Buttercupmlm@aol.com
I'm reading Fire Lover by Joseph Wambaugh.

*****

beckybrannan@hotmail.com
Unless by Carol Shields. 5 stars.
A very powerful look at the powerlessness of women. Can women achieve greatness in our society? Or can they only achieve goodness? Women should read this. So should men.

Border Crossing by Pat Barker. 5 stars.
I read this from cover to cover in less than 2 days (and I have two young children to keep me very busy!). Brilliant. As usual Pat Barker gets right inside the skin of her characters and leads you on a fantastic psychological journey.

*****

brady538_91208@yahoo.com
A DEATH IN WHITE BEAR LAKE by Barry Siegel. 5 stars.
This true crime book was written 12 yrs. ago and I discovered it on a book of "lists." 'Tis difficult to put this book down awaiting the next day. You know who the culprit is from the beginning, but you wonder, "How did this happen? One gets an excellent insight into the battered children syndrome and it is interesting to know how it used to be vs. how it is now as to the mistreatment of children. Your interest will be satisfied from page one to page 436.

*****

Yodasmommy@aol.com
The Puzzle Bark Tree . 5 stars.
I am giving this book 5 stars!! I just finished it a few minutes ago. I am not a very emotional person, but this book touched me very deeply. I am buying several copies for Christmas presents!

*****

tfranzen2124@attbi.com
Must read: Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. What a story! This is the kind of book you don't want to finish, because you don't want to leave this world.

*****

janemc4@hotmail.com
This is my list of the Best Three Reads for Summer 2002:

Madam, The Grass Is High by Dennis H. Christen. 5 stars.
I rate this one number one for this summer. Ralph and Clara could be anyone's grandmother/grandfather, uncle or aunt. A second chance at love as shown in this story makes one feel seventeen again. Wow! A love story about old people, who would have thought it could be so fun.

Harm's Way by Stephen Walsh White. 4.5 stars.
I rate this one second. This is definitely a good way to enjoy a series, as each book builds upon the last, and the reader get to know the character better and better with each succeeding book. Rare to enjoy a later book in a series rather than the first and then it's down hill from there.

Higher Authority by Stephen Walsh White. 4 stars.
This one is third on my list for this summer. Alan Gregory's fiancée Lauren Crowder takes center stage in this novel that has her investigating her sister's allegations of sexual harassment, and stumbling upon darker secrets in the past of certain Mormons.

*****

CKnapp262@aol.com
I am reading Painted House by John Grisham, I have found he can write other than his lawyer novels and he is pretty good at it.

*****

EZREADER1265@aol.com
Stone Kiss by Faye Kellerman. 4 stars.
Excellent story, Peter Decker and Rina and their families are interesting. This book takes them to New York where they are again involved with family problems murder and a missing niece. Families are not always as they appear.A good read and a fast one.

*****

Norelbooks@aol.com
SIREN by Margaret Buckhanon.
This book is a great read! It's fast paced, character driven with exciting and funny characters. The setting is in a small town north of New York City that is shaken by the murders of three young men in the town park. Each victim was last seen with an exotic long-hair girl hours before their death. The lead character, Detective Norelle Phillips is similar to Jessica of "Murder, She Wrote series."

*****

KRYAN1676@aol.com
LOVED by CHOICE BY HORNER AND MARTINDALE.
AS A MOTHER OF AN ADOPTED DAUGHTER, I FOUND THIS BOOK OF TRUE STORIES VERY COMFORTING AND ENLIGHTENING.IT OPENED MY EYES TO MANY OF THE STRUGGLES MY DAUGHTER AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED FOR THE PAST 21 YEARS. I CERTAINLY BELIEVE IT IS VALUABLE TO ANYONE WHO READS IT AND CONSIDER THE MATERIAL A BLESSING IN MY LIFE. THANK YOU.

*****

Bjglu@aol.com
The Whore's Child and other stories by Richard Russo. 4 stars.
A thought-provoking, lyrical book of short stories by Pulitzer prize winner (for Empire Falls). Russo gets into the heads of Everyman and Everywoman and speaks to us all.

Jamaica Inn by Daphne DuMaurier. 4 stars.
Read this for my book group and forgot how much I enjoyed this author's "Rebecca" (about 40 years ago!). This novel, too, has mystery, romance and keeps you guessing until the last page.

*****

tigersmama43213@aol.com
Daughter of the Game by Tracey Grant. 5 stars.
This story takes place in 1819 when the Napoleon War is over. There are more twists and turns to the story than RT 250 in Ohio. The story takes place in England. Just as I was sure nothing else could happen to the main characters; something horrendous happens. I strongly recommend this book to everyone who likes historical mysteries.

