FATDADMKT@aol.com
I am currently reading No Second Chance by Harlan Coben and it is definitely 5 stars!!!!

vitale@grantsburgtelcom.net
I just finished reading The Wife by Meg Wolitzer. This book is outstanding. I simply couldn't put it down. I had to put it down, of course, to do things like work and clean house and take care of my kids. This book is all about the sacrifices women of a certain age made before women really counted in this world. The ending reminds me very much of The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve. It's a killer. I can't say anything more or I'd give it away. But I highly recommend this book.

Newcrain@aol.com
About the Author by John Colapinto. 4 stars.
Clever and suspenseful plotting in Hitchcock style. Blackmail is a central theme by an unlikely but believable character. For anyone who's ever wanted to write a bestselling novel --- without much effort --- main character Cal Cunningham tells you how to do it!

The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus. 5 stars.
This one kept me up until 2 a.m. and I didn't want to say goodbye to the main character, Nanny. If her real name was ever used, I've forgotten it, which is symbolic of her fade-into-the-background role with her horrid employer, Mrs. X. The latter is a stereotype controlling Mom played to the max which wins Nanny huge sympathy votes from the reader. Just a fun, fun read. Particularly if you're a Mom who uses babysitters or nannies, it's a must read.

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. 5 stars.
A wonderful creation of a fictional life for Dinah, who appears as only a brief mention in the Book of Genesis. What a wonderful look at a woman's life in Biblical times. I will re-read this one probably several times more in coming years.

IGoingup@aol.com
Madam, The Grass Is High by Dennis Christen. 5 stars.
This story in some ways reminds me of "Blue Hawaii," which was filmed in Hawaii with Elvis Presley. It has elements of romance, humor, and adventure. It has the intrigue of covering up a secret and forbidden love. It introduces characters that would normally be dull conservatives were it not for the craziness and boldness that the passionate love drove its victims to. It gives hope to hopeless singles who have been long without partners and especially approaching senior years, where you become resigned to your situation. I identify with Ralph, the male character, because I am in a similar situation. It brings back pure love of previous generations, compares it with the new generation and takes you from the depth of disappointment to the heights of victorious triumph. It has something for everybody.

haack@charter.net
The Vanished Man by Jeffery Deaver. 5 stars.
This was so good that it spoiled any other reading for me for a few days, as nothing else could compare!

The Dwelling by Susie Moloney. 4 stars.
A good "ghost" story, though actually four stories in one book. It's been a while since I've had a good shiver reading!

The First National Bank of Dad: The Best Way to Teach Kids About Money by David Owen. 5 stars.
Very, very good advice for those seeking to teach kids about finances.

beparoo@prodigy.net
I am reading a delightful little book entitled Our Father Who Art In A Tree by Judy Pascoe. It is about a girl whose father died and she discovers that, when she climbs to the top of a tree in her yard, she can hear his voice. It is a small book and I am only about 1/4 through it, but I really like it so far. I can't wait to see what happens. 4 stars.

I am listening to the audio version of Charm School by Nelson DeMille. He is one of my favorite authors and I would give this 4+ stars.

Marric77@aol.com
Right now I am reading two books at the same time. Letting Go by Pamela Morsi. I rated this book a 4. And I am also reading Sing to Her Bones by Marcia Talley. This one is a 4. Two very different books but both very good.

BrettCorrea@aol.com
Flowers in the Blood by Gay Courter. 5 stars.
It focuses on a Jewish family of opium traders in nineteenth-century British India. The heroine, Dinah Sassoon, (loosely based on a real member of the well-known Sassoon dynasty, the "Rothschilds of the East") is a fully fleshed characterization: she is intelligent, resourceful, strong-minded, yet flawed and fallible. Cinematically written with lavish period detail and settings, and a compelling love story, Ms. Courter's novel brings to life the cultural milieu of a little-known Jewish community that once flourished in an exotic part of the world. Spellbinding!

Loulou4822@aol.com
I just finished reading Lisa Scottoline's Legal Tender. She is both fresh and entertaining and moves the plot right along. I really enjoy her books. A Whodunit that keeps you reading....definitely compelling. Another of her books, Courting Trouble, is on my list to get and read. I recently read Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones, which I did not enjoy at all. I am more of a James Patterson, Jonathan Kellerman and Jeffery Deaver type of reader.

djspoon@attbi.com
The Hastings Conspiracy by Albert Coppel. 5 stars.
Eye Witness by George Coxe. 3 stars.
The Mortal Nuts by Pete Hautman. 5 stars.
The Music of the Spheres by Elizabeth Redfern. 5 stars.

juliecbarnard@yahoo.com
Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde. 5 stars.
Having recently read his first book, The Eyre Affair, I couldn't wait to read the second story of Thursday Next. These are funny, literary, smart fantasies --- well written with more imagination than a dozen books put together. Highly recommended.

Giotto's Hand by Iain Pears. 4 stars.
Good mystery, with interesting characters.

Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult. 5 stars.
I like all her books. This one really kept me turning pages. Jodi Picoult is a great storyteller.

Smilamas@aol.com
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith. 5 stars.
Very interesting stories set in Africa.

25 to Life: The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth by Leslie Crocker Snyder. 4 stars.
Snyder is a New York State Supreme Court Justice. She describes her career on the bench.

Invasion of Privacy by Perri O'Shaughnessy. 5 stars.
An excellent, gripping, can't put it down, legal thriller.

Righterjerryb@aol.com
Greg Iles's Dead Sleep is as good a novel as this master storyteller has written to date, and that, my friend, is saying a lot. I, of course, rate it 5 stars. It is about Jordan Glass, a photojournalist who, while in Hong Kong, discovers her missing sister in a bizarre collection of paintings. These paintings, all about women who appear to be dead, are believed to be the missing women in and around New Orleans. Jordan, the FBI, and the local law enforcement authorities go on a dangerous journey to unearth the artist who is responsible for this atrocity.

j_gargus@hotmail.com
The Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux. 4 stars.
Forever by Jude Deveraux. 4 stars.

KATHLAU@aol.com
Standing in the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg. 5 stars.
I hated to see this one end. Follow "Neighbor Dorothy" and all her family and friends that you meet in Welcome to the World, Baby Girl (another 5-star read) through six decades of laughs, tears and growing up.

My husband (who's basically a non-novel reader) couldn't put Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code down. 5 stars from him.

Jkrusemom@aol.com
I have just finished reading The Bridge by Doug Marlette. I have never read anything by Mr. Marlette before but I plan on looking for more books written by him. I also plan on telling friends about this book. It is the story of a newspaper cartoonist who loses his job and moves back to a small North Carolina town, where the family he wants to escape from, is living. The story is mainly about his relationship with his Grandmother, who he remembers with nothing but bad feelings. He finds that what he thought he knew is very wrong and, through research, discovers she is a remarkable woman. I give the book 5 stars. It is well written, keeps your attention and tells a wonderful story of the General Textile Strike of 1934 and why the Unions were started. Sometimes you have to be reminded why there are Unions, as today they are not as popular.

KLOZIER40@aol.com
Blind Notice by Patricia Cornwell. 4 stars.
An intriguing murder mystery that keeps you guessing to the last page.

Blessings by Anna Quindlen. 5 stars.
A very well written story of characters and the family backgrounds of wealth and poverty that intertwine when a baby is found on the doorstep.

Bjglu@aol.com
Crow Lake by Mary Lawson. 3 stars.
Okay, but only okay.

Looking for Alaska by Peter Jenkins. 5 stars.
Nonfiction. A wonderful travel book and so much more. It makes you feel like you're there with Jenkins.

BREEZYWRITER@aol.com
Missing Pieces by Joy Fielding. 4 stars.

QueenGP@aol.com
I am at present reading Barbara Delinsky's book, The Coast Road. I find it very interesting and especially so because of its location on the CA coast.

DougClegg@aol.com
I'm currently reading:
Sheet Music by M.J. Rose. 5 stars.
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. 5 stars.

Linpeace1@aol.com
The Living by Annie Dillard.
A lively descriptive view of settling the Northwest in the nineteenth century, with fully fleshed-out characterizations.

PatSTeam@aol.com
I am reading The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and deepening my spirituality through it. Another book that has been a healing blessing is a poetry book called Nature's Rhythms by Joel Smith.

Mystrytx@aol.com
4 stars to Carolyn Haines. I just completed Them Bones and have started Buried Bones. What I expected to be light and cozy really turned into a well written story with a tight script and a super surprise ending ... ghosts or no ghosts!

BettyB6768@aol.com
Atonement by Ian McEwan. 5 stars.
Aside from some wordiness, which many writers fall into, the book carries us along with the British family and the guilt of its youngest girl through WWII. The descriptions of the Dunkirk retreat and the hospital scenes are graphically exacting, horrible and yet draw us into the grim reality of it. The reader comes to the understanding that guilt can rarely be assuaged.

BDORM@aol.com
Poets Against the War by Sam Hamill, editor
Cerulean Sins by Laurell K. Hamilton

Graham2124@aol.com
Holes by Louis Sachar. 5 huge stars.
My 10-year-old grandson and I recently finished reading this wonderful novel. As his tutor and grandfather, I thought that it would be a great book we could share by read aloud to each other. We were both captivated by the characters, the humor, the suspense and the life lessons written by Mr. Sachar. We were lucky enough to finish the book one day and go see the wonderful movie the next. I highly recommend this book for children of all ages.

GandmaRI@aol.com
My current read is Murder in Havana by Margaret Truman. It's a fast read and keeps me guessing as to the true culprit.

pboylecharley@hotmail.com
I have read and recommend the following books:

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry.
A daunting book at first appearances since it consists of 712 pages, but a truly great book. I wouldn't have expected less from this author. If you love stories based in India or dealing with Indian culture, you'll love this complex story.

