| Lorna |
The Beach Club by Elin Hilderbrand |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This was a quick read about life at a beach club on Nantucket. You get involved in everyone's life from the owners, workers and vacationers. It has a little twist at the end that will give you a smile and laugh. If you love the sand and sun, you will enjoy this book.
|
| Marilyn |
Dispatch by Bentley Little |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is is a horror story and I could not put it down. It was original and full of suspense. Bentley Little takes ordinary things and turns them into something scary. The ending was a little silly, but I still highly recommend it.
|
| Maureen H |
The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I loved this book. The storytelling was wonderful. It takes place in Italy during World War II. The cooking throughout this book was mouth-watering.
|
| Jen |
High Noon by Nora Roberts |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This a page-turner. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because of character development. That portion is a little shallow, but it is well worth reading.
|
| Gail |
Austenland by Shannon Hale |
Rating: 4 Stars |
If you like reading Jane Austen's novels, you will enjoying reading AUSTENLAND. It is a fun, quick, romantic fantasy, perfect for a summer read. It is about a single 30- something woman on a pretend vacation, living like a character in a Jane Austen novel and maybe finding her Mr. Darcy. The novel is dedicated to Colin Firth, which sets the tone of the book --- don't take it too seriously, just enjoy.
|
| Priscilla |
Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Five women go on an adventure because of their best friend's last request for a traveling funeral --- she asks these 5 women to be her "pallbearers."
|
| Maureen H |
Hide by Lisa Gardner |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book grabs you from the first page and keeps you hooked throughout.
|
| Rachael |
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I loved this book the first three times I read it. I had to reread it once again since I adore the beauty of this novel. Fantastic book.
|
| Christy H (hawkes@citlink.net) |
Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This fourth book in the Temperence Brennan series is set in the wilderness of North Carolina at the scene of a plane crash, where Tempe's expertise is needed.
I very much enjoyed this book, as I have all of Ms. Reichs's novels. They are fast reading, well written and they keep me coming back for more.
|
| Lea Ann in Seattle (baxtergr@msn.com) |
Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke |
Rating: 4 Stars |
As I continue to read this series of what I call "fluff mysteries," I find that I do enjoy them. They are quick, easy reads with Hannah Swenson --- the proprietor of The Cookie Jar, a restaurant devoted to cookies --- being down to earth in this small MN community. For a relaxing day or two of fun reading, do include this series. Oh, and it has delicious recipes included. I've tried some and know that to be true.
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| Lea Ann in Seattle (baxtergr@msn.com) |
How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman, M.D. |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A non-fiction book, but very readable; not filled with medical jargon, and what medical terminology that is included is explained for us. Dr. Groopman considers how doctors come to the medical conclusions they reach and concludes that both "by the book" and "go with the gut feelings" have a part in the process. A most interesting book; one that helps us as patients understand a bit better how our doctors understand us and our illnesses.
|
| Noreen Brown |
If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name by Heather Lende |
Rating: 3 Stars |
If you prefer non-fiction, add a star.
It was a vivid picture of life in a small Alaskan town. Perfect reading for a hot day...as you could feel the wind blowing and the snow falling.
|
| Ming |
The Immaculate Complexion by Edie Bloom |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book is really hilarious! I was laughing out loud. It's a zany ride through the world of cosmetics and beauty. If you're feeling down and need a super fun read that's really well written, take a look at this one.
|
| Marsha |
The Ever-Running Man by Marcia Muller |
Rating: 3 Stars |
A very mediocre offering from Marcia Muller. Frankly, I expected more. It was very predictable, though it wsa a fairly good summer read.
|
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
The Devil's Labyrinth by John Saul |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Loved the book, but the ending was too abrupt.
|
| Christy H (hawkes@citlink.net) |
Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This fascinating installment with Tempe Brennan involves three different mysteries that are all interconnected. A compelling and quick read that will hold your attention from start to finish.
I look forward to the next book.
|
| Jill |
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan |
Rating: 5 Stars |
LOVING FRANK is a remarkable book about amazing individuals. Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney are, in there own rights, interesting individuals but the story they tell together is very satisfying. Mamah had to make some hard decisions to be true to herself. That being said, while I don’t condone what she did, I respect her for taking a different and much more difficult path to self-discovery. The end of this book is so powerful --- you feel the sadness and agony Franks suffers. Its definitely a book I will put on my top 10 list!
|
| Sandy Haber |
Touching Stars by Emilie Richards |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Fourth in her Shenandoah Album quilt series, this book had me sniffling and smiling, sometimes at the same time! It's about a family, a divorced mother and her 3 teenaged sons, their father who just survived capture in Afghanistan, and how they all manage life "after".
|
| Ricki (rickimc@aol.com) |
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The more Harry Potter books I read, the more I am enjoying them (only one more to go!). I think Rowling's writing has improved greatly, and it is very apparent in this one.
|
| Marsha |
The Orange Curtain by John Shannon |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Jack Liffey finds himself deep in the local Vietnamese community as he tries to trace a missing girl. This doesn't paint a lovely picture of Orange County, California but is gritty enough to keep you on the edge of you seat.
|
| Kathy, Maryland |
Critical by Robin Cook |
Rating: 2 Stars |
This book is not up to the author's normal standards. The story is definitely not a page turner, and the medical information, which generally doesn't bother me, only made it more of a drag. The two medical examiners, who are his standard characters, also did not seem to be as well developed or interesting as usual.
|
| Kathy, Maryland |
What Matters Most by Luanne Rice |
Rating: 1 Stars |
This book is totally unrealistic. The general theme is okay, but how the author has executed it seems totally impossible. I read books to relax and escape, but I do like my reading to be grounded in feasibility, and this book definitely is not.
|
| Christy H (hawkes@citlink.net) |
Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Kathy Reichs is an excellent author and her stories are always full of graphic and informative details. Even though her characters carry over from one story to the next, you don't necessarily have to read the books in order.
|
| Christy Hawkes (hawkes@citlink.net) |
Choclate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book was a complete delight from start to finish. Ms. Fluke's attention to detail is marvelous. I loved the small-town Minnesota setting. Her characters are lovable and quirky. Hannah is a very likable heroine and her relationship with her sister and mother is priceless. I've tried several of her recipes and they are delicious! I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.
|
| Marsha |
Undercurrents by Ridley Pearson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Police Sgt. Lou Boldt is in a relentless chase to catch a serial murderer. His involvement with the alluring police psychologist makes his deteriorating marriage another puzzle to add to the intrigue.
|
| LouBabe |
Callander Square by Anne Perry |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I believe this is the second installment in the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt books. After reading several in random order, I am going back and trying to read them in the correct order. It is so interesting to me to "witness" what Victorian London was all about. And you're got to love this sleuthing couple.
|
| LouBabe |
Remodeling the Bachelor by Marie Ferrarella |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I was looking for something light and easy to read for a change, and this was ideal. This was a very cute story about a confirmed bachelor (are there any other kind in romance novels?). I especially love the little girl who steals everyone's hearts. Now I want to get the other two books in this series.
|
| Frannie |
Switchcraft by Mary Castillo |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Aggie and Nely are friends who have drifted apart due to life experiences. Aggy is a young business entrepreneur who enjoys the single life, yet longs for more of a connection to a family. Nely is a new mom, struggling to incorporate her new identity as wife and mother in spite of a meddling mother-in-law. In a desire to reconnect their friendship, Aggie and Nely attend a weekend spa, where a transcendental meditation process results in switching bodies. Stuck in each other's bodies for one full month (until the next full moon), each gets to walk in one another's shoes and experience life in the eyes of her friend. This book was great fun and felt like a modern-day "Freaky Friday." I really enjoyed it and would recommend it as a great summer read!
|
| Dorothy Flood |
The Quickie by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is terrific. Like all of Patterson's books, it's a real page turner, and it really has you wondering who will be caught. It looks like everyone has something to hide.
|
| Nikki (gramanik2001@comcast.net) |
Peony In Love by Lisa See |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I love to learn history while enjoying a good story, and that is exactly what happens in this book. As a modern-day woman, it is hard to imagine myself being thought of as an insignificant entity like the women of 16th-century China were. My reason for giving this book 4 stars is that sometimes "the writings" of these women seemed to get boring for me.
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| LouBabe |
The Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is the first time I've read this author, and I'm enjoying the book except for the language. Since the main character had known nothing but a life of crime, I guess the author feels that kind of language adds validity to the story. But because of it, I'm not sure I'll read any more of his books.
|
| Bridget |
Victoria Victorious by Jean Plaidy |
Rating: 4 Stars |
In comparison to historical fiction being written today, this book is pretty tame. I did find the span of historical events that occurred during Victoria's lifetime interesting.
|
| Bridget |
Sammy's House by Kristin Gore |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Pretty predictable. I really liked SAMMY'S HILL and looked forward to the sequel. I am sad to say I was disappointed. Sammy, the main character, seemed like a watered-down version of herself.
|
| Lori S (sunbug5505@yahoo.com) |
A Murder Is Announced by Agatha Christie |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I started reading Agatha Christie books when I was in Junior High and rarely have picked one up since. In rummaging in the basement I found an entire Christie section of books and started re-reading them. Of course, after all these years I don't remember the murderer's identity --- and I am happy to say they are just as good the 2nd time around. If you are a mystery fan, give Agatha another try. There is nobody like Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot and his little grey cells.
|
| Corinna |
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K.. Rowling |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I really did love this book, but was very sad to see the series end. There are still a few unanswered questions I have and some things that disappointed me, but overall, it was a great book!
|
| Eileen |
Giraffe by J.M. Ledgard |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I know much more about giraffes than I did before! The author really gets the reader embedded in his work in a great way. The story attempts to bring out the best in others and the reason to be kind and generous. This is not the overt theme, but rather a covert manifestation of the work the author is undertaking.
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| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
A Necessary Evil (audio) by Alex Kava |
Rating: 3 Stars |
I wasn't aware this book was part of a series. Normally I am fanatical about following a series in order, but I'm not sure if I'm up to reading --- or in this case, listening --- to all five of these novels. I did good to get through this one. The book opens up with a blowfly life cycle in a dead body. The details the author provided left to the imagination --- YUCK! Don't get me wrong. Kava is an excellent writer. It's the material, not my sort of thing.
|
| Quinn |
After Dark by Haruki Murakami |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Edgy! The author is a genius! This story takes place between midnight and dawn and with such finesse. The author's development of the characters is so intense and interesting. I read it in one sitting!
|
| Mitch White (fourthwhite@yahoo.com) |
The Secret Servant by Daniel Silva |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I just finished Silva's newest book and all I can say is "wow." But first, I have to wait for my heart to stop pounding and I have to scoot back from the edge of my seat. I have always enjoyed Silva's books but there is so much more to this book than I could have imagined there would be from past experience. Everything about this book was so very timely and very "it could really happen" that I was riveted and scared at the same time. When I finished, I found myself thinking, "Oh my God, I hope this doesn't fall into the wrong hands!"
