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July 1, 2011 - July 16, 2011

Last contest period's winners were Myrna, Kathy, Terry P., Emily andPamel W., who each received a copy of ESCAPE by Barbara Delinsky,THE SILENT GIRL: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel by Tess Gerritsen and SMOKIN' SEVENTEEN: A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich.

 

Lorna
Husband and Wife by Leah Stewart
Rating: 2 Stars
I am not enjoying this book at all. The Wife finds out the Husband had an affair over a year ago. She can't deal with it and tells him to leave. Now she hasn't heard from him in a couple of days and she is not sure she made the right decision. It sounds like it would be a good read but the "wife" who is telling the story, is just jumping all over the place...going back to when they met, got marrried and all kinds of other things in between. I am not interested at all.
 
Michele C.
Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan
Rating: 4 Stars
This book was good but I was expecting more after reading the reviews.
 
Arthur H.
L.A. Requiem by Robert Crais
Rating: 3 Stars
Cole and Pike, a PI and an off-the-wall cop, figure here in one of a series of detective tales. More accounts of the pair's adventures are promised. Why else would Pike not only survive being shot twice in the back by a .357 Magnum but escape from the police to a hideout where, presumably without medical aid, he is restored fully to health and ready for another adventure? OK novel if the reader is not overly given to critical thought.
 
Lynn H.
Maisie Dobbs (Book 1) by Jacqueline Winspear
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a fabulously written page turner mystery with a love story weaved in. I look forward to reading other Maisie Dobbs stories.
 
Judy O.
Reunion by Therese Fowler
Rating: 3 Stars
Blue Reynolds is an internationally known talk show host, but she has harbored a long-time secret for 20 years. She gave up a child at birth, and now she has hired a detective to try to find him. She also gets reunited with an old boyfriend, Mitch Forrester. This is an okay book, but nothing I will read again.
 
Sandra F.
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
Rating: 5 Stars
No other book that I have read about India has better shown the difference between the rich and the poor, the master and the servant, than this book has. Everyone who is interested in the real India should read this book.
 
Sandra F.
Humans by Robert J. Sawyer
Rating: 3 Stars
Thought-provoking story about parallel universes and how humans developed in each.
 
Sandra F.
The Final Detail by Harlan Coben
Rating: 4 Stars
All of Harlan Coben's books deserve attention. His writing is crisp and never fails to entertain. This is the story of a sports agent and the death of one of his clients.
 
Vanessa
Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Rating: 5 Stars
Opposites attract in this charming romantic comedy. CALL ME IRRESISTIBLE by Susan Elizabeth Phillips has it all. Witty banter, delightful cast of characters, and a happily ever after. All ingredients for the classic romance book. 

 
EC
A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay
Rating: 2 Stars
Whatever this novel promises to evoke in the reader, it just does not deliver. It just seems to be a story about a miserable family. A secret is revealed, but it does not result in shock.
 
Debbie
Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews
Rating: 2 Stars
SUMMER RENTAL is definitely a "chick" or "beach" novel. The story centers on three friends that meet for a month at Nags Head, South Carolina. Each lady has her own problems and agenda, but life does not always go as planned. A fourth lady joins this month of leisure. 

Andrews develops each woman, but the story seems silly at times. Real bad fortune never seems to enter the equation. Julia is an aging model trying to decide if she should marry longtime boyfriend Booker and change her career. Dorie is a poorly paid teacher, newly pregnant, and has just learned that her husband is gay. Ellis has lost her dream job to downsizing and has not been involved with a man into over 10 years. And then, Madison enters the picture as a wife running away from an abusive and criminal husband. I felt the ending a little trite and many issues not resolved.
 
Debbie
Innocent by Scott Turow
Rating: 2 Stars
My book club read PRESUMED INNOCENT and decided to read this sequel. I labored with this book. First, I totally dislike the main character, Rusty Sabich. In this novel, Rusty is a judge and has just turned 60 years old. This begins another downward spin for Rusty. He becomes involved with a woman 20 years younger and then his wife dies under mysterious circumstances. Rusty is accused of the murder, by poison, of his wife.

The majority of the book deals with Rusty's affair with Anna. Anna jumps from bed to bed, but decides in the closing of the novel that she has finally found true love. The story plays like a bad soap opera. Rusty undergoes a second trial for murder of a woman, and the outcome is predictable.
 
Linda B.
Bandits by L.M. Preston
Rating: 5 Stars
BANDITS Is A Story About Daniel Pierce And His Brother, Nikkel, Growing Up On The Planet Merwin. He Had Grown Up In Awe Of His Legendary Father Who Was The Greatest Zukar Thief Of All Time And He Had Wanted To Be Like Him Only Better, But Rayne Had Changed Three Years Ago And Refused To Go On Snatch Jobs That Left Daniel To Clean Up His Messes. As He Lay In Bed, He Heard Shots From Downstairs And He And His Runaway From Earth Cousin Raced Down The Stairs To See His Dad Had Been Murdered! His 10-Year-Old Brother Rushed Down The Stairs And He Stopped Him From Seeing The Horror Of His Dad's Death.

At 17 And A Half, Daniel Had To Assume The Role Of Protector In The The Family And His Gut Told Him To Run! Daniel, Nikkel, And His Earth Born Cousin, Faulk, Needed To Get To His Dad's Treasure Trove, As He Felt The Answers Were There And Only His Friend's Dad Had a Watercraft To Get Them To The Trove. But Gabe Was Not At Home And His Sister Offered To Get The Key --- For A Price!

L. M. Preston Tells A Delightful Story Of Daniel Growing Up With His Little Band Of Misfits Facing Enormous Challenges With All Kinds Of Creatures --- From The Flesh Eating Merpin That Lived In The Sea To Otherworldly Aliens And Their Deadly Mazes, To Facing His Dad's Murder And Getting Out Of One Bad Problem Only To Leap Feet First Into Another! BANDITS Is A Great Book For Tweens, Teens, As Well As Adults With Only Mild Profanity. I Hope There Is A Sequel In The Works As I Am Captured By This Book!
 
Marsha
Healer by Carol Wiley Cassella
Rating: 5 Stars
When a once aspiring doctor, who has given up her career for a marriage which has reaped a comfortable life, finds her husband has gambled their savings away on the prospects of a cutting-edge cancer drug, life changes dramatically. They give up their life in Seattle and move to a small community where she finds employment in a struggling public health clinic. Her daughter is unhappy in the new life and makes life difficult. She meets a Nicaraguan immigrant and orphan of the contra war who comes into their lives bringing friendship and a mystery that unfolds to threaten the family's future.
 
Sandy
The Mullah's Storm by Thomas W. Young
Rating: 4 Stars
This book was very good and I don't usually like this type of story.
 
Lynn H.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Rating: 5 Stars
I finally got around to reading this best seller and am so glad I did. I was afraid that the science aspect of the book would be difficult but it wasn't. Mrs. Skloot did a fabulous job letting us into the Lacks family and giving us a better understanding of how HeLa has changed science and the law around it for the better. (She also let me know that my appendix is probably still around in a jar somewhere.) I recommend this book to everyone as a great read.
 
Wendy M.N.
Killing Floor by Lee Child
Rating: 5 Stars
I love this book, the first in a series. Where has this author been all of my life!? I can not wait to get the rest of the series...keeps you thinking!! And suspense keeps you turning the pages.
 
Fran
Die Trying by Lee Child
Rating: 4 Stars
Jack Reacher is a lonely grifter who always finds himself in the wrong place at the long time. Lucky for the young woman he is kidnapped with as his former military training comes in handy to get them out of some pretty tight situations. Gripping from the first page. You won't be able to put this one down.
 
Patricia S.
Fallen by Karin Slaughter
Rating: 5 Stars
Slaughter continues to write books that you cannot put down! FALLEN follows Dr Sara Linton and Will Trent in Atlanta. Will's partner Faith returns from a meeting to find her mother's home empty and blood on the doorway. Her mother, a retired cop, was babysitting Faith's baby Emma...and this is just the opening of this gripping book!

I needn't have worried where Slaughter was headed with Sara Linton after closing her Grant Co. series by moving Sara to Atlanta.
 
