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dixmil@yahoo.com
5 BIG stars for The Dogs Who Came to Stay by George Pitcher. One of the most moving books I've read in a long time. Two bachelors adopt two "mutts," Lupa and her baby son Remus, and we go from there. From two voyages on the QEII to just being at home in the yard, the reader can't help but be a part of the lives of both the bachelors and the dogs. Pitcher has a beautiful writing style, and at poignant moments of the story he has written a poem for that occasion. It's a quick read but a wonderful story. Don't miss it!
gloriadei@tcei.com
I've just finished The Women's Murder Club books by James Patterson --- 1st to Die, 2nd Chance, 3rd Degree and 4th of July. Great, fast, fun reading. I also enjoyed Honeymoon very much. They are outside of my typical genre, so that was fun!
I just picked up The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, and just started it --- so we'll see if it is worth the hype. So far, so good!
I recommend The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger as a FABULOUS summer read --- very different and great. Also The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I know these two are popping up on everyone's list, but they are two of the most provacative books I've read in 10 years!
My book club has recently discovered Ann Patchett. We love the body of her books, but dislike the endings --- it's like she gets tired of writing, and just ends.
And a read that I'm finding interesting that I heard about on public radio is At Day's Close: Night in Times Past by A. Roger Ekirch, which is a really interesting history on night and how cultures shifted by being able to light our world.
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith is OUTSTANDING on CD. If you are a fan, it is worth a listen!
BeccaQueen@aol.com
I just finished Cover the Butter by Carrie Kabak. This is a 5-star read. The characters are so well-drawn, especially Kate, the lead character. If I were to recommend just one novel this summer, right now this would be it. In fact, I may have to read it again. Lots of subtlety and an intriguing plot. I can't wait for Kabak's next book!
MHaury@da2nd.state.nm.us
The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson. 4 1/2 stars.
This book was terrific! It is a mystery, but that is beside the point. It is really a character study of the finest kind. The author is a master at evoking a character's essence with a few lines of dialogue. And what dialogue! It is witty, dry and subtle. The ending is unexpected, but by no means out of left field. The jacket states that this is to be the beginning of a series, and I sure hope so. The adventures of small town Wyoming sheriff Walt Longmire were truly fascinating.
The Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg. 2 stars.
This was tricky --- it was ok while I was reading it, but then afterwards it was just annoying. The main character, Betta, seemed like a narcissistic taker and much of the plot was totally implausible. I've liked this author's other works, but cannot recommend this one.
tomjac0850@charter.net
I am reading a somewhat unusual book titled Three Record Muskies in His Day: The Life and Times of Louie Spray by John Dettloff (with Louie Spray). This is the type of book that would probably be of interest mainly to people in Northern Wisconsin, die-hard musky fishermen, and those readers who enjoy a good tale that mixes a fair amount of legend with historical facts.
It is unusual that Louie Spray was able to catch not just one, but three world record muskies in his lifetime, since this is the fish many anglers refer to as "the fish of 10,000 casts." Fishing for muskies all day and not catching one is normal. Fishing all week and having no luck is not unusual. I have heard of people who have fished for years and never caught a legal sized musky. Personally, I fished for many years before I caught one of legal size (34 inches at the time). These are frightening fish, immensely strong, mean-tempered, having a wicked, barracuda-like set of teeth, and that are known to attack swimmers on rare occasions.
This book is of particular interest to me because of the number of people mentioned who I have known personally (though Louie was not one of them). He mentions many places I have visited, lakes I have fished, and even includes many photographs of places familiar to me (including one in which he is fishing with the doctor who delivered me).
Even a reader not particularly interested in fishing may find Louie's description of the hard life he grew up in of interest. He was born in 1900, became a lumberjack at an early age, caught his first world record musky at age 11, and has many interesting stories of the hardships growing up in the days of Prohibition, the Roaring '20s, World Wars I and II, and The Great Depression. 5 stars.
DKRnj@aol.com
The Red Hat Club Rides Again by Haywood Smith. 5 stars.
Very good story of a group of friends and how they act and react with each other. I will be sure to read the author's next book in this series when it it published.
Happy Are the Merciful by Andrew W. Greeley. 4 stars.
A Bishop Blackie Ryan story. Very interesting, as usual.
mad4gc@comcast.net
A brilliant first novel, Cover the Butter is superbly written and filled with humor, crisp dialogue, and clear-eyed descriptions that will leave the reader gasping with pleasure. Kabak doesn't merely tell you about Provence; she takes your hand and leads you so close you can smell the lavender and feel the sun on your skin. Her unique voice and poignant prose will linger in your mind long after you've turned the last page. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a book as much as this one, and I look forward eagerly to Carrie Kabak's next novel.
Chamorgn@cs.com
I just finished a book titled Star Light Star Bright by Charlotte Mae and it was one of the most climactic books I have ever read. This is the third of her books and I think it is her best so far. Yes, she is unknown, but her work is unlike any other author. All her female characters are strong and liberated, she makes me proud to be female. Looking for a happy ending? Look no farther. Charlotte Mae helps you to feel what she writes; her new book is now ready for publication and I can't wait to read it.
maestraw@msn.com
I did not like The Bright Forever by Lee Martin. I felt Martin was trying to cash in on the success of The Lovely Bones, but his story left me wanting more. It was not in the same league. I would rate it a 2.
DENA
Lara by Bertrice Small. 5 stars.
Bertrice is a wonderful writer who gets your interest from the first page to the last. She creates a new world, Hetar, with her book Lara. It's a great read that you will not want to put down as you learn all about this magical world, Hetar, and its heroine, Lara.
Oceans of Fire by Christine Feehan. 4 stars.
This is the story of Abigail Drake, the third daughter in a family of seven gifted sisters. Her life work with dolphins gives us a little information about them that is extra to the great story. Out of all her sisters she feels that her gift or just herself is flawed. The story is a wonderful suspense mystery that I didn't want to put down.
dani@newvisiontechnologies.net
I couldn't stop reading the second in a new series by Nora Roberts: Black Rose. While it wasn't as good as the first, Blue Dahlia, it was a great read. 4 stars.
danidelage@gmail.com
I listened to the audio version of The Ivy Chronicles by Karen Quinn. It was fairly amusing, especially the ironic character names used by the author. The ending was predictable but the events during the story was innovative. 4 stars.
nunu@cogeco.ca
Just finished reading Devil's Corner by Lisa Scottoline. I would give this 3 stars. It was slowgoing at first, but did pick up towards the end. I was disappointed in this one because I loved all her other books with the law firm. In this book the main character was in law enforcement.
harrises@bayou.com
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. 2 stars.
This story was just too slow for me...it is more of a thinking man's book, with symbolism in many of the passages. I can see how it won an award but I need more of a story.
Haneymeh@aol.com
I love Barbara Parker's books with lawyers Gail Conner and Anthony Quintana. The latest one, Suspicion of Rage, takes place in Cuba. It tells details of daily life under Castro's regime. It delivers a strong political thriller, plus a look at families whose ties withstand the divisions of politics and geography: Conner being a part of old Miami, and Quintana a Cuban-American. I give it 5 stars.
MIZJANE@aol.com
A year ago I read a review of a book called The Laments by George Hagen. It appealed to me and I bought it in hardback and added it to my ever growing stack by the bed of books. If I had known it was this good I would have read it before the others. It's the story of a very eccentric couple who have a child switched at birth and their life together traveling all over the globe as the husband is transferred from country to country. The son, Will, is a most unusual boy who is so lovable. The parents go on to have terrible twin boys who only add to the already hilarious scenario of this globe trotting family and all the quirky things that happen to them in their travels. It's a MUST READ for those of you who like well written books that have a twist of humor and wonderful characters. It might even be out in quality paperback by now!
5 stars all the way!!!!
mbunting@sbcglobal.net
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. 4 stars.
Though technically a kids' book, this is a fun read for adults too. A prequel to Peter Pan, this will tell you how Peter learned to fly, how Captain Hook lost his hand, where the Lost Boys came from, and a lot more.
The Breakdown Lane by Jacquelyn Mitchard. 4 1/2 stars.
Hearbreaking and uplifting at the same time. You'll love how some of the characters get their comeuppance. Fabulous!
Rosie Dunne by Cecelia Ahern. 4 stars.
Ahern's second novel, not as good as the first because the title character is a bit of an idiot. But fun to read nevertheless.
s.hughes@rocketmail.com
I just finished The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd, and it was a fast read; a good book, but not as good as The Secret Life of Bees. The main character did a lot of soul-searching to finally find out she had what lots of women never have --- a good solid marriage. 4 stars.
I am currently reading an early Oprah pick and one that our book club picked for the month of July. It's A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines. A very good book so far and probably a classic that should be required reading in school. 5 stars.
Cloish049@aol.com
I just finished reading The Big Love by Sarah Dunn. This was a quick read, and very funny. 4 stars.
lorih001@yahoo.com
This month I am reading or have read:
The Red Hat Club and The Red Hat Club Rides Again by Haywood Smith. Both I would give 4 1/2 stars.
Both books were completely enjoyable.
The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe. 5 stars.
I loved this book. The characters were completely heartwarming and the story just about had me crying at the end.
Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich. 4 stars.
Another good, quick read by one of the best!
Sushi for Beginners by Marian Keyes. 2 stars.
I couldn't even finish this book. Terribly boring.
MarshaNee@adelphia.net
The Turquoise Ring by Grace Tiffany. 4 stars.
The author, who is a professor of Shakespeare and Renaissance Drama, revisits Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice from the perspective of five women and offers a radical new portrait of one of the most controversial characters in literature: Shylock the moneylender.
BlindlyBookish@aol.com
Jane and the Stillroom Maid by Stephanie Barron. 4 1/2 stars.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman. 5 stars.
awelmore@bellsouth.net
My Book Group just finished reading Good Grief by Lolly Winston. This book shows how grief is such a personal response to death for each of us. 4 stars.
I also just finished The Bird Artist by Howard Norman. I never really saw the point in any of it. Hard to get any feel for the characters. 3 stars.
RBailleu@aol.com
I am currently rereading Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. I love this book and how she weaves the characters lives together. If you hated Poisonwood Bible (our bookclub did) don't give up. This is a different, although detailed, read. 4 stars.
I finished The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. Lovely light read, although I am getting tired of the four-women genre. 3 stars.
On my pile is Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares. Although aimed at teens, these books are a great read (although four women again).
Don't know if this fits, but my son (6) and I are reading all the Geronimo Stilton books. These are fun for grown-ups too!
