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Marsha
The Hunting Wind by Steve Hamilton
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the third book in a series portraying Alex McKnight, a retired baseball player and Detroit Cop, who lives in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This entertaining thriller takes Alex back to Detroit with his former roommate from baseball days as they hunt the friend's long lost love.
Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com)
The Lighthouse by P. D. James
Rating: 4 Stars
THE LIGHTHOUSE had well-written, developed characters and a very good setting. I had forgotten how enjoyable a P. D. James novel can be.
Janice Kind (KINDLEELF@AOL.COM)
Butterfly Weed by Donald Harrington
Rating: 4 Stars
A strange and erotic story, with a touch of TOBACCO ROAD thrown in.
Rachael
Tulle Little, Tulle Late by Kimberly Llewellyn
Rating: 4 Stars
This book is really good! I love the characters, and their relationships together were fantastic. It slightly reminded me of Stephanie and Ranger from the Stephanie Plum books. Very funny and fantastic!
Janice Kind (KINDLEELF@AOL.COM)
Jincey by Celistine Sibley
Rating: 4 Stars
A beautifully written, heart-warming story. I was not familiar with this author.
Janice Kind (KINDLEELF@AOL.COM)
The Quiet Game by Greg Iles
Rating: 5 Stars
I love this author, although he makes me lose sleep. The plot and characters keep me turning the pages.
Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net)
Pawleys Island by Dorthea Benton Frank
Rating: 4 Stars
Usually, I do not have much to say about Dot Frank’s books. They start out pretty good but the endings are horrible. This is one of her better novels. I truly enjoyed it. It was a story about a lawyer who is living on the island for a few years after the deaths of her husband and son. She is a good friend of “Huey,” who owns an art gallery. He introduces Abigail to Rebecca, an artist. There is something about Abigail they like and they become friends. They discover Rebecca is estranged from her slimeball husband and their 2 children. The divorce gave custody to the father unfairly. So Abigail decides to help Rebecca win her kids back, as well as some compensation from her loser husband. There is happiness, sadness and a revealed secret at the end. And for once, the ending had closure and it made sense. The only part that didn’t seem real to me was Abigail, who didn’t seem as devastated as one would be after losing her son and husband. Not to mention, she gets involved with the man with whom she had an affair, which supposedly contributed to her husband's death. So, I am giving this a 4. I liked the characters and the story, and it was by far the best Low Country tale I have read so far.
Bernice (bjohnston@arialink.com)
Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais
Rating: 5 Stars
This is Robert Crais' best since HOSTAGE. Great summer read.
Bernice (bjohnston@arialink.com)
Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith
Rating: 4 Stars
I love this Series and this is one of the best in the lot.
Bernice (bjohnston@arialink.com)
The Rock Orchard by Paula Wall
Rating: 5 Stars
Try this one --- it's different and endearing, and these ladies are 'magical.' This is my first Paula Wall novel, but I will read more.
Deborah Sinkis
Water for Elephants: a Novel by Sara Gruen
Rating: 5 Stars
I highly recommend this book. The setting flashes between the present, with the narrator as a 93-year-old resident of a nursing home, and the past, when he was a young man. Because of events caused by the Great Depression, he finds himself as a member of a traveling circus.
The character development is superb, as well as the description of the circus itself and the various levels of social groups within it.
You will find yourself caught up with the plot and the unexpected ending. To describe more would lessen your enjoyment of this fine book.
Marsha
Dead Watch by John Sandford
Rating: 3 Stars
This political thriller is a departure from the Prey series. There are too many characters and the plot is overly complicated, but the action moves swiftly.
Marsha
The Condor Passes by Shirley Ann Grau
Rating: 4 Stars
This novel is told in parts by several different characters, so one can see the picture from different views. It is a story of a disfunctional, but fascinating, family of the Old South.
Rachael
Gone by Lisa Gardner
Rating: 5 Stars
Excellent book! This was my first Lisa Gardner book and I loved it. Warning: Read her series in order! Start with THE PERFECT HUSBAND. I had no idea it was a series and previous events are mentioned and ruined in here if you haven't read the other books.
Anyway, this book was fantastic. It involves a kidnapping and the entire book is about that. You feel like you are there with the person. You feel like you are in danger and you hold your breath when they do. This book had me up late reading it.
Nancy H.
The Venus Fix by M. J. Rose
Rating: 4 Stars
Dr. Morgan Snow is one of New York's top sex therapists. From high-profile clients with twisted obsessions to courageous survivors, the Butterfield Institute is the sanctury to heal battered souls. Her newest patient is a powerful man --- secretely addicted to watching Internet Web cam pornography. But then, the women start dying online, right in front of their eyes.
This author has written other Butterfield Institute books and I found them all to be just as deliciously good as this one.
Barbara in Jackson
Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Rating: 5 Stars
Another beaufitully written novel by this exceptional author. This work is a fictional memoir written by a lifelong bachelor who decides, on his 90th birthday, to have a night of love and lust with a young virgin. This short novel details the 90-year-old man's life of love (or lack thereof). I have enjoyed all books that I read by this oustanding author.
Nancy H.
Fat Girl by Judith Moore
Rating: 4 Stars
For anyone who has ever had a love/hate relationship with food or how they look, FAT GIRL is a brilliant coming-of-age story about gain and loss. This unflinching memoir is funny, intelligent and entertaining.
Michele
Hot Item by Carly Phillips
Rating: 4 Stars
HOT ITEM is a fun, sexy novel with a lot of sizzle and adventure. I loved the breezy, spicy writing style.
Sally
The King of Torts by John Grisham
Rating: 2 Stars
This book was extremely disappointing. Some of the litigation information was interesting, but the characters were poorly drawn and the plot was predictable. I would recommend that you save your time and read a different book.
Jodi
House by Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker
Rating: 5 Stars
I haven't read a book this good in a long time. I literally couldn't put it down. It's a thriller without blood and guts and graphic killings. I would recommend this for everyone.
Katherine
The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett
Rating: 4 Stars
This is one of Patchett's earlier books. It involves a young, pregnant woman who travels cross country, leaving her husband behind, to live in a Catholic home for unwed mothers. The book is told from several different perspectives in a thought-provoking format. This book would lend itself easily to a great discussion for a book club.
Nancy H.
Dialogues by Stephen Spignesi
Rating: 5 Stars
Six people have been killed in the gas chamber of the animal shelter in which they worked. One employee of the shelter stands accused of the crimes, and it's up to court-assigned psychiatrist Baraku Bexley to find the answer... did she, or didn't she?
Judy (joswood@msn.com)
Promise Me by Harlan Coben
Rating: 4 Stars
I've read other books by Coben, but none featuring Myron Bolitar. I really like this character and his friend, Win. In PROMISE ME, Myron is looking for a lost teenage girl because he feels responsible for her disappearance. There is a lot of suspense and interesting characters in this book.
Wally Johnson (wendybrooks1@hotmail.com)
Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea by Nancy Atherton
Rating: 4 Stars
Not as good as some of her earlier books, but I still enjoyed it.Everyone is like "family" to me now!
CJ
On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah
Rating: 4 Stars
An easy and enjoyable "chick lit" kind of a book.
Linda
The Ruins by Scott Smith
Rating: 3 Stars
Some will like this tale of tourists wandering into the Mayan jungles in search of another missing person, but what begins as an interesting premise turns into a silly and over the top gory tale about man-eating plants. This is not worthy of this author's previous excellent novel, A SIMPLE PLAN.
Pat from St Louis
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Rating: 4 Stars
An old man in a nursing home remembers when he was young and joined the circus. An interesting and entertaining read.
Sandra F.
Kristallnacht by Sir Martin Gilbert
Rating: 4 Stars
KRISTALLNACHT shines a bright light on a pivotal event in 20th-century history. The "night of broken glass' was the public manifestation of the Nazi policy toward German Jews. The use of eyewitness accounts reinforces the terrible acquiescence of a large segment of the German population in the treatment of German Jews by the Nazis. This book is a concise and very moving account of an event that stunned the world.
Nancy H.
Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie
Rating: 4 Stars
Abby Cooper lives in Royak Oak, a suburb of Detroit, making her living as a P.I. --- a Psychic Intuitive. She loves her job but feels like somehow she's missing out on something. When a client winds up dead and the clues starting pointing in Abby's direction, things really start heating up. Turns out she knows too many details about the murder for her own good, and to make matters worse, the hot blind date she just met is the lead investigator in the case. A funny light-hearted read that I enjoyed very much.
Nancy H.
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
Rating: 5 Stars
Elsewhere is the place where fifteen-year-old Liz Hall ends up after she has died. It is a place so like Earth, yet completely different from it. Here, Liz will age backward from the day of her death until she becomes a baby again and returns to Earth. How can Liz let go of the only life she has ever known and embrace a new one? This is a funny, fast-paced and fascinating novel. I couldn't put it down.
Rebekah Crain (littleminx@cox.net)
The Husband by Dean Koontz
Rating: 5 Stars
This was a very good book, but it was also very different from typical Koontz. In other words, it was more laid back, and dealt with a more down-to-earth plausible scenario. It is not my favorite book by Koontz and the ending was a bit weak, but all in all, it was worth waiting for.
Roxie
Name All the Animals by Alsion Smith
Rating: 5 Stars
I usually don't read nonfiction, but this one is definitely worth it! It covers the author's relationship with her brother, who dies young, and the effects on her and her family.
Phyllis Hanlon (polishpen@mac.com)
The Secret Thief by Judith Jaeger
Rating: 5 Stars
Jaeger's first novel tells an incredible character-driven story of three generations of women who all have closely guarded secrets. If you enjoy reading Jodi Picoult or Elizabeth Berg, you'll love Judith Jaeger.
Joanne (jkw5124@aol.com)
The Poe Shadow by Matthew Pearl
Rating: 1 Stars
I could not get interested in this book. I kept trying for over 100 pages but I didn't find any pliot to get a handle on. I finally gave up and switched to another book. This one was just too dull and without a storyline to hold my interest.
