| Bonnie |
| Loving Frank by Nancy Horan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
An excellent novel based on the true love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney, both of whom were married to others. The author makes you understand the impetus, the reasons these two HAD to be together. While I abhor adultery, it's a credit to Horan that we are made to empathize with Wright and Cheney. LOVING FRANK was a beautifully written and a real page turner as well. It's also a wonderful primer on Wright's philosophy of design.
|
| Debbie |
| Woman in Red by Eileen Goudge |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A wonderful adventure set off the coast of the Pacific Ocean, complete with the quirky local people and the parallel story of the 1942-1943 war era and the years following 9/11. I love the sense that in the end, love and honor and goodness wins. It's a story of choices that are not always the best; a story of love.
|
| Robin J. |
| Michael Tolliver Lives by Armistead Maupin |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
For those of us who hated to close the back cover of SURE OF YOU so many years ago, this book offers a wonderful coda to the story.
|
| Ma Titwonky (matitwonky@gmail.com) |
| Whale Song by Cheryl Kaye Tardif |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
WHALE SONG is about many different things: family, love, forgiveness, folk lore, whales, and sacrifice. It's about a young girl whose life is changed forever by a tragedy in her family. She becomes an adult before she is fully able to understand and deal with the process necessary to bring her peace and restore her faith in human nature. This would make a great book-club read because there is the potential for some good discussions about the situations Tardif put into this book.
|
| Judith Bridger |
| Touching Stars by Emilie Richards |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
The fourth in the Shenandoah Album series, TOUCHING THE STARS skillfully relates the past to the present in the Virginia valley. Again, Richards delivers realistic characters while showing their struggles in dealing with past disappointments and present decisions. Some favorite characters from past novels appear to keep the series intact. I was disappointed when the 500+ page saga ended because I wanted more! Thankfully, Richards is working on a fifth tale.
|
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
| If I Am Missing or Dead by Janine Latus |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This isn't a book I'd normally select to read, but I am so glad a friend recommend it. Super book!
|
| Allyson Crawley |
| The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Everytime I read one of Ms. Gregory's books, I can almost see and feel the surroundings. She gives thoughts and words to the women in King Henry VIII's life, and sheds light on what their lives must have been like. I love historical fiction and nobody does it better than Philippa Gregory. This was a great follow-up to THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL, which I cannot wait to see in film this winter.
|
| Ma Titwonky (matitwonky@gmail.com) |
| Speaks The Nightbird by Robert McCammon |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
SPEAKS THE NIGHTBIRD is based upon the witch trials that occurred in Massachusetts and other colonies in "The New World". It is also an interesting look at what life was like for those who came to this country to settle new developments and help them become successful towns. I enjoy Robert McCammon's writing because I believe he is a good storyteller. He did not disappoint me with this book.
|
| Ma Titwonky (matitwonky@gmail.com) |
| Peony In Love by Lisa See |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I won this book through Bookreporter.com, otherwise I may have overlooked it. That would have been a shame because this is one of the best books I've read in a while.
Peony In Love is listed by the author, Lisa See, as a historical novel, and it is, but it's also so much more than that. It's the story of a 15 year old Chinese girl living within the restrictive customs of her culture. I know very little about Chinese culture from the period of time this book covers, and that's one of the key points that made this book so interesting to me. There were times I was appalled that women were treated with such a lack of worthiness, and there were other times when I was fascinated with the customs and how strictly and rigidly those who adhere to them live their lives.
Most of all, this book is about a woman's desire to be heard whether it be through her writing or her accomplishments. It is about the inability of any culture to completely obliterate what it is that makes each woman an individual in her own right worthy of whatever she can make of her life's path.
|
| Linda M. Johnson |
| Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
I've only finished the first unit of the book (out of 8), but I'm surprised how easy it is to read --- since I figured out how to keep track of the constantly changing Russian names (one character goes by several monikers). I'm awed by Tolstoy's descriptions. This may go up to 5 stars before I'm done.
|
| Carol from VA (pageant4u@hotmail.com) |
| The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A memoir of J.R as he tried to graduate from Yale and find his true life meaning. The bar he frequents (as does everyone else in town) is called Publicans. It is a place to feel safe, to talk about everyday problems, and yet it has a family atmosphere.
|
| Carol from VA (pageant4u@hotmail.com) |
| Looking For A Miracle by Wanda E. Brunstetter |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Excellent story set in Lancaster, PA with Amish families. Rebekah had an accident when she was a young child, which left her paralyzed and in a wheelchair. Rebekah, who was of courting age, became very depressed and angry at her situation and knew no one would want to court her. She had a strong belief in God, but didn't believe in herself. Through help of her family and a young Amish man named Daniel she found love, but decided she couldn't marry because she had a hard time taking care of herself
.
When an accident in the snow traps Daniel and his family in a buggy, she is able to get help and finally agree to marry him. This is a delightful story, with no violence. It also goes into detail about the Amish ways.
|
| Noreen Brown |
| The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Very powerful book....what a look into a teenage girl's life. I'm so glad my daughters are grown up and not having to deal with sexual games that 13 and 14 year olds face.
The Alaska scenes are more vivid than a travelogue; you can feel the cold. Again, Picoult's ending surprises you.
|
| Kasey |
| Taken by Chris Jordan |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A parent's worst nightmare story: your child is kidnapped and you'll do anything to get him back. It's not your normal run-of-the-mill kidnapping, that's for sure. It's a fast-paced thriller, but at times, you'll feel like you're reading a screenplay.
|
| Amy (Amy3286@myway.com) |
| Scent of Darkness by Christina Dodd |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
A thousand years ago, a brutal Russian warrior made a pact with the devil. For the ability to change in to an animal at will, the Russian gave his soul and the souls of his descendants. Now the males of the family Varinski have split apart. One of them had fallen in love and married. Now along with his wife and children, he is hiding in the States, and the rest of the family is trying to hunt them down. In order to stop the curse, his sons must reunite the missing pieces of the lost family icon. But before they can finish, they will have to outsmart the rest of their family.
|
| Bridget |
| Weekend at Blenheim by Joseph P. Morrisssey |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
This was a good idea for a book that just didn't deliver. A group of people gather for a weekend at Blenheim in the early 1900s. Among them are the duke and duchess; young Winston, a poor architect and his wife; a woman after the duke; and John Singer Sargent. A mystery develops --- Singer's sketch book is missing, which leads to murder. The characterization was poor, as none of the characters seemed "real" in any way. The dialogue was cliched and stilted. These two factors made this book less than a stellar reading experience for me.
|
| Linda M. Johnson |
| Just Call Me Mike: A Journey to Actor and Activist by Mike Farrell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
One of my favorite actors has written a book. I've long admired him as an actor and an activist. His writing schools haven't changed my opinion of him --- maybe increased my appreciation of the man.
|
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
| Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
This was a very disturbing account of a boy whose father was an alcoholic and wanted nothing to do with him, and whose mother was mentally ill and made her shrink the boy’s legal guardian. What does make this book stand out and what left an impression on me, is the story. It is almost unbelievable. Some readers found it humorous. Although there were some quirky things that happened that may make you laugh, I did not find this book funny at all. It was almost depressing. The most promising part of it is the fact that Augusten was able to make it to adulthood and publish his story.
|
| Paula |
| Quietly In Their Sleep by Donna Leon |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Originally published 1997 in Britain under the title DEATH OF FAITH, it is one of the best in the series featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti, solving murder cases in Venice. Donna Leon is a master of mystery.
|
| Amanda Franklin |
| Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This is, by far, the best of the seven books. I didn't think that J. K. would be able to tie up all of the loose ends in 600 short pages, but she did it and she did it well. It is a series that I can read again and again and not get bored with.
|
| Monica Rogers (monica-a-rogers@hotmail.com) |
| The Quickie by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Another great Patterson book! There are so many twists and turns that it keeps you suprised to the very end!
|
| Monica Rogers (monica-a-rogers@hotmail.com) |
| The Book Thief by Markus Zusak |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I loved this book. It takes place during the Holocaust and is told from Death's point of view. Very original!
|
| Amy M. |
| Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
An intriguing tale of individuals brought together by a lost manuscript that could be worth millions and be priceless to academia. Clever phrasing and multi-dimensional characters make this an engrossing read.
|
| Marsha |
| The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
The destruction of New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita did more than destroy the city. It left the residents lawless and bereft. This is a rather sad tale about the bleak picture of life that faced the people. It brought out the worst and best of them.
|
| Linda Scott (scott2@einetwork.net) |
| Priest by Ken Bruen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
A reformed alcoholic in Ireland looks into pedophilia in the Catholic Church. This book offers a really good description of the Irish setting. The private investigator is described clearly, as is his struggle with his old alcoholism problem.
|
| Anita Nowak |
| Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Once again, Jodi Picoult has written a book that captures your interest from the first page. It is s wonderful story that involves the Amish people of Pennsylvania, and is a great mystery that keeps you in suspense throughout.
|
| Linda Scott (scott2@einetwork.net) |
| Helpless by Barbara Gowdy |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
The child of a single parent is kidnapped by a potential child molester. Molestation doesn't happen, but looms over the book. It's hard to put down!
|
| Debbie W. |
| Island of the Lost by Joan Druett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Five seaman from the wrecked schooner Grafton are stranded on remote and icy Aukland Island in January 1864. In May of that year, on the other end of the island, another ship wreck sends 19 men ashore. Why one group survives and is rescued and the other does not is the heart of this book.
Though this is a work of nonfiction, it reads like a page-turning mystery.
|
| CJ Jones (ajones1021@comcast.net) |
| We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a grippinng international bestseller about motherhood gone awry. You are caught up in the moment as Eva writes to her ex-husband about their son, Kevin. It chronicles the events of a New York City couple, on the professional fast-track, who decide to have a baby. But, Kevin isn't like other babies from day one.