Do yourself a huge favor and read this. Fans of thrillers, political fiction and non-fiction and current events are in for a true reading pleasure from this one!
|
| Sandy |
Riding Lessons by Sara Gruen |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I liked RIDING LESSONS, but I enjoyed the 2nd book in the series better. I try not to read books in the wrong order, but this time I picked up the wrong one first! I definitely recommend both books, but be sure to read RIDING LESSONS and then FLYING CHANGES.
|
| Jean |
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert |
Rating: 5 Stars |
What an outstanding read. It is one of the best books I read this year. If you are interested in a storyline about a woman rebuilding her life through months spent in Italy (eat), India (pray), and Indonesia (love), you'll fall in love with this book. Elizabeth Gilbert is a fabulous writer! Not only is she very descriptive, but she also is quite witty. You'll find yourself lost in this wonderfully descriptive, yet easy-to-read tale.
|
| Peggy |
The Vision by Heather Graham |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Enjoy reading about the paranormal? In VISION, an aberration appears with a Warning, "Beware".
There is sex.
A body washes up on the beach.
There is sex.
A mystery evolves in the plot.
There is sex.
Another body is discovered in the ocean.
An aberration appears with the same warning, "Beware".
More sex.
Serial killer is on the loose.
Yes, sex.
Plot thickens, more intrigue, you got it, more sex.
If you like a bit of everything, you will like THE VISION.
|
| Thomas (tomjac0850@charter.net) |
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Once again, Rowling has produced another excellent installment of the Harry Potter series. This one begins on a decidedly darker note than the others (no surprise, since this is to be the last in the series). Not wanting to give anything away, I have written this after only reading the first third of the book. I'd prefer to let the readers, including myself, find out how this saga ends.
|
| Betty Jo (harrises@bayou.com) |
The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I just finished up THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS by Anita Amirrezvani, set in 17th-century Persia. The unnamed heroine is talented at tying knots for the beautiful carpets designed by her uncle, who is a wealthy rug merchant. She and her widowed mother live upon the kindness of her uncle's family and she is even forced into a sigheh, a temporary marriage contract that is renewable every three months (this is still practiced in Iran today). All of this changes when she commits a single impulsive headstrong act, which casts them on the streets of Isfahan. With very few options, she chooses to make a life for herself and uses the strenth of her own hands to do so. This is great historical fiction and the role women play in this part of the world seems to have changed little over time.
|
| Betty Jo (harrises@bayou.com) |
Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Grandma gives her twelve-year-old grandson his grandpa's old lawnmower. Meanwhile, the owner of the local lawncare service runs off with the wife of one of his customers. Learn the economics of supply and demand and how a simple summer job mowing grass grows into s small fortune, thanks to the hippy neighbor who is a stock market day trader. A few shares in a coffin company is the "groovy" beginning for LAWN BOY.
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| Maria Bongiovanni (mariabong@cox.net) |
A long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a biography of a young boy who grew up in a village near Sierra Leone, Africa. When he was about 11 years old, rebels came to his village and killed some of his family and friends, and he was forced to run. While looking for his parents and brother and sister, he was forced to join the Federal Army and become a soldier. While doped up he would kill and loot local villages. This is his story of how he was able to escape that life and come to New York. I highly recommend this book.
|
| Jean |
Justice Denied by J. A. Jance |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I found this book to be fast paced and entertaining. It is not one of Jance's best; however, it is still a good read.
|
| Pat Bradley (trellis9@hotmail.com) |
Dirty Harriet Rides Again by Miriam Auerbach |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A serial killer is eliminating "men and women of the cloth" in uber-wealthy Boca Raton, Florida and "Dirty Harriet" Horowitz --- a former "Boca Babe" and new P.I. --- is on the case. A wickedly funny commentary on the lives and mores of Boca, Harriet gets help from her Harley Biker pals, her wealthy elderly mom, a troop of wealthy business men/transvestite singers and her spiritual guide, a VERY large talking swamp gator named Lana. A consistently fun read.
|
| Ma Titwonky (matitwonky@gmail.com) |
North River by Pete Hamill |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Dr. Delaney works in New York City. He treats people from all walks of life --- prostitutes, lonely women who just want some attention and affection, mob-involved men, children --- anyone who needs his help has his full attention and care. His daughter leaves her 2-year-old son in the vestibule of Delaney's house so she can go off in search of her husband, who may be in Spain or Mexico or anywhere. This forms the basis for the story that follows as Delaney has to hire someone to care for Carlos, his grandson, while he works, and try to forge a relationship with a child who has no idea who Delaney is. This is a wonderful story of love, family, loyalty, danger, and mystery all told within the backdrop of New York City during The Depression. It's a keeper!
|
| Melissa |
Myron Bolitar Series by Harlan Coben |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I've always been a fan of his stand-alone books. This series is no different. It's full of twists and turns and humor as well. Myron and Winn are perfect. Highly recommended!
|
| Noreen Brown |
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Very exciting, action-filled, and enjoyable book. I liked the '19 Years Later' section.
|
| Jean |
Meet Me in Venice by Elizabeth Adler |
Rating: 3 Stars |
I chose to read this book because of its title. I absolutely love Venice and was interested in a book centered around this city. The book mainly takes place in Shanghai and Paris. Though the story is very predictable and quite shallow, I did enjoy the decriptions of these exotic cities. I did wish there was more time spent in Venice.
|
| julie towson |
The Poe Shadow by Matthew Pearl |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is the author of THE DANTE CLUB. Pearl likes to intertwine characters from literature with a fictional story. This is about solving the mysterious circumstances behine Edgar Allen Poe's death.
|
| Mitch White (fourthwhite@yahoo.com) |
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill |
Rating: 1 Stars |
I expected much more from this book. Not at all because of the author's father but because the story just offered so much possibility. For a few chapters, I felt that I was truly going to get what I had hoped. The first chapter scared me immediately. The next few chapters held promise and a few more scares. Then the storyline began to drag and the writing style began to become very amateur, feeling more like a junior- high sleepover ghost story than a published writer. What happened? Do yourself a favor...DO NOT buy this ghost!
|
| Crystal Adkins (adkinsc123@lycos.com) |
Luciano by Anastasia Rabiyah |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Audrey fell in love with Greece the moment she visited the little family restaurant, not because of the food, but because of Luciano. He was the epitome of sex --- strong, beautiful and very masculine. There was something special and different about Luciano that drew Audrey to him.
It took her a year to build up the courage to return to Greece in search of her beautiful Luciano. She knew she was in love with him, and if given the chance this time she would be forever held in Luciano's muscular embrace. Luciano was just the man that could promise forever, all she needed to do was enjoy the lovemaking on the beach and she would get her wish.
Fangs glinted in the moonlight but Audrey was unafraid, she still wanted this man more than anything and by Gods she was going to have him, vampire or not. She was in love with Luciano for who he was, not what he was. Although in the end the two will not be that much different.
Anastasia Rabiyah has done it again with an extremely hot little e-book short. The characters throw themselves at one another to experience true erotic pleasure. The steamy sex scenes will make you want to find your own Grecian vampire! I know if I ran into someone like Luciano I would accept the dark gift with no questions asked as long as the sex stayed as hot as the very first time. Ms. Rabiyah has a gift for writing tantalizing stories in such few words, but they have a way of scorching you all over. I think Luciano alone deserves 5 hearts, so if you want a hot vampire teaser then this is the story for you.
|
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Evanovich is always a fun time, especially with Morelli and Ranger waiting to "get at" Stephanie. I would like to see Ranger lose a little of his self-control. Of course, the usual events happen --- where Stephanie goes, fire follows. She, as usual, misses any terrible event. The supporting characters were not as developed as they usually are.
|
| Debbie |
Lottery by Patricia Wood |
Rating: 3 Stars |
A first-person narrative in the voice a of slow, not retarded, adult and his life after he wins $12 million dollars. It goes to show that money is not everything.
|
| Debbie |
Dirty Martini by J. A. Konrath |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the 3rd book in the series, following WHISKEY SOUR and BLOODY MARY. It is set in the Chicago area. The books are mixed with equal parts humor and suspense, featuring Lt. Jacqueline "Jack' Daniels. I've not been disappointed with these books.
|
| Marsha |
The Secret Servant by Daniel Silva |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Gabriel Allon, master art restorer and an officer of Israeli Intelligence, undertakes a kidnapping rescue that involved intelligence communities of several nations. His descriptions of the Islamic terrorist organizations with keep you awake many a night.
|
| Sandy Greathouse (Muzzley56@aol.com) |
Getting Rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I enjoyed this book. It was sort of a different twist on an affairs and relationships. Funny and sad!
|
| Judy (AZ) |
Alibi Man by Tami Hoag |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Wise-cracking Elena Estes discovers a partially eaten (by alligators) body that turns out to be a female groom she knows from the elite Palm Beach community. Estes is an ex-cop, a disenfranchised adopted child of an elite attorney, the ex-fiancee of one of the people high on the suspect list, and ex-paramour of the investigating detective. Mix in the Russian mafia, rich playboys, handsome international polo players, a little blackmail, and lots of action and you have a very enjoyable audio book (which I'm sure is also a quick and satisfying read).
|
| Judy (AZ) |
My Father's Secret War: A Memoir by Lucinda Franks |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Pulitizer Prize winner Lucinda Franks discovers that her father may have been a spy during World War II. Trying to get closer to her dad as he distances himself from those closest to him and complicating the facts is the incipient dementia that is taking over her father's mind. More than just a journey into what her father might have done during the war, it is a journey for her to discover that love is not always expressed as we wish it to be, but that it just might be there if we look long and hard enough.
|
| Sally B., San Antonio TX |
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
Rating: 4 Stars |
4.5 stars. Wow, what a story! You learn a lot about the Taliban and how they treated women and the recent history of Afghanistan. It's right up there with his first novel, THE KITE RUNNER.
|
| Sandy Greathouse (Muzzley56@aol.com) |
A Ticket to Ride by Paula McLain |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A great read; I liked the characters and the '70s era storyline.
|
| Crystal Adkins (adkinsc123@lycos.com) |
Falling Roses by Rosemarie Piemonte |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Lying in a hospital bed comatose for two months, fourteen-year-old Gabriella awakens to Johnny Ravolie by her side. Why would her favorite rock star be sitting right beside her in her hospital room? This is only the beginning of strange events yet to come.