Bonnie
Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping by Judith Levine
Rating: 2 Stars
Nonfiction; this book had promise, but turned out to be yet another liberal rant on what's wrong with capitalism and America.
Bonnie
The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
Rating: 4 Stars
Fun, entertaining, well written, and you all know the story! It's much better than the movie.
Bonnie
The 4th of July by James Patterson
Rating: 4 Stars
A terrific mystery that keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat.
Roxie
After You'd Gone by Maggie O' Farrell
Rating: 5 Stars
The story revolves around a woman in a coma. You learn about her life and how she came to be there in flashbacks and memories of her 2 sisters, mother, and grandmother. One of the best books I have read in a while.
Roxie
Mouthing the Words by Camilla Gibb
Rating: 5 Stars
A disturbing, but engrossing read. It's not for everyone --- as it deals with child abuse and mental illness --- but once you start it, you won't be able to put it down until you learn what happens to Thelma. The book covers her life from birth to early adulthood.
Rebekah Crain
The Effect of Living Backwards by Heidi Julavits
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a very strange book, but worth the effort and the few Tylenol I had to take to ease the headaches it brought on. LOL
Sally B., San Antonio TX
Maya's First Rose: Diary of a Very Special Love by Martin Scot Kosins and Howard Fridson
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the memoir of a man's extreme devotion to his pet. There are some very nice poetic passages. The author is a music composer.
Rebekah Crain (littleminx@cox.net)
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
Rating: 5 Stars
Who knew there were so many uses for a dead body?! I didn't, but now I do. Excellent behind-the-scenes look into the different paths of "life" a dead body can take. A very unique, if not somewhat disturbing, book. Two thumbs up!
Layla
Crumpled Paper Dolls: A New Orleans Poet by Matthew Nolan
Rating: 5 Stars
Haunting, disturbing, brutally honest, and overwhelmingly beautiful. This book captures the spirit of New Orleans.
Janet Davis
Paranoia by Joseph Finder
Rating: 5 Stars
One of the best books I have ever read. It's sort of a corporate mystery suspense. The ending blew me away. I actually wrote the author and told him how much I love his work and he wrote me back.
Sally B., San Antonio TX
Sacred Time by Ursula Hegi
Rating: 2 Stars
2.5 stars. Unabridged audiobook read by various narrators.
The story started out good, but then got bogged down. It gives the views/feelings of four different family members regarding the death of a twin, and how their lives progressed.
Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com)
The Old Wine Shades by Martha Grimes
Rating: 3 Stars
A very strange story about dimensions of being, and knowing that you committed the crime, but have no way to prove the theory. This is the first time I did not enjoy a Richard Jury mystery --- I still see other possibilities in solving the crime.
Robin Coker (hillcoker@yahoo.com)
Warning Signs by Stephen White
Rating: 5 Stars
I am still trying to catch up with Stephen White. I have read his new books and am now working my way back. WARNING SIGNS was thrilling all the way till the very end, with several different things happening at once. I definitely recommend this book!
Randi Odierno (rodierno@aol.com)
The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd
Rating: 4 Stars
THE MERMAID CHAIR is similar to THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY in terms of the "affair" the main characters engage in. However, the character in Kidd's novel, Jessie, experiences more psychological rationalization throughout the story --- rationalizing a somewhat "un-lived" life, the untimely death or her father, the unusual behavior her mother undergoes, the brother who turns away from the family, etc. Worth reading.
PJ Hess (pjhess55@hotmail.com)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Rating: 5 Stars
An excellent read with Death as the narrator. This book should be read by all. It is not just for the YA reader. I could not stop reading until the last page.
Jean
The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst
Rating: 5 Stars
Excellent book about a man's grief over his wife's death and how he copes with it.
Rebekah Crain (littleminx@cox.net)
Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Rating: 4 Stars
Not as good as I was anticipating, but an odd sort of love story if I've ever read one.
Jackie H
Vanishing Point by Marcia Muller
Rating: 5 Stars
Why 5? Because McCone and Hypinsky finally made it to the alter. Muller, rather than falter after the alter like other authors do to their characters, makes our favorite couple stronger than ever. Great storyline with plot twists and turns. An excellent night-light burner!
Jackie H
At Risk by Patricia Cornwell
Rating: 1 Stars
I'm afraid Ms. Cornwell's popularity has gone to her head, since her last couple of books have been on the downward slop[e].
Not good, even free from the library!
Janet Davis
The Husband by Dean Koontz
Rating: 4 Stars
It's very interesting, so far. A man who is not rich must find $2 million to pay for a family member's ransom. Hmm....
Noreen Brown
The Abortionist's Daughter by Elisabeth yde
Rating: 3 Stars
I expected a lot more from this book. It was ok. I figured out who the killer was, way before the police did, and also how it would end.
Sandra F.
Deep Fathom by James Rollins
Rating: 4 Stars
A James Rollins book is a perfect choice for a long summer weekend. This one, which deals with the secrets of the unexplored parts of the ocean floor, is fast paced and gripping.
Shannon Leonetti
The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the story of the relationship between an Indian Servant and the woman she works for, as well as a mother and her daughter and all the people they connect with. Plus, the ending is a complete surprise. Great book!
Sandra F.
Causeway by Linden MacIntyre
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a memoir of growing up in Cape Breton in the 1950s. The author, a well-respected journalist, has used the construction of the Canso Causeway connecting Cape Breton to the Nova Scotia mainland as the focal point of the book. This is a wonderful book for anyone who has grown up poor in the rural parts of Canada.
Vanessa McDaniel
The Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the story of Laura Bartone, one of three adult children returning home for a family gathering. Once there, she finds that her sister feels compelled to compare notes about their childhood(s). Her brother is immediately annoyed. Still, Laura is a bit more open to learning what her sister has to say and, perhaps, build a better relationship with her. This is a good story by a talented author.
Vanessa McDaniel
Come Closer by Sara Gran
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a psychological thriller told in the space of 184 pages. It's a small paperback that carries a big story. I started reading this story one evening and read until two that morning. It's odd but well written and will leave you shaking your head.
The main character, Amanda, is married and has a great job. But, things start to change when she begins hearing noises in her home. Is she crazy? Is something else going on? Read this book to find out. Although the language is at times strong in this novel, it's worth reading.
Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net)
She Got Up off the Couch by Haven Kimmel
Rating: 4 Stars
This girl knows how to write! I read A GIRL NAMED ZIPPY last year for my book club and really liked it. This is the sequel. This is not a story that goes from one period of time and flows to the next --- several chapters are about different people and different things that happen in Zippy’s life. It is not really an extraordinary life, but the way she tells it is. It’s funny and very witty. I find myself thinking about what life was like for me when I was her age. She has a lot of friends and seems happy even though she is poor, her parents do not keep a very clean house, and her family is not very close. The title of the book refers to Zippy’s mom. Her mom seemed to be very intelligent and could have really made something of herself, but she met her husband, got married and had kids. Their father is not a good provider and they live in a very small town with limited means. She talks about how there is only one room in their house with heat, how many rats they kill, how her mom’s friends would clean her and her clothes when she comes to visit. Her mother is very depressed, sleeps a lot, eats and gains weight. But one day, she gets up off the couch, takes her college entrance exams, passes and enrolls in Ball state. She graduates and gets her masters. Eventually, she gets a job teaching English in Zippy’s school, and Zippy realizes how happy her mom has become. I loved the way Zippy talks about her friends, how much she cares about them, and how much fun she has. This is a very unique and extraordinary book. I highly recommend it.
Laura of Ohio
Chill Of Fear by Kay Hooper
Rating: 4 Stars
Kay Hooper never ceases to thrill me with her Special Crime Unit novels. Every book has grabbed my attention right from the start. The characters are likeable and believable, and the paranormal aspect of the stories is very intriguing. Great author!
Kathy Kasten
The World Is Flat by Thomas Friedman
Rating: 5 Stars
Not necessarliy light reading, but truly informative. Friedman does an excellent job of explaining technology and buisness for the layman.
Rena Seanor
The Pact by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
Murder or suicide, teenage love, families and friends in crisis, this book is filled with real-life issues but keeps the readers' interest by leaving out just a small piece of the puzzle in each chapter to keep you wondering. As a parent of a teenager, it was especially intriguing and a bit worrisome.
Vanessa McDaniel
Late and Soon by Robert J. Hughes
Rating: 4 Stars
I'm just starting to read this novel, but the writing is impressive. The storyline is catchy because the main character in the novel begins the book by sharing a meal with her ex-husband's male lover. She finds herself comforting the gay man when she learns that her ex has now thrown his male lover over for someone else. What a premise.
Cindy Mallicote
The Italian Secretary by Caleb Carr
Rating: 5 Stars
Interesting mystery set in the age of Queen Victoria, with Sherlock Homes and Dr. Watson
Mario
A Man With No Talent by Oyama Shiro
Rating: 4 Stars
A MAN WITH NO TALENT: MEMOIRS OF A TOKYO DAY LABORER is a brief (130 pages) memoir that won the coveted Kaiko Takeshi Prize in Japan and should be read by all who are interested in what an "under culture" in that nation can be like. The additional prize for readers is the narration of the author's ongoing struggle with his significant neurosis. A surprisingly excellent read.
Linda LeVan
Evan Can Wait by Rhys Bowen
Rating: 4 Stars
I'm really enjoying this mystery series.
Alexis
Savannah Breeze by Mary Kay Andrews
Rating: 4 Stars
A farfetched but well-told enjoyable summer read. It constantly amazes me the plotting involved and how possible these unlikely events could happen in real life. Thoroughly entertaining!!!
Cindy Mallicote
The Colour by Rose Tremain
Rating: 5 Stars
A good character story about the effect of the gold rush in New Zealand on ordinary people.
LaDonna Carrington (ladonnac@aol.com)
Gone by Johnathan Kellerman
Rating: 4 Stars
A great mystery with many surprises.