Julie
Amagansett by Mark Mills
Rating: 4 Stars
A local fisherman pulls in the body of a young women in his nets and the mystery begins. This book is rich in the description of this area and those who inhabit Amagansett just in the summer months, as well as those who are working class fishermen and live there all year long.
 
Pamel W.
The Nanny's Homecoming by Linda Goodnight
Rating: 4 Stars
This book is about a family named Clayton whose Grandfather died and leaves an unusual will stating that his grand-children (all six) must move back to the town of Clayton for one year to get their inheritance. If all six do not comply than not even one will get the inheritance and all of their inheritances (which is ($250,000 each) will go to his estranged brother. His estranged brother's side of the family and his side have been feuding for many many years. 

In this book (first of the series) Brooke moves back to Clayton and falls in love with her neighbor who has a small son; however, when she was 10 in charge of her two-year-old sister Lucy, her sister drowned. This still haunts her ---but her neighbor convinces her to become his son's Nanny. Gabe, the handsome neighbor, is 10 years her senior and tries so hard not to let himself fall for Brooke, but can't help it. 

Brooke's cousins from her feuding Uncle's side are trying to run her out of town by scaring her --- they kidnap Gabe's son and Gabe ends up blaming her. Then the cousin (who works for Gabe) says the child walked up to his house, which is a quarter of a mile away. A few days later Gabe, still not speaking to Brooke, overhears the cousin boasting to Brooke's face. It is then that he realizes the truth. Now you will have to read the book to find out the rest.....
 
Tanya
Breaking Silence by Linda Castillo
Rating: 4 Stars
I love this series. This is the third book featuring Police Chief Kate Burkholder. A lot of twists and turns in this murder mystery in Amish country.
 
Reva W. ([email protected])
Double Cross by James Patterson
Rating: 4 Stars
An Alex Cross book. Alex gets drawn back into a murder investigation when his name is mentioned by the killer. Meanwhile, Kyle Craig excapes from a maximun security prision. A great read.
 
Beth L.
The Confession by John Grisham
Rating: 5 Stars
I am an avid reader. I have always loved reading John Grisham novels This one U couldn't put down. It was a very intriguing, make-you-think type of book. I recently recommended this book to my sister in-law, who hates to read, and she couldn't stop raving about it either.
 
Vanessa
Any Man Of Mine by Rachel Gibson
Rating: 5 Stars
Old flames reunite in ANY MAN OF MINE by Rachel Gibson. A couple must learn to trust again for a chance at everlasting love. Modern romance with a sports twist, this latest installment in the Chinooks Hockey Team series is a winner!
 
Tillie
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Rating: 5 Stars
This was absolutely one of the best books I have ever read. Although I knew somewhere in the periphery of my mind that this stuff was happening, I wasn't directly affected. This book raised my awareness of racial prejudices so much that after reading this book, I went to my father (who was raised in the South) and thanked him for raising me to not judge people by their skin color.
 
EC
Evensong by Gail Godwin
Rating: 3 Stars
The story of an Episcopalian minister and her Episcopalian minister husband sometimes just goes on a little too long, but the reader can care about the characters.
 
Donna K.
The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard
Rating: 5 Stars
This book was a great read. I couldn't put it down. I thought I had if figured out, but low and behold, I hadn't. I can't wait to read another one of her novels.
 
Lynne
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
Rating: 4 Stars
Outstanding!! It's the best book I've read in the last few weeks. Reminded me of SARAH'S KEY.
 
EC
Queen of the Underworld by Gail Godwin
Rating: 3 Stars
The story of a young female reporter and her job in Miami is good, but the ending leaves the reder hoping for a little more.
 
Judy O.
The Daughter's Walk by Jane Kirkpatrick
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the story of Helga Estby, a Norwegian immigrant, and her daughter Clara. In 1896 they walked across the United States in order to earn $10,000 from a group of sponsors of "women's reform clothing." They had to complete this trip in one year, or they would forfeit the money. 

This fascinating story is also told in the nonfiction book BOLD SPIRIT by Linda L. Hunt. Kirkpatrick's book is historical fiction, and it largely chronicles the story of Clara and her life after the walk. Both books were so interesting, and they made me wonder if I would ever be capable of such a feat. I doubt it.
 
Sheri
A Simple Government by Mike Huckabee
Rating: 4 Stars
Good read for an upcoming election year. Too bad Mike decided not to run, but may give another candidate a better chance of winning for us.

 
Michele C.
A Simple Act of Violence by RJ Ellory
Rating: 3 Stars
The writing was excellent but the storyline was too drawn out in this book and some things still really didn't make sense even at the end. It was confusing at times with the back story in between.
 
Michele C.
Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand
Rating: 5 Stars
I love this author and this book was was really good!
 
Kathy
The Ghosts of Belfast by Stuart Neville
Rating: 5 Stars
An interesting perspective on guilt and revenge. Gerry Fegan, an ex stone cold killer during tumultuous times in Belfast, is a flawed character who just wants peace. However, the ghosts of his past will not allow Gerry any serenity. How to stop the ghosts from screaming? Once Gerry determines the best course of action, the plot of politics, malevolence and old alliances evolves. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and recommend it to all.
 
Vanessa
Heartache Falls by Emily March
Rating: 5 Stars
Emily March brings readers back to Eternity Springs with her latest book, HEARTACHE FALLS. An empty nest leaves a couple growing further apart. The emotion-packed novel explores the role of regrets and sacrifice and their impact on a marriage in crisis. This is the third book in the series. Great read for a book club!
 
Sheri
Courage to Stand: An American Story by Tim Pawlenty
Rating: 4 Stars
Everyone who votes should read this one.
 
Jackie R.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Rating: 5 Stars
It's always great to revisit an old classic...still remains one of my absolute favorite books!
 
Sally
You Believers by Jane Bradley
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a story based on a true story about a young woman kidnapped and missing for three months, the search for her, her family's reaction, and the kidnappers actions. It is a first story for the author, and I look forward to reading more from her. It is a sad, moving love story/mystery that I could not put down until I finished it in one day.
 
Coral H.
Doc by Mary Doria Russell
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the story of Doc Holliday. He was a dentist, very educated and a musician. He lived in Atlanta but decided to go to a dry climate as he had TB. He went to Dodge City, Kansas.This is where he set up his practice and me the Earps. This is before OK Corral. Very well written and tells about how they lived at that time. Most of it is fiction.
 
Patricia P.
Reunion by Jeff Bennington
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a great read!! Jeff Bennington has a way of making you feel like you are right there with the last graduates of Cedar Falls High. He adds just the right mix of paranormal, thriller, and love story. Thanks Jeff for sharing one of your great novels!!
 
Jo R.
The Snowman by Jo Nesbo
Rating: 5 Stars
What a thriller, lots of red herrings and interesting characters. Harry Hole would be interesting to meet, but difficult to relate to.
 
Susan B.
A Dog's Purpose: A Novel for Humans by W. Bruce Cameron
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a wonderful "autobiography" of a dog's life written in the dog's own thoughts and words. It speaks of unconditional love, loyalty and the bond that forms between a dog and the humans in his life or lives. Truly an engaging and fun read!!
 
Vanessa
A Lot Like Love by Julie James
Rating: 5 Stars
A LOT LIKE LOVE is a contemporary romance by Julie James. This fun tale teams a FBI agent and a wealthy businesswoman in an undercover sting. A touch of mystery, clever dialogue, and strong romantic chemistry make this a must summer read!
 
Jean
Dog on It: A Chet and Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn
Rating: 4 Stars
A very charming mystery narrated by the dog, Chet. Definitely a good read. I'll be reading the other two books in the series as well!
 
Linda J.
Ghost Rider by Neil Peart
Rating: 4 Stars
Neil Peart, the drummer for the rock band Rush, experienced double tragedies of having his only daughter's death in a single car accident on the way back to college followed too quickly by his common-law wife's diagnosis and subsequent demise from cancer --- all within 10 months. As a way of healing, he set out on a two year motorcycle tour of Canada and parts of the United States. A lot of this book is told through letters he writes to various people. A wonderfully written soul-bearing memoir.
 
Angie
Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a very good summer read. It will make you laugh and make you cry. I will be reading more books by Kristan Higgins.
 
