KMWITZKE@aol.com
I have read all of the books by the Swedish author Henning Mankell. He writes intelligent mysteries with great character development. He doesn't employ "cutesiness" or gimmicks such as recipes to keep his plots moving. I am eagerly awaiting a new book by him.
bradylee@myway.com
The Anatomy of Hope: How People Prevail in the Face of Illness by Jerome Groopman, M.D. 4 stars.
The author relates a few case histories of his patients as well as his own with a bad back lasting many years. This book should help anyone suffering from pain or those who have contracted a terminal disease as to your attitude and ways to fight the problem. The human spirit is delicate at times and then encased in steel where nothing detrimental gets to it at other times. You will meet both types of individuals in this book and learn ideas that could be most beneficial to you throughout your life.
tfranzen2124@comcast.net
Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie. 3 stars. Mostly ho-hum.
Waking the Dead by John Eldredge 5 stars. An incredible book.
megalon22@yahoo.com
Hawke by Ted Bell. 4 1/2 stars.
I found this book to be an enjoyable read. It's about an ancient treasure stolen from one band of pirates by another band of pirates led by Blackhawke. The main character is a direct descendant of Blackhawke who, as a child, witnessed his parents' murder, which related to the ancient treasure. The book wends its way through current day to the meeting of the descendants of both bands of pirates. If you like books by Clive Cussler, you'll like this one --- many parts even remind you of some of Cussler's novels.
resan@nyc.rr.com
John Adams by David McCullough
Embers by Sandor Marai
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler
Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama
EGWGOMA@aol.com
Devices and Desires by P.D. James. 4 stars.
The integrity, intelligence and intimate details involving the character of Commander Adam Dalgliesh continue to fascinate and amaze followers of Mrs. James. The special way Commander Dalgliesh interacts with saints and sinners manages to keep fans around the world enthralled.
tiffani_ba@hotmail.com
I have just finished Pompeii by Robert Harris. This was a very suspenseful and interesting book, covering the actions of a man in charge of the Roman aqueduct as Mount Vesuvius awakens and erupts. Some parts were a bit boring, but the detailed description at the end of the eruption was amazing and worth getting to. 4 stars.
askinsjp@earthlink.net
I'm reading Ain't She Sweet? by Susan Elizabeth Phillips and enjoying it greatly. 4 stars.
I just finished Falling Angel by Tracy Chevalier. It was good but I was disappointed (not as good as her other books). 3 stars.
I am listening to The Loop by Nicholas Evans on CD and it is very good. I'm going to be sure my husband reads this book. It's a good one for men or women. 4 stars.
mariamou68@email.msn.com
I am currently reading 1st to Die by James Patterson. It is a fantastic read. I cannot put it down. I would give it a rating of 4 stars.
mbmartin@prodigy.net
The Man with a Load of Mischief by Martha Grimes. 5 stars.
I just finished my first book by this mystery writer and am definitely hooked. I now want to read all the books in this series about Scotland Yard's Inspector Richard Jury. These are great British mysteries in the same vein as Christie, Sayers and Marsh.
Zee12341234@wmconnect.com
I am currently trying to finish a few books. Richard Russo's The Risk Pool (5 stars; always a pleasure, he's so good), Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair (4 stars; I know I'm missing some of the British humor), and I just can't seem to complete Patricia Cornwell's Blow Fly (2 stars; not up to her usual standard).
hushpup@optonline.net
I am currently reading Jane Heller's Best Enemies. I have read all her other books and I can't wait for this one to "start." 5 stars.
I am also reading The Angel Carver by Rosanne Daryl Thomas. It is about a man whose wife becomes missing and how he hides from the outside world with friends and neighbors and carves angels out of wood. 3 stars
BDORM@aol.com
The Jester by James Patterson. 4 stars.
A different look at the Crusades through the eyes of the common man and yet still a "murder mystery."
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow. 5 stars.
My husband and I both finished this in a day. Did you ever wonder about Disney World's place in the future or what might happen to your favorite attraction?
Eragon by Christopher Paolini. 4 stars.
I can't wait to pass this one on to my grandchildren when they learn to read. I think it is a new children's classic.
sonia.chopra@worldnet.att.net
I am reading Anita Shreve's Sea Glass and loving it.
Carosp@aol.com
The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde. 3 1/2 stars.
I'm very fond of this series about Thursday Next, a member of SpecOps, who polices works of fiction and is found this time in the well of lost plots, hiding from the giant corporation that was her nemesis in the last two books, The Eyre Affair and Lost in a Good Book. Her hiding place is in an unpublished book where she substitutes for a character who's taking a break, while she also solves a mystery. This series is a sort of fiction/fantasy set in an alternate universe where dodos still live, and Thursday has one as a pet. I find it very entertaining.
I'm a Stranger Here Myself by Bill Bryson. 4 stars.
Bill Bryson is a travel writer who is unfailingly interesting and funny. This book explores his experiences on returning to his home country -- the United States -- with his family after living in England for 20 years. Quite entertaining.
AUGER77777@aol.com
I just finished Dirty White Boys by Stephen Hunter. This was an exciting and superbly written book about three escaped prison convicts on the loose in Oklahoma. Their leader, the heartless and deadly Lamar Pye, shows he is capable of just about anything except mercy. On their trail is Oklahoma State Trooper Bud Pewtie, an officer determined to run Lamar to the ground at all costs. This book would make a great movie. 5 stars.
couponqueen@earthlink.net
Crown Jewel by Fern Michaels. 3 stars.
Ms. Michaels came through again. She always makes her characters appear larger than life and so unique that the reader feels as if they've been lifelong friends.
I recently listened to Susan Elizabeth Phillips's It Had To Be You. 4 stars. This is her first in the Chicago Stars/Bonner Brothers series. It is a very smooth and quick read for romantics/sports fans. I can't wait to start Heaven, Texas (Book 2) with a total of 5 books in the series.
Rickimc@aol.com
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. 5 stars.
I would never have picked up this book if I had not won a copy --- but I am sure glad I did! The story is wonderful and the writing is engaging. It reminded me of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, and I imagine that it too will become a high school lit classic.
eswaim@ec.rr.com
The Wishing Chalice by Sandra Landry. 3 stars.
The premise is good. The story is a little dry in spots but overall it's a good read.
Bitten by Kelley Armstrong. 5 stars.
It's great to finally find a werewolf novel where the main character is a female werewolf. It's a great read. I've devoured all her novels.
Chopping Spree by Diane Mott Davidson. 4 stars.
Wonderful cast of characters. Amateur sleuth/caterer married to a police detective. This is the last book in the series so far. I've read all 11 books in the span of 2-3 months while reading other things too.
There's so many books I've currently read that are good. I can't list them all.
Booksdoral@aol.com
I just finished reading The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. A great read. I had a hard time not reading it through from cover to cover, it kept me totally engaged. I plan to read Angels & Demons and his other books. Brown is a very good author. I have already recommended this book to all my friends.
stoneyred@comcast.net
I am reading Blow Fly by Patricia Cornwell. 4 stars.
I also started Blue Skies by Catherine Anderson. It's good so far. 3 stars
charris@pctelecom.us
The Last Juror by John Grisham. 5 stars.
He is back writing what he does best. This is a good book.
Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult. 4 stars.
This is one of her first books but is very good. She improves as she writes another book.
A Cold Heart by Jonathan Kellerman. 4 stars.
A good mystery as he always does.
Without Pity by Ann Rule. 5 stars.
She is a criminal investigative reporter. This book is about several crimes and I like her way of writing.
leslier@nbnet.nb.ca
I was already hooked just by reading the back cover of Lisa Jackson's The Morning After: A woman is frantic as she awakens in a dark, closed space. From above her comes the muffled sound of cruel laughter, followed by the splatter of dirt. Pure terror takes over as she realizes she's being buried alive, and her last breath is a scream that no one but a sadistic killer will hear...
I could not put this book down. It's a very fast paced read with excitement till the last page. I will definitely check out this author's other work. I give this winner 5 stars.
RAYSMUSIC@webtv.net
Fair is the Rose by Liz Curtis Higgs. 5 stars.
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to escape for a while. She has created this as the sequel to Thorn in My Heart and captures Scotland and all its glory in a continued tale of characters you'll fall in love with and long remember after the book. Based on biblical characters in Genesis, this is one not to miss.
The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson. 4 stars so far.
I'm still reading this small devotional. Really good so far though...
Mixed Signals by Liz Curtis Higgs. 5 stars.
Fiction at its very best. Woven with her magic voice in literature. Really makes one feel they are in the story. I am about halfway finished and love this book as much as all of her other works. Excellent read!
Next Door Savior by Max Lucado. 4 stars so far.
Still reading this one. Max is always a great writer and offers such insight. This book is very inspirational and I'm really enjoying taking my time with it.
MegVT@aol.com
The Hornet's Nest by Jimmy Carter. 5 stars.
This is an amazingly well written book about the American Revolution in Georgia and South Carolina. It is full of facts written mostly as a novel. Some of the main characters are President Carter's ancestors.
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi. 4 stars.
Another well written book combining western literature with the Islamic way of life. Anyone who teaches literature must read this book. Anyone who cares about how women are treated in society must read this book.
Meenmom714@aol.com
I am reading Robin Cook's very long Seizure. I am only sticking with it as I am curious to see what happens with the medical end of things! I really can't beleive the two main characters are as dumb as they are!
lschmoopie@comcast.net
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. 3 stars.
The author does a good job of helping the reader understand autism.
DebMillinFla@aol.com
I just finished Glorious Appearing by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. This is the last of the Left Behind series. It has been long awaited and sad to say I'm a tad disappointed in it. As usual the list of characters are in the beginning of the book, but I still had a hard time remembering who was who. I have wondered how the authors would end the saga. Since the authors have mirrored the Bible's Revelations, I thought the series would indeed end. It seems they are writing a prequel and a sequel to these books. So the story will go on and on and perhaps on? Read it to finish the story but go back to the Bible to get the whole story. I give it 3 stars.
Nancy10107@aol.com
Paranoia by Joseph Finder. 4 stars.
This was a very enjoyable book. What is surprising is that I normally don't like books where the main character is not a good person, and in a sense Adam Cassidy isn't a good person --- at least in the beginning of the story. But I couldn't put down the book, wanting to find out how, or if, he will get out of the mess he's in. A good read.
Spizzyone@aol.com
Alice at Heart by Deborah Smith. 5 stars.
