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Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net)
We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a pretty good book. I like Elizabeth Berg. I have read a couple others like THE YEAR OF PLEASURES and SAY WHEN. She is definitely talented. I think the best part about this book is the fact it is based on a true story. One of Elizabeth's readers sent her an email asking her to write about her mother who had polio. At first, Elizabeth was not going to do it but she became really intrigued by this woman and her relationship with her mom. So, her story is purely fiction but it is based on this woman's life.
I think the book definitely has a message --- not only how difficult it was for this daughter to be raised by a woman who could only move her head, but it also gave us a taste of what life was like during the era of the 60's. Berg did a really good job with this.
I highly recommend this book and others by this author!
Christy
Lord Kir of Oz - Return to Wonderland by Cheyenne McCray and Mackenzie McKade
Rating: 5 Stars
LORD KIR OF OZ is a fantastic continuation in the Wonderland series. I have loved each and every one of the previous 4 books and have been anxiously waiting for Lord Kir's story ...and... it was worth the wait. The humor will keep you smiling and the romance is hot. Previous characters make appearances in this book, some who already have a story and some who I would love to read more about. I'm also hoping that some of the new characters will get a story of their own. Ms. McCray is one of my favorite authors and although this is the first book of Ms. McKade's, it definitely won't be the last - they are fantastic together!
Sigrun
The Da Vinci Code (illustrated ed.) by Dan Brown
Rating: 5 Stars
Though I don't subscribe to the author's theories, I thought his novel worked well. However, I was constantly trying to remember all the sites mentioned in Paris, some of which I'd seen myself some 40 years ago. I was thrilled when they brought out this illustrated version. It is well worth it, though I would have preferred some better maps of Paris. Upon rereading parts of the book, I was very surprised at how much I had missed the first time around. Rereading this version was definitely worthwhile as you see the pictures of Saunieres.
Sigrun
Cold Truth by Mariah Stewart
Rating: 4 Stars
Det. Cassandra Burke gets a report of a woman's body who has been strangled and assaulted. A number of bodies turn up over a few days and turn the town's memories to 26 years earlier when the Bayside Strangler took the lives of 13 women. Cassie lives with the constant memory of the deaths of her whole family: father, mother and little sister. She, at 6 years of age, was herself badly knifed and only barely survived. But the perpetrator of this crime was convicted and has died in prison. Or did he?
Karla Hodde
Lover Eternal by J. R. Ward
Rating: 5 Stars
LOVER ETERNAL is #2 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. These are not your everyday vampires --- lots of fighting, lots of loving (hot & steamy), and one *itch of a goddess to contend with. This book is as good or better than the first, DARK LOVER. Highly recommended for paranormal readers.
Ruth
8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter by W. Bruce Cameron
Rating: 4 Stars
After raising two teenage daughters, I could really relate to this humorous take on parenting.
Ruth
Comfort & Joy by Kristin Hannah
Rating: 3 Stars
This short novel was a little different from others I've read by this author as it had a touch of fantasy.
Ruth
No Good Deeds by Laura Lippman
Rating: 3 Stars
The author integrates the plight of the homeless into this newest offering from her Tess Monaghan series.
Thomas (tomjac0850@charter.net)
Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a very good suspense novel about the search for a serial killer in Montreal. I will be sure to add Reichs to my list of authors to be read.
Justine Brewer
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
Rating: 3 Stars
I thought it was pretty good considering the controversy over the book and whether it was true or not. I enjoyed it, fact or fiction, it didn't matter to me.
Cathy
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Rating: 4 Stars
A really good read with lots of clues to figure out. As a work of fiction it still gives you new ideas to think about, even if you don't believe it. It made me want to check into some of the other books based on this belief.
Ruth
Younger Next Year for Women by Chris Crowley & Henry S. Lodge
Rating: 3 Stars
We can maintain a better quality of life in our later years through exercise, a healthy diet and social connections.
Lyla D (pooperdog2@verizon.net)
Lighting the Way by Karenna Gore Schiff
Rating: 5 Stars
When I picked this book up, I didn't know what to expect. What I got is a wonderful peek into the lives of 9 women and how they overcame social and cultural prejudice to become leaders of change in the US. Starting with Ida B.Wells-Barnett, born a slave, who became a strong leader for change in the south, to Gretchen Buchenolz --- whom I haven't gotten to yet --- she covers the history of this country from the mid 1880's to present day. Her writing is clear, crisp, and compassionate. She offers insight into how these women learned to make a difference in the lives of those who were pushed down, maltreated and ignored as less than because of the circumstances of their birth. A must read, especially for young women. I am looking forward to completing it.
Judy (joswood@msn.com)
Tripwire by Lee Child
Rating: 5 Stars
If you haven't met super-hero Jack Reacher, the main character in Child's series of books, you are missing some good reading. He is a loner who goes from place-to-place, helping where he is needed. TRIPWIRE has an exciting plot with an extremely bad villain. He's so bad that he's almost a cartoon character, but he sure makes a good story. Read all of these wonderful Jack Reacher books.
Marsha
Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais
Rating: 4 Stars
A bank robber turns good guy in this novel that twists and turns as the action heats up. Very fast paced and satisfying.
Linda
The Red Hat Club by Haywood Smith
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the story of 5 women in their 50s who have been friends since high school. Fun to read.
Cheryl
Pattern Recognition by William Gibson
Rating: 2 Stars
A book of intrigue involving the internet and a series of movie clips that appear every so often on the net. I thought the book was a little hard to get into and felt the ending was flat.
Connie Rutter (consurutte@aol.com)
Retribution by Jilliane Hoffman
Rating: 5 Stars
This was a real thriller --- if it was in print form, I would have stayed up to wee hours of the morning reading. I listened to 5 CDs on Monday just to hear the outcome because it was that good. RETRIBUTION is about a serial killer/rapist whose victim from 12 years earlier is the prosecutor at his trial. It shows how she was able to keep it together to see that he gets the death penalty. Is she strong enough now 12 years later? What if he is not the serial killer? Is it ethical for her to be trying this case? I loved this book and plan to look for more by this author. This was read by Kathe Mazur and she did a wonderful job. There are some gory parts and strong language, but it did not take away from the book for me.
I Love Books
Life Support by Tess Gerritsen
Rating: 5 Stars
I loved this medical thriller. It was exciting and had lots of mystery in it. I highly recommend this book!
Christy
Haunted Souls by Denise A. Agnew
Rating: 4 Stars
HAUNTED SOULS is the third book in the "Deep is the Night" series, and again Ms. Andrews has written a highly erotic paranormal romance. Erin, Lachlan, Micky and Jared are all back again as they join forces with Clarissa and Ronan to fight evil.
Stacie
The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty
Rating: 5 Stars
The story of a man who suddenly starts moving --– he’s not sure why exactly or where he’ll end up, but he meets some amazing people and and has some great experiences along the way. It made me feel human.
Charles Spataro (cspataro@optonline.net)
Cripple Creek by James Sallis
Rating: 5 Stars
Excellent literary mystery and character study of John Turner, ex-Memphis cop who has forsaken the city for life in a small town of Cripple Creek. When a man escapes from the local jail cell with the help of his two mob buddies and almost kills the Sheriff, Turner is determined to bring them to justice.
Jodi
All She Ever Wanted by Lynn Austin
Rating: 4 Stars
This book gets more and more interesting with each page. It peels the layers of a family away to show how disfunctional they've become.
Judy McGee (judy_mcgee@yahoo.com)
Predator by Patricia Cornwell
Rating: 3 Stars
The Hand of God (HOG) is in contact with a prisoner undergoing testing by Benton Wesley. Lucy is hiding a big secret from Kay Scarpetta. I'm fairly new to the Scarpetta series but I'm enjoying this.
Susan
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Rating: 5 Stars
I love that this book, though written by and about a man, touches very deep emotionally. It is a great book about one man's attempt to atone for a lifetime of regret.
Susan Jensen
Plantation by Dorothea Benton Frank
Rating: 4 Stars
I enjoyed this book about Caroline Wimbley Levine, a Southern belle who flees to New York to escape her critical mother and a future which threatens to suffocate her. When she makes a startling discovery about her husband, Caroline suddenly finds herself back home, in the midst of one family crisis after another. Just when Caroline is finally getting to really know her mother, another discovery will rock her to the core. A deep, engrossing read.
Sandra F.
Raise the Titanic! by Clive Cussler
Rating: 4 Stars
Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt books are not great works of fiction, but they never fail to entertain. This is one of the earlier books in the series --- a good read.
Susan
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Rating: 4 Stars
Although my reading group didn't like this one, I thought it was fabulous. The story follows two periods in the lives of twins, who are considered by their family to be responsible for the death of their young cousin.
Cindy Knisely (cynderma@aol.com)
Start Your Own Business by Rieva Lesonsky
Rating: 4 Stars
Very well written and full of information. I found it very helpful and would recommend it to anyone thinking of starting his/her own business.
Holly G.
Shiver by Lisa Jackson
Rating: 4 Stars
An engrossing mystery that you will want to read in one sitting.
Sandra F.
Chocolat by Joanne Harris
Rating: 5 Stars
Joanne Harris is a wonderful writer. Each of her books is unique and always well crafted. CHOCOLAT is delicious --- in every sense of the word. The characters are finely drawn and the descriptions of the hundreds of chocolates created by Vianne leave the reader hungry for more.
Nana Greller
The Camel Club by David Baldacci
Rating: 4 Stars
A slow beginning followed by a fantastic "can't put down" middle, followed by a predictable ending.
Dr. DiAnna Loy
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
This one brought up many ethical issues for our group to discuss and kept me on the edge of my seat up to the very last page.
Dr. DiAnna Loy
Carved in Bone by Jefferson Bass and Jon Jefferson
Rating: 5 Stars
Another book wtih twists and turns that pulled me in immediately and kept me there through the whole book.
Becca K.
Cape Perdido by Marcia Muller
Rating: 4 Stars
Isn't it enough to say it's written by Marcia Muller? The book contains carefully crafted language and precise character development, built upon geography, history, and current events.
Sandra F.