Eva is writing in the past tense about her son, who is now in a juvenile prison for a school murder of four innocent people. It's gripping and not for the faint of heart. Eva struggles with her guilt and the knowledge that she could/should have predicted the unspeakable crime her son has committed. This book is a "no holds barred" look at the dynamics of a family and their slow magnetic descent into hell. It is a fascinating, disturbing read that I couldnt put down.
Lionel Shriver is an English authoress with six other published novels. Thirty English publishers turned this book down, and yet through the author's perserverence, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN became one of the book club choices for "Good Morning America" and Barnes & Nobles on-line club. It also won the UK's Orange Prize for fiction in 2005.
Don't let the subject matter keep you from reading this book --- amongst the terror, there is love, humor and the hard truth. This book is a must read.
|
| Anita Nowak |
| Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
PERFECT MATCH is a wonderful mystery that keeps your interest until the very end. Jodi Picoult is a great writer, and this is one of her best. It delves into child abuse at its worst. It is fiction, but there is some much truth in it, you almost feel it was ripped out of the newspaper headlines.
|
| Julie Towson |
| Key Lime Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A wonderful light, summer read. The author's heroine, Hannah Swensen, is in all of her books, all with dessert titles. There are lots of recipes intertwined throughout the novel. It's not WAR AND PEACE, but a great read.
|
| Marlys Davis |
| The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
I have not yet finished, but this is a very good read. It's reminiscent of the classic gothic novels (JANE EYRE, WUTHERING HEIGHTS). It is an absorbing tale, and is really two stories in one. The first is about Margaret Lea, who is writing Vida Winter's biography; the other story is that of Vida Winter.
|
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
| A Good and Happy Child by Justin Evans |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
The writing was a bit peculiar and, at times, tiresome. I’m glad I selected to listen to the audio book as I might have given up on this early. It’s worth the time to read, but doesn’t live up the hype.
|
| Judy (AZ) |
| The Judas Strain by James Rollins |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
An unstoppable plague may be about to doom the world. But wait, we have SIGMA (a covert US operation) and a shady operation called The Guild. Into the mix, we have the explorations of Marco Polo. It is break-neck speed and full ahead. If you've not read other of his books, you might enjoy it more. But as I read, I kept thinking that I'd read it all before. However, I do like his 'truth or fiction' at the end of the book, which explains some of nearly unbelievable occurrences he writes about. This is not a bad read if you've got some time on your hands.
|
| Judy (AZ) |
| Gertrude Bell by Georgina Howell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
A fascinating biography of Gertrude Bell, the female Lawrence of Arabia, who was actually the more respected and well known of the two in her time. This globe-trotting woman was a legend --- an archaeologist, spy, linguist, author, photographer, poet, and mountaineer. She was instrumental during World War I in organizing hospitals, she was an pivotal British person in the Arab world, and in supporting the creation of Iraq. No one could have penned a more interesting novel, let alone a true account of this amazing woman's life.
|
| Lorna |
| Nantucket Nights by Elin Hilderbrand |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This is the first I have read by this author. I was just looking on the shelves at the library and the title caught my eye. ( I love Cape Cod.) NANTUCKET NIGHTS was a very good story about friendships and families. I will definetly pick up other titles by this author.
|
| Sharlene (themiers@bellsouth.net) |
| The English Teacher by Lily King |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
I have never read a book in which I disliked the heroine as much as I did this one. Perhaps that was intentional, because the other characters in the book were extremely likable. Even getting to the root of the character's problem didn't make her any more appealing.
|
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| Body Surfing by Anita Shreve |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
This book is about a hidden love triangle amongst one woman and two brothers. Set on the New Hampshire coast with the rhymth of the water and life's dramatic changes, it deals with many topics: Jews, lesbians, snobbishness. It's a little trite.
|
| Karen Cundari |
| A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Charles Finch's debut murder mystery, set in 1865 Victorian England, is outstanding. Intrepid amateur detective Charles Lenox, who is both enlightened and empathetic, pits his considerable intellect against the Scotland Yard and a host of suspects. When requested by a friend to investigate the suicide of her former maid, he discovers it was murder. Charles Finch uses a deft hand in describing Victorian England and creating an absorbing murder mystery. This is the first of what should become an acclaimed series. Don't miss it! Also, visit Charles Finch's website, www.charles-finch.com
|
| Debbie W. |
| Letter From Point Clear by Dennis McFarland |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
The grown Owen children reunite at their family home in Point Clear, Alabama, 10 months after the death of their alcoholic father. The youngest child, Bonnie, has married an evangelical preacher and moved into the family home. Her sister, Ellen, and her brother, Morris, both living in Cape Cod, MA, head south to find out what is really happening. This book reveals so much about families, siblings, relationships, and marriage. You will nod your head in recognition when grown adults revert back to their childhood roles!
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| Sharlene (themiers@bellsouth.net) |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This book is as outstanding as Mr. Hosseini's first work, THE KITE RUNNER. If you haven't read his yet, don't delay.
|
| Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com) |
| Street Dream by Faye Kellerman |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
One of the best books that I have ever read by this author. For those of you familiar with Ms. Kellerman's Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus novels, this book centers around Peter's daughter from his 1st marriage, who is also a cop with the LAPD. Cynthia Decker pulls a baby from a dumpster and in her quest to find the mother and/or father, she goes on a roller coaster ride that takes her to areas of the city that no one wants to go to. A very good beach read.
|
| Michelle |
| The Sleeping Doll by Jeffery Deaver |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
I am a big fan of the Lincoln Rhyme series, and am enjoying the author's new heroine as well.
|
| Charles Lewis |
| Intuition by ?Allegra Goodman |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
?I was rather disappointed with this book, perhaps because the publisher’s blurb gives the
impression that it will be a medical mystery. The premise --- in which one of the characters makes up
data to claim success for a cancer-fighting virus --- was enticing, but the author uses far too many
internal dialogues, with almost half of the book devoted to folks whining about what is
occurring. I also found the ending anti-climactic, almost as if the author just ran out of steam. It's not a bad book, by any means, but I thought it could have been much better.
|
| Patricia Ezzell (patriciart@aol.com) |
| Three Junes by Julia Glass |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
A fascinating study of family dynamics, although sometimes, it put me to sleep with details. The most interesting plot line involves a gay Brit living in New York, who befriends an opera critic dying of AIDS.
|
| Judy |
| Death in the Garden by Elizabeth Ironside |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
An unusual mystery spanning 2 lifetimes; 3 countries, and the subjects of war, love, and revenge; set in England, with unusual "heroines."
|
| Donna Marton |
| The Long Walk by Stephen King |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This book, which he writes as Richard Bachman, is totally engrossing. The premise of 100 teenage boys embarking on a walk, nonstop, actually had me hurting along with them. It also had me thinking of The Trail of Tears, the Bataan Death March, and how this book could also be considered nonfiction. It is one you read nonstop.
|
| Linda Maxine Williams (mxwms@msn.com) |
| The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Having read every one of James Lee Burke's books, I believe this is the best one yet. He lives in New Iberia part of the year, and New Orleans has always been a BIG part of both his writing and his life. This book addresses the aftermath of Katrina on Dave Robicheaux's friends and enemies. The descriptions are absolutely frightening. How can America let this happen to our citizens and delay help until it is too late to help them? I highly recommend this book for everyone who has heard of Katrina.
|
| Kathleen Bailey |
| The King of Lies by John Hart |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
I am just getting into this book and it scores between 3-4 stars. The author does have my attention. I can't wait to get further in this legal thriller.
|
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
| The Overlook by Michael Connelly |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
I always look forward to reading a Harry Bosch novel. This story takes place a few months after ECHO PARK. Bosch is in a new department, the LAPD Homicide Special Unit, and he has a new partner, Iggy Ferras. Harry is at home awake late at night when the call comes in about the murder. It was almost like he was sitting home waiting for it. This will be his first case with the new division and he tackles it like he always has --- focus on the murder, do anything you can to get the bad guy. And like any other case Harry has been involved in, there is always something or someone to make getting the bad guy difficult. In this case, it’s the FBI. Enter Rachel Walling --- a familiar character to Bosch fans. They have a history, professional as well as romantic. The FBI involvement takes the case off track and Harry does anything he can to bring it back on. It is classic Bosch when he walks that fine line between the straight and narrow and the Bosch way of solving a case. Harry likes to take control and do everything it takes to solve a murder, even if it means putting his job in jeopardy. Ferras gets a taste of what it’s like to be partnered with Harry, like every partner before him.
