tmzemke@comcast.net
I just finished the book Good Grief by Lolly Winston. How can a book about a young widow be funny? I don't know, but Lolly manages to pull it off. What could have been a tragic read is instead a book guaranteed to make readers smile and even laugh out loud. I do know one thing --- she nails the picture of what initial grief after a death looks like. At my local library there is a LONG waiting list for this book. 4 stars.
I'm just starting The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason. This book is similar to The Da Vinci Code in that it deals with a rare 15th-century manuscript that reveals a code. I've only read six chapters and it's already a better read. This is an Amazon "break-out book" (debut authors and breakthrough titles from previously unrecognized writers). Run to buy or borrow this book from your public library! 4+ stars.
ginawjax@comcast.net
Out of the Deep I Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming. 4 stars.
bab@tennis.com
P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahearn. 5 stars.
A sensitive and moving story about death, grief and the aftermath. Told in a humorous and entertaining fashion we feel total empathy for the main character and her plight. A unique and wonderful novel.
rojosho@hotmail.com
In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson. 5 stars.
A hilarious, entertaining and amusing trip through Australia by this very talented and unusual author. Never at a loss for words, wit and just his special style that keeps you laughing throughout.
realbencann@yahoo.com
No Angel by Penny Vincenzi. 5 stars.
An enthralling family saga set during the early twentieth century in London, England. Friction, drama, love, World War I and business problems make this book an excellent and an absorbing novel. Vivid characterization and descriptions of the countryside and life at the time. Family interrelationships and economic strife hold a major role in this fabulous story.
OLTLFREAK@aol.com
P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahearn. 5 stars.
I really enjoyed this book! The author is only 22 years old, and I can't wait for more of her books to come out. The story takes you through all emotions, but leaves you feeling good at the end. This is one to make sure you read!
Endorra@aol.com
The Three Junes by Julia Glass. 4 stars.
It was a good read, especially the parts in the West Village. The way Ms. Glass brings all parties together is really extraordinary.
The Bone Vault by Linda Fairstein. 4 stars.
I have never read anything by Ms. Fairstein before and maybe I will read another. I picked it up because the plot centers on three great institutions in Manhattan: The Cloisters, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural History. You will learn so much about the workings of museums, and the behind the scenes details are fantastic. This will be a trip to a museum you are not likely to forget.
The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith. 5 stars.
If you have not read this series, what are you waiting for? They are marvelous books. The characters and the country of Botswana are painted by an author who is incredibly in love with both.
Bad Business by Robert B. Parker. 5 stars.
Spenser lives again! Thank goodness. As usual, Parker's book is fast moving and completely satisfying. Read it.
DancingGram7@aol.com
I am presently reading Flying Crows by Jim Lehrer and rate it 5 stars. This is a story of two lost souls set in Kansas City, MO. back in 1933. The story goes back and forth between 1933 and 1997. In 1997, police discovered a homeless old man in the Kansas City train station. "Birdie" Carlucci claims he has lived there since 1933, hiding in the storeroom of a Harvey House restaurant. Lieutenant Randy Benton decides to discover the truth behind Birdie's tale and finds himself on a ride that leads ever backward into our country's bloodstained past. His investigation discovers the story of young Birdie, who was incarcerated in a brutal insane asylum where the preferred method of treatment is beating with a baseball bat. Birdie meets Josh Lancaster there and forms a friendship with him.
I have two more chapters to go. I find the book easy to read and recommend it.
pm3@gci.net
I just finished Mimosa Grove by Dinah McCall. I give it 5 stars. A great summer read --- a mix of mystery, romance, and the paranormal.
The Game by Laurie R. King is next on my list. It promises to be as good as her others. My librarian friend just finished it and said it makes you want to reread Kim by Rudyard Kipling.
eswaim@ec.rr.com
Lucy Crocker 2.0 by Caroline Preston. 3 stars.
This is about a family that is completely plugged in, even though the mother doesn't like computers too much. She has made a computer game and has to come up with a sequel when she gets burned out. The story is the fallout from that.
A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh. 5 stars.
This is the beginning of a long series of books for Balogh.
Bubbles Ablaze by Sarah Strohmeyer. 4 stars.
If you love Evanovich just try this woman --- she's just great. In fact Evanovich basically helped her with the idea during an interview from what I've read.
Sullivan's Law by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg. 4 stars.
She's the female John Grisham.
The Bride Hunt by Jane Feather. 4 stars.
The second of a trilogy. The basis of the trilogy is that three sisters run an anonymous newspaper on women's suffrage unbeknownst to their father. It's what keeps the family from going broke. During this trilogy each sister ends up getting married through some connection of the newspaper.
Ain't She Sweet? by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. 4 stars.
A great story about small town life and repairing the past.
Storm Front by Jim Butcher. 3 stars.
If you like L.K. Hamilton you might like him too, but it's just not quite the same.
3rd Degree by James Patterson. 5 stars.
I don't think I have to say anything about this guy.
Catslady5@aol.com
The Cat Who Went Up the Creek by Lilian Jackson Braun. 2 stars.
I just couldn't get into this book very much. There are too many people who just come and go, and you just don't care --- but the cats were interesting!
vicklea@bealenet.com
I just finished reading The Summer I Dared by Barbara Delinsky. I had to make myself finish it … it was predictable with a boring storyline about lobster fishermen and raising rabbits. A lot of the book was more like nonfiction than fiction. I like to read for entertainment, and I wasn't entertained with this book. I give it 1 star.
Ery222@aol.com
The Fourth Hand by John Irving. 4 stars.
Pat4CSKK@aol.com
I have been totally hooked on books written by Philip Gulley. Most recently I read Just Shy of Harmony. I would give it 5 stars. He has written a series of books about Harmony, a small town in Indiana. He writes as the pastor of a small Quaker church. His characters really stay with you, the stories are reminiscent of Lake Wobegone Days by Garrison Keillor. Full of the humor, love and sometimes the pain of everyday life. Philip Gulley is a Quaker minister and knows what he is writing about. He has also written a book called If Grace is True. This is a theological book and co-written with James Mulholland.
travelingpeggy@yahoo.com
O Is For Outlaw by Sue Grafton.
This a re-read and I still enjoyed it. A few loose ends at the end of the plot, though.
The Cat Who Talked Turkey by Lilian Jackson Braun. 4 stars.
I'm so glad to have discovered this series. I keep finding ones I haven't read. Since the first book of the series was in 1966, I guess that is not surprising. This one has Jim Qwilleran less directed to solving the murder and more to enjoying local people and organizing events, which was fine with me. I find the world Braun creates in Upper Michigan very appealing. But the slight hints of romance are handled very old-fashioned. It's the one area I'd like to see improved on. And I'd like to read a chapter where KoKo the psychic cat and Polly (Jim's steady) are locked in a room together.