Aileen in Methuen, MA
Three Weeks With My Brother by Nicholas Sparks. 5 stars. (Audio)
I don't usually read memoirs, but since I like Sparks, I gave it a shot. I loved this story! It has stayed with me since I listened to it.
A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks. 4 stars.
Beautiful and tragic love story. Brought me to tears!
chicki@flash.net
Right now I'm reading Playing with Boys by Alisa Valdez-Rodriguez. It's a great, funny read with the same insight into Latino culture as The Dirty Girls' Social Club. I recommend it wholeheartedly.
tuatara@sbcglobal.net
My 13-year-old son and I are reading the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. 5 stars!! The first two books in the series are a blast. The Amulet of Samarkand introduces Bartimaeus, a 5,000-year-old djinni with a wry and hilarious dislike of human magicians, who summons Bartimaeus and others of his kind into magical servitude. Nathaniel is the young apprentice out to get revenge on Lovelace, a morally bankrupt magician who will stop at nothing to get ULTIMATE POWER.
The next book, The Golem's Eye, brings Nathaniel and Bartimaeus together again, this time to stop a shadowy figure who has created a destructive force that even the wisecracking Bartimaeus cannot overcome. Witty, fast-paced, and beautifully penned, these books surpass the great Harry Potter series. A real find for children AND their parents.
Jan from Edmonds, WA
I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe. 5 stars.
I'm on a bestseller kick and am thoroughly enjoying this book on CD. Too bad I had to return it to the library before I finished it --- finding it hard to wait until I find out how Charlotte does in college. So --- I'm back on the waiting list to get it again.
geobarb@sccoast.net
Just finished reading 2 great books. Give them both 5 stars: The Closers by Michael Connelly and Devil's Corner by Lisa Scottoline.
In The Closers, Harry Bosch is teamed up with Kiz again and the cold case or the "Open-Unsolved" they work on keeps you reading far longer than you meant to, making it hard to get up in the morning.
I enjoy reading Scottoline's books because of the way she can mix humor and serious matters together and make it seem real. Very entertaining and hard to put down till its finished. My kind of book!
Debby236@aol.com
I am reading Haunted by Kelly Armstrong. It is OK. A story about the supernatural, it is a ghost trying to catch a bad supernatural. I would give this one 4 stars.
cinsin2001@netscape.net
I finished The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters by Elisabeth Robinson. This was a 4-star book. I took off points because the book, although sad in parts, seemed to be a bit predictable. I guessed early in the book what was going to happen, but I enjoyed reading the story to get to the ending.
Catslady5@aol.com
While the Daffodils Danced by Cathi LaMarche. 4 1/2 stars.
It's a debut book and I am utterly charmed by it. It drew me right in. I am only a third of the way into it and it may get to 5 stars by the time I finish it. It's about one girl's life but it keeps you totally intrigued.
BREEZYWRITER@aol.com
Case of Lies by Perri O'Shaughnessy. 4 stars.
Always fun to see what Nina Reilly is up to --- it's like visiting an old friend.
wurdplay@earthlink.net
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. 5 stars.
Dance of Death by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. 4 stars.
The Hundredth Man by Jack Kerley. 5 stars.
Georgepaw@aol.com
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. 4 stars.
Once again Picoult turns out a well-written, thought-provoking story of a family full of very real people facing huge moral dilemmas.
Rage by Jonathan Kellerman. 3 stars.
Not one of Kellerman's best, but interesting enough to keep you reading.
Plan B by Anne Lamott. 3 1/2 stars.
Always entertaining and controversial, Lamott may be a little over-the-top this time, but I'll always keep coming back for more.
janetlee14@mvn.net
Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich is a 5-star read sure to keep you turning the page. Laugh-out-loud funny, sweet and poignant, and an engaging mystery by turns, I can't imagine a better summer read.
Andi from Detroit
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss. 5 stars.
The Photograph by Penelope Lively. 5 stars.
The Mermaid's Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. 3 stars.
The Innocent by Harlan Coben. 2 stars.
InfoGrrl@aol.com
I just finished reading Ann Patchett's Truth and Beauty, a true story about a unique friendship between two very talented woman. I highly recommend this one, and give it 5 stars.
I just started reading French Women Don't Get Fat by Mirielle Guiliano. I think this just might be the key to losing the 7-8 pounds I am battling! Based on what I've read so far (60 pages), I give it 4 stars.
charris@pctelecom.us
Hour Game by David Baldacci. 5 stars.
An excellent mystery about dysfunctional, aristocratic families. Private investigators Sean King and Michelle Maxwell finally solve the mystery as we knew they would, but it was hard for them to do.
Shadow Song by Terry Kay. 4 stars.
A story of two men who were friends from the time one was a teenager and the other died at age 104. A little slow starting but a very good story.
The Position by Meg Wolitzer. 4 stars.
It is the story of a couple who wrote a book, The Pleasures of One Couple's Journey to Fulfillment, and how it affects the children in the family. It is a funny book but a deep one too.
Two Dollar Bill by Stuart Woods. 5 stars.
It is a Stone Barrington novel and very good, interesting one.
Paul from Mokena, IL
The Book of Ralph by John McNally.
5 stars rating if you're from Chicago's southwest side, or at all familiar with the area the book talks about: Ford City and its terrifying Peacock Alley, 79th & Harlem's Haunted Trails, the Tootsie Roll or 3M factories, the suburb of Burbank, IL, and the Chicago stars such as the frightening John "the clown" Gacy or local-band-hits-big exhilaration of Styx in the '70s. 4 1/2 stars if a non-native reader, yet you'll still find a thoroughly enjoyable, grittier version of satirist David Sedaris. Boyhood shenanigan coming-of-age story with an "I remember that too" feel. Very smile/laugh provoking and well worth the read. As delicious as a slice of deep-dish Chicago pizza.
anitagraham@comcast.net
The Closer by Michael Connelly
Mr. Paradise by Elmore Leonard
No Place Like Home by Mary Higgins Clark
wimer52@infonline.net
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. 5 stars.
Time Travel realistic romance. Love it. Clair is visiting her husband's past when she accidentally goes back in time through a circle of stones. She meets her true love.
jamesjpomroy@hotmail.com
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. 5 stars. Truly an excellent read.
MelJPrincess@aol.com
Just One Look by Harlan Coben. 4 stars.
Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich. 5+ stars!
The Borgia Bride by Jeanne Kalogridis. 5 stars.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares. 5 stars.
Triggerfish Twist by Tim Dorsey. 5 stars.
Ptclayton2@aol.com
I am currently reading Crown Jewel by Fern Michaels. I had finished another book and started this one last night, and I'm halfway through it. So far, it's a 3-star book...
KATHLAU@aol.com
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. 4 stars.
A book with practically all male characters set in Afghanistan is not the kind of thing I'd normally be drawn to, but two fellow teachers who basically said the same thing recommended it, saying you won't be able to put it down. They were right.
tiffanyannrogers@hotmail.com
Rococo by Adriana Trigiani. 4 stars.
Trigiani always gives us a rich cast of characters and a rich setting. She puts together a wonderful story of a community that loves its church and wants it to be beautiful. It has been Bartolomeo di Crespi's dream to decorate the church since he was a young boy. Now that he has the chance, though, things seem to be falling to pieces. Hilarious at times and thought-provoking at others, this is a wonderful story! 4 stars.
Dodojohn2@aol.com
I am reading The King of America by Samantha Gillison. 5 stars.
GandmaRI@aol.com
This week I'm reading Prince of Fire by Daniel Silva. I'd rate it a 4+. It's a book of suspense, history, and old rivals. A good read, but I had a bit of trouble at first getting the characters and which agency they worked for straight. Then again, it might have just been me not concentrating enough. The more I get into the book, the better it reads and it's getting harder to put the book down.
ap4wolves@worldnet.att.net
I just finished John Sandford's Broken Prey and it was fascinating! Well written and with extraordinary twists that kept me reading well into the late hours of the evening. 5 HUGE stars.
Rickimc@aol.com
Ariel by Grace Tiffany. 5 stars.
An engaging retelling of Shakespeare's The Tempest in the style of Gregory Maguire. Very imaginative.
Jo from Brooklyn, NY
I am reading Adriana Trigiani's latest novel, Rococo. I love it! It's light and breezy, just perfect for summer. Throw together the Italian, Catholic, New York/New Jersey connections with funny characters, decorating tips, and a few recipes, and you have the ideal summer novel. I just finished two of her earlier books, The Queen of the Big Time and Lucia, Lucia, and they were great too. I highly recommend all three books. Her Big Stone Gap series (Big Stone Gap, Big Cherry Holler, and Milk Glass Moon) is also terrific.
bigshermama57@msn.com
I am reading Seven Types of Ambiguity by Elliot Perlman. It was recommended by a co-worker and I thought I would give it a chance, and it turned out to be a great read. As in Six Degrees of Separation, the characters in this book are intertwined but often are not acquainted. It is an interesting look at how each of us must influence others in our lives. (And that last sentence is an example of one of the seven types of ambiguity).
judithms@cox.net
I've recently read The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank by Ellen Feldman. An interesting concept that Peter had survived and comes to America, but he does not reveal to anyone (including his wife) that he is the Peter from Anne Frank's diary. There are some flashbacks, some collective guilt over surviving the Holocaust, and interesting insights. 4 1/2 stars.
I've just finished Suicide Squeeze by Victor Gischler. A mix of thugs, losers, stop-at-nothing collectors, a vengeful ex-wife, a fallen-from-grace ex-federal agent...all in a quest for the holy grail of a baseball card (signed by Joe DiMaggio, Marilyn Monroe and Billy Wilder). Reminiscent of Elmore Lenord's Get Shorty, you'll enjoy the breakneck speed of the chapters and the tongue-in-cheekiness of the author.
PFLucas@aol.com
Miss Julia Meets Her Match by Ann B. Ross. 5 stars.
Another "Miss Julia" book proves to be as enjoyable as the previous books in the series.
Kill The Messenger by Tami Hoag. 3 stars.
Unrealistic and the plot painfully drawn out.
BDB530@aol.com
Any Human Heart by William Boyd. 4 stars.
Takes us through the life a man born in South America, but living most of his life in England with travels to many other countries through the '20s, '30s, '40s, etc. to the '90s. We see his highs and lows through a journal that makes it seem quite real. A slow first 100 pages and then it takes off.
H.C F from Kentucky
The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd has been the best fiction read this summer. 5 stars from me contrary to another reviewer rating.
On the nonfiction front, Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel: A Biography by Judith & Neil Morgan is another 5-star pick thus far. After reading Dr. Seuss stories to my 16-month-old daily, I wanted to know more about this beloved author and this has been an easy and informative story.
