tell the story and there is a mystery to keep anyone interested. If this book doesn't win a Children's book award, I will be very surprised!
|
| Pat Raines |
The Husband by Dean Koontz |
Rating: 5 Stars |
One of those "can't put the book down" reads! Just when I thought I had it figured out --- oops, it went in a completely different direction.
|
| Kelly Jean Barkell (reinobear@yahoo.com) |
Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez |
Rating: 4 Stars |
As a hairdresser, I read this book with the understanding of the mountain she was climbing. Her imagery was fantastic and her story was entertaining. But Deb, you left me hanging...What became of the women you taught, the school you opened, your husband, and your life? When is your second book coming out?
|
| Kelly Jean Barkell (reinobear@yahoo.com) |
Veil Of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I was amazed how accurate Laura Fitzgerald's picture is in this nonfiction book. Her depiction of the character Tamila echoed many lives of the Persian woman's delemas in a modern American society, with strict Iranian rules governing their future.A happy ending, to be sure.
|
| Louise Keene |
Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Stegner's 1972 Pulitzer Prize winner is brimming with emotion. The themes of the individual against the land, man vs. woman, the past and the present, and the American ideal draw the reader into the settling and development of the West.
|
| C Lee Parry (spenc@netnitco.net) |
Evening by Susan Minot |
Rating: 5 Stars |
So far, this is very interesting to read. I have not completed the entire novel. A GF told me to read it and enjoy it before the movie was released!
|
| C Lee Parry (spenc@netnitco.net) |
The Twelfth Card by Jeffery Deaver |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I'm about 1/2 was through this mystery. It is a Lincoln Rhyme novel --- the first book by JefferyDeaver that I've read.
It is interesting and I cannot figure out where this story is going ...
|
| Mo (maestraw@msn.com) |
The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I did not see the end coming. It was very interesting, especially if you are a student of THE GREAT GATSBY.
|
| Linda M. |
Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Lee Child has crafted a powerful character in Jack Reacher. This time, the story reunites Reacher with his past, giving us glimpses into another dimension of this fascinating protagonist. As always, the storyline it taut with suspense and exacting detail.
|
| Lisa |
Breakfast At Tiffany's by Truman Capote |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I loved the story and the imagery of New York City. I also love the idea of Tiffany's being a place of refuge.
|
| Debbie Nance (debnance@gmail.com) |
Angry Wind by Jeffrey Tayler |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A trip to the scariest place on the planet...the desert of west Africa
|
| Book Momma (Bookmomma@aol.com) |
Spare Change by Robert B. Parker |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The latest in the Sunny Randall series finds Sunny helping her father investigate the return of a serial killer who had haunted her father while he was still on the force. Sunny and her ex-husband come to an understanding, too. This is fast-paced, with Parker's usual laconic dialogue.
|
| Sue R |
Compromising Positions by Susan Isaacs |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Hilarious account of a happy, suburban housewife who, out of boredom and curiousity, investigates the murder of a local periodontist. It reminds me of a cross between "Desperate Housewives" and "Weeds" (Showtime series). It's a fun, fast-moving, whodunit.
|
| Pattie Berryhill (pattiberr@aol.com) |
Half Broken Things by Morag Joss |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This is an interesting book that mingles 3 characters and how important their lives are to each other. It is suspenseful. 3 people claim ownership of a house that is not theirs. They never leave the house.
|
| Kathi Swann |
Flesh and Bone by Jefferson Bass |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is one great read! Anyone who likes mysteries and Patricia Cornwell's books will love this new one! It captivates you from the first chapter and you can't put it down.
|
| Farrah Rochon (farrah@farrahrochon.com) |
Into the Dark by Cindy Gerard |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the last installment in Cindy Gerard's The Bodyguards series, and it has certainly lived up to my expectations. Set in exotic Argentina, INTO THE DARK delves into the fascinating world of mind-control. The book was fabulous. It will be very hard to say goodbye to Ms. Gerard's Bodyguards.
|
| Kenny from Albuquerque (jazz1129@aol.com) |
Dead Boyfriends by David Housewright |
Rating: 4 Stars |
What a terrific read, but it was somewhat formulaic. Rushmore MacKenzie is a believable protagonist with a big heart and deep pockets. The supporting of characters are very well cast. And, the plots are twisty.
|
| Julie Peterson (jpeterson1108@comcast.net) |
Hick by Andrea Portes |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A very good coming-of-age novel about a 13-year-old girl who decides to leave her home for Las Vegas. While I found it difficult to read because of the pain Luli was feeling, I couldn't put the book down because I wanted to know what was going to her next!
|
| Mick Clark |
Redemption by Wayne Sharrocks |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A very gritty and contemporary British thriller that combines dark prose with an emotional and thought-provoking text to create an un-putdownable read!
The tale is viewed though the eyes of the lead character (Jamie Allen), and you follow his struggle to beat his own personal demons in the midst of an ongoing police investigation.
|
| Linda M. |
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Run, don't walk, to the nearest store to pick up this book! It's a beautifully written novel in the same vein as THE KITE RUNNER. There is no doubt that Khalen Hosseini is a masterful storyteller!
|
| Mary Jacobs (mljacobsinhb@msn.com) |
Jewel Of Atlantis by Gena Showalter |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I am impressed with Showalter's writing and the fact that it gets better with each book. It helps to read her novels in the order written since her characters appear in more than one book and seem to be related. I really enjoyed this book. It has a little sex too!
|
| Christy Hawkes (hawkes@citlink.net) |
Wicked Fix by Sarah Graves |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Ms. Graves has a wonderful writing style that is very detailed and descriptive. I feel like I'm a part of the town of Eastport.
The relationship between Jacobia and her teenage son is heartwarming and the rest of the characters are a delight too --- good and bad. This was a wickedly fun thriller in this series.
|
| Mary Mahaney |
Cell by Stephen King |
Rating: 5 Stars |
What would happen if a terrorist group or garage tinkerer sent out a virus via cell phone? According to Stephen King, this "Pulse" would turn cell users into a zombie culture out to convert "normies" (those not affected) to their flock!
|
| Mary Jacobs (mljacobsinhb@msn.com) |
Undead and Uneasy (Queen Betsy, Book 6) by MaryJanice Davidson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Very solid Betsy book. I love how the author tied everything together. This is a cute and fun summer read.
|
| L. Hann |
Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Things really heat up in this book. Find out what happens to Rangers daughter. Is there another Ranger out there? Stephanie and Ranger start to bond. Find out how Morelli handles it.
|
| L. Hann |
Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Stephanie has to work at being a match maker. Does she finally get her sister and Albert married? Things start to heat up with Diesel and Stephanie. Gramma Mazer desides to get some lip work done. This very funny book is a fast read.
|
| Marsha |
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Prepare to be overwhelmed by the tragic lives of women trapped in Afghanistan during the devastating last thirty years. Hosseini should be commended for understanding the miserable circumstances of women during these tragic times. The friendship between two women who are central to the novel will move you deeply.
|
| Marion Miller (lamamil@aol.com) |
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Edwards |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is an interesting premise and I enjoyed reading it very much. It was interesting and totally believable that the doctor would give up his child in 1965.
|
| Wanda (wojopark6@yahoo.com) |
Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I'm really enjoying it so far. It's the first time I've read it.
|
| Linda Bass (LINDARB49@HOTMAIL.COM) |
Bewitching the Bachelor by Susanne Marie Calvin |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Bianca Honeywell is a witch and a descendant of the witch who had placed a curse on every Halestrom man 300 years ago before she was hanged. She said that the men would all fall in love with a witch. How could a 300-year-old myth be true?
|
| Heather |
Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is just a story about the lives of several women, and the centerpiece of their interaction is a NYC yarn shop. This is a great story of friendship, loyalty, confidence, and risk taking. I really liked it and would reccommend it.
|
| Ricki (rickimc@aol.com) |
Lost in the Garden by Philip Beard |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is one unique, crazy novel that will also tug at your heart. I've never had an author get into my head like this.
|
| Gail |
His Wicked Ways by Samantha James |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This book is set in the Highlands of Scotland. Its about a war between the MacKays and the Munros. Cameron MacKay thinks the Munros have killed his family, so he kidnaps their only daughter and wants her to provide him with an heir.