The Biographer's Tale by A.S. Byatt. 3 stars.
I listened to this as an audio book. I got through the whole book, but kept waiting for a plot to develop. At the end I was glad I stuck it out --- the mental paces of the main character finally made some sense. It's not a commonly constructed book --- there are narration with excerpts and endless monologues. Too difficult for audio, I would recommend reading the hard copy with a dictionary near by. But at the end I felt that I had put a puzzle together without knowing it was there to be constructed. I'm looking forward to reading other books by this author.
Helenme23@wmconnect.com
Out of the Deep I Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming. 4 stars.
The Episcopal priest of Miller's Kill once again gets involved with mysteries outside the realm of the Holy Spirit. This excellent third-in-the-series book ties together a modern story of a mother who fears vaccinations caused by her son's autism and a 75-year-old story of disease, tragedy and death. Reverend Clare Fergusson searches for the link between a missing father in 1930 and a missing person today, all the while staying in denial about her feelings for married police chief Russ Van Alstyne. A very satisfying read by one of my new favorite authors.
Rochelle017@aol.com
I just finished reading The Last Juror by John Grisham and give it 5 stars. It was great and very enjoyable. I also read Nighttime is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark and give it 4 stars. Once again she makes you think you know who did it, but you are wrong.
Grif76@aol.com
Michael Nava's Henry Rios mystery series. I randomly picked up The Death of Friends. I really, really liked it, so I am going to go back to the beginning and start from there. 4 stars.
I also just finished Doctored Evidence by Donna Leon. Warm and atmospheric, and definitely one of the better writers among the mystery crowd, but I wouldn't necessarily put her in the "page-turner" category. 4 stars.
FtLicky@aol.com
I'm currently reading Last Writes by Laura Levine, which is the second book in the Jaine Austen mystery series. It's even better than the first, in my opinion. 5 stars.
I just finished reading Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan, which was an amazing thriller about a freak show and vampires. 5 stars.
wendy.salomon@verizon.net
Take Me, Take Me With You by Lauren Kelly (a pseudonym for Joyce Carol Oates) is an interesting tale of psychological suspense. 4 stars.
The Narrows by Michael Connelly isn't quite as good as The Poet, but it is worth reading. 4 stars.
The Last Goodbye by Reed Arvin got pretty good reviews, which I don't think it deserves. 3 stars.
lvhoover@hotmail.com
While on a three-week trip to Egypt and Jordan, I discovered Palace Walk by Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz. How delightful it was to walk along the same streets where this insightful novel on life in a Muslim family in Cairo during the British occupation occurred. I'm looking forward to reading the two other books that make up this Cairo trilogy.
MelJPrincess@aol.com
The Corset Diaries by Katie MacAlister. 5 stars!
A TV reality show while learning about the Victorian era as well? Brilliant! This story is hysterical! No kidding, I laughed from the first page to the last, sometimes having to stop as the tears would be rolling down my face! This contemporary romance is well worth the read.
Thief of Lives by Barb and J.C. Hendee. 5 stars!
Second in a series (the first being Dampir) continues the story of a half vampire half human heroine who is trying to forget her past. However, events of the present draw her deeper into a life of hunting the undead. I'm really looking forward to the next in the series. A well written fantasy!
Rosalie from Florida
I am reading The Vendetta Defense by Lisa Scottoline. It is a great book chockfull of suspense, mystery, humor and human interest involving attorneys and their clients. It is an interesting and fun book to read.
Timothy Selig, Appleton, WI
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. 5 stars.
Dan Brown always keeps you on your edge. I've read everything he's written.
Small Town by Lawrence Block. 2 stars.
It's your average sleuth-type mystery. I really didn't care for it.
Guilty As Sin by Tami Hoag. 4 stars.
The more I read books by Tami the more I'm hooked on them. This book has a lot of courtroom flair. It seems like in all of Tami's books that I've read, her main character manages to dig herself into an impossible hole. Yet miraculously she comes out smelling like a rose.
awright55@kc.rr.com
Dilly of a Death by Susan Wittig Albert. 3 stars.
I just finished this one, the newest in the series. I've also read the first one. The protagonist has a shop that specializes in herbs.
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. So far, 4 stars!
I've just started this one after seeing a recommendation on Bookreporter.com. It's a great premise. Precious Ramotswe runs a one-woman detective agency in Botswana that she purchased when her father died.
VickyRD@aol.com
Sweet Dream Baby by Sterling Watson. 5 stars.
An excellent book that grabs you from the first page. The story takes place in 1958 in Florida and deals with Travis, a twelve-year old sent to live with his grandparents for the summer. The people in this gossip-driven town are only some of the characters who make Travis grow up before his time.
Lucy by Ellen Feldman. 4 1/2 stars.
The love affair Franklin Delano Roosevelt has with his social secretary and how this plays out when Eleanor finds out. Slow in just a few places, otherwise a wonderful story.
Rickimc@aol.com
By a Spider's Thread by Laura Lippman. 3 stars.
An average P.I. mystery that did have some elements of a cozy. Not a bad read, but nothing special.
b.nolan@insightbb.com
I'm reading Without Pity by Ann Rule. I give it 4 stars. If you like true crime stories, you'll love this one.
Jennifermaede@aol.com
I just finished up P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern. I usually steer clear of really sad books, but this one was fabulous and surprisingly funny despite the fact that the story follows a young widow in the days after her husband's death. I highly recommend it and give it a must read.
CHICO1204@aol.com
I have recently been reading John Sandford's Prey books and have finished Shadow Prey, which I would rate 4 stars. Rules of Prey and Silent Prey get 5 stars for their suspense and development of sinister characters.
Patricia Cornwell is another favorite author of mine, and I just finished reading From Potter's Field, which I would give 5 stars, as she has a way of developing and unfolding her characters to you slowly and surprisingly, which keeps me on the edge of my seat turning the pages!
RogerC42@aol.com
I'm currently reading the following books:
The Enemy by Lee Child. 5 stars.
I think his best book to date was The Killing Floor, which was the first Reacher novel but this one is just as good. A great story and fast paced. It keeps you turning the pages to find out what happens next.
First Blood by David Morrell. 5 stars.
Much better than the movie. The book is much more edge-of-your-seat suspense than the film, and I think it's much quicker-paced. It adds much to the story knowing what both Rambo and Teasdale are thinking and what is motivating them to do what they do.
Donna of New Berlin
By the Light of the Moon by Dean Koontz. 5 stars.
