|
Toni Giarnese
Dead Sea Scrolls by Micheal Wise, Martin Abegg and Edward Cook
Rating: 4 Stars
Findings in remarkable documents are made available to general readers.
Sandra F.
Bloody Bones by Laurell K. Hamilton
Rating: 5 Stars
For fans of the supernatural, this is the book to read. It features vampire hunter, Anita Blake, and there is no supernatural being that she will not tackle.
Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net)
Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner
Rating: 5 Stars
What a delightful book. It actually made me cry, which hasn't happened in a while. This is a story about a "fat girl" who is struggling with her weight, her love life, her family, and everything in between. Her boyfriend --- who she is "taking a break" from --- starting writing a column for a magazine about "C" (her), which totally embarrasses her but reveals a caring and intimate side of him she never knew existed. So, she decides she is in love with him and wants him back. The book takes you through her ordeals in trying to get him back, dealing with her lesbian mother and her mother's partner, her estranged father, and a hodgepodge of other complicated issues that totally turns her life upside down. This book will make you laugh and cry almost at the same time. This is the second book by Weiner that I have read, and I loved this just as much as the first.
Sandra F.
Skinner's Festival by Quintin Jardine
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the second book in Quintin Jardine's series featuring Scottish detective, Bob Skinner. This is a winner series with great plots and characters.
Karen Terry (mi3sons@mchsi.com)
Dead Watch by John Sandford
Rating: 4 Stars
This book is about a former senator who goes missing. His wife accuses the Governor of Virginia of having her husband murdered. Later, when his body is found without his head, Homeland Security hires Jake Winter to find out what happened. Jake falls for the senator's widow, Madison, who tells him that her late husband was gay. They decide to keep it a secret until they discover who's responsible for his murder. Jake and Madison head straight into danger, which corruption and murder goes straight up to the halls of power --- the vice president office and the governor of Virginia.
Laura of Ohio
Vanish by Tess Gerritsen
Rating: 4 Stars
Another excellent novel by Tess Gerritsen. Very exciting. The characters are likeable and the story flows smoothly throughout. Hard to put down!
Mario
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Rating: 3 Stars
The good reviews that various readers gave to THE HISTORIAN over the past months got me reading this book. I am happy enough to be reading it because it is a good story. But really? It is "about" Dracula, but it says nothing yet (500+ pages) about good and evil. It is "about" a historical and a current "romance" but the characters are as romantic as goldfish. It is about being a "scholar," a historian, an anthropologist, a high school student versus what? E. Kostova must come up with better things than "a book" if she is going to have a special future. On the other hand, Thomas Harris is going to have HANNIBAL RISING out in early December. Ah ha. That should say something about good vs. evil, romance vs. deviance, and a collision between vocational choices. I recall that the movie version of RED DRAGON easily outdid the book ending. Can Thomas Harris up his game?
-Eager if not quite sleepless in Seattle
S. George
The Legend of Pendyne by D. A. Karr
Rating: 4 Stars
THE LEGEND OF PENDYNE is exciting and new, and the action is great. It's more of the the young adult easy-read type, but I enjoyed it. It has it all --- pirates, legends, mystery.
Barbara A. Green
Body and Soul by Frank Conroy
Rating: 5 Stars
Anyone who loves music and those who do not, will enjoy this book.
There are no secondary characters in this novel. Our whole book club enjoyed reading this.
Peggy Carlin
The Shiloh Sisters by Michael Killian
Rating: 4 Stars
I happened to stumble across this on the new books shelf of my local library and am so glad I did. Apparently, Michael Killian has written a series of Civil War mysteries that center around major battles of the War. Harrison Raines is the main character throughout the series and is an interesting one at that --- a son of the South who objects to slavery. I plan to read the backlist of this series. The sense of place and time is excellent, and as somewhat of a history buff of that period and a former history teacher who loves to read mysteries, I found these a wonderful combination. Highly recommended.
Peggy Carlin
The Heartless Stone by Tom Zoeller
Rating: 4 Stars
The author was left with the diamond meant for his fiance when their relationship ended. He became fascinated with the stone as you will if you choose to read this wonderfully informative and readable story of diamonds. From history, geography, his own travels and investigative work into the world of diamonds and the diamond trade, Zoeller tells a truly fascinating, sweeping tale which reads like a novel. Not only will you enjoy this read, but you will learn so much about a fascinating industry that you will never look at a diamond in the same way again.
Peggy Carlin
Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq by Thomas E. Ricks
Rating: 4 Stars
After reading this book, you will fully understand why its author titled it as he did. FIASCO is the work of a Pulitizer Prize-winning author and tells the badly planned (in my opinion) rush to war in Iraq, the lack of planning despite myriad warnings from many sources, as well as the need for consideration for the aftermath of victory that left our forces unprepared for the extended task at hand. No matter one's political persuasion, FIASCO should be read by all to better understand the mistakes made and perhaps gain a better understanding of the whys and wherefores and actions that helped create the situation in Iraq today.
Susan Tunis
Terrorist by John Updike
Rating: 3 Stars
It gets three stars for being beautifully written, but the book is so depressing I can hardly get through it.
Mario
Espresso Tales by Alexander McCall Smith
Rating: 3 Stars
I love this book in the way one loves something that has been written as a means for the author to identify himself. There, he stands as my once-dear McCall Smith, unadorned as he may ever be. How did he get there? On page 12, of ESPRESSO TALES the anti-Catholic bigotry is back --- all sorts of hostility and bigotry thinly disguised as attempts at humor abound. By page 30, one wonders if he is anything more or less than a boring bigot and a pompous ass. But, I haven't given up. None of the male characters are effective men, and none of the female characters are effective women. But, I haven't given up.
McCall Smith is able to create situations in which the little Bertie character provides laughs, real laughs. But mostly, the stereotypical nature of the characters smothers both them and us. But, I haven't given up. On page 246, McCall Smith throws the door to psychoanalysis widely open. For a good number of interesting pages, it is all about the mother/father/son triangle (and their surrogate images) of love, hate, success, and failure. It becomes so much fun to contemplate the boy and the man (and the woman) inside the author --- McCall Smith's self-controlled expose of himself. From page 339 to the end, we have the bigots' argument against globalization and for isolationism that clearly puts three generations behind the current times. This book can and should challenge McCall Smith's faithful readers to reconsider what he has been doing in his previous novels and what we can expect of him in his future work. I call this book the essential McCall Smith read. I'm glad that I read it --- very --- and I strongly recommend it.
Christy (hawkes@citlink.net)
Stud Finders Incorporated by Alexis Fleming
Rating: 4 Stars
This was a fun and and humorous story with believable characters and a wonderful plot about finding love through a most unusual misunderstanding.
Joel
The Messenger by Daniel Silva
Rating: 5 Stars
An excellent novel with fabulous characters, plot and action.
Barb
Finishing Touches by Deanna Kizis
Rating: 4 Stars
I've never read this author before and I wish I found her sooner. FINISHING TOUCHES is a great story about real-life trials and tribulations. You actually feel for the characters and what is happening to them.
Marsha
The Bookman's Wake by John Dunning
Rating: 4 Stars
Another mystery solved by Cliff Janeway, ex-cop turned book dealer. This novel explores the rare book and small exclusive press business, as well as takes us along on a rip-roaring ride in Seattle.
Maureen
The Roofer by Erica Orloff
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a great book, in the same genre as the "Soprano's."
Fran
The Girls' Almanac by Emily Franklin
Rating: 3 Stars
Told through a series of short vignettes, Emily Franklin weaves together the story of a friendship. This book reads like a celebration of women's friendships as well as the relationships between mothers, daughters, best friends and acquaintances. At times, the short story format of this book was unfullfilling, as I would just start getting into a story line and it would change. However, the depiction of the two main characters and their connections to others was enough to keep the pages turning. Part heart wrenching and part hilarious, there is something for every woman to relate to in this book.
Jodi
Swapping Lives by Jane Green
Rating: 4 Stars
This was an entertaining book. It goes to show that life isn't always greener on the other side, as well as things aren't always how they appear.
A contest is posted for a single journalist in England to swap places w/ someone else for a life swap. She chooses a "desperate housewife" from Connecticut...
Marilyn Shoemaker
Take Me by Lucy Monroe
Rating: 5 Stars
Lucy Monroe is a master storyteller and this book, TAKE ME (and what a title) is no exception. It's full of tension, drama and heart! It's so obvious to the reader that this author feels deeply about her characters. Each time I pick up one of her books, I'm amazed how she personally touches my heart and those of her fans. Thanks, Lucy, for an incredible historical series --- TEMPT ME, TOUCH ME, and TAKE ME. Bravo!
Judy O.
The Ride of Our Lives by Mike Leonard
Rating: 5 Stars
My husband and I listened to the audio version of this book on a trip to the west, and it sure made the time go faster. The author writes about a cross-country trip in an RV that he and his elderly parents, plus other members of the family, took from Arizona to the east coast and back to Chicago. The author does lots of reminiscing about his childhood, which is often hilarious. You'll love his parents by the time you are through reading. A warm true story full of interesting people.
Anne J.
No Good Deeds by Laura Lippman
Rating: 5 Stars
This is one of Lippman's strongest so far. Crow plays a much larger part in this book than in most of hers, and he becomes increasingly fleshed out as the story goes along. The focus of the "good deed," a child of the streets, also grows in personality. Tess herself remains strong and well characterized. Overall, a very well written and enjoyable book.
Anne J
Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb
Rating: 5 Stars
Don't let the title fool you, the is a very funny mystery novel set at a sci-fi convention. It was written early in Ms. McCrumb's career, and some of the technical aspects are dated, but the people never change. This is not the first time I've read this book, and I find I enjoy it just as much each time. The writing is sound, the humor varies from sly to outragous, and the characters are well rounded.
Judy O.
Running Blind by Lee Child
Rating: 4 Stars
I am such a fan of Child's series with Jack Reacher that I've been going back and reading some of the earlier ones. This one is about a brutal series of murders of young women who have been in the army. Reacher is dragged into the case, and he reluctantly works with the FBI to solve the case. The book suffered from being too long, in my opinion, and the ending was "off the wall." However, it was a suspenseful book and wellworth reading --- especially if you are a fan of Child's work.