Michele C.
Heat Wave by Nancy Thayer
Rating: 5 Stars
As always, a great read by this author. But, wow, unexpected story line! Loved it!
 
Sean from OHIO
The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith
Rating: 5 Stars
I was a huge fan of CHILD 44 and it seemed like forever before I was able to get my hands on a copy of the sequel. Sadly it was even longer before I got to read but the wait was worth it as the novel moved right along using Russian history to push along the story of Leo Demidov and his now super dysfunctional family. 
The book moved at such a intense pace that at times it might have actually needed a bit of a break but it was nonstop emotion. 

Times keep getting darker for most of the characters involved, the ending is well done and not what I predicted (always a good thing), and it ends with the tease of more, which I covet. Tom Rob Smith has such a grip on Leo and his wife's personalities that I think I know them. It was a great book while not as good as its perfect predecessor, it is fantastic. A must read!
 
Linda in Indiana
One Was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the seventh book in this series about a minister and chief of police in an upper New York town and it just keeps getting better and better. The plots are unpredictable and the characters just keep developing more and more. I love it!
 
Lynn
The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Rating: 5 Stars
How can so much wisdom be packed into just 118 pages?
 
Sandy
The Bishop's Daughter by Wanda E. Brunstetter
Rating: 4 Stars
Usually I am into murder mysteries, but this was a good change of pace and I did enjoy it.
 
Susanbright
Pictures of You by Caroline Leavitt
Rating: 5 Stars
PICTURES OF YOU is real page turner, and a thought-provoking book as well. How well do we really know the ones we love? How much are you willing to forgive? How do you let go of the past and move on? Once I started reading, I could not put it down.
 
Tanya
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
Rating: 3 Stars
3.5 stars. This book is about a scientist who goes to the Amazon in search of answers as to what happened to her colleague who previously was sent to get a status on some research.
 
Sandy
Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo
Rating: 5 Stars
I read this in one day. Could not put it down. HEAVEN IS FOR REAL will forever change the way you think of eternity, offering the chance to see, and believe, like a child. I cannot stop thinking about it and it will touch the lives of everyone who reads it.
 
Vanessa
Summer At Seaside Cove by Jacquie D'Alessandro
Rating: 5 Stars
Jacquie D'Alessandro delivers the perfect beach read with SUMMER AT SEASIDE COVE. Hoping to leave her troubles behind, the heroine retreats to the charming town of Seaside Cove, North Carolina. Family drama and new love combine in this entertaining novel.
 
LH
Sizzling Sixteen: A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 5 Stars
Another great Stephanie Plum book. It is really sizzling! From the first chapter I was laughing so hard. I think Janet Evanovich really has developed Lula's character into something really great. It's like you could be friends with her but you are glad you're not!
 
Jennie W.
Other Kingdoms by Richard Matheson
Rating: 4 Stars
I don't typically read this genre, but this book is written in an interesting fashion; the author is writing in retrospect, as an 82-year-old, reliving his late teen to early 20s years and the time he spent with a witch and in the land of faeries.
 
Marsha
The Private Patient by P.D. James
Rating: 5 Stars
This first rate mystery is well- written, fast-paced, character- driven and all we have learned to expect from such a fine writer. Adam Dagliesh and his team investigate a murder of an investigative reporter who has gone to the country to have a scar removed from her face. A scar she claims "she no longer needs."
 
Emily
The Council of Dads by Bruce Feiler
Rating: 5 Stars
At the age of 38 Feiler was diagnosed with cancer. At the time his identical twin daughters were three years old. Worrying that his daughters might grow up without him, Feiler organized the Council of Dads, made up of six of his best male friends. Feiler introduces each of these men and tells the various life lessons that he wants them to convey to his daughters. 

Interspersed with this is the story of his battle with cancer. This is a well-written book and one that inspires and forces us to reflect on how to live our lives, face adversity with wisdom and hope, and deepen and cherish our friendships. I high recommend this book.
 
Judy R.
Dead By Midnight by Carolyn Hart
Rating: 5 Stars
Hart takes us back to the Death On Demand bookstore with owner/main character, Annie Darling. Annie is married to Max who has an unusual mother; she is always amusing. Annie and Max are Hart's characters that always find the truth in each murder. They are loyal and loveable and in this book help to solve two murders. Excellent reading.
 
Pam
The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey
Rating: 4 Stars
Though this is a first novel, it is quite impressive with its feisty, Maureen O'Hara-like heroine. Set in the early 1900s, the novel takes the reader through the civil war that resulted in Northern Ireland and into the lives of villagers who are torn apart by the struggle. The resolution that follows Eileen's struggle between her husband James and the Protestant Owen is just, but not idealistic. The prose is beautiful, and the dialogue is lyrical, even lilting.
 
Pam
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the best book I've read in forever. The book tells the story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic track hopeful, who survives weeks adrift in the Pacific only to end up tormented in Japanese prison camps. Who could forget, too, the sadistic Bird who remains defensive and unapologetic to the end. By telling the story of Zamperini, the author paints a realistic, horrifying picture of the atrocities suffered by POW's in the Pacific theater in WWII...almost unbelievable except that it did happen. Best of all, the author weaves years of research and documentation into a fast-paced book that I couldn't put down.
 
Pam
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Rating: 5 Stars
Really good. Using three (or more) main viewpoints, each separated by approximately 50 years and two continents, the author unravels the mystery. Settings are reminiscent of REBECCA and Dickens' London.
 
Allie
Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine
Rating: 4 Stars
A great paranormal read.
 
Myrna
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
Rating: 5 Stars
In one sense, it is a modern retelling of HEART OF DARKNESS but it is so much more. It pits two women of science against each other with the background of the Amazon jungle, both looking for truth and self-fulfillment.
 
Pam
The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry
Rating: 4 Stars
Steve Berry has done it again. He combines little known aspects of history with fast paced action as Cotton Malone foils the plans of the Commonwealth, a centuries-old conspiracy of four privateering families. While some of Malone's feats stretch the imagination, the use of historical events, facts, and actual places keep me reading Steve Berry. Meanwhile, the pace of the action, while lacking realism, never slows. 

This one concerns letters of marque, privateering, asassination attempts, pirate torture methods, etc., just the sort of trivia history buffs love. In fact, the book is one big swashbuckling adventure, so it is fitting that the topic is pirates.
 
Jan A.
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
Rating: 5 Stars
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. The story is very different from anything I've ever read. A scientist working in a lab is sent to the Amazon to find a missing co-worker and check up on the progress of a drug development by another scientist. This story is so well-written and the characters are alive. There is humor, love, suspense and surprise to the last page.
 
Bahareh
The Sandalwood Tree by Elle Newmark
Rating: 5 Stars
"Two love stories, ninety years apart, set against the rich backdrop of war-torn India."

Best book I've read so far this summer.
 
Allan
Tabloid City by Pete Hamill
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a truly wonderful read about a few people whose lives intertwine unknwowingly in the Big Apple. It captures both the beauty as well as the tragedy of the city.
 
Carol
The Ninth Wife by Amy Stolls
Rating: 5 Stars
I LOVED this book! I didn't really expect to --- the premise seemed unlikely to appeal to me. This is a story about a man who had been married eight times and about to marry a ninth. I had nothing in common with the characters and yet this book is so well written and the characters so vivid that I came to care about them and couldn't wait for the whole story to unfold. A very satisfying read!
 
Martha
My Own Country: A Doctor's Story by Abraham Verghese
Rating: 4 Stars
A great account of a doctor working in Johnson City, TN, during the beginning of the AIDS outbreak. Verghese brings such a personal experience to the reader as he gets very involved in the lives of these patients, all with different stories.
 
Pam
The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman
Rating: 5 Stars
This was a great book that I couldn't put down. Blackwell, Massachusetts produces a garden with blood red soil that yields only red flowers and vegetables. Each chapter in the book relates a different story of characters linked to that garden and that little town as it grows from a cabin to a small city. The stories begin before the founding of the town in 1750 and continue to the current day. Each character connects to the prior stories and characters. The overall effect is mystical and mesmerizing, like folklore, genealogy or even magic. This is a beautifully written book
 
Cindy
A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabladon
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the sixth book in a series about time traveler Claire and her husband Jamie. If you're interested in historical fiction, this is a must read. It begins in the 1940s right after WWII and goes back to the 1760s where Claire meets Jamie. What a love story!
 