Dylan O'Conner (an artist), Shep (his 20-year-old autistic brother, and Jillian Jackson (comedian) all meet in the strangest way. They are all injected with a mysterious liquid and told it will either kill them or transform their lives in a remarkable way. Strange and wondrous things begin happening to them while they are on the run for their lives. It's very exciting!
Suzanne, Hornell, NY
Right now I'm on my second in the fantasy series by Eric Van Lustbader of the Pearl saga with The Veil of a Thousand Tears. The first book, The Ring of Five Dragons, absolutely hooked me, and I am enjoying the second book immensely. The funny thing is that I had no interest in the books at all until I read a small excerpt from the first, and that grabbed me in.
michellecallan77@hotmail.com
I am currently reading The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. I give it 5 stars. A great book!
vitale@grantsburgtelcom.net
I just finished My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. I cried my eyes out. Her books are fabulous, and this one is destined for my book club. She writes about a family caught in the worst catch-22. They have one daughter who is dying from acute leukemia, and they purposely had in vitro fertilization so their next daughter would be a perfect match. They harvest cord blood, lymphocytes and bone marrow from this second daughter over the next 13 years --- until she puts her foot down and says no to donating her kidney to her sister. It's a traumatic situation. As a mother myself, I was --- still am --- very angry at the mother in this book. She has all eyes on the sick daughter at all times and never stops to consider how this is affecting her younger daughter --- until it's too late. I won't spoil the ending, but I promise you'll be shaken by the conclusion. This is one of the absolute best books I've read in a long time. 5 stars.
Di in Wheaton, IL
Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels. 5 stars.
A 1997 first novel by a Canadian poet, this book is a beautiful read.
The Devil in the White City by Eric Larson. 4 stars.
This is nonfiction, but it reads like a novel. Great for trivia buffs and lovers of Chicago history.
drthomson@comcast.net
The Majors by John Feinstein. 5 stars.
If you love golf, you'll love this book.
High Country by Nevada Barr. 5 stars.
Excellent from beginning to end!
Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman by Elizabeth Buchan. 5 stars.
Particularly if you ARE a middle-aged woman.
johnclayton1@yahoo.com
Wit'ch Fire by James Clemens. 5 stars.
Very imaginative. An excellent story for a first novel by a writer. You really care for the main characters. You are captured by the magic it weaves. A wondrous world of legend and prophecy. All story from beginning to end. There are four more books in the series of The Banned and the Banished. I can't wait to read the others.
RAYSMUSIC@webtv.net
Taking Control of Your Diabetes by Dr. Steven Edelman. 4 stars.
Excellent information for any person facing this dreadful disease. Dr. Edelman has Type 1 and fully discusses both his type and 2 as well. Highly recommended.
The Monster Within: Facing an Eating Disorder by Cynthia Rowland McClure. 5 stars
A wonderful and very insightful read about the author's downward spiral into bulimia and her rise above it. If anyone suffers from any eating disorder, this is recommended reading. Fantastic!
Patricia of Cedar Hill, MO
I just finished Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. It was a really good book. I learned about India and many of their customs. It was an easy book to read, not like a lot of the books from India. America is also in this book as it is about two girls who grow up together and one moves to America (but there is a lot more to it than that).
I am now reading In a Dry Season by Peter Robinson. This is a suspense mystery and it got my attention really quickly.
Spizzyone@aol.com
Ain't She Sweet? by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. 5 stars.
A funny and sharp romance novel as only Phillips can write. She gives us every reason to despise the heroine, but by the end we love her. 5 stars.
Deb1teach@aol.com
I just read Just One Look by Harlan Coben and Sleeping Beauty by Phillip Margolin. Both are great summer suspense books. Fast reads, and I couldn't put them down.
lslott@optonline.net
Nighttime is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark. 3 stars.
A very enjoyable entry from the venerable Mary Higgins Clark. Jean Sheridan is going to her 20th high school reunion. What she doesn't know is that one of her fellow attendees is a serial killer, and Jean is next in his sights. As secrets are revealed, and members of the class begin disappearing, it becomes apparent that someone has vengeance on his mind. I love Clark. She is a long-time favorite, and even when her books aren't great, I enjoy reading them. This one is no exception.
maestraw@msn.com
Burro Genius is the poignant coming-of-age story of author Victor Villaseñor. Young Victor was ridiculed by his classmates, but more horrifically by his teachers through his elementary education. Mundo, as his family called him, works through his childhood anger with his strong faith and loving family.
As an adult, Victor was diagnosed with dyslexia, which explained his reading difficulties. I was moved to laughter and tears while reading. This is a must-read for educators everywhere. This book is a 5 out of 5. It will go on sale later this month.
BREEZYWRITER@aol.com
Three Junes by Julia Glass. 3 1/2 stars.
This was slow reading, but it's interesting the way she wove the individual stories together. It's also interesting giving a glimpse into a lifestyle I knew nothing about.
MECUSTER@aol.com
Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich. 2 stars.
A harmless piece of fluff, but not much to it.
Bettys1870@aol.com
A Death in Vienna by Daniel Silva. 4 stars.
This is the third book in a series that discusses the unfinished business of the Holocaust, Nazi art looting and the collaboration of Swiss Banks and the Catholic Church. If you enjoyed the mystery of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, you will like this book, and the second in the series, The Confessor, which I award 5 stars. The English Assassin is the first of the series. Each of these books is based loosely on actual events.
Diane in MA
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving.
A thought-provoking, bittersweet read. The relationships are fully formed. The cliche "It will make you laugh, it will make you cry" actually applies in this case.
A Death in Venice by Thomas Mann.
A character who can be compared to Silas Marner, Humbert Humbert, and other complex classics.
fishrs@mchsi.com
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. 5 stars.
This book was the best book I have ever read in my life. I believe it was so good because it was so powerful. The plot and characters made me think, brought me in and involved me in the story, and made a permanent impression on me. I have recommended the book to all of my friends and bought it for my sister. It is a book that will touch you on all levels.
2manybooks2go@earthlink.net
I just finished reading Night Train to Lisbon by Emily Grayson. Once again this author has written another little gem to be treasured. I gave it a 5 stars.
Susmu@aol.com
Right now I'm reading The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason. I'm about halfway through it, and I'm enjoying it very much. I would probably give it 5 stars, but I can't be sure until I finish it.
I have recently finished Happy All the Time by Laurie Colwin. I would give it a 3 1/2 stars. The women in the book are all very annoying and unlikeable. It does have a nice ending and the writing is very good.
I also recently read The Burglar Who Thought He Was Bogart by Lawrence Block. Very good, 4 stars I think.