*****

dfazio6994@aol.com
Mary Called Magdalene by Margaret George.
After reading this novel, one can only feel guilty for thinking such unjust thoughts about Mary Magdalene. A young girl, possessed by demons and shunned by her family she was made to leave her home and give up the daughter she loved. But she finds comfort in the teachings of Jesus and finds peace in her soul by following Him towards the Kingdom of Heaven.

Once again Margaret George has written with such detail that you can actually feel the aches and pains in your limbs from Mary's walks with Jesus. Only halfway through this 600+ page book, I can honestly rate this book a 5-Star. Even though the book is 630 pages one can't turn them fast enough. I would rate this book a 5 star selection.

*****

johno99@comcast.net
Noting his recent passing, I just became acquainted with: Bartholomew Gill, starting with The Death of a Joyce Scholar (five stars), a crackerjack whodunit woven together with enough literary references to satisfy the most ardent Joycean. Superintendent Garr is at his best, but so is the office romance between Irish coppers Ward and Bresnahan as they go after the killer of one of the world's greatest dead experts on James Joyce. One that will make you laugh and learn while you try to solve. Can't wait to get to all the Gills now.

Summer in Baden-Baden by Leonid Tsypkin. 5 stars.
His secret little masterpiece that turned up quite by chance long after his death. Moody, literate, and I believe an accurate literary imagining of the stormy relationship between young stenographer Anna Grigorevna and her new and famously difficult husband, Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

Last Lone Inventor: A Tale of Genius, Deceit, and the Birth of Television by Evan I. Schwartz. 5 stars.
A terrific book telling the hard-to-believe tale of how farm boy Philo Farnsworth invented TV in his head while pushing a plow, and how the slickest of slick operators, RCA's David Sarnoff, stole it right out from under his nose. Someone should do a movie of it, if NBC doesn't buy the film rights to the book and dump them at sea.

Napoleon by Paul Johnson. 5 stars.
One of the latest in the Penguin Lives series of brief biographies, points up the limits and benefits of the form. Brevity remains the soul of wit, forcing compressions upon the writer that serve the reader.Johnson dismisses the battles in a few paragraphs and concentrates on Napoleon himself, a crass but able soldier who, more than anything else, had the skill and bravery to seize the day in a time of total post-revolutionary confusion.

The Sweetest Dream by Doris Lessing. 5 stars.
Much like her earlier "The Good Terrorist," explores her disillusionment with liberal dreamers who never stop thinking about tomorrow but can't bring themselves to do anything today. She is a brilliant writer.

*****

BREEZYWRITER@aol.com
SEA GLASS by Anita Shreve . 5 stars
Another great read by Anita Shreve. This author has an unusual style that always comes through.

*****

VShroff444@aol.com
The book I read this summer was Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry. It is so well written I felt I was in the middle of the book, just watching it as each page turned. Unbelievable writer.

*****

GDurisin@aol.com
Saving Milly: Love, Politics, and Parkinson's Disease by Morton Kondracke. 4 stars.
Kondracke's book is a tribute to his wife, stricken in her late forties with Parkinson's Disease, and an argument for increasing research funding into all types of neurological disorders.Well-written and worth reading.

Manner of Death by Stephen Walsh White. 4 1/2 stars.
This was a reread (and a most enjoyable one at that) as I work my way chronologically through the whole Alan Gregory series this summer. Gregory, a clinical psychologist, attends the funeral of a former colleague, and afterward is approached by a pair of ex-FBI investigators who claim he's the likely next victim. Then he is reunited with a former lover to try to identify and stop the person who has been murdering their former colleagues one by one.

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells. 5 stars.
I loved the movie, saw it twice, but have to say the book was tenfold better. The character have so much more depth, and Viviane in particular is so much more understandable in light of the upbringing that is articulated in the novel. Well worth reading and savoring!

The Worst Day of My Life, So Far by M. A. Harper. 4 1/2 stars.
A first-person fictional account of a divorced woman who returns to her rural Louisiana home to care for her mother, a victim of Alzheimer's, after the death of her father. Her narrative is so funny and so heartbreaking at the same time, it is hard to imagine that Harper isn't writing from real experience.

Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox. 5 stars.
Because of the title, because I could not believe that anyone afflicted with the horror that is Parkinson's could consider himself "lucky," I almost avoided this book. Thank God I didn't. It's definitely a keeper --- very well-written, surprisingly entertaining, and at the same time, deeply moving and thought-provoking.

Critical Conditions by Stephen Walsh White. 4 stars.
White really reached his stride with this one: his best novel yet centers on a family whose younger daughter is fighting for her life while the insurance company refuses to pay for the one treatment that might save her, and whose older daughter, hospitalized after a suicide attempt, becomes a suspect in the murder of the physician who heads that same insurance company. With very believable characters, including many of the standard cast that I'm coming to know so well, and plot-twists right to the end, this one held my interest fully.