Carol H.
Wives Behaving Badly by Elizabeth Buchan
Rating: 5 Stars
Wonderful sequel to REVENGE OF THE MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN.
Carol H.
Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen
Rating: 5 Stars
A wonderful book about sisters and their extended families.
liz
Dark Side of the Moon by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Rating: 4 Stars
This is part of the Dark Hunters series. She gets more entertaining with each new book, character, etc. They are just pure entertainment.
Marilyn Shoemaker
At The Sheikh's Command by Kate Walker
Rating: 5 Stars
At first glance, they are lost! Malik the sheikh, and beautiful proud Abbie who wants her brother out of jail. They see each other from afar and immediately there is lust, desire and tension.
Malik is regal, sexy, stern, determined --- all of the characteristics one would expect of royal blood and a sheikh. He has come to England to meet with Abbie's father concerning the release of her brother from a Barakhara jail. Neither knows the truth about each other until one evening, the truth is revealed and Abbie's hopes are shattered. Malik has come to England to offer pardon if Abbie marries his brother, the Sheikh of Barakhara (his half brother).
Abbie is so sexually and passionately drawn to Malik that she isn't herself. The events are turbulent, which adds an interesting mix to the storyline. This love story is as hot as the burning desert sun!
Kate Walker has, yet again, penned a powerful and promising love story full of passion, tension and drama set in the desert sun. Their love story will grip your heart and provide hours of reading enjoyment.
Trudy
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Rating: 5 Stars
I was instantly hooked on this book and found it hard to put down. The story will stay with you long after you finish it.
Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net)
The Drowning Tree by Carol Goodman
Rating: 3 Stars
This is the second Goodman novel I have had to read for mystery club. There are some good things about this book. However, there is way too much detail about mythology, art, poetry and glass art. I was so bored with it. If the author merely focused on the mystery side and minimized the art aspect, it would have been a much better read. But instead, it dragged and was quite boring in parts. Secrets are revealed and the mystery is solved at the end. Not one of my favorites.
E. Quinn Knight (eqkmath@gmail.com)
After This by Alice McDermott
Rating: 5 Stars
Alice McDermott has done it again! She has captured the essence of living on Long Island as a Catholic in the 60s. Her writng reads like an orchestra plays. She is thoughtful and considerate to her reader letting the reader in on all the nuances of the time. It is dramatically simple yet interesting to read. You will enjoy it!
Virginia Ewbank
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
A thirteen-year-old girl is suing her family for medical emancipation. She was conceived through genetic selection to be a tissue donor for her older sister who suffers from leukemia, and she wants the right to decide for herself whether or not to donate a kidney.
Gaye McGill
Daughter of Ireland by Juilene Osborne-McKnight
Rating: 5 Stars
I just discovered this author and am delighted that she has a backlist of several books. Early Irish history is fascinating to me and her books are wonderful!
Sally B., San Antonio TX
The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie
Rating: 1 Stars
1.5 stars (because I finished it!)
An English spy novel, this story was confusing with idiotic humor, such as, "it started snowing outside --- well of course it would be outside, it wouldn't be inside."
The author is the actor who protrays Dr. House on the American TV series. He is inspired by P.G.Wodehouse, so if you like him, you may like this story.
Mr. Laurie has finished the screenplay for this book, so you may be seeing it on the big screen. He is also coming out with a second novel sometime this fall.
I love him as an actor, hate his writing, though.
Bonnie
Beach Road by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge
Rating: 3 Stars
Easy, light reading. Its literary quality is inversely proportional to the quantity of books Patterson churns out.
Laura
The Lady and the Panda by Vicki C. Croke
Rating: 4 Stars
The terrific true story of a 1930s NY society woman who fulfills her husband's attempt to bring back the first live panda from China.
Sandy Peterson (Peterson@aol.com)
A Tourist in the Yucatan by James McNay Brumfield
Rating: 5 Stars
A great thriller set in an amazing location! I guess this book has become something of a cult classic. Highly recommended!
Sandy (Yodasmommy@woh.rr.com)
Past Sins by Debra Webb
Rating: 1 Stars
Very boring. I stopped reading before I got halfway through.
Sandy (Yodasmommy@woh.rr.com)
Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a great story written with lots of imagination. Nonny Frett is caught between her adopted mother and her real grandmother and her husband and her best friend. I loved every word of it.
L. T.
Thriller by edited by James Patterson
Rating: 4 Stars
A very good short story collection by some of the best thriller writers in the industry.
Corinna Bonk (alize55@aol.com)
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Rating: 4 Stars
I am tempted to give this book 5 stars but considering I am only on chapter 4, I guess I shouldn't! I think this book is incredible thus far, and I just started it. The descriptions are very clear and easy to imagine, as well as the characters. I hope that much more character development comes into play. I already have gotten emotional over the story. I highly recommend it so far.
Corinna Bonk (alize55@aol.com)
Babyville by Jane Green
Rating: 3 Stars
I thought this book was very cute. It took me a little while to get into, but I enjoyed the rest of the stories much better than the first. Even though I have not experienced having children yet, or even trying to have them, this book is still easy to relate to. The humor is great also!
Priscilla E
These Granite Islands by Sarah Stonich
Rating: 2 Stars
I just started the book and have read a few chapters. I find following the storyline a little confusing to follow.
Larena
Hemlock Bay by Catherine Coulter
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a great suspense novel. It keeps you on your toes, guessing.
Barbara Dormer (bdorm@aol.com)
Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund
Rating: 5 Stars
I never wanted to read MOBY DICK until I read this, the telling of the wife of Ahab.
Maureen
Anybody Out There? by Marian Keyes
Rating: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book. I could not put it down and did not want it to end.
Barbara Dormer (bdorm@aol.com)
Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow by Faiza Guene
Rating: 3 Stars
Interesting first-person fictionalized account of life as a young Muslim girl in the projects of Paris.
Donna from Missouri
The Zero Game by Brad Meltzer
Rating: 5 Stars
Once I started reading THE ZERO GAME, I couldn't put it down. The book gives an action-packed glimpse into what goes on behind closed doors in our nation's capitol. What starts out as a game by bored Senate and House staffers takes a deadly twist, and two unlikely heroes unravel a plot with earth-shattering consequences. The only part that slowed down the action a bit for me was the scientific explanation of what was going on in the underground gold mine in South Dakota, but then I'm no nuclear physicist.
Ardie Downing
Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
Rating: 5 Stars
Great read. I also just finished DRY, the sequel.
Ardie Downing
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Rating: 5 Stars
This books grabs you from the first page. I can't get anything accomplished because I don't want to put it down.
Kay Keller
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
Rating: 5 Stars
What a great story!! What a great storyteller!! I couldn't put this book down until I finished. A wonderful book about lies, secrets, and their consequences.
Doris
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Rating: 5 Stars
An engaging novel about circus life. It keeps your attention through the adventure. Good writing.
Amy Leach
Sullivan's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is a wonderful story of a middle-aged woman's journey toward independence. After her husband leaves her for a younger woman, she remembers her childhood spent on Sullivan's Island, SC, and delves into her father's mysterious death. A great read!
Noreen Brown
Cage of Stars by Jacquelyn Mitchard
Rating: 4 Stars
Very interesting look at the lifestyle of a different religion. I'd recommend NOT reading the book jacket to not give any of the story away. The last few chapters really took me by surprise.
Trish
The Greater Generation by Leonard Steinhorn
Rating: 5 Stars
I am enjoying this response to THE GREATEST GENERATION by Tom Brokaw (1998). Steinhorn points out that the boomers hate racism and have done much more to fight it than their predecessors, to say nothing of ecology!
Maureen
Flirting with Forty by Jane Porter
Rating: 5 Stars
This feel-good book was great and very uplifting.
Doris
Suite Francais by Irene Nemirovsky
Rating: 5 Stars
Wonderful writing. The book evokes the feeling of France during the takeover and occupation. Fortunately, this manuscipt was found.
Marsha
Booked to Die by John Dunning
Rating: 4 Stars
When you love books and love mysteries, it is a delight to find such a great blend. This book introduces Cliff Janeway, a cop who "retires" to become a book dealer. There is more to the book business than you could possibly imagine.
Doris
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a powerful fable. Everyone should read this amazing little book.There are lessons to be learned.
Suzanne
Hallowed Bones by Carolyn Haines
Rating: 5 Stars
Good mystery and wit. All the books in this series have been good, and I'm waiting on the next!
Diana A (abshid2@aol.com)
The Flanders Panel by Arturo Perez-Reverte
Rating: 3 Stars
The book centers on the mystery of a chess game painted within a picture during the Renaissance. I always wondered if I would like the game of chess, and this book is giving me more information than I thought possible.
Suzanne
Dead Man Docking by Mary Daheim
Rating: 5 Stars
I love these cousins. it was nice to see them in action away from home.
DESiNRES
Sculptured Nails and Nappy Hair by Lincoln Park
Rating: 5 Stars
This book touched me because as fast and flippant as it was, it made me examine why I have made some of the choices I have made about my own career and relationships. I don't know if I would have made some of the moves in my life that were chosen by the main characters in these stories, but I so understand WHY they chose they way they did. I think it's spectacular that a progressive development of a character's insecurity and self-loathing is not exclusive to the works of avant-garde authors or dead ones. (There is life beyond Sylvia Plath --- and who knew? It could well come in the form of a flagrant, street-based tirade!) One of my favorite parts was the way Lincoln Park put 'Scarlet' letters on Crimsonne Redd's chest in "Yellow Jacket." You could feel the pain on her chest each time the letters appeared. I wanted to cry. The pain of the girls in this book may have been due to their insecurities, but it was exquisite and I highly recommend this book to any who doubt the existence of new, literary talent.