This is the 13th Harry Bosch novel. I think this is one of the best mystery series out there. Connelly has developed Harry so well, I have a vivid picture in my mind of what Harry actually looks like. If you haven’t tried Bosch, this is one of the series where I think you need to start from the beginning. The progression of this character can’t be appreciated unless you have read the earlier works. That may be the only negative book of the series.
|
| Albert |
| Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I can't give anything away, but I was very satisfied with the final book. There was a lot of action, and no ends were left flapping. It takes talent to appeal to such a mass audience. Both children and adults can enjoy it.
|
| Jane (janeship@yahoo.com) |
| Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Linda See |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
See's novel addresses historical and cultural aspects of women's lives in China --- from footbinding and rigidly separated roles for men and women to the use of nu shu, a unique set of phonetic characters used by women to communicate when standard calligraphy was denied them. Her research included time with a 96-year-old woman, who was the oldest living nu shu writer. The novel is an engrossing story of friendship, family, and cultural values; it is highly readable and it pulled me into the lives of Snow Flower and Lily as a willing participant.
|
| Judy O. |
| Stormy Weather by Paulette Jiles |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This was an extremely good story of a family in Central Texas in the 1930s during the depression and the dust bowl years. Janine Stoddard is the main heroine of the story, and she takes care of her mother and 2 sisters after the man of the family dies. The trials and tribulations of living through those turbulent years is well described and makes a wonderful story.
|
| Fran |
| The Rabbit Factory by Larry Brown |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
Although there were some interesting characters in this book, I found it to be pointless and boring. I'm not sure why I finished it.
|
| Joan O. |
| The Confessor by Daniel Silva |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Daniel Silva writes awesome books. They always seem to contain some obscure pieces of history that are fascinating, as well as riveting plots that keep you guessing.
|
| Tom Barrington |
| Mary, Mary by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I enjoy reading every Alex Cross book. It is almost like visiting him over and over again. The series get better all the time.
|
| Judy |
| The Last Enemy by Grace Brophy |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This excellent mystery set in Assisi has some things in common with Donna Leon. The book has interesting characters, a religious component, and it provides the opportunity to learn about art.
|
| Charles Lewis |
| iPod Fully Loaded by ?Andy Ihnatko |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A thorough explanation of the possible uses of an iPod for a calendar, to-do list, notes, television episodes, audio books and much more.
|
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
| If Angels Burn by Lynn Viehl |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
It might not be romance, but it's hot-hot-hot!
|
| Melinda Jones |
| The Woods by Harlan Coban |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I listened to this book and found it to be very exciting. There are many subplots and clues to solving the mystery, but the results may surprise you.
|
| Ricki (rickimc@aol.com) |
| Greywalker by Kat Richardson |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
An entertaining supernatural mystery. It would have been better with no vampires.
|
| marion @aol.com (lamamil) |
| The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
It is hard to believe that all this is true. However, the book holds your interest and will make a good book club discussion,
|
| Joan (jscady@efieldguide.com) |
| Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Although I had figured out the mystery before the end, I still enjoyed the read. I learned a bit more about Temperance Brennan and Charleston, SC, but it was not a gripping story.
|
| Kathy |
| The Abortionist's Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A good mystery with some social implications. An easy and quick read.
|
| Debbie |
| For One More Day by Mitch Albom |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A nice summer read. His books are always good.
|
| Frannie |
| The Kitchen Witch by Annette Blair |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
This was a cute, "enchanting" story. It was a fun read by the pool. The characters were likable, though the story line was repetitive and predictable.
|
| Joan (jscady@efieldguide.com) |
| Water Like a Stone by Deborah Crombie |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
I just discovered Deborah Crombie's series featuring Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James. Her characters and locale descriptions are great. I am learning a lot about life on the canals in England. The mystery at the heart of the book is also intriguing. I am looking forward to reading her other books.
|
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A delightful story of 17th-century Persia with Persian tales interwoven in the main story. It captures the life of Iranians and the struggles and joys of the everday lives of the rich and the poor. It provides a different view of a mistress hidden in the business contract of a "timed" marriage; at least this provides protection for the lady.
|
| L. Hann |
| Tales from Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Bring out your lounge chair, sit in the backyard under a shady tree, don't forget to pour yourself a frosty beverage, and let Jimmy Buffett take you on some cool adventures. For an afternoon, he will take you to places that you won't forget. Just like his songs, his book really pulls you into the worlds he has created. A great read.
|
| L. Hann |
| Babyhood by Paul Reiser |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Paul Reiser is a great comedian. He has a way of making the stress of parenthood seem funny. You almost have to take a look back at yourself and laugh. Babies don't come with manuals; there is no book out there that can tell you everything. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. Hey, we all turned out ok and our parents didn't have half the stuff that is out there for babies now. If you are thinking of having kids or have kids, read this book. It will give you a whole new perspective on "babyhood"!
|
| L. Hann |
| Don't Stand Too Close To A Naked Man by Tim Allen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
If you like Tim Allen, you'll like this book. I was in stitches!!!!
|
| theres |
| Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This enjoyable read was a very good introduction into philosophy. It's about a girl who receives letters from an unknown person asking questions. She is hooked from the start and tries to answer those questions. It's a brief history of philosophy, starting 500 years b.c. and ending with the Big Bang.
|
| Steven Schwindt (schwindt68@hotmail.com) |
| Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
No need as everyone else has read it. A good book but not memorable.
|
| Rita Sheppard (rrshep52@yahoo.com) |
| Say You Love Me by Rita Herron |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a very exciting story of a magazine writer in New Orleans who is being stalked because of her past. The writer will eventually be the last sacrificial victim for the cult leader.
|
| Phyllis |
| The Penny Tree by Holly Kennedy |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A story of a family that loses it's way for awhile, but love brings it back together.
|
| Martyph |
| Patriot Hearts by Barbara Hambly |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
I am thoroughly enjoying Hambly's latest, well-researched novel about real historical characters, in this case, Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Dolley Madison, and Sally Hemings (slave of Thomas Jefferson). Reading this gives us an idea of what daily living was like in those uncertain times both before and after the American Revolution, through the eyes of the wives of famous men who were instrumental in building this brand new country of ours. Strangely enough, for those times, all four of the women were acquainted with each other. Running a plantation, living in the unfinished first White House, being Americans in Paris close to the time of the French Revolution, a slave, living as the concubine of a man who speaks out against slavery, all of these themes are touched on in some way. I only give it 4 stars because the author has so much to tell, so many intricate tales to weave with historical facts that I was oftentimes confused with who was doing what.
Hambly's book about Mary Todd Lincoln, THE EMANCIPATOR'S WIFE, is also a great read.
|
| E. Quinn Knight |
| There's a (Slight) Chance I Might Be Going To by Laurie Notaro |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I think it is difficult to write a comedy. The author of this delightful book has accomplished that with ease. This is an easy flowing book that laughs at the many pitfalls of life and the characters we meet along the way. The main character involved in a move to a University community (one that is known for its sewer pipes!) gets herself involved in all sorts of mundane issues that are hilarious. A really fast and funny read.
|
| Steven Schwindt (schwindt68@hotmail.com) |
| China Road by Rob Gifford |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Starting in Shanghai, this NPR reporter travels west accross China on the Old China Silk Road, talking with a variety of people along the way. It was a great way to learn about China, now that I am lving here.
|
| Kathy (kboucher@cableone.net) |
| Empire Falls by Richard Russo |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
I loved this book! It has everything: humor, sadness, poignancy. This is a tale of a small town and its blue-collar worker, Miles Roby, and his topsy-turvy life. This also takes a good look at small-town living. Russo truly "takes us there," and we can see, smell and taste the town!
|
| Jon |
| Crime Beat by Michael Connelly |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
This book was a pointless compilation of redundant reportage of various crimes and murders that took place in Florida and LA. It was boring and had no redeeming value.
|
| Patty |
| The Quickie by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This was one of those books that you just couldn't put down, at least not after you get through the first half. The first part sets you up, and the last is full of nonstop twists and turns. I was just going to read another couple of chapters and had to finish because I couldn't stand not knowing what happened next. There were lots of twists and character changes. This was another great book with James Patterson co-authoring.
|
| George Mathews (gm12347@aol.com) |
| Jesus Out To Sea by James Lee Burke |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Mr. Burke makes your heart ache with this poignant collection of short stories. His characters are real people, and his dialogue is the way people really talk. His situations are things that people really get into. Mr. Burke should be widely recognized as the best in the business.
|
| Mary Ann Haske |
| Peony in Love by Lisa See |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I am enjoying this as much as I did SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN. I had polio as a child and my feet were mis-shapen. It breaks my heart to read of the foot-binding and the fact that someone would do that to a child's foot on purpose. I am attracted to Chinese stories as I have had 3 sons living in China. See's descriptions are very beautiful.
|
| Old Mary |
| Scent of Darkness by Christina Dodd |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This isn't normally the kind of book I'd read, but as a fan of Dodd, I tried it. It's not totally believeable due to the premise of shape-shifting, tainted blood, etc. I still found it well written, intriguing, and suspenseful. I will be eager to read the rest of the series.
|
| Bridget |
| Always and Forever by Cathy Kelly |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
A predictable novel a la Maeve Binchey about 3 Irish career women going through various crises in their lives. The three stories are all independent of each other 'til near the end of the book, when the owner of a day spa helps them work out their troubles. This is an okay book to wile away time on a beach on a summer afternoon.
|
| Vicki |
| Killing Floor by Lee Child |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Jack Reacher is passing through a small town in Georgia when he’s arrested and framed for a murder he didn’t commit. Then, he finds out something truly shocking about the man he was supposed to have murdered. It’s a scary adventure involving some really mean characters who are out to brutally murder anyone who gets in their way. Jack risks his life to see justice done. It’s a heck of a thriller that scared the daylights out of me.
|
| Carla |
| Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This is one of the most compelling and engaging "did she or didn't she" stories I have ever read. This novel, based on real-life nineteenth-century events, brings the reader into the psychic realm of the prisoner, as well as the psychiatrist who is just breaking into the new world of forensic psychology. Wonderful characters whose stories are told by a wonderful writer.
|
| Vicki |
| The Enemy by Lee Child |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
The book takes you back to when Jack Reacher was still in the Military. It involves the death of a general and his wife, but the bodies keep piling up. Jack is told to leave things alone, but of course, he doesn’t and he gets himself in a world of trouble as a result. It’s another great Jack Reacher novel and I can’t seem to get enough of them.
|
| Diane Dubay |
| Life of Pi by Yann Martel |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a wonderful book. To look at the basic premise, you wouldn't think it is as engrossing as it is, but you cannot help by being drawn into and touched by it!
|
| Edie (Eworobe@yahoo.com) |
| Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This book is about a caterer who also solves mysteries. Davidson includes recipes in the story.
|
| Sandy |
| The Sixth Target by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I love James Patterson!! This one had 3 different cases going on at the same time and they were all good. Go get it!!
|
| Joan Waldman |
| Cooking Lessons by Nina Romano |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Exquisitely lush, sensual imagery, imbued with hope, longing and heartbreaking regret. Once you begin reading, it's almost impossible to put the book down.