Jane and the Ghosts of Netley by Stephanie Barron
Rating: 5 Stars
The Jane Austen mystery series is one of the best being written now. The plots are well thought out and the language of 1806 England is wonderful to read. The novels are true to the events of the day and never fail to entertain the reader.
Shelly Itkin
The 5th Horseman by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Rating: 4 Stars
Leaves you guessing till the end. It is a fast -paced and scary book about how innocent people are dying in hospitals and who is causing it.
Virginia Weber
We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg
Rating: 5 Stars
This story provides a poignantly enchanting visit to 1964 and a mother-daughter relationship that is unusual and universal. I loved it.
Mary
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Rating: 3 Stars
I felt for the author's loss and admired her for her ability to cope, but this book would have been better with a little less medical jargon.
Mike Patt (michaelenepatt@comcast.net)
Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais
Rating: 4 Stars
I enjoy all of Robert Crais' s books. This one gets four stars. In the beginning of the book you can't seem to get a good feeling about Max Holman. He's been in jail for 10 years and has just been released. He says he has had a lot of time to think in prison and will go straight from now on, but constantly does things to violate his parole (luckily no one in authority finds out). By the end of the book he is a sympathetic character and it is easier to understand why he did the things he did. Robert Crais also wrote the book HOSTAGE, on which the movie starring Bruce Willis was based. He wasn't happy how the movie turned out.
Sherri Burgess
Wolf Dance by Lorraine Kennedy
Rating: 4 Stars
Dark, erotic dreams torment a young woman and an eerie phantom warns of forbidden passions. Long ago, the Sungmanitu Indians withdrew into isolation; what dark secrets were they hiding?
Laura Ellison was soon to find out. The company she works for is planning to send her to Wyoming, where they are preparing to clear-cut the land of the Sungmanitu. A fellow employee has mysteriously disappeared, and the local police are baffled by a string of strange murders.
The land of the Sungmanitu: a place of breathtaking beauty and menacing evil. It is where Laura will discover the demon who haunts her nightmares, and the dark truth of who she really is.
Kate
False Impression by Jeffrey Archer
Rating: 4 Stars
Great action, suspense, and an interesting fictional account of 9/11.
Virginia Weber
Queen of the Underworld by Gail Godwin
Rating: 5 Stars
It was a real treat to travel with Emma as she started her reporter job in Miami. I was sorry to reach the last page and close the book. What a wonderful book.
Nancy in Atlanta
Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
Rating: 4 Stars
A great book! I just love the character Odd, and I cannot wait to read the sequel, FOREVER ODD.
Corky Mayo (corkymayo@gmail.com)
Dinner with Anna Karenina by Gloria Goldreich
Rating: 5 Stars
Highly recommended --- this novel details the lives (personal and reading) of a book group comprised of women of all walks of life. I gained much insight into the particular literature that the "group" discussed as well as enjoyed the lives of the members.
Melanie R
In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant
Rating: 5 Stars
I'm halfway through and enjoying this book very much. The story takes place in Venice in the 1500's. The storyline is intriguing and the language is beautiful.
Nana Greller
Legends by Robert Littell
Rating: 4 Stars
This book is full of wonderful characters, humor amid mayhem, fascinating behind-the-scene details of CIA covert action, and an entertaining theory on the demise of Russia --- all in all, a very satisfying thriller.
Alison Hynds
Kill Chase by Ron Morgans
Rating: 5 Stars
I like thrillers best and this is an exciting read. The character is a flame-haired paparazzo on a motorbike. She snaps the P.M´s pregnant mistress with another man. The mistress is murdered and the killer wants the camera girl dead, too. A good International chase that ends in Jerusalem.
Nancy in Atlanta (n_bryan2001@yahoo.com)
The 5th Horseman by James Patterson
Rating: 4 Stars
Another great installment in this series. A very fast read, especially since you can't put it down!
Laura (bluemoon989@yahoo.com)
Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a fictionalized story of John Brown, told by his son Owen Brown. It's a long story, but easy and interesting to read.
Michelle Miller
Smashed by Koren Zailckas
Rating: 3 Stars
Her writing is very pretentious, I am not liking her as a person very much.
Christy
A Kink In Her Tails by Sahara Kelly
Rating: 4 Stars
This book is an anthology of four interconnected stories about different couples who live in the same apartment building. Ms. Kelly's characters and her sense of humor are wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
C. Jean
I Is for Innocent by Sue Grafton
Rating: 4 Stars
This is one of the older "Alphabet" mysteries in the series that I somehow missed. Good one.
Rachael
Gone For Good by Harlan Coben
Rating: 5 Stars
Another fantastic book by Harlan Coben. This is one his stand-alone books. The tension never lets up. I love this book.
Janice Kind (KINDLEELF@AOL.COM)
A Wedding in December by Anita Shreve
Rating: 4 Stars
I have found that all of Anita's books are pure pleasure to read.
Elisa Sillery
Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Rating: 4 Stars
This book had me running to the computer to find out more about footbinding and Nu Shu.
Suzanne Wargo (suewargo@aol.com)
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Rating: 4 Stars
Who would have thought vampires and mysteries would go together. I love the quirkiness of the story. Harris has thought of just a neat and different set of characters that makes you want to read more in the series.
Lourdes
The Twelve Little Cakes by Dominika Dery
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a memoir of growing up in the Communist Czech republic. It paints a gripping, beautiful portrait of Prague, and of a family making the most of what they had!
Suzanne Wargo (suewargo@aol.com)
The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell by Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: 5 Stars
As a longtime fan of this series, I think this one is more in line with her older novels. This story is truer to the past and I loved it. It still makes me want to know Quilleran and Polly. Braun can still tell a good story and this one is better than the past two or three.
Mario
The Autumn of the Patriarch by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Rating: 5 Stars
I was reading a library copy and just had to go buy one of my own to mark up with thoughts and notes to carry to friends for discussion. If you are like me, this book may likewise be for you.
Kris
Marley & Me by John Grogan
Rating: 4 Stars
For anyone who loves animals, this is a must read!
Marsha
The Survivors Club by Lisa Gardner
Rating: 3 Stars
A fast-paced, suspenseful tale of mystery and the will to survive whatever tragedy befalls you.
Lourdes
Personal History by Katharine Graham
Rating: 4 Stars
An interesting look at the life of The Washington Post's publisher -- and of the Post itself.
Janice Kind (KINDLEELF@AOL.COM)
Legal Tender by Lisa Scotoline
Rating: 4 Stars
An easy, interesting, and quick read. Bennnie Rosato is a study in resorcefulness.
Jeanne Sheats (catslady5@aol.com)
My Favorite Witch by Annette Blair
Rating: 2 Stars
I think I'm just not into contemporary romance. But, if you like this genre, I'm sure it would be enjoyable.
Monica
The Devil's Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a nonfiction book about illegal immigration. Parts of it were hard to read because it was so depressing, but it was good. I learned a lot about crossing the border from Mexico. I came away from the book feeling very grateful for what I have.
Jana Harver (jlharver@yahoo.com)
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
Rating: 5 Stars
This is totally different from his previous works (INTO THIN AIR and INTO THE WILD), but it is a fascinating account of two murders by members of a fundamentalist group. I can't put it down!
Linda N
Witch Way to Murder by Shirley Damsgaard
Rating: 5 Stars
I enjoyed this book tremendously! A librarian who has inherited the family "gift" reluctantly uses her psychic talents to unravel mysterious happenings in a small Iowa town. This first novel is fun, and filled with humor and mystery. The characters are unique and a joy to get to know.
Barbara Kirch
Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith
Rating: 5 Stars
Reading each of the books in the "Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series is almost like being with friends. I especially enjoy Mma Ramotswe's gentle ways and descriptions of life in Botswana. I usually have a cup or two of Bush tea while reading, and am always disappointed when the book is finished --- I know there will be a long wait for the next one!
Peggy Clayton (PTCLAYTON2@AOL.COM)
Her Boss's Marriage Agenda by Jessica Steele
Rating: 4 Stars
I have been reading all the Harlequin books --- all of them are fun, and you can't put them down once you start. They are peftect books for sitting out in the sun. You just can't go wrong when buying one of these series books. They are all enjoyable. Hats off to the Harlequin Romance writers!
Randi Odierno (rodierno@aol.com)
Children of the Serpent Gate by Sarah Ash
Rating: 5 Stars
A fantastic adventure with lots of drama. Warring factions, dragon/daemons, abductions, sabotage and love are all facets of this sci-fi novel. If you like the Potter and Inheritance series, you will enjoy this final volume of "The Tears of Artamon" trilogy too.
L. M. Smyer
Futureland by Walter Mosley
Rating: 4 Stars
Extremely well-written stories of a scary possible future.
L. M. Smyer
Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
Rating: 4 Stars
Well-told memoir by the author of ANGELA'S ASHES.
L. M. Smyer
The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter
Rating: 5 Stars
A great page-turning mystery that I didn't want to end.
Heather Parker
Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
Rating: 4 Stars
I found the beginning of the book quite disconcerting --- it was written as if the events were happening right at that moment. Once that portion of the book was over, I found the rest of the book quite enjoyable. It is a mystery involving the Grail and reincarnation.
I would recommend this book.
Marelou
Zipporah, Wife of Moses by Marek Halter
Rating: 4 Stars
An interesting and different view of Zipporah and her relationship with Moses. She only has a slight mention in the Bible, and this book presents Zipporah's influence and personality as stronger than one would have thought.
Linda N
Dead Days of Summer by Carolyn Hart
Rating: 4 Stars
Annie's husband, Max is arrested for a brutal murder he didn't commit. Annie and her friends from DEATH ON DEMAND find the real murderer and Max is freed. Another good Death on Demand book, but I missed not havinng more about the store. A very good read.
Donna Jacobs
Mystery by Peter Straub
Rating: 4 Stars
This is an older book I found at an estate sale. Very good reading. I was surprised at how fast the pages were being turned and how I got into the characters.
Ozarks Reader (dixmil@yahoo.com)
We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg
Rating: 2 Stars
After reading rave reviews, I thought I would give E. Berg one more try. In the past I have thought her books were very weak, and this one followed that pattern. I found it depressing from page one, and --- let's face it --- integration and Elvis have been pretty much overworked. I gave up about half way through.