Little Altars Everywhere by Rebecca Wells. 3 stars.
Wells' first novel caught my eye after I enjoyed the film version of Ya-Ya Sisterhood, but it didn't quite live up to the hopes that the movie had raised.

Remote Control by Stephen Walsh White. 1 1/2 stars.
The daughter of an assassinated surgeon general has been thrust unwillingly into the media spotlight, her every move subject to public scrutiny. When technology allows even her most intimate moments to become public, she will do almost anything to regain control of the recorded data. Lauren Crowder and Alan Gregory try to help and protect her in this unusual and somewhat bizarre-themed mystery that seems to me to be White's weakest so far.

*****

RonMozart@aol.com
My book suggestion/recommendation is: "America and Americans and Selected Nonfiction" by John Steinbeck, edited by Susan Shillinglaw and Jackson J. Benson. Publisher is Viking Press. Thank you.

*****

osager@swbell.net
I have been reading TROPICAL HEAT by John A. Miller and loving it! I give it3.5 stars. A very well-written murder mystery that takes place in the south in the 1950's. I have enjoyed peeking into the past trying to figure who did it!!! The protagonist is an English professor turned sheriff in a small southern town. He falls in love with the murdered man's wife (I think that is a big no-no!). I am looking forward to finishing this well-written novel.

*****

Alana.Foster@gale.com
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, by Christopher Moore. 5 stars.
For anyone who thinks that religion takes itself a little too seriously, Christopher Moore provides a new reading of the story of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus (called Joshua or Josh in Moore's "gospel") and his pal Biff seek out the wise men to discover what it means to be a Messiah. Their travels take them from Nazareth to Persia, where they learn Eastern philosophy, to China, where they study Kung Fu, to India, where they learn Yoga. While Josh is diligently studying the meaning of life, Biff is studying the local women. Fans of Tom Robbins will love Christopher Moore. Thanks for running this contest!

*****

Clhcitrano@aol.com
I really enjoyed The Miracle Life of Edgar Mintby Brady Udall. It was funny, sad, painful, hopeful all at the same time. Also, I thoroughly enjoyed The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon. I simply did not want it to end.

*****

merved@mail.tdcadsl.dk
The Company, an Novel of the CIA by Robert Littell.

*****

Bberrycrk@aol.com
I just finished Don't Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller --- 4 stars.
It is the story of a white girl growing up in rural Africa, and it kept me reading until the end.

*****

venus913@go.com
I read Peter Lawford: The Man Who Kept the Secrets by James Spada and it was amazing. Truly entertaining from start to finish. And I don't even remember how I got on the subject. Oh, it may have been the HBO movie "The Rat Pack" that piqued my interest. Lawford was truly a fascinating character to read about. His life was something to behold. From his childhood to his start in movies, his parents and his eventual rise and fall with the Rat Pack. And of course the Kennedy years. When I finished the book, and Lawford had died, I was truly saddened. I lived with Lawford right along the way with him in this book and I attributed that completely to the way Spada presented him and the material. I was an entertaining, fast read, with plenty of stars and glitz and glamour, but also the tragedy that took Lawford from us. I would recommend this book to any star gazer among us.

*****

pistache47@yahoo.com
A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS by Mindy Starns Clark. 5 stars.
In this first book of Clark's Million Dollar mystery series Lawyer and P.I. Callie Webber has a fascinating new job: investigating charitable organizations for JOSHUA foundation to see if they're worthy of receiving a grant. On the way back from delivering a grant, her mysterious boss Tom asks her to drop off another check without investigating first. The recipient is killed while she is waiting to hand over the money, and Tom asks her to investigate. In Callie, Clark has created an intriguing, intelligent, and caring sleuth, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her adventures and learning more about her mysterious boss. Published by Harvest House.

BREAKFAST AT MADELINE'S by Matt Witten. 5 stars.
One of the funniest mysteries I've read in a long time. Jacob Burns is a stay-at-home screenwriter who frequents an espresso bar in his hometown. When an unpublished writer drops dead, throwing Jacob the key to a safety deposit box, Jacob is convinced that the man was murdered even though his death is declared to be from natural causes. Jacob is a warm and witty character, but the treasure of this series is his two little boys. They are hilarious. If you're looking for an excellent mystery that will have you laughing out loud, you'll love this one. Published by Penguin.

*****

Mhttwmn@aol.com
I'm reading a great book, one I can't put down. Even with my lack of attention span this book keeps me reading story after story. My daughter and I bought the book at Hallmark Gift Stores. She Who Laughs, Lasts! compiled by Ann Spangler. Stories from women of faith that remind you laughter can be faith's best friend. Their insights into marriage, men friendship, aging and children.

*****

WNHeineHB@aol.com
The best book I have read in a long time: "IRIS" by John Bayley. It is about an intelligent woman who has Alzheimer’s, and her husband looks after her and talks about the past, the present and the future. I can only recommend it.