The Cereal Murders by Diane Mott Davidson.
I am a fan of mystery stories based on food, hotels, bed-and-breakfasts and chefs, and this book does not disappoint. It is a mystery but a gentle one --- no extravagant displays of gross violence.

John1rosie@aol.com
A Simple Story by S.Y. Agnon. Translated by Hillel Halkin. 4 stars.
The story was written in 1935. I came upon a 1985 Schocken Books edition. This book is one for readers of ethnic history and ethnic issues. It provides a view into the lives and values of a segment of the Jewish middle class living in an Eastern European town in the early years of the last century. The story and the translator's afterword glimpse the social, economic, cultural and philosophical issues and realities that shaped the lives of fictional individuals whose real life counterparts came to America and shaped our lives. A Simple Story is not an easy book to find, but it is an outstanding read for those who choose to be thoughtful on its subject.

Rickimc@aol.com
The Dragon Charmer by Jan Siegel. 4 stars.
An imaginative book written with distinct style. This is the second book in The Way of the Witch trilogy, however it is not quite as good as the first one, Prospero's Children. In Prospero's Children, I felt for the heroine Fern Capel. In The Dragon Charmer, I am finding the parts of the story involving Fern's brother Will and her best friend Gaynor to be more interesting than Fern's story.

FalseMillennium@aol.com
Bay of Souls by Robert Stone. 3 stars.
Michael Ahearn is a man stuck in a mid-life quagmire, searching for something he can't quite formulate in his mind and spirit. He's dissatisfied and seeking change, but he's not sure why. Ahearn spends a large portion of time in the beginning of the novel crouched in a frostbitten deer stand, contemplating these things.

Enter the mysterious Lara Purcell, an American exotic from the small tropical island of St. Trinity, which is undergoing political upheaval. Lara has been dumped into St. Nowheresville, presumably by the CIA, as a means of protection. Ahearn, in his physically and emotionally barren environment, is a sitting target waiting to be picked off in life's hunt. Lara believes it is her mission to return to the island for the annual voodoo ceremony that will help free her deceased brother's soul and send it on its journey. To accomplish this, she believes she needs Michael to accompany her, even though it places both of them in peril. The rest of the novel is devoted to this cause, ending with the return of Michael to his previous existence, but vastly altered and even more dissatisfied than in his past. He is bored by his students' simplicity, his town's vapidity, and the humdrum of being a family man, yet he is torn by how this affects his relationship with his son.

Instead of taking him down, putting him on a car bumper and returning him to town tagged, Stone morally and ethically wounds Ahearn and returns him to this spiritual forest, limping, lost and even more bewildered than in his past. A lot of effort is placed in the depiction and explanation of the voudoun culture. I found the religious aspects of Lara's voodoo in contrast to the Ahearn's family's mixed bag of Christianity to be distracting. If I were going to recommend a Robert Stone book for someone to read, I would seek out the earlier works of Damascus Gate or Outerbridge Reach.

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger. 1 star.
Andrea Sachs, fresh out of college, lands her first job in Manhattan, acting as a personal assistant to a fictitious editor-in-chief, Miranda Priestly (think Anna Wintour) for the most prestigious fashion magazine, Runway (think Vogue). Like Candide, innocent Andrea enters a world she doesn't understand, is placed under constant pressure by her employer's increasingly insane requests, and loses her life over to her career, placing family and friends at her C table, next to the kitchen. In a Parisian couture dénouement, Andrea returns to the wholesome world of family and friends. And you thought YOUR job was hard? Try "schnell," "schnell," "schnelling" for Miranda while wearing four-inch Jimmy Choo stilettos.

Evenings at Five by Gail Goodwin. 5 stars (and then some).
I wish I possessed the will and the words to make people read this book. What is called in literary parlance "a slender volume" (114 pages with pen and ink illustrations), this book captures the haunting sorrow and internal reflections following the loss of a beloved spouse.

Christina, a writer, has lost her husband, composer Rudy Geber, after a long-existent relationship, and she contemplates the physical contents of their life and the void left behind with his departure: their special cocktail glasses, their perfect cutting knife (called "Ralph"), Rudy's method of creating the perfect lime slice, his metronome, his chair.

Please don't think "too depressing," or "I don't want to read or think about that." Every adult reader has experienced some form of absence from a loved partner in time. Goodwin's beautifully written and plotted work captures that loss in such simplicity and perfection in her writing combined with the depth of her subject matter. It is well worth your time to seek out, read and savor this book for the masterful work that it is.

diamondlightfoot2@yahoo.com
There are so many great books going out there! Currently I'm loving:

McSweeney's Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales edited by Michael Chabon.
A wonderful collection of short stories by some of today's great writers.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.
An awesome mystery and adventure!

The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber.
Greathistorical fiction. I want to read this one again!

These are all five stars!