Bjglu@aol.com
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss. 2 stars.
I was underwhelmed and am, apparently, in the minority.
Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules, edited by David Sedaris. 4 stars.
Lovely collection of short stories. Profits from sales go to a tutoring program in New York City.
donnaing2@yahoo.com
Just finished The Hot Flash City by Nancy Thayer. I give it a 5-star rating. Four women meet at a retirement party for a mutual friend. Their lives only get better because of their friendship. Some of their escapades are a little unbelievable, but who knows. I hated for this book to end. It's a great read by this author. I plan on buying her other books now.
bencanada1@yahoo.com
A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell. 5 stars.
Wonderful novel about the Nazi invasion of Italy. Peopled with amazing characters, realistic dialogue and empathetic story.
jberger@salud.unm.edu
A Road Through the Mountains by Elizabeth McGregor. 5 stars.
Empathetic and heartfelt novel about love lost and found. So well-written and beautiful character portrayal.
Lgluhani@aol.com
The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club by Laurie Notaro. 5 stars.
As evidenced by the title, a funny, self-deprecating book of stories by one of my new favorite authors.
Bleachy-Haired Honky Bitch: Tales from a Bad Neighborhood. 4 stars.
Funny yet poignant musings by the author who's been on NPR's "All Things Considered." Some of the essays even verge on the philosophical. But funny.
Debra from Houston, TX
I just completed Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. Interesting book about English magic in the early 1800s. It is a long book but worth the time. Be sure to read all the footnotes; they are as engaging as the text.
Currently reading The Red Queen by Margaret Drabble. This is an intriguing book about a Korean princess dead over 200 years (who is telling the story of her life) and A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libby Bray, a young adult novel about a girl attending an English boarding school where strange magic is at work.
mwang143@gmail.com
Empire Falls by Richard Russo.
This is a wide ranging small town epic, great for inspiring summer road trips.
Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts.
You'll never look at trailer parks and unwed teen mothers the same way after you've read this book. Absolutely touching.
Along Came a Spider by James Patterson.
Exciting, even if it is somewhat formulaic. Patterson knows how to create suspense.
Atonement by Ian McEwan.
A rich and thoughtful exploration of guilt and the power of fiction.
rabock@optonline.net
I'm reading Twilight, a new novel by Katherine Mosby, set in Paris immediately before the start of WWII. This is a wonderful story of a strong-willed unmarried well-to-do American woman and her married Parisian lover. And voila! A beautiful love story of two very fallible characters set against the storms of war that is both old-fashioned in its telling and contemporary in its fully realized characters. Highly recommended.
Teri from WI & AZ
I have now read all of Judith Hendricks's books: Isabel's Daughter, Bread Alone and The Baker's Apprentice and rate them all a 5. Her character development is outstanding and the story just wraps around them. I hope she has another book soon.
Map of Bones by James Rollins. 5 stars, and if there was a higher number it would be at the top. What a riveting book! Not only was it a good adventure but the history, geography and science descriptions were outstanding. It reminds me of The Da Vinci Code, only this book is better!
As a follow-up to Map of Bones and by the author's recommendation, I read When In Rome... by Robert Hutchinson. I rate that an entertaining and historical 4.
Trace by Patricia Cornwell is a great 5.
Kill the Messenger by Tami Hoag is a definite 5.
Lighthousekeeping by J. Winterson was a disappointing 1.
susanrjensen@yahoo.com
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. 5 stars.
Set in Afghanistan and the United States, this is an amazing book about friendship, bitter loss and, finally, redemption. The characters are richly drawn and the plot progresses at a fast, satisfying pace. Very compelling and profound.
kira-kira by Cynthia Kadohata. 5 stars.
I loved this Newberry Award-winning novel about a young Japanese-American who must deal with the terminal illness of her beloved sister. The story is about family, friendship, and the special way certain people look at the world. The narration is very authentic and even laugh-out-loud funny at times.
Milk Glass Moon by Adriana Trigiani. 4 stars.
This is the last book in Trigiani's Big Stone Gap trilogy. I enjoyed it as much as the others. This novel focused mostly on the turbulent relationship between Ave Maria and her daughter, Etta. It also advances the stories of some of the minor characters and wraps the whole series up nicely.
Mourning Ruby by Helen Dunmore. 2 stars.
Although this book --- about a mother's grief over the sudden death of her daughter --- is well-written, it is also gloomy and depressing. It was an effort to get through it, especially since I found myself not really caring about the characters.
tfranzen2124@comcast.net
Summer is never serious with me, so my light and fluffy read this week was Sophie Kinsella's follow up book Shopaholic Takes Manhattan (3 stars). How I did not want to like this book, but several times I laughed out loud. So, true confessions, I'm on board with this one.
sflaschka@bellsouth.net
I just finished Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, and I don't know why I took so long to get to it!
It's a vivid look at a secretive, old-fashioned lifestyle for select women in Japan's past. It's well-written, very descriptive, and the plot moves quickly.
I'd give it 5 stars.
carlap@OHANET.org
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. 5 stars.
It's fiction but gives you enough history about the culture and political turmoil of Afghanistan that you feel like you've learned something about the country, its people, and the turmoil the country has gone through. It's written with such emotion that you become involved with the characters and their lives in addition to getting a wonderful image of the people and the country of Afghanistan --- what it was and is. I couldn't put it down.
Carol for Christianburg
I have read The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. It gets 5 stars as the story hasn't left me. Sue Monk Kidd masterfully wove a haunting tale. Her descriptive writing sent you to the island in South Carolina that she wrote about, I could feel the heat and humidity and smell the ocean breezes. It is too bad the women in the story are fictional characters. Were they real I would love to meet them. My friends are asking to tell them about the book, but I won't. The less you know beforehand about the story, the more you can get lost in it.
hagarrpt@earthlink.net
Blood of Victory by Alan Furst. 3 1/2 stars.
Set in Europe during World War II, Blood of Victory concerns an undercover operation to impede the exportation of Roumanian oil to Germany. In my opinion, no writer does World War II historical fiction better than Alan Furst.
Havana Bay by Martin Cruz Smith. 4 stars.
In this fourth Arkady Renko novel, the Russian investigator has flown to Cuba to identify the body found floating in a fishing inner tube in Havana Bay. Officials think it was Sergei Pribluda, a member of the Russian consulate, and a comrade of Renko's. In an effort to try and force the Cubans to investigate the death, Renko withholds confirmation. An unwanted foreigner in the hostile land that holds nothing but disdain for Russians, Renko nevertheless investigates on his own, aided, grudgingly, by a Cuban policewoman. Descriptions of Havana and its people literally transport the reader to that time and place, and an intricate plot within a plot makes this complex novel an engrossing reading experience.
BThomas@ruthchek.com
Umberto Eco's The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana. I'm enjoying this although it seems to be dragging a bit in the middle. This is a very readable book; still, I'm not sure I'm getting all of the references --- more like 50% of them. With Eco, I consider I'm doing that pretty well.
I am also reading Raw Spirit: In Search of the Perfect Dram by Ian Banks. This is not really a book about Whiskey --- more of an autobiography/travelogue. It may disappoint fans of Banks's "Culture" novels and it lacks all of the creepiness of his other novels, but if you like Scotch (particularly good single malt), good company, nice cars, and travel, then this is the book for you.
And one last book I've been making my way through slowly for a while is Hypnerotomachia Poliphili: The Strife of Love in a Dream by Francesco Colonna, translated by Joscelyn Godwin. Originally published in 1499, this is the story of a dream of love, wondering, architecture, and much more. It has beautiful woodcut illustrations, and although I find the reading slow-going, it is very beautiful and rewarding.
The "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili" happens to be the subject of Yambo's (the protagonist of Eco's The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana) graduate school thesis!
Leslie from Charlottesville
Just returned from a week at the beach and read 3 great books:
Suspicion of Rage by Barbara Parker. 5 stars.
An interesting look into the lives of people living in Cuba, including mystery and international intrigue. I have read all of her books and enjoy the characters in this series very much.
Broken Prey by John Sandford. 5 stars.
I read this one in one day! I love Lucas Davenport and have read all of Sandford's books! This one I could not put down! Murder and mystery abound!
No Place Like Home by Mary Higgins Clark. 4 stars.
I really enjoyed this book also --- typical mystery in the Mary Higgins Clark-style, and a quick read.
kelly_hager@popmail.wmdt.com
A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby. 3 stars.
This book would be really good by anyone who isn't Nick Hornby. He's one of my favorite authors, and his books are a must-buy. This one is about four people who meet on New Year's Eve by mistake --- each one intends to commit suicide by jumping off the same building. It's funny and quoteable, but it's just not as good as, say, About a Boy or High Fidelity.
Fire Sale by Sara Paretsky. 5 stars.
I started reading Sara Paretsky's mysteries when I was younger (8 or 9), and after I finish each one, I swear that it's her best book yet. This one was no different. This time, V.I. takes on a corporation while managing to coach girls' basketball. (And yes, I think it's her best book yet.)
NFrazelle@aol.com
I just finished two of Perri O'Shaughnessy's, a new author for me --- Obstruction of Justice and Breach of Promise. 4 stars without the gratuitous sex or language. A Bookreporter recommendation was Arthur Phillip's The Egyptologist; a lot of history and a very unusual ending. 5 stars for the ending!
amysacres2004@yahoo.com
I am currently reading a paranormal romance titled Kissing Frogs by Laura Marie Altom. So far this has been a light easy beach read. Easy to follow along the pages and be able to keep an eye on the kids and not loose track of where I'm at!
bradylee@myway.com
The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons. Fiction. Published 2001 with 637 pages. 3 1/2 stars.
This is a love story full bore. I expected more information regarding Leningrad during WWII, but much was related as to food problems during that time. If this story was pared down about 200 pages it would have been better. Paragraphs and pages were devoted in what the eyes said, or the almost orgasmic feeling when a hand would touch a cheek or even get near the person...forget the touching. It was not true to life in my opinion, but the premise was most interesting where a young Russian military officer who was born in the USA and brought to Russia while very young and a beautiful Russian girl, age 17, meet casually in the park. It takes almost 400 pages to get to any kind of physical contact. There is a blackmailer who certainly adds to the story and one who wishes to escape to the US as does the protagonist and his lover. The last 100 pages were the best part of the story for me.
seanor_r@yahoo.com
I am currently reading:
Cloud of Sparrows by Takashi Matsuoka. 5 stars.
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. 5 stars.