Upon waking, Johnny and Gabriella only have a short time together. The last moment they share in that hospital room, Johnny professes his love to Gabriella. Before leaving with a retched woman, he promises to come back to Gabriella if she promises to wait for him. She must also promise to keep the secret of his love to herself so he is not locked up for her being underage.
When Johnny's psychotic ex-girlfriend starts threatening a pregnant Gabriella and even has a few successful kidnapping attempts, Johnny and Gabriella never give up hope that they will be together forever. Bernadette is cold and all-around wretched --- she tries to kill Gabriella every chance she gets. Will she ever succeed in burying her competition?
Johnny is not always innocent, as Gabriella soon finds out; he seems to be a ladies man. Constantly explaining himself to Gabriella, she begins to question his fidelity to her. One night, she grabbed a pizza and a few groceries to surprise Johnny; he's so surprised that he can barely pull his pants on... especially since there is another woman in bed with him.
Gabriella finds comfort in the arms of another man that night --- her friend J.J welcomes her with open arms. But this one night will be the mistake that will haunt her and may very well ruin what future Johnny and she may have together. What will Johnny say when he finds out the truth about his son Robbie?
Romance, love, mystery, drama, and a one-night stand are all compiled into this beautifully written book. Rosemarie Piemonte captures perfectly the feelings of a young girl in love who has experienced a very eventful young adult life. I had a hard time seeing the innocence of Gabrielle as she appeared much older than fourteen by her actions, but if you're in love you will go any where and do anything to be with the one you love. I fell in love with FALLEN ROSES. This is most definitely near the top of my favorites list.
If you are looking for a love story with a lot of kick, then this is the book for you. Ms. Piemonte is an exceptional storyteller. I could go on and on about this book; but I don't want to give too much away, you must read this for yourself. It rightfully earns 5 hearts and I am sure to be reading this one again!
|
| ShyEyes |
Black Rose by Nora Roberts |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This good story marks the end of a trilogy about a family being stalked by a ghost. It's a bit on the dark side for this romance author, but worth reading.
|
| Anna Robinson |
When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a moving story about a young girl who needs a new heart, and the person who can save her. It is about grief, personal loss, and friendship. A beautiful story.
|
| Billy Martin (bmartin@walmart.com) |
Across the High Lonesome by James McNay Brumfeld |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Do not let the cover on this one fool you, it is not a genre westerm. This is a slice-of-life story set in the high mountains of California. Great character and a great story --- think LONESOME DOVE with mules!
|
| Miriam |
M is for Malice by Sue Grafton |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This is part of a series of mysteries that involve a thirty-something female, independent private detective. I found this main character portrayed in a way that is endearing and engaging. From this perspective, readers are drawn to this character, her life, and her circle of friends. However I found the course of how this mystery unfolds to be a little bland, and the eventual resolution of the culprit(s) doesn't draw the reader into the mystery enough. Also, I found that some of the descriptive sections of homes and locales, etc. in the story were just overdone --- there was too much information that's not pertinent to the storyline at all.
|
| Judy O. |
The Burnt House by Faye Kellerman |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A small commuter plane crashes into an apartment building in Granada Hills, CA. When the wreckage is carefully sifted through for remains, there is no sign of flight attendant Rosanne Dresden. Her husband reports to authorities that she was on the doomed flight. Peter Decker is on the hunt to find out what really happened to her. This is a fabulous police procedural that kept me reading into the night. This is a great series, and Kellerman hasn't let us down in this one.
|
| Fran |
Broken For You by Stephanie Kallos |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A beautifully told story of two women who come together and find a surrogate family. I loved this book and would highly recommend it to all. The writer hooks the reader from the first page and suspends you until the last page. I read this book so quickly and was disappointed that it had to end.
|
| Susan |
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I am giving this book 4 stars, only because I have not finished it yet. This keeps your interest, but it is a hard subject to read. This book is about a high-school boy who can't take any more bullying, so he shoots up the school. This is hard to swallow because I have a 17-year-old son, and especially since the Va. Tech shooting just happened.
The book is not about the shooting, but how things can change in 19 minutes. Also, why do teachers stand around and let this happen way too often?
|
| Richard Bartels |
The Good German by Joseph Kanon |
Rating: 3 Stars |
The jacket blurb was better than the book. I got bored and didn't finish.
|
| Karen Barash |
The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a "not to be put down" legal thriller set in the world of privileged African American intelligentsia. I am so excited to have found this author.
|
| Coral Harrison |
What Do You Care What Other People Think? by Richard P. Feynman |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a series of articles that this man wrote. He was one of the men who helped with Atomic Bomb, then also helped with the space program. He is a very interesting writer and it is an enjoyable book.
|
| Tessa Bartels |
Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Mma Ramotswe says, "That is the important thing ... To feel happiness and then to remember it." That is exactly what these books deliver --- happiness.
|
| Nyla Thompson |
Winter of the White Seal by Marie Herbert |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Marooned on an Antarctic island for 16 months, Jonathan Horn had only "SCRUFF" to keep him company. Food and shelter are a must to keep alive. Someone to talk to and love makes all the difference between life and death.
|
| Cal-Gal (taylorspub@earthlink.net) |
The Haunting of Cambria by Richard Taylor |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This debut novel is not your typical horror story. It begins with the death of the main character's bride, Lily, on their wedding day. Theo Parker ("just Parker") must then make a new start in the very real small town of Cambria on the California Central Coast. The fictional bed & breakfast that was Lily's dream is now Theo's nightmare. Something is haunting the place, but who or what? His property manager, Eleanor, joins him in a terrifying exploration of things not only unseen, but unspoken. But the story isn't just horrific, no, it's also quite humorous. Theo is a man of wit. And if that's not enough, there's also love and sex. Oh yes ...sex! Be prepared to laugh out loud, look under your bed, and blush just a bit. I highly recommend THE HAUNTING OF CAMBRIA, which also mentions many of the actual locales in the seaside village where things go bump in the night!
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| Kim Kovacs (kkovacs@ix.netcom.com) |
The Terror by Dan Simmons |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I both loved and hated this book.
Dan Simmons has been a favorite author of mine ever since HYPERION, but I've often ended up having mixed reactions to his books. This one was no exception.
The author fictionalizes a true historical mystery: What happened to the members of the Franklin Expedition, British sailors who tried to find the Northwest Passage in 1845? The historical part of this works really, really well. It's so fascinating that the book is hard to put down.
What spoiled it somewhat was Simmons' inclusion of a monster that occasionally shows up throughout the novel and brutally kills crew members. At the very end of the novel, you can kind of see where Simmons was going with the monster and why it was included, but through 95% of the book, it just seemed totally unnecessary and distracting. The crew's struggle for survival was so terrible on its own that the monster seemed beside the point --- just one more thing to deal with.
I did read it in record time, found it well written and hard to put down, learned a lot from it. I will remember it for a long time, so I can't exactly say it was a bad book; though, I can't say it was a great book, either.
|
| Gale in Houston |
Killer Weekend by Ridley Pearson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Another good thriller from Ridley Pearson, KILLER WEEKEND introduces us to a new cast of characters --- including Sheriff Walt Fleming --- that we'll surely be seeing again.
|
| Monica |
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This story was fascinating. I didn't know much about Frank Lloyd Wright and didn't know anything about Mamah Cheney. Their story was extremely interesting. They certainly marched to the tune of a different drummer. I could not put this book down. The ending is shocking.
|
| Monica |
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is one of Picoult's best. The characters are unforgettable and the story is chilling and quite disturbing. I could not stop reading this book. Once finished, I continue to think about the characters. It is the story of a high-school shooting and the community the shooting affects. Very realistic!
|
| Monica |
Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a romantic comedy. It is laugh-out-loud funny at parts. The characters are a mix of people you would never expect to have relationships. A whole group of people come together to show what family is all about. I highly recommend this book.
|
| Ozarks Reader |
Widow's Walk by Marian Fontana |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Marian Fontana is the widow of Firefighter Dave Fontana, who was killed on 9/11. Her story is really gripping, and it is like being there. I was truly spellbound until about the last fourth of the book when Fontana seems to, at that point, begin to give complete details of her work helping other widows, etc. There was a lot more than I needed or wanted to know.
|
| AnnieH (annieh@centurytel.net) |
Lost Light by Michael Connelly |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I was hooked from the first chapter. It was hard to put down, and I just had to keep reading to see how things tied together. I loved the surprise at the end
|
| ck |
Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Who doesn't love the famous Renior painting of the charming scene with beautiful Aline holding the dog, and her friends gathered in conversation following an afternoon on the river? Susan Vreeland pulls us into the intensity with which the painter worked to complete this masterpiece. She also shares anecdotes about the Impressionist artists as she weaves a tale of what might have happened during the summer Sundays the friends gathered to eat and pose.Vreeland refers to other paintings, so I kept by my side Barbara Erlich White's "coffee table" Renior book that has lovely reproductions. I have enjoyed my mini art lesson.
|
| Dena |
Safe Harbor by Christine Feehan |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I love Christine's Drake Sisters series; I couldn't put this new book down and I can't wait for the next one. The main character, Hannah --- a model --- is horribly attacked by some crazed person who slices her up on live TV to the horror of her family. By the strengh of her family and Jonas, is she able to survive and find out who was behind the brutal attack?
|
| Debbie Wernert (MoM3g2b@aol.com) |
High Noon by Nora Roberts |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Once again, Ms Roberts delivers a cannot-put-down novel. I care about the characters, who are flawed and believable, and the mysterious stalker is scary. I highly recommend this book.
|
| Kim Kovacs (kkovacs@ix.netcom.com) |
Summer of Night by Dan Simmons |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A pretty good, fast-moving horror novel. I think the type of person who's read and enjoyed all of Stephen King's works (e.g. CHRISTINE, CUJO, BAG OF BONES) would enjoy this one.