Pam
The Widower's Tale by Julia Glass
Rating: 4 Stars
The voices of four men, unlike in age, etc., are very distinct in this novel --- so well written that you won't want it to end.
 
Pat S.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Rating: 5 Stars
Could not put it down!! I know it's been out a while but just got it. It was definitely worth the wait. Such a gifted writer --- can't believe this is her first novel but I know it won't be her last. Everyone should read this one!!
 
Celeste
The Summer Hideaway: The Lakeshore Chronicles by Susan Wiggs
Rating: 3 Stars
I really enjoy The Lakeshore Cronicles series, however, this one is rather sad. I was expecting a light, breezy summer read, and this one certainly isn't light and breezy.
 
Reva W.
The Shack by William P. Young
Rating: 5 Stars
This is unlike any book I've ever read. Mack's daughter is kidnapped from a camping trip with her dad, brother and sister. They find her bloodied dress in a shack, but no body. About four years later, he receives a note saying 'It's been awhile, I've missed you' with an invitation to meet him at the shack that weekend. It's signed Papa, his wife's name for God. He decides to go and what he finds is unbelievable. Is it real?
 
Janet
Life's a Beach by Claire Cook
Rating: 3 Stars
I am enjoying the book but I will probably forget it as soon as I am finished.
 
Kaylynn
Once Upon a Time, There Was You by Elizabeth Berg
Rating: 2 Stars
I did not like this book.
 
Sharon
The First Cut by Dianne Emley
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a mystery and although I have not read this author before, this won't be the last one I read. The book is about a police procedural from the perspective of a female detective that has been assaulted on the job. On her first day back from a year long recovery, she is asked to join a team that is investigating a female police officer that has been found murdered The character development and back story is excellent and makes you want to cheer for the good guys and see the bad guys caught and punished for their crimes.
 
Debbie
The 9th Judgment by James Patterson
Rating: 3 Stars
This is in James Patterson's Women's Club series, set in San Francisco. I enjoy the main character, Lindsay Boxer, and her circle of friends. I am unsure about Lindsay's love interest, Joe. I think I would rather see Lindsay with her partner, Rich Conklin. 

In this episode, Lindsay and Rich investigate the murder of an actor's wife and the psycho serial killer who kills young women and their babies. The count climbs as Lindsay and the FBI attempt to locate the killer. I cannot say enough about Patterson's style of writing with short paragraphs that egg the reader to complete another chapter. Patterson's stories do not delve into the psychology of the killer nor do they involve detailed setting and characters. His books are fun and a little scary.
 
Linda J.
The Diary of a Fairy Godmother by Esmé Raji Codell
Rating: 5 Stars
A saccharin tale about a born witch who would rather be a fairy godmother. Incorporates parts of Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin, and Sleeping Beauty into the story. The narrator, who did use different voices for different characters, helped make it tooth-achingly sweet.
 
Kathryn
Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home th by Conor Grennan
Rating: 5 Stars
I loved this book! After college, grad school and a few years in the working world, Conor Grennan decides it's time to take a year and travel around the world. In an attempt to add meaning (and it sounds impressive) to his journey, he begins his adventure by volunteering for 3 months at an orphanage in Nepal. 

While in Nepal Conor learns these children are not orphans, but children trafficked by groups that promised to take care of the children during the civil war for a huge amount of money. They brought them from their villages to Kathmandu and abandoned them.
This book is about travel, adventure, and personal growth --- it's full of people and life and how one person can make a difference.and it's true!

This is a great read and one not to be missed. Proceeds from this book also go to help the children of Nepal.
 
Tanya
Heart of Ice by Lis Wiehl and April Henry
Rating: 4 Stars
I really like this series. This is the third book and the three women characters just keep solving those crimes. It doesn't hurt that they are best friends either. Get to know Allison, Nicole and Cassidy. I bet you will like them as much as I do.
 
MJB
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
Rating: 4 Stars
MUDBOUND takes place in the mid '40s on a cotton farm in the Mississippi Delta. It is the story of the McAllan family and their black sharecroppers family, the Jacksons. It is about survival, hardships, love, betrayal, and lies. A riveting story told as each chapter is narrated by a different member of the family. 

This was on my reading list for so long and am glad I finally got around to reading it. Looking forward to Jordan's next book, due out in October.
 
Reva W.
Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a true story about an almost 4-year-old boy who, during sugery for a burst appendix, went to heaven. Little by little, what he saw while he was there, came out. The first time he spoke about it to his parents, he was telling them that the angels had sung to him to keep him from being afraid. When they asked him where he was, he said in Jesus' lap.

This is a must read story for everyone who wants to know what heaven is like.
 
Sharron
Bent Road by Lori Roy
Rating: 3 Stars
Story of a family's return to the farm in Kansas after being upset by racial incidents in Detroit. When they return to an area avoided since father Arthur's sister was found dead 20+ years ago, they are no happier. The children don't have friends and another child, who looks like the long ago dead sister, suddenly goes missing. After a slow start, the book held my interest to see where it was going.
 
Fran
Hush by Kate White
Rating: 5 Stars
It's been a long time since I've read a book that literally gripped me from the first page and kept me hanging with suspense until the last page. Interesting mystery, great characters and a page turning storyline. I loved this book.
 
ewhatley
Buried Prey by John Sandford
Rating: 5 Stars
If you're already a John Sandford fan, you'll love this addition to his list of Preybooks. If you're a thriller fan, add Sandford's books to your reading list. In this one, a tragic discovery of two bodies takes Lucas Davenport back to an old case. He had his own ideas about who committed the crime and always doubted its resolution. Sandford gives us all the details of the old case then takes us on Davenport's investigation of the old as well as current crimes. Sandford never fails to deliver a thrilling read.
 
Julie H.
Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
Rating: 3 Stars
I wound up really enjoying this story of surfing, mermaids and dissension in the seas. I wasn't sure what to expect of this teen, but as Tempest reaches her 17th birthday, some undeniable changes begin to happen to her body and the call of the ocean is very strong.
 
Julie H.
South of Superior by Ellen Airgood
Rating: 3 Stars
Abandoned as a toddler, Madeline Stone heads north to care for an old family friend after the death of her foster mother. The UP of Michigan is remote, and the town of McAllaster is small, but rich in a variety of characters. Sisters Gladys and Arbutus really set the stage for the type of independent oldtimers that populate the town. 

The story took a little while for me to get into, but I enjoyed the ensemble cast very much and the descriptions of the hardscrabble life many of the townspeople came from and continue to live.
 
Linda B.
Deadly Focus by R. C. Bridgestock
Rating: 5 Stars
Detective Inspector Jack Dylan had a child's murder to investigate and he was filled with rage that a nine-year-old girl was snatched feet first from her own home! Poor little Daisy Hinds only wanted to show her grandmother her bridesmaid dress, now the wedding will be postponed and Daisy will never breathe again. 
Before Jack could catch his breath, another child went missing! 

R. C. Bridgestock penned the first book of the Jack Dylan series that kept me on the edge of my seat as one child after another just kept turning up missing in the small town of Harrowfield. Jack hardly slept and ran on gallons of coffee, yet when he thought he had nailed the guilty party, he had to let him go for lack of evidence. Jack worked an 80-hour week but he could not rest as he knew the murderer would strike yet again until he stopped him.
 
Kellie
In The Blink of an Eye by Michael Waltrip & Ellis Henican
Rating: 4 Stars
I remember that fateful day in February of 2001. I watched that race. It was the day of my son's Christening. Family and friends were at the house celebrating and the race was on. It was an exciting race. I remember talking about Dale playing defense for Dale Jr and Michael. It was an incredible sight. I remember seeing the crash and thinking Dale might be hurt, but no one thought he died. The crash was bad but I've seen a lot worse. I remember the shock when we heard of his death. I read the part about the crash while I was riding the stationary bike at the Y. I asked the guy next to me if he was a NASCAR fan. I told him what I was reading about, mainly so if he saw me start bawling he knew why. I held it together though. 