NGroves@aol.com
The God of Small Things by Arundati Roy. 4 stars.
The pivotal event in this novel takes place in India during the late 1960s, when a visiting Anglo-Indian girl accidentally drowns while visiting relatives in a small village in southern India. Her local cousins, twins Rahel and Estha, are devastated by the incident, and their already dysfunctional family completely falls apart. The narrative is not chronological, and we don't learn until the very end all of the details leading up to the accident. In beautiful language, Roy tells the stories of the twins, whose lives are forever damaged by the death and its aftermath; their mother, whose involvement in a "forbidden" love affair was also part of their undoing; and their uncle, grandparents, and other characters, all in a time of social upheaval in India.

The Wolf Pit by Marly Youmans. 3 stars.
I'm still reading this one, a Civil War-era tale of a young female slave who escaped from a brutal owner and is currently with a kinder, gentler rescuer, and a Confederate soldier struggling through the misery of war. Their stories will of course intersect eventually.

OLTLFREAK@aol.com
Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy

DianeSkiff@aol.com
Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik.
This book chronicles the lives of five women, who start off as neighbors and eventually become lifelines for each other as they move from their twenties through to their sixties. Each character has a unique personality and a story to tell. They start a book club and become an intellectual and emotional support group for each other as they work through personal joys and traumas that are common to all of us. Thus is a distinctly non-sappy and fascinating read that may make you both laugh and bring a tear to your eye. I'm hoping there will be a sequel.

billiegirl20@hotmail.com
My weekend of reading consisted of Shopgirl by Steve Martin, which I'll
have to give 3 stars. The book was funny and sweet, but I found myself not thoroughly liking the main character, although she did an awful lot of growing up through the course of this really short novel. I'll definitely
read him again, although he left some open points that I wish he would have cleared up.

I also read Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo. This book falls in and
out of favor as times go on and I had wanted to read it for so long. I'll
give it 4 stars because a book has never touched me as deeply as this
one...for a lot of reasons.

Vbmcgoo@aol.com
If you ever thought you had something to complain about, read Breath: Life in the Rhythm of an Iron Lung. It's by Martha Mason of Lattimore, NC, a victim of the 1948 polio epidemic in NC. She has been in an iron lung for 55 years. The editor is Charles Cornwell, ex-husband and still editor for Patricia Cornwell.

alacombe@belfastlibrary.org
Talon of the Silver Hawk by Raymond Feist. 4.5 stars.
I gave it 4.5 stars only because I am not through with it, yet. It appears to be another winner for this author.

The Wishing Jar by Penelope Stokes. 5 stars.
Another good read by Ms. Stokes. The story is heartwarming and engrossing.

OLTLFREAK@aol.com
Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy. 4 stars.
It was a good read. It was hard to keep the people separated, but about halfway through it all comes together who the people are. There are two separate police departments working on cases, and its confusing at the start. The mystery is good though. This is the first book by the mother and daughter team, and I am awaiting the next one.

Britadon@aol.com
The Best Revenge by Stephen White. 5 stars.
White's most recent mystery and again a very enjoyable read, especially if you know the territory. He weaves an interesting story of a man just
released from prison having been cleared of a murder charge by DNA evidence. But.... It's a captivating plot, though I felt that perhaps justice was a bit cheated in the end.

Ordinary Life Stories by Elizabeth Berg. 3 stars.
I am not a big fan of short stories and some of these were perhaps a bit too ordinary, while others kept my interest better. This book could be
considered a good beach book for the summer.

Your Mouth Is Lovely by Nancy Richler. 5 stars.
The title did not attract me but the reviews intrigued me. Caught up in the unrest leading to the Russian revolution, this account is written from a Siberian prison by a young Jewish girl. Very compelling.

bradylee@myway.com
Crazy in Alabama by Mark Childress. 4 stars.
If you like to romp in the park or people watch at the mall, then you will like this book. If you like to chuckle once in a while or even laugh out loud, then you will like this book. This novel is about a young boy and his family including a crazy aunt in Alabama by the name of Lucille. There is a serious part regarding race relations, however, the highlights of the story involve Lucille and her antics.

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson.
This is the opposite of a romp in the park, where you have a true story of how the World's Fair of 1893 in Chicago came to be. It is a story of great interest and gives you snippets of information like the first time for: Juicy Fruit gum, Cracker Jack, shredded wheat and the first zipper. Also, the first appearance of the Ferris Wheel, the Kodak camera, and the electric chair. At the same time, you have the story of a serial killer that is stranger than fiction. If you like a good true crime story, you will love this story, too. A grand read that is well-written.

sj_dougherty@hotmail.com
Carnage and Culture by Victor D. Hanson. 4 stars.
A provocative look at the interplay between culture and military practice and innovation in the Western world. This book is insightful and forcefully argued, though I think it would best be read paired with Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. Diamond takes a very different look at the rise of civilizations. Hanson, arguably the master of ancient Greek military history, skirts into the territory of chauvinism on more than one occasion, and his book loses momentum in his exploration of the Vietnam War. In the end, however, he's created an intelligent and powerful must-read for any student of history, the military or otherwise.