This is a very good read, I really recommend it.
|
| Mo (maestraw@msn.com) |
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I would give this more stars if I could. I still think about this book, and I read it before it came out. I think it is a must read. (However, I think the ending is a little contrived.)
|
| Mary Mahaney |
The Known World by Edward P. Jones |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Reminiscent of ROOTS by Alex Haley, this is a multi-generational story, covering slaves in the American south to African American survival in more recent times. Makes you think!
|
| Lori S (sunbug5505@yahoo.com) |
Christine Falls by Benjamin Black |
Rating: 5 Stars |
In 1950s Dublin, Quirke --- a hard-drinking pathologist --- discovers his brother-in-law, Malachy Griffin, changing the records of a female corpse brought to the morgue. When Quirke later sees the autopsy he learns that she died in childbirth, not of the embolism that Malachy claimed, his investigation leads to a conspiracy involving the Catholic Church and the criminal underworld and his own family's past. It may unspool rather slowly for a crime novel, but this only increases the tension.
|
| Mary Mahaney |
The Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Fans of JANE EYRE will be intrigued by this story of the mad woman in the attic. Antoinette grows up in the tropics, and is married by arrangement to Rochester, an Englishman. This is her story.
|
| Pam Schofield |
Eye Contact by Cammie McGovern |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the story of two children who take a walk in the woods, and only one comes out alive. It is filled with suspense. Adam, the one who returns, is autistic and shuts down as a result of what he has witnessed. I could not put it down, it was a terrific mystery.
|
| MIMI G. |
The 6th Target by James Patterson |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Great quick-moving suspense. Can't put it down to see what's next!
|
| Mimi G. |
Obsession by Jonathan Kellerman |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Another Great Alex Delaware mystery. As usual, I couldn't figure out whodunit 'til the end. This one has a lot of interesting people in it.
|
| Mimi G. |
Cover-Up by Michele Martinez |
Rating: 5 Stars |
With all the twists and turns, I couldn't put this great New York City thriller down. Also, nice relationships.
|
| Shari |
The Sea by John Banville |
Rating: 2 Stars |
Although this book won the Man Booker prize and was a New York Times notable book, I was impressed mostly with well-developed description, not by the plot of the book. John Banville often forsakes storyline for the use of an elevated vocabulary. I found it to be a very long 193-page book.
|
| Cheryl Koch |
Final Sins by Michael Prescott |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A great combination of suspense and drama between the characters and the killer. A must read!! You won't want to put it down til the last page.
|
| Cheryl |
Ex Marks the Spot by Merline Lovelace |
Rating: 5 Stars |
It is a story about second chances at love. Merline writes very well, and it was fun and quick to read.
|
| Mary Jacobs (mljacobsinhb@msn.com) |
"Excuse Me, But I Was Next..." by Peggy Post |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Very well-written and concise answers to modern manner dilemmas. This book would make an excellent gift to a graduate.
|
| Mary Jacobs (mljacobsinhb@msn.com) |
Drop Dead, Gorgeous! (The Gorgeous Series, by MaryJanice Davidson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A quick read that is very funny and sexy. The perfect beach book, although this isn't quite as good as the first book in this series, HELLO, GORGEOUS.
|
| Mary Jacobs (mljacobsinhb@msn.com) |
Punk Rock Dad: No Rules, Just Real Life by Jim Lindberg |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Laugh-out-loud funny. The majority of the book is hilarious, except when the author tries to make this book sound like self-help parenting guide. I would have given this book a five if he had stuck to anecdotes and stories about his family.
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| Mary Jacobs (mljacobsinhb@msn.com) |
Falling Out of Fashion by Karen Yampolsky |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book reads as a memoir, even though it is fiction. I really think that the author did a thinly-veiled bio on her former boss, Jane Pratt. I really enjoyed this quick read and was surprised at how well written and personable this book was.
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| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
What the Dead Know: A Novel by Laura Lippman |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a story full of unpredictable twists and turns. It's hard to put down.
|
| Bridget |
The Beach House by Mary Alice monroe |
Rating: 3 Stars |
A good book for a long summer afternoon. It has a pretty predictable plot line (estranged mother/daughter resolve differences, a lost career, new love all over the course of one summer) involving turtle rescue on the Carolina coast. Not everybody lives happily ever after, but enough of the characters do. Everybody learns a big "life lesson" and the survivors all become "better people."
|
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
Speak Softly She Can Hear by Pam Lewis |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This was a really good book. It’s about Carole, a smart, overweight prep-school girl , who makes a pact with her best friend Naomi to lose their virginity before they graduate. Naomi meets Eddie at a party and he is up to the task. The threesome go to a hotel in Stowe, Vermont and Carole goes first. Before the night is over, an unexpected guest becomes an unexpected victim and the threesome make a pact to never speak of that night again. The story continues with Carole and how her life has changed forever because of that night. And, sporadic meetings with Eddie and Naomi have her running from her privileged and stable life. Her character is likable but frustrating. The story is riveting and full of suspense. I couldn’t put it down. I liked the ending too! Highly recommended!
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| Cheryl A Wimer (wimer52@zoominternet.net) |
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Extremely funny. This book won the Pulitzer.
|
| Lucy |
Bobbie Faye's Very (Very, Very, Very) Bad Day by Toni McGee Causey |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A funny thriller with a touch of romantic suspense. Bobbie Faye inherited (from her mother) the title of Queen of the Contraband Days Festival, an annual event in the small Louisiana town where she lives. But she also has a short temper which (literally) everyone in the town (and surrounding county) knows about from numerous past experiences in dealing with her and the things that happen around her. She's considered a disaster waiting to happen! So much so that, according to the quotes that open each chapter, the governor of Louisiana would just l-o-v-e to give her away to another state or even to another country. Unfortunately for him, no one will take her!
|
| Marsha |
The God of Animals by Aryn Kyle |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This stunning coming-of-age novel will more than remind you of the misery of awkward adolescent moments. Her descriptions of uncovering truths and the power of forgiveness will touch your heart.
|
| Nicole |
Key Lime Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I love this series, and can't wait for the next book to come out!!
|
| Fran |
Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner |
Rating: 2 Stars |
Although I loved GOOD IN BED and IN HER SHOES, I could barely get into this book. It was definitely not her best work. This book was about a bored housewife/ mother who doesn't quite fit in with the other women in her town. When she stumbles upon a mystery, she rediscovers herself. It held my interest enough to finish it, but I probably could have put this book down at any time without giving it second thought.
|
| Fran |
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I revisited this book on audio format. I have to say that I enjoyed it much more than reading it. The audio format leaves out all the comics, which I felt distracted me from the storyline. Loved it!!!
|
| Susan Dyer (susandyer1962@aol.com) |
The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is my first of many Macomber books! She gets you hooked on the characters right from the first page and you can't put the book down until you finish! I feel as I know these four women and I can't wait to read the next one, A GOOD YARN!
|
| Madeline |
Helpless by Barbara Gowdy |
Rating: 4 Stars |
So creepily well done. I found myself cringing every time I turned the page, sure that what I feared was going to happen would on the next page. At the end, the reader is left with both answers...and more questions.
|
| Luna |
The Sidewalk Artist by Gina Buonaguro, Janice Kirk |
Rating: 2 Stars |
A strange story that takes a while to get into. I think it's about the ghost of Renaissance artist Rafael "helping" the reincarnation of his beloved.
|
| Peggy |
1st To Die by James Patterson |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I really enjoyed this book. As a matter of fact, I think it is even better than THE 5TH HORSEMAN.
|
| Fran |
The Next Big Thing by Johanna Edwards |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This book was a fun read. Chick lit meets reality television. This book features an overweight heroine, who is hiding her true weight from her online boyfriend. When the opportunity arises to go on a reality television program to lose weight, she jumps at the chance. It was a fun story with a very lovable character.
|
| Nicole |
Sister Mine by Tawni O'Dell |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This book was just OK to me.
|
| Jane (janebeatty92083@hotmail.com) |
Remember Me, Irene by Jan Burke |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a very suspenseful series. Jan is terrific. I am glad i started with this author. It keeps you on the edge of your seat from morning 'til night. I don't want to put it down till I see what happens. It is highly recommended.
|
| Vickie Starr (vlstarr@clds.net) |
The First Counsel by Brad Meltzer |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I love discovering a new (for me) author. This is my first encounter with Mr. Meltzer and I thoroughly enjoyed the meeting. What is life like when the "First Daughter" wants to be your girlfriend and you work for her "Daddy"? Loved finding out!
|
| Wendy Catalano |
Lullabies For Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A wonderfully written, very sad story of a young girl being raised by her heroin-addict father.
|
| Julie Peterson (jpeterson1108@comcast.net) |
Playing Dead by David Rosenfelt |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I always enjoy David Rosenfelt's books and this was no exception. It wasn't his best, but it still held my attention until the end. If you like Grisham, you'll love David Rosenfelt.
|
| Marsha |
Dedication by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The bestselling authors of THE NANNY DIARIES and CITIZEN GIRL have scored another winner about celebrity obsession and coming of age during the divorce boom. How do we ever manage to "get over" our high school love!
|
| Betty Jo (harrises@bayou.com) |
Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A story of modern-day slavery starting on a Louisiana plantation. The main character, Denver, eventually becomes a homeless person on the streets of Fort Worth, Texas until he meets the Halls. A remarkable read full of hope.
|
| Rita |
Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a wonderful book about the ways in which one small Colorado town reacted when a Japanese internment camp was set up there during World War II. I found the book very thought provoking, as we could easily substitute Middle Easterners for the Japanese in terms of prejudice and fear today.
|
| Barbara B |
A Blind Eye by G. M. Ford |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I like the characters, Frank Corso and Meg Dougherty, and their varied relationship. A well-conceived plot and great storytelling.
|
| Lori S. (sunbug5505@yahoo.com) |
Candles Burning by Tabitha King and Michael McDowell |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This is a strange novel taking place in the South of Truman Capote and Anne Rivers Siddons. It has some of the characteristics of a gothic tale, involving a young girl, Calliope Dakins, whose father was murdered when she was 7 years old. She is raised by a mysterious woman in an old plantation, turned into a bed and breakfast. She begins to look into the mysterious circumstances of her father's death, possibly involving her self-absorbed mother or her evil grandmother and assisted by the voices of a couple deceased relatives. I told you this is a strange book.