*****

NEPR@aol.com
Seven Up by Janet Evanovich.
Somebody recommended this one in this column. I stayed with it to the end, but I won't look for another Stephanie Plum novel. It was funny, but not much point to it. Just not my cup of tea.

Gravesend Light by David Payne. 5 stars.
My first D. Payne novel, and I'm impressed. A young anthropologist goes to North Carolina's outer banks to study the lives of the fishermen in a small village. It's a painful education, but he learns that it is not enough to know; eventually one must make choices and act. Beautiful prose.

*****

ginnyj@apk.net
Right now I am reading Janet Evanovich's Hard Eight. It is fun, light reading. Just what I need as I go through my chemo treatments for breast cancer.

I have been reading many romances because I like the happy endings. Nora Roberts, Dara Joy, Lauren Bach, Glenna McRenyolds, Suzanne Brockman. Cherry Adair, and Sandra Brown.

Lawrence Block is one of my favorite authors. I have read most of what he has written and look forward to each of his books. His short stories give me something to think about.

*****

blackrx@qwest.net
I recently finished Tony Hillerman's 'Wailing Wind' and must say it was a wonderful read!

Hillerman's prose, as usual, is wonderful and he weaves a story with believable, human characters. In 'Wailing Wind,' Hillerman uses a new style. Each chapter tells the story through the eyes of Jim Chee and his estranged "birth father," Joe Leaphorn.

The story intertwines and brings these two together where they start to make peace. I really loved this book and highly recommend it.

*****

Vikkivand@aol.com
Gone for Good by Harlen Coben. 3 stars.
I'm sorry to say that I was disappointed with the story.

*****

Frogs4U713@aol.com
The Lost Years of Merlin by T. A. Barron. 4.5 stars.
Young Merlin sets out from his home in old Wales with no memory of his past, parents, or even name. Hoping to find all three, he sets out on the sea manned only with a makeshift raft. miraculously he lands on the magical isle of Fincayra, where his journey begins. First book in a growing saga, (currently containing five), this story covers the area of the miraculous wizard's life that is scarcely written: his youth. A good read for the follower of fantasy or one trying to find them self.

*****

MysteryNut19@aol.com
The Vineyard by Barbara Delinsky. 4 stars.
Young woman searching for a family ends up writing memoirs for a woman who seems to have the perfect family. Nice story of "the grass isn't always greener" type. I was particularly fascinated by all of the East Coast vineyard details. Great summer reading.

*****

DancingGram7@aol.com
I have just read "Speaking in Tongues" by Jeffrey Deaver, a bargain book at Barnes and Noble. I thought it was going to be a good story but it turned out to be so ridiculous and disappointing. Glad to be finished with it. I also read "Plain Truth" by Jodi Picoult and did enjoy reading this one. It's about the Amish people and a young single woman who has a baby and it dies and she is accused of murder. Lots about the Amish Religion and their customs. Did enjoy this one.

*****

lyn1256@execpc.com
The Burglar Who Thought He Was Bogart by Lawrence Block. 5 stars.
This was actually a reread for me, but I enjoy Block's writing so much, and find Bernie Rhodenbarr so delightful, that I just had to read it again.

For A Future To Be Possible by Thich Nhat Hanh. 5 stars.
A wonderfully clear rendering of the 5 precepts of Buddhism, written with great heart and gentleness. Thought-provoking and inspiring.

*****

Sesame705@aol.com
The Woman Who Laughed At God: The Untold History of the Jewish People by Jonathan Kirsch. 4 1/2 stars.
This is a comprehensive examination of what it means to be Jewish and why. Kirsch researches the history of the Jewish people beginning from the writings of the Bible to the actions taken by Jews throughout ancient and modern times. Kirsch relies on a wealth of resources to compare and contrast the findings and opinions of scholars, historians, theologians, educators, etc. I found the discussions on the Bible passages fascinating and the overall history lesson engaging. "Six million Judaisms for six million Jews" is one quote from an historian cited by Kirsch. After reading The Woman Who Laughed At God , I can say that I understand what that says in describing a richly diverse people with a common bond.

*****

Whimsey03@aol.com
STONE KISS by Faye Kellerman. 4 1/2 stars.
One of the best Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus mysteries I have read. A dark mix of drugs, sex, and ultra-Orthodox Jews in New York drive the plot as Peter and Rina try to solve the murder of Peter's half brother's brother-in-law. Family, obligation, revenge, all play a role in this well-paced story. I am already a big fan of Faye Kellerman and would list STONE KISS as one of her finest.

*****

lgettle@iserv.net
Just finished reading TEMPLE by Matt Reilly. First time I have read this author. TEMPLE is a very exciting book with non-stop action. I'm looking forward to reading more from Mr. Reilly. Eleventh Hour by Catherine Coulter was excellent.