The Cheese Monkeys: A Novel in Two Semesters by Chip Kidd. 4 stars. Clever is the word which best describes this Bildungsroman set in the Penn State of the 1950s. A student learns about life, love and commercial art/design. Kidd is a competent wordsmith who's crafted a delightful page-turner, but the book itself is at least half the fun of reading The Cheese Monkeys. Cover art, chapter headings, font selection... It's worth a look.

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. 3.5 - 4.5 stars.
Why 3.5 - 4.5, you ask? Well, I'll tell you. If I'd written this blurb directly after reading the book, I'd have said 4.5 stars. The story was engrossing, and I nearly read the book in a single sitting. Ms. Brooks's pleasing way with language and seventeenth-century diction, her use of detail and her ability to create a genuine setting made this book a delightful read. However, upon reflection, her anachronistic use of a proto-feminist narrator and several characters' intuitive understanding of the causes of bubonic plague irk somewhat. Still, it's a terrific tale. If you're looking for exacting historical fiction, this might not be for you. If you're willing to overlook some poetic license, I'd encourage you to pick this one up. Thanks very much. Your website is terrific. Keep up the good work.

corrieb@rogers.com
Dean Koontz's A Door Away From Heaven is what I am reading but I just finished A Density of Souls by Christopher Rice.

Kec200@aol.com
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. 4 stars.
It was a very good read about a 13-year-old girl growing up in SC in 1964. Her mother died when she was four under questionable circumstances and her father is distant and mean. She's being raised by a housekeeper named Rosaleen. There is a racial dispute that ends up with Rosaleen being put in jail and, subsequently, the hospital. Lily, the girl, decides it's time to get away and try to learn more about her mother. She and Rosaleen wind up in Tiburon, SC at the doorstep of the Boatwright sisters who make Black Madonna Honey. Lily learns about beekeeping, race relations, life in general, love, friendship and the tenuous grasp we all have on our relationships and our lives. A very moving story!

kpatterson@andrews.esc18.net
Some books I recently read are:
Paragon Walk by Anne Perry. 5 stars.
Montana Legend by Jillian Hart. 4 stars.
Deadly Love by Brenda Joyce. 4 stars.
Harvest Moon by Rebecca Hagan Lee. 5 stars.
Once Upon a Summer by Janette Oke. 4 stars.

maurn.k@btopenworld.com
Mary, Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley by Alison Weir.
Oh no, not another Queen of Scots biography ... I hear everyone yell. Well, yes it is, but it spotlights an in-depth period of her life from her return to Scotland to her "escape" after the Battle of Carberry Hill. I felt that I received a very different and far more three-dimensional image of Mary Stuart. The murder of her spoiled young husband which has, more often than not, been made her responsibility, is seen in a completely different light. It is a good read but slightly overlong. I rate it 3 stars.

The Royal Physician's Visit by Per Olov Enquist, translated from Swedish by Tiina Nunnally.
If you never read another book, you just have to read this one. I thought it was the most exciting book I have ever read, and that is saying something. The last book that I felt so intense about was Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee, which was in an entirely different category. Per Olov Enquist won the August Prize with this book, and although I do not know why this particular prize is awarded, I do not doubt that he would have been the winner. Basically the writing is hypnotique, it holds your attention from beginning to end. The Physician referred to in the title, a man called Struensee, only endures for three years and, in that short time, he cares and consoles the young mad King Christian VII and is swept away by the King's little English princess. His adversary, an insignificant religious fanatic called Guldberg, needless to say turns out to be the victor at the end ... well, sort of. A brilliant read. 5 stars ... 5 stars ... 5 stars!

ufouria@bellsouth.net
Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk. 4 stars.
He's the guy who wrote Fight Club, and since I loved that movie, I thought I'd read his latest book. Great story, well written and a fun read. I love discovering a new author as I will read some other books by Mr. Palahniuk.

MSShealy@aol.com
I just finished Finding Home, a book containing three complete novels. The first one by Linda Howard was pretty predictable as romance novels go, but entertaining anyway. The second one by Elizabeth Lowell was really quite good. Kasey Michaels wrote the third, and I was not very impressed with it.

JDDistef@aol.com
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane. 5 stars.
Tons of twists for suspense/mystery fans.

I also re-read my favorite book of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee --- Are you sure I can only go up to 5 stars? 5 it is, then.

The Wife by Meg Wolitzer was a 4 star book.

The Good Sister by Diana Diamond, Barely 1 star.
A Reading with Ripa selection. It's predictable. No wonder the author uses a pseudonym.

bradylee@myway.com
Song of Saigon: One Woman's Journey to Freedom by Anh Vu Sawyer and Pam Proctor.
This book is filled with scripture quotes and Christian experiences and also many harrowing adventures. The author and her family, both before and after marriage, are deeply religious. The family's Christian experience leads them through the fires of hell where they don't experience a singe, starting in Vietnam and ending in the good ole' U.S.A. If you are not convinced there is a higher power in this universe after reading this book, then you will never benefit from that power.