Julia Joyce
Sculptured Nails and Nappy Hair by Lincoln Park
Rating: 5 Stars
This book was suggested reading to me by a young friend on Myspace. While not a fan of poorly written and rapidly constructed 'street-lit,' I was blown away by this book --- perhaps even more by the literary style of Lincoln Park. To be such a simple and fast read (2 hours, tops), SCULPTURED NAILS AND NAPPY HAIR is amazingly in-depth and intense. There are four short stories in the book with five main characters, if you add Park (Somehow, Lincoln Park-as-narrator has managed to become an obscure, Hitchcockian character in her own tales!). She has mastered the use of obscenities and figurative context in relationship to raw storytelling.
Again, I had just not expected to see evidence of literary wit in the 'street-lit' genre, but Lincoln Park can even make the act of suicide sound magical: "...Then, as fast as God had taken His paintbrush to splish and splash His palette of Northern Lights onto the starry canvas of the Alaskan night, He washed the canvas clean. That way, He could fool around with His paints and brushes some more, on the morrow. Sufficient unto the day was the evil, thereof... '. My goodness!
Katt Rose
Sculptured Nails and Nappy Hair by Lincoln Park
Rating: 5 Stars
Every now and then, a book comes along that you just can't put down --- because you're afraid the plot will continue without you. These sort of books are evident in your collection by the tattered, frayed edges and slight spill marks of juice and coffee on portions of the cover. SCULPTURED NAILS AND NAPPY HAIR is such a book for me. Each of the stories contained within are progressively rife with deviant language and activity but I found this to be central to the flavor of each plot. I also found it refreshing to see an African-American novel without photos of black people splashed all over the cover. Just a simple cover holding amazing text inside. As a last point, I was often reminded of Jay McInerney's BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY when I read this book. I hope Lincoln Park writes another novel. I, for one, will be first in line to read it!
Midge Bork
Juie and Julia by Julie Powell
Rating: 2 Stars
A 29-year-old disgruntled office temp embarks on a year-long journey through
Julia Child's MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING, VOLUME 1 at the urging of her husband to help find some meaning in her life. The book is subtitled: 365 days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen. Maybe instead the subtitle should read: "My fantasy sex life and the real sex lives of my friends (who are not married and getting more than me). I believe that food and cooking can be sensual, but this book just goes off on sexual tangents for no good reason.
I don't like Julie Powell and, supposedly, neither did Julia Child --- who dismissed her as not being very serious. She cooks every night. They have dinner at 11pm and leave the dishes... for days. She cooks for friends and she cooks for news media that interview her. She complained that the 3 women newscasters at CNN gobbled down her entire cake and didn't return the plate. Oh, she got back at them!
She revealed in her book that leaving the dirty dishes go so long led to her kitchen
being infested with maggots. Yep, you CNN women, you devoured the cake she
made in a maggot-infested kitchen. (So there for not returning the cake plate! Go
thrown up.) Would you ever admit to that in print? That you're such a slob that you
cooked with maggots in your kitchen? That you soaked meat in your bathroom sink?
This is a book that should be an embarassment to the author.
T. Thomas
Soltice Wood by Patricia A. McKillip
Rating: 4 Stars
A YA novel --- Is the fairy realm evil or just different?
T. Thomas
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Rating: 5 Stars
I highly recommend this book. I had a hard time putting it down. One reviewer compared it to JANE EYRE and REBECCA and was right on target.
cstella
The Ruins by Scott Smith
Rating: 4 Stars
I wasn't sure I would like this book, but it puts you in the scary survivor place and now I can't stop. Pass the flashlight.
Rowena Winfrey
Sculputured Nails and Nappy Hair by Lincoln Park
Rating: 4 Stars
Before opening SCULPTURED NAILS AND NAPPY HAIR, I tried to visualize what the book would be about. In my mind's eye, I saw divas --- proud Black women who made sure they were always immaculately groomed, who wore their natural hair proudly, and flaunted their pride in being Black like a banner. I was sorely mistaken! Although there are Black women in the four stories that compile the book, it is about life, survival at any cost, and all of the women were more concerned with whether or not they could pay the month's rent than the condition of their nails and hair!
I quickly realized that the titles of the stories had very little to do with the stories themselves. I kept wondering if the book title itself would ever be mentioned, and when it was, it was not a significant moment, just a simple observation by one of the characters.
"The Mimosa Tree" is about a woman who will do anything and everything for love. Abandoned by her father at the age of 10, she looks for love with her neighbor, who takes her virginity at age 13. However, the love of her life is Marcus Tygers, whom she met in high school. Once he goes into the Air Force after graduation, she travels to see him every weekend she can. Although Marcus tries to discourage her constant visits, she is determined he's the love of her life, and she refuses to let him go.
"To Cut a Diamond" is Margaret and Marine's story. Margaret, called "Kiki" in the story, is the wife of Abdul, a "Black entrepreneur/con man" who she marries two weeks after meeting him. He introduces her to drugs and cheats on her with a series of women throughout the story. Marine is one of the women who Abdul has been seeing, and her confrontations with Kiki are some of the most unique I have ever witnessed between a wife and a mistress.
"Yellow Jacket" is the sad saga of a woman who wants bigger, better and more, and will do whatever it takes to have the finer things in life. Crimsonne Redd is a woman with a mission --- to have her own marketing firm. In order to do that, she takes all types of unsavory side jobs to finance her business, Redd Hott Enterprises, by working as a stripper and a specialized call girl.
The final story, "Aurora Borealis," is the story of Lark, who falls in love with an Italian named Emilio. They meet in Alaska, where she is able to actually see the Aurora Borealis, from which the story obtains its title.
Lincoln Park weaves her tales in such a way that all of your emotions get involved -- -but each of the women in this book had me sighing in pity, because all of them were looking for the type of love they would never find. Park IS A GIFTED WRITER, and I enjoyed the book, although the characters sometimes irritated me because of their extreme stupidity!
Gerry
Swapping Lives by Jane Green
Rating: 1 Stars
A disappointing novel from an author whose previous work I've enjoyed a great deal, SWAPPING LIVES sets out to tell a story of two women who trade places and "try out" each other's lives as part of a magazine contest. Unfortunately, the novel ends up spending far too long meandering through boring preparatory chatter, inserting one character after another but developing none of them into interesting individuals, and dwindling to an ending without anything of real interest ever happening.
Julie Towson
Let Me Tell You A Story by John Feinstein
Rating: 4 Stars
The stories of the famed coach Red Auerbach, coach of the Boston Celtics who led them to nine NBA championships. If you are a sports nut or basketball fan, this is a wonderful, engrossing book.
Pam (ddlesmom@yahoo.com)
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Rating: 3 Stars
Described as a "classic" (not in the conventional sense), I decided to read this true crime story of a family brutally murdered in Kansas in 1959. Capote is very descriptive and it takes some getting used to the rhythm of his writing. This is an extremely detailed account of murder, plus he becomes intimately involved with each character, both investigators and culprits. However, we don't get to know the murdered family too much, which I thought was interesting. This book mostly about psyche of criminals. I wasn't shocked by the brutality --- perhaps due to living in a post 9/11 world, I've become desensitized to violence --- but I can see how it was disturbing in 1959. This is a good book for true crime.
Randi Odierno (rodierno@aol.com)
Glorious Appearing by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the final installment of the Left Behind series. I cruised through them all, panicked over the possibility of finishing one and having the local bookstore closed for the next. I couldn't put them down so I opted to buy them in bulk! A great read even though this is not my genre of choice!
Stella
Final Scream by Lisa Jackson
Rating: 5 Stars
My first book by this author and surely not the last! Many twists and turns to keep the reader on the edge of the chair and reading way into the night.
Patricia Beaver (pabtrek@excite.com)
Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter
Rating: 5 Stars
Wow! BLINDSIGHTED was hard to put down and had a shocking end.
Kathy
The Pearl Diver by Sujata Massey
Rating: 4 Stars
One of a series of Rei Shimura mysteries, it has a great feel for Japanese customs, cuisine and cultural differences.
Raelene Hackett (imfree456@yahoo.com)
The Jehovah Contract by Victor Koman
Rating: 5 Stars
An intriguing look at a mans attempt to assassinate God, but in order to put together a feasible plan, he needs to locate Him. And while the story was set in present day, it was written some 20 odd years ago. The author comes eerily close to how life as we know it today turns out. Definitely a first rate page turner!!!!!!
Joline
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
One of the best books I've read in a long time! A very heartfelt story that you just can't put down. Beautifully written, with a shocking ending.
Gerry
Midlife Irish by Frank Gannon
Rating: 3 Stars
Gannon's writing is too flip, with too many non-sequitors. It annoyed me throughout most of the book; but, I stuck with it, and was pleased with the ending of his memoirs and with the overall impression of his trip to Ireland and his search for information about his parents' past.
Paula (PFLucas@aol.com)
The Dressmaker by Elizabeth Birkelund Oberbeck
Rating: 5 Stars
A writer for many prominent magazines, Elizabeth Birkelund Oberbeck's first novel is Set outside of Paris.The story begins when a third generation dressmaker receives a visit from a woman wanting him to design a wedding dress. Love at first sight and an award winning design for a wedding dress is just part of the story. The characters are great!
Gerry
The Terrorist by John Updike
Rating: 4 Stars
A young Arab-American boy is drawn into a terrorist plot targeting the Lincoln Tunnel for destruction. Updike draws his characters quite believably, showing just how easily an impressionable young man can be persuaded to follow the lead of those who would destroy others (as well as him) in the name of their beliefs. 4-1/2 stars.
Gerry
The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue
Rating: 4 Stars
Probably a five-star book for lovers of fantasy, this one took me a while to get into, but in the end, felt quite satisfying. The story is narrated in alternating chapters by Henry, a former hobgoblin who --- with his fellow faeries --- kidnaps a young boy and changes places with him. Aniday, once known as Henry --- the little boy taken by the faeries --- is now living among this wild tribe of never-aging children.
Gerry
Jane Austen in Scarsdale by Paula Marantz Cohen
Rating: 5 Stars
Marantz Cohen has observed her own community closely over the last several years. She's distilled her dead-on perceptions into a hilarious novel that's a joy to read. Definitely recommended.