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| Kim Kovacs (kkovacs@ix.netcom.com) |
Mount Dragon by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child |
Rating: 4 Stars |
MOUNT DRAGON is the second book by the authors of RELIC. This one focuses on the dangers of genetic engineering. It's a light, fast read with a bit of a moral. It's a good read if you're looking for something you can finish over a weekend.
|
| Nikki O'Brien |
Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Tis is my third book I've read by this author and it made me want to read more!
|
| Marianne |
The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings |
Rating: 5 Stars |
The narrator of this novel is fully believable --- a formerly "absentee" father forced to begin raising his two daughters, ages 10 & 17, because his wife/their mother is in a coma. He fumbles along, and some of the time his attempts are laugh-out-loud funny, while others are sincere; his actions and his daughters' responses are heartfelt. It is a beautifully written book about a father rethinking and reordering his priorities in life. Although the author is a woman, she truly captures the male point of view. Set in Hawaii, this is a winning debut.
|
| Susan |
Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I received this as an advanced copy from the publisher. It is a wonderful true story of one woman's vision to help Afghan women become self-reliant and help provide for their families after the Taliban. It's also interesting to see how she adapts to life over there.
|
| Susan |
Keeping the House by Ellen Baker |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a book I received as an advanced copy and I can't wait for it to come in paperback so that my book club can read it. The story line goes back and forth from the present to the past, about a house that has a lot of history around a family that lived in it. I can see this being made into a movie. The storyline pulls you in as to why this once beautiful house has been "abandoned" by the once well-to-do family that lived in it for over 50 years.
|
| Dena |
Desperate Duchesses by Eloisa James |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Eloisa is a professor so when she writes, she mixes fantasy with some historic reality that blends into a wonderful story. Her books also have a bit of humor. This book gave insight into some strange things they did in Georgian England that you couldn't imagine in that time.
|
| M. Blitz |
Size 14 is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A great sequel to SIZE 12 IS NOT FAT. It is about a "washed-up" teenage rock star who is no longer thin and in the public eye. She gets herself in the middle of trying to solve murders that occur at her work, a college residence hall --- not a dorm! This is a great light read.
|
| Phyllis |
Slummy Mummy by Fiona Neill |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This English chick lit novel is a witty look at unorganized motherhood.
|
| Lori S. (sunbug5505@yahoo.com) |
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The story of Judas Coyne, a "collector of the macabre," will make you think twice about wearing vintage clothes. When he sees an ad on the internet from someone selling their stepfather's ghost, he immediately bids and gets it. Of course, he gets more than he bargains for and the horror begins. Mr. Hill is not quite up to his father's caliber of writing (Steven King), but he is heading there. He shows the talent of a good storyteller. I am anxious to read his next novel.
|
| Crystal Blackburn |
Killing Floor by Lee Child |
Rating: 5 Stars |
It's the first Jack Reacher novel. It's great. I've read most of the others and wondered about the specifics of his brother Joe's death.
|
| Coral Harrison |
Key Lime Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A fun read with lots of good recipes. Hannah and Lisa have a cookie shop. At this time, a Fair is being held. There is a murder and they help solve it. A quick easy read.
|
| Crystal Blackburn |
Trouble in Paradise by Robert B. Parker |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Jesse Stone is the Police Chief in Paradise, MA, He is a wonderful, flawed character. A former LAPD cop who drank too much as his marriage went south, he finds redemption as the Chief in this town about forty-five mintes outside Boston. He doesn't say anymore than necessary but that trait really serves him well, especially in this particular story.
|
| L. Hann |
Small Town Girl by LaVyrle Spencer |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the first book I have read by LaVyrle Spencer. I was hooked from the first page. Whether or not you're from a small town, you can relate to the story. If you ever had a dream to be something and didn't want to believe you couldn't do it, this book is for you.
|
| Li Y |
Timeline by Michael Crichton |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A well-researched and well-written adventure. From the present to medieval France and back again, it's nonstop action with a good plot.
|
| Laurie Blum (laurieblum@hotmail.com) |
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This historical Fiction was a great story for me as I enjoy visiting Illinois cities, including Oak Park, to see unique architecture. The little-known love affair of Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney is an example of a talented yet narcissistic manipulative creative genius! Read it!
|
| DC |
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I really liked this somewhat depressing book about a very dysfunctional nomadic (read: homeless) family. I think the treatment of the children borders on abuse, but the author writes about her parents with some affection.
|
| Sandy Sizemore |
Abundance by Sara Jeter Naslund |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I have never felt much compassion for Marie Antoinette, but this book really tells the story in another way. Ms. Naslund has done a great deal of historical research and presents the young queen in a totally different way. This book was chosen by our book club and I was grateful to have the opportunity to read and discuss it.
|
| Sandra Sizemore |
Days without Number by Robert Goddard |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I have become a great fan of Robert Goddard's mysteries. Set in the UK, there is always a series of twists and turns which lead to a conclusion that is generally surprising. Though these books are sometimes difficult to find in the US, some are being printed in trade paperback. I have enjoyed every one I could find.
|
| Diane in Boxford |
Killer Instinct by Joseph Finder |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Another knock-it-out-of-the- park thriller by the author!
|
| Diane in Boxford |
Chiefs by Stuart Woods |
Rating: 5 Stars |
CHIEFS is one of the author's earliest works, and still, his best. It follows 3 generations and 30 years of police chiefs in a small southern town. One serial killer and much racial and political strife contribute to this very satisfying read.
|
| Diane in Boxford |
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Dark, but satisfying.
|
| Amy Baldwin (BaldwinScoping@gmail.com) |
Same Sweet Girls by Cassandra King |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A wonderful story of friendships that started in college and have lasted their lifetime. A must read that is witty, inspiring, and a real page-turner.
|
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
The Lottery by Patricia Wood |
Rating: 3 Stars |
An interesting story set in the state of Washington about a "slow", not retarded, man who wins a 12- million dollar state lottery. The story is told by him, very much like THE SOUND AND THE FURY, but not as complex. In the end, we find that money corrupts and that true character wins in the end.
|
| Lynne |
The Manny by Holly Peterson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This very lively story had everything you could want --- love, sex, children, careers, etc.It was well written.
|
| Linda (pinkheart4455@yahoo.com) |
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling |
Rating: 5 Stars |
OMG, I loved it. A fitting ending. I could not put it down.
|
| Summer Dove |
Dockside by Susan Wiggs |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Just to get lost in a page-turner summer read in these long days of langour...but, I'm also reading James Michael Pratt, to catch up on what Hallmark will put out February 14, 2008 --- all his books are romantic. Then, I'm reading Joyce Meyer, on how to enjoy everyday living. Go figure.
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| Alice (amcdonnell@mth.org) |
Body Double by Tess Gerritsen |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I needed a change of genre and picked this up. I enjoyed the forensics and the light mystery to the story. A good summer read.
|
| Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com) |
Truth or Dare by Jayne Ann Krentz |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A wonderful romantic suspense novel that is a real page-turner. Zoe Luce is an interior designer with a secret. The walls of buildings speak to her and she instantly knows if anything bad or negative has ever happened in a room. She is newly married to private investigator Ethan Truax, and they are trying to settle into their life together. But, someone is stalking Zoe and this person seems to know all of her secrets. It could possibly be the same person who is threatening her best friend, Arcadia, who has secrets of her own. I liked this book because it had several story lines that seemed to be going in different directions, but they all were interconnected, which ended with satisfactory results for everyone.
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| Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com) |
L is for Lawless by Sue Grafton |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I know these Alphabet books have been around for quite some time, but this is the first that I have ever read. I must say that I enjoyed immensely. I want to start with the letter A and work my way through these books! Kinsey Millhone is a wonderful character, full of charm and wit, who just can't seem to stay out of trouble! I loved this book and can't wait to read the entire series.
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| Ma Titwonky (matitwonky@gmail.com) |
After The Plague by T. C. Boyle |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a very well-written book of short stories with characters who stayed with me after I finished their individual tales. "The Black and White Sisters" gave me a chill down my spine as their story was revealed. "My Widow" brought a tear to my eye, as did "Rust." "The Love Of My Life" was tragic while "Going Down's" final line made me laugh out loud because it was so typical of someone I know.
I don't usually read short stories, but this collection is definitely a keeper!
|
| Jeanie |
The Rock Orchard by Paula Wall |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This story of the quirky Belle family of promiscuous women and their relationships within this small-town community was a really fun read!
|
| Paula |
Living in a Foreign Language by Michael Tucker |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Have you ever wanted to escape the rigors of everyday life and live in the Italian countryside? Both Michael Tuck and his wife, Jill Eikenberry (yes, from the popular television series "L.A. Law") have managed to do just that. Michael Tucker describes their experiences of buying a small cottage in the Umbrian Hills of Italy, thus beginning a new chapter in their lives. Just reading about the pizzas baked in thier three-hundred-fifty-year-old kitchen will make you feel like a welcome guest in their home.
|
| Marsha |
Loaded Dice by James Swain |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This book featuring Tony Valentine, who is adept at uncovering and idenitifying casino cheats, continues to inform us of the inside dealings of Las Vegas. It's full of scams, cons and witty dialogue.
|
| Jud H. |
Uther by Jack Whyte |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book is the next to last book in the Camulod Chronicles series by Whyte. He has done an incredible job with his rendition of the Arthurian legend, and this book proves it even more. UTHER focuses on Uther Pendragon, father of Arthur. It is, in many ways, a parellel novel to the first five and much of it will sound familiar to readers of the series. It starts with Uther's childhood, growing up beside his cousin Merlyn, and eventually becoming the leader of the Pendragon Federation.
Although it's not necessary to read this book as part of the overall series, it does elaborate on many plot points covered only briefly in the earlier works. I highly recommend it.
|
| Anta Nowak |
The Mermaid's Chair by Sue Monk |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This book was very good. It blended fairy tale and reality into a wonderful story about family, love, and hope into one very interesting read.
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| Rose Ann Miller (rmiller584@msn.com) |
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book was powerful. It helped me to understand and accept other people's feelings. Great.
|
| Zebeen A. Panju (zebeenpanju@shaw.ca) |
CHARMED and ENCHANTED by Nora Roberts |
Rating: 5 Stars |
These two novels are absolutely magical. The reader is taken into the world where magic exists and where anything is possible. You will literally be spirited into depths of love. You will ride the wave of erotica and you will be left breathless and in peaceful bliss.
|
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
The Miracle of Water by Masaru Emoto |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I got to know Masaru Emoto's work from the DVD What in the Bleep Do We know? After seeing the water crystal photos on the movie, I had to know more. Personally, I think this stuff is fascinating and have ordered more of his books.
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| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly |
Rating: 4 Stars |
It’s hard to believe Connelly can make a slime-ball defense attorney likable, but he did. I’m not sure if I would have stayed with the book if it hadn’t been listening to the audio version, though. It was the content, not the writing style, that kept me reading.
|
| Lori Barnes (saveypiratecat@yahoo.com) |
Swimming Lessons by Mary Alice Monroe |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I wish i could give this book a 6. I learned so much about the loggerhead Turtles. I felt like early on in the story, I was taken away to this place in South Carolina, I could visualize the scene, and that I knew the people. I had always wanted to be a volunteer at a turtle hospital, so I was really involved in this story.