Jacki Sanders (j20sanders@yahoo.com)
Tell No One by Harlan Coben
Rating: 5 Stars
This book was awesome! This is the first time I've read his work!! I finished it in 6 hours (at a water park). A real page turner!!! I could not wait to get to the end!!!
Cindy
Blue Screen by Robert B. Parker
Rating: 3 Stars
Always a Parker Fan. Quick, fun summer read. I like the "Sunny meets Jesse Stone" blending of characters.
Cindy
Promise Me by Harlan Coben
Rating: 4 Stars
Love Coben --- interesting turn of events. Another page turner.
Cindy
Cold Moon by Jeffery Deaver
Rating: 4 Stars
Deaver is great --- a page turner!
Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com)
The Summer We Got Saved by Pat Cunningham DeVoto
Rating: 5 Stars
A look at racial problems in the 1960's and one family's involvement. A glimpse at hatred, stupidity, compassion, and its results. You ask that question --- "why are people so close-minded?"
Sally B., San Antonio TX
Pull Yourself Up by Your Bra Straps by Jeanne Bice
Rating: 2 Stars
"And Other Quacker Wisdom" - 2.5 stars. A Grandmotherly type book of good advice and living your life to your dreams' fulfillment. There are numerous grammatical errors and very little editing. This was written mainly for her customers --- she's the creator of the Quacker Factory clothes shown on QVC, the shopping channel.
Sally B., San Antonio TX
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Rating: 3 Stars
Book one of the Inheritance Trilogy was written by a then 15-year-old high School graduate. It is the story of a young boy who is chosen to become a "Rider" with his newly hatched dragon. There's dwarves, elves and numerous other magical creatures.
Pam Cassel
White Cargo by Stuart Woods
Rating: 5 Stars
"Cat" Catledge is on a sailing vacation with his wife and daughter. When they take on an extra hand (a helpful young man), his wife and daughter are killed and he is shot and left for dead. One day he gets a phone call from someone who sounds like his daughter, and the hunt is on.
Marion Miller (lamamil@aol.com)
Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a slow starter, but the mystery and intrigue build up, and you feel as if you are reading a chess game or playing something like cat and mouse. I don't know how the author came to write this book, but I certainly want to know more about her. I read her other books but they were totally different.
J D Osorio
Salt by Mark Kurlansky
Rating: 3 Stars
The primary asset of this book is its wealth of research material --- for anyone interested in history or in writing their own book, this is a huge source of information, due to the author's capability of milking every topic as much as possible in order to fill out his novel. I don't say that the guy can write, but he can research. This book is full of tasty tidbits.
Cindy
Sammy's Hill by Kristin Gore
Rating: 4 Stars
Great Fun --- fun character studies!
Bonnie
Henderson the Rain King by Saul Bellow
Rating: 4 Stars
Beautifully written, funny and sweet.
L. Hann
New York Dead by Stuart Woods
Rating: 5 Stars
This may be Stone Barrington's most complicated case yet. Stone sees a woman fall from an apartment window in New York. Stone, along with Dino, needs to find out is it murder or suicide. During the course of events, something happens and Stone decides on a different career, but he will always be a detective at heart. Find out if the woman he loves is really who she says she is, or if she will be one of New York Dead.
Judy (NJ)
The Redemption by M. L. Tyndall
Rating: 5 Stars
From the first sentence of the first chapter, you're caught up in this story of danger and romance. Even the size and feel of the book is a joy! This is a wonderful publication from Barbour, and I'm looking forward to M.L.Tyndall's next offering!
Carol
Vanished by Karen Robards
Rating: 4 Stars
It is a slow moving book but it keeps you spellbound. It is hard to put down at the end of the day.
Karen has outdone herself again with another winner!
Jennifer Morrell
Agents of Light and Darkness by Simon R. Green
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the second in the series and I am really starting to fall in love with these characters. With great stories and page-turning events, this was a never-put-down good read.
Sidney
Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
Rating: 5 Stars
I've been listening in the car, and can't quite stand to get out since it's so engrossing.
Alabama Jack (jquick5342@aol.com)
Live Wire by Jay MacLarty
Rating: 5 Stars
For the right price, Simon Leonidovich will deliver anything, anywhere. This time, however, the cost may be too high. The CIA says North Korea intends to sell its nuclear weapons on the black market. To prevent this, the President arranges for the recruitment of Leonidovich to deliver vital CIA documents to North Korean dissidents intent on overthrowing the government of Kim Jong-il. Simon finds himself trapped behind enemy lines with a briefcase full of incriminating evidence, when he discovers the true nature of the threat --- an elaborate conspiracy by someone within the administration to take down the American President. Simon has escaped from tricky situations before, but never from deep within a country so isolated from the rest of the world.
Jennifer J
Murder on Nob Hill by Shirley Tallman
Rating: 4 Stars
It's fun and easy to read, just what I want in a summer book.
Anita Prevatte (arprevatte@yahoo.com)
The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc by Loraine Despres
Rating: 4 Stars
I'd been meaning to read this book for a while. I loved it! Sissy, the main character, shows true backbone with her Southern sass. Her references to women's wisdom are priceless. Without being preachy or southernly sappy, this tale is about women's issues current and in history --- all set against an engaging tale of small town life. Many readers can identify with choices made and hindsite gained later, that runs thru the book. As a reader, I laughed, cried, and held my breath in anticipation of what would come next in the story.
Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com)
The Judgement by William J. Coughlin
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a good book --- fast-moving and a real page-turner. There were no surprises, but a good thriller. A serial killer is preying on the children of a Detroit Suburb. At the same time, in the city of Detroit, an honest cop is being framed for corruption. Attorney Charley Sloan is the link between the 2 cases. Recommended reading for thriller/suspense fans.
Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com)
Up Island by Anne Rivers Siddons
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a great book, perfect for the beach. After 27 years of marriage, Molly Bell Redwine's life as she knows it comes to an end. Her husband leaves her for another woman, her mother dies, and her son moves across the country to attend college. Molly takes refuge from her crumbling world on Martha's Vineyard. This is a wonderful story of a woman coming into her own (finally) and letting go of her outdated ideas of what a family really is. Highly recommended!
L. Hann
Between Sisters by Nina Vida
Rating: 3 Stars
This book is written very well. There is a bond between sisters that many can't explain. The bond between abused sisters is even stronger. Parts of the book are very distribing, but it brings you inside the world of an abused child. So much of what happens when we are young molds us into what we become.
CC
Angel Falls by Kristin Hannah
Rating: 4 Stars
The plot of this sounded a bit hokey at first, (man trying to save wife in a coma) but the story sucks you in and you really care about what happens to these people.
Danny
Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith
Rating: 5 Stars
I don't remember the last time I have laughed out loud so much while reading a book.
Marsha
Disobedience by Naomi Alderman
Rating: 3 Stars
This is a story of a young woman who has drifted away from her Orthodox Jewish beginnings with struggles to find her way in several different aspects. It is well-written, somewhat witty and very touching.
Vicki
All She Was Worth by Miyuki Miyabe
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a fascinating mystery set in Japan. A police investigator who's not working due to an injury is asked by a nephew to investigate the disappearance of his fiance. Of course, it turns into a much more complicated case, and the detective continues to pursue it to its resolution. The story provides some fascinating insights into Japanese culture and some unexpected plot twists along the way.
L. Gettle (lgettle@iserv.net)
Shadow Man by Cody McFadyen
Rating: 3 Stars
A serial killer challenges a troubled police officer. Good story but it moves a little slow at times.
L. Gettle (lgettle@iserv.net)
The 5th Horseman by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Rating: 4 Stars
The Women's Murder Club solves a hospital crime. This one will hold your interest.
L. Gettle (lgettle@iserv.net)
There's Something About Christmas by Debbie Macomber
Rating: 4 Stars
Emma Collins finds out about much more than fruitcake on a writing assignment for her magazine. This is a cute story.
L. Gettle (lgettle@iserv.net)
Double Masquerade by Karen Lynn
Rating: 4 Stars
I came across three Karen Lynn books at the local library. The other two books are DUAL DESTINY and THE SCOTTISH MARRIAGE. They are older books but I enjoyed them very much.
L. Gettle (lgettle@iserv.net)
Coming Out by Danielle Steel
Rating: 3 Stars
A coming-out ball causes problems for one family. Not one of Steel's best.
Margie
The Abortionist's Daughter by Elizabeth Hyde
Rating: 5 Stars
This page turner kept me involved with the characters and events. There is a red herring to throw the reader off, but enough clues to bring her back on the right track. One suspects who the killer is but must wait until the end for confirmation. The characters are people with whom one can become involved. The "villain" is evil and pathetic enough to make him satisfactory.
Myrna P. (myrnapen@aol.com)
Saving The World by Julia Alvarez
Rating: 5 Stars
The subject of this novel is what caught my attention: it's the story of a Spanish doctor in the early 1800s who sets out on an expedition to bring the smallpox vaccine to the Spanish colonies around the world. He discovers that the virus from which the vaccine will be made must be transported live and so he solicits young boys from an orphanage to be his first line of carriers. The rectoress of the orphanage accompanies them to care for the boys.
Parallel to this plot is a modern-day story of a Latina novelist for whom the 200-year-old story becomes a source of inspiration. This is a very well crafted novel that kept me interested in both plot lines alike!
Jule
On Mexican Time by Tony Cohan
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a wonderful true story of an American writer and his wife. They sell their home in L.A. and start a less stressful life in San Migeul De Allende, Mexico.
Patricia Soule
Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky and Sandra Smith
Rating: 3 Stars
Interesting story of the French exodus from Paris during World War I when the country is invaded by Germany.
Rita Bueter
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Rating: 4 Stars
After doing some heavy reading, this lighter "chick lit" book is very refreshing. It's funny and is perfect summer time reading.
Dot L.
Sweet Caroline by Christopher Andersen
Rating: 3 Stars
The author makes Caroline too syrupy sweet, as if she is the only nice one in the family.