*****

mdcarter@netidea.com
Life of Pi by Yann Martel. 41/2 stars.
A great off beat novel about a boy on a raft and so much more.

*****

tillmanenterprises@hotmail.com
I highly recommend The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. It's a touching, haunting story of a girl who is murdered at age 14, the story being told by her from heaven. She looks down upon her family from her heavenly view, and witnesses their heartache of losing her. This story is so beautifully written, I hated to finish it.

*****

Britadon@aol.com
Here on Earth by Alice Hoffman. 4 stars.
Read it in one sitting and haven't done this for a long time. Did not really like any of the characters yet liked the book...go figure.

L.A. Requim by Robert Crais. 4 stars.
A really good suspense/mystery without overdone gore. I don't believe a reader could ever have tuned on the culprit though they could get into the general arena. Well paced.

The Summoning God by Kathleen O'Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear. 5 stars.
Second in the Anazasi mystery series and as good or better than the first. How have these authors been overlooked by me for so long? I see that they have written many previous books, yet, I don't know anyone who has ever mentioned them to me.

*****

jetsixteen@hotmail.com
I am currently reading Maus : A Survivor's Tale : My Father Bleeds History/Here My Troubles Began by Art Spiegelman. I am 3/4's of the way through it and I am enjoying it so far.The book is in comic book form and it is about his family's experiences during the Holocaust and beyond. It won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992 and it is easy to see why. The fact that it is in a comic book format for such a serious subject makes it very thought provoking. I give it 4 stars out of 5. It is definitely worth picking up and looking through to see what it is about.

*****

jewel33@ameritech.net
Legal Tender by Lisa Scottoline. 4 stars.
Fast-paced and well-written, this is a great lawyer-turned-fugitive novel that keeps you reading (and guessing) through the end.Benedetta is a lawyer who comes into the office the day after finding out that her law partner (and ex-boyfriend, by the way) has betrayed her trust (won't say how; might ruin the book).Since everyone knows he did this behind her back and there were a number of witnesses to the argument that followed, she becomes the number one suspect.She goes on the run to find the truth (or risk being arrested, tried and jailed) and you are taken through a number of twists and turns that keep you entertained throughout.The characters are enjoyable, believable and sympathetic (you even feel badly for one of the bad guys at the end).

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. 5 stars (if I could give it more, I would) Based on the reviews here and elsewhere, as well as chapter excerpts, I purchased this book with the idea of my teenager taking a read ... I hate to say it, but I read it through before she even got through the second chapter. This story takes a compelling look at divine justice, and causes you to feel such sympathy for the young narrator and the awful way she met her end.The way her death affects her family in their quiet suffering is completely believable and the author's concept of heaven is original and imaginative. Definitely a must-read

Dream Country by Luanne Rice. 3 stars.
Fairly interesting reading, especially if you're into romantic fiction. The biggest problem with this book, in my opinion, is that while you're reading it, there's no doubt that you're reading fiction.I felt that the characters weren't fully developed and many were stereotypical surface renderings.The plot (such as it is) is believable to a point, but then breaks with reality and totally into fantasy. I left this book disappointed --- the closest I can come to describing the feeling is the feeling I had on going to see "Cats" ... I went into the theater expecting to see a musical play with a storyline, etc. and came out with a sense of disconnected musical numbers and dancing ... if I had gone in knowing that there was no real story, I could have enjoyed it
for what it was --- great music and dance --- and would have left behind the expectation of a great story.

Cloud of Sparrows by Takashi Matsuoka. 5 stars.
Received and advanced reading copy of this book and thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. The main character is a samurai lord rumored to have the gift of prophecy, but the other characters are strikingly fleshed out as well ... his geisha, his uncle, his samurai, the "outsiders" --- two Americans --- one with a mission to bring Christianity to Japan and one with a mission to find the person who killed his woman and her daughters.

This book has a great plotline, enjoyable characters, and offers insights into the Japan that existed at the time of the samurai, all intricately woven into a great tapestry that is evocative and mesmerizing.This is the type of book you wish could be read in one sitting, because it is so difficult to put down.There is no telling what will happen next, and the end of the book lets you know there's more to be told ... I will look forward to the continuation and snatch it off the bookshelves as soon as it is available. Put this one on your have-to-have list; it hits bookstores in October.

*****

Yodasmommy@aol.com
Just finished Courting Trouble by Lisa Scottoline and I give it 4 stars. Very easy summer reading and very entertaining.

*****

Vikkivand@aol.com
The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus. 4 Stars.