Laurie Blum (laurieblum@hotmail.com)
We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg
Rating: 4 Stars
Elizabeth Berg's newest novel features 3 women, each struggling against overwhelming odds for her own kind of freedom. I can identify big time!
Sue Bechtel
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Rating: 4 Stars
Having two close friends with adopted daughters from China, and being a fan of historical fiction really makes this book a winner for me. It is a heartbreaking and also a heartwarming account of women in China, detailing the roles they play in society, and how they overcome daily hardships faced mainly because of how undervalued they are.
Heather Parker
The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton
Rating: 4 Stars
I found this book to be very good, and not as pornographic as her later books in this series. I made the mistake of starting this series at the end instead of the beginning, and am enjoying her earlier books more than those at the end of the series.
Joan (jscady@efieldguide.com)
Night of the Jaguar by Michael Gruber
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is the third in this series set in Cuban Miami. Don't be put off thinking this is a fantasy. The plot drives this story of African religion alive in Miami, an ex-police detective now cook, and hippie environmentalists.
L. Hann
The Green Mile by Stephen King
Rating: 5 Stars
Excellent. I have read this book probably 4 times already but love it. I get so absorbed in it that I can actually "hear" the characters voices, they way I think they sound anyway. I think this might be one of the best Stephen King books out there. I always discover some detail that I missed when I read it before.
Janet (janebeatty92083@yahoo.com)
Isolation Ward by Joshua Spanogle
Rating: 5 Stars
This book keeps you on the edge of your seat. I hope Spanogle writes more like this.
Marie Esterline
Lifeguard by James Patterson & Andrew Gross
Rating: 5 Stars
The story was very different from the usual ideas of love. The ending was very far out and I loved it. The story was fascinating. It was written to make you feel like you were really there. It was hard to put down.
Marie M. Esterline (Mmetutor@AOL.com)
The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a great love story that's different, interesting, and keeps you turning the pages. It also had a great ending and there were even some recipes to try. t was a great book for a Saturday afternoon. I recommend it.
Kathleen Josephson
Brother and Sister by Joanna Trollope
Rating: 4 Stars
What happens when an adopted woman decides that she wants to seek out her birth mother? First she convinces her brother, also adopted, that he should do the same. The subsequent disruption of family and friends makes for a facinating story.
Kathleen Josephson
Dark Horse by Tami Hoag
Rating: 3 Stars
This mystery takes place in and around the business of showing horses. An ex-police detective takes on the job of trying to solve a kidnapping case.
LaDonna Carrington
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
Another great novel by Picoult.
L. Hann
Shrapnel in the Heart by Laura Palmer
Rating: 5 Stars
As sad as this is, SHRAPNEL IN THE HEART is a book for everyone to read. You will definItely be moved.
Slatemom
The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson
Rating: 4 Stars
A wonderful nonfiction account of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and a serial killer who lurked there. The chapters alternate the two stories. It was fascinating to learn about all the products and attractions that came from that fair. It was also startling to learn that sociopaths were just as horrific in the ninteenth century as they are now.
B. Congdon
The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd
Rating: 4 Stars
I enjoyed this book. I liked it as much, or better, than THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES.
L.Gettle (lgettle@iserv.net)
Judas Burning by Carolyn Haines
Rating: 4 Stars
A sheriff and newspaper publisher work together to find two missing teens.
Joan (jscady@efieldguide.com)
Eye of the Cricket by James Sallis
Rating: 5 Stars
Looking for a story set in New Orleans? You can't do any better than this, which is full of mystery, interesting characters and a wealth of New Orleans atmosphere. CYPRESS GROVE turned me on to Sallis and now I can't wait to read DRIVE and his latest, CRIPPLE CEEK.
Jan Stephens
Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichel
Rating: 4 Stars
A memoir about the formative events in her childhood, teenage, and adult years that eventually led to her position as a food critic. It's laugh-out-loud funny and very entertaining.
TereseRose
Firefly Cloak by Sheri Reynolds
Rating: 3 Stars
This is a coming-of-age story like many others. Young Tessa Lee and her brother are abandoned by their Mother at a camp site. Raised by their Grandmother, Tessa Lee faces many challenges, including finding her mother to tell her of her young brother's death. Sheri Reynolds is a terrific writer. Some of her descriptions are amazing, her characters appealing and interesting. But something seemed missing in this book (JMO- sorry).
K Lauzon (Kathlau@aol.com)
Speedbumps by Teri Garr
Rating: 4 Stars
An engaging bio of the actress. With each chapter I discovered so many elements of " 6 degrees of separation." You don't realize how many other wonderful performers her life is entwined with (and not just professionally). I picked it up mainly because of the MS connection --- several people in my life are afflicted --- and was rewarded by her candor, humor, and overall up attitude about handling life's little detours.
Sally B., San Antonio TX
Walking a Literary Labyrinth by Nancy M. Malone
Rating: 3 Stars
Subtitled "A Spirituality of Reading," the author --- a Catholic nun --- recalls numerous books she has read that have affected her life and personality. She writes about how every book we read changes us in some way. My favorite quote:
"Every time you open a book you engage in an act of self-transcendence."
Larena Wirum
Dates from Hell by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong, Lori
Rating: 5 Stars
It is 4 great stories.
JanieC
Sick Puppy by Carl Hiaasen
Rating: 5 Stars
Carl Hiaasen has been recommended to me for years by a fellow Floridian. I finally began with SKINNY DIP and am now reading SICK PUPPY. I am loving the humor along with the mystery!
L. Gettle (lgettle@iserv.net)
The Hostage by W.E.B. Griffen
Rating: 4 Stars
Well-written fiction built around recent events.
L. Gettle (lgettle@iserv.net)
Vanishing Acts by Kodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
A young woman learns she was kidnapped as a child.
L.Gettle (lgettle@iserv.net)
Honeymoon by James Patterson and Howard Roughan
Rating: 5 Stars
A beautiful woman marries and murders for money.
L.Gettle (lgettle@iserv.net)
The 5th Horseman by James Patterson
Rating: 3 Stars
The ladies in this novel did not actually work together to solve the crime as they did in past novels, but still a very good read.
Jan Stephens
The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar
Rating: 5 Stars
There's nothing like the setting of India to depict distinctions among the classes. This is a tale of an upper middle class Parsi woman and the relationship with her lifetime maid. Told partly in flashback, the innermost dynamics of both families makes the end result even harder to swallow.
Connie Rutter (consurutte@aol.com)
We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a very happy, yet sad book. It involves a very young girl and her mom who had polio when she was a young woman and now lives on a respirator. The story describes the way the woman tries to raise her daughter even though she can't lift a finger or walk. It also covers the racial tension in 1960s Tupelo, Mississippi, which I am sure would have been worse than where I lived in Oregon.
I read this book in a three-day period, but wanted to savor it a bit more I would, had I just read through it quickly. The ending had me sobbing as it was such a happy/sad book. If you enjoy reading about young girls and their growth into womanhood, this would be the book to read. I have never been disappointed in a book that I have read by Elizabeth Berg.
L. Hann
Presumed Guilty by Tess Gerritsen
Rating: 5 Stars
I love all of the characters. I see a lot of myself in Miranda, in her personality etc. A good read.
Melissa
The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene
Rating: 3 Stars
A very well-written story.
Carol Hirsh
We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg
Rating: 5 Stars
I am a big Elizabeth Berg fan. She does not disappoint.
Francisco Muńiz III - Vietnam veteran
Names I Can't Remember by Douglas R. Bergman
Rating: 5 Stars
NAMES I CAN'T REMEMBER is a book to be read by the family members whose loved ones served during the Vietnam and Iraqi war. It's a powerful story of pain and recovery, and also helps poeple understand what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is, and how to survive it. This is powerful reading that veterans can relate to.
Barbara Stahr
Most Wanted by Michele Martinez
Rating: 3 Stars
It seems to lack depth, but does somewhat hold your attention,
Lorrie McCullers
Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
A heartbreaking account of a grown woman who was kidnapped as a child. Beautifully written!
Lorrie McCullers
Entombed by Linda Fairstein
Rating: 5 Stars
A skeleton is found bricked up inside a wall in a building that was once home to Edgar Allan Poe. What does ths skeleton have to do with a modern-day serial rapist?
This wonderfully addictive thriller is a nice blend of modern-day mystery with history of Edgar Allan Poe.
Faith McDonnell (sudansong@cox.net)
War and Faith in Sudan by Gabriel Meyer and James Nicholls
Rating: 5 Stars
This book traces the genocide now taking place in Darfur back to where it started --- in Southern Sudan and the Nuba Mountains --- when the radical Islamist government in Khartoum began its campaign to wipe out the beautiful, ancient Nuba people. WAR AND FAITH is a very informative book --- you will learn about the history of Sudan, the many tribes of people in the Nuba Mountains, and what it is like to be a visitor in the midst of a genocidal jihad. But it is also a warm, affectionate book full of love, admiration, and grief for the Nuba people. Because of the truth of the title (there was not just war, but faith, in Sudan) it is also a book of great hope.
Andrea
The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury
Rating: 5 Stars
If you like the THE DA VINCI CODE, you'll love this one. It's very fast paced from the start. I love the historical parts intertwined with modern day.
Lori Brummer
The Essential 55 by Ron Clark
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a book geared for educators and their students. However, this is a great read for anyone with children, or anyone around a young person. Wonderful rules for life! My husband recently changed careers, at the age of 42, to become a teacher. He bought the book for himself, and I really wanted to read it because of all the great things he was saying about it! These are rules for anyone to follow!
Pat Miller
The Stepmother by Diana Diamond
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a great book. I wish I would have found this author sooner.
Melissa (melissaherlevic@yahoo.com)
In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant
Rating: 4 Stars
I loved THE BIRTH OF VENUS and felt compelled to check out Dunant's next novel.
Heather Gill
The Lizard's Bite by David Hewson
Rating: 5 Stars
This was a really good novel to read with plenty of suspense and mystery. It's set in a beautiful place where you would like to visit, to see the beauty around you.