Patricia Roemer (trishajr@hotmail.com)
The Reckoning by Sharon Kay Penman
Rating: 5 Stars
This author makes the reader feel as if he or she is in the Middle Ages with her descripthions, details, and language. This is the 3rd in a series, and I have read each one knowing I will recall the characters and events years later. When I can keep what happened in a book and feel the characters so well, I know it is an excellent book. You can enjoy this author without getting into this series because she has written ones that stand alones.
Judy (joswood@msn.com)
The Abortionist's Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde
Rating: 4 Stars
Diana Duprey, an abortion doctor, is found dead floating in her swimming pool. She has a bruise the size of a golf ball on her head. Who is the murderer? Is it her husband, Frank, with whom she had a terrible argument earlier that afternoon? Is it her daughter, Megan, a rather flighty college student, who also quarreled with her mother? This is a fast, compelling read with a satisfying ending. I will look for other books by this author.
Renee Franzen (tfranzen2124@comcast.net)
The Bookwoman's Last Fling by John Dunning
Rating: 4 Stars
I always love to see his books come out. This one fell just shy of his previous.
Bonnie Waliezer (Nabofrue@aol.com)
There's Something About Christmas by Debbie Macomber
Rating: 4 Stars
A fast read with predictable ending, but a really feel-good story. I am in the process of reading all her books.
Carol G
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Rating: 4 Stars
This book reads like you're watching a movie. The dialogue is so authentic and deep that the characters are developed to the max. When I close the book, I have to literally turn off the scene in my mind to return to my real life! This is not a lot of action, but character development is the point.
Joyce
The Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Rating: 4 Stars
Definitely not your normal book. Written from the point of view of an autistic young boy with amazing skills and his own way of interpreting the actions of others, this unique story interested and intrigued me so much that I could not put it down until I was through with it. Good thing it is a short book!!
Vicki
Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
Rating: 5 Stars
Our book discussion group read this and loved it.
Gary (capedcodder@yahoo.com)
Night by Elie Wiesel
Rating: 5 Stars
An excellent book! It makes you understand a bit of what he went through in the concentration camps in Germany during World War II. Easy reading, but very compelling.
Judy (AZ)
Flower Net by Lisa See
Rating: 3 Stars
This is an earlier book of Ms. See's and her subsequent books get better (especially SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN), but it is still an interesting glimpse at modern-day China. The mystery, to me, was the lesser interest.
Renee (tfranzen2124@comcast.net)
Housekeeping by Marrianne Robbinson
Rating: 3 Stars
Robinson's first novel. A difficult read, but intriguing in devolpment.
Laurie Blum (laurieblum@hotmail.com)
London is the Best City in America by Laura Dave
Rating: 4 Stars
This debut novel will strike a chord with anyone having trouble making important decisions about relationships, family, jobs, college and beyond!
Rita Cameron
The Good Earth by Pearl Buck
Rating: 5 Stars
I just finished rereading THE GOOD EARTH. This is my all- time favorite book. I feel everyone should read and then reread this book.
Mimi Jones
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
Jodi Picoult's books always make you think about all sides of a story, and this one is no exception. I listened to this on audio, but I also want to read it and will do that in a few weeks.
Joan Woods
Remember When by Nora Roberts
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a story by J. D. Robb, who, of course, is Nora Roberts. It's very good, as are all of her books.
Pat Hoel
The Righteous Men by Sam Bourne
Rating: 5 Stars
(I have a reader's copy to review.
The book will be available in Sept.) It's a well-written, edge-of-the-seat thriller of the very best kind, based on an ancient Jewish legend. Seldom have I read any book that carries one along at such a breakneck speed. It's hard to put down!!
Suzanne Knapp
Orbit by John J. Nance
Rating: 4 Stars
I am still in the middle of it, but it has certainly held my interest. It has a unique plot and moves along at a fast pace, in spite of having only one main character.
Suzanne Knapp
Dragon's Fire by Anne and Todd McCaffrey
Rating: 5 Stars
What a great book!! I could not put it down. When I read one of these Dragonriders of Pern books, it's like visiting a family that you know so well and have missed so badly. Like conversations with old friends, we pick up right where we left off, like there has been no absence!!
L.Gettle (lgettle@iserv.net)
Party Girl by Sarah Mason
Rating: 4 Stars
Isabel Serranti is an event party planner. Problems arise when she plans an event for a man from her past. Enjoyable.
CJ
The Goodbye Summer by Patricia Gaffney
Rating: 4 Stars
It took me a little while to get into this book by the author of SAVING GRACES, but once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Interesting, offbeat characters and a few twists along the way.
Carole Campbell (rscampbe@tcc.on.ca)
All He Ever Wanted by Anita Shreve
Rating: 5 Stars
A totally different book. I couldn't put it down.
Amanda Jean
Whisper of Evil by Kay Hooper
Rating: 5 Stars
I love the other books in the series before this one and I have to admit I was a little skeptical about WHISPER OF EVIL. How many books about psychics and one particular agent could actually be done without repeating from previous novels? I was wrong, and Kay Hooper did it again. She wrote an excellent novel, sure to keep you in suspense.
L. Gettle (lgettle@iserv.net)
Delicious by Susan Mallery
Rating: 5 Stars
Charming tale about a successful female chef who goes to work in her ex-husband's restaurant.
Gerry Durisin
Beach Road by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge
Rating: 2 Stars
I find I like Patterson better when he writes on his own, without co-authors. This novel was fairly good in terms of plot (a mystery set in the Hamptons in which a young black athlete is framed for murder), but the characters were flat and paper-thin. The fact that every single one completely lacked any defined character or personality made the twist at the end more believable.
L. Gettle (lgettle@iserv.net)
Among the Free by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Rating: 3 Stars
Conclusion to the excellent Shadow Children series.
Donna L.
Speaking in Tongues by Jeffery Deaver
Rating: 5 Stars
This is another one of Jeffery Deaver's books you should be sure not to miss.
Donna L.
Killer Dreams by Iris Johansen
Rating: 5 Stars
Wow. You have to read this one. You won't believe how it even starts out. It grabs hold of you right at the beginning of the book. It is a great read...
Carol
Blue Nude by Elizabeth Rosner
Rating: 3 Stars
A somewhat interesting novel about an artist and a model, then and now.
P. Corwin (PFLucas@aol.com)
Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos
Rating: 4 Stars
The author is an award-winning poet and it shows in her first novel. The novel parallels an 11-year-old child and a single thirty-one-year-old woman for many chapters until they finally meet through the child's father.
Thomas (tomjac0850@charter.net)
The Husband by Dean Koontz
Rating: 5 Stars
Mitch Rafferty receives a call that his wife has been kidnapped. The ransom: $2 million in cash. But, how does a landscaper with less than $11,000 in savings gather two million in just over two days?
Should he go to the police? Can he trust them? The kidnappers hint that some cops are involved in the kidnapping. Or maybe not. As Mitch tries to find a way to raise the ransom, he finds himself immersed in a world of evil, treachery, and deceit. Be prepared for very late-night reading, as Koontz has once again written a masterpiece of suspense.
Lori
When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin
Rating: 5 Stars
A well-written, sweet love story and tearjerker. The book had great character development, I couldn't put it down.
Dodalodle from Beautiful British Columbia (dglg@telus.net)
Sentimental Journey by Jill Barnett
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is a real page turner --- a great adventure and love story that takes place during World War II. I loved the way the author made the characters come alive. A lot of research was done by the author to make this story so authentic and accurate in details pertaining to World War II.
Teri Wilhelms (mstkw@aol.com)
Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais
Rating: 2 Stars
I'm about 80+ pages in, and still don't like the book. I haven't given up yet because it's Crais. Anyone else, and I would have thrown it across the room before I hit page 30.
E. Quinn Knight (eqkmath@gmail.net)
Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner
Rating: 3 Stars
This is definitely "chic lit" .... it is a fun story and a fast read that will take you about about 2 hours to finish, but is not intelllectually challenging. The story is a "whodunit" with all sorts of interesting sagas that take place with the affluent. The characters are upscale suburbanites who are investigating a murder.
Marsha
Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 4 Stars
Another romp with Stephanie Plum. Her life continues to be one wild adventure after another --- not to mention the two gorgeous hunks that vie for her attention.
Patty
Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever by James Patterson
Rating: 5 Stars
The characterizations are wonderful. Max and the other kids are so real. The first book was outstanding, so I didn't know how well the second could follow, but this is just as good. I eagerly await a third. With the way things happen nowadays, it's not far-fetched to imagine that experimentation like this could take place. It's interesting to see how the kids fit in when they deal more and more closely with the "outside world."
Gloria
The Halo Effect by M. J. Rose
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the first book I've read by M.J. Rose. I will definitely look to get more. This book grabbed me right from the beginning. A serial killer is targeting prostitutes. Dr. Morgan Snow, a sex therapist, is counseling Cleo Thane, who disappears. Detective Noah Jordain consults with Morgan for insight. The plot has many twists and turns and is very exciting throughout.
Patty
Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs
Rating: 5 Stars
I was literally on the edge of my seat near the end. I like that the author explains not only important parts of the investigational processes, but also about life in Montreal (language, customs, etc.). Outstanding.
Josephine Anna Kaszuba Locke, Book Hugger and Ace
The Last Spymaster by Gayle Lynds
Rating: 5 Stars
Gayle Lynds follows her successful novel, THE COIL, with her latest intrigue, THE LAST SPYMASTER. She has been named the Queen of International Spy Thrillers, and justifiably so. Her background is in Secret Service, she has co-authored books with Robert Ludlum, and has successfully written novels of her own, including MESMERIZED, etc.
THE LAST SPYMASTER's protagonist Jay Tice is an ace agent from the Cold War days. He is charged and convicted by the U.S. as a traitor, but escapes max security. On the move for reasons justifiable, Tice is hunted by top CIA agent Elaine Cunningham, who needs to capture him in two days.
Other factions from the top offices and criminal terrorist suppliers of mod tech --- such as StarDust, a computer as small as a grain of sand --- leads to exemplary suspense from a solid plot, with exceptional, hardy characters.