*****

Carosp@aol.com
Beach Music by Pat Conroy. 3 stars.
This is really a "junk food" book, but it does keep your interest. I'm listening to an unabridged version on tape, and it's 24 hours, 20 tapes! A little too verbose, too. Honus and Me by Dan Gutman
Shoeless Joe and Me by Dan Gutman
Babe and Me by Dan Gutman. 4 1/2 stars for each of them

These are children's books that I began reading because my nephews wanted to hear them, but they're actually great books about a boy who travels back in time to visit various baseball legends, and learns a lot about the baseball players and their times in the process.

*****

DizeM4T@aol.com
I just finished F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton. I rate it four stars. I finally gave in to her alphabet series, mainly because I was intrigued by the clever titles. They seem to be getting better the farther I go along --- or perhaps I am just getting to know her characters better. Nice work, Ms. Grafton!

*****

tmzemke@comcast.net
Jim the Boy by Tony Early. 3 1/2 stars.
I heard about this book via the librarian's network of "must reads." It is a story of a 10 year old boy being raised by his grandfather in the depression era. It's a quick read and don't let the cover fool you. It looks like it should be a young adult book, but it is an adult read.

A book that I thought I would enjoy much more than I actually did was "Darwin, His Daughter & Human Evolution" by Randal Keynes. Much of the book details Darwin's progress in his theory of evolution and not on the death of his beloved 10 year old daughter, Annie. The author really didn't bring together the three aspects that are reflected in the title. 2 stars (at most).

*****

lgettle@iserv.net
MORTAL PREY by John Sandford. 5 stars.
Lucas Davenport has always been a terrific hero, but he really shines in this novel.

ELEVENTH HOUR by Catherine Coulter. 5 stars.
Great suspense with a touch of romance.

TEMPLE by Matt Reilly. 5 stars.
This is the first book I have read by this author. The characters are strong and well developed, the action was non-stop, and the hero was someone I'd love to see again.

*****

Anonymous
Hostage, by Robert Crais. 5 stars.
This novel is the most captivating book I've read this summer. It starts excitingly on the first page (of the prologue, even), and doesn't let up till the end. It's a true thriller.

*****

magloro@attbi.com
Body of Lies by Iris Johansen.
I enjoyed this psychological thriller and rate it 4.

*****

dmilburn@alltel.net
Lost by Gary Devon. 3 stars.
I read Bad Desire by Devon and really enjoyed it. Lost was a disappointment as I felt it pretty unbelievable. It did keep my interest though and I read clear to the end wondering exactly what would happen to Sherman..

Between Friends by Debbie MacComber. 5 stars.
I am still reading this book...and hate to see it come to an end. Maccomber really puts you into the life of her characters. I would really recommend this for a good read. Not profound...just good reading. It's the story of two friends from grade school until ... I don't know exactly because I haven't read to the end just yet.

*****

caliauds66@aol.com
City of Bones by Michael Connelly. 4 stars.
I enjoyed this one.

*****

RGNNNR@aol.com
One of Ours by Willa Cather. 4 1/2 stars.
This book has been called not one of Cather's better novels. I, personally, disagree. She was a brilliant author and I've read and loved most of her novels and short stories. I identified very strongly with this book's hero, a young man who joins the army at the beginning of World War I. I was especially struck by how beautifully a man's point of view could be explained by a female author.

Evening Class by Maeve Binchy. 5 stars.
Probably my favorite female author of modern times. This novel of disparate lives coming together to learn the language and culture of Italy in a British night course is wonderful. I allotted myself time to read 40 pages a day and instead ended up reading 75.

*****

juliecbarnard@yahoo.com
I just finished reading "Our Lady of the Lost and Found" by Diane Schoemperlen. I would definitely give it 5 STARS. This is a wonderful and different story --- the Blessed Virgin Mary comes to visit a writer and spends the week with her. During her visit, she helps around the house, goes for walks and tells stories of her past. Great read!

*****

GeoBarb636@aol.com
The Legacy by D. W. Buffa. 5 stars.
A must read for fans of the legal system. Buffa brings everything to life the way he writes.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. 5 stars.
This book is the best book of the summer.

*****

IRISHMAE@aol.com
Jolie Blon's Bounce by James Lee Burke. 5 stars.
This latest book featuring his protagonist Detective Dave Robicheaux is the best one yet. His vivid descriptions of the Louisiana Bayou country, along with well drawn characters make it a great read. This time out Dave's demons almost get the better of him, while trying to come to grips with an assault by an evil man named Legion. He is also trying to find a killer loose in New Iberia and has way too many suspects.

*****

cfurgason@ADESA.com
Among the Heroes by Jere Longman.
This is about the brave people on United Flight 93, which went down in Pittsburgh. An amazing story about an amazing group of people who happen to be on the same plane that fateful day. They sacrificed everything for us.

*****

DIANWILLY@aol.com
McNally's Alibi by Lawrence Sanders. 5 stars.
Typically McNally series light murder mystery. Easy reading and sarcastic as usual.