Heather Gill
The Grave Tattoo by Val McDermid
Rating: 5 Stars
I love all Val's books and this was another really well thought-out novel with suspense and mystery all the way through the novel! If you don't read it you will miss a great novel!
Heather Gill
Betrayal by Paul Carson
Rating: 4 Stars
A action-packed novel with plenty of thrills along the way. It grips you and takes you along for the ride, like you're in the novel with the other characters in the book!
K. Gold
Living Atlanta by Cliff Kuhn, Michael Lomax, Harlon E. Joye, E. Bern
Rating: 4 Stars
This is an oral history written from a radio project in the 70's. I used to listen to the show on WRFG in Atlanta. It's fascinating to an Atlanta resident --- I don't know if it would be for anyone else.
Tabitha M.
Express Lane Meals by Rachael Ray
Rating: 4 Stars
Rachael Ray's latest 30-Minute Meal cookbook, EXPRESS LANE MEALS, tells us what kitchen staples to keep in the pantry and which food items to buy fresh, for a short grocery list and dinner in 30 minutes.
Debby (Debby236@aol.com)
Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a new series that is great if you love Laurel K Hamilton. The world created by JR Ward is fantastic and imaginative. The characters are well developed and easy to love.
Connie Rutter (consurutte@aol.com)
The Colorado Kid by Stephen King
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a Hard Case Crime book, and my first Stephen King read. I think he did a good job of telling the story of who the Colorado Kid was, but I think it just left you with more questions about why he was on the beach with a piece of steak stuck in his throat. The book has no outcome, so it is left up to your imagination, you have no closure. That was talked about in the book too, and I found it interesting that he didn't close the book. I listened to this on Cd and it was read by Jeffrey DeMunn. He did the Maine accent of the two elderly gentlemen perfectly. I thought I was sitting in a restaurant listening to the locals chat about something that might have happened. I hope that Stephen King writes more of these Hard Case Crime books, because I would definitely read them even if I don't have closure.
Cynthia
Beyond Black by Hillary Mantel
Rating: 4 Stars
A well-written, quirky novel about 2 women who try to find a balance between real life and the metaphysical world. This book provides witty insight into the lives of mediums and psychics that is both thought-provoking and, at times, heartbreaking.
Christy
Night Watch by Denise A. Agnew
Rating: 4 Stars
NIGHT WATCH is a wonderful paranormal suspense that you will want to read from start to finish in one sitting. It's filled with lots of creepy danger, action and titillating love scenes between Micky and Jared. This is the 2nd book in Ms. Agnew's "Deep Is the Night Vampire series" and I can't wait to start reading the next book.
Christy (hawkes@citlink.net)
Alone by Lisa Gardner
Rating: 4 Stars
This is one of the most complex, intense and spine-chilling crime thrillers that I've read in a long time. It's full of lots of dark and horrible twists and turns. I was never sure who was innocent or guilty, who was telling the truth or who was lying, until the very end, and then I was still left pondering the motives and actions of the characters. ALONE is the first book of Ms. Gardner's that I've read, but I've already purchased another and can't wait to get started on it.
Ray Olsen
Herb's First 100 Years by Randy Perkins
Rating: 4 Stars
This story will touch your soul and may change the way you see yourself in the world. Ninety-eight year old Herb Conroy wants to leave the world a better place. He is a common man with an uncommon mission. Everyone should read this novel.
Sandra F.
The Book of Dead Days by Marcus Sedgwick
Rating: 3 Stars
This book is intended for a Young Adult reader, but I throughly enjoyed it. It is a dark tale of a magician who sold his soul to the devil for wealth and success and the time has come to pay up. There is a sequel to this book that continues the story and I look forward to reading that as well.
Judy (joswood@msn.com)
Dragon Bones by Lisa See
Rating: 3 Stars
Author Lisa See also wrote SNOWFLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN, a book I really enjoyed. So, I got this one by her and didn't like it nearly as much. The plot is about people stealing artifacts from archeology digs in China. The basic plot was good and kept me reading, but there was a great deal of technical information about China that was confusing --- lots of preaching and orating about injustices concerning China. I was glad when it was done.
Terri Dobson
The Pregnancy Test by Erin McCarthy
Rating: 3 Stars
Usually, I like Erin McCarthy's strong female characters. This was just not up to par. The male was too much and the main character was wishy washy.
Gina B.
Kill Me by Stephen White
Rating: 5 Stars
A bit of a change from White's usual Alan Gregory novels. The novel is narrated by one of his patients ---- one with a very interesting dilemma. I had problems keep the events straight as far as timing, but the story was awesome!
Pat Miller
Stone Cold by Robert B. Parker
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a great series of books. I saw the movie on TV and couldn't wait to read the book.
Pat Miller
Mad River Road by Joy Fielding
Rating: 2 Stars
I've always enjoyed books by Joy Fielding and look forward to her new books coming out, but I was very disappointed by this one.
Pat Miller
The Perfect Husband by Lisa Gardner
Rating: 5 Stars
This is one of her older books but I loved, loved, loved it.
Pat Miller
Prior Bad Acts by Tami Hoag
Rating: 4 Stars
This was okay, but not a real page turner.
Pat Miller
Separate Beds by LaVyrle Spencer
Rating: 5 Stars
This was a great read, but then I like anything by her.
B Semeraro
The Delilah Complex by M. J. Rose
Rating: 4 Stars
I just started to read this book and from the very beginning, I could tell it was one that I will enjoy. I love mysteries that are combined with a little romance and are somewhat erotic.
Barbara Stahr
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Rating: 5 Stars
Fascinating descriptions of culture in early Chinese history.
Gina B.
Tales from the Bed by Jenifer Estess
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the story of a successful women diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). I knew it would have a sad ending, but didn't expect to cry so hard that I gave myself a headache.
Lew (mipalew@aol.com)
Great Fortune by Daniel Okrent
Rating: 4 Stars
Subtitled "the epic of Rockefeller Center," this is a fascinating account of not only the construction of Rockefeller Center but the history and personalities of the time. Slow going, but interesting.
Jodi
The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers
Rating: 4 Stars
A very cute book about a bear that is living through various stages of his life, whether he's marooned on an island or living on a bird's back. There are very good graphics to go w/ the book. It's listed as Sci-Fi, which I usually stray from, but this one is very entertaining and worth reading.
Kathy Kasten (kkasten911@yahoo.com)
The Settlers by William Stuart Long
Rating: 3 Stars
The second installment in "The Australians" series, this book was composed mainly of how the people (convicts and military) started to make Australia into a self sufficent nation. Captain Bligh (from the Bounty mutiny) becomes the governor at the end, so I have to read the next book to see if it works out better for him.
Sheila Macfarlane
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
Rating: 4 Stars
This is an endearing story with a little romance, a little folklore, a little history, and a little humor. An underlying thread of the story is the power of books. They provide knowledge, entertainment, and much more.
Connie Rutter (consurutte@aol.com)
The Broker by John Grisham
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a story about Joel Backman --- he pled guilty to a conspiracy and has been in solitary confinement in a federal prison for 6 years. On the eve of the United States President going out of office, Joel is offered a pardon and spirited out of the United States by the CIA. Joel has to assume a new identity and the CIA is protecting him for a while until they do not find him useful any more; then they are going to leak where he is and wait to see who comes to kill him. This is his story of how he was at a high point at one time in his life, then a very low point, and then finding out what priorities are in life.
It has been a while since I read a John Grisham, but I really did like this one and I even liked the ending. You don't really know the outcome, but you kind of do. I listened to this on CD and Michael Beck did a wonderful job of narrating this book. I am glad I listened to it because there were a lot of Italian terms and dialogue, even though explained, I am sure it would have slowed down my reading of the book. If John Grisham is writing like this now, I can't wait for the next book.
Erin McNamara
Leaving Campus and Going to Work by T. Jason Smith
Rating: 5 Stars
Every graduating student should have a copy and read it. I received this as a "congratulations on your new job" gift and it is great! After years of reading textbooks ---and mysteries for distraction --- this was the first book I've read that I feel will really help me move from college to my new job. It gave me guidance I had not thought about, using examples and language that were not condescending. It's the best gift I have received so far.
Jason A. Johnson
Swift & Silent by C. J. Hewett
Rating: 5 Stars
A fast paced, page-turning thriller. A group of people in a tiny Ohio town have discovered the existence of a doomsday plot after encountering an other-worldly menace, who must be stopped!
Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net)
Dean and Me: A Love Story by Jerry Lewis and James Kaplan
Rating: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this interesting book. Although, I wasn't even thought of during the time of their partnership, Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin have always intrigued me. This book had a lot of great stories about their 10 years as one of the best comedic partnerships in the world, and the years afterward when they didn't speak for almost 18 years. One of the most interesting stories was the time Jerry and Dean were suppose to meet Willie Moretti (a mob boss) for lunch at some restaurant near Cliffside Park, NJ. Well, Jerry got the mumps so they had to cancel that day. As they were sitting in their room playing rummy and watching TV, a newsbreak flashed on the screen, "Mob boss Willie Moretti was gunned down today at a restaurant near Cliffside Park, NJ... Or the time their wives and kids were coming to visit them in Atlantic City and they didn't have the money to put them up in a decent hotel, so they decided to try their luck gambling. Dean won not only enough to put them up in a posch hotel, but enough to buy a classy cadillac....This is a great book told by a partner who had the upmost respect for Dean Martin and was lucky enough to share one of the most prosperous, notable and yet tumultous times any person could experience. Highly recommended!!
Lew (mipalew@aol.com)
Lost Light by Michael Connelly
Rating: 4 Stars
Another great Harry Bosch novel. Fast moving and fun.
Karen
The White Rose by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Rating: 4 Stars
A great book with characters you really begin to care about. The first 80 to 100 pages are a little slow, but after that, you won't be able to put in down. There's also a nice twist in the ending. My book club found a lot to discuss with this book.
Judy L., Stockton, Ca. (judyal7@sbcglobal.net)
Once Upon a Day by Lisa Tucker
Rating: 5 Stars
I would give this book more than 5 stars if I could. I happened to stumble upon the book while browing in my favorite book store and was intrigued by its jacket summary. I whizzed through the book in 2 days and was sorry to see it end. This is one of the best books I have read in recent years.