|
| Peggy in TX |
| Man in the Middle by Brian Haig |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
MAN IN THE MIDDLE is the latest installment of Haig's series featuring Sean Drummond, a US Army attorney. Drummond has been recently promoted to LTC and finds himself involved in a murder investigation of a highly placed Defense Department official. The investigation carries him and a most attractive JAG major to present-day Iraq --- smack in the middle of what is on the news nightly. Caught up in the machinations of the CIA and the Pentagon, Drummond is truly the man in the middle; but in determining whether the death they are investigating is murder or suicide, Drummond takes the reader on an adventure in war torn Iraq along with not so subtle commentary on the war and politics of the last several years. It is an interesting and engrossing yarn. I had figured out a bit about how it was going to end but Haig still managed to surprise me. I enjoyed the book and plan to read more of the backlist.
|
| Cheryl |
| Ice Blue by Anne Stuart |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This was a great book. It was well written. I had never read anything before by this author, but since I have now, I will be checking out of her books.
|
| Becky |
| Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the second time i have read PLAIN TRUTH. It was just as engrossing the second time through as it was the first. Even though Picoult says she writes for people who don't read books a second time, I find her characters, tight plotting and moral questioning worthy of a second read.
|
| Sandy H |
| To The Limit by Pamela Britton |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
This is one of Britton's NASCAR- themed books. It's fun if you want to read about what goes on behind the scenes, though I'm not sure how realistic it is. The plot is also mixed with a love story or two. TO THE LIMIT is a good quick read that is great for the beach or backyard.
|
| Nyla Thompson (theclan@triotel.net) |
| Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Grace is accused of murder, and put in the penitentiary, then in the mental hospital. Is she guilty? Is she crazy? Or is everyone fooled by her? This was a hard-to-put-down book and I enjoyed it very, very much.
|
| Dusty Johnson (bjohnson-att@comcast.net) |
| The Lion's Game by Nelson Demille |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Nelson DeMille is one fmy favorite authors and this book is another great story. It was hard to put this one down as John Corey races to find a Libyan terrorist who came to the US to settle a blood feud. His score is over 300 and John is closing in as the Terriost Task Force he is part of seems to want to go another way. As usual, John's independent methods save the day.
|
| Cheryl |
| The Dead Room by Heather Graham |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This was a good book. I didn't expect the ending, but it was a happy and good one.
|
| Cheryl |
| The Screaming Room by Thomas O'Callaghan |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
This is a fast read, but a good one for summer. If you are want a suspense book, then this is one to check out
|
| Cheryl |
| Too Late to Say Goodbye by Ann Rule |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Justice and how it was done! If you want to read a nonfiction book with a happy ending, then read this.
|
| Sandy H |
| The Hunter by Genita Low |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
THE HUNTER is part of Low's series about Navy SEALs and another similar group call GEM. This one takes place in Macedonia and deals with drugs, the sex trade and a super-secret bomb trigger.
|
| Bridget W. |
| Saturday by Ian McEwan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Beautifully written, violent, tender, the whole world and a portrait of a life distilled into one day.
|
| Toni Savchuck (tonisandlin@aol.com) |
| Circumference Of Darkness by Jack Henderson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Thsi debut novelist has written a book that outshines even David Baldacci and Nelson DeMille! It is a story of a terrorist who runs up against his equal in the young woman, Jeannie Reese, computer genius and former child prodigy. It's a wild ride --- not to be started until you have time on your hands!
|
| Bridget W. |
| MacGregor Tells the World by Elizabeth McKenzie |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Read this! MacGregor West is the unlikely hero of this wonderful story of redemption and forgiveness, set in an alternate-reality San Francisco.
|
| Kay Keller |
| Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This seventh Harry Potter novel really does the series justice. It's a very fitting end to this wonderful epic! The action is good, the questions from previous books are answered, and Harry and his friends have grown up. Book #7 is every bit as good as the first one.
|
| Shelly Itkin |
| Woman In Red by Eileen Goudge |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
One of her greatest books. It's about having to start over again and finding love and compassion along the way.
|
| Shelly Itkin |
| The Quickie by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
THE QUICKIE is full of surprises, and a real up to the minute passed story. Lot of surprises and a great ending.
|
| Miriam |
| Creating an Empire: ESPN by Stuart Evey |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
The flow of this book is very poor and the continuity of the story very scattered and broken. The author skips around without clarity through time frames, business entities, and concepts all connected with ESPN, and with all this scattered commentary does not make fluid connections of any sort. The title implies a book about ESPN --- however, the book is more about Stuart Evey's job with Getty Oil and his love affair with being involved in the inception of ESPN; but even that part of the story is not told with any engaging information for the reader. I have plugged through this like one watches a 'dog,' believing it 'has got to get better.' It didn't.
|
| Teri (TLB46rka@aol.com) |
| Still Life with Crows by Douglas Preston and Lncoln Child |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
This is my first book by these authors. It is a thriller, but I had a hard time sticking with it. It wasn't very scary or thrilling, and the twists were rather predictable. In the end, I felt like I wasted my time.
|
| Sheila M |
| A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
Funny, sad, a little history about the Ukraine, some interesting characters.
|
| Jud H. |
| The Bourne Legacy by Eric Van Lustbader |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This fourth book in the Bourne series continues the story of Jason Bourne, former CIA assassin created by the Treadstone Project. Jason Bourne is actually David Webb and has returned to a normal life --- he teaches at the prestigious Georgetown University and lives with his wife and two kids. In a single day, his life is turned upside down when a sniper makes an attempt on his life and he becomes the prime suspect in the murder of two close friends. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat, and I echo the Chicago Sun-Times: "Don't start this book if you have to go to work the next day."
|
| Jill |
| The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
What a trip!!! This is a fun read that is laugh out funny in spots!!! Very enjoyable!!!!!!!
|
| Kristin Johnson, screenwriter |
| Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Despite the criticisms about too many new plot threads, I couldn't put it down. Definitely not for Potter novices, although those Squibs who have seen the movies might squeak by. Some unexpected plot twists and deaths, moving scenes, thick prose the British excel at, and a fitting conclusion to our favorite boy wizard's heroic journey. And am I the only one who sees parallels between the Kirk/Spock/McCoy trio and Harry, Ron and Hermione?
|
| Cheri Oggy (cheri.oggy@gmail.com) |
| The Quickie by James Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
As usual, James Patterson is at his best. The twists and turns in this story will keep you reading way past bedtime!
|
| Kristin Johnson, screenwriter |
| The Road by Cormac McCarthy |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I haven't finished this yet, but it's a marriage of science fiction and poetry dealing with the most basic human goal: survival. But why do we survive? That's the question, and McCarthy explores it beautifully.
|
| Sheila M |
| The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Funny, sad, gut wrenching, poignant, and so much more.
A fictional memoir of the Vietnam War.
|
| Thomas (tomjac0850@charter.net) |
| Step on a Crack by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Hostage negotiator Michael Bennett has a lot to worry about. His terminally ill wife is about to die and leave him with 10 kids to care for. A ruthless group of highly trained men has taken several very wealthy hostages inside St. Patrick's Cathedral, where they are protected from the police in a virtual fortress. It's Patterson at his best.
|
| Janet Pruett (jmpruett@alltel.net) |
| The Exception by Christian Jungersen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. The characters and story line kept me up late at night.
|
| Mary from Little Valley, NY |
| Astrid and Veronika by Linda Olsson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
You will meet, and love, two very diverse characters. This is an emotionally filled page turner that you won't want to put down or see end!
|
| Sheila M |
| A Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
An Imaginative, but not very believable/realistic story for historical fiction, IMHO.
|
| Valerie Wiesner (ackleyvalerie@yahoo.com) |
| Buddha by Deepak Chopra |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This is an enchanting story of one of the most beloved of avatars, Prince Siddartha, and how he became the Buddha (enlightened one). There have been many variations and versions of this story written, but this one is charming in its simplicity and the way it speaks to the Western reader. It is the story of a very human man who is extremely curious, and more than curious, actually in pain over the concept of life being either a journey of suffering, or a journey of ecstasy, or both extremes. The manner in which Prince Siddartha overcame his own mental suffering is also the story of how he became known as Guatama Buddha. I recommend this book highly; it is not only inspirational, but joyful, and the reader will learn a lot about the journey we call life in reading it.
|
| Linda M. Johnson |
| Powder Burn by William Montalbano & Carl Hiaasen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This was Hiaasen's first novel and is nothing like what he has become known for. It's a good mystery. The main character is drawn into the world of illegal drugs when a former lover and her daughter are killed while he stands nearby. It doesn't follow a typical mystery template.
|
| Krys |
| My Sister's Child by Lyn Andrews |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This book is written by a British author. It is the story of a poor family in 1909 Liverpool who face many hardships and heartaches. It presents a vivid picture of a hard-working community. I enjoy stories that take place in England during this era, and this one is no exception.
|
| Linda M. Johnson |
| Frankenstein by Mary Shelley |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
I'm trying to listen to this on CD and think it would be better if I would read it instead. I'll grab a copy to fortify the listening.
|
| Linda M. Johnson |
| Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I wish I could have given this more than 5 stars. This is the best of the series. I won't say much more since I don't want to spoil this book for anyone else. I had a couple of hunches before I started the book. I was right on with some and wrong on one biggie. Can't wait to see what she writes next.
|
| Dorothy Flood |
| The Woods by Harlan Coben |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
As with all of Coben's books, someone is missing. In this case, it's two campers from 20 years ago. Two bodies were found but four bodies were missing. This is a real page turner.
|
| Dorothy Flood |
| Simple Genius by David Baldacci |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
David Baldacci is back to his old self. I did not enjoy his last two books, but this one is a real David Baldacci thriller, and not difficult to follow. I highly recomend it.
|
| Sandy |
| Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a book about the lives of cadavers post mortem. Mary Roach is a very funny science writer. She goes behind the scenes and tells all the ways that cadavers are used and have been used throughout history.