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| Lori S. (sunbug5505@yahoo.com) |
Falling Out of Fashion by Karen Yampolsky |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Having worked for 9 years at Jane Magazine, Yampolsky knows the magazine business and shares her knowledge in this sometimes funny story of Jill White, the top level editor-in-chief of her namesake magazine. She had it made --- a successful magazine, a talented team behind her, famous friends, huge salary, big budget for designer clothes, entertainment, and dinners with the famous in the finest restaurants...until another company takes over. She is assigned a new assistant and told to re-design her magazine. She is humiliated and angry and has to deal with the back stabbing and cattiness of co-workers who seem set on making her life miserable. Is all the misery worth it? Or is having it all not really what it's chalked up to be? Reminiscent of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, it's a good read.
|
| Julie Peterson (jpeterson1108@comcast.net) |
Any Bitter Thing by Monica Wood |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This was my June bookclub selection and it was a great one! There were plenty of recurring themes to discuss, such as abandonment, penance and guilt. In addition, there were many ethical dilemmas.
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| Lori S. (sunbug5505@yahoo.com) |
My Darling Clementine by Jack Fishman |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The story of Clementine Churchill, Winston Churchill's wife, from her first meeting with the young Churchill, to their private life together in the country, and pubic life at 10 Downing Street during the war years. She was a delight, whether riding a camel in the desert beside Lawrence of Arabia to making her always-late husband wait for HER while she dressed for the evening --- twice. She was a great lady. Published in 1963, I found it in a used bookstore and enjoyed every page.
|
| Betty Jo (harrises@bayou.com) |
My Lost and Found Life by Melodie Bowsher |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Coming-of-age story of a young woman after her mother embezzles a million dollars. Set in San Francisco, the author makes you feel like you are in the city with the young girl. A great read that is perfect for the beach.
|
| M. Blitz |
As Always, Jack by Emma Sweeney |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A young woman learns to know her father through love letters written to her mother before they were married. Jack dies before Emma is born, so letters and stories are what makes her father come alive for her. This is a true story, complete with letters.
|
| Christy Hawkes (hawkes@citlink.net) |
Just Wicked Enough by Lorraine Heath |
Rating: 5 Stars |
What a wonderful historical romance novel. Set in 1888 London, Michael and Kate's story of sacrifice, marriage, *then* courtship, passion and love had me hooked from the first page until the last (with a box of tissues in between). The sexual tension is intense and these characters are truly likable, lovable and memorable. This is a truly heartwarming read that is deserving of more than 5 stars!
JUST WICKED ENOUGH is the 2nd book in the Rogues and Roses Series and was my first Lorraine Heath book. I am totally hooked and plan on purchasing the first book from this series, and other books also. Add my name to the top of her fan list!
|
| Cindy |
Dark Lover by J. R. Ward |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Add a pinch of hot studs and an ounce of passion, you'll get DARK LOVER. If you think you've read every paranormal romance and the typical vampire description is beginning to bore you to death, then give DARK LOVER a try. It's got the thrill, sexy vampires that love rap music, and crazy love scenes that will make your heart flutter. You'll want to continue the series when your done with the first book. Its just that good.
|
| Liz |
Summer Knight by Jim Butcher |
Rating: 5 Stars |
The more I read Butcher's Dresden Files series, the more I fall in love with it! This book has been nothing but one sucker punch after another and I have enjoyed every blow!
|
| Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com) |
Lethally Blond by Kate White |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This book is actually more like 4 1/2 stars. The story follows the life of Bailey Weggins, a celebrity crime reporter for Buzz magazine. She is a delightful character and gets herself into quite a few tight situations while investigating a missing-persons case, which --- of course --- turns into a case of murder. There are some humorous moments, and quite a few edge-of-your-seat moments. I like that each chapter ends at a crucial moment in the story, so that you keep saying "just one more chapter," and end up reading all night. I didn't particularly like the ending; there were too many unanswered questions, but I'm sure there will be a follow-up book. I'm not sure, but I think this might be #2 in a series.
|
| Kathy Kasten |
Cold Cold Heart by James Elliot |
Rating: 3 Stars |
A good book, but a little there is too much of the Russian Mafia in it.
|
| Kathy Kasten |
Deception Point by Dan Brown |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This was written by the author of THE DA VINCI CODE. AIl I can say is that it's a great book with a lot of suspense, and it kept me up way too long on too many nights.
|
| Rita |
Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is an excellent summer read and now that I have finished it, I only want to find some of those yummy chocolates, especially the sexy ones. I would have given this a 5 as a summer read except that the last chapter was a bit too 1950ish in its attempts to tie up every loose end and do a Perry Mason explanation.
|
| RitaB |
The Covenant by Naomi Ragen |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This is a novel about life in a place where terrorism is an everyday fact of life. It is also about cultural differences, and the strength of love and friendship.
The Margulies family, a young Jewish couple and their small daughter, have settled in Israel. They live the constant threat of terrorism, while at the same time they are acquainted with Arab families in the area. When Jonathan Margulies and his young daughter are kidnapped by terrorists on their way home from a ballet recital, Elise Margulies calls her grandmother in America, an Auschwitz survivor, for help and support. The grandmother calls on her closest friends, met in Auschwitz, thus reviving an oath made during the horrors of the concentration camp.
The plot covers five days, during which the reader shares the fear and worry about the fate of the victims with the characters.
|
| Christy Hawkes (hawkes@citlink.net) |
Countdown by Iris Johansen |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This story is a continuation of Blind Alley, with Jane MacGuire and Trevor Mark and is part of the Eve Duncan series. The plot is full of action and suspense, and there are several new characters introduced that I would like to see more of. I'm hoping there will be more books in this series to answer my "where are they now" questions.
|
| Sandra F. |
Tomorrow by Graham Swift |
Rating: 3 Stars |
I found this book a bit of a disappointment --- Graham Swift's other books are better. TOMORROW had a lot of false notes in it and I think that is because it is a man writing from a woman's perspective. I found myself thinking at various times while reading it that a wife and mother would not have expressed herself in that fashion. Also, everything in the book seemed so predictable --- there was nothing to draw the reader along. The best parts of the book were the descriptions of Mike and Paula's past lives and those of their parents.
|
| Sandra F. |
Blood and Honey by Graham Hurley |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is part of a series featuring Joe Faraday, who is a detective in Portsmouth. It is a like Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus series and every bit as good.
|
| Genie |
Random Sample by Andrew Greenwood |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Rhett Sanders enjoys a comfortable life but spices it up with a daily newspaper game, scanning stories and randomly picking a name. He then checks the name to see if it's in his database of survey respondents. One day, he finds the name of a young man from a small town who was shot by police in a drug raid. He looks at the man's responses to the survey and the info doesn't add up. He, with the help of Toni (his girlfriend) and Chris (his best friend and attorney), begins an "unofficial" investigation. They find themselves on a dangerous path leading to dirty cops, politicians and illegal drug deals. A very enjoyable read.
|
| Genie |
Burnt Offerings by Laurell K. Hamilton |
Rating: 5 Stars |
BURNT OFFERINGS begins as Anita agrees to help both the police and fire departments track down a possible psychic fire starter. This arsonist has already targeted the vampires in New Orleans and San Francisco, and it seems that St. Louis is now on the list.
A second plot quickly comes into play when a romantic dinner is interrupted by several vampires from Jean-Claude's past. These members of the European vampire council have come to St. Louis to demand revenge for the death of another member of the council at Anita's hands (Oliver from CIRCUS OF THE DAMNED). They challenge Jean-Claude's entire "family" to a series of "games" that only the strongest can survive.