The worst part of the book for me was Michael's description of the morning of race day and all the excitement. You know what's coming and it's so painful to read with anticipation. This book is about Michael Waltrip and that day. It really isn't about Michael's life, although it plays a large part. I read reviews where readers were expecting more information on Michael's accident with the SUV, his divorce, etc. Not necessary, as I believe this book was therapy for Michael. I don't think people really understood how much Dale Earnhart's death impacted Michael Waltrip. Well, now we know. 

I've always been a big fan of Michael and this confirms my admiration. He's a regular guy, with a big heart, who loves racing. Simple as that.
 
Sandy
The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards
Rating: 4 Stars
Not as good as THE MEMORY KEEPER'S DAUGHER, but still I found it very entertaining. Lucy Jarrett returns home to upstate New York from Japan, only to find herself in the middle of drama and mystery.
She reconnects with her first love, Keegan Fall, but realizes it is not the way her life should go. Yoshi is her real love and the one she belongs with. Parts of this story are a little unbelievable, but still enjoyable.
 
Billie D.
Mimosa Grove by Dinah McCall
Rating: 5 Stars
This is an excellent suspense with a bit of the supernatural thrown in. I love it, and I love this author.
 
Freckles
Rainwater by Sandra Brown
Rating: 3 Stars
Written in a different style than most of this author's works, Sandra Brown's novel RAINWATER is a cute, short read. Interesting but not great.
 
Linda
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Rating: 5 Stars
Awesome book! You can tell this author knows about the brain and how it works. I found myself holding my breath at times when I read. It was so real, and so sad, and yet she managed to put a thread of hope through the story.
 
Linda
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
Rating: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this book. It gives a real feel for how the Americans who were of Japanese descent must have felt during that evacuation, as well as how their friends coped. The fear led ordinary people to behave in a shameful manner.
 
Betty Jo
The Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Rating: 5 Stars
A true classic about the changes in life and marriage. I don't know why I am just reading it, but maybe it is because I am in the Oyster shell stage.
 
Marsha
The Face of a Stranger by Anne Perry
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the first of 18 books featuring the amnesiac police detective William Monk, who investigates crimes in Victorian England. This early novel traces the murder of a man suspected of bilking families of veterans of the Crimean War. Monk is desperate to unveil his own identity as well as solving the mystery of this death. Fascinating.
 
Sandra F.
The War Memoirs Of Hrh Wallis Duchess Of Windsor by Kate Auspitz
Rating: 3 Stars
I have always been fascinated by Wallis Simpson. This book is a fictional account of her life at the time of the abdication. The number of footnotes puts the story in the proper historical framework, but the writing is not very good. Ms. Auspitz should probably stay with nonfiction.
 
Sandra F.
The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
Rating: 4 Stars
I enjoyed this book about the seige of Sarajevo in the 1990s. The spirit of the people of this city in a terrible time was inspiring.
 
Sandra F.
Dead Simple by Peter James
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the first book that I have read by Peter James, but it will not be the last. This story of a stag night gone wrong is great --- good story, strong characters and terrific setting.
 
Tanya
The Upright Piano Player by David Abbott
Rating: 3 Stars
The book is a wise and acutely observed novel about the ways in which life tests us no matter how we think we have things planned out.
 
Michele C.
44 Charles Street by Danielle Steel
Rating: 4 Stars
I actually liked this book a lot. I was tired of this author, but someone gave this to me to read and I took a chance. It's still predictable, but a good story.
 
Kellie
44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith
Rating: 3 Stars
This series of books began as a daily serial in a newspaper. The author talks about it in the prologue of this book. The story is about a group of characters who live in a complex on 44 Scotland Street and the trials and tribulations they experience while living on this Street, whether it's together as neighbors or apart in their personal daily lives. The characters include a young college student named Pat, her self absorbed roommate Bruce, a gifted 6 year-old named Bertie and his parents, and an older woman named Domenica.

I have mixed feelings after finishing this book. First, I am a big fan of this author. He writes one of my favorite series, The #1 Ladies Detective Agency. So, right off the bat, I'm biased in a favorable way. This series is so different from theDetective Agency. So much so that I admire the author for being so diverse. 

I feel like there was a lot to this book as far as the humor and off shoot messages and ideas, whereas the majority went over my head. To quickly comment on this book I would say, it was a mediocre beginning of a series and I am disappointed. However, since I'm familiar with the author and I know there was more to this book than meets the eye, I'm going to give it more credit and hope I like the second book, ESPRESSO TALES, better.
 
Marion M.
God on the Rock by Jane Gardam
Rating: 4 Stars
I am a Jane Gardam fan. This book had many unusual twists, turns, and mysteries that come together at the end. Stick with it, it's good.
 
Fran
Away From You by Melanie Finn
Rating: 3 Stars
A quick, easy read about a woman who sets out to confront her past and her relationship with her estranged, recently deceased father.
 
Ali
The Season of Second Chances by Diane Meier
Rating: 2 Stars
I wanted to like this book but found it frought with unbelieveable characters. The premise was great but it was just under-developed.
 
Emily
Naked Came I by David Weiss
Rating: 5 Stars
After touring the Rodin Museum in Philadelphia several weeks ago I discovered this novel by David Weiss on the life of Rodin. While it is an old book (copyright 1963), it is worth taking the time to read. It is well-written, the characters are well-drawn, and Rodin's life story is truly fascinating.
 
Marion M.
Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister
Rating: 5 Stars
I was asked to preview this book. I thought it would be "chick-lit" but I was pleasantly surprised. It was a delightful read and the characters easy to identify with.
 
Reva W.
Deja Vu by Fern Michaels
Rating: 4 Stars
One book in the Sisterhood series. The vigilantes are looking for Hank Jellico --- the man who took 18 years of their life. He is hiding out in one of his safehouses. They want to track him down and turn him over to the FBI, who are also looking for him.
 
Gail
Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg
Rating: 5 Stars
Elizabeth Berg weaves the most beautiful, emotional stories that just seem to stay with you. The way she captures her characters with such understanding and emotion touches the heart like few others.

This is a story of the deep relationship of mother and daughter, but also of many others that touch their lives. Written with humor and understanding.
 
Carol G.
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
Rating: 5 Stars
I loved the story and I'll miss you Harrison Shepherd. A moving story of a boy growing up in Mexico and the happenings around him that affect his him later in life.
 
Michele C.
Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares
Rating: 5 Stars
OMG, this book blew me away! Even if you haven't followed THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS, it will still all come together for you in this ending book. I loved it!
 
Michele C.
Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
Rating: 5 Stars
This was the best!!
 
Soovie
The Assassin's Accomplice by Kate Clifford Larson
Rating: 3 Stars
Lincoln's assassination is such a gripping story of intrigue and the temprament of the South at that time, I thought this would be a good choice for my book club. Larson has obviously researched the subject well. The facts are all there. She told this history so clinically that there seemed to be little emotion in the retelling of such an emotional event.

She finally, for me, answered the question: was Mary Surratt an innocent victim or part of the plot to kill Abraham Lincoln?

I'd recommend this book to historians interested in all the facts. The author doesn't put words into any of the mouths of the people involved if they couldn't be authenticated by her research.
 
Louise
Leaving Unknown by Kerry Reichs
Rating: 5 Stars
I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've done a review after only reading the first chapter, but this book is WONDERFUL! The writing is so witty and clever, Ms. Reichs wouldn't need to have a plot. However, not to worry, because a very fun plot is developing; one I can't wait to read. 

She gave up a successful law practice in DC to drive across country and research for this book. I get the feeling that the heroine in the book is going to do the same :) I've got to have her previous book now!

Wish I could give it higher than a 5 star rating!
 
Dana
Buried Prey by John Sandford
Rating: 5 Stars
Lucas Davenport is transported back in time to his first unsolved case because his current case is related to it. Readers find some background information about Lucas' first years as a policeman as well as what is hppening in his life today.
 
Marsha
A Death in China by Carl Hiaasen & Bill Montalbano
Rating: 4 Stars
For all you readers who are fascinated with China and those who have been fortunate to visit, this thriller captures the real China of 1983. The descriptions and history of the Qin dynasty and the Communist rule of today are outlined in rich fashion. There is intrigue, secrets, lust and a thing called "death by duck." As our hero traces the death of his friend we are exposed to a world we can only glimpse.
 