*****

n2Hul@adelphia.net.
Have just finished reading "Beach Music" by Pat Conroy. I give it five stars. Now I know what all the fuss was about years ago. What a wonderful story!

*****

ltwilson@southark.cc.ar.us
Everything's Eventual by Stephen King.
Read two stories and the brand-new book broke in half. Hope to finish before it falls apart.

The Summons by John Grisham.
Read in one evening. Fast and entertaining.

The Light Bearer by Donna Gillespie.
Historical Fiction. Lots of detail, good story, but very long.

*****

rdly2002@yahoo.com
My significant other received a review copy of the new book on Robert Durst, the millionaire featured on network news shows and in Vanity Fair and who is thought to have killed his wife 20 years ago and killed again last year.

It's called "A Deadly Secret: The Strange Disappearance of Kathie Durst" (Berkley) and was written by Matt Birkbeck, a People reporter. The book comes out in two weeks, but here's a preview:

WOW! I couldn't put it down! The story, as told by Birkbeck, is even more bizarre than originally thought. Mr. Birkbeck did his homework, and true crime fans and anyone even remotely interested in the strange Mr. Durst will love this book, which will surely affect his upcoming trial. When I was finished, I wanted more. Five stars.

*****

themagikone@hotmail.com
Dreamcatcher by Stephen King. 4 stars.
A brilliant novel based around the legend of the dreamcatchers. It tells the story of a four friends who do a good dead one day and many years in the future whilst on an annual hunting trip begin to have the most horrifying time of there lives. The story takes you on a rollercoaster ride of a lifetime. With the trademark of Stephen King to jump form one time to another at the right moments to give you the information u need. A very good read I give it 4 stars.

A Painted House by John Grisham. 4 stars.
A diversion from the usual courtroom crime thrillers to a tale of a young boy's childhood dealing with life on a cotton farm. The story was astonishingly good and I couldn't put the book down at all. It may put off it being an author trying something new but John manages to pen it beautifully.

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey. 4 stars.
Dragons being my favourite creature I had to read this book and it turned out to be a very good book. Anne has managed to make a believable world and also given the story some subtle context. If you love dragons you'll like this book.

DragonQuest by Anne McCaffrey. 3 stars.
The second in the Chronicles of Pern this story is as good as the first and it follows on directly from the events in the first book. With the old-timers causing problems and the discovery of fire lizards this book has everything but a wizard.

DragonSong by Anne McCaffrey. 4 stars.
The third installment takes us back to the start of dragon flight but to the sea craft hold where Menolly is being held back from her musical talent and she flees her hold to have an adventure of her own. In this book Anne has managed to tell a tale involving a previous book intertwined into this story. The events are sound and run very well.

Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey. 3 stars.
The fourth in the series follows on from Dragonsong but is still set in the second half off Dragonquest. The story follows Menolly's adjustment into the Harper Crafthall Hall with the usual jealous students and apprentices. Being given a hard time from most people and only having the comfort of her firelizards Menolly begins to wonder if it was the right choice to come here. This story again was well written and still kept me interested even though it didn't involve much about the dragons. Anne has a splendid talent for mixing up two stories and producing by stories set at the same time. I only hope the rest of the series turns out as good.

*****

savinggrace@essex1.com
Here are some suggestions from our monthly book club members:
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon.
A little disappointing, perhaps this will appeal to men more.

Savage Run by C.J. Box.

Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind by Ann B. Ross.

The Risk Pool by Richard Russo.
A good read, but not as funny as The Straight Man .

Mary, Called Magdalene by Margaret George.

Our club selection was Lolita by Nabokov --- this really stimulated discussion!

A nice "little" book by a favored "southern" writer is Where Trouble Lies by Clyde Edgerton: all his books are terrific plays on the foibles of ordinary people.

*****

TonyBrandin@peoplepc.com
Possession by A.S. Byatt. 3 stars.
In advance of the movie, I read much of the book. Though a success for the author (she adopts the differing writing styles and perspectives of so many nineteenth century writers), Possession demands too much from the reader. I admit I skipped many of the chapters comprised wholly of faux-nineteenth century poetry. The story is intriguing: academics today discover a previously unknown Romantic (yes, capitalized) relationship between nineteenth-century poets. Other, greedier academics follow our hero and heroine as the poets' journeys are retraced and the tangible proof of their liaisons is uncovered. This thriller ends gothically, in a manner entirely familiar to readers of early Nancy Drew mysteries. A curious novel, but not a wholly successful one.

*****

nconnors@sympatico.ca
The Secrect Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. 5 stars.

The Giant's House by Elizabeth McCracken. 5 stars.

Last Summer at Barebones by Diane Baker Mason. 5 stars.

Too Close to the Falls by Catherine Gildiner. 5 stars.

The Hancock Boys by Thomas William Simpson. 5 stars.

*****

Bobjoydunk@aol.com
Durable Goods , The Joy School and True to Form --- all by Elizabeth Berg.