You will come away from this book learning many things, not just about turtles, but about life and love between friends and family. For me, personally, it made me appreciate the memories I have with my children. I had never read anything from this author and I am ordering several of her books because I can't find them in stores. She has a prior book to this, THE BEACH HOUSE, which I'm reading now!! If you are a new reader, this will encourage you to keep reading. For seasoned readers, you will find your answer to why you continue to read, for books like this.
|
| Joel |
The Messenger by Daniel Silva |
Rating: 5 Stars |
There are thrills and unbelievable action throughout this novel. We are once more treated to the unique Gabriel Allon and his brave escapades.
|
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
The Watchman by Robert Crais |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a first-time author for me and wow --- what an action-packed ride. Though he's an odd one, I am totally in love with Joe Pike. I hope to see another novel with him as the lead character.
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| Lori Barnes (photoquest@bellsouth.net) |
Careful What You Wish For by Lucy Finn |
Rating: 3 Stars |
It's about a girl named Ravine, who finds a bottle in a diaper genie box and out comes a genie. She gets her 3 wishes. It's an okay book but I found myself skipping paragraphs just to get to the end. I wish I had read a review before i bought this book, but it happens to the best of us.
|
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
Digging to America by Anne Tyler |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I think I was a bit misled about the book's plot. I thought it was going to be about 2 families who adopt Korean girls, and how they adapt to life with their new families in America. The focus is actually on the families, but I was surprised the protagonist is one of the grandmothers. It still made for a good book.
I have read several other Tyler books and I get the impression that Anne enjoys researching various cultures. In this one, you get a little bit of Korean culture, as well as a good bit of Iranian. One of Anne’s other books, THE AMATEUR MARRIAGE, is about a Polish family.
This book seems to revolve around all the parties these 2 families have, especially the ones to celebrate the anniversary of the girls' arrival, which seemed a bit anomalous. There were some definite flaws in this book, compared to others I have read. It tended to drag a little in certain areas, and there were other parts of the book I didn’t think were relevant to the main plot. I did think the ending was a perfect way to come full circle, however. It's not one of my favorites, but I would still recommend it.
|
| Patricia Plishka |
Five Skies by Ron Carlson |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a quiet story. If you're looking for a big bang there isn't any. It's about 3 damaged men, Arthurm, Darwin, and Ronnie. One lost his wife, one lost his brother, and one lost his character. They all come together when they join forces to build a motorcycle stunt ramp in the mountains of Idaho. Going about their jobs, each man befriends the other to heal the wounds they suffer. I loved this book because it was so...quiet. I think that is just what th author intended. This is not a book just for men, although I think they will relate well to it; but rather it's a book for everybody who wonders how you overcome tragedy.
|
| Sandy |
Flying Changes by Sara Gruen |
Rating: 5 Stars |
When I read ATER FOR ELEPHANTS I knew I had to get every other book by this author. Now, I find out that I read FLYING CHANGES when I should have started with RIDING LESSONS.
So, don't make that mistake. I enjoyed every word of FLYING CHANGES and hope that I haven't ruined RIDING LESSONS for myelf.
|
| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
The Overlook by Michael Connelly |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A Harry Bosch/Rachel Walling mystery set in Los Angeles --- what a treat! In this story, Harry and Rachel are just friends in a dead heat to find an explosive substance that the FBI believes is in the hands of terrorists. This is a fun journey along the way, but as usual, love and greed are the root of all killings.
|
| Thomas (tomjac0850@charter.net) |
Lombardi and Me by Paul Hornung |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This book is a collection of stories and recollections of Coach Vince Lombardi by people who knew him best, particularly former players with the Green Bay Packers. It's a light, fairly enjoyable read, though some of the comments get repetitive, as several of the players and coaches have virtually the same things to say about the man. There is no doubt that he was one of the greatest, if not THE greatest coach in pro football.
|
| Judy O. |
The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This was a wonderful book about a young girl in 17th-century Persia. She has great talent as a Persian rug designer and maker, and there was much fascinating information about this art woven into the story of this girl and her desires for love and success.
|
| Heather Johnson (sharingmystory@yahoo.com) |
North River by Pete Hamill |
Rating: 4 Stars |
In 1930s New York, a doctor deals with his own past while caring for his patients. Then, his sterile life is reawakened by the arrival of his two-year-old grandson and the woman he brings in to care for the child. This book has gangsters, the Depression, Tammany Hall, and all the harsh and endearing realities of New York. I loved it.
|
| Fran |
Not Without My Daughter by Betty Mahmoody |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A harrowing account of one woman's experiences as a hostage in Iran. This chilling book kept me up at night turning the pages! I saw this movie I long time ago, but the book is soo much better.
|
| Annie |
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a first-rate mystery. Meyer Landsman, detective, searches for the killer of a young man murdered in his apartment building. But, in addition, the story is set in an alternative world where the Jews have been resettled in Alaska after the Israeli state was destroyed. Add to that Chabon's humorous and wonderful writing style, and you have a book that's a delight to read.
|
| Joan (Ont) |
Heathen Girls by Luanne Jones |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is the story of 3 cousins growing up in rural Arkansas. Life gets complicated when one steals the other's fiance and runs away. Years later when the cousins are all middle aged, they reunite at the family home, and the past is revealed as it happened, not as they remembered it to be.
|
| Joan |
Plum Island by Nelson DeMille |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is the second DeMille book I have read and I love it! John Corey has a strange sense of humor. This is about the murder of two scientists who worked at Plum Island. Why were they killed? Was it drugs, or did they steal something from the secretive island?
|
| Amy |
The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly |
Rating: 5 Stars |
The best Michael Connelly book I've ever read. I like his Harry Bosch series, but this has so much more depth and suspense to it than most of the others. It's about a lawyer who works out of his Lincoln, and whose values are not a big concern for him. Throughout this great book, we see such a smart plot and such a change in the character. I think most Connelly fans will agree that it's a cut above his usual fare.
|
| Crystal Adkins (adkinsc123@lycos.com) |
Damages by Bazhe |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Bazhe's autobiography will truly touch your heart.
Bazhe was tormented from a very young age by his family and friends.
He was also on the search for his biological parents, and was having no luck at all finding them.These actions would later in life mold him into the man he is today. Bazhe's whole life changed when he received the news that his father passed away.
Bazhe knew he must come to Macedonia to mourn for his father so he or "Mother" would not be ridiculed. While staying at home, Bazhe realized there was something wrong with his mother. Finally convincing her to go to the doctor, she was diagnosed with cancer.
Bazhe stayed by her side almost the entire time of her illness; helping her in any way he could.
He finally got a lead on his biological mother from an old college friend. When he tracked Mila down, she expressed how badly she did not want to give Bazhe up but was so young at the time she was raped by his father, she didn't have any other choice. Bazhe wants the truth about his father, but Mila will not speak of him. He even invited her stay in his parents' home when she came to visit.
Bazhe felt he lived in two different worlds with two very different mothers. He would take care of Kostadina, and as soon as she fell asleep from the medications, he would go to Mila and tell her the story of his life. Recounting the horrors as well as the nice parts of growing up, Bazhe shares in great detail his first gay experience, first love, and first drag experience with Mila, wanting her to know him for who he really was. He could never tell these things to his mother Kostadina.
As time progressed, Mila had to return home to her husband and two sons. She called to check on Bazhe quite often; sometimes he would answer the phone, and other times not. The cancer had began to eat at his mother's body rapidly. In the few months he was back in America taking his citizenship exam, her condition worsened. When Bazhe returned to Macedonia to be with his mother once again, it would be the last time he saw her alive.
Bazhe has written the heart-wrenching story of his life in this book. I was amazed at all he had to endure during his youth and adulthood. Bazhe may have been damaged both on the outside and in his heart, but never once was his spirit broken. This story is shocking and so full of love. You must pick up a copy of this book and get to know Bazhe, because he sounds like such a wonderful man with so much love in his heart.
This autobiography deserves 5 hearts. I wish I could meet Bazhe in person; the first thing I would do is give him a huge hug for being such a wonderful son to his mother, and for doing what he wanted to do in life, despite what others wanted him to do.
|
| Priscilla Escajeda |
Retribution by Jilliane Hoffman |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This book grabs your interest immediately. It is a really good psychological thriller!
|
| Miss Dee |
Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Having seen this amazing painting at the Philips Collection, it is most interesting to read about how it all took place. It is ironic that the painting is now priceless, and yet the painter suffered in poverty while painting it. The painting is worth a special trip to the museum and the book is a definite plus in introducing many to this famous work of art.
|
| Marjorie Clark (marjclark@comcast.net) |
The Quickie by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Just finished this lastest installment by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge, and as always, it's a fast-paced action-packed winner.
|
| Chris Novinger (cnovinger@equalhealth.com) |
The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Anyone form anwhere can accomplish anything. Poitier reminds us of this as he tells of how he was born into poverty, yet became a Hollywood star.
|
| Karen Mac |
The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book made me laugh right out loud and cry as well. Hood takes her own experience of losing a child and ties it into believable fiction. THE KNITTING CIRCLE is a poignant story of love, loss, and friendship. I loved it!
|
| Priscilla Escajeda |
Dragon Bones by Lisa See |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This novel is not as good as SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN but it is a pretty good murder-mystery read.
|
| Angelina M. |
Grendel by John Gardner |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book is a real page turner; the kind of book you just can't put down 'til you're done. It is funny, original, and poignant. You will love it. Enjoy...
|
| Crystal Adkins (adkinsc123@lycos.com) |
Precedent Of Justice by Patrick R. Raley |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Suspense, mystery, a touch of romance, and a whole lot of murder and secrets are what this story is all about.
When the wealthy Lafleur couple's murder was committed, Detective Charlie Peppers's life and career drastically change. He is put on the case to find the murderer and the motive. It seems a lot of people have financial or business ties to the Lafleurs; but who would go so far as to murder them in cold blood?
Nancy Raults, a reporter for the Times, wants this brutal story more than anyone. It is a good thing she has an informant that supplies her with the information she would need to find the Lafleur home. After throwing up dinner on the Lead Detective's shoes upon seeing the bodies, Nancy has no idea how close they would become later down the road. It could possibly cost them both of their hard-earned careers.
An obviously guilty man knows which strings to pull and favors to call in when he is arrested and tried for murdering the Lafleurs. When the murder weapon, along with the other evidence, comes up missing, Mr. Dizorno is proven innocent, and the crap hits the fan. All the secrets that the guilty parties were harboring would soon leak out.