As with all of Lynds's books, THE LAST SPYMASTER will keep you on your toes way past midnight. Visit Gayle on her website at gaylelynds.com
Terry Holt (tholt1958@yahoo.com)
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathanial Philbrick
Rating: 5 Stars
Whether you're a history buff or not, you will enjoy this story of the hardships and perils that the people of the original Plymouth Colony had to endure. You will also learn some things you didn't learn in school! It's another enjoyable read By Mr. Philbrick.
Dana Wales (danaelainewales@yahoo.com)
Obsidian Butterfly by Laurell K Hamilton
Rating: 5 Stars
I just finished this one, and I loved it because it has Edward, one of my favorite characters.
Carrie Wall
Heat by Bill Buford
Rating: 4 Stars
I don't even cook and it was a great read!!!
JJ
Me & Emma by Elisabeth Flock
Rating: 5 Stars
This book had me spellbound with the story of two sisters who lived with an abusive step-dad and a neglectful mother. The compelling way in which the story is told and the ending (which was a surprise!) keep me going!
Sandy (Yodasmommy@woh.rr.com)
We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg
Rating: 5 Stars
I am loving this book!! I always love her work, but I think this one is the best.
Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net)
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Rating: 5 Stars
Wow, what a great book. I remember seeing Simon Birch which is a movie that was ever so slightly based on this book. The book is much better. Owen is a very small person with a squeaky child-like voice that never matures. He thinks he was sent from God to perform a miracle. Some of this based on the fact he was told by his parents that his was a virgin birth. His mom was supposedly a virgin when he was conceived. Owen is a very likable and distinct character, but I also grew to like the narrator, John. Religion, war, and politics play a vivid role in the narration of this story. I think Irving is a master in literature and I am happy I have been introduced to this talent. It is almost like Irving has written his autobiography through the writings of his life. This one, especially. The missing father, New Hampshire, the boarding school, and Canada are shared by him, his characters, and the various works. This is a long book. Even as a paperback, it took some time for me to get engaged. But once I did, I was pulled in and enjoyed the ride. This is literary genius at its best.
Delores (Gingerlola@aol.com)
The King of Lies by John Hart
Rating: 5 Stars
This was a wonderful first novel by a very talented Southern author. I couldn't put it down and can't wait for his next book. A great find.
Delores (Gingerlola@aol.com)
Body Double by Tess Gerritsen
Rating: 3 Stars
A fun read when the murder victim is found by an identical twin who even didn't realize that she was a sibling.
Barbara Dormer (bdorm@aol.com)
Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town by Cory Doctorow
Rating: 3 Stars
After DOWN AND OUT IN MAGIC KINGDOM, I was excited to see Doctorow's latest book, but was very disappointed. It was like a short story gone long.
Wallie Johnson (wendybrooks1@hotmail.com)
Susannah's Garden by Debbie Macomber
Rating: 4 Stars
Vey satisfying summer read.
Brenda Broadway (Broadway1b@aol.com)
The Husband by Dean Koontz
Rating: 5 Stars
THE HUSBAND by Dean Koontz appears to be another heart-thumping suspenseful thriller. Every book of his that I have read has engaged the heart and the mind, then at a slower pace, the ordinary and everyday creeps up on you and squeezes itself into a little ball as the ever-growing evil attempts to consume it. Happily, I've found that man [through God] has triumphed over the evil in the stories and my mind when arriving a the end. This one starts out differently, quickening the pace of the heart with the immediate thrill of fear... will it end differently too? I could hardly wait to finish reading this new Koonz book. I think you will have just as much trouble putting it down for very long, also.
LaDonna Carrington (ladonnac@aol.com)
Terrorist by John Updike
Rating: 5 Stars
Another great novel by Updike.
Laura
Blue Smoke by Nora Roberts
Rating: 4 Stars
This book was long, as are most of Nora's books. But it had my attention from the first page. The characters were likable and believable. The storylines tied together easily and it was nice the way the book carried you through the lives of everyone involved. This book left an impression after I was done reading it. Very good!
Michele
1st to Die by James Patterson
Rating: 5 Stars
Excellent thriller! It is a roller coaster of a ride from the very first chapter to the very end! It kept me guessing. There was a big twist that was very unexpected.
I loved the romantic storyline Patterson had twining the novel together. Every fan must read this one!
Michele
Hot Item by Carly Phillips
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a sexy, spicy, read that will definitely leave you wanting more!
Brady (bradylee@myway.com)
Leaving Microsoft To Change The World by John Wood
Rating: 4 Stars
Ever hear of a charity organization named Room To Read? How can parents, college, and a job influence one to such an extent where you, just one person, can literally change the world? If you want to read a page turner that answers all those questions, then this is the one. A fascinating true story of a dream that becomes reality.
Michele
A Season For the Dead by David Hewson
Rating: 4 Stars
Great summer read. A page turner that transports the reader to Rome, Italy and the Vatican.
Domenica
Good Omen by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Rating: 4 Stars
A ingenious, comical, and enlightening book of good verses evil and everything in between.
Mariko K. (section374@yahoo.com)
Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors
Rating: 5 Stars
I just posted elsewhere on this site about this book. I just can't wait to talk to people about it! BENEATH A MARBLE SKY is an amazing new novel that retells the story behind the building of the Taj Mahal. It's been years since I so enjoyed a book. I was moved to tears by the beauty of this book, and my fingers couldn't turn the pages fast enough! I highly, highly recommend this novel. A friend told me that it's being made into a movie, and I can see why.
Jodi
At Risk by Patricia Cornwell
Rating: 1 Stars
I could not get into this book at all. Such a disappointment!! Her earlier books in the Scarpetta series were fantastic, but they are getting progressively worse. This is the worst book of hers I've read, or in this case, attempted to read. I couldnt't even finish it.
Jodi
Coming Out by Danielle Steel
Rating: 3 Stars
Another feel-good book by Danielle Steel. But, at points, I thought it got a little sappy with the droning on about how fantastic each and every character is and was and ever had been. Despite that, the storyline was good. Danielle Steel never disappoints.
Domenica
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Rating: 4 Stars
After reading this book, I was inspired to seek out my own personal legend and change my direction in life.
Nancy H.
The Narcissist's Daughter by Craig Holden
Rating: 4 Stars
THE NARCISSIST'S DAUGHTER is a suspenseful story of a simple affair that blossoms into obsession, exploitation, and a passion for revenge that threatens to ruin the lives of everyone involved. Lots of twists and turns with an ending I didn't see coming.
Rita Bueter
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Rating: 5 Stars
This is an old classic about a poor girl of Irish extraction growing up in Brooklyn at the turn of the century. This has become one of my all-time favorites. A beautifully written story told simply.
Ellen - Richardson Texas
TOME OF DEATH and MURDER BY THE BOOK by D. R. Meredith
Rating: 3 Stars
Intriguing cozies; the solver of crimes is a reference librarian (actually under-employed and degreed in archaeology, anthropology, paleopathology and bioarchaeology). I use the word 'crime solver' because she is not really the main character. In each book, you have numerous first-person storytelling and perspectives; most are told by Megan's best friend and romatically inclined Ryan Stevens. It does get a little confusing, switching from narrator to narrator in each chapter. Also involved in the crime solving is the Murder by the Yard Thursday evening book club.
These are interesting books that hold your attention. There was one thing that bothered me about in MURDER BY THE BOOK --- the editing was horrible. I have never read a book with as many typos, missing words and mixed-up sentences as this. You're coasting along, enjoying the book, and all of a sudden, it's WHAT? and you have to stop and reread the sentence a couple times before you can go on. It disrupts the flow. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the books and I think anyone who appreciates cozies will enjoy them, also.
Nancy H.
Green River, Running Red by Ann Rule
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the story of the Green River Killer who murdered more than forty-nine women. Ms. Rule spent two decades researching this case, starting in July 1982 when the first body --- that of teenager Wendy Lee Coffield --- was found in the Green River, snagged on pilings under a bridge. Extremely well documented, this is a chilling look at the darkest side of human nature.
Judy (joswood@msn.com)
Where the River Runs by Patti Callahan Henry
Rating: 4 Stars
Meridy Dresden returns to her home in the South Carolina Lowcountry to confront her memories of a horrific fire that claimed the life of her beloved fiance. In doing this, she almost loses the love of her husband of 20 years, Beau. This is a book full of the flavor of the Lowcountry and full of interesting characters.
Sharon J.
Creating Black Americans by Nell Irvin Painter
Rating: 5 Stars
This wonderful book is a refreshing account of the lives of African Americans from 1619 to the present. CREATING BLACK AMERICANS is filled with beautiful self-images people of color have created over time. Anyone who enjoys reading historical narratives and appreciates beautiful works of art will certainly enjoy this book.
William Rothchild
Strings of Connection by Durk Simmons
Rating: 5 Stars
Simmons blends the actual ideals of Wicca with an imaginative fantasy storyline that everyone will enjoy. He starts off making you wonder what will happen next, and keeps you there, turning the pages. STRINGS OF CONNECTION has the Harry Potter appeal in that the characters are teenaged, and their magic helps their character develop morally; plus it gives the real Witches in the U.S. a novel that portrays them as the naturists they are, not the devil-worshipping Satanists everyone is led to believe they are. For his first book, Simmons has already captured my attention with his writing style and his quirky observations interlaced throughout the story. I look forward to the next installment, and highly recommend this book.
Nunu In Niagara
Cover of Night by Linda Howard
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the story of a young widow who operates a B&B in a small remote town in Idaho. A guest departs suddenly and leaves behind his belongings. Soon, the town is taken over by men who hold them hostage and the action begins. It is a fast-paced read that is hard to put down.
Sharon J.
The Demonata, Book 1: Lord Loss by Darren Shan
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the first book of Shan's Demonata series. Grubbs Grady, his uncle Dervish, and his werewolf brother Bill-E face their familial curse of lycanthropy by entering into a diabolical chess tournament with Lord Loss and his minions, Vein and Artery. This is truly a horror story and not suitable for readers under the age of ten.
Sandra F.