Perhaps better known for her books A Place to Call Home and Sweet Hush (which is being made into a movie), Smith is one of my favorite authors. Her writing is snappy and intelligent, and her character development makes you either love or hate her characters. Alice at Heart is an earlier book of Smith's, and it is my understanding that it is one of the author's favorites. This is a moving story about a Southern family that is typical in many ways, but extremely unusual in other ways! Smith makes it easy to suspend your disbelief as you read about these descendants of the Old Ones, who lived in the water. This book was a delight to read, from start to finish, and I recommend it to all who enjoy a good story told by a fabulous storyteller.
Last Man Standing by David Baldacci. 5 stars.
What more can I say? I had only read The Christmas Train and Wish You Well before reading this one, and it was my understanding that those two books were not representative of his usual writing style. This book is a page turner and I now consider Baldacci among my favorite authors. This is an FBI/CIA mystery, and it does not disappoint.
FtLicky@aol.com
I am currently reading the book Millicent's Gift by Ann Rinaldi, which is about a girl who will receive a magical Gift on her fourteenth birthday: the ability to make one wish in life that will come true. Millicent's Gift is filled with all things paranormal, mystery, romance, death, etc. 5 stars.
I recently finished reading the book Mutiny! by Brad Strickland and Thomas E. Fuller, which is about a 14-year-old boy named Davy who is left an orphan when his Mother dies, and who has to move in with his unknown Uncle Patch, who is a surgeon and a secret pirate. 5 stars.
mtsantoro@enter.net
I have just finished some great books.
If you're looking for a good historical fiction with a few twists I highly recommend Forever by Pete Hamill. Very well written gripping story. You feel what the character is going through and you want him to find what he needs. Great story! I give this 4 out of 5 stars. (it did drag some in the middle)
If you're looking for a light, funny and smart read try Janet Evanovich. I just finished Hot Six and had to control myself not to move onto Seven Up. I never thought I'd enjoy her work but she keeps me wanting more and more. I give this 4 out of 5 stars. Just good FUN!
I'm currently reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This book I'm finding disappointing. I enjoyed Prisoner of Azkaban immensely. That was a great fast cannot-put-down book. Goblet is dragging on and on with too much rehash of other books. This book would be 300 pages if she was to cut out the rehash. Even though the book seems to be overdone, I'm still interested in the characters and I'm always looking to see what they will run into next. I'm very happy to see Hermione growing up and seeing the world through her eyes. Big heart ... big teeth. So far I'd give this 2 1/2 stars out of 5.
markat1996@msn.com
Dan Brown's Digital Fortress and John Grisham's The Summons. I rate them both 5 stars.
Vikkivand@aol.com
The Same Smile: The Triumph of a Mother's Love after Losing Two Daughters by Susan Mello Souza. 5 stars.
In Masschusetts in 1968, there were not many options for pregnant teenagers. This is the true story of the author's experience in searching for her daughter after she was given up for adoption thirty years ago. Prior to beginning her search, one of her other daughters dies of leukemia. Sad at times. Very honest. Worth reading.
KATHLAU@aol.com
I'm currently on a "Washington" kick. After finishing The President's House by Margaret Truman (4 stars), I had to go back and read her book First Ladies (3 stars). I've always been a huge fan of her mysteries and am pleased to find I am enjoying the easy reading style in her nonfiction. Who would have thought that Julia Grant and Mamie Eisenhower had so much in common!
Staying in Washington (so to speak) the fiction read is David Baldacci's Split Second (4 stars so far). Revolved around the Secret Service and a presidential campaign, it's timely and full of twists.
BHpurple@aol.com
Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl. 5 stars.
A surprising treat chosen by a member of my book group for this months selection. I give a top rating (5 stars) and already have her follow-up, Comfort Me With Apples, on my reading stack. In addition, I have found some great interviews with the author online.
Opening Skinner's Box by Lauren Slater. 5 stars.
I started this book before I read about some of the controversy surrounding it (mostly concerning accuracy as well as a disagreement about how the author portrayed Skinner's daughter). I love Slater's style -- a mixture of reportage and memoir. I am a psychotherapist and never found reading about the characters who performed the experiments that have affected the way we think and treat people so engaging. Recommended for all (not just for those in the field).
The two other nonfiction books on my stand are:
Good Books Lately: The One-Stop Resource for Book Groups and Other Greedy Readers by Ellen Moore and Kira Stevens.
I'll be recommending this one to my book group. The difference between this one and similar titles for book groups is that this one focuses more on generic questions ---- how to read and discuss specific genres. I like the approach --- and think it can help us lead a discussion in-between too chatty and too academic.
How I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to Kill Me: One Person's Guide to Suicide Prevention by Susan Rose Blauner. 5 stars.
A 5 for this true lifesaver! I met the author at a recent conference. She has made an amazing transformation in her own life, and in a comforting and supportive style shares her challenges, wisdom and resources for survival.
CHICO1204@aol.com
As much as I love to read James Patterson and Patricia Cornwell, I am now going back to some of the older mystery thrillers by Ruth Rendell. I am reading The Bridesmaid, which I rate 4 stars; it is a haunting story of twisted love. I just finished The Keys to the Street, which I would give 5 stars, as I couldn't put it down. It is the story of a woman involved in an unusual love relationship that also embroils several other people. Ms. Rendell is great at fleshing out her characters and also in interrelating them in the story through chance and circumstances. She is definitely the Queen of Mystery!
KLOZIER40@aol.com
The Blessing Stone by Barbara Wood. 4 stars.
The story of a blue stone throughout the ages and the people who possessed it.
Haddow@aol.com
The Moviegoer by Walker Percy. 2 1/2 stars.
Continually in print since it was written in 1961 and considered to be Percy's best, The Moviegoer was, to this reader, a big disappointment. I read it because I had just visited New Orleans and had a wonderful time there. Unfortunately, the only ambience conjured up by the novel is one of malaise. The writing is occasionally insightful, but much of it seems unnecessarily obtuse. I guess I just wasn't expecting a bayou Camus. For a much livelier take on the Big Easy, pick up John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces.
jkirkpatrick@core.com
Actually, now that I think about it, I have 3 books:
Confessions of a Pagan Nun by Kate Horsely. 5 stars.
This is a small book out in paperback that is set in Ireland at the time the Priests came in to convert the whole of Ireland. It is a wonderful story in which the main character questions the wisdom of letting priests be the conduit to God rather than worshipping the nature all around us that God created. 5 stars.
The Changeling of Finnistuath by Kate Horsely.
As soon as I finished Confessions of a Pagan Nun, I immediately searched for more books by Kate Horsely. I was not disappointed when I found The Changeling. This is again set in Ireland, during the time the Roman Catholic priests were on their mission to convert the Pagans into good Christians. It follows the youngster Grey (short for Gregory) who for the first 12 years believes he/she is a young boy. This book shows monks and priests as real men, with their own demons and struggles to understand their role in the church and within the communities they are trying to bring to God, when the community knows God has been there all along. 5 stars.
Change Me Into Zeus's Daughter by Barbara Robinette Moss. 4 stars.
This is a memoir about a family in the south around the 1950s through the 1990s. They are desperately poor and have an alcoholic father. The author's face is disfigured by malnutrition during growth spurts. It is a heartwrenching book but completely compelling. There are very funny passages but also very heartbreaking ones, when she describes the shame of being poor. I'm not a huge fan of memoirs --- many times I think they should be called ME-moirs. But this memoir sucks you in the very first chapter --- and doesn't let you go until the end.
GerryD8784@aol.com
Blinded by Stephen White. 2 1/2 stars.
Disappointing in comparison to his earlier books --- or perhaps I've just read so many of White's that he can't surprise me any more. A previous client returns to Alan Gregory with a bizarre tale of serial murder and seeks his help in contacting the police to investigate. This basic plot is complicated by a subplot highlighting Gregory's ethical dilemmas about confidentiality, a concept that has been worked to death already in this series.
Princes of Ireland: The Dublin Saga by Edward Rutherfurd. 4 stars.
Rutherfurd has this format down pat --- a long view of history that follows several core groups within a specific geopolitical area over a period of centuries. He includes just enough personal information to keep the characters interesting and to connect each generation with its descendants many years later, and makes the history of the region come alive.
The Life Before Us by Romain Gary. 3 stars.
A young boy narrates the tale of his growing-up years in France in an informal foster home headed by an aging former prostitute who cares for the children of other prostitutes to prevent their being taken away by the government. This was actually an assigned reading for my college freshman daughter, but one I hadn't heard of, so I joined her in reading it. No surprise, I, reading by choice, enjoyed it more than she did reading it for class.
Bookgranna@aol.com
Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue.
This is a fascinating story of a young girl in 18th century London who longs for the better things in life and is forced into a life on the streets. The characters are full and rich and the descriptions of their homes and clothing are so real you can almost feel the fabrics and smell the food. The main character's life takes an unusual turn and you find yourself routing for her, in spite of her shortcomings. I highly recommend it.
Naked in Baghdad by Anne Garrels.
The experiences of this NPR reporter covering the war in Baghdad explains the mood of the country and its people like nothing else I have read. It also left me impressed with the courage and just plain guts it took for this woman to leave her home and husband and endure many hardships in order to give the true story to the American audience.
Vjnmele@aol.com
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. 5 stars.
The Last Juror by John Grisham. 5 stars.
catfish@millardmanor.com
This week I'm winding up with my book club's current selection, Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain. Assuming that he doesn't it blow it in the last third of the book, I give it 5 stars. The attention to detail in characterization and setting is remarkable.
LSC6459@aol.com
The Love Knot by Elizabeth Chadwick. 5 stars!
A rousing medieval romance, with knights, political intrigue and herbal lore. Perfect for a cold and rainy week.
ARomano895@aol.com
Against All Enemies by Richard A. Clarke. 4 stars. This is well done and is a must read for all, regardless of what party you support. I have been a Republican for over 50 years, but after reading this, Mr. Bush is "TOAST." The book does not get bogged down with stats or descriptions. It puts forth the FACTS and they are believable. Easy reading and a LOT to think about as we go forward in the election year.
tunaross@nc.rr.com
High Country by Nevada Barr. 4 1/2 stars.
Another great read by Ms. Barr. An engrossing look at life at the Yosemite National Park and into man's greed and indifference. Nevada Barr is one of my favorite authors and comes across in yet another great book in the series.
The Sedona Method by Hale Dwoskin. 4 1/2 stars.
Presents some great self-help methods for releasing stress, bad habits, shame, guilt and all those other bad things that keep us from enjoying life to the fullest. Really helps!
Tmzemke@comcast.net
I'm on a lucky streak with reading choices. All 4 stars.
Madras on Rainy Days by Samina Ali. 4 stars.
A young Indian woman who is raised 6 months in Minnesota and 6 months in the ancient town of Hyderabad, India is forced into an arranged marriage by her parents. Readers will become absorbed and fascinated by Indian-Muslim customs.
The Birth of Venus by Sara Dunant. 4 stars.