With the help of someone Charlie trusted most, the murderer is brought to justice. The sad thing is that the murderer is actually guilty of the first crime committed but innocent in the second accusation for another murder. How, you ask? It is jaw dropping and heart pounding when the truth finally comes out.
Mr. Raley had my full attention from the very start. This story should be made into a movie; it would be tops on the box-office charts for sure. Great detail and believable events prove that Mr. Raley has the skilled hands of a talented writer. When I got to the very last chapter of this book, my jaw literally dropped --- a surprise ending caught me completely off guard. This is a 5 heart review all the way! Mystery/Suspense lovers out there need to add a copy of PRECEDENT OF JUSTICE to your library.
|
| Michele Rioli |
Prime Time by Hank Phillipi Ryan |
Rating: 5 Stars |
What do a missing man, a cryptic E-mail, and a female television reporter have in common? It is Charlie McNally's big story of the year at Channel 3 news. There is plenty of suspense and action as Charlie's investigation introduces her to a variety of shady characters along with a devastatingly handsome professor, Josh Gelston. One thing bothers her, Josh is very eager to help her out in her research. Should Charlie trust him? Hank Phillippi Ryan is a clever writer who delivers a smartly paced story of a television reporter who uncovers a web of deception and fraud. Ryan also provides wonderful insight into the world of television reporters. Charlie McNally is an amazing woman who is resourceful and irresistible. I admire her dedication to her job. She unwittingly puts herself in danger while uncovering a ground-breaking story. Charlie's investigation leads her to an irresistible, sexy professor who sets her heart racing every time she sees him. There is a high level of suspense woven into the relationship between Charlie and Josh. It was fun trying to figure out if he is a good guy or not. PRIME TIME is a riveting tale filled with unforgettable characters, smart dialogue, suspense, and a story line that delivers a surprise ending. I recommend having your favorite drink nearby because you won't be able to put this sensational book down!
|
| Gina |
Ted Hughes: The Life of a Poet by Elaine Feinstein |
Rating: 3 Stars |
An Interesting biography on the husband of Sylvia Plath. I found his rationalization, his adulterous affairs and his feelings about Sylvia bring a new dimension to
their story. Hughes was a poet and his works are used to illustrate events and emotions before and after Sylvia's suicide.
|
| Chrislin Payne (chrislinpayne@yahoo.com) |
Slipknot by Linda Greenlaw |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The book starts off with a dead body showing up within the first few pages. The story unfolds from this point, going both forward and backward in time. I like the shocker moments. Now what is she going to do? I like that the investigator is cheap, noisy, but not without a sense of humor.I gave the book a 4 because I am not finished with it yet, and I am a "Michigan hold-back-til-the-end" kind of girl. I would like to see her write a book with the Great Lakes in it. I live in Coast Guard city, Grand Haven. Great book!
|
| Michelle |
The Sleeping Doll by Jeffery Deaver |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Jeffery Deaver introduces a new main character who depends on gut instincts to solve crimes. The book is about her search for a "son of Manson" cult leader who has escaped from prison.
|
| Michelle Herzing |
Pieces of My Sister's Life by Elizabeth Joy Arnold |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The story of identical twin sisters' strained relationship and their reunion 13 years later. A first novel that fans of Jodi Picoult or similar authors will enjoy.
|
| Chris Novinger (cnovinger@equalhealth.com) |
Death by Black Hole by Neil deGrasse Tyson |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Try to wrap you brain around Tyson's grasp of astrophysics, and hang on as he explores the infinite universe. It's hard to read an author of his intellegence but I got through it.
|
| Karen Mac |
The House on Hope Street by Danielle Steel |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I read this book in a day. It had me crying thoughout the entire story, and it restored my faith in strong women. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
|
| Michele Rioli |
Whose Number is up Anyway? by Stevi Mittman |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Stevi is a talented writer whose book is a laugh-a-minute, suspense novel with a touch of romance added in. She delivers another fresh story, aboundant with sharp dialogue and crazy characters. The story is smartly paced as the heroine, Teddi, stubbornly tries to prove a man from the bowling league in her town was murdered. She finds his body in the freezer behind the meat counter at the strip mall grocery store. She slowly unravels clues while dealing with decorating deadlines, the angst of a thirteen- year-old daughter, her ex-husband who is not so handy, a busybody mother, and the sexy-as-sin cop, Drew Scoones, who would just love to have Teddi as his own. The passionate scenes between Teddi and Drew were so steamy that I had to cool off with several glasses of iced tea. The emotion that Mittman puts into the scenes between Teddi and her kids tugged at my heart as she battles time issues spent with them and her job. This was a humdinger of a story with a lot of heart!
|
| Gale in Houston |
Dead Connection by Alafair Burke |
Rating: 4 Stars |
NY Police Detective Ellie Hatcher investigates her first homicide, a case linked to a computer-dating service. Along the way, she faces departmental pressure, media exposure, trust issues with her new partner, and too many reminders of the serial killer who cost her police-officer father his life. This is a good story, with crisp characters. Let's hope Burke brings Hatcher back.
|
| Gale in Houston |
The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Burke's books are to be treasured. His words flow in a uniquely emotive style and this book --- set in southern Louisiana during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina --- is particularly moving. Filled with Burke's usual strong characters admist unusual circumstances, this is among his best.
|
| Wendy Catalano |
The Woods by Harlan Coben |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Probably his best yet! I couldn't put this book down!
|
| Wendy Catalano |
The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A interesting read about an American woman who travels through Africa with a camel bookmobile. The story focuses on the lives of the people in one tribe.
|
| s.d.benjamin |
The Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A village in Paris can be the only setting for the follow-up book to Joanne Harris’ earlier success, CHOCOLAT. Vianne is now somewhat subdued by the fear that the secrets of her past will bring harm to her daughters. A strange and charming stranger brings passion back to Vianne’s life through the powers of magic and chocolate, but is she the friend they think she is?
|
| Carolyn Waring |
Twenty-Seven Bones by Jonathan Nasaw |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A suspense/thriller novel featuring former detective Pender, a somewhat sensitive and eccentric mess. Gotta love him!
|
| J.P. Feingold |
Company Man by Joseph Finder |
Rating: 2 Stars |
I didn't like the characters, the plot, the setting, or the predictable ending, but he does write well.
|
| Bonnie |
The Portable Curmudgeon Redux by Jon Winokur, editor |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I just reread this and it's as great as ever. "More than 1,000 wry and irreverent quotations, anecdotes and interviews from a distinguished array of cantankerous commentators and incorrigible misanthropes." Included are essays and quotes from people like Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, Groucho Marx, Bette Midler and Carrie Fisher --- an eclectic, hysterical group.
|
| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
Shadow Man by Cody McFadyen |
Rating: 3 Stars |
This was well written, but just a bit too brutal for my taste.
|
| Rita B. |
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I truly love these books! I particularly loved this one because it includes a lot of "magical" details.
|
| Rita B. |
The Hindi-Bindi Club by Monica Pradhan |
Rating: 4 Stars |
An Indian version of THE JOY LUCK CLUB. It was perhaps not an original idea, but it was still very good.
|
| Carolyn Waring |
Talk Talk by T.C. Boyle |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A great novel about identity theft, full of thrills and suspense. It works on many levels --- personal inner identity, identity to the world, identity as employee and child.
|
| Judy (AZ) |
Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Gabriel Blackstone is an information thief and a "remote viewer"--- someone who can enter another's mind. His ex-girlfriend, who once was into the remote viewing herself, asks him to look into the disappearance of her stepson. Believing the stepson to have been killed, Gabriel starts investigating the enigmatic, seductive, beautiful Monk sisters. What ensues is a world of alchemy, memory, seduction, and thrill-seeking. Sucked into that world, Gabriel is enjoying the ride while realizing one of these woman might just be a murderess. Is it the one he's drawn to? A fast-paced, intriguing novel.
|
| Thomas (tomjac0850@charter.net) |
The Overlook by Michael Connelly |
Rating: 5 Stars |
The murder of an oncologist leads to the discovery that a large amount of radioactive cesium has been stolen from a hospital. There is enough to possibly build a dirty bomb, and terrorists appear to be at work. Detective Harry Bosch finds himself working again with the FBI as well as Homeland Security, with the usual friction. There are some surprising twists and turns in this excellent book.
|
| Carolyn Waring (carolynwaring@comcast.net) |
Paranoia by Joseph Finder |
Rating: 5 Stars |
The best suspense/thriller I've read in years. It focuses on intellectual property/high tech. It also has wonderfully defined characters and an incredible 11th-hour plot twist. Finder did amazing amount of research on security and secrecy in the tech world.
|
| Tia Laws (tialaws@tds.net) |
The Bay at Midnight by Diane Chamberlain |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A great book (like all of Ms. Chamberlain's books) that deals with the aftermath of the loss of a child, and how it affects two families thirty years down the line. It seems like an open-and-shut case of murder-assault, but...did the wrong person go to prison for the crime?
This is the type of book that you can't put down, and it kept me guessing until the last few pages. I also liked how she wrote flashbacks for the characters to get a feel of what they were thinking, back during the timeframe of that fateful summer of 1962.
|
| Nicky |
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Hosseini is a wonderful writer. His prose is lyrical. I read this book in three days --- the story was so gripping I couldn't put it down. In horror there is still beauty.
|
| Liza |
Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer |
Rating: 4 Stars |
In 1992, a 22-year-old man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by some moose hunters. This is the story of his journey, pieced together from diaries found with his body and interviews with people who knew him. It's a facinating, though troubling, story of idealism, fantasy and the dark side of the wilderness experience. I am anxiously awaiting the film, directed by Sean Penn, to be released.
|
| Kim Numedahl |
High Noon by Nora Roberts |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I've love her books, but this one is great! She has included several real-life examples in these characters and made it seem possible to put yourself in their shoes. Love it!!!
|
| Kim Numedahl |
Women in Red by Eileen Goudge |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is only the second novel I've read by her, but it won't be the last! This really touched me as the book of the summer. I've read some short romances, but this novel took me by surpise and made me see that we make choices in life regardless of the outcome, and love is always a major part of it!!
I recommend this to everyone who has ever made a sacrifice in his/her life to see those commitments through. A great read!
|
| Lori (tuatara@sbcglobal.net) |
On Night's Shore by Randall Silvis |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Billed on the cover as "a haunting novel in the tradition of THE ALIENIST," I expected a dense historical tale that would immerse me in the sound and the fury (not to mention the smells) of 19th century New York City. Silvis achieved all this and did one better --- the main character is an orphaned street kid named Augie who falls in with a journalist named E.A. Poe. Yes, that Poe.