Nancy Achin (MissusA518@yahoo.com)
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
Rating: 4 Stars
Forget every boring thing you learned in Econ I or II in school --- this book takes "supply and demand" to a level that would've made them the most sought-after classes ever. There's no dusty, scholarly verbage written by these two. There is wit and real thought-provoking discussion of current events. Yes, I said WIT. Who knew an economist could have a sense of humor?
italianprincess
Dating Can Be Deadly by Wendy Roberts
Rating: 5 Stars
All I can say is wow. This is a real page turner and a great mystery. This was a very interesting story from the beginning to the end. Wendy Roberts shines in her debut book that has just enough creepiness for the mystery angle, a fun story with an interesting cast of characters --- including a cute and endearing heroine, and a cat that sometimes steals the show. I highly recommend this book.
Description: Some gifts are easy to return, like the parrot earrings from Aunt Ruth, but when your gift is clairvoyance Tabitha Emery finds there is a definite no refund policy. She didn't ask for her talent and certainly doesn't want it but it clings to her like a thong and is just as uncomfortable.
Tabitha's goals are simple ones, A) to rise above receptionist to legal secretary, B) to spend Friday nights uncovering the mysteries of butterscotch schnapps with her comrades and C) to procure a date with Clay Sanderson (Greek God type lawyer).
The obstacle to her goals are, A) a predisposition to have premonitions involving the grisly murder of a woman who's body has yet to be found, B) being doggedly pursued by Lucien Roskell, the sexy, albeit weird, proprietor of a metaphysical store who is determined to encourage Tabitha to use her gift of second sight (and possibly uncover her latent beneath-the-sheets talents as well), C) foot-in-mouth disease that prevents meaningful or even logical conversations with Clay unless it involves her relationship with the Seattle P.D.
Tabitha clumsily stumbles along attempting to both lead the police to a murderer, and catch the eye of her sexy man.
Liza
Snapshots by Willaim Norris
Rating: 4 Stars
This books begins on December 24, 1997 as four siblings, all in their thirties now, are on their way to the family home for the holiday. This original novel takes the reader backward in time, through 25 years of these people's lives as a family, to discover how ech member came to be the person he/she is today. As the author turns back the pages of the family album, we laugh with them and cry for them as they love and hate one another, save one another, and break one another's hearts. It's a great family story told in an unusual way.
Shelly Itkin
Dirty Blonde by Lisa Scottoline
Rating: 4 Stars
Even judges can make mistakes, but when you have a gut instinct and go with it, things suddenly appear differently. This is a different type of book from Lisa, but an enjoyable one.
Shelly Itkin (rochelle017@aol.com)
Hey, Good Looking by Fern Michaels
Rating: 5 Stars
A wonderful story of how a tragic death changes an entire family, and how love can happen at any age.
Susan De Feo
On Beauty by Zadie Smith
Rating: 4 Stars
I couldn't put the book down.
CJ
Nop's Trials by Donald McCaig
Rating: 5 Stars
I love this book about the life of a dog and how he affects those who love him.
Carol
The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason
Rating: 4 Stars
This book started out slowly for me but became more intriguing as it went along.
Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net)
Simon Said by Sarah R. Shaber
Rating: 4 Stars
This book is the first of the Simon Shaw series. The author is from North Carolina and she will be meeting with our book club next week! I was kind of surprised at how much I enjoyed this book.It is not one I would have picked up myself. I thought Ms. Shaber has a real talent for mixing mystery, humor and history all into one. I really enjoyed this and look forward to reading more of the series.
Blayne Frisbie
True Believer by Nicholas Sparks
Rating: 4 Stars
This book was really good! It is alot different than any of Nicholas Sparks' other stuff. I liked how Nicholas Sparks describes the differences in The guy living in the city and then living in this small town.
Dolly Knickerbocker (dollyk@mad.scientist.com)
Timeline by Michael Crighton
Rating: 4 Stars
An interesting blend of science and history, with plenty of action and great characters. This book makes you realize how soft we've become. My husband told me to hurry up and finish so he could read it.
Connie Rutter (consurutte@aol.com)
Death Of A Glutton by M. C. Beaton
Rating: 4 Stars
I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one. Taking place in a resort, this is about death of Peta --- a woman who eats like a pig --- and all the guests at Tommel Castle Hotel are suspects. There is a group of people there from a dating service called Checkmate, and the owner and Peta are business partners. The couples are all supposed to be matches, so you get to know everyone because of this dating service.
I thought it was a good book overall because I love my visits to the West Highlands of Scotland. I wonder if we are going to see the new Constable that Daviot gave Hamish at the end of this book. If so, that could be interesting. This is number 8 in the series.
Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net)
True Believer by Nicholas Sparks
Rating: 3 Stars
I am normally a big Sparks fan. TRUE BELIEVER was this month's Mint Hill, NC book club pick. I have to honestly say, this was disappointing. It definitely is not one of his best. I really can't put my finger on why... something was just missing.
Bridget
Strapless by Deborah Davis
Rating: 4 Stars
A very readable biography of John Singer Sargent and "Madame X." This will make a trip to the museum a necessity!
H. King
A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a classic. A TOWN LIKE ALICE is the story of a young English woman who survived a World War II Japanese Prisoner of War Camp. During this time, she falls in love with an Australian man, but they are separated. She eventually returns to England, where she works in an office in London, and soon learns that she has inherited a large amount of money. She searches for and is reunited with this Australian man. Some parts of the novel are harrowing, but it's overall a good love story.
Jill
Retribution by Jillianne P. Hoffman
Rating: 5 Stars
I was shocked to learn that this was her first novel! The great way she was able to create a picture was almost like being there. I've also read LAST WITNESS, which was equally as good and I can't wait till the next comes out. By far the greatest book I've read.
Jeff Fowler (jeff_fowler@ntlworld.com)
Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
Rating: 1 Stars
A tedious and un-gripping book from start to finish. Very predictable and unoriginal.
My only consolation was I got it for half price at Tesco.
Sandra Furlotte
The Winds of Change by Martha Grimes
Rating: 4 Stars
I have read all of the Richard Jury novels and enjoyed them all. However, I have found that the last few just do not have the spark of humor that the earlier novels had. They are just not as much fun to read --- perhaps there is just nothing new to say about the cast of characters.
Mary Schreiner
My Friend Leonard by James Frey
Rating: 5 Stars
I enjoyed this book even better than the first. Leonard was truly a good friend to this recovering addict. The ending came as a total suprise.
Sandra Furlotte
The Grave Tattoo by Val McDermid
Rating: 3 Stars
THE GRAVE TATTOO was an enjoyable read, as are all of Val McDermid’s books. The premise of an undiscovered Wordsworth manuscript and a connection to Fletcher Christian of MUTINY ON THE HMS BOUNTY fame looked very promising. The reality was a bit less than expected. There were too many subplots in the novel to be convincing. One involving the black teen Tenille and her gangster father was too farfetched and just did not fit with the main plot of the search for the lost manuscript. The main character, Jane Gresham, just did not appeal to me either. She seemed to be rather flat and did not inspire sympathy in the reader --- a bit of the spoiled brat. Also, during my reading, I was reminded of POSSESSION by A.S. Byatt. The plots are similar, but Possession is a much better book. I believe that Val McDermid’s series books are better and she is more at home in that style of writing.
Rebekah Crain (littleminx@cox.net)
A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the first book I've read by Grafton, but it will not be the last. A very well-written book, coupled with a wonderful cast, made for one easy read.
Kinsey Millhone, the book's main character, was so easy to love and root for. I'll definitely be reading the rest of this series by Grafton, and following Kinsey through the rest of her cases and adventures!
Mary Schreiner
The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers
Rating: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed THE LAST SIN EATER. Francine Rivers's writing is beautiful and the story is very inspirational. It was one of the best Christian fiction novels I have read.
Peggy Haney
Shadow Man by Cody McFadyen
Rating: 4 Stars
A fast-paced thriller. Smoky Barrett heads a task force of FBI agents who hunt down serial killers, until one kills her family and brutally attacks her. She survives and becomes the target of another killer, along with her team.
Corkrose
The Way the Crow Flies by Anne-Marie McDonald
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a very engrossing story about misconceptions and how people change, due to a terrible incident. This was read by our book club this month, and I highly recommend it.
Jill O
The Tenth Circle by Jodsi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
Jodi Picoult is a perennial favorite of mine, but this book was a bit of a letdown. I found the comics distracting and hard to follow, and the story preachy and less introspective than I come to expect and enjoy. However, it's still a pleasant read nonetheless.
Trish
Kill Me by Stephen White
Rating: 5 Stars
One of the best books I have ever read!!!!!
Gerry (GerryD8784@aol.com)
Arthur & George by Julian Barnes
Rating: 4 Stars
Very well-written fictionalized account of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s investigation and public campaign to overturn the conviction of a British citizen of Indian-Scottish parentage for a series of violent attacks on horses in provincial England in the latter years of the Victorian era.
Gerry (GerryD8784@aol.com)
The Doctor's Daughter by Hilma Wlitzer
Rating: 4 Stars
A middle-aged woman awakens with a sense of foreboding that she cannot shake, and begins an examination of her own marriage and family, reflected in the idealization of her parents’ marriage and her own childhood.
Gerry (GerryD8784@aol.com)
The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean
Rating: 5 Stars
An elderly woman, a survivor of the siege of Leningrad during World War II, retreats more and more into her memories of the past as the ravages of Altzheimer’s disease take their toll on her day-to-day functioning. This beautifully written novel provides both an empathetic view of the impact of Altzheimer’s on both the patient and her family, and a fascinating description of the siege of Leningrad from the perspective of an art lover and tour guide at the Hermitage.
R. Toyama
Black Swan Green by David Mitchell
Rating: 5 Stars
A nice trip to small town UK and to a time 20 years ago that seems a little farther away than it should be. A nice coming of age story.
Cheetahmom
Wicked by Gregory Maguire
Rating: 3 Stars
Definitely unique. I started it but put it down for various reasons and have picked it up again. I think it will be as good as its reputation.