BREEZYWRITER@aol.com
Bias by Bernard Goldberg. 4 stars.
A fascinating look at how the news media slants the news it presents to us!

j_gargus@hotmail.com
I recently read The Mulberry Tree by Jude Deveraux. She used her sassy,
quick wit and clever way of weaving the plot together to create another
outstanding novel. 4 stars!

Catslady5@aol.com
The Shelters of Stone by Jean M. Auel. 5 stars.
This is the fifth book in the Earth's Children series and, like the first four, I give it 5 stars. I am reading them all for the second time, which is something I never do but I enjoyed them that much.

Joyfulpond@aol.com
I just finished Gone for Good by Harlan Coben. This is the second book of his I have read and I don't know how he does it. The front cover has a quote from USA Today saying, "has more twists and turns than an amusement park ride." That's exactly how I felt about it --- a real page turner, always a surprise.

Quetzi@aol.com
Stone Monkey by Jeffery Deaver. 5 stars.
It's fast paced and it's interesting to learn about the Chinese refugees that have entered this country. I had no idea that this was going on. It was a very informative read while, at the same time, it had me embroiled in all this intrigue!

The House of Seven Mabels by Jill Churchill. 5 stars.
This is a cozy mystery but a great read. I love this book and now I will buy all of her books in the future.

SusanFCarey@netscape.net
Second Spring by Andrew Greeley. 5 stars.

DStegmanCrawford@aol.com
This week I am reading:

Odd Girl Out by Rachel Simmons. Definitely 5 stars.
This should be mandatory reading for all middle school teachers or for anyone who is interested in promoting self esteem and good mental health in girls. The author is the first to actually study the cases of hidden aggression in girls --- their cliques and their rules. It is fascinating.

The Usual Rules by Joyce Maynard. 5 stars.
This is the first (of many, I'm sure) books I've seen and read that includes the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers as an integral part of the story. A young girl's mother goes off to work one morning and just never comes back. The heartbreaking story of her attempts to put her life back together is really well-written.

KLOZIER40@aol.com
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. 5 stars.
Blessings by Anna Quindlen. 5 stars.
The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie King. 4 stars.

BettyB6768@aol.com
The Museum Guard by Howard Norman. 5 stars.
The style is so easy to read that one thinks that a youngster is writing, but then we realize that the protagonist is a limited person. His girlfriend falls in love with a painting about a Jewess in Holland and eventually sees herself as the person in the painting and literally becomes that person.

hibar14@earthlink.net
I'm reading The King of Torts by John Grisham. I'm enjoying it immensely. I
give it 5 stars!

Ery222@aol.com
The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman. 3 stars.

DancingGram7@aol.com
Goodnight, Irene and Remember Me, Irene by Jan Burke 4 stars each.
I picked up these mystery books at the local library mainly because my name is Irene! Irene Kelly is a reporter for a small city newspaper. She is romantically involved with a homicide detective. Of course there is a murder or murders to be solved. I found the book light reading with an interesting story. The books were written a while ago, so more books have been written on the Irene Kelly mystery series, which I will read. I recommend them to anyone who likes light mysteries with a good story.

bencanada1@yahoo.com
Kiss River by Diane Chamberlain. 4 stars.
Excellent!

AUGER77777@aol.com
Gone South by Robert R. McCammon is an interesting book in that it combines a very plausible and suspenseful plot with a really oddball cast of characters. Main character Dan Lambert, a dying Vietnam vet, is on the run after killing a cold-hearted loan manager who was about to kill Dan. In hot pursuit is a sideshow freak with three arms, accompanied by an obese Elvis impersonator, both seeking the $15,000 reward offered by the bank. Improbable as it sounds, this book is quite suspenseful, though the antics of the bounty hunters border on Keystone Kops antics. 4 stars.

Vikkivand@aol.com
The Hazards of Good Breeding by Jessica Shattuck. 4 stars.
The story is about the Dunlap family, who lives in the affluent town of Concord, Massachusetts. The Dunlaps live by a certain code of rules defined by Boston society. However, when Caroline, the daughter, returns home after graduation from college, she finds that things have changed with her divorced parents and their family! Things are not quite the way they are supposed to be, nor what anyone expects. The Columbian babysitter, Rosarita, is pregnant by Caroline's father, her mother begins dating a Frenchman, and her 8-year-old brother develops a plan to find Rosarita's son, who is missing in Columbia. Besides the family, there are friends, neighbors and acquaintances that have their own quirky things going on throughout the book, which makes this quite an entertaining story.

Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh. 4 stars.
Three woman --- Birdie, Joan and Dinah --- have each been the wife of Ken Kimble. The story details their lives with him and how he turns out not to be the man that he wants everyone to believe.

Derailed by James Siegel. 5 stars.
Charles Shine meets a beautiful woman, Lucinda, on the morning train into New York City. After 14 years of marriage, he is unfaithful to his wife. While at a hotel together, Charles and Lucinda are attacked in their room. Charles is robbed and beaten, and Lucinda is repeatedly raped. After the attack, Charles is blackmailed for money or his wife will be told about Lucinda. There are so many twists and turns. A suspenseful psychological thriller with a surprise ending.