Ariel by Grace Tiffany. 3 stars.
elevett111@verizon.net
I just finished The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, and must give it 5 stars. It's hard today to find really good, intelligent, and superbly written novels. This one deserves my highest rating!
Also, The Plot Against America by Philip Roth (at 5 stars also) should not be overlooked.
joswood@msn.com
To The Power of Three by Laura Lippman. 4 stars.
This story about a school shooting among three girls in Baltimore is a departure from Lippman's usual suspense novels. The plot involves three girls: Kat, Perri, and Josie. They have been friends since third grade. So why, just at graduation from high school, are two of the girls dead and one injured? What really happened in that restroom in the local high school? This is a very character-driven book, one that gripped my interest and wouldn't let go until the end.
Oh, My Stars by Lorna Landvik. 3 stars.
This was a light, frothy book, which was a change-of-pace from the "brain busting" Angels & Demons. Violet Mathers is a young girl who is raised by an abusive father, ever since her mother left home when Violet was a small child. During her job in a thread factory, her arm is caught in a machine and torn off. Violet decides to leave home when she is around 16 years old, and her goal is to get to San Francisco so that she can commit suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. A serendipitous bus breakdown occurs in North Dakota, and Violet is taken in by a family. Violet becomes friendly with the family's son, Kjel, and she heads off with him and his friend Austin across the midwest on a band tour. Their adventures make for great reading.
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. 4 stars.
This book takes a lot of thought and concentration to read because it is so full of fascinating facts --- mostly true. These facts are woven into an exciting story about extremely explosive antimatter that is hidden somewhere in Vatican City. Robert Langdon and scientist Vittoria Vetra are in a race to find this antimatter before it blows the whole city to kingdom come. They both have several perilous adventures that strains believability a bit, but it is surely exciting. If you like suspense, this is for you.
h_golightly19@yahoo.com
I finished reading Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore. It was wonderful! Biff and Joshua's friendship is touching and there are certain parts of the book that made me laugh out loud. In fact, I read some of these portions to the majority of my co-workers. 4 stars.
barbjt33@netzero.net
Lost in the Forest by Sue Miller. 5 stars.
Wonderful book
To the Power of Three by Laura Lippman. 5 stars.
Very interesting theme and so well written. I've read two other books by her and I do like her books (so far).
Specimen Days by Michael Cunningham. No stars.
It didn't hold my interest, and I didn't finish it.
lockhart@gotown.net
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. 5 stars. Very educational, yet entertaining as well!
East of Eden by John Steinbeck. 4 stars.
julienusbaum@yahoo.com
My recommendation is for Kitchen Privileges by Mary Higgins Clark. 4 stars and 5 tissues.
Mary Higgins Clark took a break from her usual menu of suspense to give us a deeply moving personal saga of life, love, loss, solace and survival. Her tale takes us from her youth to the present, but this is no ordinary autobiography. Imagine instead, sitting together in her kitchen over coffee and listening to her tell her tale. The voice she uses is personal and intimate, as if she is speaking to a dear, trusted friend. Whether or not you're a fan of her work, you'll quickly come to love her as a person as she draws you into the story of her often-tragic life.
Alars11@aol.com
Car Trouble by Jeanne DuPrau. 4 stars.
Dread Locks by Neal Shusterman. 4 stars.
Sugar Rush by Julie Burchill. 3 stars.
defconsul@msn.com
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin. 5 stars.
Not only is it a monumental read, it changed my life. Even though the book is older than I am, reading it for the countless time, it still has powerful lessons for today. Because I grew up in New Orleans and received it as a gift at a very young age, it actually functioned as a reference.
Thekuktas5@cs.com
K, this is gonna sound whacked, but my husband and I are reading Motley Crue: Confessions of the Most Notorious Rock Band by Vince Neil, Tommy Lee, Mick Mars and Nikki Sixx.
My son gave it to my husband for Father's Day, and if you can get past the sex and drugs to a point there is an interesting and very sad story. It tells ALL in too great of detail at times, but if you grew up on the Crue and other "hair" type rock bands and lived in LA at the time, it really piques your interest. It's very sad to see that young men (boys really) who had hideous upbringings --- in my opinion --- went so wrong. They had everything most young men want --- fame, fortune, etc. There is one really prolific paragraph that explains in great detail how one band member came home from one of their huge tours and was basically homeless --- he lived on a mattress on the floor and used a styrofoam cooler as a refrigerator in a bug and rat infested shack. How could someone that seemed so great be so unimportant and small in his own personal world?
I would recommend this to anyone who is not easily offended by pretty rough, graphic literature. It also shows how we lift bands, athletes and other sundry people to high levels and pay them more money than a small country runs on, and they act like spoiled children who never grew up out of their dysfunctional pasts. All in all it's been a pretty good page-turner for us due to the fact that we never partied that hard nor realized that it was possible without dying. They all should be dead in my opinion ten times over --- they obviously live for a greater purpose I hope.
Debiwelbon@aol.com
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.
The story is really riveting! It makes you feel as if the characters are real and this is a true story. Makes you sit up and go hmmm....
dvolkenannt@charter.net
Just bought a paperback copy of The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason and can't put it down. Definitely 5 stars. Intriguing plot, engaging characters, surprise twists, well crafted --- it has all the elements I look for in a great novel. One of my favorite lines is: "...a good friend stands in harm's way for you the second you ask --- but a great friend does it without being asked at all." A wonderful summer read!
Little Willow
Hello there! I am a bookseller and avid reader. I read an average of one book a day. I've already read 200 books so far in 2005. Here is my current reading list:
Liner Notes by Emily Franklin. 5 stars.
The Menagerie: Tears of the Furies by Christopher Golden and Thomas E. Sniegoski. 5 stars.
Just Like That by Marsha Qualey. 5 stars.
Sandpiper by Ellen Wittlinger. 4 stars.
Realist at Last by Alice MacLeod. 3 stars.
NBLACK@twcny.rr.com
Out of Range by C.J. Box. 5 stars.
The best Joe Pickett novel ever! This one takes the awards. It has everything a person could desire --- murder, mayhem, and beautiful western scenery.
Cat's Eyewitness by Rita Mae Brown. 5 stars.
A different type of Sneaky Pie Brown novel. A dead monk who is related to Susan, Harry's best friend, is found dead in the middle of winter atop a mountain retreat. A Virgin Mary who cries real blood tears. Lots of dead bodies and wonderful animal action. The ending of the book really brings back hope to all of Harry's fans!
Thunder Road by Tamara Thorne. 5 stars.
A non-stop horror book that won't let you rest. Alien ship sightings, missing bodies, dead animals and a whole wonderful cast of characters!
Desert Heat by J. A. Jance. A Johanna Brady novel. 5 stars.
Nancy
I just finished Case Histories by Kate Atkinson. I give it 4 stars. It has such a surprise ending and was so enjoyable I couldn't put it down. I would recommend it to anyone.
Pfzlady@aol.com
I just finished Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. 4 1/2 stars for the humor! I also enjoyed Puppet by Joy Fielding. I give it 4 stars. A quick-paced mystery that kept my attention.
Mindbendo2@aol.com
Sleeping With Schubert by Bonnie Marson. 5 stars.
About a woman who is "inhabited" by Franz Schubert, the very dead composer of the Unfinished Symphony. The woman is a lawyer from Brooklyn --- so is it a dream come true to suddenly become a genius, or is it a nightmare invasion of her life? It's an intriguing topic and the author raises fascinating questions about the nature of genius, identity, time and spirit. The book is hilarious at times, very tense and moving at other times. My book group unanimously loved it, as do I. A terrific fiction debut.
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth. 5 stars.
A chilling what-if tale of a Jewish family in Newark, NJ when Franklin Roosevelt is defeated in his run for a third term and the Nazi-sympathizing, isolationist Charles Lindbergh is elected instead. America stays out of WWII, and the fabric of the country warps and strains. I felt emotionally involved from the first pages of this book. An amazing novel, written by a master.
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. 4 1/2 stars.
The book behind the huge Broadway show, it's the incredibly imaginative backstory for the green witch and the good Glinda. High social and political satire, great humor, a wonderful read. Not The Wizard of Oz we grew up with!
GandmaRI@aol.com
I just finished reading Honeymoon by James Patterson. I'd rate it a 4. It definitely was a page-turner, with a mix of thriller, sex, humor and action. There were several unexpected twists to the whole story line.
krism@bellsouth.net
I'm currently reading the new Stephanie Plum mystery by Janet Evanovich, Eleven on Top (3 stars). At the same time, I'm thoroughly enjoying an old classic favorite, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I haven't read this in 15 years and it seems to have gotten better with time (4 stars).
beachgram@oregoncoast.com
I am reading Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher and it deserves a 5. The characters become vivid with her descriptive words.
Haddow@aol.com
Writing the Broadway Musical by Aaron Frankel. 4 stars.
Okay, it's a specialty market. But if you're interested in how winning musicals are made, you could do a lot worse than the sage advice offered by this seasoned pro.
LindaKLankford@aol.com
I recently read The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. This book is a definite 5 stars. I plan on re-reading it this month because I recommended it to one of my reading groups. This book is the one I really wish everyone would read, it is that good. I read two to four books a month and this book is one of the best this year. Another excellent book (an entirely different genre) is The Dew Breaker by Edwidge Danticat. It is good in the same way as The Kite Runner, only the setting is Haiti. The Girl Who Played Go by Shan Sa is excellent, as well as The Pearl Diver by Jeff Talarigo. All of the books I have listed are excellent reads and deserve 5 stars. For fun I am reading Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich --- no socially redeeming qualities but she always makes me laugh out loud!
evelyn5@houston.rr.com
I am reading Fire Sale by Sara Paretsky. Hopefully this one will get better like the rest of her books!
ABamaBecky@aol.com
I just finished Chances by Jackie Collins, and all I can say is "WOW." This is an older book, originally published in 1975. I have never read any of her books before, but I will definitely be reading more in the future. 5+ stars.
I also read A Woman Betrayed by Barbara Delinsky. This, too, is a good read. I rate it 4 stars.
diva_web@bellsouth.net
Thirty Days Late. This book is by Dawn Carrington, but she also pens under Rachel Carrington.
This is a good book about Grace Austen, trying to raise her ten-year-old brother and keep their family farm during the Depression. When there is a car wreck and she helps the man involved, she later learns that he was the guy sent to forclose on the farm. The story is about their developing relationship (she sweeps him off his feet when she doesn't even know who he is yet), and him wanting to help save the farm too. Now he just has to convince the bank's board of directors, which is a totally different story all together.