I read Eventide in just a few days, even though I tried to make it last. I loved it, not as good as Plainsong but still great. Definitely 5 stars.
maestraw@msn.com
Busy month of May for this high school teacher. I did manage to get some good reads in, though:
Good Grief by Lolly Winston is about a young widow coming to terms with the death of her husband, and the re-birth of herself. 5 stars.
In Silence by Erica Spindler was slow getting started. It is about a vigilante-like group of townspeople who take it upon themselves to punish those who go against the norms of small-town life. 4 stars.
I had to read Monkeewrench by P. J. Tracy, because it was recommended to me by another voracious reader, almost a year ago. At any rate, although I had a little trouble keeping all the characters straight (too many police officers), I liked it. I already have Live Bait ready to read. Monkeewrench gets 4 stars.
A perfect read for vacation or anytime is Sophie Kinsella's Can You Keep a Secret? As one who is terrified of flying, I found myself laughing as the planes hits turbulence and the secrets spill out to a mysterious stranger. The secrets and the laughs continue throughout! This book gets 5 stars.
Sullivan's Law by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg is about Carolyn Sullivan, who is a probation officer. Carolyn finds out that her new probationer, Daniel, is a schizophrenic, a fact that was never mentioned during his trial. Worse yet, the evidence against him is incredibly flimsy --- there's a strong chance he's innocent. Why was this man imprisoned for a quarter of a century? But as Carolyn investigates Daniel's case, an attempt is made on both their lives … and Eddie Downly, carrying a grudge against her, is mistakenly released from prison! Now, Carolyn must protect her loved ones and see that justice is done … before it's too late.
My favorite read during May was Barbara Delinsky's The Summer I Dared. After narrowly escaping death, 40-something Julia realizes she was spared in order to do more with her life. The reader follows Julia as she recreates herself in Maine, with her aunt Zoe, daughter Molly, angora rabbits, and a lobsterman named Noah. 5 stars.
Blue Suburbia by Laurie Lico Albanese is a poignant story, written all in free verse. Albanese grew up in a blue-collar home, but "escaped" the blue-collar world with education, a good job, marriage, and a family. It is a moving book, although it does not take one long to finish. I rate it 4 stars.
bradylee@myway.com
The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. 5 stars.
I read this book because it was on the list of my book club for the month of June. This is one of the best novels I have read in my life, and the author has become the number two favorite of mine next to Pat Conroy. This story is filled with activity and incidents that touch your heart in many ways. It is about a 5 year old boy when the story begins and he is about 20 at the end. The lessons of life he has learned are profound and the accomplishments are many. Boxing is in much of the story, but yet the foundation of it all is the power each individual has to make his life what he wants of it. This book is 513 pages of reading joy. From researching Mr. Courtenay's (an Australian author, by the way) output it appears the title Tandia is a sequel to The Power of One, and the title April Fool's Day is a story of his life. Do yourself a favor and read this book as you will discover a new author who you will cherish.
Tsbrown62@aol.com
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. 5 stars.
Although I stayed mad at the mother character in this book, I could not put it down. Who knows what we would have done in the same situation. The ending was a complete surprise! I plan to read more Jodi Picoult.
Dcher
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. 5 stars.
I enjoyed it very much. A great premise.
TGreco@steptoe.com
I'm reading The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. I give this book 5++ stars. It is a very powerful and moving book. It made me take a closer look at my life. I would definitely recommend it.
bradylee@myway.com
Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer. 4 stars.
This is a story of the Mormon faith in general, but more specifically it is about Fundamentalist Mormons who are somewhat different and far more restricted. The list of "you can't do's" is unbelievable. The laws and requirements demanded are burdensome in my eyes and has nothing to do with pleasing God, but with pleasing the church officials. It is most interesting learning of the very beginnings of Mormonism and how the adherents had to move from place to place due to the neighbors' intolerance of the Mormons' ways. The political reality of the whole religion as well as the whole State of Utah is something else. Religion is a fascinating subject and always subjective; you will learn a lot about a major sect that is only about 174 years old if you read this book.
craigvdf@yahoo.com
I'm currently reading The Zero Game by Brad Meltzer.
And I've recently finished a few poker related books:
King of a Small World by Rick Bennet. 4 1/2 stars.
Much more than just a poker novel. It shows the ups and downs of playing poker for a living as well and the lifestyle that goes with it.
Positively Fifth Street by James McManus. 5 stars.
True story about a writer covering the World Series of Poker and the Binions murder trial. This was a well-timed read with the recent finish of the World Series of Poker.
ayancey@charter.net
Last Lessons of Summer by Margaret Maron. 4 stars.
This is the story of a woman named Amy who is 30, married and works with her father and half brothers and sister in her grandmother's company. Amy's famous grandmother is murdered, and since she is her heir, she must go to North Carolina. She is going to sell her grandmother's farm to developers to put an interstate through. Spending time packing up her grandmother's things, she starts asking questions not only about her murder, but also about her mother's suicide twenty-seven years earlier. Seeing relatives and meeting some she never knew, she slowly starts getting some answers to her questions. This mystery has a surprise ending. The book is well worth your time to read it.
Ruby from Garden City, MI
I am reading The Bear and the Dragon by Tom Clancy. I have been reading the Jack Ryan series out of order and it's very interesting that he is now the POTUS (President of the United States --- Clancy-speak). I want to go back and find out how he became the president. Very good book so far … I'm only on page 100 out of 1000. I'd give it 4 stars.
I can't wait to read Song of Susannah by Stephen King!!!
mvrdr@yahoo.com
The Soul Catcher by Alex Kava.
The third in the series, and a very suspenseful book! Books like this make me wish I had more time to read.
Ginnylazar@aol.com
I'm just about finished with The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, an unusual venture for Follett and a fascinating look at medieval life. It's a big book, but well worth the time.
Tmert9@cs.com
I am currently reading The Last Girls by Lee Smith. This is a great book for summer reading. 4 stars.
marylynrands@comcast.net
I'm catching up on all of Larry McMurtry. I'm currently reading Roads (4 stars) and Folly and Glory (4th in the Berrybender Saga, 5 stars). I love the way he writes.
Beauty by John O'Donohue. 5 stars.
Heart-lifting and hopeful, the idea that Beauty can renew our hope, compassion and serenity.
I'm rereading Candide by Voltaire. The words of this novel are still ringing in my mind after 40 years. 5 stars.
bb5153@yahoo.com
I read The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. 5 stars.
mj_brown@sympatico.ca
I am currently reading Woody Allen: A Biography by John Baxter. I expect a number of your readers wouldn't read anything about Allen on a bet. His movies are seldom big draws, and his personal life has not been portrayed as "wholesome." Allen has not been misunderstood. He is simply a genius in his field and draws animosity to those who don't buy in. I am, and have always been, a big fan of his satirical look at the people who make up this world. A big "4."
goghbot@sbcglobal.net
The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel. 4 stars!