|
| Rachael |
| Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I inhaled and devoured this last installment in 3 days. This was, by far, the darkest book of the lot. I am sad to see the series come to an end, but all good things must end sometime. If you haven't yet read the series, start at the first book and read them in order. They get better as the series progresses. The first book or two is written for much younger children but the later books are a lot better. So don't get discouraged if you don't fall under the spell of Harry Potter after the first two books. By the 4th book, you will be hooked.
|
| Dorothy Flood |
| Spare Change by Robert B. Parker |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This is another Sunny Randall novel and it is great. The killer, who would leave spare change laying next to his victims 20 years ago, has returned. It is either the same person or a copy cat. Sunny knows who is responsible from the beginning, but getting the evidence is difficult. An enjoyable fast read.
|
| Judy O. |
| The Water's Lovely by Ruth Rendell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a psychological drama about very dysfunctional people and the mysterious death of a man named Guy. I had never read anything by this author, so I was pleasantly surprised. However, I was not particularly fond of the ending, as it was not the "happy" ending for all the characters that I've come to expect. A good read nevertheless.
|
| Sharron |
| Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Kingsolver is a master storyteller. She takes 3 seamingly separate stories and weaves them together into an awareness of ecology, relationships, and awareness of nature and creatures. My book club had a great discussion about this.
|
| Sharron |
| Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
The author gives us more of Stephanie Plum's adventures. Evanovich never seems to run out of situations that bring humor and adventure. However, will Stephanie go on forever playing Joe against Ranger?
|
| Lynn Clifford |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
If you loved THE KITE RUNNER, you will love this book. It gives the reader insight into the women's role in Afghan society. This touching story follows the lives of two young girls as they lose their innocence in a country that is full of war and turmoil.
|
| Sally B., San Antonio TX |
| Killer Instinct by Joseph Finder |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
I listened to the unabridged audiobook, and could just not get into it. I only listened to 1.5 CDs. It was too male-oriented for me. It's what I call "Dick Lit."
|
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
| The Husband by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This is only the 2nd Koontz book I have read. Around the 100th page, the book pulled me under, and wow, what a wild ride it was. This was loaded with twists, turns and great suspense.
Mitch owns a small landscaping company. He is working at a client's house when his cell phone rings, “We have your wife. You can get her back for $2 million in cash.” The twisting begins. There are a lot of surprises in this book, and just when you think you know the direction the story is going to take you, then boom another surprise. Koontz is definitely a unique storyteller, which sets him apart from other authors. I'm looking forward to going on another ride.
|
| Deborah (ladygolfduffer@hotmail.com) |
| The Husband by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This tale has more twists than Jingle Pot Road on Vancouver Island. A wonderful story about a husband who loves his wife more than anything and will do anything to get her back!
|
| Jean |
| Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
One of my all-time favorites! This book is rich in emotion and description, and oh so beautifully written. What a fabulous book about a woman's journey to self-discovery and healing.
|
| Susan Geurtze (Smgeurtze@comcast.net) |
| Exile by Richard North Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
The book is fast paced, and has a mixture of espionage and romance. The main character is the lawyer whose current client is an old college flame. Though he has doubts about her innocence, he continues to defend her while being pressured by the Jewish community and politicians in the U.S. to withedraw, and also risks his promising potential future as a U.S Senator.
|
| Jud H. |
| The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Presidential aid Wes Holloway is a rising star in politics until a fateful day brings an assassination attempt on the President. Physically scarred for life and emotionally shattered at the death of a close friend from the assassin's bullet, Wes is shocked when he sees his friend alive and well eight years later. He's then caught up in a political plot that has him running for his life. I highly recommend this book if you like to be kept on the edge of your seat.
|
| Marsha |
| Got the Look by James Grippando |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Another good effort starring Jack Swyteck. He stays out of the courtroom this itme, but there's plenty of action as he races to save his latest love.
|
| Marion Miller (lamamil@aol.com) |
| A Woman In Jerusalem by A.. B. Yehoshua and Hillel Halkin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a story of Israel and a suicide bombing. Sometimes it is truly comical, and other times extremely sad. The characters are portrayed beautifully and you are captivated by the story.
|
| Sally B., San Antonio TX |
| The Mirror of Her Dreams by Stephen R. Donaldson |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
I read this for our local bookclub's July science fiction/fantasy category. A young, modern woman is "translated' to another world by a wanna-be wizard or Master who thinks she can save their country from war.
There was way too much deception on all sides that it became quite confusing. I only finished it because of the book club.
|
| Marsha |
| Hear No Evil by James Grippando |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Grippando's Jack Swyteck series continues with a real nail biter. This one includes a crime that took place on the US Government's Guantamano Bay facility, and parts of Jack's past come back to haunt him. Jack travels to Cuba to try to unravel his heritage. Who can you believe?
|
| Jo-Ann Burton (jenni_the_lionhearted@yahoo.com) |
| The Fourth Bear by Jasper FForde |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
The second book in the Nursery Crimes series is absolutely wonderful. It's filled with references to fairy tales and nursery rhymes, as well as wit and murder and mayhem. Detective Jack Spratt and Sergeant Mary Mary are on the trail of the Gingerbread Man who broke out of the mental institution. They're also trying to solve the crime of who murdered Goldylocks. Add a self-healing car into the mix and you have a delightful book to while away your beach-blanket hours. One final note: many of you know Jasper FForde from his other series, Thursday Next. The Nursery Crime series is just as good, in my opinion...even better.
|
| Judy |
| Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I wanted so much to take my time and really savor the last book, but I was so taken in by the end of the first paragraph that I've already finished the whole thing. No spoilers here, but it was a great read that was thoroughly satisfying, and exhausting. Well done, Ms Rowling.
|
| Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com) |
| Blow Fly by Patricia Cornwell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
I am a big fan of Patricia Cornwell and the character Kay Scarpetta, but in my opinion this book lacked that something special. It's not one of my favorites, but I do enjoy Cornwell's style and characters.
|
| A. Nelson (apwrncs@bellsouth.net) |
| To My Senses by Alexandrea Weis |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
A great and compelling love story set in pre-Katrina New Orleans. It's about how people can enter our lives and change them, and finding your true course in life through the magic of love. It's witty, charming and had a number of really memorable characters. A great read.
|
| Lindy |
| Just One Look by Harlan Coben |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Suburban housewife Grace Lawson picks up some pictures at the corner drugstore and finds one that isn't hers, or is it? One pic looks to be about 20 years old, of 4 people she doesn't recognize... or is that her husband when he was young? Her husband is upset, leaves the house late at night, and doesn't return. Others seem interested in the photo as well, including Eric Wu, a murderer. Her world is turned upside down and she fears for her children.
|
| Lindy |
| The Next Accident by Lisa Gardner |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A psychopath is on a run. He has killed Pierce Quincy's wife and daughter, and next on his life is Quincy's remaining daughter. Is he killing for revenge, or something else? Rainie Conner, ex-cop turned P.I., teams up with Quincy to catch the perpetrator..
|
| Lorna |
| Dear John by Nicholas Sparks |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
As usual, this author won't let you down. This is a touching story about young love. Anyone who has a partner in the military can relate to all the feelings from both characters. It will bring a tear to your eye...
|
| Betty Jo Harris (harrises@bayou.com) |
| The Midwife's Tale by Gretchen Moran Laskas |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
I love novels set in the Appalachian Mountains, and this one did not disappoint me. Elizabeth is a great character and the midwife's job in those days was so important.
|
| Jo-Ann Burton (jenni_the_lionhearted@yahoo.com) |
| Working IX to V by Vivki Leon |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A rollicking romp through the occupations of the ancient world. Some careers are like those of today --- the baker and the doctor; but some are very different. Armpit Plucker, anyone?
|
| Melissa |
| The Analyst by John Katzenbach |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This excellent suspense novel had me guessing till the end! The puzzles and clues were intriguing and brilliant!
|
| Marsha |
| Last to Die by James Grippando |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Another great adventure in the series featuring Jack Swyteck. This time he has a new client, the brother of his best friend, and people start to die one after another. Very suspicious.
|
| Gerry (GerryD8784@verizon.net) |
| Fish: A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale... by Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, and John Christense |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
Fish: A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results is an easy read that has some good ideas woven into a story about employees who turned their "toxic energy dump" department into a positive place where they enjoyed working and the work was done well.
|
| Gerry (GerryD8784@verizon.net) |
| Exile by Richard North Patterson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I learned a lot about the complexity of the conflict in the Middle East from this novel, in addition to enjoying a captivating story with realistic characters and great plotting. This is probably the best of Patterson's books so far!
|
| Gerry (GerryD8784@verizon.net) |
| The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde |
| Rating: 1 Stars |
I read this with the Classics Book Club Team at SparkPeople.com, and I can't say I enjoyed it or found it particularly worthwhile. From my perspective, the concept is great, but Wilde should have done it as a short story, not a novel. Even as a short novel (248 pages), it was about 200 pages too long!
|
| Gerry (GerryD8784@verizon.net) |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Wonderful! I enjoyed every page of this beautifully-written novel. Although the suffering of the people of Afghanistan is truly horrific, the strength of character that comes through in Hosseini's women is wondrous.
|
| Gerry (GerryD8784@verizon.net) |
| Biografi by Lloyd Jones |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
It's hard to be sure how much of this book is fiction, and how much is truth. It's the story of Jones's travels through Albania in 1991, after travel restrictions were eased in this isolated and impoverished former-Communist bloc country. But interwoven with the travelogue is a story of Petar Shappallo, a man said to have served as a double for Dictator Enver Hoxha. Jones's search for Shappallo ties the narrative together, but I'm not at all sure how much of the story of his life is based on fact, or if it's pure fiction. I can't find anything to back it up (or to refute it) in sources I've found online, and Albanian histories in English are pretty hard to find.