Gerry (GerryD8784@aol.com)
Gone: An Alex Delaware novel by Jonathan Kellerman
Rating: 4 Stars
Alex and Milo work together on an investigation of the disappearance of a pair of young acting students in L.A. To my delight, my prediction about Robin after reading RAGE comes true --- she’s back!
Joan Woods
Red Lily by Nora Roberts
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the last book of the "In The Garden" Trilogy. As always, Nora Roberts
s books are the best.
Cheetahmom
Light on Snow by Anita Shreve
Rating: 3 Stars
Another good book by Anita Shreve, this one not so dark as some of her others.
Connie Rutter (consurutte@aol.com)
361 by Donald E. Westlake
Rating: 5 Stars
I enjoyed this Hard Case Crime book. It is number 9 in the series. It is about Ray, a soldier on his way home from the Air Force whose father is murdered. Ray ends up in the hospital for a month. 361 is Ray's story about getting revenge on whoever killed his father. This is a dark one, but I enjoyed every minute of it. It is hard to tell who the bad or good guys are in these books.
Gerry (GerryD8784@aol.com)
Dirty Blonde by Lisa Scottoline
Rating: 3 Stars
A federal judge finds her secret nightlife exposed after the defendant in a civil case over which she presided is murdered, and her sympathetic comments toward the complainant are believed by some to have sparked the retaliatory killing. Scottoline never disappoints!
Janet (jmmaus@hotmail.com)
Year of the Hyenas by Geagley, Brad
Rating: 4 Stars
Set in the Egyptian capital of Thebes during the end year of the reign of Ramses III, this historical mystery enlivens the world of ordinary Egyptians. The self-destructive clerk Semerket is given the task of unravelling the circumstances of the death of an elderly priestess. What he doesn't know is that he is expected to fail. His investigations uncover not only a gang of tomb robbers, but a plot to overthrow the Pharaoh.
BK
The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
Rating: 4 Stars
A legal thriller that I enjoyed as much as one of Grishem’s early books. A defense attorney lucks into the easiest case of his career with a big payoff. Then he comes face to face with pure evil and realizes he might be the next victim. This is a fast-moving read with twists and turns right to the end. And fortunately, none of the gratuitous violence and sex scenes distract instead of enhance a story. Like Elmore Leonard, the author has left out the parts that people don’t read anyway; it’s pared down to the story without endless, meaningless, descriptive passages just to add to the word count. This is a great change from the author’s Harry Bosch novels, which I enjoyed at first but had grown tired of.
BK
Small Island by Andrea Levy
Rating: 4 Stars
The story is set in the 1940s and is told in four voices. The War affects all the characters, two of whom are Jamaicans convinced that the promised land is the mother land, England. Cultural clashes and personal expectations and disappointments create a rich story that unfolds as the four characters intertwine… everyone looking for happiness. If you enjoyed THE POISONWOOD BIBLE or other stories in which different cultures are confronted, then you’ll enjoy this 2005 Whitbread Winner from the UK.
K. Gold
When the Wind Blows by James Patterson
Rating: 5 Stars
I read MAXIMUM RIDE, and read that Patterson says it's NOT, repeat NOT the sequel to WHEN THE WIND. I see what he means --- It's the same basic premise taken a completely different direction. I couldn't put it down.
Megan
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
I always love Jodi Picoult's novels and this one does not disappoint! It's full of Picoult's trademark family dramas, secrets and flawed but loved characters. Recommended.
Matt St. Amand (mat@matthewstamand.com)
Tamburlaine Must Die by Louise Welsh
Rating: 4 Stars
[I'm an avowed Harlan Coben fan!!! PROMISE ME would be my choice]
This slim, compact volume contains a story of high energy and even higher intrigue and suspense. The story of legendary Christopher Marlowe's last weeks of life is an unforgettable, intimate portrait of a persona is one of the cornerstones of Western civilization. Expertly written and breathlessly rendered, it is a worthy followup to Ms. Welsh's tremendous first novel, THE CUTTING ROOM.
Kate Sender
Shipping News by Annie Proulx
Rating: 4 Stars
A beautifully vivid description of the austere life in Newfoundland and how the land molds the people and their relationships. The book is filled with lots of detail, well-developed characters, and picturesque writing that is really in the moment. I'm giving it 4.5 stars, though not five because of the constant chopped sentences which take some getting used to.
Anne Harris (mysandycat@aol.com)
Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson
Rating: 5 Stars
This is part of the "Undead" series. Very funny! A blonde woman becomes a vampire and finds out she is the Vampire Queen as well, and runs into all sorts of silly adventures. There is excitement as well, always a mystery, and romance. Everything in one neat little package!
Kristina
Challenger Park by Stephen Harrigan
Rating: 5 Stars
I devoured this book and missed the characters when it ended. The story is as suspenseful as a mystery, and I learned a lot about the space program.
Michelle Miller
Smashed by Koren Zailckas
Rating: 2 Stars
Her writing is pretentious.
A Bell
Deception by Denise Mina
Rating: 4 Stars
This is my first book by this author and I'm looking forward to reading all of her others.
BK
With No One As Witness by Elizabeth George
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the latest in the Inspector Lynley series. I've read all of her books and thoroughly enjoyed each one. Even if you've watched the PBS series, the books are richer, so you would enjoy them too.
However, I'm not sure this is the one to start with because the same cast of main characters are in each book. And one of the main characters has something major happen to them in this book --- something you might not want to know as you read earlier books.
Thomas (tomjac0850@charter.net)
Twisted by Jonathan Kellerman
Rating: 5 Stars
This was the first novel by Kellerman I have read. It was great, sort of like two books in one, since it involved detective Petra Connor investigating two crimes at once, both of them unrelated. Kellerman will definitely go on my favorite authors list if his other books are this good.
Michele Lauer-Bader
S is for Silence by Sue Grafton
Rating: 5 Stars
I read a lot of Sue Grafton and have felt that the mysteries were becoming a bit too pat. But, S IS FOR SILENCE was great, right until the end.
Connie Rutter (consurutte@aol.com)
Four Blind Mice by James Patterson
Rating: 5 Stars
This was read by Peter J. Fernandez and Michael Emerson and they really made this thriller come to life for me. There were some pretty gruesome passages, but they weren't out of context in this story. John Sampson teams with Alex Cross to find a killer who frames military personnel for murder, and are then put to death. Alex and John try to find out why they are being framed, and their search leads them all over the country. Alex even has a meeting with Kyle Craig on death row to find out if he is behind these killings of military personnel. This is one of the better Alex Cross books that I have read in a while and I would highly it recommend to anyone!
Sarah Johnson
I Choose To Live by Sabine Dardenne
Rating: 4 Stars
I am humbled, shocked, saddened and inspired by this woman's story and the way she deals with her experience. She is matter of fact, and almost cold in some parts, but is true to herself. This is strong writing by a strong woman.
Christy (oltlfreak@aol.com)
Dead Man's Bones by Susan Witting Albert
Rating: 5 Stars
Susan never fails to write another great China Bayles mystery!
Rachael
Tell No One by Harlan Coben
Rating: 5 Stars
I love Harlan Coben's books. This one is really good and, of course, I recommend it. It's one of Coben's stand-alone books. It is excellent!!
Bonnie
I Am Not Myself These Days by Josh Kilmer-Purcell
Rating: 2 Stars
This memoir is for those who enjoy reading about drag queens, drugs and unprotected gay sex. A very sad story.
Tanya (t.evamarie@gmail.com)
Roses are Red by James Patterson
Rating: 4 Stars
This is another Alex Cross detective story. It's suspenseful right to the very end. A good read.
Melanie R
Me and Emma by Elizabeth Flock
Rating: 4 Stars
ME AND EMMA is very intense and emotionally intriguing... This is my reading group's selection for this month, and I cannot wait to see the discussion it generates.
Melanie R
Princess by Jean P. Sasson
Rating: 4 Stars
PRINCESS is a true story of a Saudi Arabian princess. This was the selection for our March reading group meeting, and the discussion was very lively. Comparing the role of the American women to women living under strict Islamic law carries the topics from the most personal level to the global perspective.
L. Hann
Most Wanted by Michele Martinez
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the first book that I have read by Michele Martinez. Excellent!!! I have found a new author. This book grabbed me from the first page.
Dolly
The Ivy Chronicles by Karen Quinn
Rating: 4 Stars
The home life of the truly wealthy are revealed in THE IVY CHRONICLES, which delightfully spills the secrets of big city kindergarten admissions.
Sally B., San Antonio TX
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
Rating: 2 Stars
This story of numerous murders in a 14th century abbey in Italy was way too wordy, with unnecessarily long paragraphs --- some lasting 1-2 pages. The mystery part was probably only 1/3 of the entire book, with the rest of the novel describing the conflict within the Catholic religion between poverty or riches for the church. The author's postscript said that this book was more for the "sophisticated" and "cultivated" reader (I guess that's not me). I would have stopped after 100 pages or so, but finished it because it was our bookclub's historical fiction selection. There were a few interesting quotes: "Books are not made to be believed, but to be subjected to inquiry," and "When we consider a book, we mustn't ask ourselves what it says, but what it means."
Marilyn Shoemaker
Captive in His Bed by Sandra Marton
Rating: 5 Stars
What an incredible storyteller Sandra Marton is! CAPTIVE IN HIS BED is an excellent example of Sandra’s brilliance. This is the second in her "Knight Brother" Triology and is one very hot and sensual read. From the very beginning, the reader learns what a strong and rugged man Matthew Knight is, plus sexy, dangerous, handsome… all of the qualities of a strong Alpha male. He is sent to Columbia to find Mia, a beautiful and seductive woman on the run. Their story is explosive and one that sizzles from the very beginning. However, have a box of Kleenex near by as it’s also sensitive and tender.
Judy (joswood@msn.com)
The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar
Rating: 5 Stars
My local librarian recommended this book, and I'm sure glad she did. It is a wonderful story of two women in India --- one rich and privileged, the other, her poverty-stricken servant. The interactions between the two women, Sera and Bhima, illustrate the caste system in India. It also shows the deep friendship that two women can enjoy. It reminds me a bit of SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN, which has a similar theme of love and betrayal set in China. I'd like to read Umrigar's other books.