Historical fiction at its best! The Birth of Venus is set in fourteenth-century Florence at the height of the Renaissance. Fifteen-year-old Alessandra Cecchi does not fit the mold of the compliant Florentine woman. She avidly consumes books written in Greek and Latin as she keeps abreast of the art movement, hoping to some day create her own masterwork. Hundreds of artists are in the city creating masterpieces for the Catholic Church and Alessandra thrives on the art and artists. The French Army invades Italy and a Dominican Friar Savonarola starts a personal crusade that is truly frightening. Alessandra's family arranges her to become married to an older man, as a way of protecting her from the political upheavals. I can't say enough about this novel --- it's engrossing, you'll learn about history, art and the Catholic Church. It would make a great book for a book club discussion!
The Outside World by Tova Mirvis. 4 stars.
This book, the author's second, gives a glimpse into the world of ultra-Orthodox and Modern Orthodox Judaism. Mirvis tells the story of Tzippy, a young girl born and raised in Jewish Brooklyn who is living an insulated life but who secretly wonders about the secular world. Mirvis is an expert at giving readers glimpses into the ultra-Orthodox world. (If you haven't read The Ladies Auxiliary by Mirvis, run and read that too!) Who knew that there's shame in being the last girl of the graduating high school class to get married? We're talking young here, as in 18 or 19 years old. To be unmarried at 22? Unthinkable. There's only one thing that I don't get. Why is the bride on the cover holding a bouquet of broccoli?
Rebelsky46@aol.com
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. 5 stars.
After hearing so much about this book, I wasn't sure it would live up to all the hype but it absolutely did. It was so well written and so hard to put down. I loved traveling with Robert and Sophie every step of the way. I will start Angels & Demons by Dan Brown next.
Crossing Over by Ruth Irene Garrett. 3 stars.
A glimpse into the Amish life in Iowa, where I happen to live. Well written, slow at times but interesting to see how her life unfolds and how she flourishes after leaving her family and is shunned by the Amish. She will be appearing in an "Authors Visiting in Des Moines" series this month and I can't wait to hear her.
The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney. 5 stars.
One of my all-time favorite books! Every woman who treasures her female friendships should read this. When you finish the book, you won't want to leave this very intimate circle of friends that you have made.
DoggyDad1@aol.com
I have just finished two books by Tobia Wolff: This Boy's Life and In Pharoah's Army: Memories of the Lost War. Wonderful memoirs. The writing is so incredible. Wolff is a joy to read. 5 stars.
Polishpen@aol.com
I have just finished The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. Highly acclaimed at the time it was published, this book presents top-notch writing with a depth and understanding of human nature unusual in such a young author. Although I thoroughly enjoyed McCullers's use of dialect and clever insight into her characters, I found the book very depressing. Since the novel was supposedly partially autobiographical, I believe McCullers must have lived a very difficult childhood. It is to her credit that she was able to translate negative circumstances into such a work of literary art.
kmvr@mikrotec.com
I currently recommend:
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. 5 stars.
I found it to be extremely insightful and delightfully funny. It is also bittersweet. Set in England, it is the fictional journal of a teenage boy with some sort of personality disorder (book flap says Aspergers, but the author said he never specified).
Love in the Asylum by Lisa Carey. 4 stars.
This book kept me wanting more, which is exactly what one desires from a good book. Being a therapist/counselor, I was quite interested in the three stories that seemed to be going on at the same time (mental illness, addiction and the supernatural).
Being a pastoral counselor and blessed with prophetic gifts myself, I have had experience with working not only with the mentally ill and people with addictions, but with those blessed (or cursed, depending on their experience) with supernatural or "spiritual gifts." I was captivated by the letters that Alba found in the back of library books in the psychiatric hospital. I was riveted to that storyline and was pleased with how it played out.
Love in the Asylum is told in three different voices, which was written smoothly and deftly. It was never jarring to go from one voice to another, and each chapter was as interesting as the last. I found the characters to be quite believable: an addict, a person with mental illness, and the letters written by a patient in the hospital during the 1930s.
I truly enjoyed this book and was left feeling a bit sad when it was over. I felt the only flaw, if any, was the ending. It didn't quite feel finished to me, but certainly did not spoil the book for me by any means. I would recommend this book to any of my friends who enjoy reading well-written fiction.
The Annunciation of Francesca Dunn by Janis Hallowell. 5 stars.
The day this book arrived, I ripped open the package and was stunned by how beautiful the book was and how smooth it felt in my hands. I opened the first page and began to read ... and from that point on I took it with me everywhere, and I do mean EVERYWHERE, so I could read at every possible free moment.
Being a psychotherapist, I have had experience working not only with mentally ill and psychotic people, but with the homeless as well. I have done volunteer work where I was put in contact with homeless people. I was immediately struck by the truth of Hallowell's descriptions and dialogue. When I came to the next chapter, which featured the teenager, I was again struck by the truth and accuracy of the descriptions and dialogue. By the second chapter, still seated on the bed with the packaging scattered around me, I had joyfully come to the conclusion that I will be eagerly awaiting more from this author and already was feeling the pangs of sadness knowing that this book will come to an end.
Normally, I take my time reading a book and savor it as I go. I read this book in two days, and could NOT put it down except to sleep! This book kept me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know what was going to happen next. I loved it and look VERY forward to more from Ms. Hallowell! And soon!
The Annunciation of Francesca Dunn is told in four different voices, which was written smoothly and deftly. It was never jarring to go from one voice to another, and each chapter was as interesting as the last. I found the characters to be quite believable, from the teens to the homeless. I have experience working with both, and I was impressed with the level of credibility I found here. I feel that I know the characters and want to hear more from them. I was quite disappointed when the end came because it meant there would be no more Chester and Ronnie, Annie, Sid or Francesca.
I found this book to be particularly appealing because it has two main elements in its plot: mental illness and holiness. Being an ordained minister and a psychotherapist, this book seemed tailor-made for me. I was fascinated to read the way the "gift" was manifested in Francesca, as I also am gifted prophetically. The way Hallowell describes how it feels to have God move within you and speak through you was so similar to the way I experience it that it was a bit unnerving!
I have often wondered, while working with mentally ill and those with personality disorders, if we are not stifling the holy when we are diagnosing, labeling and administering psychotropic medications. It is a conundrum, for sure.
I also think that the timing of this book is perfect, with TV programs such as Joan of Arcadia and movies that also reflect holiness among the ordinary.
This was an excellent book! The cover was great as well, with her feet (anointed, of course) and a blooming rose. Brilliant!
Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier. 5 stars.
I was extremely taken by this story, and at the crisis point about 3/4 way through, it gripped me so that I cried (very unusual for me while reading fiction!). I think this book captures England, mourners, cemetery "living" (people who go there, for whatever reason, as I did when my son died, for months), and women so well. I am sad that this book is over!
Sickened by Julie Gregory. 4 stars.
This book was difficult to read, as it is an autobiography of someone who survived Munchausen by Proxy as a child --- rare that she survived! I had to pick up this book and read a bit, then lay it back down for later. Too much of it at once caused me to be so angry that I could hardly see straight, but a very good book and worth the read!
boyce66@msn.com
A Ship Made of Paper by Scott Spencer. 2 1/2 stars.
I chose this book because of some good reviews and the great jacket blurbs by Anne Tyler, Lorrie Moore, Francine Prose and Oscar Hijuelos. I'm really having a hard time sticking with it, but at the same time I haven't given up. The main story is compelling but handled in a clumsy manner. Also, there are long sections where nothing seems to happen but the protagonist, Daniel, longing for Iris and driving past her house. Iris is the married woman who Daniel is infatuated with. I think I keep reading because every once in a while there is a really keen insight into one of the characters, but then it's ruined by wooden handling of the characters' actions and motives. I really have a mixed reaction to this one. If this novel hadn't dealt with interracial relationships, it probably wouldn't have received all of the attention. I still have two chapters to read, but I don't think they will redeem the whole. Luckily, I just borrowed this one from the library and didn't buy it.
Interpreter of Maladies: Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri. 5 stars.
An excellent collection of short stories. Very deserving of all the awards and hype it received. I've especially enjoyed the poignant story "A Temporary Matter" about a young couple drifting apart in the aftermath of the stillborn birth of their first baby. Lahiri really enables you to sympathize with both the husband and the wife, although their responses to the tragedy are wholly different and hurting the other. I also enjoyed the story "The Third and Final Continent." If you haven't read this collection yet, it should definitely be at the top of your reading list.
Barsha@aol.com
I just finished reading Retribution by Jilliane Hoffman and would rate it 3 stars. It is a well-written, taut thriller with a fascinating premise. However, I felt the "surprise" ending was too contrived and not really much of a surprise. I would recommend it as a hard-to-put-down read. I am currently reading Paranoia by Joseph Finder. I have not gotten far enough into the book to give it a rating, but its plot about corporate espionage looks promising.
Rcjebrown@aol.com
I just finished Codex by Lev Grossman. A young successful banker, while waiting on a promotional move overseas, is enlisted to organize a Duke's old library. After learning of the possible existence of a secret codex, he enlists the help of a scholar to search for it. This book reminded me of a Katherine Neville novel with its historical content and detail, but the ending was disappointing. 3 stars.
I am also finishing Key of Valor by Nora Roberts. This is the third book of the Key Trilogy. 4 stars so far. If you enjoy Nora Roberts, this is a must-read series.
gregc2@bellsouth.net
3rd Degree by James Patterson. 3 1/2 stars.
A Women's Murder Club member is targeted in a terrorist plot. This is a true Patterson page-turner!
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. 1 star.
Why is this tome a classic? Everyone has the same name --- how creative is that? There are much better "classics" to read. Don't waste your time.
Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman by Elizabeth Buchan. 2 stars.
Predictable "woman done wrong finds self" book. Frankly, she was too nice.
If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things by Jon McGregor. 4 stars.
One day in the lives of everyone on a London neighborhood street. No one knows what goes on behind closed doors until a traumatic event brings them together. It reads almost like poetry, beautifully written. It's a great discussion book.
CynthFlmr@aol.com
I' m currently reading Angels & Demons by Dan Brown, the author of The Da Vinci Code. If you enjoyed that you'll enjoy this mix of science and religion. 4 stars.
Before that I read Reap the Wind by Iris Johansen. I also liked this book; fast-paced and fast reading. 4 stars.
hibar14@earthlink.net
I'm reading The Rapture of Canaan by Sheri Reynolds. It's about a teenage girl living in the isolated community of "The Church of Fire and Brimstone and God's Almighty Baptizing Wind." I give it 5 stars.
mcgillrmcgill@charter.net
The PMS Outlaws by Sharyn McCrumb. 4 stars for good, fun writing.