The Dive from Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer.

American Road by Pete Davies.

The Viceroy's Daughters by Anne de Courey.

The Summons by John Grisham

*****

magloro@attbi.com
Midnight Voices by John Saul. 4 stars.
A woman and her two children who move into a luxurious, exclusive building named The Rockwell when she marries the perfect man. Terror, midnight voices whisper, nightmares, a cruel and hungry presence. Very scary!

*****

CeasarDante@aol.com
Kelly's Last Chance .
A book about a young woman with an eating disorder. I purchased this book through Barnes & Noble.com based on a recommendation from a friend. It was an informative story that was a quick and satisfying read. The character deals with many issues at once. She serves as a good role model for other young adults to follow. Kelly's Last Chance is a good read. A story to learn from.

Enjoyed Judy Blume's Forever which I read twenty something years ago and I still remember.

Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich. 5 stars.
Janet Evanovich has come up with another winner. I was starting to wonder if using the same characters with the same problems and idiosyncrasies was beginning to wear a bit thin after the first seven in the series. But Janet somehow pulled another one off that kept me glued to the book from start to finish, laughing all the way. Well, most of the way. She did introduce a couple of unsavory characters that added the right touch of drama. She also created an interesting character in lawyer Kloughn (pronounced "clown?") who reminded me of Joe Pesci's character in the Lethal Weapon films. He's worth keeping around for a few laughs. It seems as if Janet has discovered a formula that works, book after book. And as they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Grif76@aol.com
Look At Me by Jennifer Egan. 3 stars.
This is imminently readable, and Egan's writing manages to be insightful and easy-reading at the same time. She raises interesting questions about celebrity, identity, and the way that modernization and the media influences how people relate with one another and the world, in general. To Egan's credit, it is also very possible to read this as a straight novel --- the model recreated post horrible accident woven in with the experiences of an average teenage girl navigating adolescence. Still, she relies too heavily on these archetypes --- the model too obsessed with her looks, the average teenage girl grappling with coming-of-age and not being a goddess. Even if she puts a new spin on it, I don't know that she ever overcame the use of these stock characters. I also had big problems with the conclusion --- things tied together too neatly, rather unconvincingly.

*****

dhueckstaedt@pullmax.com
1. The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon
2. Shou By Deborah & Joel Shlian
3. Winter of Night by S.J.Rozan
4. The Beach House by James Patterson
5. Murder In China Red by Dean Barrett

*****

Bossu49@aol.com
MERCY by Julie Garwood. 5 stars.

THE RED TENT by Anita Diamant. 5 stars.

*****

WLCWOLVERTON@wmconnect.com
Milk Glass Moon by Adriani Trigiani.
Adriana Trigiani is back in Big Stone Gap in Milk Glass Moon and still writing about the loss of a child. I'm guessing she has lost a child and using her fiction to work through it (as if anyone ever could). She examines the effect on the rest of the family in a wonderful first person narrative style. The results are a great novel. She uses the first person narrative better than anyone else I've read and imbues the novel with mountain characters and flavor. Her characters are as sophisticated in their own way as any New York business person. This book is a class act.

*****

Spizzyone@aol.com
I am reading Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich. 5 stars.
Stephanie Plum is at it again, and her character doesn't disappoint. She is so real and believable. I feel as if I have known her family for years. This is a great summer read. It is a light mystery and laugh out loud funny.

My Legendary Girlfriend by Mike Gayle. 4 stars.
The main character is obsessed with a girl who broke up with him 3 years ago, and can't find happiness due to his obsession. This is a good look into the life of a 20-something guy with less than admirable ambition and habits. It is a warm and funny story with a happy ending, which is preferable to an unhappy ending, any day! I'd give this 4 stars.

Second Chance by James Patterson. 5 stars.
Second in his new series about a crime solving team of women, this book was a great read. Highly recommended. A definite page turner.

The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus. 4 stars.
Amusing and fun to read. Great character development because I liked the main character and disliked her employers --- a lot. Almost thought the ending was going to be a disappointment, but I was happy with how things were wrapped up. Probably not an easy thing to do, since the writers were depicting what it was like to work for "beautiful people" with myopic views of the rest of the world. I enjoyed this book.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. 5 stars.
I heard about this book on this Word of Mouth newsletter. I found the book to be one of my favorites. It is about a girl who flees her sorry home with her beloved black caregiver. The two wind up living with 3 wacky and lovable, also black bee keepers, with whom they make a real home. This is a great book and I would recommend it highly.

*****

ISW2W@aol.com
Interpreter of Maladies Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri.

*****

TLWood61@aol.com
Standing in the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg. 5 + stars!
I can't remember that last time a laugh out loud while reading a novel. Wonderful book about a small town and the characters that reside there. I highly recommend this book.

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