TereseRose
Daniel Isn't Talking by Marti Leimbach
Rating: 5 Stars
A simply wonderful story of love and all the different ways it can be experienced! Daniel is a 3 year old whose diagnosis of autism challenges his family in painful and (yes) beautiful ways. A must read!!!!
Pat (amanda0852@yahoo.com)
School Days by Robert B. Parker
Rating: 2 Stars
Oh, dear. I never thought I'd say one of Parker's books was boring AND unfunny (the opposite is usually true with his Spenser series), but this one definitely is not worth buying. The story is ripped from the headlines, but never picks up much steam, and all of the usual characters are missing, i.e., Hawk, Susan, etc. .... only the dog shows up! Sigh ... I'll just have to wait for the next one. My favourite Spenser novel is EARLY AUTUMN, where he introduces Paul Giacomin. That one, and any of the Jesse Stone books, are 10X better than SCHOOL DAYS.
Heather Gill
Now You See Me by Rochelle Krich
Rating: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this novel --- it had plenty of suspense that gave me chills at times. It was a good novel to read if you like suspense and mystery!
Heather Gill
Darker Than Midnight by Maggie Shayne
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a well thought-out novel with plenty of suspense and mystery. I enjoyed it for a new author that I have not read before!
Heidi Kraemer
Under the Duvet by Marian Keyes
Rating: 5 Stars
Marian Keyes is flat-out funny. She has an incredibly wry sense of humor. UNDER THE DUVET is a collection of short stories and essays. Marian turns the mundane into the sublime.
Ricki (rickimc@aol.com)
First Rider's Call by Kristen Britain
Rating: 4 Stars
A great follow-up to GREEN RIDER. Very imaginative.
Kathy Chiocca
A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
Rating: 5 Stars
Another of Christopher Moore's wonderful, witty and imaginative works. I am listening to it on CD and the reader is very, very good.
Janice Kind (KINDLEELF@AOL.COM)
Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
Rating: 5 Stars
There are two Alices... one in 2005 and the other in 1209. They are so far apart, yet the tale melds together well.
Janice Kind (KINDLEELF@AOL.COM)
Coming Home by Rosamund Pilcher
Rating: 5 Stars
I love this author. I started with THE SHELL SEEKERS and have been hooked ever since.
Janice Kind (KINDLEELF@AOL.COM)
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
Rating: 4 Stars
Speculation on the future when science goes to far. Interesting.
Janice Kind (KINDLEELF@AOL.COM)
At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks
Rating: 4 Stars
Everyday life as portrayed by Sparks is more lively then one thinks.
Jay
The Princes of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd
Rating: 4 Stars
While a slow read (many generations of several families are included), this offers great insight into the many conflicting loyalties evident in modern Irish politics. Excellent historical fiction.
Maureen
Maybe a Miracle by Brian Strause
Rating: 3 Stars
This was just ok --- it didn't really keep my interest, and I ended up skimming parts.
Vickie
Prior Bad Acts by Tami Hoag
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat, can't-even-put-it-down-to-sleep kind of book. I'd give it five stars, but I haven't finished it yet, although I read until about 3 A.M.
Vickie
We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg
Rating: 5 Stars
A great read that makes you think about your priorities and the sacrifices some people have made for us.
Laurie Blum (laurieblum@hotmail.com)
Odd Girl Out by Rachel Simmons
Rating: 4 Stars
This is required reading for young girls and their mothers!!
Sharon Johnson
The Damned by L.A. Banks
Rating: 5 Stars
Another much-anticipated installment in the Vampire Huntress Legend series! Millenium Neteru, Damali Richards, her soul mate, Carlos Rivera, and the Guardian Team struggle to track down the Vampire chairman and behead the viciously evil Lilith before the Neteru-Guardian team are lost and the team implodes!
Sharon Johnson
Micah by Laurell K. Hamilton
Rating: 5 Stars
This long awaited story has finally arrived! Those of us who love the Anita Blake novels will not be disappointed. This installment gives us background information about Micah, Anita's Nimir Raj, and leader of the local wereleopard pard.
Larena Wirum
One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 4 Stars
This book is funny and has plenty of action.
Jill
Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos
Rating: 5 Stars
I finally got around to reading this for my bookclub and it was fabulous. It's the story of Margaret and Wanda, two wounded people who open their hearts to each other with amazing results.
Maureen
The Ivy Chronicles by Karen Quinn
Rating: 4 Stars
A surprisingly funny, light read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Jay
New Mercies by Sandra Dallas
Rating: 4 Stars
NEW MERCIES is a little shallow, but still, this author provides her usual quick read with endearing characters and a gripping plot. Each of her books features a plucky protagonist faced with hardship and displaying resourcefulness. This is no exception, and while the plot wrapped up in a hurry, it was still a satisfying read.
Sharon Johnson
Dark Dreams by Brandon Massey
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a fantastic collection of horror and suspense stories by Black Writers including Zane, Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes, L.A. Banks, and others.
Carolyn Branch
Any Bitter Thing by Monica Wood
Rating: 5 Stars
Lizzy Mitchell was raised from the age of two by her uncle, a Catholic priest. She has never understood why she was taken from him at age nine, and she believes the reasons were later buried along with her uncle. Now thirty years old and trying to save a failing marriage, Lizzy nearly dies in a traffic accident. In the haze of recovery in the hospital she hears the voice of her beloved uncle, Father Mike, and sets out to find the truth about him and about her past. Her search and what she discovers completely shatters her understanding of herself, her closest friends, and the ties that bind. Wood's characters show depth and complexity as they each grapple with the irrefutable power of the past.
Patricia Bourhis (patriciabourhis@hotmail.com)
Gnosis by Boris Mouravieff
Rating: 5 Stars
A new translation by Dr. Fouad Ramez has been published for the first volume of Boris Mouravieff's triology, Gnosis, first published in French in 1962.
This translation makes the French text understandable in simple English, with remarks and comments made by the translator that shows that he has comprehended the French text completely. He expresses his understanding in English in a way that transfers the vivifying French text into a similar English one.
Sameh Lotfy (lotfysameh@yahoo.com)
Christianity by George Heart
Rating: 5 Stars
CHRISTIANITY: DOGMATIC FAITH AND GNOSTIC VIVIFYING KNOWLEDGE provides a new way of thinking and a traditional knowledge introduction in today's language. This is very direct writing that unveils Christian myths and blames the Church for not teaching this tradition to believers until today.
The knowledge exposed is priceless, and I've never read such wonderful and clear ideas like those exposed in this book by George Heart.
FOXy
Bones: Buried Deep by Kathy Reichs and Max Allen Collins
Rating: 5 Stars
Temperance Brennan and FBI Agent Seely Booth are on the trail of mobsters and a vicious serial killer in this spinoff of the FOX Television series, "Bones."
Dracul
The Reluctant Miss Van Helsing by Minda Webber
Rating: 4 Stars
A surprising look at what happens when a Van Helsing falls in love with a vampire. More then love is at STAKE in this witty romance novel.
M. Parke
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Rating: 3 Stars
While the book contained some interesting ideas and the premise was really good, it wasn't particularly well written. I felt the author insulted my intelligence a few times. That's something I really don't like.
Randi Odierno (rodierno@aol.com)
The Italian by Ann Radcliffe
Rating: 5 Stars
A Gothic love story with all the trimmings... an inspirational love, the Romeo and Juliet family obstacles, wonderful prose and elaborately described scenery will transport you to the scenes depicted.
LaDonna Carrington
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
Another great novel by Picoult.
Noreen Brown
Mary, Mary by James Patterson
Rating: 5 Stars
I enjoy Patterson's books because you have 2 stories in one --- his case to be solved and his family's story.
Nunu In Niagara
Rush Home Road by Lori Lansens
Rating: 5 Stars
RUSH HOME ROAD is the story of a 70-year-old woman recalling her past. She is raising an abandoned little girl and the past and present are woven to create an excellent story. This book will leave you saying, "what a great book."
Eileen Quinn Knight (eqkmath@sbcglobal.net)
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Rating: 5 Stars
Brilliantly written! This work of Kazuo is again a masterpiece of detail that can be read on many levels: as a boarding school experience, as the life of a clone, as a question to the society in which we live about the harvesting of organs, and even more --- the question of the sacredness of life itself. It is disarmingly thorough in the details, which makes it so real that you will continue to ask yourself these questions days after you've finished reading.
Marsha
The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry
Rating: 3 Stars
Good knights and bad knights chase each other around Southern France --- in search of a strong editor. THE LAST TEMPLAR by Raymond Khoury was a more interesting read for me.
Pat (amanda0852@yahoo.com)
The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
Rating: 5 Stars
Here's a book I borrowed from the library, not really knowing much about it or the author. But, it's entrancing. I immediately hunted down my own copy, and I reread it fairly often. It's a future-fantasy story based in San Francisco, but Murphy makes it come alive in such a way that you wish a movie would be made of it, so you can actually SEE what she's talking about. The only thing I hated about the book was that it ended. If you're up for a lovely read --- a story that will probably haunt you for years after, this is definitely the book.
Maureen
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
I'm about 1/3 of the way through this book, and as with all her other books, I love it. It is a real pager turner. The only negative aspect is that the comic strips between the chapters are distracting.
Ellen Hogan
The 5th horseman by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Rating: 5 Stars
This series just gets better and better. It is also a fast read and a true page turner.
Reeca
Ordinary Heroes by Scott Turow
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a very good book.I loved it because of the time period, World War II. It also has a wonderful mystery.
Sharon Lumb
Marley & Me by John Grogan
Rating: 4 Stars
As an owner of a small but sometimes out-of-control dog, I am reading with pleasure the antics of Marley, a lab with a heart of gold but a body never totally in control.
Rosalie Sambuco (tigersmama43213@aol.com)
Magic Hour by Kristen Hannah
Rating: 4 Stars
I just started this book today and I can't put it down. The story is about a feral child and the doctor who works with her. The characters are very real and the storyline is fast paced. I highly recommend this book.