Ms. McCrumb writes scenes that make me laugh out loud. Excellent reading when you're in the mood for something light.
A Cold Heart by Jonathan Kellerman. 4 stars for suspense and human interest. I always enjoy his Alex Delaware books, which incorporate police theory with psychological insights and some romance on the side.
kwmallet@sympatico.ca
The Last Promise by Richard Paul Evans. 3 stars.
An interesting read but not really noteworthy.
Blessings by Anna Quindlen. 3 1/2 stars.
A good story, though far-fetched.
No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod. 4 1/2 stars.
A beautiful moving story that will stick with me a very long time!
The Dearly Departed by Elinor Lipman. 4 stars.
The dialogue in this one makes the whole book!
The Petty Details of So-and-So's Life by Camilla Gibb. 5 stars.
An absolutely mandatory read! The prose is breathtaking.
The Saints of Big Harbour by Lynn Coady. 3 1/2 stars.
Quirky and dark, but interesting.
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. 4 1/2 stars.
A beautiful, thought-provoking book that every woman should read.
ayancey@charter.net
Like a Knife by Annie Solomon. 4 stars.
A good read. The story of a woman who has painful memories of the past and who meets a man who is haunted by his past. Together they face danger and fall in love.
sharoncerasoli@hotmail.com
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. I absolutely love this book so far, perhaps even more than The Da Vinci Code! I highly recommend this to others.
Tai Chi Morning by the poet Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Ed Young...wonderful poetry, lovely illustrations. Again, highly recommend!
djspoon@comcast.net
I just finished Word of Honor by Nelson DeMille. I saw the movie first then read the book. The book is always better than the flick. I have always been interested in the Vietnam conflict along with legal mysteries. This book puts both together brilliantly. 15 years after Vietnam a now middle-aged lieutenant is recalled to active duty to stand trial for alleged attrocities committed by his platoon when in Vietnam. Great read. 5 stars.
Newcrain@aol.com
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. 4 stars.
Creative storytelling. It even kept the attention of my 11-year-old son.
Marric77@aol.com
Redemption by Karen Kingsbury. The first book in the Redemption series. An inspirational story that will touch your heart. 5 stars.
tnakens@charter.net
The Annunciation of Francesca Dunn by Janis Hollowell. 5 satrs!
I recently finished this haunting story of a young women who may (or may not) be bearing a special gift from God. This story is unusual, beautiful and unforgettable.
alison@psy.uq.edu.au
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
The Other Side of the Story by Marian Keyes
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Cloish049@aol.com
I have recently finished A Student of Weather by Elizabeth Hay. This is a powerful novel about two sisters and how one man changes both of their lives. 5 stars.
shawtj@netzero.com
On a friend's recommendation, I just finished Winner of the National Book Award: A Novel of Fame, Honor, and Really Bad Weather by Jincy Willett. I would give it less than 1 star. It was so bleak and hopeless. To the credit of the author, some parts are very funny. I especially liked the description of being stranded in a snowstorm without anything to read.
I've just started a book that has been on my night stand for months, Hello to the Cannibals by Richard Bausch. I was able to hear him read and play guitar at the Virginia Festival of the Book last weekend and enjoyed him very much. So far, I'd give this book 4 stars. It is about a modern girl who is writing a play about the Victorian explorer, Mary Kingsley.
bradylee@myway.com
Blindsided: A Reluctant Memoir by Richard M. Cohen. 5 stars.
Another subtitle is "Lifting a Life Above Illness" and that is most accurate. The author was diagnosed MS at age 25 and he wrote this book at 55 telling us about his life intermingled with the reality of Multiple Sclerosis. The best part about the book is the high quality of writing, e.g., "The poison kept spreading in our home, by now infecting all of us deeply. Even the dog looked nervous. There was tension, high-voltage electricity in the air, and we were getting shocks." "My beautiful eleven-year-old daughter is a flower with sharp teeth." The book is most positive and enlightening and we are told how Mr. Cohen copes with his life. He makes his autobiography special and you will reap the benefits if you read this memoir.
KINDLEELF@aol.com
The Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr. 5 stars.
Dr. Lazelo Kreitzler is back, and his institution is under investigation due to a suicide. So he reunites with Mr. Moore, Ms. Howard and the Isaacson brothers to solve the mystery of the kidnapping of an infant. I first met these characters in The Alienist by the same author
Indigo and also The Tooth Fairy by Graham Joyce. 3+ stars each.
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. 5 stars.
I actually liked this better than The Da Vinci Code.
The Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult. 5 stars.
My first read by this author, but it certainly won't be the last
Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs. 4 stars.
It's difficult to digest that this was a true story.
Lost by Gregory Maguire. 4+ stars.
Wacky characters add a little anticipation of what comes next.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. 5 stars.
A wonderful thought-provoking simple fable.
kbest10@msn.com
Anya by Susan Fromberg Shaeffer. 5 stars.
This is a difficult read but very powerful.
The Book of Joe by Jonathan Tropper. 5 stars.
I really can relate to Joe's thoughts. I think he is writing about my hometown.
So Many Books, So Little Time by Sara Nelson. 5 stars.
A journal of the author's year reading a book a week. I have read this twice. I love it.
PDJWILEY@aol.com
I just finished The Last Juror by John Grisham and would give it 4 stars. I have enjoyed all of his books and felt that in this one he spent a great deal of time building his characters so the reader could truly get to know them.
The Last Goodbye by Reed Arvin is a well-written thriller with many twists and turns. I'm almost finished so I'll give it 3 stars.
LABASSIST@aol.com
I just finished reading Sandra Brown's Hello, Darkness. This book is an excellent read. I give it 5 stars! The characters are real and believable. There is an underlying relationship between two of the characters that is slowly hinted at and then revealed. Also a kidnapping mystery has many twists and turns --- I never figured it out and was surprised on the last page! A wonderful effort again by Ms. Brown!
WmsWtrkt@aol.com
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli.
A YA title; a great book about being yourself.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel.
I recently began this book. So far, so good!
Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner.
I started reading this over a year ago after a friend recommended it. I'm not absorbed (obviously) but keep picking it up, so it has some attraction.
clschomer@dmci.net
I am currently reading The Cave by Jose Saramago. It's difficult to get into because of the lack of paragraphing and quotes. Definitely worth the effort! 5 stars.
OxfordPG@aol.com
I'm currently reading Between Courses by new author Karla Clark.
JWIsley@aol.com
I just finished two good books that I recommended to my reading friends:
The Morning After by Lisa Jackson. 4 stars.
A keep-you-on-edge mystery.
Shark Lake by John McKinna. 4 stars.
A fine adventure story with a bit of geography and science thrown in.
Cali_LB@msn.com
Right now I'm reading Jayne Ann Krentz's Truth or Dare. If you like a dash of romance with mystery and some psychic goings on as well, this is the book for you. Ms. Krentz's characters are finely drawn and lots of fun to read about.
lslott@optonline.net
Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy. 4 stars.
Excellent suspense book. A serial killer is replicating the murders contained in a computer game created by the Monkeewrench company. Now the owners of the company must join forces with the police to solve the crime and save their company. This book was filled with many eccentric and unforgettable characters who are both hilarious and heartbreakingly sad. There are many secrets to be revealed before the killer is discovered, and I couldn't stop turning the pages to find out "whodunit." Two concurrent storylines ultimately converge with the main story to provide a satisfying conclusion.
Wendybrooks10@aol.com
I am currently reading a terrific adventure story by Dean King called Skeletons on the Zahara and an inspirational book by Wayne Dyer called The Power of Intention. Try them --- they're both great authors for different reasons.
maestraw@msn.com
Here are my selections from March.
Bet Me by Jennifer Cruisie. 5 stars
P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern. 3 stars
A Blessed Event by Jean R. Page. 4 stars
Kill the Competition by Stephanie Bond. 3 1/2 stars.
I'm Not Scared by Niccoló Ammaniti. 3 stars. Soon to be a major motion picture
The Goddesses of Kitchen Avenue by Barbara Samuel. 4 stars.
Before and Again by Doris Mortman. 3 stars.
A Clean Slate by Laura Caldwell. 4 stars.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt. 5 golden stars, read in Savannah last week!
The Boy on the Bus by Deborah Schupack. 4 stars.
Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman by Elizabeth Buchan. 4 1/2 stars.
The Mystery of Breathing by Perri Klass. 3 stars.
Southport by Edward Norvell. 3 stars.
Another Eden by Julie Ellis. 2 stars.
Dad by William Wharton. 4 1/2 stars, my book club is reading this one.
Britadon@aol.com
The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy. 4 stars.
This is not a retold fairy tale but rather the story of two Jewish children who needed to use their wits and courage to hide out in Germany during World War II. The presentation was gilded onto the fairytale story, complete with oven and witch. A very enjoyable book if one can call anything about the Holocaust enjoyable.
Galileo's Daughter by Dave Sobel. 3 stars.
It is always difficult for me to rate nonfiction but this book seemed to drag in many places. The tone of the daughter's letters was often too ingratiating, although her position as a poor sister of St. Clare's and the language of the day probably was responsible for this. I really enjoyed getting a new perspective on Galileo himself and the reaction of his fellow scientists of the day, both in jealously and support. I had not realized how old Galileo really was when he was taken before the Inquisition. Also, the whole concept of his imprisonment was modified by realizing that he was really under house arrest and not in some gallows.
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. 5 stars.
This is a really good historical fiction with such compelling characters that I spent a whole Sunday reading it straight through. I certainly want to read other books by this author and I regret that I missed her appearance in my city by 24 hours!
The English Assassin by Daniel Silva. 5 stars.
It was so good to read a suspense thriller in which something unexpected and humanizing happens on the part of the villain. I definitely recommend this, even if suspense thrillers are not your first choice in reading.
bab@tennis.com
Shadow Account by Stephen Frey. 5 stars.
A great thriller with nonstop action, suspense and dialogue. Quick, great wit and accurate characterizations. It's enjoyable and easy to get carried away with this novel. Nonstop reading and a fantastic storyline. I love all the novels from this author but this one is the best.
rojosho@hotmail.com
PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern. 5 stars.
Entertaining, funny, but sensitively written novel that deals with modern issues and a young husband's death in a lovely manner. A great sense of humor and interesting episodes throughout this story that add to the background of this creative and unique story. I loved this book from start to finish and the premise.
lrctitus@hotmail.com
Read Under the Tuscan Sun --- I really enjoyed it. It was more atmospheric and descriptive than actual major events happening. I'm going to Italy for the first time in June, so it painted quite a masterpiece indeed!
barleykw@appstate.edu
I just finished reading The Game by Laurie King. This one gets 5 stars. Ms. King's Sherlock Holmes/Mary Russell series just keeps getting better and better.
s.hughes@rocketmail.com
Land That Moves, Land That Stands Still by Kent Nelson.