|
| Gerry (GerryD8784@verizon.net) |
| Michael Tolliver Lives by Armistead Maupin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Michael Tolliver was one of the chief characters in Maupin's popular and now-classic Tales of the City series about 1980s gay life in San Francisco, where AIDS struck particularly hard. As Maupin picks up the storyline two decades later, Michael, now in his mid-fifties, has survived the disease that so many of his cohorts did not. A southerner, Michael has lived in the City by the Bay for 30 years, and at this point in his life, he has much that is satisfying to look back on and much in his current life to be thankful for --- especially his membership in the "sweet confederacy of survivors." I've only read a couple of Maupin's earlier books, and remember enjoying them. This latest novel was a joy to read. Maupin's characters come to life; they are so realistic, and they articulate the fears and anxieties that most of us (irrespective of sexual preference) share, about illness, aging, families, and the directions our lives have taken.
|
| Gerry (GerryD8784@verizon.net) |
| Dinner with Anna Karenina by Gloria Goldreich |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A group of women in a Manhattan book club are all stunned when their hostess for the evening, a woman of whom all admit to feeling envious, announces to the group that she is divorcing her husband and has asked him to leave their home immediately, because she cannot bear to be have him in the home even another day. His offense, though, is a secret she will not share, and of course, the friends are soon speculating wildly. There are also repercussions in their own lives, as each of the women is led to look more closely at her own circumstances and choices, and to begin to make some changes in reaction to both Cynthia’s announcement and to their discussions of the classic literature they are reading.
|
| Gerry (GerryD8784@verizon.net) |
| The Collaborator of Bethleham by Matt Beynon Rees |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
His desire to save his former student from being executed for a murder he did not commit sends Palestinian teacher Omar Yussef out of his classroom and into the village to try to figure out who really was the collaborator who led the Israelis to the murdered man. Rees's novel offers both an interesting mystery and also a glimpse into a culture and a conflict that's much in the news, but not necessarily understood. Rees is also the author of CAIN'S FIELD and FAITH, FRATRICIDE AND FEAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST, and is a contributor to Time Magazine, for whom he served until recently as Jerusalem bureau chief.
|
| Bonnie |
| Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Another terrific Reacher novel by Child. His plotting is meticulous and this is one you can't put down.
|
| Mary Kilgarriff |
| Whitewash by Alex Kava |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Packed with suspense and intrique, WHITEWASH is fast flowing, enjoyable, and an easy read.
|
| Annie |
| The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A well-crafted and wry mystery, set in an alternative future where Alaska has become the Jewish homeland. The detective protagaonist of this story, Meyer Landsman, is like a Yiddish Arkady Renko. Compelling, funny, and beautifully written.
|
| K. Ferg |
| When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
What a beautiful love story --- the love between a young girl and boy, a husband and wife, two dear friends who are like brothers, and then the love of a little girl and all who meet her. This story will make you laugh and cry. But along the way, it also educates you into the world of the "heart" --- its health and its amazing ability.
|
| Gerry (GerryD8784@verizon.net) |
| The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
In Persia, in the seventeenth century, a young woman (a girl, really) is forced to leave behind the life she knows and move to a new city, where she becomes the protégé of her uncle, a wealthy carpet designer for the Shah, until a rash act causes him to turn her out to fend for herself. This very interesting portrayal of ancient Persia contrasts only a little with what I've read of Muslim women's lives in the present day. It is well written by a young author who shows promise.
|
| Peter |
| Sons and Other Flammable Objects by Porochista Khakpour |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This book officially comes out next month, I think, but I got a copy at Book Expo and I fell in love with this writer's prose. It has the experiementalism, dark wit, and bold style that you rarely see in literature that represents an ethnic people. It does something completely different with the Persian literature genre. She is the boldest yet. Hip, intelligent, hilarious, and brilliant!
|
| Marjorie Clark (marjclark@comcast.net) |
| The Woods by Harlen Coben |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A great suspenseful story with twists and turns.
|
| Bonnie |
| The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I rarely give 5 stars (like an Olympic 10 to me --- only for the extraordinary). But this novel was so unique and such a page-turner. It will remain on my mind for a good long while and that, to me, is the sign of a valued and memorable book.
|
| Lea Ann (baxtergr@msn.com) |
| Halsey's Typhoon by Robert Drury & Tom Clavin |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
A non-fiction account of the Dec., 1944 Pacific typhoon that hit the U.S. Naval fleet off The Phillippines. When it was over, 3 ships were sunk with the loss of almost 800 lives, 148 planes were damaged or destroyed on carriers and Halsey's reputation tarnished. This graphic account from survivors was gripping to read.
|
| Bridget |
| Loving Frank by Nancy Horan |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
An overly long novel about the years-long love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Chaney. They both left their spouses for each other which caused a huge scandal in Chicago during that time. The character of Mamah was somewhat sympathetic, but I did not care for Frank at all (at least the way he was portrayed). He seemed a very selfish, self-centered person.
|
| ShyEyes (dawnymae5@msn.com) |
| Quickie by James Patterson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Very fast-paced, high-intensity reading! A woman suspects her husband of cheating, sees him with another woman, and so she cheats on him! That's only the first chapter! She witnesses her "quickie" get beaten by her husband (unbeknown to him), and finds her lover shot and left for dead, and she's the lead cop on the case. Gotta love James Patterson's latest.
|
| Gerry (GerryD8784@verizon.net) |
| The Balkans: A Short History by Mark Mazower |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
If you have an interest in this part of the world, this is an excellent and very accessible history that is well written and readily understandable by the non-historian. I ran across it in a used bookstore when I was looking for information about Albania, a tiny, impoverished country that seems largely ignored in most history books.
|
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
| The Black Echo by Michael Connelly |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
He writes very much like Lee Child, only I like Jack Reacher better than Harry Bosch.
|
| Barbra Peterson (bpeterson@maxtor.com) |
| Across the High Lonesome by James McNay Brumfeld |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Picked up this book after seeing it recommended here and just wanted to second the motion! This was an excellent read filled with humor, drama, romance, and adventure in some awesome country! It's kind of a modern-day western, but so much more --- really a slice-of-life book. If you're looking for something different, give it a try. You wont be sorry!
|
| Charles Lewis |
| Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Ever wonder if your life made a difference? Wonder what heaven is really like? In this beautiful novel (in some ways reminiscent of It's a Wonderfuil Life, find the answers.
|
| Ginny |
| The Glass Lake by Maeve Binchy |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This is an older novel from one of my favorite authors. As are most of Binchy's novels, the story is really about the people, and these people have an extraordinary tale. Disappointed when her true love dumps her for someone else, a woman marries a man from a small village, has children, and then one day vanishes. What happened to her and the complicated results are fascinating. If you've never read Binchy, this is a good one to start with.
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| TL Bell (capitalgnj@aol.com) |
| Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I enjoyed the story but figured out the ending about 100 pages into the book. However, my 17 year old (who I have to beg to get her to read) loved it. She has passed the book onto to her friends.
|
| Marsha |
| Beyond Suspicion by James Grippando |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Bringing back the main character from THE PARDON, this author even surpasses his first effort. The action is relentless and we learn a bit about the Russian Mafia and the many industries they have infiltered. It's a WOW!
|
| Jeanne Sheats (catslady5@aol.com) |
| The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Her books are always emotional reads and this is no different. But, this one differs some from her other contemporaries --- most chapters have a section of anime art included that has a connection to the story. Quite innovative.
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| Jeanne Sheats (catslady5@aol.com) |
| The Pact by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
If you like an emotional read this is for you. She is now my favorite contemporary author. You gives you perspectives of all the characters and you get drawn into each one.
|
| jeanne sheats (catslady5@aol.com) |
| Everville by Clive Barker |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
If you like Stephen King, you'll like this book. A futuristic look at what worlds we live in and when they clash.
|
| Jud H. |
| Prince of Beverly Hills by Stuart Woods |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This is one of Woods' non-series books and it was quite good. The setting is the Golden Age of Cinema, circa 1940s, and revolves around an LAPD detective who has been demoted and decides to take a job as Head of Security for a local film studio. He falls in love with an actress, has run-ins with the local mob, and gets caught in the middle of a blackmail scheme. All in all, a easy, quick, interesting read.
|
| Sandy |
| Knitting Under the Influence by Claire LaZebnik |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
"Chick Lit" at its best! I felt like I was reading a really good soap opera about 3 good friends who get together once a week to knit and talk. Their scarves may look fabulous, but their lives are starting to unravel.
|
| CJ Jones (ajones1021@comcast.net) |
| The Lay of the Land by Richard Ford |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I waited 4 months for this book at my library, and it was worth it. Once again, Richard Ford takes us back into the life of Frank Bascombe with magical dialogue --- we get a peek into Frank's life at age 52 when he is facing a catastrophic disease, the demise of his second marriage, his two adult children, and a change in his career path. This novel bares Frank's life, thoughts and decisions (good or bad) in minutiae --- but as only Richard Ford can do --- it is never boring, and each book in this epic series just makes you long for more. It is 485 pages about life --- no holds barred. It's not what I call a page turner, but a return of an "old literary friend" in a new life phase. In my book, Richard Ford has it all going on --- much lauded to include the Pulitzer and the Pen/Faulkner award. He is a true lyracist with the written word. If you havent read his books, get one at the library. You wont be sorry. I would give this book 10 stars, if I could.
|
| TL Bell |
| In Dark Places by Michael Prescott |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I recently "discovered" this author and I can't wait to read more of his work. This particular story was great. I could not put it down. There were so many twists and turns with great characters. Are the bad guys really the bad guys? The book also had a great ending.
|
| Charles Lewis |
| A Short History of Rudeness by ?Mark Caldwell |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
?Do you ever have the feeling that people just don’t have the manners they used to have
when you were growing up? As far back as 1405, we have books of etiquette that made the same
complaint. Of course, back then, wiping your fingers on your tablecloth wasn’t considered rude,
though using your coat was. Nor would the author have a problem with the former President
Bush when he threw up in the Japanese Prime Minister’s lap, and passing gas wasn’t a problem
either, though he did suggest that one cover up the noise by coughing.