Gerry
The Attack by Yasmina Khadra
Rating: 4 Stars
The narrator, a Bedouin Arab surgeon living in Israel, is stunned to learn that his beloved wife had been the suicide bomber in the latest attack in Tel Aviv. In his shock and grief, he seeks out her compatriots --- including members of his own family, he learns to his dismay --- trying to learn what drove her to martyrdom and why she kept her involvement with terrorists a secret from him.
Marsha
The Foreign Correspondent by Alan Furst
Rating: 4 Stars
In 1938, as Italy joins signs a pact with Hitler, an Italian resistance is formed. A group of underground press writers struggle to get the word to the masses. The foreign correspondent is also the love interest that serves to enmesh us in their saga.
Gerry
Lost Nation by Jeffrey Lent
Rating: 2 Stars
Set in New Hampshire in 1838, LOST NATION tells an interesting story of a loner who flees a personal tragedy in Boston, wins a young girl in a card game, and with her help establishes a bar and trading post in an isolated part of northern New Hampshire, where he attracts the enmity of many in that conservative community. While the story was good, Lent's meandering and somewhat wordy prose made it harder to sustain interest.
Ozarks Annie
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Rating: 5 Stars
I was hooked from the opening sentence till the final page. Actually, I tried to resist reading it because I dreaded the ending, which --- I might add --- is a real surprise...although very unlikely to happen. I learned a lot about early days when the circus train rolled into little towns, and what excitement it caused. This was one of the best books I've read in a long time.
Suzanne
Maggie By The Book by Kasey Michaels
Rating: 4 Stars
It took me a while to understand the premise of an author's characters coming to life, and then begin on the real story. Once I got that, it's been a good read.
Gerry
Beach Road by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge
Rating: 2 Stars
I definitely enjoy Patterson more when he writes without a co-author. This latest co-authored novel --- a mystery in which a young black athlete is framed for a murder in the Hamptons --- features a fairly predictable plot, and characters so paper-thin that the twist at the end seemed as plausible, and at the same time hackneyed, as any other possible outcome.
L. Hann
Gone by Jonathan Kellerman
Rating: 4 Stars
I was into this book right away. It was a great story. I love Jonathan Kellerman and can't wait for the next book!!!
Patricia Beaver (pabtrek@excite.com)
Lost Light by Michael Connelly
Rating: 4 Stars
Another fine Harry Bosch mystery.
Terry Leibel
Thunderhead by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Rating: 4 Stars
A compelling adventure story with a little touch of evil.
N. Coupland
In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart by Ruth Graham and Stacy Mattingly
Rating: 5 Stars
The author is a daughter of Billy Graham. She openly talks about infidelity, divorce and depression in her life and offers hope to all those hurting.
Rita Sheppard (rrshep@hotmail.com)
Hangman by Roger Meadows
Rating: 3 Stars
This author's first books promise him a good future in the mystery field. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Dawn
The White Bone by Barbara Gowdy
Rating: 4 Stars
THE WHITE BONE is a story about elephants from the elephants' point of view, and it will capture your attention from page one. This is a great book for any book club.
Jud Hanson
The Delilah Complex by M. J. Rose
Rating: 4 Stars
This book has two of the elements that can make for an excellent mystery --- sex and murder. The basic plot is that men associated with the Scarlet Society, a women-only group who practice uninhibited sexual expression, are being murdered and they want to find out who and why. It's a roller coaster ride from the first page and doesn't stop until the final paragraph. I will be back for more of M.J. Rose.
T. Thomas
Still Life With Chickens by Catherine Goldhammer
Rating: 3 Stars
A pleasant, relaxing read.
Lisa Garrett
Labryinth by Kate Mosse
Rating: 3 Stars
Mosse ties the lives of two women who lived centuries apart. An interesting cast of characters and surprises around every corner.
Jud Hanson
The Last Goodbye by Reed Arvin
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the first book I've read by Arvin and I wasn't disappointed. Jack Hammond is a lawyer whose career with a prestigious law firm was destroyed by an single indescretion. He sees a chance to redeem himself when an old college friend turns up dead. What he finds though is that things aren't always what they seem. An excellent book by all counts.
Lee
Light From Heaven by Jan Karon
Rating: 4 Stars
This last Mitford book is a continuation of how God provides and answers all questions, just maybe not how you want them to be answered. This book introduced lots of new characters.
Karin
Grayson by Lynne Cox
Rating: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this book about a record- breaking long distance open-water swimmer and an encounter with a baby whale. Once I read this book, I had to find her other book. She is a terrific writer.
Renee
Am I Black Or Right by Teresa Botial Richarson
Rating: 3 Stars
Excellent nonfiction awareness for an open mind.
Nunu In Niagara Canada
Triptych by Karin Slaughter
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a fast-paced story of a serial killer who preys on young women. There are many twists and turns to the plot and each page leaves you turning the next one. This is the first Karin Slaughter book I have read, but I know I will be reading more.
Dusty Johnson (bjohnson-att@comcast.net)
Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr
Rating: 4 Stars
The first of Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon stories. A great book and a great forerunner to many more Anna Pigeon tales.
norineg (nono@toast.net)
Vanish by Tess Gerritsen
Rating: 4 Stars
I think Gerritsen is is one of our great thriller writers. VANISH had a great plot and character development. It's frightening to realize that this has beeen extrapolated from real life.
Cynthia Knisely (cynderma@aol.com)
Protector by Madeline Hunter
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a well-written, fast-paced, page-turner full of sexual tension and passion.
Marilyn Denington
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Rating: 5 Stars
I rarely read this type of book since I like suspense, but this came so highly recommended that I tried it --- and couldn't put it down.
Margaret Coburn
Stone Butterfly by James D. Doss
Rating: 5 Stars
If you like Tony Hillerman, you will love James D. Doss. This Charlie Moon mystery is very humorous and a good mystery.
Bonnie Levy
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Rating: 5 Stars
This was one of the best books I have ever read. The story captures your heart and soul through the story of a man's struggles before, during and after Afghanistans' revolution...it is a powerful read about love, cruelty, and humanity.
This is Mr. Hosseini's first novel and I can't wait to read more of his books!
Bonnie Levy
The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritsen
Rating: 5 Stars
I couldn't put this book down! As always, Ms. Gerritsen writes a riveting mystery, complete with medical savvy and an easy-to-read and fantastic story line!
I began to read Ms. Gerritsen's books after my dad passed away. He was always a huge fan of her books and always recommended them to me, but I never seemed to get around to reading any of them. When my mom and I were sadly going through his belongings, I took his copy of THE APPRENTICE and haven't stopped reading her books yet!
This book was a very interesting read, due to its connection to the Old and New Testaments and was a real eye opener!
norineg (nono@toast.net)
The Color of Law by Mark Gimenez
Rating: 5 Stars
THE COLOR OF LAW is astounding and well written, with full blown and involving characters. The plot is very "thick" with twists and unknown "whodunits." I recommend this author and this book.
Susan K
The Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy
Rating: 5 Stars
I happened upon this book while traveling in Norway. It will not be released until March in the US. I love Maeve Binchy's books and this is a good one! Keep your eyes out for when it hits the shelves.
Nyla Thompson (theclan@triotel.net)
Eye of the Storm by Marcia Muller
Rating: 5 Stars
An island, an old mansion, a group of mixed matched people, and the 'ghost' of Crazy Elf, wandering through the pear trees. Private dective Sharon tries to find the person who murdered two people. A hurricane-like storm finds them all in the same room to ride it out. (A great mystery --- hard to put down.)
Linda M. Johnson
Fake: Forgery, Lies, & eBay by Ken Walton
Rating: 4 Stars
A memoir by a man who manipulated auctions on eBay in the late 90s. It reads like fiction. I recommend it highly.
Alabama Jack (jquick5342@aol.com)
Gallows View by Peter Robinson
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the first of the Inspector Banks series for which Robinson has become justly famous. Former London policeman Alan Banks has relocated to small Yorkshire village of Eastvale seeking some small measure of peace, but crime and violence are not limited to large cities. Soon he is dealing with a brazen Peeping Tom who spies on attractive, unsuspecting ladies as they prepare for bed. When an elderly woman is found brutally slain in her home, Chief Inspector Banks wonders if the voyeur has progressed to more violent crimes. I am looking forward to continuing the series.
Linda M. Johnson
Why I Am Catholic by Garry Willis
Rating: 3 Stars
Wills knows his history. A former self-proclaimed conservative gives a historical view of the Catholic Church. Heavy --- not a quick read. This is the third book of his I have read.
bookedit
White Sister by Stephen J. Cannell
Rating: 5 Stars
L.A. Det. Shane Scully finds himself in a "world of hurt" in this compelling thriller set in the world of hip hop music and undercover police work. Scully must prove his wife, an L.A. police lieutenant, innocent of murder and himself innocent of complicity in a racially charged atmosphere. I couldn't put it down.
Dusty Johnson (bjohnson-att@comcast.net)
Tombstome Courage by J. A. Jance
Rating: 4 Stars
This is one of the first of J. A. Jance's novels about Sheriff Joanna Brady's exploits in Cochise County Arizona. Elected in this novel after the death of her deputy husband, Adam, Sheriff Brady her department must solve multiple murders while fighting to prove herself as the first woman sherif in Arizona.
Mary
The Great Pretender by Millenia Black
Rating: 5 Stars
Wow... This was a good, quick, and easy read, that you just didn't want to put down. It comes down to husband vs. wife, lover vs. lover, and spouse vs. spouse's lover. Also what happens to the jilted...you have to read it to find out
Shelley n Kennedy (JosephGrrrl2001@aol.com)
Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
Rating: 4 Stars
Come one, come all, to meet Dexter --- the gent next door who works within the Miami-Dade Police Dept, and also OUTSIDE the police dept.! The cutest serial killer you'll ever meet.
E. Quinn Knight
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is a real page turner. The plot is set up early --- after a set of twins is born, should the second child live? How should the mentally challenged second child of this birth be taken care of? It is really an interesting scenario that takes place in a community where people know each other! The Mother thinks the second child was born dead! Wow! This is really worth reading --- what are the ethical and moral proceedings for this child?
bookedit
Dead Wrong by J. A. Jance
Rating: 5 Stars
Another excellent addition to Jance's series featuring Arizona sheriff, Joanna Brady. DEAD WRONG is filled with well-drawn characters and a complex plot that finds 9-month pregnant Sheriff Brady trying to solve the nearly fatal attack on an animal control officer and the murder of a person linked to a 25-year-old crime. A series that gets better and better with each book.
cc
The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant
Rating: 5 Stars
A fascinating look at the life of a girl in 16th-century Florence.