The story of a South Dakota woman who loses her husband in a farm accident and learns a secret he kept from her their entire marriage. She manages to keep the farm going with the help of her daughter, a woman drifter who is handy with machinery, and a runaway Indian boy.
Bringing Elizabeth Home by Ed and Lois Smart.
The true story of the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart told by her parents. A truly inspirational book that makes you believe miracles still do happen.
mnr@atlantic.net
I'm finishing The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen, which merits 3 stars. I'd started it once before but couldn't get interested, then tried again. Once past the first 75-80 pages it picks up, so I'll see it through. The dialogue is realistic, although the scenarios stretch the imagination. I'm also having a problem finding empathy for the characters, with the exception of Gary's wife.
I'm also nearly finished with The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. How could anyone not be entranced by a book whose subtitle is "A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary"?
I just completed Suspicion of Madness by Barbara Parker. I love her Suspicion series, which begins with Suspicion of Innocence. I relate well with the female lead, attorney Gail Connor. This is one of the better crime-mystery genre series, imho. This latest book has an ending I never saw coming! 5 stars.
lindaharriet@netzero.net
I'm reading The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, a debut novel richly populated with believable characters and a swiftly moving plot. This book is a notch above most coming-of-age tales. It's a beautifully written novel about the transcendent power of love, a book that will be passed down from generation to generation. 5 stars.
afn02519@afn.org
Think Yourself Thin by Debbie Johnson. 3 stars.
With swimsuit season around the corner, I'll try anything.
DancingGram7@aol.com
Girl in Blue by Ann Rinaldi. 4 stars.
This is a historical novel based on a real person. Sarah runs away from an abusive father and joins the Union Army that is fighting the Civil War. She is 16 years old! She disguises herself as a man and eventually is discovered that she is a woman. She is then introduced to Allan Pinkerton, head of the Pinkerton Detective Agency and is offered the position as a spy for the Union in Washington, D.C. She is put into the home of a Confederate woman spy as her maid. The woman, Rose Greenhow, was actually a real spy for the South. This book is supposed to be recommended as a young reader's book but I enjoyed reading this book as an adult.
Sesame705@aol.com
The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World by Marti Olsen Laney, Psy. D. 4 stars.
Practical, engaging book that is as much a help to extroverts trying to understand their counterparts as it is for introverts trying to understand themselves. What I particularly like is the author's outlook. The title says it all: being introverted can have its advantages. I would especially recommend this one to extroverted parents of an introverted child --- and vice versa.
prwamsley@adelphia.net
I just finished Glorious Appearing by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. It is the last book in the "Left Behind" series. To fully appreciate this book you should read the books preceding this one. I enjoyed it very much. It is a fiction Christian book based on the return of Jesus Christ. If you read the whole series, you get to know the characters and get involved in their lives. I think it is good reading and a good story.
Donnaleggate@aol.com
I just finished Blow Fly by Patricia Cornwell. It was a good read. It is the first time I read one of her books. It's a Kay Scarpetta novel. She has to unravel a twisting conspiracy and finds out someone she loved and trusted had to fake his death and not tell anyone. Then to top it off, the killer gets out and will be looking for her. I will try another new author now. 3 stars.
mtm101@earthlink.net
Star by Danielle Steel. 3 stars.
Though not at all current, a good read nonetheless. Ms. Steel tents to use the same descriptive words over and over again.
merlene_blacha@sympatico.ca
There Will Be Dragons by John Ringo. 4 stars.
Excellent so far. Set in a futuristic time it answers the question of how humanity would change to deal with the loss of power and therefore technology. It's Fantasy that takes a strong hard look at how humans have and have not advanced and evolved from their basic instincts.
Skidmom2@aol.com
Ransom by Danielle Steel. 1 star.
Why oh why do I keep reading her books? And why is the plot always about the same? And why does she start so many sentences with the word "and"? And why does she say the same thing over and over again, in slightly different ways? And why is she so redundant? And for heavens sake, why do I keep picking up her books and wasting my time reading them? I don't know...
Bet Me by Jennifer Cruisie. 4 stars.
As always, her books make me laugh out loud. Good beach read for the summer!
debbienance@houston.rr.com
I'm reading (and loving!) Complications by Atul Gawande. It's the story of being a surgeon. Instead of seeing a surgeon as most of us do, as Superman, Gawande looks at a surgeon as a fellow human being, with the same flaws and errors in judgement that come with being human. An excellent book. 4 1/2 stars.
madler@comcast.net
The Outside World by Tova Mirvis. 5 stars.
Little Children by Tom Perotta. 4 stars.
Children of God Go Bowling by Shannon Olson. 4 stars.
Bjglu@aol.com
Back Story by Robert Parker. 4 stars.
Another in the long line of excellent Spenser mysteries. Just plain fun and entertaining.
The Man Who Ate Everything by Jeffrey Steingarten. 4 stars.
The author is the former food editor for Vogue magazine and this book is a series of essays about various aspects of food. It's part science, part sociology, part criticism, part recipes and all interesting. Everything to the best water to the best french fries to European cooking.
Lgluhani@aol.com
The King of Torts by John Grisham. 2 stars.
Mediocre, forgettable mystery.
bradylee@myway.com
Flim-Flam Man: A True Family History by Jennifer Vogel. 4 stars.
This is a memoir of the author, but it is also the story of her father who was the flim-flam man. Her dad was a con man and she tells about his follies throughout his and her life and how she loved him, yet hated him also. She had some grand times with him, but was also disgusted by his activities. You should know that Jennifer Vogel had some of her dad's streaks also, but she apparently straightened out her life as she has done well indeed in telling about her life with her family. You will keep engrossed with this story; it's a good one.
Goat: A Memoir by Brad Land. 2 stars.
I never finish a 2-star book, but was on a vacation and did finish it as that was all I had to read. About one-fourth of the book Brad relates a horrible incident in his young life when he was beat up, but the rest of his story details how his college life was and what was done to him to qualify for being a member of a fraternity. In fact that is where the title GOAT comes from; all candidates for a specific fraternity are known as "goats." I didn't care that much for the writing and the gross activities of most of the students, but if you want to know how college kids act in school, just read this book. It's a wonder there is anyone who graduates that is a rational, reasonable human being. What a wasted life so many students have...according to this book.
MabelJane14@aol.com
Tell Me Lies by Jennifer Crusie. 5 stars.
Jennifer Crusie is one of my favorite authors! This book is amazing! I could not put it down!
Carosp@aol.com
Killing Time by Caleb Carr. 2 1/2 stars.
I read Carr's The Alienist a couple years ago and liked it pretty well, so when I saw this one in the library and read the story line, I thought it sounded pretty good. It turns out to be a fairly paranoid story that takes place in a future where the information age has gone wild and information is manipulated so that some of what people believe is completely wrong. I've listened to about half of it on tape, and I'm not sure I'll finish it.
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. 4 1/2 stars.
This book definitely lived up to the rave reviews I read about it in "Word of Mouth." I loved it and already bought it as a gift for my niece. It's about mother/daughter and father/daughter relationships, and growing up.
wmf38@rconnect.com
I love Jill Marie Landis, her book is Lover's Lane. I give it 5 stars. I also love Joan Johnston, her book is Texas Woman. I give it 5 stars.
Pudgypb@aol.com
I just finished reading Ransom by Danielle Steel and found it to be very good. It's a quick read and I would give it 4 stars.
I also finished reading Midnight Bayou by Nora Roberts and could not put this one down until I was finished reading it. I give it 5 stars.
Crsntmoon3@aol.com
I've mostly been reading lately to choose books to broaden the minds of my wonderful 5th grade class. Here are some of the best I've recently completed.
The Report Card by Andrew Clements is a book that every one of us who cares about the education of our nation's children should put a couple of hours into reading. This children's book hits on a nerve that is sucking the joy out of classrooms all over our country. I only wish the author had stuck to giving the tale a more empowering, activist ending! 5 stars.
Guests by Michael Dorris set at a possible "First Thanksgiving" hits on major themes of childhood (discovering one's own path, gender norms/sexism) while being engaging and without being preachy. 4 stars.
You Want Women to Vote, Lizzie Stanton? by Jean Fritz brings the fight for women's rights alive to kids today who have a hard time understanding a world very different from the suburban America in which we now reside while raising issues of combating prejudice and voter apathy today. 5 stars.
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Lushman shares the trials and experiences of a young girl whose mother "drags" her from the civility of New England to help her run a boarding tent in the CA gold fields. Such a great story! 5 stars.
Journey to Topaz by Yoshiko Uchida brings the reader along as a Bay Area Japenese family is interred by the government during WWII. This well-told story creates empathy as it unfolds. 5 stars.
informationwiz@yahoo.com
Spygirl: True Adventures from My Life as a Private Eye by Amy Gray. 2 stars.
I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. I'm a researcher, too, so I thought that I'd really be able to bond with the protagonist. Her story felt disjointed and left you wondering how various situations were resolved. Some of the "poignant" passages were a bit self-indulgent and saccharine.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt. 4 stars.
A real page-turner. The author makes a small town's trauma come alive and you fall in love with the area's quirky inhabitants. This book is so interesting, and is based on a true story and inspired the film directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Kevin Spacey.
SheilaD@aol.com
Embers by Sándor Márai. 4 stars.
The Sin Killers by Larry McMurtry. 3 1/2 stars.
Any Human Heart by William Boyd. 4 stars.
The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant. 5 stars.
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. 4 stars.
Peanutpet@aol.com
The House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III. 5 stars.
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. 5 stars.
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. 5 stars.
divabrady@yahoo.com
The Mermaids Singing by Val McDermid. 5 stars. Taut, suspenseful, excellent
The Wire in the Blood by Val McDermid. 4 stars. Very good.
The Black Book by Ian Rankin. 4 stars. I actually love all of the Rebus books that I have read so far.
The Unseen by Lee Driver. 3 1/2 stars.
WWendyis@aol.com
I am just beginning Jodi Picoult's Second Glance. I have read all her novels and find each interesting, compelling, informative, and with none following any tried and true storyline. This novel has four or five different subplots interweaving together. I can't wait for my lunch hour each day to read more!
Lamb1175@aol.com
I am re-reading My Antonia by Willa Cather for a book club. I love this book. The descriptions of the land and the hard life are good. You feel like you are there. Each time I read it I find things that I missed before.
Peanutpet@aol.com
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. 5 stars.
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Tears of the Giraffe, Morality for Beautiful Girls and The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith. 5 stars.
Wonderfully written, delightful characters and beautifully descriptive passages.