Fallen Gods by Quintin Jardine
Rating: 5 Stars
There are just not enough good things to say about Quintin Jardine's Bob Skinner series. It is every bit as good as Ian Rankin's books.
Cheryl Snyder
The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd
Rating: 5 Stars
A compelling story of a woman going through a mid-life crisis. Jessie Sullivan finds herself restless in her marriage and having to deal with an elderly mother who is going through a crisis of her own. Jessie goes back home to help her mother and is confronted with her past and an unexpected new love.
Sandra F.
In the Kingdom of Mists by Jane Jakeman
Rating: 3 Stars
A decent book featuring the French painter, Claude Monet, during the time he spent painting in London in 1900. The narrative drags in places, but the historical background is solid.
ozarks reader
The Whole World Over by Julia Glass
Rating: 2 Stars
I read 275 pages of this book because I felt sure, it would come together or I would meet a character I actually liked. Finally, I gave it up. I know it must eventually come to a connection of the characters, but I really didn't care what happened to any of them.
Kelli (kellifrazier@cox-internet.com)
Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Piccoult
Rating: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this book. It follows a young mother, Paige, who --- after being married for 8 years to an ambitious surgeon --- gives birth to a little boy. She is overwhelmed by parenthood and doubts her ability to be a good mom because she was abandoned by her own mother at the age of 5. Her insecurity and self-doubt cause her to run away from her husband and child and lead her down a path of self-discovery.
Sandra F.
Flirting with Death by M. D. Lake
Rating: 3 Stars
This is a good summer read --- not too demanding. This series featuring campus cop Peggy O'Neill has been around for awhile. The plots are well constructed.
Lashell
Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a very smooth, easy read. It was very sentimental, and the characters are believable. SUZANNE'S DIARY FOR NICHOLAS is a great beach book, and is not very long. For me, it's a keeper to be read again.
Jodi
This Book Will Save Your Life by A. M. Homes
Rating: 4 Stars
Entertaining book. Just when you think it can't get any crazier in this character's life... even more happens to him.
Jodi
Family History by Dani Shapiro
Rating: 5 Stars
Fantastic book. This was recommended to me and I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. It unravels the dysfunction of a family.
Edie (emanning@premier-ortho.com)
Killer Dreams by Iris Johansen
Rating: 5 Stars
I read all of Iris Johansen's books and this one was right up there with her best. I could not put it down, and as usual, I was guessing right up to the end. The characters are believable and the situations they become involved in are convincing. I would not hesitate to recommend this book.
Erica
Cold Moon by Jeffery Deaver
Rating: 4 Stars
I love the chemistry between Lincoln and Amelia. This book was terrific... I can't wait for the next one.
Marilyn Shoemaker
When the Earth Moves by Roxanne St. Claire
Rating: 5 Stars
When you think about Roxanne’s McGrath Brother Series, they are all bound by nature. The other two, LIKE A HURRICANE and THE FIRE STILL BURNS, were wonderful stores of the other two McGrath’s, Quinn and Colin.
This is Cam, Jo and baby Callie’s story, which is warm and sweet, sexy, and I think my favorite. This entire series is one not to be missed. Roxanne has woven three exciting and sensuous tales of three brothers who are afraid to love because their mother deserted them at a young age. Trust a woman, heck no! Lust after them, yes! However, when each meets three beautiful women who challenge them in every way and steal their hearts, they’re blown away.
In this story, Cam --- the oldest --- is approached by Jo with a secret, one hard for Cam to believe. His mother --- whom he believed did not love him --- is dead, along with a sister he didn’t realize he had. Left behind is a baby, his niece. Jo (a friend of his mother and sister) wants to adopt the baby. As their story enfolds, Cam learns many lessons, one being love.
This is a wonderful and warm story, one I highly recommend.
Marilyn Shoemaker
Falling for Gracie by Susan Mallery
Rating: 5 Stars
FALLING FOR GRACIE was a warm and spirited book. It was refreshing to read a romance filled with humor, warmth and strong characters. There were many lessons to be learned in this book, a few being honesty, integrity and the art of communication. A very sensual romance, one I will read over and over.
Gracie's character was strong, spirited, fun, intelligent, and warm even though her family had sent her adrift. Riley is the alpha male at his finest --- tall, dark, handsome, aloof, and by his past...mistrusting, tormented and angry.
How Gracie and Riley come together begins with their knowing each other in their past but now they meet again and sparks fly, while the entire town looks on and becomes involved in their romance.
I highly recommend this book. It is one of Susan Mallery's finest.
Marilyn Shoemaker
Brazen by Carly Phillips
Rating: 5 Stars
BRAZEN has all of the ingredients for one hot and passionate love story. When the beautiful Samantha sets out for a one week fling before committing herself to a marriage to save her father’s debt, she --- by chance --- meets the handsome Mac in an Arizona desert bar.
As their story enfolds, both characters not only learn about each other, but also about themselves. Mac taught Samantha the meaning of love, the fairy tale-type of love. Samantha taught Mac new things about himself as well, about his ability to love and give. Even though they only tell each other half truths and live in a fantasy, their love and respect for each other grows. Their journey is one you won’t want to miss.
Pam Bowers
Max Point by Henry Burton
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a combination of mystery, murder and horror, a gripping thriller that forced me to turn to the next page. A dark novel with sexual tension and historical references throughout its pages.
Alaina Lenhart
Savannah Breeze by Mary Kay Andrews
Rating: 4 Stars
A wonderful and fun mystery --- great for summer reading!
Sharon Bryan
Angel with Attitude by Michelle Rowen
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a very "tickle your funny bone and laugh out loud" book. I love it! It is as good as --- if not better than --- BITTEN & SMITTEN, which was her first book published. You can buy it at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Kate in Charlotte, NC
The Third Translation by Matt Bondurant
Rating: 3 Stars
This is much more noir suspense than the thriller I expected. It contains fascinating details about ancient Egypt and hieroglyphics, and modern translations were unfortunately dragged down by characters I couldn't bring myself to care about. Bondurant does deserve credit, though, as those characters do behave as incomprehensibly as real people will; it's just that they're not as much fun to read about.
Deb Yorgensen
Blue Latitudes by Tony Horwitz
Rating: 5 Stars
An excellent, highly entertaining travel book recreating Captain Cook's voyage (although it doesn't sound all that interesting, it really is).
Deb Yorgensen
At Risk by Patricia Cornwell
Rating: 1 Stars
Awful. Very, very disappointing from a usually excellent author.
Deb Yorgensen (dyorgensen@netpnt.com)
The Night Journal by Elizabeth Crook
Rating: 5 Stars
Just a really entertaining book, with lots of facts but lots of fiction as well. A great Austin author.
Cheryl
The Four Seasons by Mary Alice Monroe
Rating: 4 Stars
I loved the sisterly emotions.
Mo (maestraw@msn.com)
The Abortionist's Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde
Rating: 4 Stars
Actually, I would give this 4.5 stars. It hooked me from page 1, and never let me go. This is a tale of murder, and the primary suspect is the husband. There are many characters, but all are developed well. Keeps you guessing!
Marsha
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
Rating: 4 Stars
This memoir by a teacher in the Islamic Republic of Iran recalls the secret class she held for seven of her committed students who immersed theirselves in the literary world of the classics and celebrated the liberating power of literature.
Annie Maynard (SingleRose41@aol.com)
The Lighthouse by P. D. James
Rating: 5 Stars
I have really enjoyed reading this book. It keep me guessing "whodunit."
Linda LeVan
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Rating: 4 Stars
I've just started this for my July book group meeting, and am finding the writing style interesting and compelling.
Donna
Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson
Rating: 5 Stars
I love this book. It's one of her best. It follows the same ideas as her others, but this one seems to flow better. It begins when she steps over a dead body! It turns out that this was a friend of hers and the plot develops when she promises the victim's mother that she will find the killer. Of course, throughout the story, she interweaves interesting information about her son, his newly found half brother, her ex-husband, her assistant Julian and her best friend Marla. It makes for a good beach read.
Susan Jensen
Small Island by Andrea Levy
Rating: 4 Stars
This was an interesting book about several Jamaicans who come to Britain after WWII. Humiliated by the way they are treated in the Motherland, the Jamaicans try to survive, all the while contemplating the strange citizens of Great Britain, who treat them as savages, when it is they who are most uncivilized. It's an engrossing, well-written story that I'm having trouble describing, but it's worth a look!
Peggy Jebavy
Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 4 Stars
I was a little disappointed in book eleven, but this one is back on the top. Stephanie Plum is such a fun character. These are great books to just lose yourself in for fun. I get my quota of belly laughs every time!
Cheryl
At Risk by Patricia Cornwell
Rating: 2 Stars
I always enjoy Patricia's books, but this one I think I could have done without.
Mo (maestraw@msn.com)
Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fanny Flagg
Rating: 4 Stars
Very cute story about Elner and her friends and family. Elner falls out of a tree when she is picking figs. All at once, her accident and the result is the news around town. There are many characters, who are well developed. (And most of them ARE characters!) If you enjoy Flagg's other books, this one is a must read!
Ricki (rickimc@aol.com)
The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates
Rating: 3 Stars
This is a really long book and it takes a while to pick up, but once it does, it is a good read.
Suzanne Knapp
Hard Truth by Nevada Barr
Rating: 4 Stars
Started out fast and stayed that way!!
marion miller (lamamil@aol.com)
Leeway Cottage by Beth Gutcheon
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a good book for Summer reading --- a good old-fashioned family saga. I enjoyed it very much.
Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com)
Dark Assassin by Anne Perry
Rating: 4 Stars
A very interesting picture of the London sewer system and the underground people. I always enjoy the Monk series mysteries.
Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com)
The Egyptian Coffin by Jane Jakeman
Rating: 2 Stars
Written in narrative, somewhat boring, but contained information about Egypt and London and the slave trade.
Linda Moeller (LINDALSHOT@aol.com)
Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 4 Stars
Not as good as the Stephanie Plum series, but still great entertainment.