Gretchen
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Rating: 3 Stars
It's about Hemmingway's first and according to him his most beloved wife. A look into the first few years of their marriage and the other contemporaries in Paris at that time, i.e. the Fitzgeralds, Gertrude Stein and Alice Tolkias.
 
Michele C.
Heads You Lose by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward
Rating: 5 Stars
Classic lutz!!
 
Michele C.
One Summer by David Baldacci
Rating: 5 Stars
What a twist this has, right in the beginning! Yes, you will cry!!
 
Michele C.
Molly Fox's Birthday by Deirdre Madden
Rating: 5 Stars
Funny, warm, you will love it!
 
Elizabeth http://silversolara.blogspot.com
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Rating: 5 Stars
Chicago, Chicago, my kind of town...Chicago won the spot for the World's fair beating out New York City and Washington, D.C.

A challenge between Chauncey Depew and the Whitechapel Club arose after Chicago won the spot. The challenge was to see if Chicago can make the World's Fair the best and biggest of the time --- better than the one that just ended in Paris. Quoting from Page 14: "It was the big talk, not the persistent southwesterly breeze, that had prompted New York editor Charles Anderson Dana to nickname Chicago 'the Windy City.'"

Meanwhile Chicago was growing and architects were becoming wealthy and successful, but the city was so large it was starting to become dangerous and dirty. And all during this, in comes H. H. Holmes also known as Herman Webster Mudgett claiming to be a doctor and pharmacist. He actually did train as a doctor, but had a very shady past. His shady past began surfacing as he built a strange building across the street from a pharmacy he bought from a widow that mysteriously disappeared. His charm and charisma got him out of a lot of trouble and even out of paying his debts. Not one person could suspect him of any wrongdoing. His thoughts, though, were of young, single women and Jack the Ripper.

While he was building this strange building, Chicago had its architects looking for a place to build their "fabulous" World's Fair. Everyone was still waiting for them to fail since Paris, in everyone's mind, couldn't be surpassed. Finally on December 15, 1890, the committee decided on a location for the World's Columbian Exposition. It was going to be right next to H. H. Holmes' building --- this made him very pleased and thrilled. The cost and organization was going to be astronomical. The architects hired were the best in the nation, but none were from Chicago.

H. H. Holmes was thinking more and more about completing his building and also turning it into a hotel and building a furnace in the basement that was able to go up to 3,000 degrees...the mason was a little leary about the shape and size he wanted. The mason said it looked like an oven they used to cremate dead bodies. Lots of signs had been appearing indicating that he was not normal, but no one paid any notice since he was a pretty smooth operator.

The fair took all the time out of each architect's day...it was slow, and they were afraid they wouldn't get done in time. Obstacle after obstacle kept appearing --- if it wasn't the land, it was that the blueprints were late, or that they were worried about sanitation and crime. During all of this, good old Mr. Holmes was still up to his tricks with money and women. He would steal down to the basement and light the furnace and loved to feel the incredible heat.

The book was great historically...seeing all these names of people who invented things was great. The mystery surrounding Mr. Holmes was gruesome, but fit nicely into the story's plot. You will enjoy the book, but can skip some of the pages telling about the constructing of the the World's Fair Buildings.
 
F Tessa B
Strip Tease by Carl Hiaasen
Rating: 3 Stars
Hiaasen is up to his usual tricks. This one really takes aim at politicians and sleazy lawyers, but is actually a bit "tamer" than some of his other works. It all starts in a strip club, when a congressman beats a drunken groom who has "over-enjoyed" his bachelor party.
 
Francisca E B
Pulse by Edna Buchanan
Rating: 3 Stars
Buchanan is a talented storyteller and she knows how to build suspense. This is a stand-alone work. Frank Douglas receives a donor heart and is regaining his health when he starts to have odd dreams. When he acts on his compulsion to find and meet the donor's family, his own family life suffers.
 
Judy O.
Father of the Rain by Lily King
Rating: 5 Stars
I loved and devoured this book. It is the story of a very convoluted relationship between a man and his daughter. Gardiner Amory is a New England WASP, and he is also an alcoholic. Daley Amor, his daughter, has learned to navigate the mine fields of his alcoholic moods. When her parents divorce, she is now thrust into two worlds --- her father's new life with his new wife and her mother's with her new husband. Eventually Daley gives up a good share of her own life to try to steer her father into sobriety and happiness. That proves to be a challenge. 

Sounds depressing, but it was just a wonderful story. I was happy to win this book on a giveaway at Bookreporter.com.
 
Elizabeth http://silversolara.blogspot.com
Small Island by Andrea Levy
Rating: 4 Stars
Small Island begins with a chapter about Post-War London and Hortense, a Jamaican bride, arriving in London to meet her husband whom she married but hasn't seen for six months. The reunion is quite a tale.

The book then moves back to the time period at the beginning of Hortense's life as a child, her life in teacher college, her life as a teacher and then how she met Gilbert --- the way Hortense and Gilbert meet and decide to get married is amusing.

Gilbert is not the most reliable man, though. He has big ideas about making money, which he needs to get a boat to London, but his schemes never amount to much. Gilbert arrives in London first and tells Hortense he will send for her when he is settled. Gilbert had been in the RAF and knows what it is like to live in London. Hortense isn't as keen on "the way the English live." Gilbert and Hortense were the main characters at the beginning, and then Hortense "falls" out of the book for a while and Gilbert and Queenie take center stage.

The story continues and tells about the lives of the four main characters before and after the war: Queenie, Hortense, Gilbert, and Bernard. Their lives are interesting and complicated. The characters grow on you, and you get caught up in their life stories and are eager to see what happens next and at times hope for a different outcome.

Queenie was my favorite character. You will find a favorite as well, as you get absorbed in their pre- and post-war stories.

The book brings to light how immigrants were treated and viewed during Post-War in England. It was an education into how and what went on during that period in history.

At first it was a little difficult to get completely into the book...at times it was just plain confusing, but Andrea Levy has fantastic descriptions of the characters as well as the era. Very profound book. It also makes you laugh out loud at some of the things that happen and some of the things the characters say.

I really enjoyed the content even though I was confused at times, so 4/5 for interest, but 5/5 for the historical aspect and explanation of the Post-War Era in London
 
Elizabeth http://silversolara.blogspot.com
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
Rating: 4 Stars
Nigeria, London, Little Bee, Sarah, Lawrence, Andrew, and Batman...all different lives all connected through good and bad situations.

Friendships, suicide, family life, choices, oil, and government...put these all together, and you have a powerful story about how lives inter-twine and are touched no matter the distance between all parties.

The story is told by Little Bee, a 16-year-old Nigerian refugee and Sarah, a successful journalist. Everything isn't given away at once, because the author lets both women "talk" to the reader about events.

The beginning pages are very clever and creative and you think it will be a funny book, but it is intense.

You will be drawn into the story very easily through excellent descriptions and situations. You will live and feel all the heartache, emotion, and fear of the circumstances for each character.

It is a powerful, thought-provoking novel.
 
Elizabeth http://silversolara.blogspot.com
The Blind Contessa's New Machine by Carey Wallace
Rating: 5 Stars
A privileged childhood, a wonderful friend, a doting father, her own cottage by the lake...what more could a girl ask for? Carolina's life was like a fairy tale come true. All was perfect until she knew something was wrong with her eyesight...no one believed her, but she knew she was going blind. No one except Turri her childhood friend that is...he believed everything she said.

He told her that she would be totally blind by New Year's Day. She didn't want to accept it would happen, but Turri was correct, as usual. 

Carolina's days were never ending. The nights were better because she was able to see again in her dreams, but all remained dark the minute she woke up. She began to roam the house at night feeling for familiar things. What was frightening about her nightly roaming was that she would hear footsteps that would stop when she stopped and doors that kept creaking in various rooms. Then one day Carolina HAD to see Turri, and she made her way to the lake and the cottage where she and Turri had always met. Right after the trip to the lake, whenever she tried to leave the house, she but wasn't able to get out...the door was always locked.

One night while she roamed, she chased someone into the basement and found a surprise. The following day Turri visited her with another surprise: a writing machine. She could now type out notes to friends without spilling ink everywhere, and most importantly she could write to Turri.