Judy
The Ruins by Scott Smith
Rating: 1 Stars
I have never read such a depessing book... I kept reading, thinking it would end up with some kind of ending that would make it all worth it. I would not buy, borrow, or sign this book out from the library --- to me it was a waste of my time...
Cynthia Knisely (cynderma@aol.com)
eBay The Smart Way by Joseph T. Sinclair
Rating: 5 Stars
Very informative and written in a clean, concise, and easy-to-understand format.
Bridget
When Somebody Loves You Back by Judith Lindbergh
Rating: 4 Stars
An extremely well-researched novel about ancient Greenland. In addition to lots of historically correct information, the plot was a well-told story of 3 women. The relationship between a slave, her daughter and owner (a seeress) were explored in a unique way.
Christy (hawkes@citlink.net)
When Somebody Loves You Back by Mary B. Morrison
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the first book of Ms. Morrison's that I've read, and I'm so disappointed that I didn't know that there were 5 previous books in this series. I felt like I arrived late at a party and all of the guests were leaving. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I now plan on purchasing and reading the other 5 books in order. I could only hope that there might be another book later --- I would love to see how Darius, Fancy and Ashlee are living their lives.
Karen Barash
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Rating: 4 Stars
This is the classic novel written in 1943 about the daughter of second-generation Americans living in Brooklyn, New York at the turn of the century. It still resonates with readers today.
Diane Snyder (DFSn180@aol.com)
Wolf in Shadow (formerly The Jerusalmen Man) by David Gemmell
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the 3rd book in the The Stones of Power series. I have never read Gemmell before, but I am loving this book. It's a futuristic fantasy with some great characters. Gemmell has apparently been writing for 20 years and I am going to read them all!
Jodi
The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc by Loraine Despres
Rating: 4 Stars
I really liked this book, it reminded me of the Ya Ya Sisterhood series. It traces the life of Sissy, the choices she made, love lost, and second chances. I'm excited to read more from this author.
Karen
Judge & Jury by James Patterson and Andrew Gross
Rating: 4 Stars
Surprisingly, this author has redeemed himself by this page turner. A trial for a Mafia head turns into a couple years of transcontinental drama and suspense! This is better than the last several of Patterson's books.
Judi
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
Rating: 4 Stars
My husband (an American Literature high school teacher) introduced me to this book, shared by a colleague. It's a time-travel story, and classified as sci-fi although in my opinion, it fits my genre preference as historical fiction. It is the story of a slave owner's son living on a plantation in antebellum Maryland in 1815, and a black woman of 1976 living in California and married to a white man. Dana is transported back in time to save Rufus from danger, again and again, to insure the birth of her ancestor and of course, herself. It is simple reading, well researched and provides insight into the relationship of modern day biracial marriages, as well as the relationship of slave and
master of pre-Civil War American History.
Bonnie
The Lady and the Panda by Vicki C. Croke
Rating: 4 Stars
Nonfiction story of a NY society lady who, following her husband's death, decides to continue his quest to bring back the first live panda from China in the 1930s. What adventures she had! The author makes you feel you're right there with her. And the backstory of depression in the US makes an impact as well.
Laura
The 5th Horseman by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Rating: 5 Stars
Another excellent book in The Women's Murder Club Series. Never a break in action, and impossible to put down.
Bonnie
Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman
Rating: 5 Stars
Wonderful nonfiction memoir of a middle-aged woman in the midst of a divorce who decides to follow her bliss and see the world as a backpacker with no home and no plans other than where her heart and interests lead her. She stays with native peoples in a Zapotec village in Mexico, in Israel, Indonesia, the Gallapagos Islands, etc. A terrific read!
Korie Philpott
The Immortals by James Gunn
Rating: 4 Stars
This book is an amazing read set in the future. It can be a little hard to follow, but if you can keep up, you will absolutly love it! I read it in 3 days because I just could not put it down! Great read!
Marsha
The Hundredth Man by Jack Kerley
Rating: 4 Stars
If you find madmen and serial killers interesting, then this will satisfy you. I could never figure out the reason for the title. This is a very graphic, fast-paced and chilling tale.
Anne Jones
Go To Helena Handbasket by Donna Moore
Rating: 2 Stars
I had high hopes for this book, going so far as to special order it. I enjoyed the beginning, but as it went on, I found myself getting bored with the contrivances neccessary to keep up the theme of making fun of all the mystery cliches.
D. Mikels
Eleven Days Of Hell by Yvonne Bornstein and Mark Ribowsky
Rating: 5 Stars
ELEVEN DAYS OF HELL is a fascinating story; what's more, it is marvelously written. This is a story that deserves a wide, captivated audience.
--D. Mikels, Author, WALK-ON
Betty Jo ()
Sweetwater Creek by Anne Rivers Siddons
Rating: 4 Stars
I listened to the audio of this book and the reader is great. This was a great story that I hated to end.
Dorothy
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Rating: 5 Stars
I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this wonderful book. It is sure to be a favorite of book lovers who will identify with Margaret Lea, the protagonist. A tale of love, death, insanity, and family will grip you on page one and not let go until the final, twisted conclusion.
Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net)
The March by E.L. Doctorow
Rating: 3 Stars
This was a book about Sherman's march from Atlanta to the Raleigh area during the Civil War. Doctorow added an interesting cast of characters to help the reader see this part of history in an interesting light. I don't know that much about the Civil War, and that is truly a shame. So, this was like a history lesson for me. That was the best part of the book. The fictional side of it was a bit lame. The author jumped around a lot so it was somewhat difficult to keep up with the characters and the stories. The book was written without quotes (which I hate), so it was sometimes hard to know who was actually speaking. My favorite character was Pearl. She is a slave girl who becomes free as the Union army passes through her town. Her "massa" is actually her father.
There are a lot of miniplots thru out this book; too many, actually. Some of them did not have a chance to really develop. I think this book could have been twice as long as it was. I enjoyed the history, but the story was so so.
Mary
Snowflower And The Secret Fan by Lisa See
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is about women and girls in China, the painful tradition of footbinding, secrets, and the values that were placed on them as females.
Christy
Scrapped Princess by Ichiro Sakaki
Rating: 3 Stars
This fairy tale story is action-packed and full of danger, magic and mayhem. The relationship between the siblings and the humor and optimism they show makes the book fun and a fast read. I look forward to reading the next book in the 13 volume series.
Helene Simpson
Angels Fall by Nora Roberts
Rating: 5 Stars
Another great book from Nora Roberts.
Rosemary
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
A great read! Compelling. Dysfunctional children (drugs and sex). Dysfunctional parents (the range of interpersonal skills, parenting skills, morality and more). Their dysfunctional world comes crashing down. All very well written.
Vennie
Delectable Mountain by Earlene Fowler
Rating: 5 Stars
The Benni Harper Mysteries are always a pleasure to curl up with, but, this one is the best yet! Benni's husband Gabe, as usual, is having an emotional time dealing with a cousin who was like a brother to him. The story is sad, but, also surprising. If you haven't tried one of Ms. Fowler's books yet, start with this one!
Ellie
Isabel's Daughter by Judith Ryan Hendricks
Rating: 5 Stars
A sensitively written novel about a young woman's search for her birth mother. It is set in Santa Fe, NM with excellent descriptions and vivid portrayal.
Bonnie Cooper
Is There Really a Human Race? by Jamie Lee Curtis
Rating: 5 Stars
During an interview on NPR (Nat'l Public Radio), Jamie Lee Curtis read her poem (IS THERE REALLY A HUMAN RACE?) and told listeners about her partner & illustrator, Laura Cornell. While this book may look and read like a children's book, when the message becomes clear --- and it does become quite clear --- a child, a youth, and adult of any age will fully and completely enjoy it! I can't recommend it highly enough. I bought three copies for all my grandchildren. I love this book and this book and and I think readers will agree with me. Buy it for yourself, buy it as a gift, borrow it from the library, get a copy from anywhere you can and hang on to it! You won't regret it.
Janet Gould
Liars & Thieves by Stephen Coonts
Rating: 5 Stars
Tommy Carmellini is one hot CIA agent. This book keeps me turning the pages --- blackmail, illegal break-ins and corrupt Washington. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Kathy
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Rating: 5 Stars
Another wonderful read by Kidd. I can hardly put it down and I am on a vacation in Paris, France.
T. Thomas
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Rating: 5 Stars
Add this to your reading list. It is a must read.
Helene Simpson
Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs
Rating: 5 Stars
One of the best I've read. Can't wait till the next one is out.
Peggy Haney
Armageddon's Children by Terry Brooks
Rating: 4 Stars
I don't usually like fantasy of books, but am really enjoying this. The characters are very well written and the storyline really draws you in.
Christy Hawkes (hawkes@citlink.net)
Barbarian Prize by Deanna Ashford
Rating: 4 Stars
The sex scenes absolutely sizzled! Taranis is the man who everyone wants to bed (and quite a few do). Interesting and graphic book set in Pompeii.
Marsha
Messenger of Truth by Jacqueline Winspear
Rating: 4 Stars
Intriguing novel featuring Maisie Dobbs, a female detective, in London in 1931. The author manages to describe the social problems of the era along with educate us a bit about the art world.
Dodalodle from Beautiful British Columbia (dglg@telus.net)
Triptych by Karin Slaughter
Rating: 4 Stars
This was one of those "hard to put down" books and I believe Karin Slaughter's best work ever. It's a great suspense story with lots of twists and turns. Read it, you won't be disappointed.
Sandra F.
Catch as Cat Can by Rita Mae Brown
Rating: 3 Stars
A story of a human and her two cats and one dog who solve mysteries in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The animals have, by far, the best dialogue.