To further complicate a complicated situation, Anita finds herself in the role of protector of the werewolf and were-leopard members of Jean-Claude's "family." Her werewolf ex-boyfriend, Richard, the pack's alpha, hasn't chosen another lupa, so Anita remains their third in command. Since she killed the alpha of the were-leopards, Anita is also considered the leoparde lionne.
Anita finds herself going back and forth between police investigations and the challenge at Circus of the Dammed. It is only at the very end that the elements of both situations come together. We readers are finally allowed to see not only who is responsible for the fires, but how they are related to the challenge organized by the council.
|
| CSimar |
And the Sea is Never Full by Elie Wiesel |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is about Wiesel's life as a Holocaust survivor and what he has done to further understanding in the world.
|
| C. Simar |
Once Upon a Day by Lisa Tucker |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Beautifully written. a delight to read.
|
| C. Simar |
A Trout in the Sea of Cortez by John Salter |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Quirky and surprising. An excellent read.
|
| RitaB |
The 6th Target by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro |
Rating: 3 Stars |
I found this latest book in the Women's Murder Club series to be not quite as compelling as the previous volumes. The near-fatal injury of Claire during a madman's random rampage should have brought back vivid and horrible memories of the last volume, but that murder is never mentioned.
I read that there will be a TV series based on these books and I'm looking forward to it!
|
| ritaB |
The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I loved this book. As a librarian and passionate believer of literacy and information literacy, this project of bringing books to people who may have never held one before is fascinating and encouraging. I was aware of the project before I read this novel.
The book is an easy read, and Hamilton does a beautiful job of defining her characters. Fi Sweeney's motivations for volunteering for this project and Mr. Abasi's cynicism for it are so well described and layered with emotions and context. Hamilton's development and portrayal of the inhabitants of Mididima and their culture is detailed. The dichotomy of Fi's idealism and Western values, the Kenyan culture, and their struggles with tradition and new ideas is very well done.
|
| ritaB |
Obsession by Jonathan Kellerman |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Psychologist Alex Delaware unravels his latest patient's puzzle. Alex and Detective Milo Sturgis start with almost nothing as they investigate a possible crime that may have occurred ten years ago with an unknown victim. Through it all, they must contend with the obsessions and obsessive compulsions of all involved.
As always, Kellerman's latest is a good read.
|
| Kristy Mallet |
Hidden by Paul Jaskunas |
Rating: 4 Stars |
An interesting read that grew on me even after I'd finished it. I found myself considering Maggie, the main character, and how I would have handled her situation myself, long after I'd put the book away. She stayed with me and that is the mark of a good book!!
|
| Kristy Mallet |
East of Eden by John Steinbeck |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I know, I know...everyone in the world has read this book already and knows how incredible it is --- but I just got around to reading it and it blew me away! It's definitely in my top 10 best books ever. If you haven't read it, do it now!
|
| Judy O. |
Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This was an excellent historical fiction book. During World War II, the Japanese in the United States were interned in camps because they were thought to be dangerous after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Tallgrass was such a camp in Ellis, Colorado. The people in the small town looked on these people with much curiosity and suspicion. Especially when the murder of a young girl occurs on a nearby farm. This was just a compellingly readable book about the aftermath of this tragedy, told through the eyes of 12-year-old Rennie Stroud.
|
| Judy O. |
The Overlook by Michael Connelly |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Harry Bosch is on the trail of a murderer as usual, only this killing seems to have terrorist ties. Or does it? A highly radioactive substance is stolen during the murder, and the FBI and the terrorist task force are desperate to find it. As usual, Bosch saves the day at a cost to himself.
|
| Marsha |
The Road by Cormac McCarthy |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This tale of survival in the midst of post-apocalyptic misery will keep you on the edge of your seat. It is beautifully written with McCarthy's idea of punctuation. This is a very moving journey that will leave you much to think about.
|
| Donna |
Key Lime Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the latest book in the series about Hannah Swensen, cookie cafe owner and crime sleuth. It has a little bit of everything: mystery, romance, a small-town setting, and dessert recipes. I usually love suspense novels and thrillers. Joanne Fluke is a breath of fresh air --- no gore or profanity. This chick book is a fun read.
|
| Jen Mulsow |
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and War by Nathaniel Philbrick |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a very interesting book. I have never read anything about what happened to the Pilgrims after the first Thanksgiving.
|
| Juanita |
Beloved by Toni Morrison |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A very good and thought-provoking book. Not an easy one! BELOVED is my book club pick, and I'm looking forward to our meeting.
|
| Marion Miller (lamamil@aol.com) |
The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Picard |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This was a good read. It moved fast and kept my interest. However, I figured out the ending after a short time. It reminded me of other books about small-town people with big secrets, but it still held me until the end.
|
| Bonnie |
Ant Farm by Simon Rich |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This short book of stories got great reviews. (It can be read in less than an hour, so go to the library. DO NOT spend $12.95 on it.) On the cover, John Stewart gushes, "Hilarious." Um, not so much. Mildly amusing? Maybe. Rich is a clever writer but the book didn't make me laugh or even smile much. That's all I expect from a humorous book. This one just showed me how creative and clever the author is.
|
| lookforbooks (leonebear@aol.com) |
The Taste of Dreams by Vanora Bennett |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A beautifully written unique book. Growing up on lumpfish roe, the author has an obsession with "Real Caviar" and Russia, and is able to fulfill her dream by living in Moscow as a correspondent for Reuters. She comes to the conclusion that to a Russian, caviar is edible "azart."
|
| Devan |
Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book is an awesome read! It keeps you on the edge of your seat and up all night! This is an absolute must for mystery fans!!
|
| Ben |
The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden by Catherynne Valente |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This book of stories within stories reads like a modern Tales of Arabian Nights. Wonderfully written.
|
| Joanne Newton |
Letter from Point Clear by Dennis McFarland |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I thoroughly enjoyed the advance copy edition, about 30-ish siblings who love and accept each other despite their flaws. A letter from the youngest tells of her marriage to an evangelical pastor at their childhood home, and the older sister and brother rush down there to try and save her.
|
| Marsha |
Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Jack Reacher and his old Army Special Unit reunite to foil a national conspiracy and seek revenge on the death of their buddies. This is pure escapism and a real nail-biter.
|
| Kay Keller |
Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Jack Reacher is an awesome character! This book included three members of Reacher's former military special unit working with Reacher to find four other members. The foursome tracks down the murderers of their friends and gets revenge. I really enjoy the books that feature Jack Reacher, but I couldn't easily picture the other three friends working with him. Even so, this book picked up speed and I couldn't put it down for the last 100 pages! Read this book!
|
| Laura Suttell (suttell@gmail.com) |
Landing by Emma Donoghue |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I can't put this book down. The characters are so real to me. LANDING is beautifully written, with Ireland and Ireland, Ontario, playing big roles.
|
| Sharon Lumb (swl44th@hotmail.com) |
The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is not your typical tell-all autobiography of a movie star, but a thoughtful and thought-provoking story a man who is more concerned about being true to his upbringing than being a movie star. Fortunately, for all of us, he was able to balance the two and succeed.
|
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
The Wilde Women by Paula Wall |
Rating: 4 Stars |
An enjoyable book about women's feelings about men, an interesting view of Tennessee during Prohibition, and the history of whiskey, with a little voodoo and slavery laced into the story.
|
| Sally B., San Antonio TX |
The Rope Walk by Carrie Brown |
Rating: 3 Stars |
3.5 stars. During her 10th summer, a young girl is befriended by a biracial boy and an elderly man who is dying from AIDS. This story portrayed the many prejudices toward biracial people more so than the prejudices toward people with AIDS.