The book turned from a story about a girl held prisoner by her blindness and her husband to a mystery about the characters and the person who roamed the house at night.

I enjoyed the book; it was a heartwarming read even though the blindness factor was distressing. I would recommend reading it while wrapped up in a blanket on a cold, winter's night next to the warm fireplace.
 
Anita N.
Dreams of Joy by Lisa See
Rating: 5 Stars
This book was a wonderful sequel to SHANGHAI GIRLS. I was lucky enough to win an advanced copy in a book contest, and therefore got a chance to read it before it was published in hardcover. I love the way Ms. See portrays her characters and the story was part history and part fiction, which makes it a wonderful story. I look forward to reading more of Lisa See's books
 
Richard B.
The White Tiger by Robert Stuart Nathan
Rating: 2 Stars
2.5 stars. 
This is an old book (pub 1987), and so it's somewhat dated, but the author manages to intrigue us with a glimpse into the beauracracy of post-Mao China. 

Inspector Hong becomse suspicious when his friend and mentor is killed; but if he is to investigate, it will be independently. Meanwhile, his official assignment is to track the suspected spy, a visiting American psychiatrist. It's a bit heavy-handed in places, and (of course) it's dated. 

 
Dorothy
One Summer by David Baldacci
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a beautiful love story. I was delighted that David Baldacci, a great story teller, could still write a nice story. I got tired of the Camel Club. Our hero is dying but instead his wife is killed in an auto accident when she goes out to get his medicine on Christmas Eve. He miraculously recovers and is trying to recover from his loss and raise his three children. It is a great book. Read on.
 
F Tessa B
Old Filth by Jane Gardam
Rating: 4 Stars
Eddie Feathers ia a Raj Orphan, nicknamed Old Filth for an acronym he, himself, is said to have invented --- "Failed in London, Try HongKong." The book is told in a series of flashbacks, beginning as Filth is newly widowed. Definitely focuses on his youth and how he came to be the proper Englishman he is. Great companion to THE MAN IN THE WOODEN HAT --- read THIS one first.
 
Kathryn M.
Never Knowing by Chevy Stevens
Rating: 5 Stars
And you think your family is complicated?

Another great thriller by Chevy Stevens! Sara Gallagher is the oldest and only adopted child of three sisters and often feels on the outside or different from the rest of her family. Like many adopted children, Sara, an engaged single mother, decides to find her birth mother.

Like STILL MISSING, the story is told during Sara's sessions with her psychiatrist. Through these discussions with her doctor we learn about Sara's relationship with her adoptive family and sisters; how she became a young mother; her relationships with her own six-year old daughter and fiancé; and what happens as she learns about her mother, and more importantly the shock and horror of her biological father.

What starts for Sara as a natural curiosity about who she is becomes a situation that puts her entire family in danger. Only Sara and a trustworthy detective can end the possible treachery.but this book is by Chevy Stevens and nothing is as it seems.
 
Sally B., San Antonio TX
The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent
Rating: 4 Stars
3.5 stars. 

A fictional story based on the life of the author's grandmother from nine generations ago. Takes place in Massachusetts and Connecticut during the Salem witch trials (1690s). 

The first half was slow but the plot picked up significantly during the second half. Also, the short treatise regarding the brief history of the salem witch trials at the end of the book should be read first and will explain some things that initially had me confused.
 
Marsha
The Year We Left Home by Jean Thompson
Rating: 4 Stars
This thoughtful saga of a midwestern small-town family spans several years and tells the tales of the four children of a typical family. We see the social and emotion changes of the times and the effects they have on these people. Vivid and moving.
 
Lynn
A Journey: My Political Life by Tony Blair
Rating: 2 Stars
I read this over a six month period. It should have been edited way down for American readers. Even if you don't read the book, read the Introduction. Blair loves America.
 
Lynn
Mourning Gloria by Susan Wittig Albert
Rating: 2 Stars
China Bayles, ex-lawyer and current herbalist, solves the kidnapping of the journalist who solved the murder. Ho-hum
 
Kaylynn
Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews
Rating: 2 Stars
Another BFF story where lives have been turned upside-down and the only solutions to be found are on a Carolina beach. Do plenty of booze and hunky men make problem-solving easier or harder? No, wait --- murder and mayhem makes decisions crystal clear!!
 
Sheila D.
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Rating: 4 Stars
A fascinating account of Ernest Hemingway's first marriage and early years in Paris --- told from Hadley Richardson Hemingway's perspective. We watch as the couple is drawn into the world of expat artists, writers and hangers-on...and we know how it will all end. But we read on, angry and fascinated. Should genius get a pass for bad behavior? Do artists need to create drama in their lives in order to create art? A grand read.
 
Kathleen S.
The Heart and the Fist by Eric Greitens
Rating: 5 Stars
Subtitled "Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy Seal," this book is the story we all want to know. What does it take to make a hero, a man of strength, courage and judgement. A man with compassion and dedication. Amazing read; highly recommend this book.
 
Sharon
The Bride's House by Sandra Dallas
Rating: 5 Stars
One house, three generations of strong willed women, love lost, love regained, money made and money lost, secrets hidden and secrets found. A delightful story filled with love, pain, anger, sorrow, sabotage and release --- all the emotions of family relationships with the beautiful but anachronistic house in a Colorado mining town, the centerpiece of the multi-generation story.
 
Sharon
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Rating: 5 Stars
Fascinating portrayal of the pain of foster children, as the author (a foster parent herself) weaves Victoria's past and present into a hard-to-put-down book. Victoria has a gift for flowers, and while she is not aware of it, she also has a gift for understanding what people need and the ability to match those needs with flowers, thus changing lives and loves. She has a much more difficult time with her own emotions after the trauma of multiple foster homes, a lack of love and understanding, and her extremely low self-esteem. The author does not gloss over the fact that she is often the cause of her problems. An intriguing look at the system, imbedded in a delightful story of the language of flowers.
 
Sally G.
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Rating: 5 Stars
Dog Lover or not, this is a great read. You can let go of your emotions, but really should do the reading at home unless you want attention!!
 
Ann
Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent
Rating: 5 Stars
This book brings back the wonderful
innocence of knowing Christ as your savior and the promises he gives to us through a Child's eyes.
 
Julie
A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin
Rating: 4 Stars
I'm up to this fourth book in the series and it's just slightly less enthralling as the first three. Only because the author chooses to concentrate on certain characters and leave out others that have been in the past three books. Hopefully the fifth book, out this summer, will reunite all the characters we've grown to know so well. This book is a cross between Harry Potter and King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. If you like this kind of reading, you'll love this.
 
Jean M.
Line of Vision by David Ellis
Rating: 5 Stars
Suspenseful! This is a winner.
 
Jean M.
Sixkill by Robert Parker
Rating: 5 Stars
Superb as usual for Parker. We will miss him. I wonder if he was planning on beginning a new series with this new character. I believe that it would be a good one.
 
Rita S.
I'll Walk Alone by Mary Higgins Clark
Rating: 4 Stars
This is another of her great thrillers. I've read all her books and always look forward to the next one and this latest novel is no different.



A little boy is taken from his stroller in Central Park while his babysitter naps. The mother and father grieve for the loss of their son and keep hoping that he'll be found. 



Years later, photos surface that show the mother took her son out of the stroller. The mother had an alibi that soon falls apart and everyone looks at her with suspicion. 



A young woman who looks like the boy's mother has been keeping him since he was kidnapped. Did the mother's previous employer and now competitor hate her enough to engineer this whole scheme?

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This story keeps you on the edge of your seat and it's hard to put down until you get to the end. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves great suspense.
 
Michele C.
Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews
Rating: 5 Stars
Good beach read.
 
Michele C.
One Summer by David Baldacci
Rating: 5 Stars
YES!!!!
 
Michele C.
The Girl Who Disappeared Twice by Andrea Kane
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the start of a new series with the author and I am eagerly awaiting the next book!
 
Michele C.
Born to Die by Lisa Jackson
Rating: 5 Stars
I love this series!!!
 
Allie
A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve
Rating: 3 Stars
Interesting story about climbing Mt. Kilimanjero in Kenya, Africa.
 
