PUnKpRiNcEsS0237@aol.com
One of the best books I have ever read is White Oleander by Janet Fitch. I recently read it and it was the best book. It was one of the most emotional books I have ever read. It will send you on an emotional roller coaster as you read it. In the beginning Astrid was so carefree. Then it shows as she grows and becomes a young woman while her mother is imprisoned for murder. It was just an amazing book to read. It made me feel as if I was in Astrid's shoes as she traveled through foster homes.

LWilcox@TRILOGIC.com
I finished reading Channeling Biker Bob by Nik Colyer. I received this book as a marketing strategy to get this new book out there to the people. Chances are, if I saw this book in a bookstore, I would not have chosen it. I did find it somewhat amusing and a fairly easy read, which in these hectic days, is something I like. While I don't particularly agree with the author's views on masculinity and the role that women play in the way men react, I did see that some relationships could possibly be the way the main character's relationship was at the beginning of the story. I think I may even know someone like that. But I don't think that is how most relationships are. The story was a little hokey at times, but I did enjoy it. As I said, I may have never read it had it not been sent to me. But I am always open to new reading styles, so it was a good thing.

dmilburn@alltel.net
The Sunday Wife by Cassandra King. 1 star.
I found this book a complete waste. I tried to finish but finally just gave up in total disgust. Dean (the minister's wife) was unbelievable. I doubt that any minister of any faith would be attracted to her character. That said, even though the minister in question is really a bore, the situations are so contrived as to leave the reader feeling that King thought of just about anything she could to prove her point --- that a minister's wife leads an impossibly frustrating life. After being a church staff organist for 34 years, I know ministers have "feet of clay" but, as in any other line of work, the wife is an important part of the whole picture. This is a given, so no need to fight it.

bradylee@myway.com
The End of the Twins: A Memoir of Losing a Brother by Saul Diskin. 5 stars.
Saul Diskin has wanted to be an author for a long time and has done such a good job on this book that he should start another. If words are put together in an interesting way, it seems personalizing a story makes it most interesting. This surely is a personal story and one gets insight about being a twin --- an otherworldly relationship that most of us mortals cannot experience, yet you can if you read this book. This is a story from the heart; one-fourth of the book is of their youthful years and the balance relates to the heart of the story --- the illness of Marty. Saul must have taken notes every day because there is a lot of detail written in a way to keep turning the pages a must.

harrises@bayou.com
I am reading:
Charles Dickens by Jane Smiley. 4 stars.
The Rag & Bone Shop by Jeff Rackham. 4.5 stars.
Loved the historic fiction with the very secretive life of Charles Dickens.

Bjglu@aol.com
Shrink Rap by Robert Parker. 4 stars.
He wrote the Spenser detective series. This is a fun mystery centering on a female private eye.

The Assistant by Bernard Malamud. 4 stars at least.
I read this for a book discussion group. What wonderfully written characters!

GoJessGo@msn.com
Killing Dance and Bloody Bones by Laurell K. Hamilton. 5 stars each.
Okay I admit it, this book series about a woman vampire hunter is freaky, weird and a little on the erotic side, but I LOVE IT! Start at the beginning, see how it all began and enjoy!

Timeline by Michael Crichton. 3 stars.
This book spent too much time explaining the whys and wherefores of quantum mechanics and time travel. I did like the medieval setting, however, and the ending was great.

I, Richard by Elizabeth George. 5 stars.
Not her usual fair --- a set of short stories. Fun and ironic, I really enjoyed them.

falbo@villa.edu
Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. 5 stars!
This novel about a Jewish American writer in search of his family roots has me in stitches every time his Ukrainian guide opens his mouth!

temar_98@yahoo.com
I just started Blues Lessons by Robert Hellenga.

Sugar by Bernice McFadden. 5 stars.
It evoked a lot of emotion. I'm looking forward to her next book.

Four Blind Mice by James Patterson. 5 stars.
I couldn't put it down --- very fast paced.

A Taste of Reality by Kimberla Lawson Roby. 3 stars.
I couldn't wait until the end, but not totally satisfied.

Lucky by Alice Sebold. 5 stars.
Intense and thought provoking.