The writing was good and very descriptive but for some reason, while I was reading it, I kept on thinking the story was set in the 40s or 50s when actually it was set in modern day, post-911 America.
|
| Linda Childers |
The Department of Lost and Found by Allison Winn Scotch |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I couldn't put this book down and was sorry to see it end. We've all heard the phrase "Don't get so busy making a living that you forget to have a life." This could be the mantra of Natalie Miller. At 30, she seems to have it all until her world comes crashing down with a diagnosis of cancer, which coincides with her boyfriend leaving her. Rather than sink into depression, Natalie directs her energies towards figuring out what went wrong in her past relationships by tracking down the five loves of her life. Given that Natalie is battling breast cancer, this could have been a deep, dark, novel; yet, Scotch portrays Natalie as a fighter and illustrates how she battles cancer with courage and humor. When Natalie faces her own immortality, she comes to the realization that she's been sleepwalking through much of her life. Her diagnosis brings an understanding of what she truly wants from life.
|
| Lorna |
The 6th Target by James Patterson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Even though I enjoyed this book, it wasn't the best in the series. I do like the short chapters and the Women's Murder Club. Of course, I can't wait to read the next one to find out what happens with Boxer and Joe.
|
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
The Chrysalis by Heather Terrell |
Rating: 4 Stars |
An interesting story that unfolds on three levels: 17th-century Netherlands, World War II, and present-day New York --- and deciding to whom stolen artwork now belongs. If called to act, will we soar and possibly lose everything or allow injustice to prevail?
|
| Lorna |
The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I think I was expecting more from this book, but it was still good. I was comparing it to Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series (there is no comparison). Hopefully there will be more to follow, it was a fun read.
|
| Arthur Harriman |
The Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The characters come alive in plausible, as well as in semi-plausible or even implausible, situations of threat and danger.
|
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
The Right Hand of Evil by John Saul |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Not his best work, but I am a loyal fan and will always, always read his books.
|
| AL Anderson |
The Best Read Man in France by Peter Briscoe |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Savor THE BEST READ MAN IN FRANCE, for as you ruminate, this morsel of prose offers more than its length suggests. The perfect repast for a leisurely afternoon, this tidy novella (111 pages) lovingly maps the social geography of books by following the travels and travails of a dauntless bookseller in Los Angeles, Paris and Mexico City. As our handsome hero --- alternately a hardworking librero and a passionate connoisseur of more than books --- unearths the tragic story of the man behind the great people's library circa 1645 in France, he discovers that his steamy flirtations with a lovely librarian court more than merely his own demise. In short, we hope this author's first fiction, a lively, entertaining caution to booklovers everywhere, is merely an aperitif, and we highly recommend you make the "best read man" your delightful companion on your next transcontinental or transoceanic flight!
|
| Rosanne |
Atonement by Ian McEwan |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a very excellent book. I am enjoying every minute reading this book!
|
| Lori S. (sunbug5505@yahoo.com) |
Between the Bridge and the River by Craig Ferguson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This debut novel of the host of the Late Late Show, Craig Ferguson. will make you wonder if he isn't an author first and television personality second. The hysterically funny, joyous and surprisingly meaningful story knocks religion, race and sexual orientation as it centers on 2 childhood friends from Scotland and 2 kooky illegitimate half-brothers from the American South whose bizarre experiences are somehow connected. Along the way, you meet other characters such as Carl Jung, Fatty Arbuckle, Socrates and Tony Randall. Once you jump into this crazy story, it's hard to put it down.
|
| Vicki |
Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This was excellent! I listened to the unabridged audio book and was totally absorbed in this fascinating fictionalized history of Lady Jane Grey, the young girl who was Queen of England for six days before being overthrown by Mary. Weir is a historian and her thorough research shows, but does not bog down the story of this amazing young woman.
|
| Charley Hardin (radar_charley@yahoo.com) |
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A lightweight romantic comedy that would make for a funny TV movie of the week. The author had me at jealous ex-boyfriend and Krispy Kreme donuts! If you are looking for a fun read, pick this one up!
|
| Vicki |
The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory |
Rating: 5 Stars |
If you think you know everything there is to know about Katherine of Aragon, think again. Once again, Philippa Gregory researches the life of a well-known historical figure and presents us with a fictional account that brings the person to life in ways we never imagined. Here, she shows us the young Catalina growing up in Spain and being sent abroad at a young age to become Prince Arthur's bride. A widow after only seven months of marriage, Gregory helps us understand the young Dowager Princess's struggles and hardships on the way to fulfilling her destiny.
|
| L. Hann |
Eleven On Top by Janet Evanovich |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Awesome! Stephanie Plum is at it again. She has decided to give up being a bounty hunter, but still manages to get into trouble, from getting fired from one job even before she started, giving discounts to her friends at the dry cleaners, and blowing up a fast food place. She finally gets an office job working for Ranger. Even though she has said she has given up being a bounty hunter, she can't stay put. She is out and about, solving crimes and helping Lula with FTA's. I was laughing so much during this book. Great read.
|
| Vicki |
To the Tower Born by Robin Maxwell |
Rating: 5 Stars |
An absorbing alternate version of the story of the princes in the tower. Were they really ruthlessly murdered by their uncle Richard so he could be king himself? Or was there someone else who would benefit from their disappearance? A highly readable and engaging novel that left me wanting more.
|
| Vicki |
The Scroll of Seduction by Giaconda Belli |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A fascinating exploration of Juana the Mad from a modern perspective. She was the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain and should have been queen in her own right, but both her husband and father claimed she was mad and prevented her from ruling. Was Juana really incapable of ruling or were there other factors that historians ignored? Truly enlightening fiction.
|
| JaneAnn Railey (redglitter@centurytel.net) |
The Sweet Magnolias Trilogy by Sherryl Woods |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Absolutely 5 stars and more, these are three books are "can't lay down" books. They're just all about friends family and getting through life.
1. STEALING HOME
2. A SLICE OF HEAVEN
3. FEELS LIKE FAMILY
I was sad after finishing her last book, so I went to Woods's website to tell her how much I enjoyed the book, and to ask if there would be any more. Certainly, plenty more could be written about this storyline! To my surprise, there is! I printed out her book list and will definitely be looking for more of her novels.
|
| J. P. Feingold |
A Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna Quindlen |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a great way to get back on track when you feel you have lost your perspective. I suspect I'll reread it many times.
|
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
The Waitress by Melissa Nathan |
Rating: 5 Stars |
It took me about 100 pages to get into this book. Once I did, I was hooked. This reminded me a little bit of AMANDA'S WEDDING, but it was much better. It is a story about Katie, a waitress, who is trying to figure out what to do with her life. This book had adjacent stories and expressions of feelings from the other characters. It made the book more interesting and unique. Although the main character was Katie, the author was very deliberate in detailing the lives of some of the other characters, what they were feeling about certain aspects of their lives, and how it related to the main plot. Nathan did a very good job with this. As a reader, I didn’t feel like these tributaries were unnecessary. They added to the enjoyment of the book. I am definitely interested in reading more books by this author. Well done!
|
| Marsha |
Los Angeles Noir by Edited by Denise Hamilton |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This anthology of gritty stories encompasses many neighborhoods in the L A Basin. The emphasis is Noir.
|
| Holly J |
Spell of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning |
Rating: 3 Stars |
It's a paranormal romance that's fairly predictable. But I do like to mentally escape my daily routine --- don't you?
|
| Charley Hardiner (radar_charley@yahoo.com) |
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK. Rowling |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I'm rereading this book to gear up for the new movie. I have enjoyed all the Harry Potter books so far and cannot wait for the last one. But in the meantime, I am immersed in the ORDER OF THE PHOENIX.
This one finds Harry having anger issues, and it is refreshing to see that the author has allowed her young wizards to grow and not keep them babes forever. This book is darker and I love it. Lots of good stuff in this installment.
|
| Nikki O'Brien |
The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I received an advanced reader copy so I picked it up to look it over, read the first page, and was hooked. I have 50 pages to go, so I can't wait for my "before bed" reading time.
|
| Holly J |
Miss Julia Hits the Road by Ann B Ross |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This series appears to have started in 1999. The humorous widowed southern woman is a force to be reckoned with. It's light reading with just a touch of scandal.
|
| Holly J |
No! I Don't Want to Join a Book Club by Virginia Ironside |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Written by a Brit, this is a very funny story similar to BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY for the *ahem* mature woman.
|
| Lew |
Cell by Stephen King |
Rating: 3 Stars |
I listened to the unabridged audio CD, and I didn't feel that this was one of his better books.
|
| Lew |
Black Wind by Clive Cussler |
Rating: 3 Stars |
The usual Clive Cussler thriller. Not his best.
|
| Chastity J. (chasj75@yahoo.com) |
The Traveling Vampire Show by Richard Laymon |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This book is a coming-of-age story with a twist. Three teenagers find out what they are really made of during a weekend of mystery and horror. With a surprise around every corner, I was thrilled and slightly disturbed by this book. It reminded me a little of Stephen King's THE BODY. The only reason it did not earn 5 stars was because it was easy to get lost in its twists and turns.
|
| Charley Hardin (radar_charley@yahoo.com) |
Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I read this book often, it is my all-time favorite. With summer television being yuck-o, I find myself turning back the hands of time and reaching for those antebellum times wrecked by the sounds of muskets firing, and the booming of cannons tearing the southern soil asunder. GONE WITH THE WIND is a classic and Mitchell lets me enter her world for awhile and that is all right with me! There is a little of Scarlett O'Hara in everyone, all you have to do is open the book and find it. Enjoy!
|
| Heather Parker (parkerh@telusplanet.net) |
The Harlequin by Laurell K. Hamilton |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I just started it, and it looks like maybe this book has some plot and not as much gratuitous sex.
|
| Claire from Royal Oak, MI |
The Overlook by Michael Connelly |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Detective Harry Bosch investigates a murder on Mulholland Dr., where a doctor is killed after being forced to steal enough radioactive product to kill thousands.