About seven years ago someone told me to read this book because he thought I'd really enjoy it. Well, seven years later I finally did and was blown away.
KINDLEELF@aol.com
Sacred Time by Ursula Hegi. 4+ stars.
One spoken word changes a boy's life forever. Ursula Hegi also wrote Stones From the River that I would rate 5+ stars.
The High Druid of Shannara by Terry Brooks. 4+ stars.
If you have read the other books in the Shannara series, you will love this one too.
Fair is the Rose by Liz Curtis Higgs. 5 stars.
This follows Thorn in My Heart by the same author.
The Jester by James Patterson and Andrew Gross. 5 stars.
A little different from his usual subject. Very enjoyable.
White Devils by Paul McAuley. 5 stars.
Set some 30 years in the future. Genetic engineering gone amuck.
Heat of Passion by Harold Robbins. 5 stars.
If you can get past the main character's obsession with sex, the book is excellent.
The Analyst by John Katzenbach. 5 stars.
Richard Starks finds himself in a hate-filled game of cat and mouse
Deliver Us From Evil by Sean Hannity. 5++ stars.
He is well-informed and certainly recognizes that evil does exist and that we must be vigilant in wiping it out.
The Murder Room by P.D. James. 4+ stars.
The first mystery I have read by this author. I will have to find more.
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. 5 stars.
At the center is a deaf mute, John Singer, who becomes the confidant of various misfits yearning to escape from their stunted lives.
Last Car to Elysian Fields by James Lee Burke. 4+ stars.
The Opposite of Fate by Amy Tan. 5 stars.
Musings of Amy Tan in real life.
Homeland by John Jakes. 5 stars.
I had read The Kent Family Chronicles, and this is every bit as well-written.
susanrjensen@yahoo.com
Nighttime is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark. 4 stars.
Jean Sheridan, a prominent historian and author, reluctantly returns to her hometown to attend her 20-year high school reunion. Although she hadn't planned to attend, preferring to bury painful memories, someone is luring her there by threatening someone she loves. As the reunion progresses, Jean finds herself in the middle of a nightmare, where someone she knows is killing members of her high school class --- and she may be next.
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. 5 stars.
Picoult is one of my favorite authors, and I think her newest is definitely one of her best. The story centers on Anna, a 13-year-old girl who was created to be the perfect genetic donor for her sister, who has a rare form of leukemia. Anna sues her parents over the rights to her own body, almost tearing her family apart in the process. A powerful, gripping novel about family, sisterhood, and sacrifice. Excellent!
megalon22@yahoo.com
The Lake House by James Patterson. 5 stars.
This book is a quick read and held my interest throughout. The premise is complete science fiction --- a departure from the usual writing that Patterson publishes. I look for a sequel to come out soon.
Ptclayton2@aol.com
Losing the Moon by Patti Callahan Henry.
I just started reading this book as I received it from a wonderful lady at a site where I am a romance book club participant. She gave it a great review, so I am excited to be getting to the meat of the book.
DancingGram7@aol.com
I am presently reading Some Days There's Pie by Catherine Landis. This book is about Ruth and Rose. Ruth is a runaway wife from Tennessee and Rose is an elderly reporter in North Carolina. When Ruth faints from hunger at the North Carolina Five and Dime, Rose, a feisty elderly reporter, rescues her. Ruth can never disguise her need for a mother's love, and in Ruth she finds someone who refuses to see old age as a handicap and gives her life a new purpose. Humor and sadness gives this book some unforgettable stories about Rose in her younger days. 4 stars.
John1rosie@aol.com
The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by Jose Saramago. 5 stars.
How could it be accorded fewer? I picked the book for the writing and I was not disappointed. In every chapter of the first 175 or so pages, Mr. Saramago shows himself to be a writer of vast superiority, a writer who was worthy of the Nobel Prize he had won. But his creativity is not infinite. The major occupation of the final 200 or so pages is all about the challenges of plot. In sports, there are occasions in which a team or athlete builds up an early lead that carries them or him passed unmet challenges to eventual victory. So too in fiction writing, we may find an example of a writer creating so much admiration in the early stages of the game that by game's end even an eventually less than fully enchanted judge must accord the author, fully, a five-star victory. My thanks and admiration, Mr. Saramago.
FalseMillennium@aol.com
I am reading:
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
World Hotel by Reetika Vazirani
My Life Among the Serial Killers by Helen Morrison
No Woman, No Cry by Rita Marley
simecka@comcast.net
I came across a box of books that I hadn't found in years. What a find, I thought I lost them. So I have re-read this week so to speak.
A Separate Peace by John Knowles. 5 stars.
It was a favorite of mine and on the required reading list in school in the 1960s. I still found the same enjoyment as I did all those years ago.
Uncollected Poems, The Bell Jar, and Letters Home by Sylvia Plath. 5 stars.
These works left a much different impression on me than they had earlier in my life. I know I have changed with age, but I still found the works great and holding a new meaning than before.
Anonymous
I am currently reading The Last Days by Joel Rosenberg. It is the sequel to The Last Jihad. Both books are real page turners. They are excellent political fiction with great plots and subplots. Mr. Rosenberg should be compared to Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, and Dan Brown.
BEVBOOKS@aol.com
Wash and Wear by Bill Stackhouse. 5 stars.
Number 4 in the Ed McAvoy mystery series. When a bank teller and the owner of a small print shop is killed and Ed finds a stack of counterfeit money that he has printed, it has MOB written all over it. When Heather Larrabee, one of McAvoy's police officers, kills a known mob hitman, and herself becomes a target for murder, the pace really picks up. Count on Stackhouse for a lively, entertaining mystery.
To Wake the Dead by Richard Laymon. 4 stars.
The late, great Richard Laymon was at his very best in this story of a mummy-come-to-life. The multiple parallel plots that seem to be unlikely parts of the same story converge into a very satisfactory ending after nail-biting terror and loss of a whole night's sleep to finish it.
Mr. Paradise by Elmore Leonard. 4 stars.
This is typical, vintage Elmore Leonard with his quirky characters and a keep-you guessing plot. Tony Paradiso, an 84-year-old fan of Minnesota football, and his $5,000 per month ex-call girl cheerleader, are killed; it looks like a professional hit. Then Kelly, the lingerie model who came with Chloe that night, is pressed to switch identities with the dead girl so that Mr. Paradise's right hand man can have access to whatever the old man left in his will for Chloe, and she tells the police officer who is investigating. The action goes into double time.