These are only a few of the tidbits you will discover in this book.
|
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
| Bright Lights, Big Ass by Jen Lancaster |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
There were so many quotable and funny passages in here, I would be jotting down the whole book. I love this writer! This isn’t a novel with characters and plot. This is Jen’s actual life on paper. It takes someone special to be able to put all of her thoughts and adventures in writing like she does. I loved the chapter on Rachel Ray. I have a couple of her cookbooks and I have tried several of her recipes and liked them. But, I would never be caught dead sitting in front of the TV watching her show. Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard. I can’t take it. I like the fact Jen is a Republican and reads Ann Coulter on a bus. That’s brave. I admire her for being overweight and liking herself just as she is. Her husband should receive a medal for allowing Jen to put their life out there for all to see. If you are in the mood to sit and giggle for a several hours, this is a book for you!
|
| Jane Brownley |
| Cooking Lessons by Nina Romano |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Recently I read about this poetry book on a blog by John Dufresne, (author of LOUISIANA POWER AND LIGHT and LOVE WARPS THE MIND A LITTLE) so I purchased it on Amazon for almost $3 less than the store price. I read and loved it. It's delicious writing, and yummy reading about exotic landscapes and food. COOKING LESSONS is a gastronomical feast, and a fabulous reading fest.
|
| E, Quinn Knight |
| When I was a Loser by John McNally |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
With the whole issue of adolescent angst so prevalent in the society McNally gives us wonderful vignettes about high schoolers who were considered losers. They could be losers in love, losers in hair styles, losers in social contacts, losers in weight, height, sex, etc. It is a wonderful book for those of us who work with adolescents, and for adolescents to recognize that they are not alone in their losership!
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| Nikki Y. (gramanik2001@comcast.net) |
| Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Just like all her other books, NINETEEN MINUTES grabs you from the first chapter. My only problem with this book is the very unsettling feeling that this could very well happen again in real life.
|
| Bonnie Levy |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
I couldn't wait for this book to be available! Although I enjoyed THE KITE RUNNER more than this one, it was another wonderfully written book by Mr. Hosseini.
Again, the author writes with such passion and intensity that one feels as though the characters are real. This book is very touching and gave me a lot of insight into the lives of Afghani women and the suffering they must endure. This is a must read.
|
| Shirley Younger |
| Bungalow 2 by Danielle Steel |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
An excellent excellent book. As usual, Danielle keeps you in suspense until the end. The plot moves quickly.
|
| Joan G. |
| High Noon by Nora Roberts |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Police Lieutenant Phoebe MacNamara is Savannah's top hostage negotiator. Her world falls apart when people in her life are held captive at the hands of a madman.Through the process of eliminating suspects, she finds her man, and of course she has a hot one in her personnal life too. HIGH NOON has a typical Nora Roberts plot, and is an easy and entertaining read.
|
| Carolyn Griffin (carolgrifnhfl@hotmail.com) |
| A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the best book I've read in a number of years. It starts in 1975 India and follows the lives of four individuals whose lives are brought together. It was not a "happy ever after" story, but was totally compelling.
|
| Carolyn Griffin (carolgrifnhfl@hotmail.com) |
| Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This was an interesting and well-written story, but I thought the ending was too fanciful.
|
| Dena |
| The Good Guy by Dean Koontz |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Another fast- paced thriller by Dean that I didn't want to put down. The good guy, Tim, is just that --- thankfully --- to the innocent victim Linda, who he tries to help escape from a relentless and creepy hired assasin.
|
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
| The Poe Shadow by Matthew Pearl |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
I had read Pearl's THE DANTE CLUB and thoroughly enjoyed it, but THE POE SHADOW is slow, and centers on Quentin Clark instead of Poe. It's not what I expected.
|
| Shannon (surlygirl@mchsi.com) |
| Shadow Man by Cody McFadyen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
A thrilling, edge-of-your-seat serial-killer book at its best! This is the first serial killer book in a long time to make sit back and really take notice. It's not for the weak of heart, however, or for those who hate to see animals bite the big one. But, it's a fantastic book for lovers of police procedurals and good, gory reads! This is the best I've read in a long time!
|
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
| Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
A beautiful love story.
|
| Bonnie Waliezer |
| Dance of Death by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
How did I miss this one before? A real nail biter and edge of the seat thriller. If you have read previous books by them, you will see familiar characters, and if not, these will work their way into your heart. A must read.
|
| Bonnie Waliezer |
| Gone by Lisa Gardner |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
You think you know what is going on in this book, but are you ever in for a surprise! GONE was a well-novel that I hated to put down until the very end.
|
| Angelica Domenico |
| Cooking Lessons by Nina Romano |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Nina Romano's debut is a banquet of poems celebratiing love, life, travel, family and food! To read these poems is to voyage with an expert guide to alluring and interesting places. The author's narrative voice is compelling and hypnotic.
|
| Pat |
| What Matters Most by LuAnne Rice |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
You should first read SANDCASTLES, and then this book! They are both awesome!! I hated for WHAT MATTERS MOST to end.
|
| Karen Barash |
| How to Talk to a Widower by Jonathan Tropper |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This novel is unique in that it is right on in its description of grief (I know, having been widowed) and is hilariously funny. I can't remember ever reading a book where I laughed out loud several times in each chapter.
|
| Elaine (rhlingenfelter@msn.com) |
| The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
I read this book because there were many good reviews, but I found it strange. The main character becomes obsessed with photos left by an elderly man who dies in a "home" for indigents. The story then revolves around the photos and the fictional characters from THE GREAT GATSBY. It is a strange combination..and not an enjoyable one.
|
| Laurie Blum (laurieblum@hotmail.com) |
| Astrid & Veronika by Linda Olsson |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A beautiful novel set in Sweden. It's perfect for book clubs. It takes the reader through an unusual but tender relationship between two women. Secrets of their past and much more are revealed!
|
| John M |
| Triumph of the Thriller by Patrick Anderson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This is not a thriller novel, but instead, a non-fiction book written about the thriller-novel genre. The author has been a book reviewer for the Washington Post for a number of years and specializes in reading and writing about thrillers. While he gives a short history and analysis of the thriller novel, the majority of the book concentrates to one degree or another on the major authors writing today, and what makes them so popular (or not). And he tells you exactly what he thinks about them and their work too; not many punches are pulled. The best popular thriller writer? --- probably Thomas Harris. The worst popular thriller writer today? --- James Patterson.
What a fun book this has been to read! My only fault with the book is that it leaves out several of my favorite authors!
|
| Janice |
| The Last Spymaster by Gayle Lynds |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A modern espionage revolving around the CIA, foreign and domestic terriorists, and spies involved in arms sales. It held my interest through to the end.
|
| Tamara |
| Desert Queen by Janet Wallach |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I had not heard of this great woman until 2 weeks ago. She helped change the face of the world in the late 1800s and early 1900s. She helped Lawrence of Arabia, was a friend to Arab sheikhs, and worked with Winston Churchill to draw up the border of Iraq and Iran. She was a victorian woman traveling on camel through the Syrain desert at risk to her life, and the last European to travel the Arabian desert before World War I.
|
| Gus Gustafson (bgust1805@aol.com) |
| The Weather Makers by Tim Flannery |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
If you have an interest in the future of our planet, this is a must read. Tim Flannery is an Australian who well documented the book with current scientific data.
|
| Myrna |
| Night Ferry by Michael Robotham |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A good book, like his previous works, LOST and SUSPECT. It catches your interest from the start. I also enjoyed the British expresssions.
|
| Susan C. |
| Once Around The Track by Sharyn McCrumb |
| Rating: 2 Stars |
I was so disappointed in this book as the author is a favorite of mine. I love her Appalachian tales, but this one is a story of NASCAR --- something I have no interest in. Despite not liking the subject, her writing is strong and lyrical.
|
| Susan C. |
| The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Satterfield |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This book got mixed reviews so I was reluctant to start it, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. It's the story of a young girl who is writing the biography of a reclusive author. Fascinating story and great details.
|
| Debbie |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Just as good as THE KITE RUNNER. Hosseini's characters are wonderful, and he writes with such feeling. I can't put it down. This is a must read.
|
| Janice |
| The Chrysalis by Heather Terrell |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
An interesting story about the Nazi's confiscation of artwork, and the legal battle of one in particular.
|
| Carol Hoyer from VA (pageant4u@hotmail.com) |
| Comeback by Claire Fontaine and Mia Fontaine |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
An excellent book about a mother and her daughter's journey through drugs, running away, and being kidnapped and placed into a rehab unit in the Czech Republic. It's emotional, scary and exciting.
|
| Becky Wreyford |
| The River Warren by Kent Meyer |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
I read and loved THE WORK OF WOLVES by Mr. Meyer, so I am now reading this, his first novel. Excellent, spare prose.
|
| B. Semeraro (frabar2@aol.com) |
| The Collector by Cameron Cruise |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a very well-written mystery by a first-time author with all the characters neatly tied together for a surprise ending.
A serial killer is on the loose in the Little Saigon area of Westminster, CA. The victims all have psychic abilities, and all have a link to a supernatural "collection".