The FBI gets involved, and an old girlfriend is with them. This is a fast-paced
book and a great beach read.
|
| Lindsey H. |
Vendetta by Fern Michaels |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This is the third book in the Revenge of the Sisterhood series by Fern Michaels. The Sisterhood is a group of very different women who become friends as they plan to avenge wrongs done to each of them, and in which they believe the justice system failed them. Very light fluff, but fun reading to take to the beach and just kick back, escape, and enjoy!.
|
| Julia R. |
Danse Macabre by Laurell K. Hamilton |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I'm rereading this in anticipation of the next Anita Blake book, THE HARLEQUIN. I am hoping the next book will have a little more plot.
|
| Judy Goldsmith (judyjtg@sbcglobal.net) |
Origami Bridges: Poems of Psychoanalysis and Fire by Diane Ackerman |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This poetry comes straight from the heart of a woman with incredible courage and creativity.
|
| John Swann |
Our Friend Jimmie by James D. Sweat |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Filled with plot twists and very lovable characters, this is a book you absolutely can't put down. I'm waiting for the sequel.
|
| Julie Towson |
A Thousand Bells at Noon by G. Franco Romagnoli |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I was in Rome recently and read this while I was there. It is a wonderfully written book about the sights, smells, and sounds of Rome. The author left Rome for America, where he made a name of himself as a cookbook author, television personality, and restaurant owner. But, the love of his native city brought him back to Rome for an extended stay, allowing him to rediscover his beautiful city.
|
| Mary Schreiner |
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sajie |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A story of two teenage boys exiled to a remote village for re-education during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. They meet the daughter of a local tailor and discover a stash of banned Western Classics. This is a wonderful novel.
|
| Sharron |
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Once again, Picoult takes a timely subject and lets you "see" inside it. A boy is bullied throughout his life, gets no "help" from school, and takes matters into his own hands in the form of a gun. There is a predictable twist at the end, but it's a book you can't stop reading. As a teacher, I see bullying in children as young as 4 or 5, and I now look at it in a new, frightening light.
|
| Robin Coker (hillcoker@yahoo.com) |
The 6th Target by James Patterson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is the 6th in the Women's Murder Club series, and I love them all. Though this one didn't hold my attention like the others, it did open up other possible storylines to come. This one deals somewhat with Boxer's love life, the decisions she is struggling with, and her career changes. There were also several different crimes happening throughout the book. It's a good, quick read.
|
| Julia R. |
Undead and Uneasy by MaryJanice Davidson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The latest installment in the Queen Betsy saga. I do enjoy her internal dialogue.
|
| Sharron |
Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas |
Rating: 4 Stars |
In Sandra Dallas fashion, this is the story of war, and prejudice, and coming of age. The story takes place in Colorado during World War II in a small farming community, where Japanese Americans are confined in a containment camp. This story has lots of parallels to TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. It's an easy and entertaining read.
|
| Melinda Jones |
Dream WhenYou're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I have enjoyed many of Elizabeth Berg's books and all are coming-of-age stories. DREAM WHEN YOU'RE FEELING BLUE is the story of 3 sisters (and the rest of their family) growing up during World War II. The author captures this period so well, even using Bob Hope jokes. It was a time when women did men's work in the factories and weren't sure they wanted to give up those jobs when the men came home. The use of letters to and from soldiers is so indicative of that time, sad and happy. Definitely a great read.
|
| Sharron |
The 6th Target by James Patterson |
Rating: 3 Stars |
The women's murder club is ever busy and involved, directly, in a mass murder and a child kidnapping. This book has two parallel stories. If you liked the Women's Murder Club series, you have to read this.
|
| Barbara Duncan (barbaralynduncan@yahoo.com) |
Bright Lights, Big Ass by Jen Lancaster |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a laugh-out-loud memoir by Jen Lancaster. It's the second memoir she has written and it's just as good as the first. This girl says and does things I wish I had the guts to do. Not chick lit by any means, but it's a light read and is highly recommended.
|
| Laurie Blum (laurieblum@hotmail.com) |
Twilight of the Superheros: Stories by Deborah Eisenberg |
Rating: 3 Stars |
You will love this collection of short stories. With delicate narration, the author tells the tales of fated connection and disconnection.
|
| Book Momma (Bookmomma@aol.com) |
The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a terrific love story that takes place in World War II Naples. Based on actual events, the two lovers have a sad and painful journey before they can be together. The descriptions of food and cooking are wonderful. I gained five pounds just reading this!
|
| Mary Ann Weaver (honeywest66@hotmail.com) |
Civil Action by Jonathan Harr |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Although this got kind of repetitive and slow at times, I still could not put it down. The ending was definitely what I expected. Read it and you will see what I mean.
|
| JHF |
The Road by Cormac McCarthy |
Rating: 2 Stars |
I must say, I was totally disappointed with this book, and the fact that it was in Oprah's Book Club. The main theme is that war is a terrible thing. It is extremely depressing and I kept looking for glimmer of hope throughout the whole book. Don't bother reading to the end, you won't find one. It might have been "beautifully written," according to the critics, but why such a hopeless subject? If this is what we have to look forward to in the future, I would surely want to give up living!
|
| Bonnie (bgluhani@aol.com) |
I'm a stranger here myself by Bill Bryson |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I reread this book and it holds up well. It's laugh-out-loud funny but also thought provoking. It's the author's ruminations on returning to live in the USA with his family after many years living in England. Bryson never lets me down.
|
| Marlene Rosen |
Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This book has great merit. It taught me to see different aspects of how writers put together and structure their books. It was very interesting and worth reading for anyone who loves books.
|
| Kimberly |
The Light Ages by Ian R. Macleod |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is one of the more original fantasy novels I've read in recent years. The setting is an alternate Victorian age, and Macleod combines social criticism reminiscent of Dickens with luminous writing and a magical element that is both enchanting and ominous. If you like novels of substance, this complex 'realistic fantasy' may be for you.
|
| Lori S. (sunbug5505@yahoo.com) |
Good Night, Mr. Holmes by Carole Nelson-Douglas |
Rating: 4 Stars |
If you are a Sherlock Holmes fan, you may remember Irene Adler, who once outwitted the great detective, Rubbing shoulders with Bram Soker and Oscar Wilde, she is becoming a well-known detective herself. This is very entertaining, especially to the Baker Street fans.
|
| Lori S. (sunbug5505@yahoo.com) |
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Sookie Stackhouse, a small-town cocktail waitress, is such a likable heroine who has the gift --- and often, the curse --- of being able to read minds. This makes her fairly unapproachable until she meets tall, pale, dark-haired and handsome Bill. Not only can she NOT read his mind, which is a relief to her, but she learns he is a vampire. The more she becomes involved with Bill and meets his creepy friends --- one a handsome, dark-haired "man from Memphis" --- the more she wonders if she is in over her head, especially when a series of murders of vampire-friendly females occur, including one of her co-workers. Could Bill be a murderer? Could she be next?
This is a very funny and intriguing mix of vampire story, love story and mystery.
|
| Coral |
Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Dallas is a good writer. This is fiction, but could be true. It takes place during World War II, when the Japanese living on the West Coast were interned in camps inland. This story is about one of those camps near a Colorado town, and tells how it affected the town and people.
|
| Coral Harrison |
The First Lady by Carl Weber |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A humorous book abut a preacher who must choose a new wife after his first wife dies of cancer. Four women want him and he has to make up his mind.
|
| Dawn |
Dead Beat by Jim Butcher |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series of magical action/adventure tales by Jim Butcher. I read the first one years ago when it first came out, but never really got into it until the SciFi show brought the characters to life for me. Now yes, I know, it isn't the same, but it really helped. While the magic and wizardry is the male equivalent to say "Charmed," Butcher still sucks you into the life of Harry Dresden and his friends and keeps you on the edge of your seat. This is Book 7 in the series; it has only taken me a month to read the previous 6, and I can't wait for 8 & 9, which are sitting on my dining room table waiting for me.
|
| Wendy Rettig |
Get Out of My Life... by Anthony E. Wolf, Ph.D |
Rating: 4 Stars |
GET OUT OF MY LIFE, BUT FIRST CAN YOUR DRIVE ME & CHERYL TO THE MALL is a must read for anyone who has teenagers. It was a recommendation from years ago and it has helped me to understand and realize this whole other species called a teenager.
|
| I. Stukey (ingrids62448@yahoo.com) |
Sisters by Danielle Steel |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This was the first book I liked by Danielle Steel in a long while. I think she is back.