DStegmanCrawford@aol.com
Death Match by Lincoln Child. 5 stars.
He co-wrote Relic and several other books with Douglas Preston, and singled on another great novel, Utopia. This book is great! A company has perfected the "dating game" by matching couples based on psychological as well as physical evaluation. Several "supercouples" are identified --- they match their loved one 100%. Something goes wrong and two of the supercouples have been found dead --- murder-suicide. A former FBI psych profiler is called in to investigate. This is great reading folks!! Don't miss it.
justme@xmission.com
I just read What About the Love Part by Stephanie Rosenfeld. This was a great collection of short stories and I would HIGHLY recommend anyone read it! I came upon it quite by accident; I liked what I read on the back of the book at the bookstore and I am SO GLAD that I found it! Definitely 5 stars!
I am reading a memoir by Martha Tod Dudman called Augusta, Gone. This author is SO delightful! She tells it "like it is" and every page just makes me want to read MORE! I could SO relate because I, like the author, raised kids alone. She raised two and I raised six. Her book made me more inspired to continue with my OWN story. This book is a New York Times Bestseller that I'd never heard. I can certainly see why and would suggest EVERYONE take the time to read this one! A 5-star FOR SURE --- and more if that's possible.
DStegmanCrawford@aol.com
Derailed by James Siegel. 5 stars.
This is a great story. A guy gets on a train one day and gets "off track" because he meets a mysterious woman. Don't miss this one!! You will need to use this work in everyday conversation ever after.
Just One Look by Harlan Coben. 3 stars.
It was OK. It seemed just like his last book and went on too long. A woman gets her pictures from the store, her hubby sees one and takes off. What is going on? My reply: who cares? Although the book was fast paced, I was disappointed. It was just like No Second Chance and Tell No One. Don't bother.
Disturb Not the Dream by Paula Trachtman. 4 stars.
Wow! This was a very twisted and disturbing novel. It had everything from incest to murder. I'd give it 4 stars only because the ending was predictable. It was a quick, fun afternoon read.
Josephine Anna Kaszuba Locke
Mitigating Circumstances was a disappointing read, considering the excerpt on the book jacket had promise. Dramatic words with no drama, moving very slowly from the beginning, into the middle and to the end. Author Nancy Taylor Rosenberg offers a repetitious tale of reminiscences, sadness and anger --- a romance more than a mystery.
The chief character is an ambitious yet troubled L.A. District Attorney Lillian (Lily) Forrester. She has an open door to reach her goal as an appointed judge.
As a couple, John and Lily Forrester are in a non-loving marriage, with a disturbed 13-year old daughter Shana. Not in control as she once thought, Lily's destructive past involving her grandfather evolves a vengeful, angry woman to the brink of mental explosion. Her rage is released by committing a haunting crime to avenge a current unspeakable tragedy imposed upon herself and daughter Shana.
Although a little rough around the edges, the best character, Detective Cunningham, offers the read some zing with some humor, concerns, actions and the desire to leave L.A. and return to Omaha, a much saner environment. A murder committed and a sketch of a person observed at the scene of the crime raises Detective Cunningham's suspicions as the sketch resembles District Attorney Forrester.
The author does not complete the story of husband John --- his path taken just disappears; a chapter devoted to daughter Shana in which her rage from tragic events is described does not continue to the conclusion. The ending of the book is "different" from what a reader would expect, especially from the justice system.
I did enjoy one expression: "The train had finally derailed and the cars were all overturned. All that remained was the baggage." This read is like a train that never picks up speed, consistently changes tracks, and the baggage is lost.
bencanada1@yahoo.com
The Ghost of Hannah Mendes by Naomi Ragen. 5 stars.
An interesting, fascinating and wonderful novel about a family and their background and history that develops during the Spanish Inquisition and is traced to the United States and the family here. We are introduced to the major characters who are on a quest to see the meaning in their lives and how this will affect them and their future. Fabulous.
SN from El Sobrante
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. 2 1/2 stars.
I liked the purposely disjointed chapters that mirrored the character's experiences, although there seemed to be some inconsistencies in the plotline.
The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl. 3 stars.
More literary than your average mystery; it inspired me to purchase and read Dante's Inferno simultaneously.
The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith. 3 1/2 stars.
This fourth book in the Mme. Ramotswe series is more uplifting and ends on a more promising note than the last.
thenson@mit.midco.net
I recently read Deadly Omen by Marilyn Meredith. This was a sit on the edge of your seat type suspense book that I would highly recommend. 4 stars.
I also recently read Staying Single by Millie Criswell (5 stars) and Mad About Mia by Millie Criswell (5 stars). If you like to smile and laugh while you read, these are two books you would probably like. These are romance stories with a highly humorous twist to them!
FtLicky@aol.com
I just finished reading University Hospital by Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld. A wonderful book in the University Hospital series, about five teens who are offered the chance to spend time at a hospital, before they go pre-med. 5 stars.
I'm currently reading University Hospital: Condition Critical by Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld, which is the sequel to University Hospital, and just as fast-paced and exciting! 5 stars.
Bberrycrk@aol.com
A Midwife's Tale by Gretchen Moran Laskas. 4 stars.
Book Lust by Nancy Pearl. 4 stars.
Peace at Heart by Barbara Drake. 4 stars.
Newcrain@aol.com
The Dive from Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer. 5 stars.
I love the Madison, Wisconsin setting and landmarks Lake Mendota and Picnic Point. This is a sad, sad story though of a young woman coping with her fiancee's accident. Great characterization.
ALILabRat@aol.com
The book I just finished was The Carousel by Richard Paul Evans. This book has been around for a while. I enjoyed reading it and will now pick up other books by this author. It was a great introduction for me to this authors work.
geobarb@sccoast.net
Nighttime is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark. 5 stars.
Another great story from this author. I have enjoyed reading all her books.
joswood@adiis.net
The Narrows by Michael Connelly. 4 stars.
Harry Bosch is back, out of retirement, and ready to find the serial killer who is called The Poet. He has the help of FBI Agent Rachel Walling, a woman who tried to capture this killer in an earlier book titled The Poet by the same author. It was a compelling read, although I wish I had reread The Poet before I read this one. It would have helped understand the motivations of the characters a little better.
The Enemy by Lee Child. 4 stars.