Barbara in Jackson
Such a Pretty Pretty Girl by Winston Groom
Rating: 5 Stars
A real page turner and a good mystery! Certainly nothing like FORREST GUMP Gump (also written by Groom), this book is different and quite surprising in its outcome.
Kathy Hawes (kmh4383@yahoo.com)
The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar
Rating: 4 Stars
I got this by mistake and then couldn't put it down! The story of two women in India --- one the servant of the other --- and how their lives parallel and interwine, despite the overt differences due to caste and economic standing.
Rose Caster (delta589@aol.com)
I Fell Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron
Rating: 4 Stars
I recognized many of my own older-woman shortcomings and felt better about them when the author confessed to having the same feelings and problems. This book was full of laughs. A must read for the "mature" woman.
Sandra F.
The Skies of Pern by Anne McCaffery
Rating: 5 Stars
Every book in the Dragons of Pern series is the best! This is one of the most noteworthy fantasy series ever written.
Karen Howard
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Rating: 5 Stars
Wonderful story of friendship, love, traditions and fate in long ago China. Fascinating. Compelling reading.
Tanya
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Suze Orman and Terry Ryan
Rating: 4 Stars
We've read so many books about disfunctional families. This book was a refreshing break to show a family that struggles but succeeds in working together during tough times. A true story of how a mother keeps food on her family's table through jingle contests.
Linda M. Johnson
Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst
Rating: 4 Stars
So different from THE DOGS OF BABEL but still an excellent read. Contestants on a reality TV show share their personal stories --- even parts they'd rather not share.
Dorothy Halligan
Love In the Present Tense by Katherine Ryan Hyde
Rating: 4 Stars
Great character development in a story about a child from a dysfunctional family whose mother left. It portrays forgiveness and seeing beyond the obvious in a memorable way.
Deb Brandon (dbrandon@creighton.edu)
The Seanachie by Bob Huerter
Rating: 3 Stars
This book is about a story of one Irish family's past and present and the gift of the "Seanachie," an Irishman given the gift of storytelling to pass on Ireland's lore and history, which the author claims he himself has. It is a story that moves from the depths of depair and sorrow to the heights of human triump and joy!
Dorothy Halligan
Prisoner of Memory by Denise Hamilton
Rating: 2 Stars
Very slow moving contrived mystery whodunit using a reporter for the LA Times as the detective. The Russians have killed someone and the Cold War is responsible? Or not?
Kellie (kellifrazier@cox-internet.com)
Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 4 Stars
The third installment in a series about Stephanie Plum, female bounty hunter. Addicting and enjoyable.
Kellie (kellifrazier@cox-internet.com)
Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 4 Stars
The second installment of a series about a female bounty hunter from New Jersey. Funny and entertaining.
LT
The Cell by Stephen King
Rating: 3 Stars
A fast read, but incomplete. I am a little disappointed with this book. As a fan of Steven King, this is far from his best.
Rosalie Sambuco (tigersmama43213@aol.com)
The Assassins Gallery by David L. Robbins
Rating: 4 Stars
Actually 4.5 stars. A very good story about the attempted assassination of FDR in 1945. Could this be what truly happened?
BJ Deese
Eye of the Beholder by Merline Lovelace
Rating: 5 Stars
This is the first romantic suspense novel I have read by Lovelace, but it won't be the last.
Mary Angela Young
Fool Me Once by Fern Michaels
Rating: 4 Stars
This book is pretty good. Fern did a good job writing it. I think you all will enjoy it.
Rita Cameron
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 4 Stars
This is my book club's selection for October. I am finding the book thought provoking. It should make for good disscusion.
Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com)
The Drowning Tree by Carol Goodman
Rating: 4 Stars
Very literary, with tons of Latin, Dante, and mythology interwoven with water symbolism. Once again, Carol Goodman provides a can't-put-down story rich in symbolism and teeming with classic literature, which makes you want to reread some works.
Rosalie Sambuco (tigersmama43213@aol.com)
The Whole World Over by Julia Glass
Rating: 4 Stars
A delightful book about a family interacting with itself. It includes a nice tie-in with her previous book, THREE JUNES, by having Fenno as one of the characters.
BJ Deese
Sleeping With Fear by Kay Hooper
Rating: 5 Stars
This latest story in the Bishop SCU series definitely deserves 5 stars!!! If you've never read any of these paranormal suspense novels, then you are missing out.
Pat Foster
Black Water by D. J. MacHale
Rating: 4 Stars
I am reading this series of books with my teenage son. It is well written and certainly has captivated my son and fed his desire to read, which I love. As an adult, the story is quite interesting as well.
Julie (julietowson31@yahoo.com)
Personal History by Katharine Graham
Rating: 5 Stars
Wonderful memoir of Katherine Graham, the woman who was at the helm of the Washington Post during the Watergate years.
Jane Squires
The Tender Years by Janette Oke
Rating: 5 Stars
This book is good for mothers and daughters. It helps a Mother understand the in-between years and lets Mothers know they are not alone during this time.
Sandy B
The Expected One by Kathleen McGowen
Rating: 5 Stars
Wow, does this book make you think! It is a tale woven all round the Bible with Mary Magdalene, Jesus, and John the Baptist. If you liked THE DA VINCI CODE, you will love this book, the first of a triology.
Marjorie L. Carmony
Caroline's Journal by Katherine Stone
Rating: 5 Stars
What a wonderful story! A great picture of relationships. I challenge anyone not to shed a tear at the end.
Karen Johnson
A Piece of Cake: A Memoir by Cupcake Brown
Rating: 5 Stars
Cupcake Brown is her real name. She was 11 when her mother died. Custody of Cupckae and her brother Larry was given to a stranger, their birth father, who only wanted their social security checks and future trust fund. He then left them with an abusive foster mother who encouraged her nephew to rape Brown repeatedly. Brown got better and better at running away. A prostitute taught her to drink, smoke marijuana and charge for sex. Her next foster father traded her LSD and cocaine for oral sex. Eventually, she went to live with a great-aunt in South Central L.A., where she joined a gang. Almost 16, having barely survived a shooting, she decided to quit gangbanging. Drugs were her new best friends. A boyfriend taught her about other drugs, like crack, and before long she was a junkie --- stealing and lying about everything. It wasn't until she woke up behind a Dumpster one morning, half-dressed and more than half-dead, that she admitted she needed help. Brown conveys this all in gritty detail, and her struggle to come clean and develop her potential. She is now an attorney with a leading California firm and a motivational speaker. Her story is encouraging and motivating to anyone.
L. Hann (hann747@hotmail.com)
The Outside of August by Joanna Hershon
Rating: 3 Stars
This is the first book of hers that I read. While I thought it was a good story, the flow in the book was not that great. It seemed to drag on in parts, and while the detail was nice, sometimes it was too much. The story could have probably been told in 1/2 the time without all the filler.
L. Hann
Blood Orchid by Stuart Woods
Rating: 5 Stars
Stuart Woods does it again. Holly Barker is on another case, just when you thought everything was taken care of at the Palmetto property, something happens again that makes them go back there. Join Holly Barker, Ham and Harry Crisp on another adventure.
Lenny Bronstein (heavylenny90405@yahoo.com)
The Messenger by Daniel Silva
Rating: 5 Stars
Another Gabriel Allon adventure. The main character is great and the story is extremely timely with all the Middle East conflict and machinations.
Lenny Bronstein (heavylenny90405@yahoo.com)
The Assassins Gallery by David L. Robbins
Rating: 4 Stars
Actually, 4 1/2 stars. I received it as one of the lucky winners to review it. I love historical fiction, especially when they marry it as close as possible to facts and keep it from being too incredulous. Basically, it's poses the question, "what if FDR was actually assassinated," and then follows the chase to find the assassin before she strikes.
Lenny Bronstein (heavylenny90405@yahoo.com)
The Last Spymaster by Gayle Lynds
Rating: 5 Stars
I've read all her solo books as well as the titles she wrote collaborating/representing Robert Ludlum, and I love her breathless pace and twists and turns. She investigates the traitorous former head of the CIA Clandestine Services department as he escapes incarceration. Their amazing confrontations and alliances to combat deep-seated sinister forces is quite a whirlwind ride.
Coral Harrison
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman
Rating: 4 Stars
We are reading this for our book club this month. It will make for a very good discussion. It is about Hmong refugees from Laos who come to America. They do not speak English and their daughter has epilepsy. This tells of all the problems due to their customs and their lack of understanding of the medical system. It is a well-written book that makes one much more sympathic to immigrants. Fadiman tells the story well.
Lenny Bronstein (heavylenny90405@yahoo.com)
The Intelligencer by Leslie Silbert
Rating: 4 Stars
Once again, a novel combining historical mystery --- the unsolved murder of Playwright and spy, Christopher Marlowe, set in 1593 and the present --- sets a Renaissance scholar with private-eye ambitions on the trail to solve this centuries-old puzzle. Simultaneously, he tracks down an ancient uncovered missing manuscript that leads to murders and Elizabethan and modern-day intrigues.
Carolyn Teasley (teasleybigt@aol.com)
Bad Cat by Jim Edgar
Rating: 4 Stars
if you love cats, you will enjoy this book! It will make you laugh as you turn the pages. This is definitely light reading material. Everyone I have shown the book to smiles or laughs as they look through it.
Marion Graham (bigcementboots@hotmail.com)
The Woman Next Door by Barbara Delinsky
Rating: 3 Stars
This book was published in 2002, but I am just getting it read now. Barbara follows the lives of three couples, when the widow next door becomes pregnant. She goes deeply into their thoughts, fears, and intrigues. I am really enjoying it.
Lenny Bronstein (heavylenny90405@yahoo.com)
The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury
Rating: 5 Stars
With all the hubbub around Dan Brown's THE DA VINCI CODE and its subplots, the story of the Templars is now fascinating millions across the world who have only heard vague mentions, perhaps in old history classes. Mr. Khoury weaves an amazing tale of these Templars starting in 1291 and leading to an audacious (even for NYC) assault on the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The subsequent investigation and lives it affects and FBI Anti-Terror involvement is clamoring for a movie to be made.
William Tonihka (chukfi_99_2000@yahoo.com)
Gary Null's Mind Power by Gary Null
Rating: 5 Stars
if any other readers like such genre, they should like this subject matter.