Augie spends his days hustling newly-arrived immigrants on the wharf. It's a raucous, exciting, sometimes dangerous life for a smart ten-year-old kid in this raw city on the water. The streets are filled with vendors, workmen, sewage, and all manner of shady characters, yet the whole place seems jarringly rural as well. Just steps from town are dirt tracks and overgrown places still wild with life. 1840s Manhattan was less the world capital it is today and much more a rough, gangling frontier town.
After witnessing a girl throw her baby from a window into the river, Augie pedals his eyewitness account into a handful of change and an interview with a melancholy fellow who makes his threadbare living selling articles to the paper. Poe, through this boy's eyes, is the loving husband and principled hero that contemporary readers have probably never met. But he's also vilified by other literary giants in the city --- witness the tobacco shop scene featuring James Fennimore Cooper and Washington Irving --- and frequently troubled by doubts about his own abilities. The language is just as elaborate and formal as Poe's stories. It's a delight to trip over words like 'perspicacity' and 'impugning' while savoring the pungent imagery evoked by Augie's own words.
|
| Barbara Semeraro |
Captive Passions by Fern Michaels |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I just started to read CAPTIVE PASSIONS, the first installment in a 4-book historical series. The story starts in Spain in the 1800s. The main character, Sirena Cordez, suffers unbelievable hardships and manages "payback" to all who have wronged her. Sirena is way ahead of her time, and the story is exciting, although a little over the top; but, it is fiction, after all. I have already started on the second book of the series, and can't wait to complete all four books.
|
| Jeremiah F. Bulger (jbulger@cox.net) |
The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A riviting story as only Burke could create, using words as paint on a canvas. It grabs you and doesn't let go.
|
| NMC |
Killing Floor by Lee Child |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I'd read reviews of BAD LUCK & TROUBLE, but hate jumping into a series midway, so I went back to the beginning. It was very enjoyable, a perfect vacation read!
|
| Coral Harrison |
Too Late to Say Goodbye by Ann Rule |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Another true story of murder and deceit. Rule covers the life of the victims and the murderer. She does this very factually and fully. It is easy to read.
|
| Kathy Boucher |
The Gift of Fear by Gavin deBecker |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a book that should be read by every female, no matter the age! It's a real eye opener as to the dangers that exist, but simple explanations on how to handle them. DeBecker offers ways to protect yourself and others, not to cause fear, but to face the facts! He teaches us how to spot "danger signals" and how to handle them. I've given this book to my granddaughters and my sister.
|
| Mary Q. (qmquack@aol.com) |
The Department of Lost and Found by Allison Winn Scotch |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the perfect light summer read with more depth than typical "chick lit" sometimes has. Loved it!
|
| Nicky |
Dirty Blonde by Lisa Scottoline |
Rating: 3 Stars |
I took this with me on vacation, and it was good airplane reading.
|
| Suzanne Knapp |
Where the Blind Horse Sings by Kathy Stevens and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A wonderful read!! Even though I needed a Kleenex now and again. This is a true story of a woman who loves animals and sets up an animal rescue in the Catskills, the Catskill Animal Sanctuary. I laughed and cried and then ordered some organic coffee from a coffee roaster who supports her efforts.
|
| D.L. Stewart (writedoctor@bright.net) |
The Good Guy by Dean R. Koontz |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Another 'A" typical work, Koontz has found a niche that I hope he continues. If you liked THE HUSBAND, you'll love THE GOOD GUY.
|
| Kellie (acountkel@bellsouth.net) |
Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A neighborhood Mom, Kitty, is murdered and found by Kate, who decides to figure out “whodunnit” on her own. This type of book is different from the other two I have read by this author. I loved GOOD IN BED and IN HER SHOES. This one combined chick-lit and murder mystery all in one. There were things I loved about this book. Weiner has a great sense of humor and her wit runs rampant through the pages. I liked the character, Evan, and the storyline involving him. Weiner did a great job weaving the history of the relationship between Evan and Kate throughout the book. (This might have been the best part of the book.) And, of course, I can relate to the trials and tribulations of being a mom raising young kids. This wasn’t my favorite book by Weiner, but I still really enjoyed it.
|
| L. Hann |
The Fourtune Teller's Daughter by Susan Wilson |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Sabine has her mother's gift of reading people. When she moves to a small town, the use of her gift is called upon from a couple who believes their house is haunted. What she discovers along the way will surprise you. What other secrets does this small town hold that people just don't want to talk about? A great read!
|
| L. Hann |
God Allows U-Turns American Moments by Allison Gappa Bottke |
Rating: 4 Stars |
We have lived through some tragic events that have impacted our lives. This book will share stories of some of these events and the strength that you have to get through them.
|
| Coral Harrison |
Peony in Love by Lisa Lee |
Rating: 2 Stars |
Most reviews of this book were positive, but I didn't like it. I did enjoy the historical parts, but didn't like where they have dead people talk to live persons. If the main character had opened her eyes, she would have had the wonderful life she wanted.
|
| Phyllis |
The Buenos Aires Broken Hearts Club by Jessica Morrison |
Rating: 3 Stars |
I really enjoyed the first half, but then it started to drag and became very predictable.
|
| Merrilee (map5402@aol.com) |
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows by J. K. Rowling |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Best book of the series.
|
| Ann |
Forgive Me by Amanda Eyre Ward |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I'm not quite finished with this yet, (I may end up giving it 5 stars). So far, I am loving it. It's a story about an adventurous, "no ties" female journalist who thrives on danger, death, and tragedies around the world.
|
| Candy |
Simply Magic by Mary Balough |
Rating: 5 Stars |
SIMPLY MAGIC has wonderful characters and is a great addition to this series.
|
| Ann |
Gentlemen & Players by Joanne Harris |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I haven't really liked her previous books, but this one was fantastic. It's a rather dark story about an 11-year-old child of the porter/groundskeeper for an exclusive boys school. Always feeling "invisible," the child gets revenge. There were many twists and turns, I couldn't put it down.
|
| Ann |
If I A Missing or Dead by Janine Latus |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A memoir of two sisters growing up abused, then picking the wrong men. This is a fascinating, well written saga of how this can happen to "normal" people.
|
| Ann |
Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brasheres |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Good beach book, but this supposed-adult book should be put on the young adult shelf.
|
| Ann |
The Remainder by Tom McCarthy |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Very unusual book. A man is brain damaged in an accident, wins a very large settlement, and uses it to build his fantasies.
|
| Laurie Blum (laurieblum@hotmail.com) |
The Russian Concubine by kate furnivall |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This novel brings to life the war-torn China of the 1920s, during which an exiled Russian girl and a Chinese Communist boy find love. This was a great combination of historical fiction and family saga.
|
| Gloria |
Law of Attraction by Michael Losier |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is a good book to help you work on having positive energy, and it shows you how to attract good things in your life. I would recommend it as it is interesting.
|
| Vikki (vikkivand@aol.com) |
The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella |
Rating: 3 Stars |
The story dragged at times and I had difficulty liking the characters. Livia (an Italian peasant/cook) always seemed to talk to James like he was a total dope. This seemed to be the recurring theme througout the book and I really got tired of their banter.
|
| Jane (janebeatty92083@hotmail.com) |
Someone To Love by Jude Deveraux |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a very good book. Jude is a natural born storyteller and the books keep you on the edge of your seat.
|
| Marie Burton |
Tripwire by Lee Child |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book is one of the best in the Jack Reacher series. Lee Child creates his characters believably and always has me looking forward to the next page. In this well-written book, Reacher is investigating an MIA from Nam. This is a thriller that really surprises you at the end.
|
| Marsha |
The Suspect by John Lescroart |
Rating: 3 Stars |
Most of Lescroart's books feature Dismas Hardy, an attorney. Gina, an associate, is the star of this novel and it is rather heavy on courtroom procedure and less exciting that his usual efforts.
|
| Liz |
The Quickie by James Patterson |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This was a great read. Just when you think you have things figured out, there are more twists and turns. This is one of his better later books.
|
| Claire from Royal Oak, MI |
The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Dave fights his own devils while he chases bad guys in New Orleans and New Iberia. Robicheau is up to solving the usual murders, but the description of New Orleans and southern Louisiana after Katrina and Rita are so compelling that they really make you relive the tragedy. You get so angry and frustrated to realize our government is not living up to its promises to American citizens, and it neglected to maintain the area before the storms. Every politician in D.C. should be forced to read THE TIN ROOF BLOWDOWN and then give the area as much money and help as they are spending in Iraq. Mr. Burke surpassed his ability to stir you up in this book as you feel every bit as though you have been through this with the people.
|
| Mary A |
The Blue Zone by Andrew Gross |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I read this book because Lee Child reviewed it on the flap. I wasn't disappointed. It's a story about family, trust and the Witness Protection Program. I couldn't put it down.
|
| JaneAnn Railey |
The Backup Plan by Sherryl Woods |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This is first of trilogy. I'm almost done with it, but it's good. I've just fallen in love with her books, and now I'm always looking for them. This is about a woman news reoporter over in Afganiatan and she is in the middle of the worst. A man dear to her is blown up in a car bomb, and he gave his life to give her a chance to escape. Now she's at home and everyone is worried. They know something isn't right and she just isn't herself.
|
| Mary M |
New England White by Stephen L. Carter |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Fantastic book. I did not want it to end. I loved THE EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK and this was even better. It is long, but I enjoyed every page.
|
| Tessa Bartels |
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A classic psychological thriller. I loved it when I read it in high school (30+ years ago), and I loved it when I read it again this month. I was completely captivated by the drama (even though I, obviously, knew what would happen).
|
| Tessa Bartels |
The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club by Laurie Notaro |
Rating: 1 Stars |
I did not find these essays on the single dating life particularly funny --- there was too much focus on drunkeness. I didn't finish the book.
|
| Lela Fox (bubbysgammaw@peoplepc.com) |
Sister Betty! God's Calling You Again! by Pat G'orge-Walkeer |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is one of the funniest books I have read in a long time. It is about a religious group of people who all go to the Ain't Nobody Else Right But Us --- All Others Goin To Hell Church. It seems Aunt Betty got a call from God in 1983. Now she's sure she did and no one can tell her different! This is a black community that puts God first, but knows everybody else's business.