I loved Persuader by Child, but I didn't like this new book as well. We do get better acquainted with this "superman" Jack Reacher. The author allows us peeks of his childhood and of his parents. Hearing about the background of his mother helps us to understand why Reacher is the strong character that he is. However, I got bogged down at the end with all that was explained about the mysterious killings. It was confusing and somewhat convoluted. I'm still not sure I have it straight. All in all, though, this is a good read.
pajead05@bellsouth.net
I have just started (only four chapters in) Robert McCammon's Gone South. I'm hooked! Set in Louisiana's bayous, it is the story of a Vietnam vet suffering from a terminal illness, who kills a man in a moment of insanity and flees to the bayou. The police and bounty hunters are after him. The tone of the book is southern gothic and written so well that you feel as if you are there in the heat of a Louisiana summer. Based on what I have read so far, I'm giving it 5 stars.
NEPR@aol.com
The Summons by John Grisham.
Not as good or as exciting as several of his other books, but if you miss the clues (as I did) it has a surprise ending.
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.
In spite of the fact that this book has a little more history of the sacred feminine than I am interested in, it's a real thriller that kept me reading to see what happened.
The Garden Flamingo
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult is a 4-star read that makes you look at family expectation and duties in a very different light. It used to be that parents had absolute control over children --- even adults (parents) make questionable choices and decisions.
Peggy from Succasunna
Right now I am reading Atonement by Ian McEwan. It is taking a while to get into it, but my girlfriend swears that it will get better. 2 stars so far.
I am also reading Sushi for Beginners by Marian Keyes. My son gave me this book for Mother's Day. 3 stars so far.
Divaknc@aol.com
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane. 4 stars.
A very good thriller and a real page turner. I liked it better than Mystic River.
relenagoulde@yahoo.com
A Hole in Texas by Herman Wouk. 4 stars.
Take Me, Take Me With You by Lauren Kelly. 3 stars.
On Top of the World by Tom Barbash. 4 stars.
Disarming Iraq by Hans Blix. 5 stars.
abromber@optonline.net
I just finished reading two great books: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides and The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich.
bradylee@myway.com
Among Schoolchildren by Tracy Kidder. 4 stars.
The Kelly School in Holyoke, Massachusetts is where the action is 90% of the time in this nonfiction story of days in the life of a schoolteacher by the name of Chris Zajac. The majority of the students are children from blue collar workers and a number of Puerto Ricans. Clarence and Robert take up much of the teacher's time and you would have to read this to find out why. Yet Judith, Alice and Arabella (all females … wouldn't you know it?) make the teacher profession the joy that it is … usually. This is a great book to read for anyone who is considering becoming a teacher, as it gives you day-to-day challenges for preparation and conducting classes in a grade school in a small town. A fine read.
Anonymous
I just finished reading Harlan Coben's new book, Just One Look. I could not put it down and read it in one afternoon. It was one of the best mystery/thrillers I have read --- and I have read many.
BREEZYWRITER@aol.com
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. 4 stars.
This was an unusual book. Part mystical, part coming-of-age, part western-type good vs. evil. Like I say -- unusual!
maestraw@msn.com
I just finished two books this weekend. The first was Flashback by Jenny Siler. "Eve" does not know who she is, but she quickly finds out she is in danger. The book is full of twists and turns, and kept me guessing until the end. I give it 3 stars.
I also read Judith Guest's The Tarnished Eye. This one is also a mystery. A very wealthy family is brutally murdered, and there are many suspects to the slaying. It is a real whodunit and kept me guessing until the end. I really enjoyed this departure from Ordinary People, and would rate it 4 stars.
bradylee@myway.com
To Swim Across the World: A Novel by Frances and Ginger Park. 4 stars.
On the front flyleaf it says: "A Family Story Retold As Fiction: An Extraordinary Novel." I do believe that 90% of this story is true and it is the first book I have read depicting life in Korea during WWII, after, and what transpired between North and South Korea. This is more the story of two young people; a boy by the name of Sei-Young and a girl named Heisook. They do not meet until about page 130, so one chapter is about the boy and the next chapter is told by the girl and it is about their home life day to day. You understand the mores of Koreans and it is most different from America, as you could imagine. An interesting book? Absolutely. There is a lot of emotion here that creates values in the reading.
mueller_holly@hotmail.com
The Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg. 4 stars.
Elizabeth Berg has a way of expressing what lots of people feel in a poignant, effective voice. I liked what she had to say about the perspective of different members of the same family and what they each experience. It's as if they were all raised by a different set of parents. Fascinating.
MHaury@da2nd.state.nm.us
This month I read some terrific books:
The 37th Hour by Jodi Compton.
A gripping police procedural. I hope we hear more from Compton and her protagonist, Sarah Pribek.
Educating Alice by Alice Steinbach.
This was an inspiring and "educating" set of travel pieces written by a female reporter "of a certain age" (not old, though).
Codex by Lev Grossman.
This literary thriller was engrossing and had just enough esoteric details to make the reader feel smart!
jlmartin7@cfl.rr.com
I just finished Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. I give it 5 stars!
I've just started reading Lucky's Lady by Tami Hoag.
John1rosie@aol.com
The Scarlet Letters by Louis Auchincloss. 5 stars.
Why else read Louis Auchincloss except for great writing? Yes, he does throw in the occasional God-awful awkward sentence. Great writing is not necessarily perfect writing, if that exists. The vocabulary, the pace and the tone are to be appreciated. Mr. A. writes about people whom we can never hope to be. They live in social strata that are generally above and beyond even our view. But their problems are as real to them as any we might find or face. His characters live. This novel has to do with ethical and moral relativism. Those who demand that justice triumph may find themselves challenged to reconsider. Mr. A. is hardly of cowardly intellect. Catholics, Jews, and women of modern times may be offended by the world he describes. Negros, Latins and those from the Mediterranean countries do not yet exist there. Readers who absolutely insist on a multi-racial, multi-ethnic setting must go elsewhere. That is their loss. To miss Louis Auchincloss is to miss reading a very gifted writer. To miss the world he writes about is to miss a world that was, if not in some places, continues to be, what some might call the real and powerful America.
dvolkenannt@charter.net
The Body of David Hayes by Ridley Pearson. 5 stars.
Pearson delivers again with another rollercoaster crime thriller about Detective Lou Boldt.
Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich. 5 stars.
Another Stephanie Plum novel, filled with quirky characters who will make you laugh out loud, two love interests to heat things up, and lots of twists that will keep you guessing.
With a Vengeance by Eileen Dreyer. 5 stars.
Another thriller by Dreyer about Maggie O'Brien. With a Vengeance is written with wonderful humor and lots of twists and turns.
djfarris62@bellsouth.net
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. 4 stars.
I found this novel to be interesting because it is a mystery from a different angle.
Jan Keith from Texas
I have just finished Against All Enemies by Richard Clarke and it is a great book! Very well written and moves quickly. Not a dull moment anywhere in the book. Highly recommended.