The Queen of Harlem by Brian Keith Jackson. 3 stars.
The ending caught me off guard.

ALEMESH@aol.com
I am reading Dead Souls by Ian Rankin. I have tried to read everything in order up to the current book I'm reading. He had me hooked from the start with his character, John Rebus. Some of the books have been better than others, but most have been in the 4-5 star category. I would recommend him to anyone interested in police procedurals with the added twist of the Scottish locations.

cfurgason@adesa.com
The King of Torts by John Grisham
I just started it but I'm sure it's a guarantee 5+.

sue.thompson@ctdi.com
I recently finished The Hours by Michael Cunningham. I would give this book 5 stars. I loved everything about this book. The writing was beautiful. I loved the characters. I thought his story was creative. After I finished, I was so tempted to just start it again. I went to see the movie after I finished the book and loved it as well. A few changes here and there, but I still enjoyed it.

SorinStablesInc@aol.com
I just finished two great books, The Referee by James Kirvin and Tell No One by Harlan Coben. It's hard to say which book was more exciting. Kirvin is a new author with a lot of promise and I highly recommend his first book. Coben is one of my favorites, and this may be his best yet. Read them both and get ready for a very exciting week, or one incredible weekend.

lgettle@iserv.net
Purity in Death by J.D. Robb. 5 stars.
Eve Dallas and Roarke are just so likable.

yodasmommy@woh.rr.com
I am in the middle of The King of Torts by John Grisham and it is wonderful!! I think it is one of the best books he has written and I give it 5 stars.

ReginaEOrlando@aol.com
I give 5 stars to Michel Faber's The Crimson Petal and the White. The art of the Victorian novel is alive and well. Faber is a 21st century Dickens! He has captured the era so well you'd believe that he traveled back through time to live among the characters he has brought to life in this book. You want to know more and more about them, you care about what happens to them and you almost don't want it to end!

BSch195680@aol.com
I Want That! How We All Became Shoppers by Thomas Hine. 5 stars.

bradylee@myway.com
The Right Words at the Right Time by Marlo Thomas and Friends. 4 stars.
Marlo Thomas and staff have secured 3 to 6 pages of narrative from a multitude of celebrities in all fields of endeavor to state what person in their life changed them to become achievers and the circumstances of that event. There is much of merit for everyone to learn of the lessons learned; a mix of parents, teachers, friends and relatives (mostly parents) are the ones imparting the information. If you're looking for an avenue to run down to direct your life in a meaningful way, read this book.

TLWood61@aol.com
Styles by Maggie Sweet by Judith Minthorn Stacy. 3 1/2 stars.
This is the same old story of a woman trapped in a loveless marriage and she meets up with an old high school boyfriend and is offered a second chance at life. This is the author's first novel.

Long Lost by David Morrell. 4 1/2 stars.
I read this in one afternoon! Good thriller about a man whose brother disappeared when he was nine years old. The brother suddenly reenters Brad's life only to disappear with Brad's wife and son. This is the first book I have read by this author but look forward to reading more.

Compulsion by Keith Ablow. 4 1/2 stars.
In a nutshell --- a horrific crime is committed and it is up to forensic psychiatrist Frank Clevenger to solve it. I must confess I guessed the ending about 2/3 through but still enjoyed this novel. This is the third Frank Clevenger novel, so I look forward to reading the first two.

BettyB6768@aol.com
Instances of the Number 3 by Salley Vickers. 5 stars.
Another good read by Salley Vickers, this time about 2 women and a man who died. The wife and the mistress get together, one discovers she is carrying the dead man's child and the other discovers she's in love. Also involved is a cross-dressing boy who muddies the waters.

Kiwi1442@aol.com
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.
Good book. Read it.

Sogirl63@aol.com
The King of Torts by John Grisham. 3 stars.
A fun read, but far from Mr. Grisham's heyday of books like A Time to Kill and The Firm. I'm afraid that maybe he's had his time in the sun.

White Oleander by Janet Fitch. 5 stars.
A great read and very intense, it held my interest till the very end.