Karen (cattwmn@hotmail.com)
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Rating: 4 Stars
It's good. I'm a history buff, so the historical aspect appealed to me.
Kelly M.
Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 2 Stars
SONGS OF THE HUMPBACK WHALE by Jodi Picoult utilized an interesting technique that didn't work out. The novel is a story told in five different voices out of order. You don't even get half-way through the book and you already know how it ends. The last couple of chapters do not pass the "who cares" quotient, so I found myself bored and rushing to finish the book. While I normally like novels told through different points of view, this one fell short at the end.
There is one part of the novel in which you read the same scene three times, from three different people back to back. This is not a must read. I feel that other novels such as THE POISONWOOD BIBLE do a much better job at utilizing this technique. Her subsequent books, however, are very good and much more worth the read.
Brenda Tucker
A Salty Piece of Land by Jimmy Buffet
Rating: 5 Stars
I love all his music, but I've never read any of his books. This is super and interesting about the tropics and a lighthouse.
Carolyn Waring (carolynwaring@belleringerpr.com)
Shadows on the Ivy by Lea Wait
Rating: 4 Stars
Wait's mysteries are different from a lot of those currently out there. The story is very British --- a community college teacher who sells antique prints on the side; there is no violence, but mysterious poisonings. Ruth Rendell-ish.
Carolyn (carolynwaring@belleringerpr.com)
The Dead Hour by Denise Mina
Rating: 5 Stars
Scottish author Denise Mina sets her mysteries in Glasgow in the Margeret Thatcher era --- depressed economy, etc. Main character Paddy Meehan is a young, overweight, reporter at a male-dominated paper. Gory murder, dirty cops, job dangling by a thread --- Mina does it all very well!
Jacki Sanders (j20sanders@yahoo.com)
Back Spin by Harlan Coben
Rating: 5 Stars
Love this author! This book is so susupenseful that I could not put it down.
Sally B., San Antonio TX
102 Minutes by Jim Dwyer & Kevin Flynn
Rating: 5 Stars
A very good book depicting the events of Sept 11, 2001. It explains the structure of the buildings, shows drawings of the planes' impact on the buildings, and also the lack of communication between the different agencies and the voice and e-mails of people stuck in the buildings. Very emotional.
Jean Frederickson
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
Rating: 5 Stars
A wonderful book. This is one of my favorite books. I hope adults do not pass this by.
Ricki (rickimc@aol.com)
Heavens to Betsy by Beth Pattillo
Rating: 4 Stars
A unique chick lit tale that is a fast and entertaining read.
Nancy Schwark (snancy0319@aol.com)
The Hidden by Victoria Lustbader
Rating: 4 Stars
This excellent period piece is the story of two families beginning in the first World War. Highly recommended.
Marie Casale
Chet by Leigh Greenwood
Rating: 3 Stars
This is a short romance of the wild west that I really enjoyed. A very quick read, it is one of the Cowboys Series by this author. It is a sappy love story with the interesting lifestyle of the adventuresome cowboy as a back drop.
Joanne
Engaging the Enemy by Nora Roberts
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a double feature that includes A WILL AND A WAY and BOUNDARY LINES. These are predictable romances. If you don't know how it is going to end when you read the first chapter, than you weren't paying attention. It is fun, sometimes, to read something like this as an escape from stress.
Monica J
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
Typical Jodi Picoult --- it explores relationships and shows the characters' dark side. There is a graphic novel within this novel, and the story is tied to Dante's INFERNO and the levels of hell one goes through. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Kelly M.
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
Rating: 3 Stars
I am a huge fan of all things Atwood, but this book was not, in my mind, one of her best. I do love the background of the story. Atwood takes one of the most enigmatic and notorious women of mid-nineteenth-century Canada and creates an entire fictional story out of the true life and times of Grace Marks. Atwood's brilliance with imagery and tone bring the reader smack into 1800s Canada. Her main character, Grace, is a frank, but well-mannered maid who has been convicted of brutal murder. The novel opens ten years after the murders, with her serving out her life sentence in the Kingston Penitentiary. A Dr. Jordan comes to study Grace, who had spent some time in a mental ward for "hysterics" before being placed in prison. Throughout the first half of the novel, the reader is asked to take up a chair along with Dr. Jordan to hear the account of Grace's life all the way up to the day of the fated murders. While I enjoyed the journey this novel took me on, I was somewhat disappointed in the ending. I do, however, still suggest it as a good and worthwhile read.
Mia (CA)
Hot Six by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 4 Stars
I love her books. They are just funny, fast moving page turners. It is a good book if you like entertaining thrillers.
Donna Lear (donnalear@gmail.com)
But Enough About Me by Jancee Dunn
Rating: 5 Stars
This is a laugh-out-loud book. Jancee Dunn is a writer for Rolling Stone and was one of the first MTV2 veejays. She weaves celebrity interview stories with her life growing up in New Jersey in a totally delightful way. I read parts of it several times just for the sheer enjoyment of the way she writes. The story of Jancee and her sister's "Goth light" phase, when they spent time hanging around the family's cemetery plot had me laughing so hard I was in tears. It's truly one of the most fun reads I've had in a very long time. I highly, highly recommend this book to everyone (whether you think you're a fan of Rolling Stone and MTV or not).
Maxine
Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman
Rating: 5 Stars
Excellent. Her wonderful style of prose and character development mixed with a dash a fantasy, romance and suspense is superb. A very unusual story.
Maxine
Gone For Good by Harlan Coben
Rating: 5 Stars
As usual, Coben keeps you riveted to his story and you never know which way the plot will make a sharp turn. His gift is the way he always ties all loose ends together in the end. Love him.
Ann
Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs
Rating: 5 Stars
I enjoyed the latest Temperance Brennan book. For a change of scene, Tempe is in South Carolina, initially for a student archaeological dig project, and then to help an old friend investigate a more modern discovery. Great forensics, a taut thriller and favorite series characters make this book a winner.
Sigrun Schulz
Second Sight by Amanda Quick
Rating: 5 Stars
This author never fails to entertain with subtle wit and interesting stories. This is a romantic suspense with psychical elements that takes place in Victorian England in 1898. Most interesting, besides the storyline and various characters, are the fascinating notes on photography of that day, when it was still in its early childhood stages. An engrossing book on many levels.
Rachael
The Rice Mother by Rani Manicka
Rating: 3 Stars
This was a really good book, but I feel it was way too long and should have ended 130 pages sooner then it did. There are some very graphic disturbing scenes that may upset readers. I read a lot of gorey books, but this really disturbed me. Overall it was a good book, but not for the faint of heart. And definetely don't read this before you go to bed, because it gave me horrible nightmares.
Rachael
Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger
Rating: 5 Stars
This was a really good mystery. It was very enjoyable and I highly recommend it!
Linda.H.
Pleasure Control by Cathryn Fox
Rating: 5 Stars
In Cathryn Fox's first book, part of a three-book erotica series, she introduces us to Laura and Jay. Laura and Jay are coworkers in a lab, which is trying to make a serum that will decrease oversexed men's sex drives. Jay decides to be the guinea pig and tries the serum. It does not end up working the way it was supposed to, which leads to some serious hot sexual encounters between Laura and Jay.
I devoured this book in only one week. Cathryn Fox writes a very entertaining book. Between the hot, steamy sex scenes and her well drawn-out characters, this is one boiling hot book! The love scenes are sexy, and inspiring. Cathryn Fox's books are always a delicious treat to be savored one page at a time.
Rachael
Gone by Lisa Gardner
Rating: 5 Stars
I would choose 10 stars if I could! Excellent book! Excellent author. Fans of thrilling mysteries will love Lisa Gardner! Try her books. I put off trying them for so long and I dont know why. They are the best mysteries I've read in a long time. PLEASE TRY HER!! Read the series in order. Her first book is THE PERFECT HUSBAND.
Linda.H.
The Wedding Gown by Dyanne Davis
Rating: 5 Stars
I really loved this book, it was a real page turner. I couldn't put it down. It had some really good characters --- my favorites were Keefe and Ashleigh. Those two are really funny from the beginning when they meet. They had me up all night, wanting to know what happens to them next.
My favorite part of this book was the relationship between Keefe and his sister, Mia Black. They are so attached to each other that they keep each other from finding love. It's because of their past history with their mother, and Keefe's exgirlfriend who took all his money and left him. That was the one person Mia had really liked and trusted, until she did what she did to Keefe.
When Keefe meets Ashleigh, he thinks she is just another gold digger after his money when she finds out the truth about him. Keefe and Mia don't trust anyone, so when their mother comes to visit and she tells them that they love each other so much that they would do anything for each other and that they're afraid to lose one another, they have a hard time realizing that she is telling them the truth.
Now to find out if Keefe falls in love with Ashleigh or if he still thinks of her as a gold digger, you must go get a copy of this book. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance with some laughter in it.
Linda.H.
Misty Blue by Dyanne Davis
Rating: 5 Stars
MISTY BLUE was such a wonderful book. It had all the elements of a great romance --- conflict, romance, chemistry, and suspense. I loved following the story of Damien and Mia. I was rooting for them throughout the whole book to make it to the altar. This was a wonderful book and I look foward to more books by this author. I highly recommend it to romance readers who are looking for something with more depth then your typical romance novel. Dyanne Davis is a name to remember. Keep her on your must-buy list!
Kelly M.
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Rating: 4 Stars
This book has been added to my ferris wheel of books that I read over and over again throughout the years. The tone, the pace, the characterization and POV are spot on. The book is unique in many ways; sure, time travel has been done and redone a million times, but this novel takes it for a different spin. The main character, Henry, has a genetic flaw that causes him to uncontrollably travel through time. You follow him through his time travels as well as his travels through every day life, including meeting his wife, Claire. The novel poses several questions: Why do we fall in love with the people that we do? How much can a relationship withstand? How much can one person withstand, physically and mentally? It seems that people either love this book or hate it because of how the author attempts to answer these questions. I give it four out of five stars.