SISTERS was a great book, I enjoyed it very much.
|
| Book Momma (Bookmomma@aol.com) |
Requiem For An Assassin by Barry Eisler |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the latest in a series featuring John Rain, a Japanese\American assassin who has a code of honor. He keeps getting better with each book.
|
| Mary Ann Weaver (honeywest66@hotmail.com) |
Innocence Lost by Carlton Stowers |
Rating: 5 Stars |
True Crime fascinates me. Having lived in a small town, I realize I knew nothing of the underbelly of society. It's unbelievable what stupid things people can do and think they can get away with. Good book.
|
| V. McDaniel |
The Last Chinese Chef by Nicole Mones |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a wonderfully written story of a widow who travels to China to tie up loose ends following her husband's death. She's also doing a story on a Chinese chef. It turns out business mixes with pleasure and the end result of beautiful.
|
| I. Stukey (ingrids62448@yahoo.com) |
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I love Jodi Picoult. She showed with NINETEEN MINUTES what a good author she is.
|
| Mike Patt (michaelenepatt@comcast.net) |
A Wasteland of Strangers by Bill Pronzini |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Again, I'm a huge fan of Bill Pronzini and this book shows how people are treated and judged when they are not known in a small town.
|
| Mike Patt (michaelenepatt@comcast.net) |
Step To The Graveyard Easy by Bill Pronzini |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I am a big fan of Bill Pronzini and just finished this intriguing book. You might think you know why the main character has done what he did, but it's not til the last page that all is revealed in one sentence.
|
| Gloria |
Bound For Murder by Laura Childs |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Laura is a wonderful writer who keeps you guessing and wanting to turn those pages. If you are a scrapbooker, you will love this series, as she sets her story in a scrapbooking store and the surrounding city, of course. They are every bit as good as her Tea Shoppe stories. She does a great job of telling tales, making you feel you are there with her characters.
|
| Gloria |
The Jasmine Moon Murder by Laura Childs |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Laura always delivers a suspenseful and well-written story. This keeps you guessing right up to the last page. She makes her tea shop and other aspects of her story very believable. She also adds wonderful recipes at the end so you can make some of her goodies from the Tea Shoppe.
|
| Vicki Kennedy |
Echo Burning by Lee Child |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Lee Child is one of my favorite authors. I love his Jack Reacher novels. They’re so good that you have to struggle with yourself to put them down. ECHO BURNING is a great read!
|
| Peggy |
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is not a new book, but it is perhaps one of the best nonfiction accounts about what happened to the Indians in this country. It is a hard book to read and sometimes, the pain of what we Americans did to the Indians in this country is overwhelming, but if you want to have a complete history of this nation --- with its pluses and minuses --- this book is a necessity.
|
| Peggy |
Broken Prey by John Sandford |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I simply love Lucas Davenport. He is one of the best detective characters ever created. This Prey takes us inside the mind of a psychotic killer. Right up until the last few pages, you just aren't sure who the killer is, and that is true mystery writing. Mr. Sandford's Prey books highlight Minnesota as well, a state few of us see in mysteries.
|
| Jen |
The Little Lady Agency by Hestor Browne |
Rating: 3 Stars |
A fun and light read from a British author.
|
| Bob (rchase1032@aol.com) |
The Green Ripper by John D. MacDonald |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Macdonald ranks at the top of the pack in the category of books that hold up well over time --- I am reading this again after a ten - fifteen year period and am amazed at its relevance to 2007.If you have not yet discovered Macdonald, you have a treasure awaiting you, without even winning the lottery.
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| Anna Marie |
Not Your Mother's Vampire by Deborah Wilson Overstreet |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This book give a quick overview of the different ways that the Vampire myth has developed and it rise in modern YA lit. It is a cool head-nodding read for Fans of "Buffy" to TWILIGHT.
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| Cammie |
The Colony by John Tayman |
Rating: 5 Stars |
For those people who have read MOLOKA'I by Alan Brennart --- a fictional account of life in a leper colony on Moloka'i --- this book is a fascinating true story about the exiles (men, women and, yes, children) there. The horror of realizing one has leprosy is only second to the absolute terror of being told that one has to live a life of exile forever away from family and all that one knows under the worst of conditions. This book attests to the courage of these people, regardless of the miserable illness they suffered from.
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| Susan Creed (screed@spokanelibrary.org) |
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I wondered how McEwan could spin an entire novel (albeit a short one) out of a single wedding night, but he does so brilliantly by having the two people remember their separate upbringings and their courtship during the course of their disastrous first night together. I loved the author's attention to detail in his depictions of both characters and settings.
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| Jill |
The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the story of Nathan, who is writing "The Book of Human Folly" after recovering from cancer. He reconnects with his nephew Tom in Brooklyn, and many adventures follow. Great characters and great writing!
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| Susan P. |
The Quest by Wilbur Smith |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the next book in Smith's Egyptian series and covers the plagues and the Nile drying up. It continues with the story of Taita as a magus and weaves in mystical and spiritual events. THE QUEST is a slower read but the details and historical elements keep it interesting.
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| Candace |
Sisters by Danielle Steel |
Rating: 3 Stars |
The character development was strong, but the second half of the book was weak. It seemed to fall apart.
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| Claire McGirr |
The Rich Part of Life by Jim Kokoris |
Rating: 4 Stars |
My book club really enjoyed this book. The characters are quirky and interesting. This is a love story between a father and son.
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| Canadce |
THE WITNESS and TRUE DEVOTION by Dee Henderson |
Rating: 3 Stars |
These books weren't too preachy, but they weren't too deep either.TRUE DEVOTION was better than THE WITNESS, by far.
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| Merrilee (map5402@aol.com) |
Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee child |
Rating: 5 Stars |
The Jack Reacher novels are one of my favorite series and the newest entry is excellent.
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| Kathy |
Next by Michael Crichton |
Rating: 4 Stars |
As always, Crichton has a great mix of current medical issues and the worst possible outcomes blended into thought-provoking fiction. Fun with a message.
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| Claire McGirr |
Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I enjoyed this book. It is a story of families at odds with each other, with Nonny in the middle. It is a story about forgiveness and love.
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| Candace |
The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A beautiful tribute to an relatively unknown artist, Emily Carr.
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| Toni Guarnese |
The Custodian of Paradise by Wayne Johnston |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This book takes place in post-World War I Newfoundland, and has great characters and big secrets.
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| Jan Kanowitz (pooohcat@aol.com) |
Driving With Dead People by Monica Holloway |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This memoir tells the story of growing up in a family beset by an abusive father. It will be enjoyed by those who loved THE GLASS CASTLE.
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| Toni Giarnese |
The Maytrees by Annie Dillard |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Dunes in Provincetown and tides of the Atlantic are metaphors for the love between Lou and Toby in Dillard's second novel.
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| Sandy (sandyllny@yahoo.com) |
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Offering up one the nations' current moral/ethical dilemmas for the plot, Picoult tells the story of a child bred as a source of tissue donations to her older sibling, who is suffering from cancer.
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| Toni Giarnese |
The Pesthouse by Jim Crace |
Rating: 4 Stars |
In a post-modern world of the future, Margaret and Franklin cross a decimated land, trying to get passage on a ship to take them across the sea, in hopes of a better life.
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| Lynn |
Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich |
Rating: 5 Stars |
It's funny that LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN is one of the upcoming prizes, because I am just finishing re-reading TWELVE SHARP. These books are just great --- they always leave me laughing. I can't wait to read LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN, whether I win it or not!!
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| Phyllis |
What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A very good suspense novel that goes from the disappearance of two little girls, to the present day, when one reappears.
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| Joan G. |
Between The Tides by Patti Callahan Henry |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Catherine Leary is going back to her childhood hometown to scatter her father's ashes. Grayson Leary was a literature professor, and his teaching assistant decided to write an article on him, including the time the family spent in Seaboro, South Carolina. Catherine agrees reluctantly to go as she does not want a family secret discovered and written about. This was a great story of finding the truth and letting go of the past --- the best yet from Ms. Henry.
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| Phyllis |
Sammy's House by Kristin Gore |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This sequel to SAMMY'S HILL continues the saga of Sammy Joyce, now that her party has won the election to the White House and she has a position dealing with health care policy. Very entertaining.
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| toni giarnese |
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This imaginative book follows a Sitka detective who is investigating the murder of a heroin-addicted Jewish chess prodigy.