It's a good romance story, but clean at the same time.
myrtleme@sbcglobal.net
Two Dollar Bill by Stuart Woods. 5 stars.
Really good book and a storyline that grabs you from the first --- but this book is a typical Woods. Great.
sears@lsol.net
I just finished Umberto Eco's new novel, The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana. I give it 5 stars --- it's an interesting read and thought-provoking, about a man who loses his memory and goes on a reading journey to rediscover himself.
Jakapn@aol.com
The Librarian by Larry Beinhart. 5 stars.
Thinly disguised spoof of the current administration and its political climate and mores. Very funny and disturbing all at the same time.
suyme1@sbcglobal.net
A Dress to Die For by Dolores Johnson. 3 stars.
Out of the Shadows by Kay Hooper. 3 stars.
Some Like It Lethal by Nancy Martin. 4 stars.
Georgepaw@aol.com
Becoming Justice Blackmun by Linda Greenhouse. 4 stars.
A fascinating study of one justice's journey from conservatism to the liberal stance he took on such a landmark decision as Roe v. Wade, and how his changes strained his longtime friendship with Chief Justice Warren Burger.
ggartrel@mts.net
I just finished a few fabulous books!
Tatsea by Armin Wiebe
The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates
Night Fall by Nelson DeMille
ALEMESH@aol.com
I have just finished American Evita by Christopher Anderson. It is about Hillary Clinton and a more back-biting bit of trash I have never read, even for a moderate Republican like myself. I would love to find a political "biography" that is balanced and more than the worthless trash this book is. I give it a zero; don't waste your time.
I am also reading The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly, which is historical fiction. I am hoping it is not too "romancy." I like historical fiction along the lines of Thomas Flanagan and his trilogy of books about the "troubles" in Ireland. For The Tea Rose, a 3 for now.
Barbara from Egg Harbor Township, NJ
I have just finished The Three Miss Margarets and The Ladies of Garrison Gardens. 5 stars for each! Very well written and insightful picture of women in the South of the time period.
I am currently reading:
44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith. Not as good as The No. 1 Ladies' Detective series.
Second Glance by Jodi Picoult. Excellent as always.
Julie and Romeo Get Lucky by Jeanne Ray. A fun summer read.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Excellent.
A Song I Knew by Heart by Bret Lott. Interesting approach to a Biblical story.
The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman. Haven't started this one yet.
A Year by the Sea by Joan Anderson. Hope to learn some insights into my own life.
tunaross@nc.rr.com
Dead Sleep by Greg Iles. 4 1/2 stars.
A friend lent me this book to introduce me to Greg Iles's writing style. It was a great adventure in reading. A series of paintings known as the Sleeping Women starts an investigation into possible serial murders much more complex than originally suspected. This is a book I didn't want to put down.
Last Lullaby by Denise Hamilton. 4 1/2 stars.
Another in the Eve Diamond series, the Los Angeles Times reporter explores the dark side of LA in her search to find a child used as a pawn in criminal activities. There are several others searching for the child who have less honorable motives. It's a race to the finish line as the bodies pile up.
draffers-bookreporter@yahoo.com
I just finished The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates. It begins with a suicide jump into Horseshoe Falls and just picks up momentum from there. I couldn't put it down. Although I didn't care much for the characters until the last third of the book, I was hooked by their odd behavior. I rate this book 4 1/2 --- it shows clearly why Oates is a great American writer.
WRKGRK@aol.com
The Hour Game by David Baldacci. 3 stars.
Trying to wrap up the ending with too many possibilities was disappointing.
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. 2 stars.
I know it's a classic but I find it difficult reading. Only about a third through.
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. 5 stars.
Very well written, dark and complex.
Pudgypb@aol.com
Hello, Darkness by Sandra Brown.
This was a great read. It was one of those books you didn't want to put down...very suspenseful.
Miracle by Danielle Steel.
A very quick read (one afternoon). An excellent book for the summer.
Pretty Woman by Fern Michaels.
Another great summer book...light reading.
rionne@mac.com
I am reading Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl, the editor of Gourmet Magazine. This is, indeed, a 5-star book! I am just loving the book, which covers some of her time as the restaurant critic at the New York Times. I am a restaurant reviewer (altogether a different thing, as I write happy columns each week). However, it is such a well-written, interesting, funny and sad book --- including several of her recipes that I cannot wait to try! It is well-written, interesting, funny, sad, hard to put down.
Give it a try.
martysmarty@hotmail.com
I just finished reading Kent Haruf's novel Eventide, a sequel to Plainsong, one of his earlier novels. The story interweaves the lives of people in a small town who seem to look after one another and join together to solve problems, help those in need, and to find satisfaction in doing what has to be done to make their small town life complete and compassionate. I'd rate this book a 5. Very readable (even with conversational markings, like quotation marks, omitted).
I have also just started to read Disobedience by Jane Hamilton, which is about a disfunctional family as seen from the eyes of a teenage family member. Only two chapters into this book, but I would rate it a 4 so far.
Sea Glass by Anita Shreve is the story of a young married couple living on the East coast, facing financial troubles after the stock market crash in the 1920s and the husband's loss of his job. The wife collects sea glass, hence the title. I rate this book a 4.
WindWalker609@aol.com
I just finished with The Angry Angel by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. I loved it so much that I immediately signed on to Amazon after finishing to buy more books from this great author. This story is based on Dracula and one of his brides. I got carried away in the story. A real-page turner that I would recommend whether you are a vampire lover or not.
Debby236@aol.com
I am just finishing up Jigsaw by Kathleen Nance. Excellent suspense, keeps your interest throughout. I give it 4 1/2 stars.
pjablonski@ev1.net
Domestic Pleasures by Beth Gutcheon. 4 stars.
I read this book years ago and then recently, and I still love it.
BrianM8614@aol.com
Raven by Michael Murray. 4 stars.
My Losing Season by Pat Conroy. 5 stars.
On the Sweet Spot by Richard Keefe. 5 stars (Outstanding in its genre).
Namath by Mark Kriegel. 5 stars.
3 Nights in August by Buzz Bissinger. 4 stars.
Confidence by Rosabeth Moss Kantor. 5 stars.
Play to Play Great by Bob Rotella. 5 stars.
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. 5 stars.
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. 4 stars.
Digital Fortress by Dan Brown. 2 stars.
Rita Bulington from Lafayette, IN
Brink of Death by Brandilyn Collins. 4 stars.
Story of a young woman who is recently divorced and then loses her father. She gains a home in the northern part of California. After her neighbor is murdered in front of the woman's daughter, the protagonist uses her skills as a courtroom artist to draw a composite of the FACE. She soon discovers that the murderer was in the wrong house. He wanted something in her house.
joeves@telus.net
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls is a fascinating memoir that had my attention from page 1. This is truly an inspirational account of one person's battle to overcome poverty and child neglect. 5 stars!
Britadon@aol.com
Blood of Angels by Reed Arvin. 5 stars.
I read an advance reader copy of this book and it was very good indeed. It is a thrilling book concerning prisoners' rights, psychotic revenge, abiding love and friendship. The characters are memorable and well-fleshed out. The ending will indeed surprise you, and if you like any of the current mystery writers, you should definitely try this book!
A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell. 3 stars.
Although much of the story seemed predictable to anyone who has read any World War II and Holocaust stories, this one is set in northern Italy and gave me a different perspective. It had some wonderful characters but perhaps a few too many to track. Yet, it did make me want to learn a little more about Italy's role in the war as I realized that I am pretty hazy about that aspect.
The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich. 5 stars.
This is currently my favorite by this author. It is a wonderful story with humor and great descriptive writing. Imagine finding bodies sealed in your father's cellar! But this is neither a horror nor a mystery story. It is a relationship book with an incredibly strong heroine and an ending that truly took me by surprise. Do read it!
Four Souls by Louise Erdrich. 3 stars.
This book was very difficult to get into and seemed to drag in many places. However, near the end I found some hilarious scenes with the main character, Nonnebush --- an Ojibwe husband --- and his wife Margaret, and Margaret gives some extreme advice on marriage.
Deadwater by Barbara Hambly. 4 stars.
This book begins in New Orleans and the plot is influenced by voodoo and a voodoo queen. However, the plot is actually one of adventure in slave days and the running of slaves and has a good deal of complexity. This is one of those books that I was not certain I was enjoying while first reading it...and then I could not put it down!
John1rosie@aol.com
The Rottweiller by Ruth Rendell.
The general background is well enough drawn as are the backgrounds of the characters. The writing is clear. The pace is comfortable. The vocabulary is appropriate. One rates this mystery novel by the interest one has in its collection of odd characters, for that is the backbone of the book. I rate the characters individually between a three and a one. So, adding writing, pace, and vocabulary to the mix I come up with a three for this particular airy page-turner. On the other hand discovering Ms. Rendell is a plus and she must be thought of whenever one is looking for a mystery. I suspect that she has been far better than this particular effort.
Last Orders by Graham Swift.
Mr. Swift won the Booker Prize for this novel. The Newark Star Ledger called Last Orders a "small masterpiece." What are they thinking in Newark? Four middle class London chaps meet to scatter the ashes of their beloved fifth in accord with his last wishes. In doing so, they, under the deep cover of English-speak that can sound like something of a foreign language to Americans, travel the path of acknowledgments and self-discovery. Nothing new, that story line. Too often this novel reads like the kind of PBS English import we have to turn off because it is just too much work to put up with for a little relaxation. Last Orders was "a major motion picture." Does anyone remember it? I thought not. So too with the novel. 2 stars.
Cloish049@aol.com
The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand. Great read! 3 stars.
a1gross@adelphia.net
Eleven On Top by Janet Evanovich. 4 stars.
The Closers by Michael Connelly. 5 stars.
susanrjensen@yahoo.com
March by Geraldine Brooks. 5 stars.
This is the richly detailed story of Mr. March, the absent father from Little Women, and the time he spent serving in the war. Brooks used Bronson Alcott, Louisa May's father, as a model for the character of Mr. March. Thus, March becomes the story of a chaplain with radical ideas, trying to administer to troops who don't understand him. A wonderful book.
Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs. 5 stars.
Reichs's newest book is just as interesting and fast-paced as all her others. This one, however, is a little more exotic, because Dr. Temperance Brennan is dealing with bones that are allegedly from Masada. As she examines the bones, she begins to realize that they are as old as Christ, and may even belong to Him or a member of his family. I couldn't put it down!
Sally B., from San Antonio TX
The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons. 4 stars. Audiobook, abridged, on 6 cassettes.