By the Light of the Moon by Dean Koontz. 5 stars.
Another great one from Koontz.

Prey by Michael Crichton. 5 stars.
Very thought provoking, his books always make me wonder what the government and big corporations are up to that we are ignorant of.

Makkedah02@aol.com
I just finished a book by Brian Haig titled The Kingmaker. I give this book 5 stars for suspense and intrigue. It's a book you can't put down once started. It's about how our spy system works, the casualties that go beyond belief, of how corrupt the government can be when and how they obtain information when spying. I loved this book. This is the first book by Brian Haig (Alexander Haig's son) that I've read but will be reading more of his!!! Enjoy!

MysteryNut19@aol.com
Spencerville by Nelson DeMille. 3 stars.
An enjoyable story of a newly retired intelligence officer returning to the small town he grew up in for the first time in 25+ years. He quickly tangles with the now-corrupt town officials. Good guy vs. bad guy storyline with a bit of romance tossed in.

KINDLEELF@aol.com
Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry. 5 stars.
Another fine novel from a born storyteller

The Shannara series by Terry Brooks. 5 stars.
An epic saga consisting of many volumes. It's worth the time and effort, though it's not my usual fare --- full of elves, gnomes, trolls, magic and druids. This story is set far in the future.

The Experiment by Stephen Kyle. 4 stars.
Interesting and apt for the times.

Abandon by Pico Iyer. 4 stars.
A student of religious studies is writing a thesis on the Sufi.

Let Loose the Dogs by Maureen Jennings. 4 stars.
An entertaining read.

A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel. 4 stars.
A good read for a discussion group.

Thank You For Smoking by Christopher Buckley. 4 stars.
A satire on the tobacco industry

Vector by Robin Cook. 4 stars.
Centered around a biological attack.

Thunderland by Brandon Massey. 4 stars.
Slightly sophomoric.

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. 5+ stars.
Wonderful, terrific, hated to have the story end and cannot wait for the sequel.

paulachambers@webtv.net
Alice's Tulips by Sandra Dallas. 5 stars.
Final Jeopardy by Linda Fairstein. 5 stars.

HOKAJO2@aol.com
The Cat Who Brought Down the House by Lilian Jackson Braun deserves no more than 2 stars, and I'm afraid The Cat Who... series is on a downhill slide. Although a quick read, this 25th title was flat and non-mysterious. We know the villain practically from the get-go, and the story lacks the usual subtle clues building up to the ultimate solving of the crime. Come to think of it, there wasn't even much of a story! Major events like the fund-raiser are given short shrift, and important details such as Polly's leaving the library are glossed over. The characters we know so well from the previous books are one-dimensional. For that matter, where ARE they all? Chief Brodie barely makes an appearance, and then only as a bagpiper, and his classy daughter, Fran, has suddenly become a snobby lush we don't recognize. This can no longer be considered a mystery series, which leads me to ask, "Who wrote this book?" The rumor of a ghostwriter will persist with this one.

HOKAJO2@aol.com
Blessings by Anna Quindlen. 4 stars.
It began slowly and meanderingly wound its way through to the end. You may be tempted to leave it early on, but it's worth the reading time. Although the story line itself is a bit far-fetched, her characters are well drawn and sympathetic.

Ellen.Clark@bookspan.com
Here's what I loved reading over the long weekend:

The Secret History by Donna Tartt.
My life stopped for three days while I finished the story. I can't wait to read her new book.

Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk.
Who can resist Miss Morningstar? What a sweet coming-of-age story, and how interesting are the pre-WWII rumblings in the background that evoke some of the international tensions we feel today.

NGroves@aol.com
The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain. 2 stars.
Although I have always greatly admired Twain's work, this particular book left me cold. It's the mostly truthful account of a "grand tour" Twain took with a group of other Americans, visiting a number of European and Middle Eastern sites. I failed to see much humor in most of his descriptions of life on board the ship or their port excursions and was put off by the condescension that Twain and the other passengers seemed to show for nearly everyone they met. This was my book club's selection, and not one of us managed to complete it.