The Speed of Light by Elizabeth Rosner. 4 stars.
A brother and sister learn about their father's secrets from the Holocaust that were too painful to share. Sola, Paula's housekeeper, has her own demons from when her village was destroyed and all her family was murdered. The story is about confronting horrifying pasts and turning sorrow into acceptance.

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane. 4 stars.
U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels is assigned to find an escaped murderer at an island mental hospital. Before long, Teddy becomes suspicious that something other than treating patients is going on at the facility. An interesting twist at the end brings the entire story together. The story was suspenseful, but you have to keep reading until the very last chapter, when what is really happening is revealed to the reader.

kanderson66@cox.net
I just completed The Devil's Bed by William Kent Krueger. It's the first of his I've read, so I can't compare it to his series mysteries, but as a political thriller it was top notch. Excellent characterizations and knife-edge suspense. I'll buy some of his backlist now. 5 stars.

Scott Free by John Gilstrap. 4 stars.
I've read all of Gilstrap's books so far. One reviewer called him the leading "family-in-crisis" thriller writer, and this is an accurate statement. This was a good, solid story, and I loved the character of the teenage Scott. There were a couple of plot points that didn't quite come together for me, but not enough to keep it from being an enjoyable read.

The Sentinel by Gerald Petievich. 4 1/2 stars.
I'm reading this one now, about halfway through it. There are a couple of similarities to the Krueger mentioned above (e.g. a Secret Service agent in love with the First Lady) but otherwise very different and very good. In some ways it's almost a "Secret Service procedural," but the plot is gripping and I like the two lead characters.

jipvin@optonline.net
Mrs. Delaney: Room 108 by Patricia Mould. 5 stars.
This is an intriguing, thought-provoking novel about a third grade teacher who is stalked. By whom, I won't say, but it is definitely a page-turner.


tmzemke@comcast.net
I just finished reading The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. I'm not a mystery reader, but this book is so much more than just a mystery. The author manages to combine Church history, knowledge of the arts and a murder to produce a book that is so intriguing that it will send you to the library to research for yourself if what he asserts is factual. 4 stars. I'm also just beginning to read Jodi Picoult's latest, Second Glance. So far, so good.

KTBug931@aol.com
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant.
While I just started reading this book, I think it is fair to give it at least four out of five stars. When I was in London about a year ago, this book was just coming out there and I saw ads for it everywhere. It sounded so interesting that I wanted to read it then. Finally, a year later, I bought it and am reading it. It is fascinating. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a woman or anyone into biblical history. It is a great read.

GerryD8784@aol.com
Mary, Called Magdalene by Margaret George. 3 1/2 stars.
This fairly interesting, but overly long, fictional biography of Mary Magdalene relies heavily on reenacting familiar gospel incidents, focusing as much on the emerging ministry of Jesus as on Mary herself.

Twelve Times Blessed by Jacqueline Mitchard. 2 1/2 stars.
Celebrating her 43rd birthday with friends, widow True Dickinson meets Hank Bannister, and romance is sparked. The ten-year difference in their ages leaves True feeling insecure but, gradually, she accepts the idea of marriage with this younger man. True and Hank never quite settle into marriage though, between her suspicions and his yen for freedom. For me the novel foundered on the constant question of "will this work or won't it" --- to the point that I ceased to care whether it did or not as long as SOMETHING happened soon. There was something missing in these characters --- their actions never seemed quite consistent with the personalities Mitchard described or the events going on around them. In the end, I liked her business ideas better than her novel!

All He Ever Wanted by Anita Shreve. 2 1/2 stars.
I gave this one more time than it was worth in the end, as I kept hoping the pace would pick up or the characters become more likable. As she often seems to do, Shreve has written a novel from one character's perspective, and we get to know other characters only through him. Unfortunately, the protagonist, Nicholas Van Tassel, is a thoroughly self-absorbed sort, with no insight whatsoever into the feelings and needs of the people around him, so his wife -- who is "all he ever wanted" -- and his colleagues remain thinly drawn and inaccessible to the reader. While she has provided an interesting view of the female as chattel, the plot is limited and the protagonist is so annoying that this was a very difficult book to stick with.

The Second Time Around by Mary Higgins Clark. 3 1/2 stars.
The head of a medical research company on the verge of a major cancer cure is suddenly killed in a plane crash, and within days it is discovered that the planned cancer vaccine is not a success after all --- and huge sums of the company's money are missing. A reporter assigned to investigate the story suspects the truth is more complex than simple embezzlement and that perhaps the crash was no accident. This quick but compelling read in typical Clark style won't disappoint her fans.

cfurgason@adesa.com
The Woman Who Wouldn't Talk by Susan McDougal.
Interesting.