The House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III. 5 stars.
maurice@bryzoan.com
I just finished Robert B. Parker's latest Spenser novel Bad Business. It's terrific. 5 stars.
Cloish049@aol.com
I've recently finished The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger. I found it an amusing yet quite unbelievable novel about the publishing industry, in this case, magazines. I give it 3 stars.
Ginger55@aol.com
I am reading Mary Higgins Clark's book The Second Time Around. It is out in paperback. I am loving it and would give it 4 stars.
For another book, one I would like to read more of, I am glancing at Anything You Say Can and Will Be Used Against You by Laurie Lynn Drummond. It is the story of a woman who is a police officer. It starts out in the first chapter answering the question of what it is like to kill a person in self defense as an officer of the law. Very interesting and revealing. 4 stars.
Also, I have here another 4-star book, Islands by Anne Rivers Siddons. She is writing a novel of women friends in the area of Charleston, South Carolina. I am interested in all of those subjects as I live right next to Charleston, am a woman and have lived on an Island. So many books, so little...
lslott@optonline.net
I just finished The Broke Diaries by Angela Nissel, a collection of essays written by the author while she was a very broke college student. I related to a lot of her tales from when I had my very first apartment, and a car I had to it with a hammer to get it started (don't ask). Laugh out loud funny and very enjoyable.
ginawjax@comcast.net
The House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III. 4 stars.
This book was captivating to see how fate brings together two strangers in an explosive climax. Well written and plotted.
eswaim@ec.rr.com
The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey. 4 stars.
Its a great book. Cinderella told in a completely different and untold way. At first I was like … oh it's just another Cinderella story … but a good surprise.
Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong. 5 stars.
Great author. I absolutely love everything she's written and can't wait for the next book.
Cold Feet by Brenda Novak. 4 stars.
I couldn't believe how good this was. I had to share it with everyone. I couldn't tell who "IT" was until near the end, which is something I love.
The 37th Hour by Jodi Compton. 4 stars.
This is a story about a missing husband. He just vanished. This was a pretty good book considering it's the author's first go at it.
There's sooo many books I've currently read that are good. I can't list them all.
Catslady5@aol.com
High Wind Rising by Shirley Martin. 3 1/2 to 4 stars.
I'm not quite finished, but it is a fast historical read that I found fascinating because it was written in the area where I live -- Fort Duquesne (Pittsburgh).
camurray@webtv.net
Winterkill by C. J. Box. 5 stars.
I just finished Winterkill and highly recommend it. It's the third book in the Joe Pickett series, and it's best to read them in order. The first one was Open Season and the second one was Savage Run. I can't wait until Trophy Hunt comes out this summer.
Mammakim@aol.com
Slow week ... This week I read Out of the Blue by JoAnn Ross. 4 stars.
Avery85282@aol.com
Lost Nation by Jeffrey Lent. 5 stars.
This is, unfortunately, not the kind of book to appeal to everyone. It is a Greek tragedy, with the principal character advancing inexorably to an end that he has invited through his arrogance, pride and enormous guilt. He is an extraordinarily strong man, as are many of the characters. You may not feel sympathy for him, but he and a girl, Sally, will draw you in on their dangerous journey. Well written and historically interesting
justme@xmission.com
Midwives by Chris Bohjalian. 5 stars.
Awesome book -- great story and fantastic author! If you haven't read it, YOU SHOULD!
Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. 4 stars.
Great book! A must-read for anyone!
Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier. 4 stars.
Equally as good as Girl. I really liked the way that each chapter was a different character in the book.
dmilburn@alltel.net
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. 2 stars.
Reviews were fantastic, but what a disappointment! Same old story --- the perils of integration. The idea of a black woman spitting tobacco juice on the shoes of white men is so unrealistic that it's ridiculous. Talk about asking for trouble in the 50s --- or actually any time. What white woman with any sense would spit tobacco juice on a redneck's shoes and expect them to say, "Why thank you Mam" Let's get real. There are too many good books out there to waste time on this one.
Lorraine3@aol.com
The Great Influenza by John M. Barry. 4 stars.
More people died in 1918 of the flu than in the Black Plague of the Middle Ages (including my grandfather), but few seem to know about it.
1,000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz. 4 stars.
A great way to spend a rainy afternoon, sipping tea and planning a real or imaginary trip to ...?!
DBinPgh@aol.com
Kiss River by Diane Chamberlain. 5 stars.
Hello, Darkness by Sandra Brown. 5 stars.
Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner. 5 stars.
These were all excellent and enjoyable reads!
dianem418@earthlink.net
I'm reading a book called Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach. While the title may turn people off, this book is very interesting and the author writes about the topic with a good sense of humor. It's a book for general interest, and there are many parts that will have you laughing. It's really good and not dry at all.
charris@pctelecom.us
Mercy by Jodi Picoult. 5 stars.
All of her books are good.
Answered Prayers by Danielle Steel. 2 stars.
I read this because it was here.
The Other Face of America by Jorge Ramos. 5 stars.
An excellent book about the Latinos and their problems. I recommend it for everyone to read.
DStegmanCrawford@aol.com
I just finished two great books:
The 37th Hour by Jodi Compton. 4 1/2 stars.
I would have given it 5, except I'm not sure what happened at the end!! This was a great story about a woman in search of her missing cop husband, Shiloh. She finds secrets that should have stayed buried.
Paranoia by Joseph Finder. 5 stars.
This was a humorous adventure thriller about industrial espionage --- really great book about a guy who has to be set up as a tech spy in a competitor's business after he gives a lavish retirement party for a dock worker using company funds. It is a cross, double cross and a great romp.
ALEMESH@aol.com
I am almost at the end of Resurrection Men by Ian Rankin. He writes superb police procedurals with John Rebus as his protagonist. His books are set in Scotland, usually Edinburgh; lots of local color. His books are gritty and, I feel, realistic. John Rebus is flawed in so many ways after being a cop for more than 20 years; he sometimes tries to do the right thing but it seems to be beyond him somehow, yet it's impossible not to feel empathy for him. Read Ian Rankin's books in order and you will really feel you know John Rebus and why he does what he does. I have read all of Rankin's books and Resurrection Men is another 5 in my book.
Josephine Anna Kaszuba Locke
Very seldom in my avid reading, biblioholic years do I experience a boring read --- this is one of the nth degree of boring reads. And very seldom do I write a negative review. Considering the magnitude of the subject matter and content, expectations were high; the more I read, the more disillusioned I became.
It is the writing style of author Peter Duffy, which left me with descending hope of reading enjoyment as the book progressed. And, yes, I "stuck it out" to the end. Duffy's manner of "handling" the subject matter distorts and disrupts the reader's enjoyment of The Bielski Brothers. Too many menial descriptions covering up what should be valuable, in-depth, intellectual writing. Details of trivial matters applied too often without zest. As presented, the story is slow treading in movement and progressive reporting.
The author states on page 207, "…But the work proceeded slowly, with everyone worn out from months of living like nomads." As in the latter statement, Duffy fails to write with enthusiasm, upbeat phrasing and non-contributive descriptions to add to the reader's enjoyment of serious material. For instance, by page 207, three-quarters of the book is complete, but Duffy is no farther ahead in describing Bielski accomplishments than at the halfway mark. The reader is still searching for the "vim and vigor" writing of an important part of history. In each chapter, repetitive action scenes, reporting of too many trivial movements repeated over and over leaves the reader with "stilted" thinking --- "…it's got to get better in reporting events…" It doesn't; the reporting remains weak.
The two-star rating I've assigned to the book is in honor of the Bielski family and their peers, for the courage and determination in a time of horrendous, heinous anti-Semitism, with one part of Hitler's determination to destruct a race and culture. With any book, a reader gains "something" --- that something for me is the discovery of the existence of the Bielski family. The Bielski Brothers determinedly performed a courageous fete to help their country men, women and children.
Dear reader, in Duffy's debut I feel you are in for a dry run of disappointing reporting of information and writing style and approach to such an important subject matter. I do honor the author's quotation from The Talmud: "Whoever saves one life saves the world entire." Mr. Duffy, do try again and I wish you well in your future endeavors.
2 stars.
Other reads recommended: But I Survived by Tadeusz Sobolewicz, winner, Polish Auschwitz Recollections Competition; Escape Into Darkness: The True Story of a Young Woman's Extraordinary Survival During World War II by Sonia Games; A Year of the Hunter by Nobel Laureate Czeslaw Milosz.
brushm@earthlink.net
The Probable Future by Alice Hoffman. 4 stars.
Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund. 4 stars.
Lucia, Lucia by Adriana Trigiani. 3 stars.
The Life of Pi by Yann Martel. 5 stars.
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. 5 stars.
Ecole107@aol.com
I just finished Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani. I would give it 4 stars. It is a book that I tried to read once before and did not get into, but this time I thoroughly enjoyed it. I connected to the story on many levels. It is a woman's struggle to find herself and decide just what it is she wants in life. It is set in the mountains of Virginia and is full of enjoyable characters.
dawnymae5@msn.com
I am currently reading James Patterson's 3rd Degree, and so far it has been extremely suspenseful and I give it 4 stars. I am also reading Lord Foulgrin's Letters by Randy Alcorn and find it fascinating, how the devil is so deceitful and we so gullible! I rate this book with 4 stars too.
julie5@bellsouth.net
Before Women Had Wings by Connie May Fowler. 5 stars.
Excellent. Bird looks way below the outside surface of life and dwells on the deep meanings. Such a mature "heavy" load for such a young girl going through things she shouldn't have to experience in her young life.
Object Lessons by Anna Quindlen. 4 stars.
Very realistic.
Two Old Women by Velma Wallis. 5 stars.
One of the best books I've ever read!! I "became" one of the old women! I truly appreciate "family" traditions/legends/values. I can't wait to read her other two books!
RKCKSYST@aol.com
I'm reading and enjoying two different series at the moment: Elizabeth George's Lynley/Havers and Sue Grafton's alphabet. I've just finished Grafton's N is for Noose and would give it an A and am currently in the middle of George's Playing for the Ashes, which I'm loving. I'll undoubtedly be giving it an A also!
ELsong@aol.com
Islands by Anne Rivers Siddons. 4 stars.
Wonderful characters, though older than her characters usually are (I guess we're ALL getting older....)
The Last Juror by John Grisham. 4 1/2 stars.
Familiar characters (from A Time to Kill) but told from a refreshing perspective: He steps out of his lawyer mode and into that of a young newspaper reporter-then editor-then tycoon. His relationship with an 80-year-old woman is a subplot, yet is the drawing card of the book. You'll read this one again if only to remember the two of them.
Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. 2 1/2 stars.
Beautiful writing, but either I'm just not artsy enough or where's the meat?
Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by ZZ Packer. 4 stars.
A book of unbelievable short stories by a very young and talented author. Each is its own comment on slices of America, from a young African American perspective, but also just as a young THINKER'S perspective. Unsettling --- and beautiful!
Three Part Invention by Judith Laura. 3 1/2 stars.
This one you have to buy online. I guess it's the first full-length self-published I've bought. A beautiful narrative about three generations of women --- fellow musicians will love it in particular.
BDB530@aol.com
A Hollywood Life by David Freeman. 3 stars.
It seems so glib and has that "I've heard it all before" attitude, but if you want to know what goes on with the stars and their retinues, this is the book to read. It is better than all the gossip sheets about stars.
Stichigh@aol.com
Big Fish by Daniel Wallace is SOOOOO much better than the movie! (As if I didn't know it would be!) The story actually flows and floats the reader along. Wallace will certainly be immortal because this story will be remembered. I give this book 5 stars.
The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America by Bill Bryson is making me laugh so hard I could cry! I know these people and places! I cannot wait to hit the road and visit them again! I give this book 5 stars.
The Moor by Laurie R. King is the 4th book in the Mary Russell (partner and wife of Sherlock Holmes) series. Although these books start slow, the details and abilities of these two detectives always build to exciting experiences and the female perspective is delightful. I give this book 5 stars.
The Ladies of Covington Send Their Love by Joan Medlicott is a good story about older women whose families think it is time for them to be put out to pasture. The ladies discover friendship and strengths that lead them into an adventure and renewed lives. Some parts are a bit melodramatic and contrived, but the story is good entertainment and eventually the reader does care what happens to the characters. I also like that the setting is near where I grew up and recognizable. I give this book 3 stars.
clschomer@dmci.net
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. 5 stars.
I love this book! I never would have picked it up if my book group hadn't chosen it. I think it is Irving's best work.
LSC6459@aol.com
Mary, Called Magdalene by Margaret George. 3 stars.
This book could have been 200 pages shorter, but there were some very interesting parts.
DancingGram7@aol.com
I am presently reading Railroad Schemes by Cecelia Holland. I am on a historical binge right now and this book deserves 4 stars. It's about Lily Nevada, a 16-year-old girl whose father died in a botched robbery in Virginia City, Nevada. King Callahan, one of the robbers with her father, decides to take it upon himself to be her guardian. This book involves the history of the railroad coming into California. King Callahan hated the coming railroad as it will be the end of the gracious colonial city of Los Angeles back in the 1850s. He intends to do everything in his power to stop the railroad. He gets involved with Spanish Lady and her family along with Lily. I am almost finished with the book but it continues with another book called Lily Nevada, which will be the next book on my list. Interesting reading!
JDDistef@aol.com
The Saints and Sinners of Okay County by Dayna Dunbar. 4 1/2 stars.
Set in 1976, the story revolves around Aletta Honor (a reluctant psychic) and her family and friends. My book group was lucky enough to win a chat with Dayna Dunbar and we discussed the novel with her. It was a fantastic experience and very enlightening. She told us that a sequel is in the works. I will look forward to reading it.
bradylee@myway.com
Slave: My True Story by Mende Nazer and Damien Lewis. 5 stars.
"I had started to believe that these Arabs were all-powerful, that they had some God-given right to rule over us. I saw this evidence in my day-to-day life in Khartoum...the Arabs enslaved the blacks. I had become convinced that they were invincible. But that was about to change." This is a quote from page 191 and it tells, in a nutshell, the author's life from age 12 to 21. She was abducted from her village in Nuba of Sudan, one of the remotest places on earth and sold to an Arab family in Khartoum who worked her around 18 hours a day seven days a week for no pay and forced her to stay within the house most of the time. This is a harrowing story and a most interesting one. For those who believe slavery is past history should read this to prove otherwise.
jimrene2@juno.com
I am reading If Not Now, When? by Stephanie Marsten. I give it 4 stars. It is interesting reading for those of us heading into the middle stages of life. She talks about several aspects of the perimenopausal and menopausal woman and the good things that are happening at this stage of life and gives lots of coping strategies.
miriama59@yahoo.com
Midnight Rain by Dee Davis. 3 stars.
Pretty good. I liked the interaction between the two main characters, the sexual tension, etc. There was suspense and it was hard to figure out what was coming next in the book. I really enjoyed it.
The other book I just finished reading is the better of the two. I loved every minute of it, both sad and terrifying. It was The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacquelyn Mitchard. It had sat on my bookshelf for a long time as I had seen the movie. I kept thinking that I shouldn't bother with the book after watching the movie. Wrong. This is an amazing book. There are no happy endings and the pain is strong in the book. You will feel it yourself, especially if you have a child or children. An amazing book that all should read. 5 stars.
amycanfield@msn.com
So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year of Passionate Reading by Sara Nelson. 5 huge stars.
I can't believe I didn't read this when it came out. Any avid reader will love it. It's like sitting down with a good friend to discuss books.
Kahoho@aol.com
Crawfish Dreams by Nancy Rawles.
A wonderful and funny novel about love and family with fabulous Creole recipes.
Black Ice by Michael Connelly.
Kedrn@aol.com
I just finished three books by John Sandford: The Empress File, Fools Run, and The Devil's Code. I have read all of the "Prey" books and really enjoyed the mystery and suspense. I was quite captivated by the computer hackers and how they tried to "right the wrongs committed by others." They were all good reads and so different from the Prey book. I am looking forward to reading Hidden Prey due out soon.
BREEZYWRITER@aol.com
The Crush by Sandra Brown. 4 stars.
Brown keeps the suspense up and makes this an enjoyable mystery.
cable854@earthlink.net
I am currently reading Passing for Thin by Frances Kuffel. This is a 4-star book. As this country suffers from mass obesity, soon to be the largest preventable killer in the US next to cigarette smoking, Frances Kuffel has painted a not so pretty picture of the world of a fat person. I love her work on this book as it is often funny, and yet is a dark piece of literature that so many of us wish to avoid thinking about. The battle with food in our country far outweighs the drug and alcohol problems in my opinion. You have to eat to live. Think about it.
mxwms@msn.com
I am currently reading Hard Revolution by George Pelecanos. 4 stars. ONE
OF THE BEST!
I just finished The Last Juror by John Grisham. Another 4 stars.
I recently read an Advance Readers Copy of Hidden Prey by John Sandford, which comes out in May. Great book. Another 4 stars.
Also, I just read Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz! I love Dean Koontz but haven't read him for a while because I liked his earlier books best. However, this one is up to par with the earlier books and kept me interested all the way to the end! 3 stars for this one.
Vikkivand@aol.com
Aloft by Chang-rae Lee. 4 stars.
The story is about a middle-aged man and the current issues that face him and his family, as well as some problems from the past that were not effectively dealt with.
VickyRD@aol.com
I am currently reading through all of Faye Kellerman's books. I am on Sanctuary. 5 stars. The other I am reading is Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde. So far 5 stars.
khartshorn@comcast.net
Our Book Group just read Three Junes by Julia Glass. A lot of us hated it at the beginning, liked the middle and were indifferent to the ending. The discussion was interesting and I would give it 3+ stars. It is a book that I wouldn't have finished if I wasn't going to discuss it, but am glad I did. Also, Book Lust by Nancy Pearl is a great book full of lists for book groups to consider and for you to take to the library to get ideas. I would give it 5 stars.
GandmaRI@aol.com
This week I'm reading The Tristan Betrayal by Robert Ludlum. In 1940 Stephen Metcalfe is living as a spy in Paris. The spy network that he is a part of is discovered and dismantled and Metcalfe is left stranded. He travels to Russia to try to put a bold plan into place that is the only hope left for the Allies. As in most of Ludlum's novels, the pages turn rapidly. So far, I'd rate the book 5 stars.
billiegirl20@hotmail.com
I'm just about to finish Wicked by Gregory Macguire. It's the story of the Wicked Witch of the West --- her life and death. This book is wonderful. The Land of Oz is very much UNLIKE the one we're all used to from the movie and from L. Frank Baum's books. I read it with Baum's Wizard of Oz and it was neat to tie the two together. A great read that delves deep into the question, "Where does evil come from?"
Mompoetcat@aol.com
I have just completed House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III. It is a 10, not a 1 or a 5, but a big 10! The characters were complex and well revealed by action and metaphor. The innocent died at the hands of the evil, greedy ones. And the greedy ones found their own paths to eternity or to life without redemption.
rabock@optonline.net
Boy on the Bus by Deborah Schupack is a taut psychological tale of one woman's loss --- ultimately of her self, but hinged around a day where her son comes off the bus and she does not recognize him as her son. A very, very moving story!! I believe the book is now out in paperback.
WRKGRK@aol.com
Deception Point by Dan Brown. 3 stars.
I found it to be too wordy and technical to be a "couldn't put it down" read. I enjoyed The Da Vinci Code so much more.
NGroves@aol.com
Mapping the Edge by Sarah Dunant. 5 stars.
The author employs an unusual narrative style, offering readers two possible versions of what's happening to her main character, a 30-something single mom and journalist who's overstayed her impromptu vacation in Italy, to the concern of friends and family. In one scenario, she's having a steamy affair with a married man she met through the personal ads, while in the other, she's been kidnapped by a psychopathic photographer who thinks she resembles his dead wife. A great read.
The Forest House by Marion Zimmer Bradley. 4 stars.
Bradley tells the story (similar to that of a well known opera) of a young Druid priestess and her forbidden love for a half-Roman, half-Briton soldier. Of course their love is doomed in the culture clash of the times, with most Britons hating their Roman occupiers. Interesting as a semi-historical novel and love story with a feminist slant.
Lost Light by Michael Connelly. 4 stars.
One of the last in the author's series of books on LA police officer (now a private detective) Harry Bosch. Retired from the force, Bosch decides to look into a long unsolved case that still bothers him, the murder of a young woman who worked for a movie studio and its possible link to the heist of several million dollars from a movie set a few days later. Bosch finds himself in much deeper waters than expected and at a disadvantage since he no longer has a badge to flash.
Celtika by Robert Holdstock. 3 stars.
A most unusual take on the Arthurian legend, with the time-traveling Merlin character reuniting with an old friend, Jason (as in Jason and the Argonauts from Greek mythology). Centuries after their first encounter, Merlin rescues Jason and the Argo from a frozen lake in Scandinavia and sets off, with new Argonauts, to find Jason's sons after learning that they were not killed by their mother, Medea, after all. Themes such as family and loss are predominant in this fantasy novel; I believe there is already a sequel, or one in the works.
dianeparfitt@earthlink.net
I am in two book clubs and just finished reading The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Set in the South in 1964, it is the story of a 14-year-old girl who flees her abusive father and takes her Black housekeeper with her in search of something about her deceased mother. They end up at the home of 3 Black sisters who run a bee farm and make honey. One book club loved it and the other liked it. I give it 5 stars and have enjoyed discussing it with many friends. The writing is delightful and the story is heartwarming.
debbie1959@worldnet.att.net
Sicilian Sisters: Women in La Famiglia by Marianna.