The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett. 4 stars.
I really liked this novel about a woman, the titular magician's assistant who discovers after the death of her husband/partner that he had concealed the truth about his life before they met. After learning that he is survived by his mother and two sisters (he told her he had no family), Sabine meets them first in Los Angeles, where she lives, then travels to their home in Nebraska to discover more about the hidden years of her lover's life. Strong bonds quickly and rather unexpectedly form, since Sabine can tell them about her life with the son/brother who had severed contact with them years ago, while they can fill her in about the boy who grew into the man she loved. The promise of a new family emerges from the grief over the death of the person who meant so much to them all.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. 3 stars.
I had some trouble with the dialect in which Hurston's African-American characters spoke in this novel, set in the early 1900s, but the story kept me going. The book follows the life of Janie from her teens through middle age, her three marriages, and her growth into a woman who is strong enough to make her own decisions rather than be subservient to the men in her life.

hjames@mvsd.net
I just finished reading the following :
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. 4 stars.
The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber. 4 stars
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. 4 stars
All three are great historical reads.

LindaP8709@aol.com
How to Be Good by Nick Hornby.
Nick Hornby is probably my favorite author right now. He is able to blend a deliciously sarcastic wit with innate kindness --- something few authors can manage. This particular novel asks what it really means to be a "good" person, and how far most of us are willing to go beyond talk.

welshdragon@rushmore.com
The Loop by Nicholas Evans. 3 stars.
Not as good as The Horse Whisperer, but it was still good. Montana ranchers versus wolves. The fact that sections are told from the point of view of the wolves made it intriguing.

Greenwolf@collegeclub.com
I read the book The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus. The story is a fictional account of Nanny, who takes on a job caring for 4-year-old Grayer, son of Mrs. X. The authors are former New York nannies and the story is based on their experiences. My heart went out to the little boy, whose parents wanted NOTHING to do with him. And I really did NOT like Mrs. X, who is adequately described by the housekeeper as being "pure evil." It was a very good story, engagingly written and certainly hard to put down! 5 stars.

Another book I read is Deep Sleep by Frances Fyfield. 1 star. I gave this book every chance I could. I can only sum up my opinion of it with the first line from the third chapter (on page 39): "Any signs of life in here? Yes? No. Oh well."

tmzemke@comcast.net
I'm currently reading Chasing Hepburn by Gus Lee. It's promising to be a great read, although I am only on page 65. It begins with the author's aunts trying to foot bind his mother (I say lucky because the girl's father is progressive and stops the torture). To be honest, I have never heard of Gus Lee, but his writing is fluid and vibrant. 4 stars (so far).

I also just finished Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture by Ross King. It's a nonfiction tale of how, in 1436, architect Filippo Brunelleschi designed the dome of the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, Italy. The dome is still one of the most towering achievements of Renaissance architecture --- simply an amazing historical tale! 4 stars.

Toad0212@aol.com
I just finished reading The Smoke Jumper by Nicholas Evans (same guy who wrote The Horse Whisperer). What an excellent book! I could not put it down. It's a love story mostly with a little fire fighting thrown in to keep the reader on his/her toes. I noticed in the jacket that Evans has a third book. I'm on my way to the bookstore for that one!

yodasmommy@woh.rr.com
I just finished reading Lines of Defense by Barry Siegel and it was very good. I would give it 4 stars. The main character, Doug Bard, is a detective with the sheriff's department in La Graciosa, California. When a devastating house fire claims the lives of a kindly local retiree and an innocent 11 year-old girl, Doug Bard helps arrest Jed Jeremiah, a backwoods loner, and then suspects that he has made a mistake. The ending is a winner.

bradylee@myway.com
If Only They Could Speak: Stories about Pets and Their People by Nicholas H. Dodman. 5 stars.
The author states, "Dogs and cats are more similar to us than they are different." He back up those words in this book by relating in-depth stories of the relationship between the animal and the owner and, occasionally, both parties suffer the same problems. The animals are more pronounced in their afflictions, but each story is most interesting and you wonder why a person subjects himself to such treatment. The answer is, of course, love...pure and simple. If you like animals, you will love this book.

© Copyright 1996-2008, Bookreporter.com. All rights reserved.

Back to top.