Connie Rutter (consurutte@aol.com)
See Isabelle Run by Elizabeth Bloom
Rating: 3 Stars
As this author's first book, I did like it, but it wasn't great. It reminded me a little of Sophie Kinsella's "Shopholic" series, only with the main character tracking down murderers instead of worrying about her charge cards. Isabelle did have some interesting things happen to her, that's for sure. This book doesn't require any brain power, it simply is a fun read.
Connie Rutter (consurutte@aol.com)
The Prince Of Beverly Hills by Stuart Woods
Rating: 5 Stars
I think this is one of the best books I have read by Stuart Woods. This is about Rick Barron, a police officer in the 1930s and 40s, who goes to work for a movie studio as head of security. The narrator was wonderful, and the book is full of mob action, movie stars, and a good feel of what went on in Hollywood during that time frame. Clark Gable and David Niven even appear in the book. There is blackmail, murder, and all kinds of things going on in this book. It also touches on World War II --- how some men went to war and didn't come home. I really did enjoy this book a lot.
Shirley Y
The House by Danielle Steel
Rating: 5 Stars
Great hard-to-put-down reading.
Jeanne Sheats (catslady5@aol.com)
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Rating: 3 Stars
An insightful look into the mind of a child who is "wired" differently than most.
Cheryl Scaccio (goycrazy@aol.com)
Death and the Penguin by Andrey Kurkov and George Bird
Rating: 4 Stars
A delightful, unexpected and slightly twisted fable set in modern day Kiev. It juxtaposes the sentimental Slavic nature against the brutal realities of nouveau capitalism, with a narrator (and pet) you can't help but feel for.
Usman Rana (dragon_heart_70@hotmail.com)
The Secret Language of Birthdays by Gary Goldscheneider and Joost Elffers
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is based on personology (your profile according to your date of birth) and I find the information to be 85-98% accurate. THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF BIRTHDAYS also gives you celebrity birthdays that match yours. This book is a must!
Salby
The March by E. L. Doctorow
Rating: 3 Stars
This is a graphically written novel of the Civil War and Sherman's march that mixes fact and fiction. There are many characters, some whom appear just once and others who remain throughout the book. Despite being well written, this book did not grab me. It took quite some time to get through it.
USMAN (dragon_heart_70@hotmail.com)
The World's Mythology in Color by Veronica Ions
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is a must in every reader's study. If you think that you are not doing well in your history or arts subjects, then take a look at this book, because it's filled with ancient mythological stories, photographs, and paintings.
Sandy
Life Is Not a Fairytale by Fantasia
Rating: 4 Stars
Anyone who is an American Idol fan will like this book. Fantasia tells all about her "Idol" experience and her life before the show. I enjoyed it very much.
Sandy (Yodasmommy@woh.rr.com)
Slipping Into Darkness by Peter Blauner
Rating: 5 Stars
Twenty years ago, a 17-year-old boy was sent to prison for a murder that he said he didn't commit. Now, he is out of prison on a technicality, and there's been another death with a strange link to that long-ago conviction. This one was great from beginning to end.
Madeline
Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman
Rating: 5 Stars
An excellent read --- and with a main character who is not always the most likable, no less! Waldman does a wonderful job making the reader feel for all her characters, taking us all on a heartachingly human journey.
readingisfun
He Loves Lucy by Susan Donovan
Rating: 5 Stars
All I can say is wow! This book was so very good; it touches the subject of weight and I think so many women can see themselves as Lucy in real life. I recommend this book and can't wait to read her next!
Karen Gold
Copper Sun by Sharon Draper
Rating: 4 Stars
This book is absolutely gripping after the first 30 or so pages. Amari is a young girl in West Africa somewhere who is kidnapped and sold as a slave in South Carolina. I read the first few pages, dropped it for a few weeks, then I picked it up again and finished the same evening!
Rosalie Sambuco (tigersmama43213@aol.com)
Leonardo's Swans by Karen Essex
Rating: 3 Stars
This book has a very good plot, but it gets bogged down with too many characters. I will finish it, as I do not like to leave books unread, but I am sure I will skim read most of the last 100 pages.
Alabama Jack (jquick5342@aol.com)
Lethal Secrets by Pete Earley
Rating: 5 Stars
Deputy U.S. Marshal Wyatt Conway is charged with guarding Sergey Pudin, a Russian Mafiosi. Russian intelligence agent Colonel Khrenkov is blackmailed into murdering Pudin before he can testify against major crime bosses. In distant Chechnya, Movladi "The Viper" Islamov, a former student of Conway's, has become an international terrorist in the Chechen cause. Islamov has discovered that in the 1950s, the Soviets built a thermonuclear "sleeper bomb" that was secreted in the basement of the Russian embassy in Washington, D.C. Conway, a throwback to the manly values of earlier years, uses his appeal to Kimberly Lodge, a shapely CIA counterterrorism expert to make monkeys of the best of the U.S. and Russian officials. Obviously, a work of fiction. Can you say Conway, Wyatt Conway?
Ray Palen (razorramon@optonline.net)
The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
Rating: 5 Stars
Connelly makes a departure from the Harry Bosch series to deliver a courtroom/suspense drama that tops most of what Grisham has done in this genre. Great characters and a twisting plot keep you guessing right up to the end.
Amee
Girls' Night In by Various
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is a great collection of short stories. The stories are from many authors including Meg Cabot, Sophie Kinsella, and Megan McCafferty. The stories are intriguing and often hilarious. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone!
Rachael
The Fallen by T. Jefferson Parker
Rating: 5 Stars
Excellent book! I would definitely recommend this!
Pam Dean (ddlesmom@yahoo.com)
Peyton Place by Grace Metalious
Rating: 5 Stars
I started reading this book out of curiosity, because I wanted to see why this book was considered scandalous. After reading I can see why, in 1957, it was offensive to some. In 2006, it is a great soap opera --- sex, murder, suicide, and a trial, all in the sleepy small town of Peyton Place. The characters are classic --- old men sitting on park benches talking about everyone who walks by, the town Doc, the "out-of-towners," even the town itself is written as a character. Truly an enjoyable read.
readingisfun
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Rating: 5 Stars
Kazuo Ishiguro is an artist of the small moment, a minute observer of human interaction. In this luminous novel, a group of human clones are trapped in a society devoid of moral conscience. Rather than further reveal the premise of the book, I will only say that the author slowly, subtly unfolds what is in store for the protagonists. Given a story that might be horrific, Ishiguro achieves the seemingly impossible of combining that Poe-like premise with a sunlit atmosphere of childhood innocence, youthful growth of understanding, and finally, an adult quest. I wonder if this novel will not take its place beside BRAVE BEW WORLD and 1984 as a vision of a totalitarian future. And yet, it is set in the 1990s as if Western society has already crossed the line into a moral wilderness. What a powerful indictment, in an artistic yet accessible story. NEVER LET ME GO deserves to be a classic. It is one of the rare novels of true lasting value, combining poignancy, sorrow, mystery --- so many human emotions --- with inexorable suspense. I have never read anything like it.
Margie Bunting (mbunting@sbcglobal.net)
The Minotaur by Barbara Vine
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the first book I've read by Barbara Vine (also known as Ruth Rendell), and I was very impressed with her story about a young Danish nurse who cares for an autistic savant with three strange sisters and an even stranger mother. You could feel the undercurrent of suspense throughout, building to a fitting conclusion.
Linda.H.
The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan
Rating: 5 Stars
This book really shows the importance of family. Amy's style of writing is very beautiful and descriptive. What I learned from reading this book is that you could learn a lot about your family by looking at its history. So I recommend this book to everyone who likes to learn about their family's past. Pick it up today.
Lesley
Timeline by Michael Crichton
Rating: 5 Stars
Julie Towson
Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
Rating: 3 Stars
Frank McCourt has a natural style of writing that is infused with his wonderful sense of irony and wit. This is a memoir about his thirty years teaching in the New York City School system. It is a good read, but not nearly as good as ANGELA'S ASHES or even TIS.
Rosalie Sambuco (tigersmama43213@aol.com)
In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant
Rating: 3 Stars
I was expecting more intrique and mystery in this book. It is a very good descriptive story of Italy in this time period.
Marigold (mzbrown@actrix.co.nz)
Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith
Rating: 4 Stars
A sequel to NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY, this simply-written but lovely little book continues the story of Mma Ramotswe, a slightly eccentric lady who runs an efficient little detective business in Botswana. Full of warmth and African wisdom, I have been enchanted by this author's work.
Linda.H.
One For The Money by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 5 Stars
What a fun experience to read a book where the characters are rounded and realistic. Our Heroine, Stephanie Plum, has bad hair days, slouchy clothes (not always designer lines) and a quirky job she happens to fall into. The pages turn quickly and the last page leaves you wanting more. Thankfully, Ms. Evanovich has a couple more after ONE FOR THE MONEY, but she must write faster to satisfy me! Stephanie Plum gets downsized at a lingerie factory. Her family "encourages" her to seek employment from her cousin Vinnie, a bail bondsman who needs a file clerk. Stephanie ends up on his payroll, but as a bounty hunter, not a file clerk. Her adventures send her all around the "burg" in Trenton, New Jersey. The results are exploding, tense, empathetic and all-around fun.
Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com)
Undercover Marriage by Amy J. Fetzer
Rating: 3 Stars
Another good light romantic/suspense read.
Mo (maestraw@msn.com)
The Skin Gods by Richard Montanari
Rating: 3 Stars
Someone is taking classic horror films and recording his own death scenes in place of the ones filmed. In typical cat-and-mouse fashion, it is a race against time to find the killer before he strikes too close to home. (This was not as good as THE ROSARY GIRLS, but still worth reading!)
Karin M.
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Rating: 5 Stars
This memoir by Jeannette Walls was riveting. Readers are taken into Jeannette's childhood world. It's amazing that she overcame such poverty and craziness to become the successful woman she is today. Some of her accounts are so sad that you don't want to keep reading, but find you must. You must know how it all ends. Excellent read!
Trish Harris (tnharris@web-ster.com)
Liars and Saints by Maile Meloy
Rating: 4 Stars
The blending of families and the families' secrets are fascinating to read and easy to relate to.
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