Suspense thriller, the ending is superb. The power of women in Sicily and during the 15th century with the beginning of the pirates. Intriguing book.
michaeld@lakedalelink.net
The best book I have read in a while is The Weatherman by Steve Thayer.
sueh@olivia.lib.mn.us
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. 5 stars. Everyone should read it.
Atonement by Ian McEwan. 3 stars. Just okay.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. 5 stars. Still intriguing after all these years.
Priscilla from Middletown, RI
I am reading Follow the River by James Alexander Thom and give it 5 stars. It is about a woman who is taken by the Indians along with her 2 sons and is pregnant with her third child at the time of their capture. It is a book that you can't put down.
TrishM426@hotmail.com
I recently read The Confessions of Max Tivoli by Andrew Sean Greer. This book gives a whole new meaning to "growing old." What a wonderful story every person can relate to!! 5 stars for this one.
Jilljbdnd@aol.com
I am reading The Last Juror by John Grisham. A marvelous read with wit, humor and a serious story to tell. Having lived during the years the story "lives" in, many memories were revisited albeit in my mind. The underlying message is indeed powerful. I am three-fourths of the way into the book and am sad to see it end. I believe this is one for young and not so young readers alike.
ctritt@comcast.net
The Bride Wore Black by Cornell Woolrich. 5 stars.
This book was all that it promised to be --- an easy read, an interesting plot that kept you guessing till the very end and a twist at the end that you never suspect till you get there! I found this book recommendation on Bookreporter.com and am glad I took the time to order it. Very enjoyable reading. I am now reading another book by Mr. Woolrich, Rendevous in Black, which is also excellent and along a similar plot line as The Bride Wore Black.
Faerymound@aol.com
The Never Realized Republic: An Analysis of Capitalism's Impact Upon Republican Virtue and the Federal Constitution by Peter Joseph O'Lalor
I am one of those people who float through life without the slightest interest in matters of anything political. I have a strong feeling that this book has caused me to be more concerned in the country in which I live. I must say, it seems to be a big part of what is missing in American history. Now I may not be able to go through the rest of my life as a complacent citizen of this country, but it does give me hope.
AMAF113@aol.com
Days of Grace: A Memoir by Arthur Ashe. 4 stars.
A great story about the life of Arthur Ashe. He was so much more than just a tennis player.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares. 3 stars.
Young adult books that are very good reads. They are fast reads that keep you interested.
Bee Season by Myla Goldberg.
I am reading this now and am enjoying it. A supposedly below average girl wins the school's spelling bee. The father decides to put all his energy into helping her study and totally ignores his prodigal son. Very dark read so far. Not an uplifting book, but I am enjoying it.
John1rosie@aol.com
Sitting in the Club Car Drinking Rum and Karma-Kola by Paulette Jiles. 4 stars. Twenty-Four Hours in the Life of a Woman by Stefan Zweig. 2 stars.
If Ms. Jiles's novella pokes humor at certain pre-WWII melodramatic motion pictures, Mr. Zweig's novella is one that cries out to be made into a motion picture in that bygone style. Ms. Jiles is masterful at metaphor and simile. Mr. Zweig (newly translated from the German and originally written in 1927) is unfortunately too capable of creating sentences that leaves the reader wondering what was said. In Twenty-Four Hours Mr. Zweig joined with his fellow European writers of the 1920s in warning man and woman of the dangers of stepping outside class or family boundaries. On the other hand, Sitting in the Club Car makes the point that she may realize that she has a past, but if she has certain credit cards and panache the future will take care of itself. Both novellas touch the border of fantasy fiction. Ms. Jiles identifies the possibility of a very strange alternative universe. Mr. Zweig's leading lady believes that her sex life is over at age forty. Well, we have to give him a far out supposition or two for his story to find its track. But who in our universe will accept his heroine's innocence or shame or conclusion?
AcornLiz@aol.com
I am in the middle of The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant. I would rate it 3 1/2 stars. I really enjoy historical fiction. Although I believe Dunant has captured the atmosphere of the time extremely well, there are definitely some slow spots in the plot.
dcher - Springfield, Illinois
Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith. 4 stars.
I love this series. In fact, while I'm waiting for the fourth in the series from
the library I am rereading the first one (which is still my favorite).
Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman. 5 stars.
I just can't get into her series but this is a stand-alone and it was great. I hope she has more stand-alones coming.
Ginnylazar@aol.com
I've begun Holy Fools by Joanne Harris, the author of Chocolat, and am intrigued with the insight it offers into long ago Europe and an era of suspicion. It takes place in France in the early 1600s when burning witches was common and follows the experiences of Juliette, a young woman who had been a traveling performer until she had a child. She went into hiding at a country abby to safeguard herself and her daughter Fleur, taking the name of Soeur Auguste. She felt safe there from her former lover, Fleur's father, until he suddenly appears masquerading as a priest. As in Chocolat, there are undertones of a netherworld and powers that lick at sorcery. I can't wait to see where Harris takes me.
megalon22@yahoo.com
White Death by Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos. 3 stars.
A story of a madman that has fish genetically engineered, the lengths he'll go to keep it secret and his plans of world domination in the fishing industry. This book was a typical Clive Cussler story --- almost like some sort of formula with predictable events. Maybe I'm just reading too many of his books around the same time, but I was a bit disappointed in this one.
bab@tennis.com
Nighttime is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark. 5 stars.
I have read all of this author's books and they are all mesmerizing in their plot, substance, suspense and portrayal. Evil is very well described and the characterizations are unbelievably real. I never tire of reading her books. The thrills and the unknown are always there. They never let you down and the climax is a rare treat.
realbencann@yahoo.com
Firestorm by Iris Johansen. 3 stars.
I have read all of Iris Johansen's books and did enjoy every single one, until the past 3. I feel that these latest ones are typical, run-of-the-mill and not very good mysteries and are on an amateurish level. The initial ones were great but it has been disappointing to try to enjoy the latest ones. I have wondered why this is the case. I still will try her next ones as I feel there are further books to explore by her.
GerryD8784@aol.com
Nighttime is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark. 2 stars.
Attendees at the twentieth class reunion of a prestigious prep school are astonished to learn that five of their classmates --- all girls who sat together at the "in-crowd" lunch table during senior year --- have died, and in the same order in which they were seated in a group photo. Then a sixth member of the group disappears from the reunion, casting suspicion on her remaining classmates.
The Second Chair by John Lescroart. 3 stars.
Dismas Hardy takes second chair in a case bungled by his young associate who believes her client guilty. For me the story was spoiled by Hardy's and Glitsky's failure to make the connection between this case and a series of apparently random murders in the city. If it was obvious to me as the reader, it surely should have been evident to these two seasoned investigators who had all the same information and more!
What We Lost by Dale Peck. 4 stars.
A fictionalized biography of Peck's father, who was kidnapped by his own father and taken from the squalor of his materially and emotionally impoverished family home on Long Island to live with an uncle on his dairy farm for several years, at the end of which he had to choose between remaining with his aunt and uncle, whom he'd come to love and trust, or returning home with his parents, brothers and sisters.
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. 5 stars.
By far, the best book I've read this year --- and better than most of last year's too! Unusual but endearing characters populate this sprawling history of an immigrant Greek family, beginning with their progenitors' flight from Smyrna under attack by the Turks, settling eventually in Detroit. Historical events scattered throughout the story create a vivid sense of time and place. I'm so glad that the many recommendations this book received from my friends eventually overcame my resistance to the odd central theme of hermaphroditism. Even that aspect was interesting, and the book as a whole was simply wonderful!
bradylee@myway.com
Deception Point by Dan Brown.
The Da Vinci Code was great, Angels & Demons was great, and now Deception Point is very good. The fabric of this book is much looser than the other two books, but a good read just the same. As a child I loved fairy tales and while reading this book I thought, this is a grand fairy tale for adults. Much of what happens is preposterous, but the manner of telling and the creative mind of the author is exposed to the reader who enjoys adventure and mystery. I thought I knew who the culprit was, but I was wrong, wrong, wrong. I assure you I had to keep turning the pages 'til the end.
kbest10@msn.com
The Breathtaker by Alice Blanchard. 5 stars.
This is a great read. If it was a movie (which I can really see it becoming), I would want to see it more than once. The book is about a police chief's quest to find a serial killer who kills gruesomely during tornados. The ending is a real twister (the pun is intended).
mdeclaz@ont.com
Monkey Dancing by Daniel Glick. 5 stars.
Mr. Glick, an environmental news reporter, loses his wife to another woman and his brother to cancer within a year. He takes his 2 children on an around-the-world trip to exotic places and shares his unique experiences. His commentaries on the environment and extinct-to-be species are more touching than "teachy." The diaries of his children are interspersed with his own writing, and this lends even more warmth and humor to this incredible book. His loving relationship with his brothers and the loss of his older brother had me in tears throughout the book. I fumed (when he smoked pot with his young son), I laughed, I cried. This nonfiction work reads better than most novels I've read in the last few years. I fell in love with Mr. Glick and can't recommend his story enough.
Happy135@aol.com
Sleep Toward Heaven by Amanda Eyre Ward. 5 stars.
This is a story about Karen, a death row inmate; Celia, the widow of one of her victims; and Franny, the prison physician. Once I began this book, I couldn't stop reading until I finished it. It's one of the best I've read this year.
Derailed by James Siegel. 5 stars.
A preoccupied wife, a seriously ill child and a recent demotion lead Charles Schine into an affair with a woman he meets on the morning commuter --- changing his troublesome life into an endless nightmare.
bettys1870@aol.com
I am currently reading The Piano Teacher by Lynn York. This southern setting book is made interesting by its characters. Miss Wilma, the piano teacher, is the stereotypical southern, no-nonsense person who goes about her business in a methodical manner. Her daugher Sarah, a rebel, arrives unannounced and pregnant from her home in New Mexico --- she has left her husband, Harper (who arrives a few days later and appears to be accepted by Sarah). The father of her unborn child could be either Harper or Jonah, with whom she had a one-night-stand. As her mother told her at age 12, "Watch yourself, it takes only one time." A murder is committed in their small town; Jonah, who arrives expectedly, is accused of the murder simply because he looks different and is a stranger. This book deserves 4 stars.
© Copyright 1996-2008, Bookreporter.com. All rights reserved.
Back to top.
|