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| Pattie Berryhill (pattiberr@aol.com) |
Sleeping with Fear by Kay Hooper |
Rating: 1 Stars |
I have one word for this book...Yuck!
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| Clonnie Fox |
High Profile by Robert B. Parker |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The new Jesse Stone mystery will hold you the entire read. I was never a Robert B.Parker fan until Chief Stone.
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| Carol |
The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I loved this book!! I wasn't familiar with the author, but now plan to look up more of her work. This book had mystery, romance, and a great story.
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| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
Absolute Fear by Lisa Jackson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
If you think you've seen the last of Detective Reuben Montoya and his partner, Rick Bentz, think again. Even though the end is solid, the author let's you know, this isn't the end.
ABSOLUTE FEAR didn't top the charts as SHIVER did, though it answered many questions about Abby Chastain's mother, Faith. There were a wee bit too many dry stops in the story that I skipped in order to get back to the interesting parts. No matter though --- I look forward to the next installment of this story.
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| Jackie Wisherd |
African Ice by Jeff Buick |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I loved this adventurous story of intrigue, betrayal and love. As I trekked through the jungle with the characters, I was reminded of the old Johnny Weismueller Tarzan movies; and when th story moved to Amsterdam, I thought of an Audrey Hepburn movie...it was exciting right to the end. I couldn't put it down, and had to see how it ended. I learned a lot about the diamond industry too.
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| Rachael |
Dead and Berried by Karen MacInerney |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The descriptions were so vivid, which made the book that much more enjoyable. I think cozy mystery fans will love this book.
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| Rachael |
The Watchman by Robert Crais |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This was a tightly plotted, well thought-out mystery with nonstop action, bullets flying, and a hard core Joe Pike as the main character. Loved it!
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| Teresa (steinertt@aol.com) |
The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This book grabbed me from the beginning. I wish I could curl up and read it during the day, instead of working. I can't read until bed then I stay up too late because I can't stop.
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| Margaret F. |
Absolute Fear by Lisa Jackson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Another chilling suspense novel by Jackson, one that ties up story threads from several previous books.
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| Nicole |
What The Dead Know by Laura Lippman |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Wow!! What a great book!!!
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| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Compared to the first book of this series, Twilight, this one was sad. I was left with questions; and maybe in a series, this is a good thing. Still, there was no "Ahhhhh...." at the end. In fact, I felt a little stressed, wondering about Bella's future and what of Jacob? I love him too. Why did he have to get the raw end of the relationship?
No matter --- I'm totally hooked on the series.
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| Linda M. Johnson |
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I looked forward to this sophomore effort by the author of THE KITE RUNNER. I was not disappointed. In fact, I believe I liked this book way better than his first opus. A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS presents the story of two women in Afghanistan through the turmoil of their country and their marriage to a common husband. The history lessons I received will stay with me forever. I recommend very highly.
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| Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com) |
Secret Services by Margarett Dawson |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is very erotic reading, but has a good story behind it. Based in 1929 London, the story centers around Lady Gillian Christie, who is a reporter that finds herself assigned an article to find out about a mysterious game that is being played by the socialites. The game turns out to be much more than she thought and she finds herself helping an undercover agent foil German spies. Warning to the weak, the love scenes are very explicit and leave nothing to the imagination!
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| Jane H. |
Beach Music by Pat Conroy |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I believe that this is the best of all of Pat Conroy's novels. It is a must-read summertime story. I am reading it for the second time, and enjoying even more than the first!
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| Carol from Cleveland |
Puss 'n Cahoots by Rita Mae Brown |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The latest in Rita Mae Brown's entertaining series about a woman who solves crimes with the help of her two cats and dog, who usually figure things out before she does. I find it just as entertaining as the others, and a great diversion.
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| Carol from Cleveland |
Big Cherry Holler by Adrianna Trigiani |
Rating: 3 Stars |
The follow up to the author's BIG STONE GAP. This book follows the heroine into her marriage (which took place in the first book), and what happens with her husband and child. Pretty entertaining.
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| Carol from Cleveland |
Breakpoint by Richard Clarke |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a political/science fiction thriller set in the near future, but science has already made some amazing advances. It was much better than I'd expected, from a man who used to be part of the Clinton and Bush administrations.
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| Carol from Cleveland |
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Michael Chabon is a superb writer, and this book is no exception. The main character is a police detective in Alaska, where a section of the state has been declared a homeland for the Jews. Unfortunately, the homeland was for a limited time only, and the time is about to be up. Meanwhile, our hero is trying to solve a murder, and this is also a great noir mystery. Very enjoyable, and very funny.
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| Carol from Cleveland |
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith |
Rating: 5 Stars |
The latest in the author's #1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. Another great book that puts you in African culture, with a group of interesting people who are nice to spend time with! This time Mma Ramotswe's husband wants to get involved in detecting, and also fears his wife may have been unfaithful. All ends well, as usual.
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| m |
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This overwrought novel (642 pages) is interesting for historical facts of the Balkans and vampire lore concerning Vlad the Impaler. At times, you will wish for a ruthless editor.
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| Linda M. Johnson |
Tourist Season by Carl Hiaasen |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This was Hiassen's first solo effort. Just the title made me laugh, prior to reading a word, knowing how the author had to mean it.
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| Teresa (steinertt@aol.com) |
Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell |
Rating: 2 Stars |
I read this for a group. It was the ReadMOre (Missouri) choice. I found it's vocabulary odd and the tone harsh.
Maybe after we discuss it, I might find more to like about it.
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| E.Q.Knight |
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I've read every book of Ian McEwan. He is superb. It is a delicate story of Edward and Florence and the fact that they are both virgins on their wedding night. After I read SATURDAY, I thought he could not write anything more profound. He has done so!
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| E.Q. Knight |
Edith Wharton by Herimone Lee |
Rating: 5 Stars |
For anyone who loves biographies, this is splendid! Professor Lee invites you into Wharton's life with such fluency and finesse. Wharton's upper class status, her visits to Europe, her draw to the intellectual life are well illustrated. Each page is one to savor. I haven't enjoyed a book this much in a long time!
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| Mary Jacobs (mljacobsinhb@msn.com) |
Heart Of The Dragon by Gena Showalter |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Very sexy and engaging. Her her books keep getting better. This is definitely a paranormal romance that I highly recommend.
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| Mary Jacobs (mljacobsinhb@msn.com) |
The Stone Prince (Hqn Books) by Gena Showalter |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Very hot and sexy, although it dragged in parts, the ending was worth the wait. I really enjoyed this one. This new author for me is very appealing, so I am going back and reading all of her work.
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| Mary Jacobs (mljacobsinhb@msn.com) |
Undead and Uneasy (Queen Betsy, Book 6) by MaryJanice Davidson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a very solid Queen Betsy book that was cute and fun for the vampire in all of us. I love how MaryJanis Davidson tied everything together and that Betsy finally had her wedding day. You don't necessary have to read the whole series, but it helps.
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| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane Setterfield |
Rating: 5 Stars |
An excellent mystery packed full of family secrets!
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| Mary Jacobs (mljacobsinhb@msn.com) |
"Excuse Me, But I Was Next..." by Peggy Post |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Very well written and concise answers to modern manner dilemmas. This would make an excellent graduation gift or to have as a reference book.
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| Mary Jacobs (mljacobsinhb@msn.com) |
The Woman Who Is Always Tan and Has a Flat Stomach by Lauren Allison and Lisa Perry |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Very amusing essays on life as a mom, and the people you knew in high school and what they grew up to be as parents.
|
| Joyce |
You Have The Right To Remain Puzzled by Parnell Hall |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I just finished this cozy mystery story and look forward to the next segment in this series. This was another delightful romp with Cora Felton, the Puzzle Lady.
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| karen terry (mi3sons@mchsi.com) |
Candles Burning by Tabitha King and Michael McDowell |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is about a little girl from the south named Calley Dakin, whose father is kidnapped and brutally murdered. She goes back with her mother and brother to live with their grandmother. Her mother Roberta loves her son Ford more because he is the cute one. Calley can see and talk to the dead. Her mother is being accused of her husband's murder through gossip and by her own mother Mamadee Roberta's mother. Calley and her mother moved to Florida after Roberta's mother decides to take Ford away from her. That is where Calley's adventure begins in Mis Verlow's guest house. Calley meets all kinds of people who come to vacation there. She also meets Mrs. Mank, who has an explosive secret pertaining to her father's murder. It is a very good book that will have you cheering for Calley.
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| Carol |
Later, At the Bar by Rebecca Barry |
Rating: 2 Stars |
These are connected stories about small-town living, most often featuring Lucy's Tavern. Slow moving.
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| Carol |
Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A novel about 3 sisters in Chicago, set during World War II, that shows what true courage is.
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