Linda Moeller (LINDALSHOT@aol.com)
Watchers by Dean Koontz
Rating: 5 Stars
Another great Koontz book!
Allan
A Man Without a Country by Kurt Vonnegut
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a very humorous look at life, art, politics and the world as we know it. It is an easy and an enjoyable read.
Rosalie Sambuco (tigersmama43213@aol.com)
Wild Ginger by Anchee Min
Rating: 5 Stars
This story takes place in 60s and 70s China, during the Cultural Revolution with Chairman Mao. It was a real eye-opener for me. This story left me with a deeper love and care for our country, USA.
Bonnie
The Lifeguard by James Patterson
Rating: 4 Stars
A fast-paced, fun "beach read" --- perfect for a summer day.
Liz
The Girls by Lori Lansens
Rating: 4 Stars
A touching story of conjoined female twins with totally different personalities, preferences and goals. I was sorry it had to end!
Katie Dean
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Rating: 5 Stars
An amazing book of total originality --- such a fantastic plotline and an even better experiance than the cult film that was adapted from it. Certainly recommended --- this is a book you cannot go without reading.
John Caldwell (brewerjohn@metrocast.net)
The Society by Michael Palmer
Rating: 4 Stars
Who hasn't felt like killing their HMO at some point? Somebody is killing the CEOs and the prime suspect is a doctor who speaks out against the HMOs. Try and figure out who is setting up the good doctor.
Bonnie Szul
Copy Cat by Erica Spindler
Rating: 5 Stars
Erica leaves us in suspense through the whole book. Even though this book has many topics, it gets into you are never lost. I loved it.
Rima
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Rating: 5 Stars
Although directed toward a YA audience, this novel deserves a wide readership among adults. It is set in a small town near Munich, Germany during WWII, and the book thief of the title is a young girl who experiences the horror of the time and steals books that enable her to learn to read and also keep her sanity with all the tragedy around her. The narrator is Death, who tells her story.
Bonnie Szul
Cover of Night by Linda Howard
Rating: 5 Stars
I haven't read any of Linda Howard's books in a while, and I wasn't disappointed in this one. It's about a single mom of twin boys, and the small community in which they live. Someone gets taken hostage, so it's intriguing; it was actually hard to take a break from it.
Jimmy Coleman (jcole43@bellsouth.net)
Any by John D. MacDonald
Rating: 5 Stars
I have read most of his books, and you can't put them down until the end.
Nancy Schaaf
Beach Road by James Patterson
Rating: 5 Stars
An excellent thriller and suspense novel. The ending was an unexpected shocker!
Norma (douglaslibrary@comcast.net)
Family Tree by Carol CadWalladr
Rating: 5 Stars
This was a wonderful and beautifully written book about an English dysfunctional family with a bipolar mother. The author also focuses on genetics and nature vs. nurture in a very clever way. A very touching story and some humor also. I loved the characters.
Bonnie Waliezer (Nabofrue@aol.com)
Evening Class by Maeve Binchey
Rating: 5 Stars
This author has a way of taking many different people and weaving them into the plot in the most amazing way. It was hard to put this book down.
Judith Bridger
The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
Rating: 5 Stars
I recently re-read this novel (as well as its sequel, SEPTEMBER) and once again marveled at the powerful characterizations and descriptions that Pilcher incorporates into her writing. Main character Penelope Keeling is a gracious, determined, warm, giving woman whose insight into her children and their motives and needs is right on target. As Penelope looks back on her life, the reader is privileged to travel along with this remarkable lady and cheer her on each step of the way.
Joan Nilson
Crashing Down by Meg O'Brien
Rating: 4 Stars
Very interesting twist.
Joan Nilson
The Courtesan by Julia Justiss
Rating: 3 Stars
Good historical read.
Toni Savchuck (tonisandlin@aol.com)
Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama
Rating: 5 Stars
A fascinating book about the girls who were given to the silk factories in China in the 19th century. The book follows Pei through her journey from a child to a woman and her experiences as a silk worker.
Gerry Durisin
A Strange Affair by Peter Robinson
Rating: 3 Stars
DCI Alan Banks is drawn into a murder investigation that seems somehow to involve his missing younger brother, from whom he has long been estranged.
Cy Hilterman (cyhilterman@digitalrazor.net)
Blue Smoke by Nora Roberts
Rating: 5 Stars
This book gives the reader mystery, love, arson, family love and turmoil, and a great story to go along. BLUE SMOKE was hard to put down.
Lynn
Cordelia Underwood by Van Reid
Rating: 4 Stars
It's very different from any other books I've read. It's set in the late 1800's in Maine and has a lot of fun characters having "adventures." Just a fun read in the summer. It's the first book in a series of 4 or 5.
Cy Hilterman (cyhilterman@digitalrazor.net)
The Summer I Dared by Barbara Delinsky
Rating: 5 Stars
A great family read that moves very fast. It acquaints you with the fishing industry in New England, especially lobster fishing. I think I enjoyed this book as much as any book I have read over the past few months.
Tish
The Courage Tree by Diane Chamberlain
Rating: 5 Stars
Any book by Diane Chamberlain is a good read!
Sandy
Dirty Blonde by Lisa Scottoline
Rating: 5 Stars
I finished this one in 3 days and loved it!!
Robin B.
Insatiable: Tales From a Life of Delicious Excess by Gael Greene
Rating: 5 Stars
Even though I am only page 45, I am giving this 5 stars. It was highly recommended by a friend and I can already tell it's going to be a crazy ride (it starts out by the author's one-night stand with Elvis!).
Gael Greene chronicles her life of excess, both in sex and food. Yummy recipes included.
Margaret
Book of the Dead by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Rating: 5 Stars
The last book in a trilogy of thrillers featuring the battle of wits between FBI agent Pendergast and his evil brother, Diogones. This one is centered around an exhibit in New York's Museum of Natural History and grabs you from page 1.
Carole Turner, gardener
The $64 Tomato by William Alexander
Rating: 5 Stars
This avid gardener has written a very funny and interesting book. As the title infers, the author's desire to enjoy fresh produce from his own backyard has become a costly pursuit. Any gardener who can tear him/herself away from staking tomatoes and watering pole beans at this busy time of year will find this book delightful. And folks who are not avid gardeners will also find the book worth reading.
Crystal R. Blackburn
The Bishop in the West Wing by Andrew M. Greely
Rating: 4 Stars
Bishop Blackie heads to Washington, D.C. to help the newly-elected, Chicago Irish-Catholic President Jack McGurn with a poltergeist in the White House. Of course, Blackie solves the case. Along the way he helps the President, his family and staff with other problems, political and personal. The story is entertaining and fun!
Heidi Kraemer
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Rating: 2 Stars
Despite the rave reviews this book has received, I failed to see the magic in it.
Cy Hilterman (cyhilterman@digitalrazor.net)
The Moscow Vector by Robert Ludlam and Patrick Larkin
Rating: 4 Stars
This very intense read is full of lots of intrigue and lots of fast-moving spying. It's a bit long, but worth it in the end.
Gerry Durisin
When the Devil Holds the Candle by Karin Fossum
Rating: 3 Stars
Inspector Sejer investigates incidents involving an apparently accidental shooting, a missing person, and a purse-snatching, all of which are interconnected in this small Norwegian town.
Laurie Blum (laurieblum@hotmail.com)
Cellophane by Marie Arana
Rating: 4 Stars
CELLOPHANE is loaded with a rich cast of characters. This first time novelist does a great job of capturing the sights, sounds and smells of the jungle world!
Sharon Lumb
Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith
Rating: 4 Stars
The ladies from Botswania are at it again, solving mysteries and helping clients of No.1 Ladies Detective Agency. It takes about one half of the book for Prescious to decide to go on a diet and lose her traditional figure, but it isn't long before she discovers the importance of keeping her figure!
Geraldine Zwergel (gzwerg@webtv.net)
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the second time I am reading this book. I didn't like it too much the first time, but now that I've seen the movie... well...
Geraldine Zwergel (gzwerg@webtv.net)
Ghost Walk by Heather Graham
Rating: 3 Stars
This is not an excellent book, but it's a good book to pass the time with. Graham did not craft a fine paranormal romance, just an average one.
Denise
Turning Angel by Greg Iles
Rating: 4 Stars
Fast-paced story about a Natchez, Mississippi attorney called upon to defend his friend, a 40-year-old doctor, accused of raping and murdering the teen age girl he was having an affair with.
Judy
Marley & Me by John Grogan
Rating: 2 Stars
A story of a family in the making and the neutoric dog that shows humans how to discover the key to happiness.
Jennifer Morrell
Dangerous Tides by Christine Feehan
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the fourth story in a series about seven sisters with some amazing abilities. You will fall in love with the family and wait on the edge of your seat for the next in the series. In DANGEROUS TIDES, Dr. Libby Drake is sensible and practical. To her more adventurous sisters, she’s always been the “good girl,” certainly not the kind to attract the attention of a genius like Ty Derrick --- until a tragic accident leaves the handsome biochemist at her mercy.
Margaret
Consigned to Death by Jane K. Cleland
Rating: 4 Stars
A very good debut mystery about an antiques dealer who is suspected of murdering a client by the local police chief, and must prove her innocence.
Ronna Lord
City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin
Rating: 5 Stars
In THE CITY OF SHADOWS, Ariana Franklin has fictionalized a highly suspenseful and empathetic story of a woman who was potentially the real Anastasia Romonov. Franklin puts her "historical" story into the setting of a serial killer mystery that lasts for over 10 years in Berlin, Germany. We have this story happening around a number of main characters who are amongst the "underbelly" of a fallen Germany after it's defeat in World War I. By doing this, we get the rise of Hitler from a different perspective than history usually gives us, making reality so much more understandable and horrible.
The drama and fear lives in poverty and confusion, and the rise of some of the common underclass population to a visceral power helps to propel this story with its growing fear. This fear helps to drive the main characters in their search for a serial murderer. We have a troubled woman called Anna, a multi-lingual Jewish woman, a night club bouncer, a financial opportunist, and a German policeman who are the main characters in this fast-paced mystery that is actually a history lesson in disguise.