Louise
Stranger in Town by Brenda Novak
Rating: 5 Stars
The fifth book in the Dundee, Idaho series not only became my new favorite but remained so. 

Hannah Price was in a horrible car accident while trying to catch up with her ex-husband who had kidnapped her two sons. She recovered but caused serious injury to another person, turning him into a recluse who avoided people. 

Surprising events happen to change both of their lives...
 
Louise
A Home of Her Own by Brenda Novak
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the fourth book in the Dundee, Idaho series and quickly became my new fave. Lucky Caldwell was the daughter of a noted prostitute who ruined the life of her much older husband. Lucky was shunned and treated badly, so she left town as soon as she could.

Years later, as an adult (a very striking adult) she returns to the home that her stepfather willed to her. She still is not wanted and is treated as badly as she was as a child. I admired her, because she kept her head high and ignored all of the bad comments. Still, though, they hurt. 

The circumstances that cause her to stay are emotional, uplifting and just plain enjoyable to the reader.
 
Louise
A Family of Her Own by Brenda Novak
Rating: 5 Stars
Reading through Brenda's Dundee, Idaho series, this was my favorite till I read on. A girl returns to Dundee, pregnant and unmarried, because of a bad choice in men (or man, period). Dundee is a small, "righteous" town which does not look kindly on unwed mothers. Katie needs to find work, but her doctor has warned her to stay off her feet, as it may terminate a tenuous pregnancy. What will she do?
 
Sharon
Dead Reckoning by Linda Castillo
Rating: 4 Stars
Kate Megason, D.A., surviving twin of a brutal attack which left her sister brain damaged beyond cure, is about to prosecute the case of her career, but distraction arrives in the form of distracting taunts by a madman--the same person who left her for dead many years ago? Of course there's some romance involved and a satisfying ending.
 
Rosemary S. ([email protected])
The Sixth Man by David Baldacci
Rating: 4 Stars
Didn't see the ending coming!
 
Marlene K.
The Girl who Kicked the Hornets Nest by Steig Larrson
Rating: 5 Stars
Best of the best! I am sad about the death of the author. I listened to the audiobook and will now pick up the paperback. Not ready to let this go.
 
Marlene K.
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Steig Larrson
Rating: 5 Stars
Listenend and will now read and enjoy the written word, slowly. Not missing anything. Rarely do I read a book twice, but this one calls for a re-read.
 
Sally G.
A Drop of the Hard Stuff by Lawrence Block
Rating: 5 Stars
If the reader has followed Matthew Scudder through his adventures and escapades, this is TERRIFIC! If not, start with the first book...
 
Marlene K.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larrson
Rating: 5 Stars
Listenend to this as audio book, and it was so good I got the paper back so I can slowly, really savor and digest every word. Lisbeth has given me a more open mind and I love her dearly.
 
Marlene K.
Deeper Than the Dead by Tami Hoag
Rating: 5 Stars
Intense! Can't wait to read the next one!
 
lindacbugg
Bright's Passage by Josh Ritter
Rating: 4 Stars
I grabbed an advance reader copy because I love his music and his book was just as wonderful!! I can't wait to start handselling this one!
 
Sally G.
The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton
Rating: 5 Stars
Truly a great read.
 
Rosalie S.
The Passage by Justin Cronin
Rating: 5 Stars
I have not finished this book, but I know I will love it. Although it is somewhat a fantasy/scifi story (not my favorite genre) I am finding this very interesting. It includes an abandoned six-year-old girl who becomes involved in a government experiment that goes wrong.
 
Marlene K.
The Immortal Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Rating: 5 Stars
Awesome book! Well written and straightforward. Great research and application of important information.
Loved the reality of Henrietta's people.
 
Wendy M.N.
Chasing the Night by Iris Johansen
Rating: 5 Stars
The Eve Duncan series has got to be one of the best I have ever read. Eve Duncan is a forensic sculptor that brings home the murdered babies of terrible crimes. She started this after losing her precious Bonnie, and has not found her as of yet. Iris Johansen is a must read!!
 
Susan
The Lace Makers of Glenmara by Heather Doran Barbieri
Rating: 4 Stars
An unexpected delight about women helping women in difficult periods of their life. The setting is Ireland and the author did a great job capturing the Irish country side.
 
Terry P.
Nature Girl by Carl Hiaasen
Rating: 5 Stars
If you have ever read a book by Carl, then you know his books are fast and extremely funny. Crazy characters make his books.
 
Ivy P.
No Regrets: The Life of Edith Piaf by Carolyn Burke
Rating: 4 Stars
Filled with details about Piaf's life from birth to her death, Burke has done an exhaustingly good job with chronicling Piaf's music career and adventures.

 
Terry P.
Southern Comfort by Fern Michaels
Rating: 5 Stars
A fast zippy read. Does not drag on and on. Read it in four hours max. Not a heavy mystery but one where you will want to know what happened.
 
Tanya
The Legacy by Katherine Webb
Rating: 4 Stars
I won an ARC on Librarything. The book is about two sisters, one heartbreaking secret and a past that cannot be buried. The release date is September 2011 and I recommend reading it if you like books about family relationships.
 
Sharon B.
The Sixth Man by David Baldacci
Rating: 5 Stars
Baldacci does it again. A great read with a lot of twists and turns. You will not regret buying this book,
 
Abbie
A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the first book the series A Song of Ice and Fire. I could not put this book down. Every page kept me captivated. A great tale, with great characters! A must Read!
 
John S.
Vermilion Drift by William Kent Krueger
Rating: 4 Stars
Discovered Mr. Krueger's books a couple years ago. His characters, powerful presentations and compelling stories will captivate the reader. Cork O'Connor, warts and all, will be a favorite of many readers.
 
MsAnnie
Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a twisty, dark book that starts out fairly innocently. You think that you're going to get a flashback, coming of age story, but it is much darker than that. This family has way more than its share of skeletons in their closets, and I kid you not. I could not put this book down when I got to the last 100 pages. Creepy but definitely a high recommendation from me!
 
Marcia
South of Superior by Ellen Airgood
Rating: 4 Stars
McAllaster, described as a beautiful and hardscrabble town on the southern edge of Lake Superior, is the setting for the story of Madeline Stone and how she comes to find the meaning of "tzadik." The characters jump of the pages and invite you into their world, and you go willingly with hope of finding out their secrets. Best last line of a book ever.
 
Susan C.
Bossy Pants by Tina Fey
Rating: 4 Stars
Hilarious!
 
Jac
Chasing the Sun by Kaki Warner
Rating: 5 Stars
Third in the series, this author is new but she has started with a blockbuster. A family story about the trials and tribulations of life and love. I started last night and read till 4am and only stopped because I knew I had a day ahead of me to get through before I could get back to finish the story and then WAIT till next one by Kaki.
 
Eileen Q.K., Ph.D.
The Year We Left Home by Jean Thompson
Rating: 5 Stars
Since two of my sons are getting married this year, THE YEAR WE LEFT HOME is especially poignant! I not only enjoy her writing but also love the way she puts words together. The words flow like melted butter onto an entirely chocolate page. The story is riveting and thoughtfully crafted.
 
Laurie W.
Getting to Happy by Terry McMillan
Rating: 3 Stars
Enjoyable!
 
L. H.
Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? by Steven Tyler
Rating: 5 Stars
Excellent. Really takes you into the world of a rock star. There is a lot of pressure that we don't realize they are under. Great read.
 
Sue
The Preacher by Camilla Lackberg
Rating: 4 Stars
Those Swedish mystery writers know their stuff. The story catches you right in the beginning and slowly reels you in. A recent killing uncovers two other corpses from a long time ago. Is it the same killer?
 
Phyllis
Summer Harbor by Susan Wilson
Rating: 5 Stars
Story is set in a New England
beach town and is about the three best friends who grew up there and shared 
summers on the coastline. Now as adults, they must face the past.
 
Michael
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Rating: 5 Stars
This is definitely one of THE most memorable science fiction books I have ever read; in fact, I've just finished reading it a second time. 
What I liked most about it was that it completely carried me away with it to the time and place in the future when this conflict occurs and that it actually made me CARE about what happened to the characters, especially the principal protagonist.
 
Debra L.
The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon
Rating: 5 Stars
All I can say is excellent!