2 children are beng raised by Ma Cile because their mothers decided it would be a good idea for "Grammaw"to raise them. All have colorful names like Deacon Laid Handz, Sister Carrie Onn, Rev. Not Enuff Money, SIster Connie Fuse, and man-hungry spinster, Carrie On. I would recommend this to anyone.
|
| Bernice Spier |
Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I love her stories about people who are connected by time and space.
|
| Annie H (annieh@centurytel.net) |
Dirty Work by Stuart Woods |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the first book I've read by Woods, and was hooked by the first chapter. It's fast paced, hard to put down, and full of surprises. I'll certainly be reading more by Woods.
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| Linda Shaffer (Lmsclowns@comcast.net) |
Lottery by Patricia Wood |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a wonderful, very funny, sweet, can't-put-down book! I read it in two days. It's about a guy who wins millions. Everyone says he's "slow", but he's a lot smarter than everyone gives him credit for.
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| Dusty Johnson (bjohnson-att@comcast.net) |
Honeymoon by James Patterson and Howard Roughan |
Rating: 5 Stars |
A great book, written by a great author, and a great read by the pool or beach. What more can I say?
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| J. Kaye Oldner (jkayeoldner@yahoo.com) |
One for the Money by Janet Evanovich |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I could just kick myself for waiting so long to read this series. The characters are refreshing, as well as lovable. It’s a must read!
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| Candy |
Vanished by Karen Robards |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book kept me on the edge of my seat, with tears in my eyes. A great read.
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| Candy |
Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Easily the best book I have read this year, JULIA'S CHOCOLATES is heart rending and joyous at the same time. I was sad when it ended because I truly enjoyed spending time with the characters.
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| Mary Jacobs (mljacobsinhb@msn.com) |
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I am happy to say that this book did not disappoint. The ending was perfect and this book tied up a lot of questions I had with previous plot lines.
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| Mary Jacobs (mljacobsinhb@msn.com) |
Anne Boleyn by Joanna Denny |
Rating: 4 Stars |
In ANNE BOLEYN: A New Life of England's Tragic Queen, Joanna Denny makes the very interesting arguement that Anne Boleyn had bad PR, which makes a lot of sense. There were too many footnotes though, but I guess it is necessary for the historical facts.
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| Julie Towson |
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Wonderfully written novel about the memories of a ninety-year-old man's years in the circus during the Depression.
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| Debbie (delphimo@yahoo.com) |
Thunder Bay by William Kent Krueger |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I enjoyed this glimpse of Minnesota and Canada and the Indian culture of each area. It's also a great story of love --- the source of everything --- and how money can corrupt. The book also conveys a sense of loss and longing.
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| Cathy M. |
All Jacked Up by Penny McCall |
Rating: 5 Stars |
The perfect combo of humor, suspense and romance.
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| Mary Jacobs (mljacobsinhb@msn.com) |
The Littlest Hitler - Stories by Ryan Boudinot |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Awesome collection of short stories with very strange twists on common everyday happenings.
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| cathy M |
Tag, You're It! by Penny McCall |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the second book in a series and I really enjoy Penny's humor. A great addition for any romance/suspense lovers out there.
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| Cathy M |
Safe Harbor by Christine Feehan |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Another great addition to the Drake Sisters storyline.
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| Carole (leonebear@aol.com) |
Through The Children's Gate by Adam Gopnik |
Rating: 4 Stars |
If you love Paris and New York City, this is the book for you. The award-winning author has lived in both places and has been a writer for The New Yorker since 1986.
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| Rachael |
Dead Copy by Kit Frazier |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This was a great book and I highly recommend it!
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| Linda Bass |
Second Wind by Dee S. Knight |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Cathy saw Rafe atop a huge bull, and seven seconds later, he is striding to her side. Can a rancher and a lawyer make their hasty marriage work without trust?
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| Jud H. |
Black Angel by John Connolly |
Rating: 3 Stars |
I give this 3 stars because it started out slowly. The plot revolves around a missing woman and ends up focusing on a religious sect who believe that they are the "Fallen Angels" mentioned in the Book of Enoch (or Epoch, not sure which it was). Anyway, it was generally a good book, but not one that I'd rush out to read.
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| Sandy |
The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I loved every minute of this book!
40-year-old Caretta (Cara) Rutledge thought she'd left her Shouthern roots and troubled family far benind, but a letter from her mother brings her home and it changes her life.
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| LouBabe (LouBabe@juno.com) |
Cold Feet by Brenda Novak |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Another super Brenda Novak mystery! I didn't want to put it down. A man accused of murder ends his own life, leaving his family in limbo. Was he or was he not guilty? A former Seattle police officer who worked on the case is now writing a book about it and discovers some very unexpected twists and turns.
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| LouBabe |
The Last to Know by Wendy Corsi Staub |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is the first book I've read by Wendy Corsi Staub, and now I'm looking all over for her books. THE LAST TO KNOW had a great mystery plot (couldn't put it down), but the big plus was: NO GRAPHIC SEX! I can let my granddaughters read Wendy Corsi Staub.
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| Louise |
High Tide by Jude Deveraux |
Rating: 3 Stars |
I usually enjoy Jude Deveraux's books, but this one was more than a little complicated and confusing. When I finished, I still was not sure I understood everything. A lot of facets of the story just weren't very true to life.
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| cara |
Sleeping with Schubert by Bonnie Marson |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book astounded me! It's a totally original idea, beauifully executed. A modern woman gets inhabited by dead composer Franz Schubert. Mysterious, hilarious, and totally satisfying! I'm recommending it to my book group.
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| Marianne |
Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee |
Rating: 4 Stars |
The size of this novel (nearly 500 pp) nearly put me off; but I decided to read a few pages and I couldn't stop. It's almost a "novel of manners" like those in the 19th-century --- only it takes place in the present and the story centers around a Korean family living in New York City. I love how the author tells the story from different points of view. It's a great read.
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| JenReardon |
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This book is full of intrigue, mystery, love, great characters and a terrific storyline that keeps you guessing until the very end. One of the best books I've read in a while.
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| Louise |
Heart of the Night by Barbara Delinsky |
Rating: 3 Stars |
The plot was good (the wife of a supposedly wealthy businessman is kidnapped), but it moved way too slowly for me. I almost gave up on reading it several times. If you have a lot of patience, you'll enjoy this one :)
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| Betty Jo Harris (harrises@bayou.com) |
Letter From Point Clear by Dennis McFarland |
Rating: 4 Stars |
Like his first book PRINCE EDWARD, McFarland gets you into his characters. I enjoyed the setting on the coast of Alabama and I found Morris, the brother, so so funny. I laughed at so many of his comments to the quirky situations.
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| Leslie (lmadreader@aol.com) |
Woman in Red by Eileen Goudge |
Rating: 5 Stars |
Excellent book! I have read all of hers, but this is one of my favorites. I did not want to put it down, so I didn't!
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| Leslie (lmadreader@aol.com) |
The Suspect by John Lescroart |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I was not sure I would like this, as Dismas Hardy was not the main character, but I loved it! It kept me guessing "whodunit."
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| Carol |
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan |
Rating: 4 Stars |
A very interesting combination of fact and fiction. Good read.
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| Becky Cruz (ABamaBecky@aol.com) |
Baltimore: Or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier... by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I have never read anything quite like BALTIMORE: OR, THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER AND THE VAMPIRE. Lord Henry Baltimore awakens the wrath of a vampire on a battlefield in World War I. This meeting forever changes the world. The vampire unleashes a plague that makes its victims suffer even after death. Baltimore is all alone in a struggle against the darkness. He summons three of his old friends to a lonely inn. These three men believe in the evil that is destroying mankind. As they wait for Baltimore to join them, they share their stories and wonder what part they will have in Baltimore's war against the darkness. Before the night is over, they will know what is required of them to rid the world of the plague and the evil creature that has claimed Baltimore as his sworn enemy. This book is very gruesome and gory...not for the faint of heart. My copy of the book is an ARC, the book will be available 8-28-07.
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| Peggy |
The Judas Strain by James Rollins |
Rating: 5 Stars |
History, science and adventure all rolled into one. That is Mr. Rollins's specialty. With JUDAS STRAIN, we have a disease from the past now threatening to destroy the modern world. The only hope of salvation lies in the clues left behind by Marco Polo. As always, Rollins takes the reader on a roller- coaster ride with a story you won't want to put down until you reach the last page.
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| Marianne |
The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings |
Rating: 5 Stars |
I loved this book, about a father who must reconnect with his two daughters (ages 10 and 17) after his wife is killed in a boating accident. Hemmings is able to create such realistic characters; it's hard NOT to relate to them. I still can't believe it was a debut novel --- and I still can't stop thinking about the book.
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| Mary Angela Young |
Paula Deen: It Ain't All About The Cookin by Paula Deen with Sherry Suib Cohen |
Rating: 5 Stars |
If you are ever feeling like your life is just going nowhere, read this book. When you see Paula Deen, you can't ever imagine her not happy. Boy, let me tell you. This woman has had a hard life, but has overcome so much to get to where she is today. I think everyone needs to read this book. It will make you really think about how good you have life. And how you can always make life better for yourself.
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| E. Quinn Knight |
Theres a SlightChance I Might be Going to Hell by Laurie Notaro |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a great comedy that is fun and easy to read. It's great for the summer and beach reading. The situations the heroine gets involved in are hilarious and I laughed out loud reading it! (Not good at 2am!)
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| Eileen Quinn Knight |
I Feel Bad About my Neck by Nora Ephron |
Rating: 5 Stars |
This is a very funny story! When Ephron wrote CRAZY SALAD years ago I laughed out loud. She hasn't lost her touch with this book. Read it and laugh!!
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| Janet Stewart |
High Stakes by Erin McCarthy |
Rating: 4 Stars |
This first in a series about vampires in Vegas is cute, light and fun. There are 3 other books and I plan to read them all. McCarthy has the touch to keep me interested to see what happens next.
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| Elaine |
North River by Pete Hamill |
Rating: 4 Stars |
I enjoyed the author's description of 1930s New York City --- the people, the atmosphere. The book tells the story of the local doctor whose wife is missing, his daughter has "deposited" her 3-year-old son on his doorstep while she goes to Spain to find her activist husband, and the local mafia wants him to give them information as to the whereabouts of one of their rivals. How can one person have so many problems? It still makes for an interesting story.
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| Peggy |
Dead Connection by Alafair Burke |
Rating: 5 Stars |
If you haven't read Ms. Burke, stop now and buy this book. A serial killer is targeting young, beautiful women who use the Internet to find dates. A rookie detective from Kansas is tagged to go undercover to find the killer. It becomes a taut game of cat and mouse, and there is more in play here than just finding a serial killer.
This book was a great change of pace, and Ellie Hatcher is a very likeable character.
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