Wow! What a love story! Two daughters of a Russian family fall in love with a Russian Army Officer at the beginning of WWII. Intrigue, heartbreaking love and family loyalty. And this was abridged!
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer. 3 stars (so far).
Just started this for our book club.
Split Second by David Baldacci. 3 1/2 stars (so far).
Am listening to this unabridged audiobook.
Catslady5@aol.com
While the Daffodils Danced by Cathi LaMarche. 5 stars.
This debut novel touched me greatly. A story of one woman's life and her emotional journey. The characterization is wonderful. It is very thought-provoking and poignant, and I highly recommend it.
ticpen@maqs.net
I just finished The Death Collectors by Jack Kerley. Wow, what a book! This one rates a 5 and would be higher if that was allowed.
SalbyC@aol.com
One of the most interesting books that I have read recently is Three Junes by Julia Glass. This book is a family saga of sorts, told in three separate sections spanning ten years. I found it took me awhile to get interested, but it was well worth the wait. Although certainly not everyone's "cup of tea," I'm very glad that I read this book. I found it beautifully written. I would give it 4 stars.
Sandra from Charlottetown
I recently finished The Game by Laurie R. King. I have read all the books in this series featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes and each has been better than the last. The author's sense of time and place is excellent. This book merits 5 stars.
Carolyn K, from Vancouver, WA
I'm currently in the thick of Dorothy Dunnett's House of Niccolo series; when I'm finished I'll move on to her Lymond Chronicles. These are challenging and demanding and totally enthralling historical fiction reads. I rate them all 5 stars. Here they are in order:
House of Niccolo series:
Niccolo Rising
The Spring of the Ram
Race of Scorpions
Scales of Gold
The Unicorn Hunt
To Lie With Lions
Caprice and Rondo
Gemini
The Lymond Chronicles:
The Game of Kings
Queens' Play
The Disorderly Knights
Pawn in Frankincense
The Ringed Castle
Checkmate
bradylee@myway.com
FBI Girl by Maura Conlon-McIvor. Published 2004 with 304 pages. 3 1/2 stars.
"...and the men's laughter tumbles out of their throats like screws....the heat sticking to the air like scotch tape." These are two examples of interesting play on words that appear in this book intermittently where this is not about a woman working for the FBI, but a child whose father works for that organization and she is all wrapped up in the mystique of the FBI. The whole family watches the TV program and she imagines herself working as an agent where she always copies down auto license plate numbers that are new to her area and many other details typical of the FBI persona. This book is a memoir of the author's childhood and the ups and down of a young life.
My wife read this and she enjoyed it, so then I had to read it. This is not great, but good enough to enjoy all the way through.
h_golightly19@yahoo.com
I just finished The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan. Tan makes you feel as if you've known her characters a lifetime. I give it 5 stars.
Fdurr@gr-press.com
Just Me: The Reflection in the Glass by Felicia Dunn. 5 stars. You'll love it.
Janet from N.J.
I have just read four very good books...and of course I chose them because of reviews I have read on W.O.M.
Exact Revenge by Tim Green. 4 stars.
The story follows a successful attorney who appears to have it all...wealth, a beautiful girlfriend, political aspirations...but unfortunately someone else wants that too. After being framed and having to serve 20 years in a maximum security prison for a crime he did not commit, "exact revenge" takes on new meaning upon his release. It will keep you reading long into the night.
The Third Secret by Steve Berry. 4 stars.
A very fast moving story of the revelation to three children by the Virgin Mary at Fatima and the conspiracy by the Catholic Church to keep the information from ever getting out to the public. The book is full of intrigue and much information. It was very well researched. You will not want to put it down.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. 5 stars.
I am probably the last person in America to read it, but the most important thing is that I did. It was as wonderful as everyone has said and actually even better.
Coyote Dreams by Jessica Davis Stein. 4 stars.
If you are in the mood for a good love story for a change but not goopy, try this book. I read about it here on W.O.M. and was glad I picked it up. It has an interesting story line that will keep you wanting more.
caddgirl7@yahoo.com
I just finished The Companion by Susan Squires. I read it in record time and give it 5 stars. Unforgettable characters and exotic locales made it a compelling read. Unfortunately it had to end. I hope there's another one coming. I'd love to know how Ian and Beth handle their "Companion."
Another 5-star winner is Twisted by Jeffery Deaver. Loved it!
CandyM49@aol.com
As a knitter, I read Debbie Macomber's The Shop on Blossom Street and Knit One, Kill Two by Maggie Sefton. I enjoyed the Sefton book more than Macomber's; I give it 4 1/2 stars, Blossom Street 4.
Other books read recently:
Passing Through Paradise by Susan Wiggs. 5 stars.
This was my first Wiggs book and it was a great surprise to find a new author.
Her Mother's Shadow by Diane Chamberlain. 4 1/2 stars.
The Amateur Marriage by Anne Tyler. 4 stars.
The writing was great but the story moved too slowly.
Sullivan's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank. 5 stars.
Stone Heart by Luanne Rice. 4 stars for some language that seemed out of place for the characters.
bradylee@myway.com
The Friend Who Got Away, edited by Jenny Offill & Elissa Schappell. Published 2005 with 288 pages. 4 stars.
The variety of human experience is certainly contained in this book where female individuals discuss best friends in their lives and how and why the relationship dissolved. Twenty different life rundowns showing how one lived with many of them talking of their days in college and the majority of the participants are writers today. Women should particularly enjoy this book, and they will probably find examples akin to their own history in some respects.
jmead1945@verizon.net
I have just finished two fabulous books: Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell and Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum. Both books are set during WWII. Thread of Grace concerns Italian Catholics and partisans who helped save and hide Jews. Those Who Save Us concerns the actions of a young German woman and her relationship with an SS officer. Both ask questions relating to how far would one go to save someone you love. I also started Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich for a change of pace from WWII.
Claudia from Vernon, Connecticut
I have just finished and enjoyed the following books:
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. 5 stars.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel. 5 stars.
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. 5 stars.
The Ha-Ha by Dave King. 4 1/2 stars.
vbsami@qwest.net
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie. 5 stars.
A wonderful book! I loved Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See, so I had to find something just as interesting and historic. A super story of two boys and their re-education that must go through as young boys in China. Interesting things happen to these boys that keep this exciting.
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld. 4 stars.
A book that everyone can relate to. If you were popular, nerdy, quiet, or just different, you can relate this book to yourself. So many of these characters I loved and loved to hate. A super story of private schools and being away from what you're used to. Funny, quirky and just plain good. I can't see who WOULDN'T enjoy this.
FRoybiskie@aol.com
I am currently reading and absolutely loving The Hunter by Gennita Low. Packed with action.
JCAMP2020@aol.com
I just finished listening to an audio copy of Killing Time by Linda Howard. The author puts in a new twist to this story...time travel. Good story that flows well, but is not very thrilling or suspenseful. I love audio books and never get into the car without one.
Also, for your kids who are into Brian Jacques, get them the newest Redwall story, Rakkety Tam --- they will love it. My students love them all.
ABamaBecky@aol.com
I have just finished Company Man by Joseph Finder. This is a great read. A fast-paced page-turner. I rate it 5 stars.
Joan from Annapolis, MD.
I just finished The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. This is one of the best books I've read in a long, long time. I started reading it before bed and was seriously annoyed that I had to turn the light out at midnight to get some sleep. 5 stars!
miroberts@columbus.rr.com
I just completed The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich. Great story, especially if you are into family epic kind of novels and watching characters grow and change. 4 stars.
I also read Fashionistas by Lynn Messina, which was above average Chick Lit, if you are wanting to try that genre. 5 stars.
book.geek@verizon.net
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. 4 stars.
Loved this old melodrama (written in 1860) featuring a plucky heroine, a selfless hero, true love, mistaken identities, a Terrible Secret and a fabulously evil villian, Count Falco. The book is long but the gimmick of shifting first person narration keeps things interesting. They definitely knew how to do melodrama back in the 19th century!
Locked Rooms by Laurie R. King. 3 stars.
Loved the first two books in this series (Beekeeper's Apprentice and Monsterous Confederacy of Woman) about Mary Russell and her quirky partnership with an aging but still able Sherlock Holmes. But subsequent tales, including this one --- set in the post-earthquake San Francisco of the 1920s --- have featured sloppy plots, improbable coincidences, one-dimensional characters and singularly unmenacing villains. Keep hoping King will regain her stride because when she's good, she's very good!
The Serpent on the Crown by Elizabeth Peters. 3 stars.
Another series that is growing increasingly stale. In this 17th outing, Amelia Peabody and her archeologist husband Emerson tackle tomb robbers and murderers in post-WWI Egypt. But with their Indiana Jones of a son, Ramses, now domesticated by marriage and children, their arch-nemesis Sethos, now tamed and "converted" to good, and Amelia and her husband, now battling grey hair and fatigue, this story lacks the energy and fun of past offerings. Time for a new generation of Emersons (and villians) to step up!
lpeters68@hotmail.com
I just found this new author on the web...Howard Cobiskey. His current novel is Anna's Trinity. I've been reading it voraciously for the past three days. It's a mystery drama concerning a former nun who is about to marry. She returns to the town of her birth in 1955. When she gets there she's forced to confront her past and the mystery ensues regarding why exactly she left her convent. Absolutely riveting prose and plotting! 5 stars!
abcred@msn.com
4th of July by James Patterson. 5 stars.
JerJanKel@aol.com
I have really skipped around with my reading this summer and have thoroughly enjoyed everything I have read. Standouts were Citizen Vince by Jess Walter (4 stars); The Survivor by John Harris (4 stars); and Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson (5 stars). I was surprisingly taken with Jane Fonda's biography --- didn't expect to like it but I did. A LOT (4 stars).
I re-read a little book that I was pleased to see has been optioned as a movie as I think it is one of THE BEST books I have ever read. I urge you to read this if you haven't...The Rich Part of Life by Jim Kokoris. It is a book I never wanted to end and I have re-read it twice! Can't wait for the movie.
Books I was terribly disappointed in were Ya-Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells (1 star) and The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd (1 star). BIG disappointments!
kingfreddy29@beer.com
I just finished reading Spook-Science Tackles the Afterlife by Mary Roach. I would give it 5 stars! She has a knack for taking a serious subject and writing about it in a way that doesn't bore you. She makes things interesting and amusing. I also read her book Stiff, which was just as good!
charris@pctelecom.us
Cut & Run by Ridley Pearson. 3 stars.
Too complicated to be able to really follow easily. Started slow but got better as it went along.
Rage by Jonathan Kellerman. 3 stars.