I also just finished The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason, and was terribly disappointed. Dull, boring and not at all what I thought it would be. I don't understand what all the fuss is about this book.
megalon22@yahoo.com
The Winter Mantle by Elizabeth Chadwick. 4 stars.
This book is a historical novel set in medieval times. The story covers the time of William the Conqueror through the Crusades and follows two families --- that of Waltheof of Huntingdon and Simon de Senlis. All of these "characters" were real, although liberties were taken in writing this work of fiction. I really enjoyed this book because it was a departure from what I normally read.
PFLucas@aol.com
Eventide by Kent Haruf. 5 stars.
A masterful sequel to the bestseller Plainsong. Kent Haruf returns to the small community of Holt, Colorado and continues the story of the McPheron brothers who operate a cattle ranch outside of town. Haruf writes a compelling story of the intertwining lives of the townspeople. Throughout the book I found myself at times smiling at the humor and admiring the resilience of the characters.
Three Weeks with My Brother by Nicholas Sparks and Micah Sparks. 4 stars.
A memoir written by the bestselling author Nicholas Sparks and his brother, Micah, describes an around-the-world adventure as they recall their childhood and families. It is humorous, thought-provoking, and includes personal photos.
dawnymae5@msn.com
I am just finishing Firestorm by Iris Johansen. I honestly was a little disappointed with this book. It didn't seem to hold the same intense plot that she usually has. I am enjoying it, but I only give it 3 stars.
Gramanik2001@comcast.net
I just finished Mystic River by Dennis Lehane. This is a story of three childhood friends who go separate ways after an unpleasant experience occurs for one of the boys. Their lives intersect again in adulthood when one of the men's daughter is murdered. All the characters in this book are interesting and I found myself completely absorbed in their world. I give the book 4 stars. In fact, I can't wait to rent the DVD this weekend.
Britadon@aol.com
Shout Down the Moon by Lisa Tucker. 4 stars.
This is a very insightful story about a young girl who is trying to get her life on track despite some bad influences. A story of spunk and suspense and love that holds the reader's attention to the end.
Once Upon a Town by Bob Greene. 3 stars.
This is an interesting true story about North Platte, Nebraska and how the people of the town welcomed the troop trains throughout World War II. It did tend to get repetitious towards the end.
Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella. 3 stars.
This is Chick Lit that will probably appeal to those who like this type of literature.
The Princes of Ireland by Edward Rutherford. 3 stars.
This is another of Rutherford's long undertakings that has some interesting information about Ireland, but it would be so much better if it were shorter. Personally, I think that he should write something like this in two books to intrigue the reader to read the next book rather than to hope that the end will come sometime.
John1rosie@aol.com
The Human Stain by Philip Roth. Zero stars.
I saw the movie. Later, at a library book sale, I saw the hardcover edition on sale for two dollars. The edition looked unread. Let's see, I thought, what the author did and how he did it. The money price for the book seemed to be very good indeed. The value of my reading time exceeded the value of the book. I gave up at page forty-four. By page forty-four the narrator talked to himself too much of the time. Faunia was already too far down the road of hopeless ineffectuality. A Stepford Wife without marriage certificates or batteries, wardrobe or education. Coleman Sike was not going to make a difference. He was not going to save anyone. No one was going to save him. His taking Viagra and having sex at age seventy-one was not going to make him interesting. The wife (Fiona) abusing Lester Farley already came from trite and boring clay. But more than all of that, don't you too just hate it when you pick up your book and find yourself yawning before you finish the sentences?
Annabelle973@aol.com
The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier. 4 1/2 stars.
Her first book of four, this is a very good story and reading it motivated me to read all of her others.
Sickened by Julie Gregory. 5 stars.
The true story of a victim of Munchhausen by Proxy, and told by that victim. Her story is captivating and she tells it extremely well. I found this to be an incredible book and could hardly put it down.
Losing Julia by Jonathan Hull. 5 stars.
Hull is a fantastic writer, and this book was just wonderful! Told from the perspective of an elderly World War I veteran, the plot is a beautiful love story. So much is told about that war that I found the book very informative --- without being dry and boring. I recommend Losing Julia very highly.
The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier. 3 stars.
After reading her first three books, I found this one a real disappointment. There was some irony in the story and a few interesting plot details, but overall I just didn't care for this book and had to make myself finish it.
Jedge9@aol.com
The Secret Lives of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. 5 stars.
A wonderfully written, enriching coming-of-age novel set during the Civil Rights movement of 1964. Kidd's narration virtually lifts off the page and enters the room and consumes the reader.
Lucky by Alice Sebold. 4 stars.
A must-read for anyone, as it helps the reader feel the devastation of random violence in the hopes that readers will be better prepared to understand a victim's pain. Sebold's personal account of her triumph over violence gives families of trauma victims an insight into their pain.
bradylee@myway.com
A Drinking Life: A Memoir by Pete Hamill. 5 stars.
This is one magnificent memoir written by one of my favorite authors, which means I am prejudiced. Everything starts when he can remember at age 4 and goes to approximately his middle 40s. At a very young age he hated drunkenness as his father spent most of his family's money and time at bars drinking in New York City. However, in his early teens he was introduced to wine at a 3-week summer camp in upper New York State. Pete was always interested in drawing, and the first third of the book relates to that interest. He always did well in school even though he messed around much of the time. He became a playboy during his adult years yet worked all the time, and this is a most interesting part of his story. He also finally realizes his wayward ways at the end of the book and straightens up and flies right. A wonderful life story by a talented and interesting writer. A must-read quite frankly.
blueunicorn1974@yahoo.com
I am reading a great book! It is called Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris. Although this is an "older" novel and was made into a popular movie, the book is intriguing. I didn't expect to like it as much as I have, because I've seen the movie and thought it was overhyped. I can't wait now to read Hannibal as I have not seen the movie.
tfranzen2124@comcast.net
I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason by Susan Kandel. 4 stars.
A good read and a climbing new series. I really enjoyed the lead and will be eager to watch the development and encourage mystery/detective readers to look for this one.
The View from the Summerhouse by Barbara Whitnell. 4 stars.
An oldie, but a really good WWII, England in war, romance/historical fiction.
RAYSMUSIC@webtv.net
Sixteen by Megan McCafferty. 4 stars so far.
Remember what it was like to be 16 years old? I'm enjoying this book so far, and the stories are really unique to what it is like to be that tender young age.
Sisselmans@aol.com
The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama. 5 stars.
A gentle story of loving and caring with a little history of Japan's invasion of China and a lot of information on people living with leprosy.
Peony by Pearl Buck. 5 stars.
Another story of China, but this one shows how the Jews of China were absorbed into the Chinese culture and ultimately became extinct.
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