This is a magnificent thriller that tells a multi-layered story that should not be missed.
Debra Guyette (Debby236@aol.com)
Micah by Laurel K. Hamilton
Rating: 4 Stars
With DANSE MACABRE coming out, I realized that I had not read this one yet. I enjoy this series and this one gives a lotof infomation on Micah. Very enjoyable.
Margie (mbunting@sbcglobal.net)
Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood
Rating: 4 Stars
If you haven't yet read any of Kerry Greenwood's mysteries featuring her flapper heroine, Phryne Fisher, in 1920's Australia, this would be a good place to start. Short, clever, and lots of fun to read, Greenwood's earlier books are now being made available in the US.
P. Corwin (PFLucas@aol.com)
Malinche by Laura Esquivel
Rating: 2 Stars
This was a big disappointment compared to her previous success with LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE.
L. Hann
Orchid Beach by Stuart Woods
Rating: 5 Stars
Awesome!! I could not put this book down. You wonder what is going on when a gated community has more security than the Orchid Beach police department. Leave it up to one determined Chief and her amazing dog to find out.
L. Hann
Mama Makes Up Her Mind by Bailey White
Rating: 3 Stars
Cute stories. An Ok read.
L. Hann
Double Shot by Diane Mott Davidson
Rating: 3 Stars
DOUBLE SHOT is very, very descriptive. Almost too descriptive. Diane Mott Davidson is a good author but I found myself drifting in this book. She describes EVERYTHING. Description is good, but too much can be distracting.
Bridget
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Rating: 5 Stars
A wonderful book! I could not put it down!
Dusty Johnson (bjohnson-att@comcast.net)
The Dead House by Linda Fairstein
Rating: 4 Stars
Another great read by Linda Fairstein --- mystery and suspense woven on the history of Roosevelt Island in New York City.
Dusty Johnson (bjohnson-att@comcast.net)
Tom Clancey's Power Plays: Wild Card by Jerome Preisler
Rating: 3 Stars
Oil and intrigue on the island of Trinidad. An entertaining quick read.
Jane
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Rating: 5 Stars
This book hooked me on the first page and got better with each turn. It is an endearing love story about Clare and Henry set in different periods of their lives, due to Henry's unusual genetic ability to travel in time.
It is a delightful summer read. I did not want it to end.
Ray Palen (razorramon@optonline.net)
Book of the Dead by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Rating: 4 Stars
Preston & Child complete the Prendergast Trilogy with a great character-driven tale that pits good/evil brothers against each other and surround it with an ancient Egyptian curse at the Museum of Natural History. This book was hard to put down and contains plenty of interesting plot twists and turns.
Ray Palen (razorramon@optonline.net)
The Death of Achilles by Boris Akunin
Rating: 5 Stars
I have read all 4 of the US releases by this famous Russian/international author and feel that this title is by far the best of the bunch. Inspector Fandorin has been compared to both Sherlock Holmes and James Bond --- but I can find no easy comparison --- he is a unique character with a mysterious background and keen sense of detection. When a friend and mentor of his is mysteriously found dead of a heart attack, Fandorin suspects foul play and uncovers a huge plot. What made this book all the more interesting was that half of the book was written from the perspective of a hired assasin who is simultaneously uncovering clues in the same plot. The inevitable confrontation of the two protagonists is well done. A great summer read!
Alabama Jack (jquick5342@aol.com)
Off The Chart by James W. Hall
Rating: 5 Stars
With this one, you may need a scorecard to keep up with the body count. Thorn has a brief fling with Anne Joy, daughter of a Kentucky pirate wannabe family, who has come to the Keys after her parents are murdered in a drug running dispute. Years later her brother Vic, who has become a “land pirate” of sorts, decides he wants Thorn’s land and doesn’t respond well to Thorn’s refusal to sell. Vic then proceeds to kidnap the nine-year-old daughter of Thorn's best friend, which eventually leads Thorn into all-out war against Vic, whose complement of U.S. helicopters and a small army of cutthroat international pirates are not nearly an even match for an enraged Thorn. In addition to pirates on land and sea, murder and mayhem, there are few juicy sex scenes and beautiful descriptions of Key West flora and fauna. What else could you ask for in a book, except perhaps a sequel fairly soon.
Rachael
Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger
Rating: 5 Stars
If I could select 10 stars, I would. This is the BEST book I have ever read. The way the author phrases things, the way her writing flows, the way she describes people. This was a mystery about a girl who gets a note that says ''Are You My Daughter?'' She knows her family, her parents, and doesn't understand why someone else would think she is their daughter. She decides to look into this and becomes wrapped up in an extremely dangerous situation of a horrible cover up scheme. If you like Harlan Coben, this book is even better then his books. I have never read such a great book before --- it's great from page 1. All the writing flows very well and is never boring. Here are 2 different paragraphs from the book to show you why I liked this book SO much!
''It's a little-known fact, but parents are like superheroes. With just a few magic words they can make you feel ten feet tall and bulletproof, they can slay the dragons of doubt and worry, they can make problems disappear. But of course, they can only do this as long as you're a child. When you've become an adult, become the master of your own universe, they're not as powerful as they once were. Maybe that's why so many of us take our time growing up.''
Now here's a paragraph to show you how she describes her characters so vivdly and differently.
"Victoria was as thin and pale as a slip of paper. Her inevitable flowered housedress hung off her as if it were still on the hanger. At some point, her hair had been replaced by a slate gray wig that looked as if she'd been at it with a pair of scissors. The skin on her face was deeply lined and sagged like melted wax."
Ok, I hope I convinced you all to read this book!!! TRUST ME! You won't regret it!
Linda M. Johnson
The Thurber Carnival by James Thurber
Rating: 3 Stars
I reached back for an oldie but goodie with this one. I wanted to visit others' humourous writing and it didn't disappoint.
Ronna Lord
Any Bitter Thing by Monica Woods
Rating: 5 Stars
I loved this beautiful, thought-provoking, heart-centered story of people at their best, in their deepest needs, and at their worst. Belonging and redemption are at the heart of this beautifully written story. I believe others of all faiths in a 'God' of their own particular belief system will see a universality about the people in this story, and their struggles to live within the bounds of their 'institutional' beliefs, and their own personal needs and failings. The 'God' in this story is a god who cares/loves but does not necessarily respond at our 'beck and call' to save all our struggles as we might want Him to do. The struggle to belong, be seen, be heard, and be loved for ourselves is handled with great care by Monica Woods in a surprisingly absorbing book.
Rita Hanneman
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Rating: 5 Stars
This book gives a really insightful look into the lives of Chinese women in the past. It also made me think of how much we all are alike, worldwide, in our need to keep up appearances and our concern about what others think of us.
Ronna Lord
Black Order by James Rollins
Rating: 5 Stars
Is God a scientist? Are scientists gods? How does this discussion affect the future of mankind? Is this just an amazing thriller, or the possible truth that is scary as Hell! In this mystery, BLACK ORDER, by James Rollins, events in Africa, Germany, and the Himalayan Mountains simultaneously converge, saturating the reader with facts and mysteries that race against time and reality to become more and more an express ride to rival the stuff of Armageddon. Will man-made evolution create a new master race from hidden-away science, myths, and research began under Hitler's Nazi beliefs? Signs and symbols of the Occult and Norse Runes connected to the Thule Society that Hitler, Himmler and other Nazi leaders pursued, become enmeshed with quantum science to create a thriller that defies putting down until it concludes with a big bang!!!
Jill
Call It Sleep by Henry Roth
Rating: 5 Stars
It grabbed me right away. Excellent writing... perfect!
Cathy
The Rosary Girls by Richard Montanari
Rating: 4 Stars
A very good mystery. In trying to figure out whodunit, you keep thinking you know, but... A serial killer is killing young catholic girls. I'm looking forward to THE SKIN GODS.
Cathy
Night by Elie Wiesel
Rating: 5 Stars
A very moving story about life in Nazi concentration camps. The way he tells the story brings it to life. It's hard to imagine that some people actually survied there. Terrifying.
Cathy
Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger
Rating: 4 Stars
This is an interesting book. It starts out about someone who really seems to know who she is. Then, one event in her life seems to make her think she is not that person, and everything changes. It is a story about searching for yourself. I liked this book because it seems to hit on the fact that we are who we are, and everything we do and all the events that happen to us make us who we are.
Ronna Lord
The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard
Rating: 5 Stars
The spirit of Edgar Allen Poe must be haunting Louis Bayard in his THE PALE BLUE EYE, or Bayard is some kind of a genius of literary fiction. If that is not enough, this story pulls, leads, and spirits the "Reader" through a nail-biting mystery in 1830s West Point Academy with Cadet, Edgar Allen Poe. The writing style oozes Poe. The atmosphere haunts the reader exactly at perfect pitch with the time and place always. The mystery twists at the end like the final turn of the knife blade in a well-planned murder. The beat, beat, beat of the "Tale Tell Heart" and the love of "Annabelle Lee" should be written "nevermore," but Louis Bayard breaks the rules, and the "Reader" is the winner with Bayard's brilliant writing and storytelling. THE PALE BLUE EYE is eerily memorizing!! Not to be missed by readers and book groups alike.
Diana Abshire (Abshid2@aol.com)
The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch
Rating: 5 Stars
I don't think I have ever read a book as lyrical or more beautifully written as this. I was hooked on the prose from the first page and it has yet to disappoint.
Ronna Lord
Back to Wando Passo by David Payne
Rating: 5 Stars
If your Momma, or your Mammy, ever told you to "Hesh up now, that's none of your'n business!" it's time that you opened the pages of BACK TO WANDO PASSO by David Payne and start making it your business in a really interesting and absorbing way. Like cream rising to the surface of churned milk, or dead fish rising to the river's surface after a big storm, truth will rise up and be told by someone eventually. In this book, Payne takes us on a journey of family history, told in parallel chapters from Civil War days and the present days in and around Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
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