This is a book of horror of excessive greed and the horrible things that can happen from it. Dr. Alex Delaware and homicide detective Milo Sturgis are in this story as they are in many of Kellerman's books. Gripping story, however.
The Black Echo by Michael Connolly. 4 stars.
This is a Harry Bosch story. It is about "Tunnel Rats" who were in the Army in Vietnam and after they came home. A good mystery.
Trophy Hunt by C. J. Box. 4 stars.
A continuation of game warden Joe Pickett and his family. He is a Game Warden in remote Wyoming. This time is a case of utilization of moose cattle and men. I like the description of the area he lives and works in.
Carosp@aol.com
Oh My Stars by Lorna Landvik. 3 1/2 stars.
This is about a girl who grew up rejected and unloved, and then when she finally finds friends at a part-time job at a sewing factory, loses part of an arm in an accident with one of the machines. She takes a bus to San Francisco to kill herself, but the bus has an accident along the way, and she meets the love of her life in the town where the bus crashes. Definitely a book that keeps your interest, but it doesn't live up to what I think is the author's best one, Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons.
All the Flowers Are Dying by Lawrence Block. 3 1/2 stars.
One of a series of mysteries by Block, where the main character is a detective named Matt Scudder, an ex-cop and ex-alcoholic who solves crimes. This series tends to be fairly dark, and All the Flowers Are Dying is one of the darkest, about a serial killer who just enjoys killing and torturing his victims. I listened to the book on CD, and some of it was hard to listen to, but you want to know how it turns out, so you keep reading!
myrtleme@sbcglobal.net
I'm reading The Innocent by Harlan Coben. It's kind of hard to get into, but gets going pretty good. 4 stars.
Aileen in Methuen, MA
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. 5 stars.
If I could have given this book more than 5 stars I would. It was EXCELLENT. Such a smart and beautiful novel. It was better than I expected. I was actually a little scared to read it because of the "hype" it was receiving. I did not want to feel let down. Well I didn't. This novel was fantastic. I hope Ms. Niffenegger continues with wonderful creations such as this!
Loveajoy@aol.com
Ridley Pearson's Cut and Run began a little slow, but he never fails to entertain.
KATHLAU@aol.com
Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich. 4 stars.
What would summer be without a visit to the "Burg"? Janet and Stephanie score again as Miss Plum takes stock of her live, makes several career changes, moves back with Joe while working for Ranger and, oh yes, there are several dead bodies, car explosions and trips to Stiva's. Another winner.
BJ Deese from GA
Dead Wrong by Mariah Stewart. 5 stars.
I am reading Dead Wrong by Mariah Stewart. It is a romantic suspense and the first book of Ms. Stewart's Dead series. So far, this book certainly rates a 5. It's action-packed and fast-paced.
Janet from KY
I have just finished reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. I was hooked by the first page, which is hard to do. I actually laughed out loud in the first chapter. Then the book turned serious. To say more would be giving away too much. I would certainly give it 5 stars and suggest that everyone read it. Now I am reading Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. I am about half way through and am enjoying it. It is quite different from most books and probably rates 4 stars.
louise-johnson@comcast.net
Blow Fly by Patricia Cornwell. 4 stars.
Very good story bringing Benton back into Scarpetta's life.
Dead Ringer by Lisa Scottoline. 4 stars. Very good story.
M Mullin from Rochester, NY
I read With Violets by Elizabeth Robards. It is a fictional story of two Impressionist painters, Berthe Morisot and Edouard Manet, and their relationship. It was a good story with a mix of art, history, and romance. I would give it 3 1/2 stars --- not the best book I've ever read but a good summer read.
I am almost done with The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. It's a LONG, wordy book filled with much historical information about the Dracula tale and the history of eastern Europe. The plot is great, I enjoyed the characters and the three different voices telling the story. BUT there are so many details that I would fall asleep at night while reading it. 2 stars.
sheila.cohen@comcast.net
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie. 4 stars. A great fun, light, summer read.
SEEDCAKEANDJOE@aol.com
The Broker by John Grisham. 3 stars.
This book kept my attention throughout but sort of fizzled at the end. It was a lot like many other Grisham books without a whole lot of originality. Good for a beach read but not great.
MarshaNee@adelphia.net
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. 3 stars.
The reaction of a village during the plague year 1666 is recounted by a housemaid as she emerges as a healer and unlikely heroine. Based on an actual village that quarantined itself during the year after an infected bolt of cloth carried the plague to their village.
The Closers by Michael Connelly. 3 stars.
Continuing character of Harry Bosch is back with the LAPD with the sole mission of closing unsolved cases.
donnaing2@yahoo.com
I just finished reading Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews. What a great book --- I give it 5 stars. Can you imagine catching your financee with your maid of honor at your own rehearsal dinner? That's how the book begins. Needless to say, the wedding is off and the book goes on to explain the sweet revenge that the main character gets and how she goes on with her life. It's a great beach read.
jackandnicksmom@comcast.net
Right now I am reading The Doctor's Wife by Elizabeth Brundage. I am half-finished and love it. We will be having Mrs. Brundage at our book club meeting this month. 5 stars so far.
I have also read Oh My Stars by Lorna Landvik. 4 stars.
The Bad Mother's Handbook by Kate Long. 3 1/2 stars.
My two all-time way more than 5-star favorites are A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
conniekallenberg@msn.com
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Liberating Paris by Linda Bloodsworth-Thomason
Summer of Roses by Luanne Rice
Space Between the Stars by Deborah Santana
Tale of the Holly How by Susan Wittig Albert
Shannon from Seneca, SC
I just finished reading The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kid. I really enjoyed the way the tale unfolded. I would give it 4 1/2 stars. It was enjoyable, but not mind-blowing.
Speaking of mind-blowing, I also finished My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. I cried during and after the novel. It was amazing! I would give it 5 stars.
Others I've read in the past few weeks are:
The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. 4 stars. This was a sweet read.
The Enemy by Lee Child. 5 stars. This is my favorite Jack Reacher novel yet.
Love Bites by Lynsay Sands. 3 stars. Definitely fluff!
InfoGrrl@aol.com
I'm sad because I'm almost finished reading Gail Godwin's The Finishing School. I don't want it to end. It's a beautifully told coming-of-age story. It's also about a friendship between Justin (the young girl) and Ursula, a woman Justin meets after moving to a new town. This friendship has a strong influence on Justin's life. I give this one 5 stars.
Myrnapen@aol.com
I just finished The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. Set on a small island off the Carolinas, this book explores issues of religion, marriage, self-worth, and love. She almost takes on too much subject matter, but in her easy-flowing style, Kidd makes the story work! 4 stars.
Now I'm reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It's the story of two men who grew up together in Afghanistan, one as the son of the other's father's servant. I'm not finished yet, but I suspect this will be 5 stars!
NGroves@aol.com
I seem to be on an English literature kick, but it's coincidental.
Grabbing paperbacks off the family shelves to have something to read on a recent vacation, I took Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte and Dracula by Bram Stoker. I had read Wuthering Heights before, but not for years, and quite frankly wasn't impressed this time around. After reading some critiques and background, my opinion improved somewhat. I enjoyed reading the original Dracula, source for so many interpretations in film, theater, comic books, etc., which often have little resemblance to the novel.
I also listened to Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, a gentle satire on gothic romances and 18th century society.
Moving to more contemporary literature, the best new book I've read lately is The Confessions of Max Tivoli by Andrew Greer.
Diane from Frankfurt, Germany
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. 5 stars.
There are those who think that short stories are merely a tool for authors to learn how to write novels. There may be authors who use short stories as such, but I find that there is a real craft to writing a short story in such a way that doesn't leave you wanting more. A way in which the world we are delving into is somehow complete without having to take 200 pages in which to write it. Jhumpa Lahiri has gifted us with a collection of stories in which she does just that. Each story is complete and packs a whallop. And yet, the stories are in an abstract sense connected in that they are all about people who are somehow displaced (if by their own volition or not it makes no difference) or living away from their first home and in a strange place.
Anyone who is living or has lived abroad will appreciate this book. Even though this is Lahiri's first book (for which she won a Pulitzer Prize) I feel she is already a master at the art of short stories.
tmzemke@hotmail.com
I just finished The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. This is one of those books where the hype is all true! It's long, over 600 pages, yet it never drags. It's the story of a young American girl who lives in Amsterdam with her father, and one day finds a medieval book in his library. European history, Vlad the Impaler (Dracula), and a family's secret all combine to make The Historian this summer's thriller. 4 stars.
Another wonderful book that I recently read is Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. This book is told through the voice of Lily, a Chinese woman who lives in the Hunan province. It tells of the isolation and pain of women who forcibly had their feet bound. Lily communicates with another woman through Nu Shu, a secret language that only women know. This book is based on an article that the author read where in the 1960s an elderly woman was found unconscious on the street in China and the language of Nu Shu was discovered. It's a fascinating read and readers who love historical fiction and/or women's fiction will love it. 4 stars.
jwright@iowatelecom.net
Coast Road by Barbara Delinsky. I would rate this as 4 stars. Good.
tiffanyannrogers@hotmail.com
Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. 4 stars.
I read this book in 1997 and wanted to reread it. I understood it a lot better this time. It is a very fast-paced book. Quite a bit of scientific terms, but the authors do a pretty good job of explaining. The story is basically about a monster that is loose in the Museum of Natural Science in NYC. The story follows many different characters and you see it from many points of view. Good thriller.
Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult. 4 1/2 stars.
Another great read by Picoult. She is a masterful storyteller who weaves a beautiful and spiritual story about a young girl going through her parents' divorce. Faith witnesses her dad in the middle of an affair and afterward she begins to talk to an imaginary friend. Faith begins to recite scriptures and know biblical things without ever having been in church. She performs a few miracles and begins to attract attention from the media and religious people far and wide. When she begins to show signs of stigmata, Faith's father sues her mother for custody and a battle in court ensues. Wonderful story!
Evelyn from Toronto
The Game by Laurie R. King. 5 stars.
This seventh Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes book is every bit as engaging as all the ones that came before it. King has the era, the characters, the politics, and the location down pat. The twisting plot, driven by a mystery about Kipling's Kim and the machinations of a maniacal Maharajah, is guaranteed to keep readers glued to the page. Of course Holmes and Russell follow obscure clues, don new personas, take innumerable risks, and solve all the mysteries by the end. I read this book in every spare moment I could find, eager to find out what would happen next.
gmor@farmwagon.com
I read Caroline Carver's Dead Heat, which I would rate 4 stars. A good book that you can't seem to put down.
fay@dupagels.lib.il.us
Zorro by Isabel Allende. 5 stars!