Bookrec@aol.com
I'm reading The Vanished Man by Jeffery Deaver. I give this book 5 stars.
The Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child also receives 5 stars.

alacombe@belfastlibrary.org
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. 2 1/2 stars.
This debut novel received rave reviews, so I was compelled to read it. The idea of a murdered girl speaking from heaven seemed intriguing. I had a very difficult time relating to the way the author portrayed heaven. I also quite often got confused about whose voice the author was using (the dead sister of the living sister). If I wasn't the kind of person who always finishes a book that I've started, I would have put this one down part-way through. I think there is, however, a promising future for Alice Sebold.

billiegirl20@hotmail.com
Right now, I'm about 75% through The Nanny Diaries and would have to give it 4 stars so far. It's really a wonderful, sweet read. Oh, the things
these nannies go through --- definitely not a job for me, although I love to see good, sweet kids succeed. I'm anxious to see how it ends.

txmlhl@msn.com
The Vanished Man by Jeffery Deaver. 5 stars.
When you pick up a novel about Lincoln Rhyme, you know you are in for a wide ride. This book starts out with greetings from the "magician" who will be doing all of the magic tricks in this mystery. He explains how his first trick will be done and then goes on to find a victim to participate in his "trick".

From then on, there is one twist after another. You think you have everything figured out and then the characters change and the story goes in a different direction. Until the last minute of the story, you are not sure if some of the characters are really who they are supposed to be.

It was a breathtaking book. You are on tenterhooks the whole time you are reading, and it is hard to put the book down.

I highly recommend The Vanished Man. I can't wait for the next Lincoln Rhyme book to come out.

The Cat Who Brought Down the House by Lilian Jackson Braun. 5 stars.
For some quiet reading after finishing The Vanished Man, I turned to the Cat story. Braun's books are always restful and entertaining. This one doesn't miss the mark.

The Cat Who Brought Down the House is the 25th book in this series. While the main characters are always the same, the story in each one is different and holds your interest.

I would recommend this book and the whole series (if you haven't been keeping up with it) for a relaxing read.

maestraw@msn.com
The Night Before by Lisa Jackson. 3 stars.
Second Glance by Jodi Picoult. 4 stars.
All He Ever Wanted by Anita Shreve. 3 stars.
Between Sisters by Kristin Hannah. 3 stars.

Zeebietoes1@aol.com
Speaks the Nightbird by Robert McCammun.
I couldn't put it down. An excellent story once it got going!

Amf1975@aol.com
The Price by Joan Johnston. 5 stars.
The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks. 5 stars.
I am currently reading Tipping the Velvet by Sara Waters. I am only a third of the way in, but it is very good so far.

MumBellx3@aol.com
This month we are reading Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind. We really enjoyed Jodi Picoult books. We usually don't read the same author again so close together but we read two of her books two months in a row.

charris@pcnuthut.com
True Blue by Luanne Rice. 3 stars.
Good light reading with a happy ending.

Everywhere That Mary Went by Lisa Scottoline. 4 stars.
This is one of her first books but a good start for a good author. Good mystery

Three Years in a Boat by Stephen Ladd. 4 stars.
Well-written story about Ladd who had a 12' sailboat and went from Montana to Cuba. You knew it would end good or he wouldn't have been able to write, but lots of suspense.

The King of Torts by John Grisham. 3 stars.
Another good lawyer story. He does a good job, but this wasn't quite as good as some other first ones

The Color of Death by Bruce Alexander. 4 stars.
Written in 1775 in England. A good mystery solved by the blind Sir John Fielding, aided by young Jeremy.

ATENC3@aol.com
North of Hope by Jon Hassler. 5 stars+.
I love Jon Hassler's books and have read them all (I think). An author who's hard to beat. He makes you think --- besides enjoy.

bradylee@myway.com
Send Me Someone: A True Story of Love Here and Hereafter by Diana Von Welanetz Wentworth. 5 stars and thensome.
I read this book two years ago and just now reread it, as it is my reading group's book of the month. I still consider this in the top 5 of the best books I have read in my life. It encompasses two great love stories: the author's telling of her being at the absolute bottom of non-success both personally and professionally, and then at the pinnacle of total success. This is a roller coaster ride story and, to top things off, relating a multitude of experiences that prove there is existence after life on this earth. Constant activity and plain hard work resulted in a life of extraordinary accomplishment. Read it ... you'll love it.

txmlhl@msn.com
The Bone Vault by Linda Fairstein. 3 stars.
This is the fifth Alexandra Cooper novel. She is still playing "Final Jeopardy" with Mike Chapman, but not as often as in the first novel by that same title.

In this story, Mike and Alex are looking for the killer of a young lady who worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) and the American Museum of Natural History. The body is found fully preserved in a heavy stone sarcophagus. How she got in there and who put her there is the question.

There is a lot of information about how the two institutions do their work, how they do/do not interact, and the contents of the two museums.

While it is an interesting story, sometimes it seems to drag. However, when the action starts at the end, the pace is fast and furious. I would recommend this book.

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