I would definitely read the next book by this writer.
|
| Coral |
| Simple Genius by David Baldacci |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This book starts off slowly, but it's worth continuing because it's a really good mystery. I hope none of these things can actually happen, but it does make you wonder.
|
| Cynthia |
| Everyman by Philip Roth |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
An easy, but profound, read.
|
| Phyllis |
| The Land of Mango Sunsets by Dorothea Benton Frank |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
A story of new beginnings as a woman remakes her life with the support and love of family and friends.
|
| Phyllis |
| Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
A delightful story of magic and sisters. The book is a pleasure to read.
|
| Tessa Bartels |
| West With the Night by Beryl Markham |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
A wonderful book full of vivid imagery. Markham was a fascinating woman who led an adventurous life. Hemingway praised her writing! I was completely captivated.
|
| Sandy Stevens |
| When Day Breaks by Mary Jane Clark |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
This book is part of a series, and it's very good.
|
| Sue |
| Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Another Stephanie Plum novel about a female bounty hunter who works for her cousin Vinny's bail bond business. This is the 13th book in the series and it's as fresh, witty and hilarious as the others.
After visiting her ex-husband's office (yep, she was married once for 15 min.), there's a real scene. Later, he disappears and -- uh oh --- she's the prime suspect in his disappearance.
|
| M. Nance (mnance3@triad.rr.com) |
| A Year of Pleasures by Eliza beth Berg |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This book is about a woman who, after the death of her husband, begins to pick up the pieces of her life. Having been a widow for 18 months, I could relate to what this woman was going through, even though she was several years younger than I. It gave me hope to know the feelings and thoughts I have had were not so unusual after all. Given time, you can begin to live again.
|
| Judith Bridger |
| The Ever-Running Man by Marcia Muller |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Having read all of the previous Sharon McCone Mysteries, I was eager to read this newest fast-paced novel by Marcia Muller. The author did not disappoint, although McCone seems to have slowed down slightly. The plot kept me interested as more of Hy's past was revealed. Fortunately, McCone's fears about her husband's former business dealings are unfounded, and the reader can look ahead (hopefully not too far off) for the next installment.
|
| Tamara Randi |
| Truman by David McCullough |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A great book about Harry Truman, but it is too hard to hold and read. It's 1115 pages, so it is very heavy and wide.
|
| Daphne |
| The Nasty Bits by Anthony Bourdain |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Order yourself collection of foodie essays, dished up with Anthony's own special flair. Not for the faint of heart or readers who are easily offended by expletives, Mr. Bourdain shares his experiences with cutting up a seal on a kitchen floor, living on the world's most luxurious yacht, and honoring the true culinary heroes of America. You may be pleasantly surprised to find out which group of people Anthony believes responsible for America's greatest meals!
|
| Janet E. |
| Sundays are for Murder by Marie Ferrarella |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
A serial killer who only 'works' on Sundays, a Special Agent in charge of the investigation named Charlotte (Charley) whose twin sister was the killer's first victim, an 'army brat' east coast-loving special agent named Nick who's been transplanted so many times he's lost count... Mix these together with one normal family (Nick's) and one dysfunctional family who has rejected Charley since the death of her sister, and you get SUNDAYS ARE FOR MURDER. The characters are dynamic and endearing in so many ways. The plot and story twist and turn as the serial killer escalates the killing spree. Charley and Nick slowly build a relationship as they track the killer. I love mysteries and have read some of the best in Joseph Finder, Robin Cook, Nora Roberts, Daniel Silva, and James Patterson. This book by Marie Ferrarella is right in there with the best of them for readability, maintaining interest, and a surprise ending.
|
| Anita Nowak (Neleel@aol.com) |
| The Rottweiler by Ruth Rendell |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I love Ruth Rendell's mysteries. They really keep the suspense going, as did this one, until the very end. Her characters are well developed and interesting. I loved every word of it.
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| Anita Nowak |
| Marley & Me by John Grogan |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a must read for dog lovers and owners. Parts of the book made me laugh out loud, and the end left me sobbing. Anyone who has experienced the joys of raising a dog will love this book and can understand the true meaning of an animal's love and loyalty.
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| M. Nance (mnance#@triad.rr.com) |
| Between the Tides by Patti Callahan Henry |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This has been one of the best books I have read this summer. If you enjoy books about the SC low country, you will love this. It ranks right up there with books by Pat Conroy and Anne Rivers Siddons. I could not put it down until I finished it.
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| Rosalie Sambuco (tigersmama43213@aol.com) |
| The Wilde Women by Paula Wall |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
An interesting story of a small southern town and a mother with 2 daughters aptly named "Wilde." The story takes place during the Depression. It is a very good book, with excellent descriptions of the time and location.
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| Bridget |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I could not put this book down! After I finished I could not stop thinking about the characters. I really liked THE KITE RUNNER, but I think this book is even better!
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| Jackie Houchin (Photojaq@aol.com) |
| Sammy Keyes and the Wild Things by Wendelin Van Draanen |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
A wonderefully fast-paced juvenile/young adult mystery book with a smart, sassy and clever young sleuth. If you read one in the series, you can't stop until you've read them all. This is number eleven.
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| Rosalie Sambuco (tigersmama43213@aol.com) |
| The Chrysalis by Heather Terrell |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
A wonderful story of a missing art treasure from World War II. The book covers the stories of the artist in the 1600s, the Nazis stealing art treasures in 1940, and a young lawyer today who is trying to determine the rightful owner of the painting. A wonderful book.
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| Jen Lalley |
| Springwater by Linda Lael Miller |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
SPRINGWATER is the first book by author Linda Lael Miller that I’ve ever read, and it’s also the first in the Springwater series. It’s a historical romance set in the Montana Territories shortly after the Civil War. I loved the isolated setting of the cabin and how beautifully the landscape is described. Even though the characters are so far from the town, the story never sags or gets boring. I’m really looking forward to reading this series!
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| JaneAnn Railey |
| Savannah Breeze by Mary Kay Andrews |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
After reading SAVANNAH BLUES, I just had to read the next one to see what the crazy characters can cook up this time. As with the first book, I was not disappointed. This is perfect for a good laugh, and a weekend read full of fun and drama. Pick this one up --- you won't be disappointed. Better yet, start with SAVANNAH BLUES, then move on to this one. I will certainly be reading Andrews's other books.
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| Vicki K. |
| Persuader by Lee Child |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Another great Jack Reacher adventure. I just can’t get enough of the guy. I enjoy Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series as much as I enjoy chocolate.
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| Cheryl |
| Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I loved this book. It kept me going to the very end. Every page gave you just a little bit more about what and why things were happening to the people in the book. This is the author to watch!
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| Nancy D. |
| Gossamer by Lois Lowry |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
GOSSAMER is a beautiful book about where dreams and nightmares come from. It's a wonderful tale that both children and adults will enjoy.
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| Rosalie Sambuco (tigersmama43213@aol.com) |
| The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
17th-century Persia is the setting for this totally believable story. It is about Persian carpet making and a young girl's life. If you enjoy reading stories of other cultures, this is a must read for you.
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| Linda Shaffer (Lmsclowns@comcast.net) |
| Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
I've read all of the others and can't wait to finish this one!
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| Julie |
| The First Verse by Barry McCrea |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
An entertaining novel about a young Irish man at university who becomes obsessed with Sortes, an ancient method of "divination" (sort of), in which you ask a question, open a random book (or not-so-random) to a random page and pick a line as the answer to your question. It becomes quite mysterious and a little creepy, and was thoroughly enjoyable (and was a B&N Discover book a while back).
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| Marsha |
| American Detective by Loren D. Estleman |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
This novel featuring Amos Walker is a real throwback to the hard-boiled detective stories with relentless action and lots of tough characters.
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| Marcia Pullin |
| Jesus Out To Sea by James Lee Burke |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This book of short stories is a treasure. Each one is so beautifully written that I found myself limiting myself to one story per day. There are only eleven stories, and I wanted the experience of reading this collection to last as long as possible.
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| Kate Robinson |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns by Kahled Hosseni |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
We just listened to this magical story on audio CDs and I highly recommend it in that format. The reader has such a beautiful voice, and I feel her accent lends so much to the names, the places and the overall mood of this tragic yet rich tale.
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| Virginia |
| West of Brazos by Guy Hunter |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
TThis is totally different from other law enforcement books. It starts in a small town In Texas, has great characters, and is full of action, romance and family crisis. You won't put it down.
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| Richard Bartels |
| The Jester by James Patterson & Andrew Gross |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
In this part thriller, part historical fiction, the hero returns from the first crusade to find that his wife has been abducted. Posing as a jester, he infiltrates the court where he believes she is being held. Patterson fans will enjoy it.
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| Mark David Gerson |
| In the Key of Life: An Activational Journey to the by Joan Cerio |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
An amazing journey of awakening and enlightenment. Every page is life-transforming.
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| Sandra F. |
| The Lunatic Cafe by Laurell K. Hamilton |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
If you are into reading stories of modern-day vampires and other supernatural beings, this book is a very well-written example. Anita Blake raises the dead and kills vampires, and still manages to have a love life.
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| Sandra F. |
| Book of the Dead by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the last book in a trilogy featuring Special Agent Pendergast of the FBI. These are some of the best thrillers being written. Read them --- you will not be sorry you did.
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| Sanda F. |
| The Alchemyst by Michael Scott |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
Sad that the Harry Potter series has come to an end? Then read THE ALCHEMYST --- the first book in a six-book series by Michael Scott. It is a wonderful book full of ancient magic and folklore.
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| Sandra F. |
| The Blackwater Lightship by Colm Toibin |
| Rating: 4 Stars |
Declan Breen is dying of AIDS and has come to his grandmother's home in Ireland to be nursed by three generations of women in his family. An uplifting story of grief and love in an Irish family.
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| Joan Cerio, author of In the Key of Life (joan@joancerio.com) |
| The MoonQuest by Mark David Gerson |
| Rating: 5 Stars |
This mystical fantasy is a well-crafted journey to an oddly familiar place (for a fantasy!) where you grow right along with the main character. It will make you want to tell your story!
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| Sandra F. |
| A Murderous Yarn by Monica Ferris |
| Rating: 3 Stars |
One of a growing number of mysteries centured around a specific profession --- in this case, a needlework shop. This is a pleasant read, but don't look for anything deeper.
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