I loved this, but of course the TV series was one of my favorites as a kid! Allende writes of how Zorro began.
Dead Run by P.J. Tracy. 5 stars.
They have become one of my favorites. Their books are well-written, suspenseful with fascinating, off-beat characters.
The Things We Do For Love by Kristin Hannah. 4 stars.
Great escape reading but characters you care about and want to know more.
juliabannon@comcast.net
Hi BookReporter! Hope you're all doing well. Just a note to let you know that right now I'm re-reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling in anticipation of Book 6 this weekend! I give this a strong 5 out of 5 stars.
In addition, I'm listening to Seizure by Robin Cook on unabridged CD. This is an excellent book to listen to, full of suspense and drama, read by George Guidal. I quite enjoy his voices. I'm not done with the book yet, but so far I'd rate it at 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.
Suzanne
What I'm reading right now is Lorna Landvik's Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons. It is such a fun and enjoyable read. If you're not in a reading group, this book will tell you what one is all about --- friendship that extends beyond the current read and into the hearts of everyone who you see every month for a good read and usually a good laugh. But Lorna goes beyond that in her book --- she brings us into the lives of the women of Freesia Court and their most intimate feelings. I have not finished the book, but would give it 4 stars without hesitation!
s.benna@att.net
I just finished Janet Evanovich's latest Stephanie Plum novel, Eleven on Top, and give it 5 stars. I laughed so much my kids kept asking me what was so funny!
maestraw@msn.com
J.A. Konrath has a winner in his Jack Daniels series! I just finished Whiskey Sour, and it was everything I expected and more. There was humor, romance (a little), murder, and great crime solving. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Bloody Mary. I would rate this 4 stars.
dduwe@atsks.com
I have to go back and read the last 50 pages of The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I sat down at lunch today and devoured these last pages! I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen. Now I need to sit down and digest it all slowly and quietly.
What a great first novel!!!
I'll probably start Pawley's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank next. Definitely a change of pace.
Carly.Bohach@SourceMedia.com
I'm currently reading The Mammoth Cheese by Sheri Holman. It's a great book about a small town and the people in it. The most interesting member being Margaret the local dairy farmer and cheese maker. I'd give it 4 stars.
Prior to that I read Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk. I was really disappointed in this book. I thought the concept of several short stories connected by a common narrator was great, but it just didn't add up. Was definitely the worst book he's written. I'd give it 2 stars.
booklover25729@hotmail.com
4th of July by James Patterson. 5 stars.
I really enjoyed the latest installment of James Patterson's Women's series. It was a fun, exciting summer read.
Nighttime Is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark. 5 stars.
I had put off reading this book for a while now, but I am very glad that I finally picked it up. It was a great book. It was very suspenseful and had me guessing "who dunnit" from the first chapters. Several times throughout the book I had thought that I was sure who our villain was, but was quite surprised when the killer was unveiled. Highly recommended.
Miracle by Danielle Steel. 4 stars.
A typical Danielle Steel book. While not the most thought-provoking, a very easy and entertaining read.
Sympathy Between Humans by Jodi Compton. 3 stars.
I found myself a bit disappointed when reading this book. I was eagerly anticipating reading it after completing Jodi Compton's debut novel The 37th Hour. I found the pace to be a bit slow and parts of the story seemed to drag on. I missed the interactions that the main character had with her husband and best friend --- which was a large part of the first book. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, though, and I would still recommend this book to others.
jmblindsay@cox.net
The Novel Broads in Omaha, NE are reading The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon for our July meeting. Thus far, it is a great read. A real page-turner. Very creative premise. Read it, you'll like it too!
kiuki@cox.net
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. 3 stars.
Rather complex intermix of past and present when daughter looks to Dad about answers after she finds hidden letters. Dad's research has led him to seek out Dracula after Dad's mentor disappears. Interesting take on the vampire genre, but rather slow going. When I had finished the book, I felt mildly relieved to be done with it.
Rococo by Adriana Trigiani. 4 stars.
A funny, witty book about family, interior decorating and the church. Such a mix, but thoroughly engaging. The family is intriguing and somewhat familiar. Bartolomeo (better known as "B"), the single interior decorator; Capri (a 40ish "betrothed" to Bartolemeo at birth), a budded but not blossomed townswoman; Aurelia (Capri's mom), the richest woman in all of NJ, grieving sister Christine; Father Porporino, who may or may not bestow the renovation of the precious Our Lady of Fatima church on B; and a host of other citizens make this read fun and refreshing. No major action, but it left me with a feeling of having been there with the townspeople and enjoying every minute.
The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy. 5 stars.
A truly inspiring read. It is the story of survival near the close of WWII. Two Jewish children, now known as Hansel & Gretel because their true names would reveal their Jewishness, are sent into the forest in the hopes of survival by their father and stepmother. The "witch" Magda finds the children and takes them in. The town is occupied by Nazis who have their own agenda for some of the town's children. It is not always easy reading the horrors of war, but the courage and determination of the townsfolk makes the overall feeling after reading an uplifting one.
bjbookman@msn.com
I've just finished Elizabeth Becka's Trace Evidence. For a first novel it was a good read. This has the makings of an excellent series. A must for anyone who enjoys forensic mysteries. 4 stars.
jeannele@mailhaven.com
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. 5 stars.
Although this book started slowly, plot-wise, the characters quickly grabbed my attention. The subject matter may seem grim, but the twists and turns and overall uplifting message about the human spirit elevated this book to one of my favorites.
The Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg. 5 stars.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I plan to read more! Again, potentially controversial and depressing subject matter, but strong as well as flawed characters make for a fascinating read!
Anonymous
I just finished reading Prep by Curtis Sitenfeld. Great characterization and sad to be reminded what it was like being in high school and how popularity was so meaningful.
tfranzen2124@comcast.net
What a week off will do for your reading list! Two very different selections:
Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen. 4 stars.
Some of his stuff is too oddball, but this was a great summer read.
Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. 5 stars.
Here is a classic best read in one sitting, while near water. Still very pertinent, though published nearly 50 years ago. I had never read it and was glad I had an old copy.
DHotetz@artelinc.com
After the Rain by Chuck Logan. 4 stars.
A well developed storyline with interesting characters and little twists throughout the book. You hope what should happen does, although you are not quite so sure it will. I was enamored by the premise and found it very plausible.
The Footprints of God by Greg Iles. 4 stars.
This turned out to be different from the other books written by this author. Having said that, I truly enjoyed it and kept reading to find out what would happen. The ending was somewhat expected although it did not ruin my enjoyment of the book. The characters were very interesting and people you could care for, or hate.
Night Fall by Nelson DeMille. 5 stars.
This book kept me wanting to constantly pick up the book and read more, it was that interesting. For those of you wanting to read this book, do what I did and NOT read the jacket or any reviews of the book. Since I didn't, the ending was a complete surprise. I loved this book.
dscrawford@sbcglobal.net
I just finished Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich. This is an entertaining story where Stephanie quits her job as a bondswoman and goes through a series of jobs, ending up employed at Rangeman. The plot involves the disappearance of several men from the local Burg and the possible reincarnation of Spiro Silva. I gave it 4 stars.
Currently I'm reading Broken Prey by John Sandford. The 17th Lucas novel --- and it starts out very powerfully with a naked female found scourged and posed along the side of a road. I think it will be great!
Nytrane@aol.com
The Book of Joe by Jonathan Tropper. 5 stars.
I know it's not new, but it's new to me. Always one to read books by women or biographies by men or women, I saw that Augusten Burroughs wished he wrote it and that was a recommendation enough to spur me to read it. It is funny, poetic, witty, East Coast.
Finding Manana by Mirta Ojito. 5 stars.
An autobiography of a present female journalist who was born in Cuba and came to the United States during the Mariel boat lift. What a different picture is painted than what was reported in much of the media! Plus, every Cuban American I had known to this point in time had been wealthy prior to Castro when they left Cuba. This woman was poor during Batista and poor during Castro -- an entirely different outlook!
Catslady5@aol.com
The Road to Echo Point by Carrie Weaver. 4 stars.
A romance but intertwined with a sub-storyline about Alzheimer's that is very poignant and touching.
Colleen Champagne, Roseville, MI
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. 4 1/2 stars.
One of the best books I have read in years. I tell everyone I know to read this book. Not so much about the time travel as it is a beautiful love story.
Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison. 4 1/2 stars.
It's the third in the series and the characters are really growing and getting under my skin. I stayed up all night and read the book in one sitting.
The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. 5 stars.
Harry Dresden is a private investigator, Wizard. He is one of my favorite characters probably because the books are written with a lot of humor and a bit of sarcasm.
chrisr3@optonline.net
I am reading Honeymoon by James Patterson. 4 stars.
UmhmmIhearu@aol.com
2nd Chance by James Patterson with Andrew Gross is my current read. As always Patterson keeps you turning pages --- the multi-plot stories pull you every which way as does life. This rates 5 stars for keeping a reader drawn in until the end.
Colleen Goldrick, South Amboy, NJ
I have just discovered a wonderful author, Dan Simmons. I have just finished reading his newest novel called Olympos, which is a masterpiece. The book is amazing. Olympos starts off with the Greeks and Trojans of long ago, tales of Achilles and Hector, and then adds such a twist and places them in a futuristic setting that I fear my words will give away the story. He brings in Shakespeare, Homer and Proust and you find yourself completely in awe of this work of art of science fiction, yet history. I recommend this book highly to anyone who enjoys fantasy, Greek mythology, and escaping into a world you cannot even begin to imagine.
mactransport@msn.com
My current recommendations (which I am reading) are:
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. 5 stars.
Excellent reading with great insight.
The Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz. 5 stars.
Excellent book for guidance on love and acceptance.
The Goddess Rules by Clare Naylor. 5 stars.
Very relaxing and entertaining, awesome for reading to wind down.
Yentl7@aol.com
Lucia, Lucia by Adriana Trigiani.
An incredible book, especially if you know Greenwich Village in New York. It's a tearjerker of the best sort. I really love this author but think this is her best book. Maybe because of the New York touch, but if you love history, love and great writing, don't forget to read this book.
mrsbillw@optonline.net
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. 4 stars.
A love story lurks here, and the time traveling aspect is not so fantastic as to detract from the story. Indeed this adds a second story line to the major theme of relationship despite all odds.
VivaLePig@aol.com
My book club is reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I would give this book a 5-star rating. It is the best thing I have read this summer. What motivates us towards acts of courage and benevolence can sometimes be attempts to atone for past actions of cowardice and unseemly behavior. The struggle to forgive himself is told with a compelling intensity.
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