Dusty Johnson (bjohnson-att@comcast.net)
Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr
Rating: 4 Stars
This is Nevada's first effort as a suspense writer and starts off her great string of Anna Pigeon books. Anna comes across another ranger's body, apparently killed by a lion. But was she? That is what Anna must find out.
Ricki (rickimc@aol.com)
Full of Grace by Dorothea Benton Frank
Rating: 3 Stars
Not a bad story, but a little predictable.
Dusty Johnson (bjohnson-att@comcast.net)
Kill The Messenger by Tami Hoag
Rating: 5 Stars
A riveting and suspenseful book. A bike messenger in NY gets a package run that puts him in the middle of murder, mayhem and deception.
Jayne
All The Numbers by Judy Merrill Larsen
Rating: 5 Stars
A very sad book, but a wonderful story that really says things that you would think but not necessarily say aloud. I loved it.
Arlene Ross
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin
Rating: 4 Stars
Well written and inspiring. It is the uplifting story about the difference one person can make in this chaotic world. I recommend it if you want to learn about the Muslim culture in Pakistan.
Jayne
The Whole World Over by Julia Glass
Rating: 4 Stars
Julia is a very good writer and the story really held my attention.
Monica J
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a story of human nature and vampires with a twist. The concept presented in the book is unique. I read it in one weekend and then passed it on to a friend.
Jayne
The Pact by Jod Picoult
Rating: 5 Stars
This was the first book I've read by Jodi Picoult. It is one of my favorites, and I have since read everything else she has written. The story was wonderful.
Carol K., Pennsylvania
Dog Heroes of September 11th by Nona Kilgore Bauer
Rating: 5 Stars
A heart-warming book; these dogs went into very hazardous areas --- and without protective gear of any kind --- just because it was their job and their handlers asked them to do it. If more humans had the dedication to their jobs that these dogs showed, America would be a better place.
Anthony Romano (ARomano895@aol.com)
Brethren by Robyn Young
Rating: 5 Stars
Great read --- Robyn Young did an outstanding job on her first novel. I would suggest you read the glossary before starting, it's a great info and history source. I'm very anxious, awaiting the second book CRUSADE, coming IN 2007. I hope Bookreporter will do a notice on it.
Suzanne
Sanctuary by Nora Roberts
Rating: 5 Stars
SANCTUARY is full of suspense and romance written so well that you enjoy and anticipate both.
Toni Raaf
Kiss and Tell by Cherry Adair
Rating: 3 Stars
I was disappointed in this book, it wasn't one of her best. By the time I was halfway through, I knew what the ending would be. It's a good book for "guy gets girl" readers.
Suzanne
Ricochet by Sandra Brown
Rating: 5 Stars
Sexy and supspenseful. An excellent book to curl up with.
Suzanne
Jude's Law by Lori Foster
Rating: 4 Stars
Fun and entertaining.
Suzanne
Miss Julia's School of Beauty by Ann B. Ross
Rating: 5 Stars
I love this series. I love these characters, their troubles and the their solutions, and their overabiding love for their nontraditional family.
Arlene
One Thousand White Woman by Jim Fergus
Rating: 5 Stars
The most informative book on Indian traditions, and their struggles trying to cope with the white man.
Suzane
Crossed Bones by Carolyn Haines
Rating: 5 Stars
Witty, good murder-solving fun with a likeable character.
Monica J
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
Rating: 5 Stars
This gripping tale is one of the best books I have read. It was my pick for my book club, and all of the members loved it. It is hard to put down. Questions about life and what makes it worth living are raised.
Carolyn Teasley (teasleybigt@aol.com)
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
Rating: 5 Stars
This book --- if you are willing to read it and apply what you read can have profound effect in your life. It can give you hope for the future. It also reminds you of things you learned in Sunday School and forgot to practice.
Marie Casale
The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury
Rating: 5 Stars
I am really enjoying this novel and am pleasantly surprised. I was tired of all the books that followed on the coat tails of Dan Brown and so took a break from anything to do with the Templars. However, this book is a refreshing take on the same topic with just enough danger and romance to make it interesting!
Christy Hawkes (hawkes@citlink.net)
Something Wanton by Jacqueline Meadows
Rating: 5 Stars
Desy, Armand, Nick and Aunt P. are back in this delightfully funny and engaging 2nd Something book. As in the previous book, there is plenty of sex, hilarious wit and humor, and even a little suspense.
Gina
Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs
Rating: 3 Stars
One of America's perverse comic
geniuses gives us a series of essays
about his take of friendship, business and
family. My favorite essay was on his
adventures in the advertising agency.
darkouthere
The Dim Sum of All Things by Kim Wong Keltner
Rating: 5 Stars
Not only is the cover cute, but this book is a quick read. Its fascinating facts about Chinese culture makes for a learning experience, and its observation by the hilarious heroine, Lindsey, are eye opening too. I wholly recommend this book for its romance and the idea of overcoming stereotypes.
darkouthere
Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty
Rating: 4 Stars
When I picked up this book, I didn't expect anything great, but was caught by surprise. The main character is a 16-year-old girl, a cross country and track star, which surprised me a lot because I could relate. The story is different from standard teen lit because this time, Jessica isn't trying to climb the social ladder or ridicule it. She is part of a circle whose members she hates and she is dealing with the loss of her best friend, Hope. All in all, the language is charming and I promise you'll get a lot of laughs out of Jessica's adventures.
Crystal Johnston (ez2love_98@hotmail.com)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling
Rating: 5 Stars
This started off slow, but has sped up quite nicely. Great book.
Christy Hawkes (hawkes@citlink.net)
All U Can Eat by Emma Holly
Rating: 5 Stars
I am a huge fan of Emma Holly. Her books have great plots with likeable and believable characters. I wasn't disappointed with ALL U CAN EAT. It centers around a murder investigation with plenty of tantalizingly erotic sex scenes.
Marata
John Henry Days by Colson Whitehead
Rating: 4 Stars
Excellent read. It's fast moving with enough suspense to keep it interesting. Though, I couldn't understand why Whitehead included one particular chapter. Quirky characters are all converging at an event out in the middle of nowhere, celebrating John Henry.
Dawn
All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
Rating: 3 Stars
The story of two Texas teens who realize their "cowboy skills" are no longer needed in 1949, so they venture to Mexico. The story was interesting, but the writing style was bothersome (run-on sentences and no quotation marks). Not my favourite book.
Donna
All God's Creatures by Debra K. Farrington
Rating: 4 Stars
It is truly an adorable book that speaks of our bonds with our pets who become members of our family. It's also about pet personalities, training and compassion, caring for the sick and blessings for our loved ones once they pass on. If you love your pet, you will enjoy this book.
Beverly Rowe (bevbooks@aol.com)
Playing With The Enemy by Gary W. Moore
Rating: 5 Stars
This is one of the best biographies I have ever read. It's about Gene Moore, a baseball prodigy who was called up by the Brooklyn Dodgers when he was only 15 years old. One of the best catchers ever to play the game. Then he joined the Navy in 1941 and played baseball to entertain the soldiers during the war. It's about second chances and broken dreams. A very passionate, emotional trip alongside Gene. Soon to be a major motion picture....
Tessa
The Devil's Teeth by Susan Casey
Rating: 4 Stars
A nonfiction account of the Farallones Islands just 27 miles off the coast of San Francisco, and home to large numbers of great white sharks (the "small" ones are merely 12 feet long). Fascinating and very well written.
Randi Odierno (rodierno@aol.com)
The Glorious Appearing by Tim LeHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
Rating: 5 Stars
I recommend this series to everyone! This is the last one of the series for me and I'm holding out as long as I can, rather than finish it. They've all been great reads --- quick, suspenseful and amazingly interesting. I will miss this series!
Jon Iverson (joniverson@aol.com)
Mortal Stakes by Robert B. Parker
Rating: 4 Stars
Spenser is a witty and engaging PI. When he investigates a potential major league baseball scandal, he enters a dangerous world of chance and death.
Kay Keller
Resurrection by Tucker Malarkey
Rating: 4 Stars
This is another good book that includes suspense, adventure, some romance, as well as actual events of the discovery of the Lost Gospels of Nag Hammadi. A very well-written book by a new gifted novelist, RESURRECTION will really make you think!!
Pat Grissom (pat76273@aol.com)
Paradigm by Robert Taylor
Rating: 4 Stars
This book contains a remarkable theory on gravity affecting the stock market and being able to predict it with accuracy. The author has woven his actual theory into a fictional novel that involves the wealthiest families throughout history. Exciting theory and plot.
Michelle Miller (miller4plusmore@bellsouth.net)
Blackwater by Kerstin Ekman and Joan Tate
Rating: 5 Stars
This was excellent. It is the first book to be published in English by this well-known Swedish author, Kerstin Ekman. It deserves to be ranked with books like MYSTIC RIVER and such. Ekman brought me into the world and culture of Sweden without alienation, and the murder mystery that is the basis of the book just kept me guessing. But this is not just a murder mystery --- this is a novel with such strong character development, I identified with them all, especially the sympathetic character of Burger. I highly recommend it!
Heather Gill
Relentless by Simon Kernick
Rating: 5 Stars
RELENTLESS had my interest from the very first page till the last, as it did not stop moving all the way through the novel. It is a very suspenseful story of one man waking up one day to find his peaceful world changed overnight to one of murder and being chased.
Margaret Ball
Dancing on the Edge of the Roof by Sheila Williams
Rating: 5 Stars
A brilliant story of an unappreciated woman who leaves her ungrateful family and finds a life of her own. This book has lots funny scenes in it that will put a smile on your face if you are depressed.
Rita B.
Light from Heaven by Jan Karon
Rating: 4 Stars
As with the rest of the Mitford series, this is a charming and delightful book. This is the last in the series and it leaves us knowing that Father Tim and Cynthia will continue as ever.
Donna
Vanish With The Rose by Barbara Michaels
Rating: 5 Stars
I am a huge fan of hers and this book is an excellent read. Diana Reed masquerades as a landscape architect specializing in "ancient" roses. She is hired by an eccentric couple to restore the gardens, but she is really trying to find her brother who worked on the 18th-century estate and has not been heard from for some time. Diana needed to get on the estate to in |
